CALM & HAPPY

CALM & HAPPY


It has been a hot minute since I did a blog post! I was off last week and wanted to write, but it turns out I was a lot busier than I had anticipated. Definitely did not have the Netflix days I had banked on when I finished my last exam on Friday but what can you do! (Sam if by chance you are reading this, I have yet to start Once Upon a Time haha but I am trying to make time for it!!)

I wanted to write something a little bit more personal again, and I will go back to the fun things later on this week (I have a recipe I tried, and some of my monthly favourites coming your way!). For the past month, I have been feeling very upset and out of place and I did not really know why, I had no reason to be upset! I had just gotten married to my best friend, school was going great, I have the most amazing support system, so why would I feel sad? I want to preface by saying, this sadness did not get to the point where I could not get out of bed, but I definitely felt it affecting my moods and my relationships around me, and my motivation was beginning to decline as well. I was putting out negative energy, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I started getting negative energy in return. Some days I was good at hiding it, I would smile and laugh with people, and other days I literally wanted to punch everyone I saw in the face. Every day was a gamble and it is not something I wanted to continue. 

I knew something had to change, so I talked to someone about how I was feeling, and not really knowing why I was feeling that way. This helped a lot! I felt a weight lifting off my shoulders and started to slowly feel better. This feeling comes and goes for me, it is something that I struggle with and have struggled with in the past. I have a lot of anxiety and it is something I work with almost on a daily basis. It is not something I normally talk about, but this is what makes me who I am! Talking it out got the ball rolling, and I started to feel more positive. I currently have a calm and happy outlook, I feel excited for the future! I have some things that have happened this week that I am excited for, and also I have been having nightly talks with Kyle about our plans and upcoming adventures (our honeymoon being one of them). We have such a great life together despite all the little arguments and head butting, and talking to him makes me calm because he knows me so well and can sense when something is wrong almost before I do. I do not want to feel sad about life because I know I am extremely blessed, but sometimes it is something I can't control. Knowing this, and getting the help that I need allows me to straighten myself out and continue own the path I was heading without being derailed. 

I also try to surround myself with people who lift my spirits, and I have to say that a major lifeline for me is my school family. I spend more time with them than I do Kyle it feels like! But I love it, each one of them bring their own personality and it is so fun to be at school sometimes. Everyone in my life is important to me, and I hope that if I ever seemed closed off or bitter, it was not intentional, it was something I had to work out with myself and I am still doing so! I have also spent the last few months trying to make everyone happy and see everyone, but I think that I needed to find a balance with school, social life, our photography, and self care. And my self care took a backseat for a long time and that can't happen anymore. I was basically burnt out, and as much as I would LOVE to see everyone whenever, sometimes it is just not possible. People will either understand or get upset, but I would hope that they would understand. Balancing my life is something that I am still working on, this past year I have been busier than ever before, but I do enjoy where I am going. I also think seeing my immediate family more will help, I will be seeing my sister and my mom this weekend which makes my heart so happy! 

So, basically, that was my little rant/explanation as to why I may have been feeling distant. This is not new for me, like I said above it is something that comes and goes, but we are working on it step by step and just taking each day at a time :)

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CURRENT LOVES

CURRENT LOVES


01. FALL COLOURS: I mean, come on! It is so beautiful outside this time of year. Thanksgiving weekend I was in Parry Sound and I went for a walk and just took it all in. They have the most amazing leaves and colours it was so nice to take time out and just appreciate it because they change and then are pretty much gone the next day!

02. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING: Yeah, I know I may be early, Halloween hasn't even happened yet! But we always leave our Christmas shopping until the last minute and struggle getting it all in! This year, we have started early and have already crossed half the people off our list! Since we started early, we have had the time to really think and get gifts that are from the heart :) 

03. IPHONE 6: I recently upgraded and I LOVE the new iPhone 6! I was skeptical at first because of the size, but I have had it now for over a month and it is love! The camera quality is amazing, the speed is great, and overall it is exactly what I am looking for :)

04. A BREAK: These last few weeks at school have been crazy! With assignments due and tests, so I am so happy that it is reading week, a break is much needed every once and a while! Even though I get this week off, there is still lots to do! Work never sleeps around here that's for sure!

05. FALL FASHION: I could look at photos all day of long cozy sweaters and long boots! It really is the best time of year :)

06. PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS: Such a guilty pleasure, but hey, they only come around once a year! So I can't help but indulge every once and a while, they are so tasty!

