today's favourite colour Pantone 411c

Yesterday it rained. Today it rained. This is the colour that is surrounding me. Mixes of greys and browns, specks of dirt, dead leaves that were once nestled under the fluffy white snow, the snow that is now dirty and melting. I guess it leaves a new slate for snow to cover again soon! Winter is not over...

moment of beauty

{Audrey Hepburn - by Leo Fuchs circa 1958}

the morning after...

Now there is a little time to breathe. As much as I love Christmas, I love the day after too! The presents have been opened, and now it's time to enjoy them. I love watching the dvd's I got, and starting to read all the books. I skip the madness that would be the mall today and just savour the season. I know, I've been saying it alot, but think about how busy you are all year, leading up to this holiday! Enjoy how ever many days you have off, get back to work refreshed and ready to start a new year...

thoughts of sugarplums...

It is the night before, the night before Christmas and the snow is falling! With Christmas shopping finally done, and the baking beginning, I want to wish you happy holidays! May you make new memories this year, filled with laughter, yummy food and lots of family & friends! And as I celebrate with my family, How the Grinch stole Christmas, yummy gingerbread men and hot cocoa spiked with Bailey's, you will all be in my thoughts. Cheers to a new year! 

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more..." – Dr. Seuss 

bows of holly & wrapping paper

Well it's the last weekend until Christmas! This means the malls will be wall to wall people, everyone hustling and bustling and all in a frenzy! I beg of you to take a minute to enjoy the spirit of the holidays, grab a hot cup of cocoa before you head into your first store of the weekend, sit down for a break and rest your feet. Here are some samples of sweet wrappings to inspire you after you've finished all your perfect purchases. Joyeux Noel!

marthastewart.com

hand me down

The passing down of traditions between families, tribes or cultures has been going on for years. For most people the thought of tradition perhaps will make them shudder. Stuffy ideas passed down through generations, binding ideas that would make you want to run in the other direction? What about traditions that evolve over time? Taking a simple idea and transforming it into your own! That's my idea of tradition, based on one idea and allowing it to grow into something fantastic! This spread in Domino Sept. 2006 took the idea of tradition to a new level. I am in love with muted tones and pops of colour throughout the spreads. The furniture and architecture has that essence of timeless tradition, but bringing in more modern and outstanding pieces to make it your own. Classic!

bah humbug...

I can't believe it's almost a week 'til Christmas! Yet, I still am not in the spirit. Something feels different this year and I just can't put my finger on it. I should be all festive and cheery, trimming the tree and baking cookies. At least I finished my Christmas cards today, maybe that will put me on the right track to cheer? This little reindeer certainly made me smile today and I think I'm on the right track. Next stop: shop til I drop!

urbanoutfitters.com

a little night reading

Do you ever have those weekends where you had so much to do, you wish you had just one more day to relax? On Sunday nights after a weekend like that, I like to crawl under the covers and flip through a beautiful magazine. Even if it's late at night, or past my usual bedtime, sometimes it's nice to just take a few minutes to decompress before a new week begins. Then I turn off the lights and say goodnight!

rainbow brite

This is too good to be true! Actually, I've known for a while that these have been out, and I have been searching to find one! Most sites are from UK and don't ship to Canada. *tear* Can you believe they make Pantone mugs? I would need a different one for every day! 

party perfect

If you have an indoor New Year's party to go to, these shoes are perfect! The gold is the right amount of glitz to be festive but still subtle enough to match your pretty party dress. Kate Spade got it right!

katespade.com

roses are grey

Don't you love the details in both of these dresses? My friend Daniella and I are loving yellow right now, and I love adding that pop of grey and black with it. There's something clean & sophisticated about it.

vanityfair.com

tale of a whale

I came across this tote just today. How cute is it? The illustrator is so fantastic, and you should check out the website, they do little postcards too! Not sure if they ship to Canada...

www.johnderian.com

plaid perfection

With today's favourite colour, I thought I would show you the scarf I was talking about. It's so soft! It also gets me into the Christmas spirit a little more...

today's favourite colour Pantone 296c

I picked this colour today because I saw it in a great tartan pattern. Plaids & tartans are making a comeback this winter season and I love it! I've been looking for a fantastic plaid scarf for a few years now and I finally found one just in time for winter. The catch was though, that it was in the men's section at H&M. Who would have thought?

