SUMMER MOOD BOARD - 2017

Summer is basically half over and I'm not surprised that I forgot to post my mood board before the season. During the summer I've always found that the main colours displayed are always bright and somewhat tropical. I didn't want to do that entirely, I wanted to do something light and calming. I wanted to focus this summer on creating some peace of mind, so with my classic base of white I was inspired to make this season's mood board!

The blues and greens feel fresh and cleansing, while he browns and dark shades feel passionate. The whites and light colours give it the final airiness and calming vibe I was going for. I'm starting to really focus on neutrals and the colours that make me feel good. For years and years I honestly dabbled with the entire rainbow, but I'll always be a fan of de-saturated colours.

5 STELLAR ICED-TEA RECIPES

I truly absolutely love iced tea. It's not only a fantastic way to stay hydrated but it's also quite simply magically delicious. I have a ton of iced tea recipes up my sleeve and I always have a pitcher in my fridge. These recipes in particular are ones I find myself making again and again!

ARE YOU READY TO BE REFRESHED?

BLACKBERRY ICED TEA

Blackberries will always have a special place in my heart for many reasons, but the main is just how rich and juicy they are, perfect for iced tea.

INGREDIENTS:
4C GREEN TEA (Your choice)
1/4-1/2C SUGAR (depending on how sweet you want it)
2C BLACKBERRIES
1 LIME
ICE
DIRECTIONS:
1. Brew your desired tea, set aside.
2. Puree your blackberries and strain
3. Mix in your tea, sugar, juice of 1 lime, and blackberry juice.
4. Add fresh blackberries to the mixture (optional)
5. Serve chilled or on ice.

ORANGE ICED TEA

Sweet citrus with a soft hint of vanilla. A blog tea with plenty of flavour! 

INGREDIENTS:

4C BLACK TEA (Your choice)

1/4-1/2C SUGAR (depending on how sweet you want it)

4 ORANGES (2 blood, 2 navel)

1 VANILLA BEAN SCRAPED

DASH OF CINNAMON 

ICE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brew your desired tea, set aside.

2. Slice 1 orange in rounds and juice 2 oranges to add to mixture. 

3. Mix in your tea, sugar, cinnamon and juice and orange slices.

4. Garnish with an orange slice and sprig of rosemary. Serve chilled or on ice. 

PINEAPPLE CHAMOMILE ICED TEA

Drinking this in the summer and closing my eyes sends me off on a tropical dream. You can optionally switch out some of your water for coconut water to add to it! 

INGREDIENTS:

4C CHAMOMILE TEA (Your choice)

1C CHOPPED PINEAPPLE

2TBSP FRESH CHOPPED BASIL

HONEY

ICE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brew your desired tea, set aside.

2. Blend together sugar, honey, pineapple, basil with about 1C of tea.

3. Pour mixture in first, stir in basil leaves followed by tea.

4. Garnish with basil and pineapple, serve over ice. 

MINT MATCHA ICED TEA

Matcha is in my house at all times, so it only makes sense to add a matcha iced tea. 

INGREDIENTS:

4C WATER

4TSP MATCHA

2 LIME (one sliced, one squeezed)

6 SPRIGS OF MINT (18 leaves)

1TBSP HONEY OR  1/4C SUGAR (optional, for sweetness)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a shaker (or you can do it the proper way) mix your Matcha and water together until there are no lumps.

2. Add mint, lime and honey/sugar and shake more.

3. Shake with some ice. 

4. Pour, add sliced lime and mint leaves. 

5. Serve over ice, garnish with lime and mint. 

STRAWBERRY ROSE ICED TEA

The most romantic flavoured iced tea you'll ever try.

INGREDIENTS:

4C TEA (Your choice, I used David's Tea Sakura Cherry, but I suggest Green or white tea)

1/4-1/2C SUGAR (depending on how sweet you want it, but honestly I don't use much, if any)

1C STRAWBERRIES

1C CHERRIES

1TSP ROSEWATER (optional)

ICE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brew your desired tea, set aside.

