Shop Update.....

I want to give you a wee bit of a shop update.  First, the shop will be re-opening at the end of next week, after the beginning of the school year.  We have enjoyed a wonderful summer, full of family time.  I think that this is the longest that I've kept my shop closed since I opened it up, wild!  It allowed me to really and truly relax.

With that, September will be a "test" month for me.  This break allowed me to realize the true amount of work it takes to keep the shop running.  I feel as though perhaps it's taking me away a little too much from my family.  The kids are still young and these years will be gone before I know it, I really feel that I need to cherish these next few years.

I've mentioned this before, I believe it was at the beginning of the year, so it's definitely been something that I've been contemplating for a while now.  Sooo, we'll see how things go in September and I will make a decision as to what to do then.  Be it keeping the shop open, going for a temporary closure at the end of the month, only listing items periodically or perhaps I'll only have a small selection of items and will re-list as they sell.

I'm having a tough time finding the right balance....

If I do decide to close the shop temporarily, I plan to continue to sew and to continue to sketch out designs because this is truly something that I absolutely love to do.  I will just have to wait until I have a little more time to put towards the shop.

I have so much admiration and respect for those who take care of their little ones while running a successful business, it's more than a lot of work, I bow to you!

If you were wondering, I do plan to continue blogging if the shop does end up closing next month....

Cheers,

Polka Dots!

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This past week and a half all of the talk has been about polka dots.  They are making a strong comeback indeed.

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They can be found on practically any type of clothing, tops, pants, dresses, skirts, swimsuits and accessories too.  There is enough of a selection to satisfy any type of polka dot craving be it large or small.

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I personally LOVE white polka dots on navy, such a great combo and you can dress it up or down.  Pair a navy and white polka dot top with your favourite jeans and a chic pair of brown boots and you're good to go!

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So, how are you feeling about rockin' polka dots?

Cheers,

Braid It

Have you noticed a slew of great "new" braids lately? Oh they are fabulous!  I haven't tested any of them out....but I'm loving the looks!

The ladies over at The Beauty Department seem to be quite fond of braids and well, you can't really blame them I suppose.  A braid is a great way to jazz up your hairstyle or to quickly and neatly tie back your hair.  They've taken the time to post a few great tutorials for us to try:

You've got:

• the twist braid
• the boho braid
• and the swiss miss milk braid (in video format)

Emily, from Cupcakes and Cashmere, posted a great tutorial on how to make an oldie but a goodie, the fishtale braide as seen in this photo of hers:

                                                                          Source: cupcakesandcashmere.com via Julie on Pinterest

You can find the tutorial here.

Other classic braided looks, the side braid and the front braid, really you can't go wrong with either.  The front braid is fantastic for those of us with curly hair.  Try adding some ribbon to tie your braid or weave it throughout the braid for an added twist!

Do you rock braids?

Cheers,

Do You Rock It: Nailpolish

                                                                               Source: instyle.com via Julie on Pinterest

So tell me, how do you feel about painted nails?  Do you paint your nails on a regular basis?  Only once in a while or for a special occasion perhaps?  How about your toe nails? And do you have a go to colour or does your colour choice vary?  Do you like bold, flashy or do you stick with neutral shades?  Ahhh yes, so many questions!

It's funny how fancy I feel when I have painted nails...yup, fancy.  I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but I really and truly feel fancier with some type of colour on my nails.  My colour choices do vary quite a bit.  From the ever-so-popular-at-the-moment grey to pink to green and my most recent purchase a steel grey that bodes a touch of purple.

Chanel has just launched three limited edition shades of blue polish (you can have your name put on the waitlist here).

                                                                                Source: chanel.com via Julie on Pinterest

Will you be running out to buy some, or will you pass?

Me?  I think I'd like to try out the one on the far right....lookin' very pretty over there!

Cheers,

Oh Joy....

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Allergy season, oh joy!

Every year, around this time I'm hit by allergies.  It's terrible.  If you have allergies, you know what I mean, if you don't, it's so frustrating.  Itchy eyes, runny nose, itchy palate, itchy ears and irritability....joy.  It feels somewhat similar to a sinus cold when it's tough to think and you feel as though you're in a fog.

I've taken my meds, the windows are closed and the a/c is on, but still, I'm feeling terribly off.

So I will be sticking close to home this weekend, counting down the days until allergy season is over (hopefully in the next week or so).