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NAIL COMBO

NAIL COMBO

Ever since I have stopped biting my nails, my nail polish collection has grown quite a bit. Even though I have lots to choose from, I always tend to gravitate towards my favourite nail combination.


Over the summer I grabbed the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel and was really quite surprised with the results! It feels like a gel nail, and lasts so much longer than regular polish. I got the colour "Birthday Suit" and it is the perfect nude and goes with absolutely everything and is good for every season! I love pairing it with the Revlon silver glitter polish, I love having an accent nail whenever I can, and these two together make me happy! I love it so much that it was actually the nail combination I had on my wedding day :)


What's your go to nail combo? 

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HAPPY ONE MONTH

HAPPY ONE MONTH

Happy one month of marriage to my hubby and I! My oh my has time flown, the wedding came and went before our eyes and here we are one month after the wedding! People have asked me "so do you feel any different?!" And I never really know how to answer this without sounding extremely corny. But yes, I do feel different, I feel like my heart grew a little bigger and is full of so much more love. I also feel calm and complete, which are great things to feel. The day was a dream, it went by so fast, and there were times when I wondered if it would come together at all! But it was perfect for us, we could not have asked for a better day! If I had to share some tips to have throughout the whole process it would be these:

01. Do not hesitate to ask for help: A lot of the time I felt like I could juggle it all, full time student, just had a surgery, and could plan a wedding. The truth was I couldn't and there were times where I broke down. There is a reason you have beautiful ladies who agree to stand beside you, they are there for your help too! I also started delegating jobs to Kyle as well, this helped huge and he actually loved doing the things I gave him :)

02. Have a Planner: My wedding binder was my bible, I put EVERYTHING in there. Receipts, emails, confirmation numbers, addresses, inspiration, and whatever else was wedding related. I did this so I didn't misplace anything and I knew where everything was. I keep it on my bookshelf now as a keepsake of sorts. 

03. Budget: Do this for everything, your time, the money, everything wedding related. I kept a spreadsheet of finances and made sure everything was spent in the best way for the wedding. I also made sure that the wedding didn't "suffer" in terms of my time. 

04. Take advantage of thrifting: This may not work for everyone, but thrift stores were my best friend. A lot of the DIYS I did were because of them. It added a certain flare, and it really fit our theme. I also took advantage of companies that rent out items, for things we knew we would never use again but added detail, we rented them! 

05. Try & Enjoy!: If I could turn back time, I would have enjoyed the process a bit more than I did. Yes, it was stressful 90% of the time, but I think it is easy to forget the reason why you are getting married. Try to sit back and laugh off the hiccups! 

I miss it a lot, and I got a little sad after it was over. The wedding was such a huge part of my life for over a year, and then poof it was back to normal! Now we just sit back and enjoy the rest of our journey together! This month marks one month of marriage and also four years of being together! It has been a long ride, but I am content and happy. 



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DIY : DEER HEAD

DIY : DEER HEAD

This is a DIY I have had in my mind forever! I have seen photos like this online:


And I absolutely LOVE the look of it! Except, my budget can't justify spending $90+ on something that will just sit on my wall. With that being said, yesterday I took a trip over to Michaels and searched for my next craft idea. I found a paper mache deer head in the Christmas section, so I decided to take it home with me and have a little fun. If you want to recreate this, all you will need is:

01. Paper Mache deer head
02. White paint
03. Mod Podge 
04. Gold glitter (or any colour of glitter you would prefer)
05. Paint brushes 
06. Finishing spray

Unfortunately, I thought this would be a good blog post AFTER I completed the DIY. But, it is really quite easy to do! I just painted the head white and let it dry, Mod Podged the antlers and sprinkled gold glitter on them, let that dry and shook off any remaining glitter. After the whole thing was dry I took the finishing spray and did a generous coat on the whole thing, this just prevents the glitter from falling everywhere. And there you have it! Your very own deer head at the fraction of the cost! In total, I spent $30 on this DIY! 

Here is the finished product!


I am so happy with it, it turned out exactly like I had hoped, and once our office is done it is going to hang in there :) 




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THANKFUL

THANKFUL


With Thanksgiving weekend coming up this weekend, I figured there was no better time than to sit and reflect on the things I am thankful for. I sometimes tend to take things for granted, so it is nice to stop and reflect on what an amazing life I have.

01: My husband
I count my lucky stars at least once a day to have such an amazing man in my life. I do not know how I got so lucky to have such an amazing support system. He never fails to make me happy, and I get excited every day knowing I can come home to something that already feels so complete. I can't wait to go along on this journey with him and see all of the things that come our way. We have our moments, as many others do, but I could not picture my life without him and I am eternally grateful to have met him.