2. Puree your strawberries and cherries, strain. 

3. Mix in your tea, sugar, rosewater, and juice.

4. Add fresh strawberries and cherries to the mixture (optional)

5. Serve chilled or on ice. 

○○○

Have a favourite iced tea? Let me know below! 

BUJO: MONTHLY BULLET JOURNAL - APRIL PLAN WITH ME

I have been bullet journaling since 2016 and keeping notebooks/journals/diaries since I was ittybitty. My 2016 bullet journal was a horrible, neglected, mess BUT it really put a lot of things on track for me, so when the bujo started trending I decided to really dedicate myself to using one - and I'm so glad I did! It's been so fantastic at tracking my health, my habits, my money and my hectic life. Since this bujo is still pretty messy, I'm going to hold off on showing my main collections with everyone for the time being and simply start with how I manage my bujo on the monthly. I have the same sort of system each month. You can watch the video above and follow along with me or look below to see exactly what pages I put in my bujo each month.

In order of occurrence:

COLLAGE/MOOD 

I like to start each month off a little creatively. So the easiest way I find to incorporate that into my bullet journal was through collages/mood boards. It took some trial and error before I found a method I was comfortable with (aka a glue stick). I'm likely going to start incorporating different mediums, like paints or stickers or something, but it's only month 4 so I don't wanna get too crazy. However, I like having these pages because it makes finding my chapters easier.

TITLE PAGE

I've been sticking with a decorated circle theme. I think next year I'm going to get more creative with these pages, but for the time being it's a good way for me to practice drawing. Obviously you can get creative as you want with this page or simply fit it in on your calendar page too. I just like to have that dividing page present. 

CALENDAR & MONTHLY AFFIRMATION

I like being able to cross off the days of the calendar and have a quick reference to what days falls on what day of the week. You know? So this is is just that. My basic calendar for the month. I also like having a monthly affirmation. This is something I've been doing since high school but it's nice to have it written out as a constant refresher. 

MONTH AT A GLANCE / IMPORTANT DATES

Exactly what you think it is. I love the month at a glance page, makes planning and important dates stand out, so I never miss a meeting, event or bill due-date. It really literally just takes a glance and it puts the whole month into perspective.

MONTHLY REVIEW

I like to leave myself little notes regarding how my month goes. Little lessons I've learned throughout the month. It could also be a place where I jot down things I'm grateful for or accomplishments I made that month. I like being able to look back and see my progress. It's a good way for me to see that I'm developing and my hardwork is paying off. 

FEATURE PAGE / BLANK PAGE

I've so far done a Valentine's page and a Birthday Page Set-up for my boyfriend's birthday. For these two it was basically to keep track of purchases and planning leading up towards the dates. Not sure what I'll be doing this month. I've been leaning towards a "Plant's Wanted" list because I've so far just been keeping a list on my fridge and Wunderlist. So we'll see. 

HABIT TRACKER

I really like the daily habit tracker. It reminds me of a bunch of the little things I need to get done. Keeping track of them makes it really easy for me to recognize what needs to be done and when. Since time is money and I have very little free time, it's important for me to be able to track my lifestyle habits and chores. 

DAILY PAGES

Your basic run of the mill weekly pages. I find I don't need a lot of space on these pages, maybe 2-3 lines per date. I try to keep these pages as basic as possible. This is the weekly planner of my own taste. 

What are your favourite monthly pages in your bujo? Any of them you think I should try out? Let me know on youtube or in the comments below! 

SPRING MOOD BOARD

Happy Spring! It's a time of new growth and fresh beginnings. If someone forced me to choose a favourite season it would likely be spring. All the snow melts, trees are budding, sun starts shining, it really rakes a lot of the darkness of the winter away!  I also really love spring because my birthday, my boyfriend's birthday and majority of my family really. So spring is full of lots of love and celebrations, and who doesn't like that? 

Typically during the spring I find I'm drawn to pinks and purples, but this year I find myself leaning towards blues and yellows. It feels very fresh and clean. Blue to remind me of the water, (#stayhydrated) and the yellow to remind me of the sunshine, mix that in with all the green and this season aesthetic speaks volumes to me! .

