My Year 2017- Stephen Wack

On Monday, I posted about the Humboldt Broncos and how the team was involved in a tragic accident on Friday. One of the players who passed away, Stephen Wack, was also a videographer. On March 19, the last time he posted YouTube, he posted a video "My Year 2017", which you can see below. He was obviously a multi-talented young man. I love that this video captures highlights from his life in 2017, as well as showcase his talent. 

Hey, It's Ok!

With Amber from Airing My Dirty Laundry

To have filled out my first ever March Madness bracket!! I always pick Kentucky to win, but I never fill out a bracket. This year, I did both!! A co-worker organized it, it's fun to see how everyone is doing. Also, since I didn't pick Villanova (or know they were the favourite to win, or know that they won last year), my bracket isn't a bust because they lost on the weekend. 

That I am looking forward to Girls Night tonight!! I haven't been out with this group of girls since December, so we are long overdue! Looking forward to a fun night out. 

To not have Facebook Messenger or the Facebook App on my phone. I use a web browser on my phone to check Facebook. People are amazed and/or shocked to hear this. 

That a friend, and talented artist, is creating a piece of art for me! He makes these cool butterflies (among many other things), which he knows I like. I told him I like the butterflies, but he also has creative freedom to make whatever he wants. I'm excited to see what he comes up with. 

To be excited that Spring is FINALLY here!!! Here's hoping it's here to stay and lead us into Summer- no more snow, no more cold.

Hey, It's Ok

With Amber from Airing My Dirty Laundry  

To love #GordDowniesCanada...a fantastic tribute to the lead singer of The Tragically Hip and a beautiful tour of our country. 

That I cannot wait for season 3 of How to Get Away With Murder...September 22 premiere!

To be sad that summer is over...it went too quickly for my liking, but I do love September; it's my favourite month and it's going to be a fun one too!

That Hudson's Bay has finally started a blog! You can check it out here. 

To be excited for my Mind, Body, Spirit treatment today. It will be super relaxing and I'm excited to try Access Bars for the first time!

Instagram Loop Giveaway

I started this week off with Fun in the Sun Summer Giveaway, where one lucky person will win $450! If you haven't entered yet, you can do so here. So why not end the week with another giveaway?

 

I have teamed up with some fantastic ladies for an Instagram Loop giveaway starting tonight at 7pm EST. This is a fantastic prize package and I wish I was eligible to win. Details will be posted on my Instagram account tonight, including how to enter, so make sure you check that out. 

Hope everyone has a great Friday and GOOD LUCK with both of these giveaways!!

Project Pinterest: Glitter Magnets

Back in the summer, I posted about thank you gifts I gave to my Summer Students, including a magnet board that I had made. I've made several magnet board but always struggle with magnets. I had yet to find something cute, something that would work with the board, something easy to make/find and something durable. 

I came across this pin (which originated here) and decided to make glitter magnets! This was such an easy project and turned out fantastic! All of the supplies came from the Dollar Store (making this a very cost effective project too). 

You will need:

• Magnets (I used the round ones found in the crafting aisle)
• Glitter glue
• Sponge brush

How to make glitter magnets:

• Put a drop of glitter glue in the middle of the magnet
• Use the sponge brush to move the glue around the magnet until it is covered
• Let the magnets dry

That's it! Because you are working with glue, you have to 'paint' the magnets before the glue dries. But this was still such a simple project and definitely something I will be doing again. Even though these magnets were made to go with the magnetic boards, I have made some to use on my kitchen fridge and my filing cabinet at work. I get tons of compliments on them and I have final solved the magnet issue for the boards!!

6 Reasons I Love Influenster

There are many things in life that I love...the beach, New York Rangers, cheesecake, naps, a good book, just to name a few. I also love Influenster. Influenster is a really cool online community were members can share product reviews and experiences. Members also have the chance to qualify for a VoxBox, where they receive full size products to test and review- more on that later.

There are a lot of reasons to love Influenster, and here are 6 reasons why I love Influenster:

1. Influenster Canada- As a Canadian, this is a HUGE deal to me and something that I really love. Influenster has programs designed specifically for Canadians. It can be frustrating to be given a product to test, that you love, and then find out that it's not available in Canada. Never a problem with Influenster Canada...what you test, you can easily find in stores.

