Weekend Style | To The Market

maxi dress / cardigan / stacking bracelets / tote / sandals

Did you guys get to see my instagram sneak peek yesterday?! I shared one of the blog templates I've been working on! Feeling very proud and excited over here!! Today, I'm off to shoot engagement photos for the sweetest couple, yay! Then hoping to head to the market for some fresh veggies (I'm on a major salad + stir fry kick at the moment) and this is what I would love to wear! That maxi dress definitley has my heart beating a little faster. So gorg! What are you up to?!! xo

Everyday Style | The Sun Came Out

Things are busy busy over here and I couldn't be more jazzed. In the last couple of months I've started taking on graphic design projects here & there, and this week I finally hunkered down to create several blogger templates. It's been in the works for awhile and I'm so excited it's finally happening! I'll be sure to give you guys a sneak peak this/next week. The templates will be available either via Etsy or the blog, we'll see! I'm also embarking on a bit of a career change, and can't wait to share more about that soon too! Change, change... I so feel like I need it. As for the outfit?! I wore this little number to celebrate Martin's birthday. We went for super tasty Indian food (vegetarian for me) and then dessert + champagne at my in-laws house. Luckily, the sun came out and so we sat on the back deck. Wine, sun, good company... so my jam! xo

shop the look

Top: Forever 21 (similar)
Jeans: Zara (similar)
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell (similar & darn cute!)

Everyday Style | Bisou Bridal Event

I think this week will be all about the outfit posts. We've been going a little nuts over here and snapping photos whenever we can. But how can you not?! The weather's been so good and we're out a lot more because of it. Last week, I attended the Bisou Bridal event - it felt like I stepped into a fairytale. The dresses were absolutely scrumptious... the cuts, fabrics and quality were breathtaking. For the event, I decided to style up my favourite vintage inspired frock from Forever 21. I'm also crushing on this one! I must say, I'm definitley seeing a bit of a shift in my fashion choices as of late. I'm feeling so inspired by vintage & girly styles again. Well, for now! ;)

PS I added share buttons for the blog on my "daily reads" page. If you grab one, let me know, I'd love to give your blog a shout out!

shop the look: 

Dress: Forever 21
Tights: Modcloth
Bag: c/o Fossil
Boots: Aldo (similar)

Weekly Wrap Up

Oh my, how did two weeks manage to fly by since my last "Weekly Wrap Up" post? What the heck?! Sometimes, life moves way too fast for my liking. I have a birthday coming up in July and I feel like my thirties are whizzing by. Guys, it's totally freaking me out, no joke! But then I try to remind myself age is just a number and by no means does the fun have to stop at a certain age, you know?!

Photos from our week: 1) Wearing my fave dress from my girl Tieka. 2) Blossoming trees. I'm obsessed! 3) Treating myself to a DIY manicure & red nails. 4) Hitting the gym, I've been so disciplined!


Favourites from around the web:
♥ I'm obsessed with Joy McCarthy; she's a holistic nutritionist and her blog is a wealth of info!
♥ Loved this post on finding motivation from Melissa of Bubby and Bean.
♥ I'm positively smitten with this anchor and raw crystal necklace via Belle Hibou on Etsy.
♥ Julie of Orchid Grey is absolutely rocking this polka dot dress - what a beauty!

Inspired by: Perhaps it's the weather?! But I feel so motivated and in love with blogging at the moment. Honestly, over the winter I was such a Debbie downer and even considered shutting my blog down... I'm thinking we all feel like that from time-to-time though, no?!

On the horizon: Adventures. I want to make this a really fun spring/summer... strawberry picking, visiting our favourite ocean spots, barbequing with friends and planning city dates with my man. I don't want to let a day go by!!

Healthy Living | Matcha Smoothie

I'm keeping today's recipe a bit short. My poor honey is stuck in bed with a nasty stomach bug and I'm on tea & soup duty. Poor guy, and on his birthday no less! I'm excited to share one of my favourite smoothies with you though... such an amazing pick me up and I love drinking it prior to a work-out or on busy days. Are you guys familiar with matcha? It's a finely milled, powered version of green tea and has a slew of fabulous benefits. It's high in antioxidants, increases concentration and detoxifies the body + strengthens the immune system. You can read more about all the amazing benefits here! Okay, let's get to it...