SHOES: & Other Stories - Western Studded Chelsea Boots

CRYSTAL:  Celestite (Celestine) meant to bring peace and harmony as well as reduce stress and obsessive behaviours. I chose this stone because 1) it matches and 2) I just ordered a clustered one and I'm really looking forward to having it to help with slowing down my obsessive over-thinking.

Simple DIY Tabletop Terrarium

I love terrariums. They're works of eco-art! People ask me all the time how to make these so I figured I'd make a video/blog post and explain it to you. It's much easier than people typically expect and it's really low-maintenance. You can definitely order some in store, online or from custom terrarium makers like TeenyTinyTerra, but I find there is a lot of joy in making your own!

TO START YOU'LL NEED:

GLASS CONTAINER
-I suggest something with a larger brim opening, so that the planing process is easier
- Try searching through thrift stores and get creative with your container, try coffee pots, vases, mason jars, etc.
- Make sure to watch your container in hot water without soap first

SMALL STONES
- Think pebbles, gravel, aquarium gravel, etc.
- Make sure to wash in hot water and let dry before using
- Avoid shells and limestone or other things that may change the PH balance

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
- This removes odors and toxins from the soil. It collects the toxins fro the soil and water to prevent damage to the plants.

- If you can't find activated charcoal you can go without, however, you should water your terrarium in distilled water to avoid adding water treatment chemicals to your terrarium.
- It also helps with drainage and prevents things like root rot.
- Fun fact: Activated charcoal is also one of the main types of filters for aquariums, if you have a hard time finding it, check your local pet/aquarium store.

SOIL
- Make sure the soil you purchase is for that of your specific plant types.

PLANTS
- Make sure all your plants are of the same type (ie. they share watering habits, light requirements, fertilizing seasons, etc)
- Try only to get a small amount, your terrarium will grow (quicker than you think) and you don't want it to get over crowded.

ACCESSORIES
- Cute figurines to liven up your tiny jungle.
- Moss, crystals, stones, driftwood, etc.
- Try to avoid metals if you can help it. They can oxidize and that can effect the tiny eco system. Opt for wood, ceramic or plastic instead.

OPTIONAL
- Sheet moss - extra drainage
- Sand - extra drainage
- Fiberglass screen - extra drainage
- Funnel - to evenly pour the soil with less mess
- Chopsticks/Tongs/Fork - to move, place and plant.


DIRECTIONS:


STEP ONE:
Begin by putting about 1-2 inches or so of small stones at the base of the terrarium. Basically you want to cover the entire bottom of the container but you also want it to be high enough so it can hold stagnant water if need be. (aka, proper drainage in case you over-water).

STEP TWO:
Cover the rocks with a layer of activated charcoal. Optional: If you are using sand, fiberglass screen or sheet moss this would be the next step after the charcoal. It prevents soil from falling into the pebbles as well as it adds an extra layer of drainage.

STEP THREE:
Add your soil. Make small divots in the soil for each of your plants, deep enough to fit the roots of the plant. Your soil layer is doing to be your thickest layer and should be about 3x the height of the stones.

STEP FOUR:
Remove your plants from their containers and remove the excess soil from the roots. Begin to place your plants in the terrarium (I find it's easier if you start with the largest plant and end with the smallest). Lightly pack the roots with soil. Again, be sure not to over-plant! Your terrarium will grow, so use this extra space to add your accessories.

STEP FIVE:
Add fun figurines and accessories! Make sure they are also washed in hot water and are made of plant safe materials. Which is basically anything that cannot change the PH balance, like metal. Opt for wood, bone, stone, ceramic, or plastic.

MAINTENANCE
- Water about 1-2 times a week. Try to water the plants directly at their roots to avoid damaging the mosses. This all changes depending on your plant types. So do your research!!
- Prune dead foliage and overgrown spaces when needed to prevent rotting.
- Keep in natural indirect light (again, changes depending on your plants).
- Mist your terrarium when needed

Any questions feel free to ask. Have you made a terrarium before? Comment below!

CUPID'S FRENCH TOAST • Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet French Toast

I love love. There is a quote on my body all about love. I tell everyone in my family I love them daily. I try to spread love as best as I can. So I get pretty excited about Valentine's day, because it's a holiday about LOVE!

