Month: November 2014

finishing touches

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accessories are easily my favorite part of an outfit

they can turn an everyday black dress or jeans and a t shirt into a dynamic and interesting look

that’s why my main investments always go into the pieces i can use to juj up my look- shoes, handbags and jewelry (although the jewelry component is nearly always fun costume pieces. one day i’ll invest in some great real pieces, but that’s for later on in my fashion life)

to date, my best costume jewelry finds have actually (believe it or not) come from forever 21 and macy’s. if you’re going to buy fun pieces that don’t have a very long shelf life, it’s better to keep the budget under $25 to avoid feeling guilty about buying a neon choker or spiked double ring. if you’re looking for something a bit more expensive looking J Crew in recent years has had really good costume pieces to chose from

so why the focus on the accessories you might ask? it ties back to my packing nightmares. i finished packing 90% of my suitcase last weekend, panicked, and have been adding more pieces here and there throughout the week. it went from a strategic battlefield to unplanned warfare. instead of pulling everything out and starting over from scratch, i took note of a few key pieces i was planning to bring with me and substituted fear with accessories. that way, if i did forget anything too crucial i know that i can wear a basic look with some great jewelry to give myself the look i was hoping for

so wish me luck and fingers crossed to having a week filled with the perfectly improvised vacation looks

xx-aboutthesmallthings

vacation essentials

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i am not a good packer. i’ve evolved from throwing everything into a suitcase, to packing strategically in outfits, and yet i’m still always over packed. most of the time, i travel to places that have at least 1 mall or pharmacy to be able to replace anything i’ve inevitably forgetten. not this time. this time, there are no malls, there are no pharmacies, there’s only beach and ocean as far as the eye can see (i am most definitely not complaining, but now more concerned than ever about forgetting something crucial.)

to make matters more complicated, i’m travelling for a destination wedding, which means all of the components of my outfit need to be packed and nothing can be forgotten. once we get on that plane, there is no turning back!

so what have i done this time to ensure nothing is forgotten? i’ve packed in stages.

stage 1- the beach bag

beach bag essentials include:

1- Victoria Secret Criss Cross Bandeau Top

2- Frends Layla Earphones

3- Michael Kors Studded Straw Beach Bag

4- Canon camera

5- Sunscreen (both for face and body- i have very sensitive skin and always need to have different types for each)

6- Killer Playlist (varying from new Fergie to Half Moon Run)

7- Magazines (to be acquired at the airport)

8- Sunglasses (the obvious beach staple)

More vacation packing details to come!

xx-aboutthesmallthings

it’s a guy thing

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i love buying gifts.  i would rather buy something for someone else, than for myself. this bodes well for my friends and family because i am often picking things up just because it reminds me of them. some of my favorite gifts to buy are for the men in my life though- they aren’t much in the way of shopping and can go months wearing the same 5 pairs of socks. (they wash them, clearly, but they have huge heel holes before they’ll even consider getting new ones)

it’s for this reason that shopping for the boys for the holidays is so much fun for me. there are so many places that are starting to cater more and more to holiday gifting for men. a lot of retailers have begun to create catered displays and merchandising stories that not only give you one item to buy but a whole themed gift

Depending on the kind of theme you’re looking for, there are a number of places that you can find an elevated selection of themed items.

Man Theme #1- The Bar Man: The bar man is probably the easiest man to shop for. most retailers offer an array of glasses, decanters or sets that can grouped to create a beautiful gift. Chapters (yes, Chapters again, they really have become one of my favorite retailers) has a full section dedicated to holiday gifting for the men. they have rustic looking gin sets, mason jar shakers and shot glasses as well as the standard wine and whiskey glasses. the nice thing about this plan is the full gift will run about $30-100 depending on what you’re looking for

Man Theme #2- The Gamer: I know the immediate thought when you hear gamer is World of Warcraft, but there was a time when games meant exactly that- board games. another series of gifts i’ve found lately for men have been the vintage domino games, or even yahtzee. They’ve turned the old plastic versions into works of art with finished wood boxes and beautiful typography. some of the options to create a great set are desktop tennis, tumble tower (which is really just jenga), dominos- the possibilities are really endless. these games can run from $28-$45 so they also won’t break your holiday budget

there are more man themes to come! stay tuned for more man theme holiday gift ideas in the coming posts

xx- aboutthesmallthings

project wish list

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i stumbled across a wall decor situation the other day that i’ve fallen in love with

it’s something that can really only be done in a specific space, and unfortunately my current apartment won’t allow for it (my walls are currently occupied with picture frames and large prints). fortunately the plan is to move this summer so i can spend the next few months gathering the necessary supplies for my project wish list.

one of the main components to the success of this setup is finding themed prints. i love fashion and photography so i’ll likely end up going in that general direction. there are a million options to chose from but finding a cohesive theme is key or else the space looks disjointed and confusing. I’ve seen people use actual personal pictures, vintage paris, shoes, fashion sketches, the possibilities are endless. for my theme I’ve looked online and found some great prints of varying sizes on Etsy and also at Chapters.