2. Influenster Instagram- It is custom for everyone and everything to have social media accounts, especially if the concept. like for Influenster, is an online community. Their Instagram features photos of members with products they are trying, staff around the office and other fun pictures. Their Instagram account kind of reminds me of Kate Spade's 'Things We Love' book. So fun to look at and just make you happy. Their Pinterest account is also pretty good...where they also have an entire board dedicated to Canada.

3. Influenster VoxBox- Who doesn't love receiving mail??? Especially if you are getting full size products to test??? VoxBox are packages that can include a single product or an assortment of products, that you can test out and review. I've had the opportunity to try out a number of products because of Influenster, but two of my favourites (and now go to items) are imPress Press On Nails and Montagne Jeunesse Clay Masks.

4. Influenster App- Truth be told, I haven't had a chance to download and try the app yet- but that happens when you don't have a smart phone or a phone with a data plan. But, let's face it...everything is better with an App.

5. Influenster Review Pages- The Review Pages are a great way to find out about things- products, books, movies, stores, services...you name it- before you try them. You can see ratings and read reviews, but you also have the opportunity to ask questions and have other Influensters answer them. Tons of information...great way to try new things and avoid potential disappointment.

6. The Hub- The Hub is Influenster's blogging platform. Members have the chance to guest blog or be featured, but The Hub also has new product information, tips and tricks, word of the day and other fun articles- Starbucks Secret Menu, #TBT Team Influenster Edition, Games To Play While Traveling.

The above 6 points are just a few reasons to love Influenster. Trust me, there are a TON more. If you haven't already checked out- and joined- Influenster, what are you waiting for???

#IceBucketChallenge

I have not and will not participate in the ice bucket challenge, but as someone who works in fundraising, I wish I had thought of it. Every other fundraiser out there wishes they did too. By now, everyone is familiar with the ice bucket challenge; someone gets challenged to dump a bucket of ice water on themselves and make a donation to ALS, and then nominate 3 other people to do the same.

According to the ALS website from July 29-August 29,just over $100 million has been raised from the challenge. In that time frame last year, $2.8 was raised- so a significant increase. Also a significant increase? They had 2.2 million new donors because of the challenge. The awareness for the disease has skyrocketed, which is also important.

  

There was an article floating around Facebook recently stating that roughly 73% of the fundsraised from the challenge do NOT go towards research- which is what most people thought they were donating too. A lot of people were upset about this and felt mislead, understandably. 

I think the most important thing for donors to know is that you have the right to say how you want the non-profit to spend your donation. Usually donations go into an operating budget and are spent where they are needed. But as a donor, you can direct your donation to specific projects. If you want your donation, 100% of it, to go to research, specify that with your donation. Or if you want it to go towards an art therapy program, education for kids, social programing for clients...you can tell the non-profit how to spend your money and they have to honour that. 

I have nothing against ALS- and I really do think that this marketing/fundraising ploy is genius. But like I said, I will not be participating (beyond watching the ice bucket challenge videos).

Why? Because I have a handful of chosen charities that I support on a yearly basis and I only have so much money to donate. I do not want to pull my donation from an organization I have supported for years and that I truly believe in, in order to jump on the ALS bandwagon. I have made the choice to continue to support local non-profits, organizations whose presence I can see in my community, who align with my personal beliefs and who have helped my family (ex Alzheimer Society).

Now, if someone close to me suffered from ALS or if I won the lottery or if the ice bucket challenge was for an organization I already support, I would be singing a different tune.

I will leave you with what I think is the best #ALSIceBucketChallenge:

Hey, It's Ok!

To hope that Rich Peverly is ok. He is a Dallas Stars hockey player that collapsed on the bench during a game last night. There's been a lot of sadness in the hockey world recently; from missing OHL player Terry Tafford to the death of Matt Stajan's newborn son. Hopefully things will get better.

That I am hoping to take a vacation in May. It's been over a year since I've been on a real vacation and I can definitely use a break. I am using a week of vacation at the end of March, but I'm not going anywhere outside of Ontario...but that will still be a nice break.

To be excited and honoured that Royal Wood follows me on Twitter.

That the fundraiser I worked on last Thursday went really well. There were no major issues and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves. We don't have our final numbers yet, so I'm not sure how much money we raised...but it was still a great event.

To really want a cupcake right now...they are delicious and I feel that I have earned one.

That the barista at the Starbucks I go to in the morning, addresses me by name, over the drive thru speaker. They have a camera, so she sees my car and knows it's me. I don't know if she knows my name because it's great customer service or because I go too often...

