photo by Brittany

I've been to BC before, but only to Vernon, which is gorgeous but I couldn't wait to get back to BC and to finally visit Vancouver!  There are so many reasons to be jealous of to love Vancouver and I couldn't wait to take it all in first hand.

Of course, I was there for BlogPodium 2015, which was a huge success by the way and I promise to chat more about that later, but for today, I wanted to share a quick round up of the trip.  I find that it takes me a few days, perhaps a week to really digest everything after BlogPodium.  Lots of thoughts running through my head at this point, don't worry, I'm writing everything down so that I don't forget what I want to say!

Our first day was all about adjusting to the time change and taking in the hotel's surroundings.

photo by Brittany

On Friday we were lucky enough to visit The Cross Design for a BlogPodium welcome party.  The staff was amazing and the store was even more stunning in person!  I was hoping to get back to the store for another visit, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance.  There was just so much gorgeousness and those of you who are lucky enough to visit The Cross on a regular basis, I'm jealous!

Jennifer Flores, the founder of BlogPodium and Stephanie Volger co-owner of The Cross Design welcoming guests to the BlogPodium party.

Prior to The Cross Design party, we popped in to Butter Baked Goods.  I enjoyed the most delicious sandwich and the amazing decor!

Dajana and I trekked 12 kms (or was it 13, D?) around Stanley Park and throughout the city on Sunday.  The weather was absolute perfection and Dajana was such a joy to be around!  Afterwards, Dajana, Christine and I made it to Tacofino which was out of this world delicious! Yummy!

I had such a wonderful time and have returned home with a new perspective and I'm ready to set new goals.  The trip was so much fun.  I'm pretty tired and trying to get caught up on things around here, but I'm really looking forward to the coming months.

I promise to have a BlogPodium recap post up soon!

Cheers,

BRAVE Leather Winner!

Hey friends!

A big thank you to everyone who entered the BRAVE Leather giveaway!  It was wonderful to hear that you adore their products just as much as I do!  Be sure to check out their entire line here.

The lucky winner of the Giovana tote is.......Norma Jean!  Congrats!  I'll be sending you an email shortly.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Cheers,

We Are Officially Back to School!

The kids are officially back to school (as of last week) and I'm happy to report that the first week was a huge success!  I'm still finding it hard to believe that summer vacation is over, but thankfully we continue to enjoy some lovely temps!  As much as I love fall, I will take what's left of this summer weather.

A couple of days before school started, the kids took the time to organize their school supplies and to pack them into their backpacks.  I can honestly say that by this point, they were really looking forward to heading back to school and of course, finally being able to use their new kicks. 

Little J was eager to trade in his velcro shoes for the lace up Vans and kiddo 2 was looking forward to hitting the streets running, literally, in his new running shoes!  He says they are just what he needs to make the cross country team!  We picked up both pairs at The Shoe Company during their great BOGO event.

Little J has really gotten into skateboarding and is getting pretty great use out of his awesome Vans.  It's so fun watching him practice his tricks, I've gotta say that he'll be an ollie master soon!

Truthfully, I was a little sad when the kids started packing up their new kicks and school supplies and especially so on their first day back.  Don't get me wrong!  I'm thrilled that they are excited to be back in school and that they are happy with their classes, but the house sure is quiet without them here....

We plan on enjoying these last few weeks of warm temps and we will have to definitely check out the stock at The Shoe Company when it comes time for the kids to trade in their runners for winter boots.  I can't believe I just said winter, but we are in Canada after all!  Hopefully we'll enjoy a long fall, right?!

Cheers,

****This post was kindly sponsored by The Shoe Company, however all opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any which way.

BRAVE Leather Giveaway!

I can say that it's been such an honour working with team at BRAVE Leather the past couple of months! 

Jabilo cuff

Cordelia belt (worn with snaps at the front, true front is solid)

Magan bracelet/Claudette bracelet/Mireilla belt

Incase you missed it, a little back story.  This amazing company is not only based in Canada, but each piece is handcrafted (and has been from day one) in Canada, which is a pretty big deal!

photo credit: BRAVE Leather 

They hire local artisans and use only the finest Italian leather for every piece and even more amazing, every item is custom made-to-order!  Other super fun facts about this wonderful company can be found here.

If I had to pick just one piece as my favourite, which is tough, trust me, I'd have to go with the Giovana Tote.  I love it for it's classic shape, generous size and the worn look of the leather!  And for that reason, I'm excited to share that BRAVE Leather wants to give a Giovana Tote to one lucky winner!

Giovana Tote in Marone/Jabilo cuff

To enter, follow the instructions below.  Contest is open to those living in Canada or the United States and closes Tuesday, September 15th at 12am EST.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cheers,

This post is generously sponsored by BRAVE Leather, that however did not influence my opinion in any way.  All opinions are my own.

Accessorizing With BRAVE Leather

They say that when decorating your house, to take a cue from your closet.  Well, there's so much truth to that little piece of advice.  My closet is full of neutral pieces, a few colourful pieces can be spotted, but for the most part it's various shades of grey and LOTS of denim.  Walk on over to where I keep my jewelry, accessories & shoes and that's where you'll find the pops of colour.  Simple, with beautiful details, these pieces are right up my alley.

When it comes to our home, the larger pieces of furniture are relatively neutral and we bring in colour through accessories.  I love it!

These stunning bracelets and gorgeous belt are just a few of my favourite things from BRAVE Leather!  The touches of gold are right up my alley!  Relatively simple designs with a splash of personality, not overly done, but will certainly catch people's attention.   I rely on my accessories to bring my outfits to the next level and I love how these pieces can easily be dressed up or down and are gorgeous together or on their own.  You can create your own little remix!

claudette double stranded braided bracelet//magan bracelet

With jeans being my absolute favourite, a variety of belts is a must!  This fabulous belt buckle is.everything and most definitely calls for a tucked in shirt .

mireilla belt//jabilo cuff

How about you?  Do you love colour and pattern when it comes to fashion, or do you tend to stick to more neutral pieces?  Which belt and/or bracelet would you choose?

Cheers,

*this post was kindly sponsored by BRAVE Leather.  However, all opinions are completely my own