omg

This is for all you gossip girl fans! This spread was in Vanity Fair's Young Hollywood article this past year. I love the colour combinations and the dresses are so fresh! Which character is my favourite? That's one secret I'll never tell..xoxo.

vintage madonna

I'm not sure how many of you are fans of Madonna. I am usually a fan of stars or celebrities when they are in their truest moment. When fame hasn't hit them so hard that they are robots, but when they seem the most passionate. Here is a spread from Vanity Fair's April 1991 issue. Madonna was young, but still had a sense of who she was. I'm not that much of a fan of her anymore, but the photographer here, definitely captured something beautiful!

home sweet home

Oscar De La Renta's summer home was recently featured in Vogue. Here's one of the shots I love! It's such a good mix of grandeure & comfort. Delicious! 

Christmas with Tiffany

I cannot tell a lie. Every holiday season, before I start shopping for other people, I always take a peek at Tiffany's. I can't help it, that little blue box calls my name every time. This year I am loving the rings & bracelets that you can get custom-engraved by someone you love. I will be asking for this for Christmas, and crossing my little bare fingers for something pretty to put on them!

tiffany.ca

what a girl wants

I L.O.V.E. these spreads! The J. Crew collection combines chic & sexy and the colour combos are fantastic! My friend Daniella's blog (dress design & decor) inspired me to show these. The outfits combine simple pieces which equals timelessness. What girl doesn't want that?

jcrew.com

elegance is simple

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of Kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

-Audrey Hepburn

today's favourite colour Pantone 2627c

I love this rich tone of the usually very feminine colour purple. It gives you a sense of luxury and tastefulness! Plus shades of purple are still in this season, and it's flattering on most skin tones, so that gives you full license to sport it!

even during the holidays?

I just started reading this last week and it's one of the best feel-good books I've read in a long time. I always seem to pick up something like this at the perfect time, when I'm in need of a little encouragement! Though some of this book is about losing weight, which I am not really interested in, she also encourages you to a more positive way of life, enjoying little things, savouring the best coffee, really being in a "moment" and much more. She really reminds you of things you forget when you're spinning in the business of life! The author's voice is gentle yet informational and makes you feel like she's one of your best friends...

"To read a book is, at least for a time, to try on a different way of thinking, a way of seeing..."

to the island, with love.

For the past few days it has been cold and grey outside. This kind of weather makes you want to curl up with a good book, drink something warm, or if you are anything like me...wishing you were somewhere sunny! This picture was taken while visiting my sister in the Cayman Islands. Piña Colada anyone?

shop for glee!

Anthropologie's holiday ads are so fun on their website! They mix old school with the new edginess of the fashion world, and their holiday decor is to die for! It's still early enough in the season to snag something before Kris Kringle arrives!

anthropologie.com

today's favourite colour Pantone 107c

I saw a man on the subway wearing a tie of this colour today and it caught my attention. How beautiful! The weather outside is gloomy, snowy/rainy & grey and yet seeing this colour made it all go away, even just for a split second. 

double your pleasure, double your fun

this lipgloss is better than gum! Or at least a good substitute. I love this gloss, it combines two of my favourite flavours: cinnamon & mint. The oils act as a lip moisturizer AND breath freshener! It's also boyfriend-friendly, which means it's not sticky and he won't make that funny face after he kisses you...he might even lick his own lips!

wanna buy? click here

it won't kill you

Today I have the day off. I have decided not to feel guilty about it and that makes me smile. I challenge you to a day of nothing, you won't regret it!

it's not always about me...

With yesterday being my birthday, I spent some time in a little reflection. So much happened this year, some bad, but mostly good, and I wanted to take the time to say thank you. Thank you to everyone that has made this past year one of the most memorable in my life! 

stationery by Crane & Co.

today's favourite colour Pantone 1805c

Today I am loving the rich red tones in Pantone 1805c. So many items are touched by tones of this colour, winter berries, ribbon, wrapping and one thing I love the most this time of year, Starbucks coffee cups! It definitely gets me into the holiday spirit.

she smelled of daisy...

by Marc Jacobs. I love this perfume! The scent is light and not overpowering, and let's face it, the bottle is gorgeous! I was about to spray it this morning, but the light was hitting it so beautifully, I had to take a picture. Joie de vivre! 

for a little looksy: www.marcjacobs.com