To not really be a fan of the new maple macchiato at Starbucks. The maple muffin, delicious. But the macchiato...meh.

Beautiful, Unique...GiPSY Dharma

I think that a lot of people will agree that fashion is art and designers are artists. Fashion is so beautiful and there is a lot of talent in designing pieces; especially pieces that are truly unique and one of a kind. 

I was recently introduced to GiPSY Dharma and was instantly impressed with how beautiful and original the leather boots and clothing were. Seriously, look at how gorgeous everything is:

After getting over the pure artistry and craftsmanship, my next thought was how comfortable these boots look! The leather looks really soft and supple and the soles are flexible. From natural to bold colours, and flip flops to over the knee high boots, you are sure to find the ideal pair for you.  And those skirts? Perfect for a night out or a nice spring/summer day!

There are so many designs and products to pick from, it's hard to pick one favourite from the catalog! But if I HAD to pick a favourite, I would go with these two:

Red Knee High Leather Boots

Red and Black Leather Belt Skirt

Red is my favourite colour and I love the shade of red used for the boots. I also like the fact that even though these are knee high boots, you can lace them so that they are lower then the knee, fold over the top, etc...really style them to suit your taste.

As for the skirt...I like the black and red combination! The red isn't as vivid as the boots and the black isn't super black...I like the contrast-shade- of the colours. I also like the cut of the skirt. The asymmetrical cut is just beautiful. 

Something that I really like, is that the website not only has sizing information and advice on how to order the right size, but also information on how to measure your foot, which can be found under FAQ and Sizing.

I can't imagine wearing something from GiPSY Dharma and not feeling beautiful. In fact, just thinking about wearing one of their skirts or a pair of their boots makes me feel beautiful.

To see more of GiPSY Dharma products, check out their videos. You can also find them on Facebook.

***DISCLAIMER: I was compensated by GiPSY Dharma for this post. All content (minus photos) and opinions are my own. For my full Disclaimer Policy, please see my About page.***

Sunday Social- Media & Summer

Another busy-but fun- weekend for me. I went to a Young Professionals event on Friday, shopping with my sister and my cousins dance recital Saturday, breakfast with friends and more time with my sister (who turned 18 on Friday) before heading home to prep for a conference tomorrow.

1. What is your favorite social media outlet?
I'm not sure if they are "favourite"...I only use Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. I like them all equally, for different reasons.

2. Do you subscribe to any daily new reads? If so, which ones?
I don't subscribe, but I read my hometown newspaper online everyday (or at least scan the front page headlines). I also scan the headlines on MSN and AOL homepages and read articles that interest me.

3. What is your favorite magazine to have by the pool?
All the ones I subscribe too- Flare, Elle Canada, Fashion, Town & Country.

4. What is your favorite summertime song?
This is so tough! Nowhere With You by Joel Plaskett is the first song that came to mind...but that's a favourite song year round. I'm really liking Cruise by Georgia Florida Line feat Nelly right now and I think it might be my favourite song of Summer 2013.

5. What is the best summer concert you've been to?
Dave Matthews Band...I think this is everyone favourite! I saw Ashley MacIsaac a couple of summers ago and it was a really good concert.

Bloglovin & HUGE Giveaway!

With the big announcement by Google that they're getting rid of Goolge Reader, there has been a huge push to move towards Bloglovin', and it's such a fun way to follow and keep up with blogs.  So in order to help our followers move to that platform a bunch of us bloggers got together and have a HUGE giveaway to celebrate.  The response was intense, and so we ended up with 4 different gift cards at a $320 value!  Amazing!

In order to keep you from getting too intimidated by the rafflecopter we've broken it down into 4 different ones, go ahead and enter them all if you'd like! :) This also ensures you have a much higher chance of winning!  

January/1000 GFC Followers/Blogiversary Giveaways

Happy Thursday! Things are still super busy and hectic for me, with no signs of slowing down! This past Sunday, I had a fundraising event that raised over $30,000 for local Alzheimer services and programs.

Everyone loves giveaways and here are 3 that are going on right now:

Amber from Brunch with Amber is hosting her January Group Giveaway, which you can enter here.

Lauren from Pink on the Cheek is hosting her 1000 GFC Follower Giveaway, which you can find here.

And Lacey from Charm and Sass is having a Blogiversary Giveaway- where she's giving away something every day this week! for the prize I donated, you can eneter here. Visit Lacey's blog for all her giveaways this week!