To my dear readers on the East Coast, please do stay safe this weekend.

Cheers,

Yes, I'm In!

I have to tell you that one trend I'm all over is glitter shoes.  Heels, flats, wedges, I'm in!  Kind of a la Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, don't you think?

                                                                                 Source: imdb.com via Julie on Pinterest

Yesterday, Kate Spade shared these lovelies on their facebook page and yes, without a doubt, I'll take a pair!

                                                                            Source: katespade.com via Julie on Pinterest

I think it's the glamour that I love so much....you can have on a simple outfit, but the moment you slip your feet into these, you take that outfit to the next level.

I bought a pair of gold glitter heels from Aldo (they happen to be on sale right now at a great price!) and I just love them.

beckworth from aldo

I think next on my list will be a pair of silver heels and then perhaps a pair (or two) of flats....

                                                                          Source: saksfifthavenue.com via Julie on Pinterest

                                                                                       Source: bloomingdales.com via Julie on Pinterest

What are you thoughts on glitter shoes? 

Is it a "yay" or a "nay"?

Oh, and if you are wanting to make your own pair of glitter shoes, take a peek at this great tutorial posted yesterday on Everything Fabulous!

Cheers,

P.S. If you are rocking the glitter shoes, be sure to click those heels together!

Do You Rock It: Fedora

                                                                               Source: glamour.com via Julie on Pinterest

This is a look that I've wanted to rock for a long time now, but I haven't been able to find the right hat.  Perhaps I have found the right hat, but my hair wasn't down when I found it, so I wasn't able to try it on and well, you know how that goes.  Hats don't all fit the same, so you really never know what it's going to look like on until you give it a try.

                                                                                   Source: refinery29.com via Julie on Pinterest

Do you rock the fedora?

If so, hair up or down?

Cheers,

This look

                                                                                              Source: glamour.com via Julie on Pinterest

I saw this photo and all I could think was how much I love her "look".  The skinny jeans slightly rolled up paired with a simple yet classic brown belt.  The open sweater (or is it a blazer??) on top of a versatile long-sleeved, white button up shirt and the heels, oh how I love them.

Yes, I love this look....

How about you?  Have you seen a look lately that just was bang on with how you want to dress? 

If so, please do share!

Cheers,
 

Great Talents Coming Together

Sometimes a group of amazing people get together and combine their talents to create a spectacular product.  That is exactly what has happened behind the scenes of the gorgeous e-mag (soon to be available in print as well) Pure Green Magazine.

Issue 6 was just released yesterday and it is stunning.  The photography, the interviews, the recipes all fantastic, you will not be disappointed, it's a true labor of love.

You can read Pure Green Magazine here.  And as if that wasn't enough, Pure Green Magazine also has an shop on Etsy where you can purchase prints from the magazine! Yes, it's true.  The shop can be found here.

Want more Pure Green?  blog : facebook : twitter

Cheers and enjoy!

Do You Rock It: High Bun

Yesterday I asked if you rock pantyhose.  I think it's safe to say that no, most of you don't.

Today, I'm wondering about your hair.  When I think of the high bun, the first person that comes to mind is Kourtney Kardashian (seen below)

                                                                             Source: celebuzz.com via Julie on Pinterest

I almost always have my hair up in a ponytail or bun when it's curly, but I'm not sure if you could classify the look as a high bun.  So I'll say that maybe, sometimes I kinda, sorta do rock a high-ish bun.  It would most likely be when I'm running and I'd pair the up-do with a stretchy headband.

So I'm asking you....

Do you rock the high bun?

If so, do you wear a polished look like Kourtney, or do you prefer a messier do like this:

                                                                              Source: lookbook.nu via Julie on Pinterest

If you're wanting to rock the high bun, here's a great tutorial via The Beauty Department:

                                                                        Source: thebeautydepartment.com via Julie on Pinterest

Cheers,

Do You Rock It: Pantyhose

So, the lovely Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is perhaps bringing back or maybe just bringing attention to wearing pantyhose.  I have to admit, I don't know the last time I wore pantyhose....I am pretty sure I've worn a black pair in the past couple of years, but I definitely haven't worn a pair of nude pantyhose for many years.

                                                                        Source: whatkatewore.com via Julie on Pinterest

It's not a look that I wear everyday/often, but would I wear them every now and then? Sure!

Do you read the blog What Kate Wore? I  really enjoy it since I love Kate's style so much.  If you're familiar with the blog, you'll probably remember seeing a post which included a poll on whether or not readers wear pantyhose and the results of the poll can be found here.