You'll need:

1/2 tsp matcha green tea powder
3/4 cup almond or soy milk (I use unsweetened)
1 tsp honey
1 banana
1/2 avocado

Throw it all in your blender and blend. Yummiest and fastest meal ever, right?! Sometimes, I like to add organic blueberries and fresh ginger. If you do, you'll want to increase your almond or soy milk slightly. Have a question? Let me know in the comments and I'll be sure to answer! 

I found this recipe via Canadian Living! Find the original recipe here: Matcha green tea smoothie!

Everyday Style | A Dose of Colour

Honestly, the weather is so good right now... I feel like I could run out and take outfit photos every day. In fact, I have several fun photo shoots planned for the blog for spring & summer and hope to increase the amount of outfit photos I post per week. We're planning on visiting a few of our favourite beaches at sunset, exploring several historic towns and Gastown. I can't wait! As for the outfit? I definitley have a major soft spot for this skirt. It was one of my first Modcloth purchases and I bought it early on when I first started blogging. The best of the best memories! :)

shop the post:

Cardigan: Madewell (similar)
Tank: Joe Fresh (similar)
Skirt: Modcloth (faves one & two)
Boots: Aldo Shoes (similar)

Weekend Style | Daisy Romper

denim jacket (on sale) / daisy romper / tote / flats

Hello Saturday! It's a three day weekend for us over here + we're celebrating my honey's birthday. I'm hoping to devour one too many cupcakes and hopefully enjoy some fabulous time in the sun... well, currently ours is in hiding but we've got our fingers crossed. And... hello daisy romper! I'm hoping to add one to my summer wardrobe, because really, what could be more adorable?!

Daily Snaps | Exploding Green

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite features to put together for the blog. I plan on running my "daily snaps" post twice a month and I hope to get better & better at taking photos. It's a fun way to keep practicing my photography + it's a hobby I've missed. I'm hoping to grab this camera bag from Jo Totes to make carrying my camera around that much easier. Cutest, or what?! Plus, I'm all for a little retail motivation! ;)

♥ Our neighbourhood is exploding in green and I love it. Waking up in the mornings is a million times lovelier when you're surrounded by so much natural beauty!

♥ A beach date from a little while ago. It's our thing all spring, summer and fall!

♥ Setting up the patio for some awesome and scrumptious eats. We've been cooking a lot of organic and whole food lately. Plus, I'm trying to incorporate a little more wild salmon into my diet. So far, so good!

♥ Taking walks after dinner is totally our jam. Scout loves it, plus the health benefits of getting fresh air can't be beat.

♥ Snap happy me. Always! Martin & I are both iphone addicts. It's bad, we're usually talking to each other with our phones plastered in front of our faces. Yes, we're that couple!

♥ My uniform: cardy, tunic, skinnies and studded flats. If not that, then you'll find me in a denim jacket, dress & booties!

Everyday Style | A Fun Refresh

Firstly, my bangs are back! I was honestly so nervous to cut them (not sure why) but I absolutely love them. It's such a fun refresh and I hope to go back to the salon for more ombre as well. On Saturday, I hung out with my favourite ladies. We enjoyed a fun afternoon at my place, sipped wine & chomped on healthy snacks. We talked blogs, had the boys take way too many instagrams (oh what good sports) and basically had a full on girl gush fest. Love those girls! This week, I'm continuing with my commitment to hit the gym. I'm focusing on power yoga, cardio and circuit training. My health is still far from what it used to be and I'm determined to step up my game plan. Have you guys watched the trailer for Crazy, Sexy, Cancer? What a strong and inspiring lady! If you haven't, check out the trailer here.

shop the post:

Blouse: c/o For Elyse
Jeans: Zara (similar)
Necklace: XO Veronika, handmade by me
Bag - KGB Black Label (similar)
Boots: Aldo (fave's one & two)

Four on Friday | Bank Fashion

Romper, Jumpsuit, Blazer, Maxi

Hello! Today's "Four On Friday" post is sponsored by the lovely folks from the very fashionable online shop, Bank Fashion. I'm honestly so excited to share their shop with you. I'm doing a little happy shopping dance over here! The clothes are on trend, they have an incredible selection and you won't make it through a page or two without falling in love with a handful of their items. Plus, the price point is very favorable too. Have you shopped or heard of Bank Fashion before? I can't wait to make my first purchase. Yay!