P.S. January is Alzheimer Awareness Month. Visit www.alzheimer.ca for more information. Even though today is the last day of Awareness Month, this is a disease that should be acknowledged, researched, supported, etc year around. The services and programs offered by local Socities/Associations are so important and in high demand.

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time

To be dreading this week...It's going to be busy, crazy, stressful and not enough time.

That I'm feeling unmotivated. I'm just exhausted- emotionally, physically and mentally.

To ask a lot of questions. It's the best way to learn about something.

That I used Twitter as a primary news source. With trending topics and links/comments posted by the people I follow, I have a good idea of what's going on in the world.

To love this month's ipsy bag! I loved all of the products in it (a first).

That I'm currently a part of two different giveaways. 36 Ads to 2 different winners, hosted by Paige (enter here) and a $100 Erin Condren gift certificate hosted by Lauren (enter here).

Not Quite There Yet & Twittering Thursdays

First of all, I am participating in Twittering Thursdays Twitter Hop, co-hosted by Kaitlyn (who is becoming one of my favourite bloggers) at Wifessionals.

Second of all, I'm participating in Not Quite There Yet co-hosted by Tarole from Island Livin' with One Haole Girl. This weeks hop is GFC.



*sigh*

I was going to write an entry, but my internet was done for 5+ hours and didn't get back up until almost midnight. I had a long day, worked an extra almost 2 hours on top of my 1.5 hour commute to work because I was out of town last night. I'm just exhausted

So...just the Twitter Hop today. 

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!!

P.S. Yesterday I linked up with Paige from Eloping Stethoscope for Blog-Working Wednesday

 

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time

That Canada didn't medal at the 2013 WJC. Sure, it's our first time not getting a medal in 14 years and getting up for the 4am games were BRUTAL...but Team Canada still played well and made Canada proud.

That the NHL lockout is over!!! I've missed NHL hockey so much and can't wait for the season to start on Jan 19!!

To be proud to be Irish, even though they didn't win BSC last night. I had a ton of fun at the viewing party. ND had a GREAT season and they should be proud of that. 

That Brittany Toll (she answered 5 Questions a few months ago) from Happy Brittany, is now following me on Twitter! This basically made my life. Brittany is one woman who truly inspires me and is an amazing role model. 

That I watched The Little Mermaid on the weekend. I love that movie and haven't seen it in ages. Disney classic.

To think you should enter Lacey's Birthday Giveaway! Tons of great prizes up for grabs!

Sunday Social

Weekends need to be longer than 2 days- and I know a lot of people agree with me on that one! The past 3 Saturdays, I've been helping my dad (a politician) with an important issue that he's been working on. It's not really something I can write about now, but will soon. 

This afternoon, I will be attending a fundraising event to support the Go Girls! Program run by Big Brothers Big Sisters. It should be a fun event and I'm looking forward to it. Tonight, I'll be going to a hockey game! It's a junior game, which I haven't been to in years. I've been invited to the press box, so how could I turn it down? I actually don't mind junior hockey and used to go to all of the home games when I was in high school and university.

  What is currently on your wish list? Bar/bar cart for my apartment, Tassimo, Liz Cabral's bag from Aldo, nice pair of black flats
Share a new iphone, droid, ipad app you have recently discovered that we all need I have a Blackberry, so N/A

What is a new Fall TV show you have added to your DVR?
Sadly, there aren't any new shows that are a 'must see' for me. I was kind of disappointed this year.

Share your Social Media links for us to follow you on(pinterest, twitter, facebook, etc) Tell us which is your favorite and why
Twitter
Pinterest
I like them both for different reasons. I'm going to give Twitter the slight edge of being a 'favourite' just because if it weren't for Twitter, I wouldn't really know what's going on in the world. I get the majority of my news and information from Twitter- including links to news articles and updates on what happened on the latest reality show.

What is a TV series or Movie or Song you could listen to or watch over and over and over and never get tired of…feel free to name one of each
TV Show: Greek, Friends
Movie: Mean Girls, Clueless, Empire Records, Cinderella
Song: Anything by Luke Bryan and Joel Plaskett

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time

To be excited about a new series I'll be doing on the blog, which will be debuting next Monday. 

To be sad that summer is unofficially over. I know we still have a couple of weeks left of summer, but Labour Day weekend is traditionally seen as the end of summer. I had a great summer and an amazing long weekend- days at the beach, spent time with my family and had dinner with my friend Daniel.