It wasn't until I read the post and then took a closer look at pictures of Kate that I even realized she was wearing any!  Now that is impressive!

With that, I have a question:

Do you rock pantyhose?

If so, do you rock them on a regular basis or just every now and then?

Cheers,


Pssst... Please do bear with me as I'm trying something new with this "Do You Rock It" post.  Hoping to make a series out of it.....stay tuned for more! Thanks!

Mini Recap

This week was our first "back to reality" week with my husband returning to work after a four week vacation.  It feels good to slowly regain a bit of a routine, but I'm nowhere near ready to jump in 100%....I plan to drag this out just a little bit.

Our eldest is playing football this year for the first time (finally old enough).  He's been wanting to play for a while now, so to say that he's pretty excited would be a huge understatement.....he's ready to go!  His first game is this weekend, can't wait!

I also shared a photo on twitter of what I found on my doorstep mid week.......

And so it begins....

Oh, and this post by Sydney....just love her!

I hope you all enjoy a lovely weekend!

Cheers,

Love

I love this....

                                                                           Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

personalized ribbon by the lonely heart

Cheers,

Getting Organized!

I'm in the process of re-organizing several rooms in our house.  Just getting rid of items we no longer use/want and trying to find ways to keep things clutter free.

I've adored the fabric buckets made by Lesley, the creator and designer behind the Etsy shop Smidgebox, for sometime now and think that they would look simply amazing tucked neatly away in the open boxed shelving units that are in the kids rooms.

                                                                                 Source: flickr.com via Julie on Pinterest

I absolutely love Lesley's attention to detail, just look at the interiors of these buckets and the perfect alignment of the stripes:

                                                                                 Source: flickr.com via Julie on Pinterest

                                                                                 Source: flickr.com via Julie on Pinterest

She has such a great eye when it comes to pairing fabrics, ever so fun and playful, perfect for your little ones bedroom or playroom, or any room in the house really!  They would even be a great way to organize your kiddos items in the car!

                                                                             Source: flickr.com via Julie on Pinterest

You can read more about Lesley's work over at her blog, or you can visit her Etsy shop to peruse all of the other wonderful items she makes!  She can also be found on facebook.

Cheers,

Playing Catch Up

Hello friends! I hope you are all doing well!  Today is the first day that my 2nd half is back at work after a long summer vacation.  I'm trying to get back into a regular routine myself, slowly but surely.

I haven't been on pinterest, twitter or facebook all that much since the beginning of my vacation so I'm pretty far behind and am playing a little catch up.  Amazing how much you can miss in a few weeks!

While I sit here checking what is new and what everyone has been up to, I thought I'd share with you one of the great decor items from Restoration Hardware's Baby & Child Line.....I wouldn't mind purchasing an item, or two, or three from there for the boys rooms!

                                                                                   Source: rhbabyandchild.com via Julie on Pinterest

Cheers,

Tous

I was flipping through the September issue of Elle Canada when an ad for a handbag caught my eye.  I immediately grabbed my computer and checked for the companies website.

I have to admit, I'm not familiar with Tous, and am slightly embarrassed and somewhat surprised by this as their handbags and accessories are simply beautiful.

They offer what seems to be a wide selection and variation in prints and designs when it comes to their handbags.

Source: shop.tous.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: shop.tous.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: shop.tous.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: shop.tous.com via Julie on Pinterest

You will also find accessories, watches, fragrances and more on their website all of which seem to follow the same Tous look, clean lines, beautiful colour combinations and completely feminine.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Summer Vacation!

Hello friends!

So, how is summer treating you so far?  As you know, I've closed the shop for the month of August to relax and enjoy the lovely weather with my family. We just returned home after a week and a bit visiting our families back home.  We had a great trip and I thought I'd share a few pics from the drive (two 12 hour days each way...yes, 12 hrs!) and such with you!

My plan is to re-open the shop in September.  I have to admit that I haven't even stepped foot into my sewing room for a few weeks now, yup, I'm really taking a break.  Once I get back into the swing of things, you can expect some new clutches made with gorgeous fall coloured fabrics and a few new sizes.  I'm also going to see if I can get into a local craft show.  I love craft shows and this one was fun last year, so I'd love to do it again.  We'll see!

I will be posting every now and then during my break, I hope you stick with me!

Cheers,