A Leather Jacket – Finally!

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Navy leather jacket

Leather jackets have always been an interesting clothing option for me, mainly because I’m always cold and I didn’t think I could wear one for more than a few days a year here in Canada.

But, I changed my mind when I finally found a leather jacket that I loved.  It’s navy, of course, and it’s pretty classic and simple.  I think most people own one leather jacket that they love and keep for years.  I plan on keeping mine for a long time.

So far this fall and winter, it’s been relatively mild and people continue to wear their leather jackets well into the season.

Here’s what I like about mine:

  • It can be dressed up and worn out to dinner
  • Or, it can be dressed down and worn to a sports event or concert
  • The jacket looks great with jeans and a plain t-shirt underneath – that quickly put-together, relaxed look
  • The jacket can be worn all year round with either a t-shirt, an oxford, or a light sweater
  • The classic look of this jacket will be in style for years to come

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My New Year’s Resolutions for 2016

New Year's Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year!!

The beginning of a new year is when many people set New Year’s resolutions.

Admittedly, I don’t usually set resolutions on New Year’s Day because I make resolutions all year long.  Maybe that’s a good thing, maybe not.  Either way, January is as good a time as any to think about positive changes.

Here are 5 New Year’s resolutions that will make a difference for me:

New Year's Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions

Get More Sleep
I used to sleep from 10pm to 6am every night.  That’s a solid 8 hours.  I felt great because I could get more done in the early hours of the day when it was quiet at home and on the roads. Since my second child was born, I haven’t been very successful and am lucky to get 6 hours.

I’m sure you have heard about many studies and statistics on getting more sleep.  I like Dr. Oz’s tips and website.  I know that getting more sleep will make me a more patient mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.  My biggest challenge will come with getting to bed as early as possible because I seem to get up around 5:30 no matter how hard I try to sleep in later than that. If I had to choose only one New Year’s resolution, it would be to sleep. Continue reading

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How To Host A Fun & Easy Christmas Coffee Morning

Christmas Coffee Morning - Self-Serve Tea and Coffee
Christmas Coffee Morning – Self-Serve Tea and Coffee

The days leading up to Christmas are some of the busiest of the year.  They are also the most festive days on which to entertain.

Last week, I hosted a Christmas coffee morning for some of the moms at my kids’ school.  It’s something I have done in the past and all the moms enjoy taking time out to relax and catch up before the holiday break.

Christmas Coffee Morning - All Kinds of Goodies
Christmas Coffee Morning – All Kinds of Goodies

For me, it is a chance to invite friends over while my house is somewhat clean and orderly!  Plus, it’s decorated for Christmas, which makes entertaining that much easier and more fun. It’s also easy in that the season sets the theme for everything from Christmas doilies, napkins and serving dishes to Christmas-themed centerpieces.

Here’s what was on the menu: Continue reading

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VIP Cinemas: The Ultimate Experience at the Movies!

VIP Cinemas
VIP Cinemas In-Seat Menu

On Sunday, my husband and I were lucky enough to get tickets to a VIP Cinema screening of the latest Rocky installment, Creed.

A few days earlier, I had received an email saying that 50 Scene Members would get free tickets, plus $60 spending money, for them and a guest to a VIP Cineplex Cinema Sneak Peek.  The Cineplex Yonge-Eglinton & VIP (formerly SilverCity) in Toronto has just added 3 new VIP Cinemas, making it the 9th location in Ontario to receive VIP Cinemas.  I was one of the lucky 50!

The highlights of the VIP Cinema experience are:

  • Larger, reclining seats that can be reserved
  • Menu service at your seat
  • Licensed lounge and theater
  • Dedicated box office

Reading between the lines, you understand that patrons must be of legal drinking age, so nobody under 19 can attend these VIP Cinemas in Ontario. The VIP Cinemas have a separate entrance and are not near the regular theater auditoriums.  In fact, when we went on Sunday night, we did not know where the VIP Cinemas were and had to be directed to a brand new wing of the theater.

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DIY Advent Calendar: Fun and Easy

DIY Advent Calendar
DIY Advent Calendar Behind Our Elf on the Shelf

This post is meant to inspire you with a fun and easy DIY Advent calendar!

It’s that time of year again: the build-up to the Christmas season.  My family gets very excited to celebrate the holidays and we like to get things started as soon as possible!

One easy way is to use an Advent calendar.  Advent calendars have their origin in the mid-19th century in Germany with the Lutherans who used to count down the days to Christmas with chalk marks or by lighting calendars. Gerhard Lang, a German child, was lucky enough to have his mother stick candy on a piece of cardboard for him to remove each day. Bible versus are featured on many versions as Advent calendars are meant to herald the ‘advent’ or ‘coming’ of Christmas.

Many articles I read credit President Eisenhower with popularizing Advent calendars in the US.  The commercialization of Advent calendars has taken away the true origin of the calendars and each year there are so many choices and creative varieties.  Reminding ourselves about the meaning of Advent calendars is important.