To have had an amazing Twitter week last week. A Twitter convo with Dilshad Vadsaria (aka Rebecca Logan from Greek), followed by Brock University and Brock Alumni, and one of my tweets was published in Flare magazine!

To think Abby Miller from Dance Moms is a bully. 

That I'm a little upset that my couch that I had to wait a month to be delivered has a rip in it and I need to get it replaced. The store was nice about it, but they can only deliver during the day when I'm at work, which means I have to take time off of work to accept the delivery.

Book, Song, Body

BOOK- I am fan of Maeve Binchy and sad to hear of her passing. One of her books that I had always wanted to read and had owned for a while was:

This is actually a collection of 4 short stories. The Amazon.com books description is:

A society hostess entertains her husband's mistress to dinner; a country girl savours the delights of city life; a student faces the dilemma of unmarried pregnancy; and a drink-ridden photographer tries to relaunch a shattered career...

All of these stories were interesting to me, as they look at people, their individual situation and their relationships with others. I've mentioned before, but I enjoy stories about life and are character based.  Of the four stories, Flat in Rinsend (the second story, about a country girl moving to the city) was my favourite. 

Recommend for anyone who loves Maeve Binchy, is looking to discover a new author, or enjoys character based stories.

SONG- This is one of my favourite songs right now and has been on 'repeat' for awhile:

Some Nights by Fun.

A favourite of my summer playlist!

BODY-A Pinterest find, healthy baking substitutes:

This originally came from Picklee and you can see the original blog post here.

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time

To blow off an afternoon of responsibilities and things that need to get done asap in order to spend time outside/at the beach. I'll either stay up late or get up early in order to get things done. This weather is too beautiful to pass up!

That I just started following Devon Sawa (@devonesawa) on Twitter. He was my ultimate teeny bopper crush. What girl didn't love him in Little Giants?!?!?

To be heartbroken that NYR was eliminated from playoffs. I may or may not have cried a little when they lost game 6 to the Devils and the hopes of them being Stanley Cup Champions 2012 was crushed. I still love them and there's always next year. Not that NYR are out, I hope LA wins the cup this year...

That I was able to finally find the last season of Greek (Chapter 6, Season 4) on Amazon! I've been waiting forever for it to be available, it final was, I ordered a copy and it arrived yesterday! I'm rewatching Chapter 5 (Season 3) before starting Chapter 6 so that I'm reminded of the story lines. Greek is one of my guilty pleasures...don't judge.

To be disappointed that I missed Luke Bryan on the Bachelorette last night! I didn't know he was going to be on the show until after it was over. I LOVE Luke Bryan! And while I refuse to watch the Bachelorette/Bachelor/Bachelor Pad, I would watch to see Luke Bryan. For sure.

To refuse to read Fifty Shades of Grey. I have heard a lot about this book-bloggers, on TV, in magazines, referenced in conversation- and the reviews have been mixed. This seems to be the 'It' book of summer and I guess I just refuse to jump on the bandwagon. And honestly, I'm not sure how much I would even enjoy this book, based on what I've heard/read about it.

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time


To be sad that Desperate Housewives is over. I loved the last episode and felt that they did a great job wrapping up the series. The only thing I didn't like, was Jennifer (was that her name?) who moved into Susan's house having a secret. This was right at the end of the episode and I want to know what she's hiding!

That I missed the last episode of Celebrity Apprentice because I was watching the Desperate Housewives finale. Why did these two shows have to be on at the exact same time?!?!?!? Luckily, in Canada, the episodes air on a Canadian station the Saturday after the show airs on NBC.

To not have any plans for the long weekend coming up. So many options. I just need to decide what I want to do. Seeing how the long weekend is THIS weekend, I need to get my act together and figure out what I want to do!

That MTV's Undressed is my guilty pleasure. I loved that show when it aired and I discovered yesterday by chance that you can view the episodes online at undressedtv.com. I know...I know...the show isn't quality programing...and I shouldn't waste my time watching it...but have you seen the show? Addicting. And please don't judge me for watching it.

That I have friends (who are now ex-coworkers) here who care about me so much that they will stalk/track down my dad and e-mail him to make sure I'm ok, because they haven't heard from me since the morning and I deleted my Facebook account. And I didn't answer when they called my house and cell phones and I wasn't replying to their texts. Ok, typing that out seems pretty bad and if I were them, I guess I would have worried too. Bottom line, incredibly lucky and blessed to have the friends that I do.