Since Valentine's Day is a on a Tuesday this week, Dustin and I will be busy with work. So I wanted to do something a little special on Saturday to celebrate! I decided on a breakfast spread ♥ Included is the recipe for the french toast below.

We had Cupid's French Toast, homemade caramel iced coffee. Along with the usual bacon, eggs, and hash-browns as well as a side of peppered avocado for myself. I think we'll go see a movie on Valentine's Day this year or watch something at home. Just keep it simple and between the two of us.

I hope you all have a wonderful love filled valentine's day!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

CUPID'S FRENCH TOAST

Heart Shaped Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet French Toast 

Don't stress over the specifics of this recipe - if you can make basic french toast you can make this no problem! You can also add a strawberry compote by simply refrigerating a bowl of chopped strawberries mixed 1/4C of sugar over night.
CLICK ANY OF THE IMAGES TO PIN THIS RECIPE! 
SERVES: 2 perhaps more


STUFFING:
1 PKG (8oz) CREAM CHEESE, softened
1/4C POWDERED SUGAR
1C DICED STRAWBERRIES
2TSP ROSEWATER
1TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
LEMON ZEST

BREAD / EGG WASH:
THICK-CUT BREAD (THINK TEXAS TOAST)
COCOA POWDER
RED FOOD COLOURING
4 EGGS
1C MILK (I used part milk, part whipping cream)
2TBS SUGAR
2TBS COCOA POWDER
1TSP CINNAMON

OTHER:
SOFTENED BUTTER
KNIFE
STRAWBERRIES TO GARNISH
POWDER SUGAR TO GARNISH
STRAWBERRY COMPOTE (optional)
CHOCOLATE SAUCE (optional)

1. Combine together the all the stuffing ingredients (cream cheese, powdered sugar, diced strawberries, rosewater, vanilla and lemon zest) in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cut your bread slices into heart shapes and set aside.
3. Mix together eggs, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and desired food coloring and whisk until blended.
4. Soak each slice of bread in the eggwash until completely soaked.
5. Heat the butter in a large nonstick pan/skillet over medium heat and fry the bread until cooked through, turning once.
6.  Between two slices fill each slice with filling. You can return to fryer on low-medium heat if you wish, if not, plate and garnish as you wish.

ENJOY!

MY FAVOURITE ANIME OF 2016

I didn't get to watch as much this year as I would have liked to, but I completed enough to be happy, 17 to be exact. So I've summed up a few of my favourites that I watched in 2016. If you're interested in seeing some of the other anime I've watched you can check out MyAnimeList here (keep in mind I don't update regularly yet). Hope you enjoy these! 

• • •

YAMADA KUN & THE SEVEN WITCHES 

Now this one isn't anything crazy captivating and it doesn't reach you on a deep emotional level. Honestly this was my "casual anime" the one  where I only sort-of pay attention to while simultaneously painting my nails or online shopping - REGARDLESS, this was a fun anime. Yamada is our lead (obviously) and he's a feisty blue-haired dude who is overly dramatic. The witches are girls who either are unaware they have a special power or they keep it secret, but each has a different power. Yamada and his friends go on a mission to find all 7 Witches after discovering the pretty blonde girl was one of them and she can switch bodies! The different powers are pretty interesting. I'm honestly just a sucker for any rainbow haired girl filled anime (think, Shuffle, Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, etc) It's a fun slice-of-lie/fantasy anime with good animation so you can't really go too wrong with this one.

ReLIFE

This one is such a unique story-line. The lead, Arata Kaizaki is dismissed as a 27-year old loser. He quit his job, has no friends, lives alone and genuinely has given up on himself (his mom has too) - until he one day meets a lad named Ryou Yoake who offers him a pill and to become a part of the ReLife Program. AKA take a pill and turn 17 again! It's like the inverse of 13 going on 30. As a part of the program Arata is sent back to high school where Ryou studies him, the trick is that Arata cannot tell anyone about the program or his real age. The series follows along with Arata, Ryou and their new friends as he navigates being 27 while living as a 17 year old high school student. I initially found this as a manga and I think I actually preferred the manga in place of this anime but none-the-less I still really liked it. Mostly due to the interested plot and the snarky/sass of the characters in it.