once the prints are ordered and ready, the next step is finding simple frames. the frames can be all the same color or varying color stories- the idea though is to try and find the frames that will have the print centered and have a white backing behind them

finally- chose a wall. if you’re really daring and have the freedom to do so, paint the wall a complementary color to the room it is in (red, teal, black if you’re really feeling adventurous)

if you’re really looking for a bold statement, add a 3 dimensional center piece to your wall statement. most home decor stores offer a section where your can find a faux deer bust or rabbit bust to hang on the wall. i’ve seen these available at the Simons home section as well as at Indigo

Voila! your wall is done! you can add, remove and change prints as frequently as you’d like, or leave the wall as is without changes. the whole project shouldn’t set you back more than $200 if done frugally (use Winners Homesense for the frames for example as opposed to a framing store)

http://www.etsy.com

xx- aboutthesmallthings

I tell myself I’m a cool nerd…

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so i set off last night on a last minute search for some clothing and accessories for an upcoming vacation

the challenge with that is that the weather is currently -15 degrees Celsius and i’m completely out of season for any clothing that would even remotely resemble beach attire. I found some incredible boots and knits but there isn’t a single crop top or dress in sight.

feeling a bit discouraged, i decided to go to one of my secret favourite places- Indigo Books. (it’s a secret not because no one knows about the store, but because of my inner nerd’s level of secrecy)

I don’t go to Indigo anymore for the actual book sections (i typically buy my books on Kobo or in the airport as I’m leaving for a trip) i’ve started going to indigo for their home decor and accessories. they’ve rebranded themselves over the last few years and the results have been fantastic. they have a full section of house accessories, dish-wear, home decor and stationary.

i’ve often left with more than i care to admit but the price points are reasonable and the pieces are quite fun. last night however i was determined to stay focused and just to browse around the new arrivals. i quickly realized that wouldn’t work out when i can across the Kate Spade office supplies. I was done. i was able to convince myself to only leave with a few items but Kate Spade has been able to transform office supplies from boring and run of the mill into fun and quirky.

what’s great about this section is all of the items are $25 or less so they make really cute office add ons, holiday stocking stuffers or secret santa gifts

the indigo website has all of the items available as well, so for anyone who doesn’t feel like braving the holiday crowds, everything can be delivered right to your door!

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/

xx- aboutthesmallthings

Holiday Faves- The Best and Worst Decision Ever Made

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julep

about a year ago a good friend of mine confessed that she has a bit of a problem. she had signed up to an online service and found that each month she was going a bit overboard. of course, concerned for my friend, i inquired if there was anything i could do to help her out. to this she laughed, smiled, and pulled out the most amazing beauty and nail polish collection i had seen in a while. clearly, i wanted in.

my friend had stumbled upon Julep’s online Maven program. For under $25/month you’re signed up as a member to their site. “Mavens” are entitled to Friends and Family deals, Secret Stores, and a monthly package delivered to your door filled with a selection of nail polishes and beauty items.

Before signing up, the site prompts you to take a survey to determine what kind of “Maven” you are (i’m boho chic, which hit the nail right on the head). Each month, you are sent a selection of items that fits this character. You have the choice to either keep the package selected for you, or you can select another package for a different “Maven” type. What I especially enjoy about the program is if you decide one month you don’t want your package and you need a gift for someone, you can change the shipping address to go directly to a friends house. (perfect for birthdays and holiday gifts!)

The truth is I’m not much of an online shopper, call me old fashioned but I still like to touch and feel clothing before I buy it. that said, i can never make a decision when standing at Sephora or the pharmacy over what nail polish color to buy. now, each month, I’m shipped 2-3 amazing new colors that are preselected for me. as long as you don’t go over board when your selections are made available (you can add on to your monthly Maven box) then the site is totally affordable and very worth it

Check out their site at: http://www.julep.com/maven.html

holiday faves

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xmas faves

i am a sucker for the holiday season

the second the shopping centres being hanging lights and playing holiday music i’m roped right in

one of my favorite things about the holidays is holiday gift sets and holiday deals- every retailer makes it a point to put together the best holiday packages and bundled discount purchases

two of my favorite stops are Sephora and Bath and Body Works- so far (and thankfully for my wallet) i’ve only made it to one of these destinations

Bath and Body works has gotten into the habit of having multi purchase weekend promotions- this past weekend was buy 2 get 2 or buy 3 and get 3 (so obviously, i had to do it). I have an apartment full of candles and it’s these opportunities that allow me to restock when i’m running low and not break the bank. the best part- at this time of year, everything is redone with holiday scents and holiday packaging

I walked out of the store with 4 brand new holiday candles, having only paid for 2 (in order to take advantage of these kinds of promotions, you need to get 4 items of equal value since the two least expensive items are always the ones gifted)

Selected scents included- Peach Bellini, Champagne Toast, Frosted Cranberry and Cinnamon Caramel Swirl (the favorite so far, my entire apartment smells like caramel apples)

Keep them for yourself or offer them as gifts, it’s a great way to maximize the holiday shopping and walk away with a little something for yourself

Stay tuned for more holiday faves and holiday saves

xx- aboutthesmallthings