DIY Advent Calendar
DIY Advent Calendar: Wrapped Boxes

An article in Chatelaine Magazine did a great job showing all the Advent calendars you can buy, including ones from David’s Tea, The Body Shop and Starbucks as well as ones including make-up, beer (believe it), and pet treats!! These Advent calendars range in price from $12 to $250. Continue reading

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Delicate Mesh Clothing

IMG_2472There is something about mesh clothing that I’ve always liked.  It’s sexy while trying to appear conservative.  It’s interesting to the eye.  Long sleeved pieces appear lighter with mesh.  And, it feels cool and breathable to wear.  By mesh, I mean clothing made of material that is see-through, finely woven, or netted. You see a lot of it in stores and in magazines.  Take a look:

I own a few pieces of mesh clothing, some more see-through than others.  For this post, published on one of the warmest November days we are seeing in Toronto, I am wearing a navy woven cotton sweater with mesh inserts in the yolk and sleeves and down the center of the back.  No jacket required. This sweater and mesh detailing are perfect for days like today.


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Wearing Navy and Black Together

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Photo by Lauren R

In an earlier post, I talked about how navy is my black for the simple reason that navy just goes better with my coloring.  Well, wouldn’t you know it: after all of these years, I somehow managed to buy a black dress this fall!  Let’s be clear, though: it works on me because it is mesh and because it has a blue lining underneath it.  I guess you could say this is MY version of an LBD.

After I bought the dress, I noticed that lots of stores and designers were showing black and navy together.  Take a look:

The combination of navy/blue and black works for several reasons:

  • The two colors are close enough to look good together –  in almost any shade of the two
  • Navy and black are associated with being formal
  • Both are classic, timeless colors
  • Navy and black are season-less and therefore versatile
  • The colors not only go well together, but adding neutrals, mesh, or bling provides even more options
Photo by Lauren R
Photo by Lauren R

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Pumpkin Bars… If You Can Find The Pumpkins!!

IMG_2160Further to my last post on Canadian Thanksgiving, I thought I would write a quick one on pumpkin bars and the fact that making them (and anything else requiring pumpkin puree) this year might pose a challenge!!

You see, canned pumpkins, the main ingredient in the bars, are made from ‘pie’ or ‘sugar’ pumpkins.  Pie pumpkins are the smaller, denser, darker version of the larger, thin-walled pumpkins we use for carving jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. These pie pumpkins are made into puree and canned in the fall and are available all year – technically.

This fall, pie pumpkins are in short supply due to the heavy rains this summer in the Midwestern United States where most of the pies are grown. The problem is serious enough to cause some concern for Americans as they plan their upcoming Thanksgiving dinner menu which undoubtedly will include some variation of pumpkin in several dishes.

According to Bloomberg News, Libby’s, the largest producer of pumpkins, says they have enough product to make 45 million 8 inch pies, which is half of what they normally produce. They think this is enough to get through Thanksgiving but, after that, there could be a shortage that will have to wait until next year’s harvest to be satisfied. Continue reading

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Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

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It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend!  It’s the first long weekend after school has started and many students (and parents) look forward to this break.  But, what is Canadian Thanksgiving, how does it differ from American Thanksgiving, and why is it in October??

I grew up in an American compound overseas and then went to school in the US for seven years, so I have celebrated American Thanksgiving at least seven times.  It is truly a big celebration!  The memories are very real and I know that the fourth Thursday in November means a few things for our American neighbors:  the start of the holiday season, the busiest travel weekend of the year, family and lots of food, being grateful, parades, and the Dallas Cowboys game on TV.  In Canada, our Thanksgiving is a little bit different (although we do have Oktoberfest parades, fall festivals, and Canadian Football League games).

For starters, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October (which happens to coincide with Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the US), not in November.  It is not necessarily a busy travel weekend and we don’t all celebrate on the Monday – we can celebrate any day of the weekend, hence the ‘light’ traffic.  And, believe it or not, only federally regulated companies are off for this holiday in the Atlantic Provinces, where Thanksgiving is an optional holiday. Continue reading

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Transitional Dressing: Summer to Fall 2015

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Fall officially arrived this week and, although we are still enjoying some summer-like weather, the cooler mornings and evenings make us think a little harder about what to wear!

Transitional, or trans-seasonal, dressing is a way to bridge both the summer and fall styles.  It’s a way to hang on to warm weather thoughts while being excited about the next season.

Here are some tips on transitional dressing:
1. Base outfits around a blazer, jean jacket, leather jacket, wrap, or sweater and around pants or a longer skirt
2. Layer, layer, layer: cotton with wool; cotton with fleece; light wool with heavier wool, etc.
3. Incorporate upcoming trends, textures, and colors into your outfit
4. Wear closed shoes, open-toed shoes/boots, or unlined boots that won’t be too warm; include textured or colored tights
5. Add a scarf that can be used as a wrap in the morning or evening

In these photos, I am wearing Velvet jeans – my go-to outfit base – along with a navy J Crew Schoolboy Blazer, which I admittedly wear year-round.  The blazer is one of my favorites because it is an all-season light wool and comes in petites, so no alterations are required!  Under the blazer, I am wearing a cream, long-sleeved, cotton, waffle-knit sweater, from Velvet.  The scarf is a rectangular wool/cashmere/silk blend, from Tilo, in a color that is in for fall. The smooth texture of the scarf is enhanced by the suede fringe, another fall trend.  Because the boots, a staple from Browns Shoes, are unlined, they are more of a transitional shoe than a winter boot.  Finally, the statement necklace in blues and forest greens works well as a transitional piece.

Do you have a transitional go-to outfit?

(Jeans and sweater: Velvet; Blazer and necklace: J Crew; Belt: Marc Cain; Boots: Browns Shoes; Bag: Massimo Dutti.  Photos: Lauren R)

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