As for today... I'm off to buy a few snacks & things after work. I'm hosting a little afternoon at my place tomorrow with Cee of Coco & Vera and Lynn of Hearted Girl. We'll definitely be instagramming our little hearts out. Because you know, when you get a few bloggers together, it's pretty much a sure thing! Happy weekend, everyone! xo

healthy living / cornmeal crusted tofu with mashed yams

Hello! As I mentioned in Tuesday's "Everyday Style" post, I'm excited to start adding new features to the blog. Aside from fashion, I'm also a passionate foodie and love living a healthy and wholesome life. I steer clear of sugar, gluten, dairy (although I will eat plain Greek yogurt), and choose vegetarian food as much as possible. However, in the past year I have started to eat fish here & there. Mostly wild salmon and sardines as both are incredibly nutritious. For ease of surfing, I've also added a visual archives page. Be sure to check it out... can't wait to watch it fill up with delicious recipes! Ok, here's what I made for lunch. Mmmm! I'm a huge yam fan, and the cornmeal was a nice switch up from my usual tofu preparation. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below or tweet me.


You'll need: 

3 large sweet potatoes
1 14-ounce package firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar (I omitted)
3 Tbsp. canola oil (sub sunflower oil for healthier option)
3 Tbsp. butter
2-3 cloves of garlic

Peel yams (I cut mine into 3 inch squares), then steam on stove-top for 20 minutes or until soft.

Place tofu on a paper towel lined plate and cover with a few more sheets. Press down. Then cover with a heavy plate for 15 minutes. In a shallow bowl, mix your cornmeal, oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt, black pepper and granulated sugar. Coat tofu on both sides. Meanwhile heat your oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pan-fry tofu until golden brown or two minutes a side.

Now mash your yams with butter, 1/4 tsp salt, garlic and serve with tofu. Yum!

I found this recipe via Oprah.com. Although I altered mine slightly. Find the original recipe here: Cornmeal Crusted Tofu with Mashed Sweet Potato 

everyday style / maxi obsessed

I am without a doubt, totally, completely, maxi obsessed! I think I've worn one almost every day this past week, and why not?! They're beyond comfy and so cute! I typically reserve them for warmer months, but I'd love to try my hand at styling a few this fall & winter. I'm envisioning boots + chunkier cardigans. However, I'd definitley opt for a slightly more tailored style. I'm also in the throes of working on The Beautiful Mess e-course "Blog Life" - I'm learning tons and feeling very inspired. Currently, I'm creating new features for the blog (so watch out for those) plus building new archive pages... hope to have those up later this week. It's been a lot of blog, blog lately. But when inspired, best to roll it with it. Ya know?! What's new with you?!! xo

shop the post:

Scarf: H&M (favourite scarf 1 & 2)
Cardigan: Old Navy
Maxi: Old Navy (similar)
Bag: c/o Fossil
Bracelet: Stella & Dot
Shoes: Zara (get em' here)

weekly wrap up

I'm back with my third installment of weekly wrap up. Yay! So glad to hear you guys are enjoying them. They're super fun to put together and I love taking time to reflect. I've been working on a few blog improvements this week. I added an FAQ section to my about me page and did a design overhaul of said page. I'm also expanding my sponsorship packages. Plus, there's a new blog project in the works too. So, stay tuned!

Photos from our week: 1) My cuddle bug & I enjoying some amazing sun on the patio 2) Just painted and added this shelf to our bedroom wall 3) My latest obsession, squash soup with home-made gluten free croutons 4) Spending the day in White Rock, oh man, I'll never tire of our oceans!


Favourites from around the web:
1) Whoop, whoop. I'm hosting a giveaway for my handmade jewelry over at Urban Frill.
2) Just signed up for the new Blog Life e-course from A Beautiful Mess. It's amazing!
3) Loved this look from Yen of My Edit. She has a magical way with clothes, no?!
4) This romper is darling. I'd love to wear mine with strappy sandals & red lips.
5) My two dearest friends & sisters started their own blog!! They're both gorgeous, and oh so lovely. Be sure to follow them via bloglovin.

Inspired by: You guys! Your stories, blogs and friendship are such a big part of my life. Lately, I've been feeling nostalgic when it comes to blogging. It's seen me through so many ups & downs. The last two years have been especially tough, but the blog has been such a place of comfort. I'm so very thankful for that!

Personal goals: I love setting goals and dreaming big. But lately the motto is dream bigger! Sometimes I'm afraid to shoot for the stars. I'm not particularly materialistic nor do I want to come across that way so I tend to shoot low. But this year I have big goals for my career and projects. I'd like to aim high. I feel like, even if you don't make it to the top... you'll have made it so much further by trying. Who's with me?! xo