YURI ON ICE

I thought this anime was way over hyped - until I watched it. It's the perfect sports anime, showcasing the spirit, the sport itself with it's dynamic animation, comedy, and the perfect romance. I loved this anime from start to finish. Now I am 100% biased but the character JJ was amazing. They created a scene that was so Canadian it hurt, I absolutely loved it. A  definitely become a new-age classic in my opinion and it's definitely become a cult favourite. My only complaint was that it ended - season two can hurry up any day now!

ORANGE

This one is a drama. Get ready to cry because this really pulls at all the heart strings! Without going into too much detail, this anime is about the history of a group of friends, and if they can change what happened in the past. In their twenties these friends receive letters from their 10 year younger selves. Instructing them on what is going to happen and what they need to do in order to change the chain of events. This is a short series anime but it's worth the watch. It's nice to watch an anime that touches on such serious issues. I'd love to say more but I can't really without ruining a lot of it. All I have to say is - watch it.

NATSUYUKI RENDEZVOUS

This one is a Romance/Drama. If you were to ask, this would likely be one of my top 5 favourite EVER. This has everything I look for in an anime - beautiful artwork, a compelling story, intense emotions with a bit of comedy. IT's everything and more (at least to me). This was the third time I've watched this anime and it still never disappoints me. It's the story of Hazuki who has fallen for Rokka, the woman who owns the local flower shop. Hazuki can't bring up the nerve to ask her out, so he gets a job at her shop instead, falling more in love with her. Only thing is; she's followed by her dead husband Atsushi, and Hazuki can see him - hilarity ensues! This anime has a beautiful story line but even more beautiful art. Most of the anime is located in the Flower Shop and one thing I love more than real plants - are anime plants.

Feel free to comment your favourite anime of 2016 below and I'll check them out! 

MY 2017 RESOLUTION & GOALS

Every year I make a Resolution -  typically it's geared towards a serious lifestyle change. Additionally, I also make Goals, these can be concrete and more basic things. I like to add to this list all throughout the year. The reason I set smaller goals is because it gives me a better sense of accomplishment and I can keep track and notice the changes more without becoming discouraged.

I think it's very important to note the differences between the words Resolution and Goal - because they are two different things. In my opinion, if you want them to be effective, you need to treat them as two different things.

 VS. 

Essentially, a resolution is a commitment you are making for yourself -it's how you intend to live your life going forward. For example: Living a healthy and active lifestyle, could be your resolution.

Your goals, are things you can achieve - your objectives. For example: if your resolution was to live a healthy and active lifestyle - then your goals could be things like: Lose weight, join a gym, etc.

Now that you have an idea of the differences, below are my goals and resolution and you can decide for yourself what your goals and resolution may be.

I like to start with 10 goals, then go with the flow as I add to it.

My Goals:
- Drink more water
- Make Weekly Affirmations
- Meal prep like a pro
- Buy a nice vacuum
- Stick to the YouTube game plan
- 10K on Instagram
- Stay dedicated to your Bullet Journal
- Go to more social events
- Add more editorial work to Portfolio
- Plan and save for a trip in 2018/9

These goals honestly remind me more of a to-do list, which I believe is why if you set your Resolution to something that is more of a lifestyle change rather than a check-off you'll be more likely to stick to it. In my experience, goals like the ones above are harder to stay dedicated to when you prioritize them over your lifestyle. Your goals should be things that will help you with your resolution when they can as well.

My resolution this year is one I'm really excited about. I've already been actively doing this since November, but I really want to make it a priority for me going forward in life.

My Resolution:

Live more consciously.

To me this means, paying attention to how I react and respond to the world, how I consume, where the things I get come from, being more conscious of my relationships, etc. I think by trying to live more consciously, it'll open up my viewpoints and allow for more serenity and clarity - which I could definitely use more of.

Comment below and let me know what your new years resolution is, or if you're going to give this a try!

As always,

Stay hydrated!