02: My family
My immediate family, my aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, everyone. I have a great support system when it comes to family. Do we always get along? Nope. Do we drive each other crazy? Yep. But at the end of the day they are part of who I am and have shaped me into the person I have become. 

03: My friends
The ones who have stuck around, the old ones, the new ones, I love them all. They are my escape and my lifeline. Life gets so busy and it is so nice to be able to sit down and catch up with the friends I do not always see. No matter what we are in this together!

04: My fur child
This is a given, I treat Bentley like I would my child. He is such a huge part of my life and Kyle's life.  He has seen me at my worst and my best, and there is no better cuddler than Bentley! 

05: My education
I have a love/hate relationship with school, but I am thankful for it regardless. Many people work their asses off to be able to go, and others do not have the opportunity. I am happy that I am not only a University graduate, but also have the drive to continue my education and it will hopefully help me in my future. 

I am happy for all of the good things in my life, I am so blessed to be able to live this life. Although there are hard times and it makes it difficult to appreciate it, I do not forget it. Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends! I hope you all enjoy your turkey comas and spend time with those you love!



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THE SWEATER WEATHER TAG

THE SWEATER WEATHER TAG


Happy Friday everyone! This week just flew by, I feel like it was yesterday I was posting some Monday inspiration! It has been a jam packed week, and will be a jam packed weekend! We have birthdays, photos, and a lovely dinner cruise, and somehow I have to find time to fit homework in there and get ready to do it all over again next week! Anyways, I thought I would post some fall related questions on this Friday morning, so grab a tea and read on! If you want to respond feel free to comment below with your answers :) Happy reading!

1. FAVOURITE CANDLE SCENT? 
Anything from Bath and Body Works is an instant key to my heart, and when they come out with their fall scents it is like Christmas! Anyone who loves Bath and Body Works as much as I do knows that picking one is next to impossible, however if the fate of the world was relying on it, I would have to say either Marshmallow Fireside or Pumpkin Cupcake. You cannot go wrong with either one, and Marshmallow Fireside can be transitioned into winter which is even better!

  2. COFFEE, TEA OR HOT CHOCOLATE?
I am a complete green tea addict. I drink way too many cups a day! Sometimes as a nice treat I will make myself a hot chocolate but if I was reaching for one of the 3 it would definitely be tea. I am not a coffee drinker at all.

   3. DARK LIPS OR WINGED EYELINER?
Dark lips all the way, I love experimenting every once and a while. It feels weird because it is not part of my regular routine, but I want to try and wear dark lipstick more! I cannot do a winged line to save my life. 

4. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE FOR HALLOWEEN?
I personally do not dress up anymore, I never really was into Halloween myself, however .. ever since we got our dog Bentley there is something that brings me so much joy dressing him up in costumes. His first Halloween he was Mickey Mouse, last year he was a T-Rex, and this year he is going to be a pirate! If you are ever having a bad day, put your dog in a costume, instant mood boost!

5. HATS OR SCARVES?
Scarves all the way! The back of my bedroom door has tons of scarves.

6.  FAVOURITE FALL NAIL POLISH?
I love wine coloured polishes, I think they look well on my skin tone and are obviously fall appropriate. However during the fall I also like to wear nude colours, I am loving the new Sally Hansen Gel Nail Polish in Birthday Suit!

7. SKINNY JEANS OR LEGGINGS?
Skinny jeans, I have yet to find a pair of leggings that don't fall down or fit correctly. Plus, I am one of the very few people out there that actually prefer jeans to any other type of pant!

8. COMBAT BOOTS OR UGGS?
Neither, I will wear UGGS in the winter, but I love high boots. I have 2 pairs that I have worn out and should probably be replaced but I love them so much. 

9. APPLE PIE OR PUMPKIN PIE?
This questions doesn't even seem fair! I do not like store bought pumpkin pie, but I would die for the pumpkin pie my family makes! But I mean nothing beats a nice piece of apple pie too! So I obviously have to go with both :) 

10. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT AUTUMN?
Would I be basic if I said everything? But it is so true, we live outside of the city so the leaves are beautiful and make the drives into the city so picture perfect. I also love being able to get together with family, Thanksgiving is next weekend and I love being able to connect with those I don't get to see as often! Plus I mean the weather is perfect, warm enough to not wear a coat, but cold enough to get away with wearing pants and boots. It's all perfection! 
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