sunshower style.

an apology and a goodbye.

2010-11-24T11:30:00.006-05:00

first, i write today to apologize for leaving so abruptly exactly a year ago to this date.

sunshower style began nearly two years ago, when my school was on strike and i needed something to do. it continued through the summer, but when school started up again last year i realized i didn't have quite as much time as i thought i would. i kept the blog open in the hopes that i could get back to it someday, but i don't think it's time will come.

i want to thank my readers and friends for being so supportive, and trusting, and for putting up with my spelling errors! i still take up a little corner of the internet writing poetry, but this is it for sunshower style. i am extremely grateful for this rewarding experience.

thanks for everything!

lovelovelove
-B!

current obsession; latest beauty buys

2009-11-24T10:54:00.003-05:00

song of the day: love songs, anjulie

how are you doing? how's your week going so far? hope your tuesday is treating you well. don't have much time again today, just sharing my beauty obsessions as of late.

bright eyes
lately i've been skipping eyeliner altogether, instead i've been dabbing a light eyeshadow in the corners of my eyes for a look that widens them and make them look instantly awake. i just dab it along the natural v, but definitely trace farther along the top lid. and since i've started i've noticed blake lively does it all the time, on and off the show. she often uses white shadow in her corners, but that's a little too stark for me. tan or pale gold just right for darker skin tones. silver's also really cool for a night look. add a swipe of mascara, and i'm good to go!

madison mauve
at first, i wasn't so ecstatic that maybelline revamped their entire lipstick line earlier this year. the first two i tried were flops. but i finally found a plum that works for me. it's good to wear or stain. i don't care too much for the smell, but i love that it lasts forever. (pardon my bizarre expression in the photo, what's important here is the lipstick, not how deliriously happy i was at my birthday party.)

essie
remember way back when i was talking about matte nails? i'm officially a believer. i bought the matte about you top coat and i haven't stopped using it since. although, i think half the fun might be watching it change. i also got mint green candy apple and it's one of my favourite colours of the season. my tips? apply a good basecoat, because you can't put top coat on a matte nail. also, make sure the nail is completely dry before applying the matte topcoat.

that's all for now. but i'd love to know, what's on your nails right now?

xoxo
-B.

love your life;

2009-11-16T12:14:00.002-05:00

song of the day: waking up in vegas, katy perry

some days i'm just so happy i don't even know what to do with myself. today is one such day! heyhey! so i apologize profusely for the lack of regular posting. my life has been RIDICULOUSLY busy, but i am truly loving every minute of it. i managed to cram a whole lot of awesome into what should have been just an average weekend. a lot of singing, but also seeing a play, and catching up my cousin, and surprise-seeing an old friend, some bittersweet goodbyes, but then a lot of awesome times with youth group. unfortunately though, the weekend has left me with a pile of backlogged homework and a bit of a cold.

it's okay though, i am STILL riding high on my french themed birthday party last weekend. it was such a stellar night! that right there, is the cake my best friend L made for me. isn't it gorge?

in a way though, i've been scaring myself. i'm a passionate person, so whenever i like something, i like it A LOT and there is that fear that it could all just blow up in your face. (and i'm not just talking boys here, though i should add:) there is such a calm i guess, in stepping out from under a boy's spell and realizing how awesome you are all on your own. or how great your friends are! or in rhyming off the ten things you love terribly about your life!

1) my mom testing out holiday recipes and playing christmas music.
2) me and my sister having the car, and house to ourselves for the day
3) when, just as you're thinking of someone, they show up!
4) that smile you get when you watch someone else doing something they love
5) my first trip to coldstone creamery! (there aren't that many here in canada, but i wish there were. it was probably the best icecream i've ever had)
6) when TV makes you cry, or feel anything really.
7) playing piano or ressurecting any lost love
8) i might like pretending, as i'm speeding through the dark, singing with the girls at the TOP of our lungs, and thrashing our hair around, that we are in some insanely cool music video.
9) 50% off sales! there were some INSANELY good deals at the mall all week long, which was nice? but unfortunately means i'm WAY over my budget for the month. >.<
10) new friends. some i am getting to know and some i wish i'd known all along

i should also add: eiffel-tower shaped cakes! so? what's been awesome in your life as of late?

xoxo
-B.

je t'aime;

2009-11-14T19:58:00.002-05:00

"wear what makes you feel like the person you've always imagined you could be."
max azria.

loving that quotation, and that look! i'm totally craving something with sequins, but i can never quite commit to buying anything. perhaps something from the new forever21 twist collection can convince me otherwise! sorry for the lack of post-age! hopefully a more normal schedule will resume next week! enjoy the rest of the weekend!

xoxo.
-B!

romantic misadventures; julian

2009-11-03T11:39:00.006-05:00

song of the day: let's fall in love, ella fitzgerald

happy tuesday to you! i hope all is well. can i have one moment of childish excitement? it's my birthday tomorrow, and i'm so giddy i can barely contain myself. just heading in now? be sure to catch up on bryce. and the others.

so this picks up right where the last story left off. (catch up on the rest here)

i can't tell you how many times i've wished life WAS just like the movies. (or tv. i've always had this dream where me and my friends move into adjacent apartments, just like in friends.) even knowing what i do now, i still expect the movie ending because that's what always happens. especially when i was on a cruise a couple years ago.

i don't quite know what happened to me that trip, but something got to me. maybe it's the air out there on the caribbean sea. on the 2^nd day of the trip i realized that nothing i did had any weight. there were no consequences that could follow me home and i went crazy. that cruise still marks the most outgoing i've ever been. i talked to a slew of people, grinded up against guys i barely knew. which, believe me, never happens. (and has never happened since!)

my friend josie, her family and mine all went on that caribbean cruise. josie and my sister could hardly believe me. and i suppose they should have been the reminder of who i really was, but for some reason their disbelief only pushed me farther. i made friends in hot tubs, i flirted shamelessly, i sung karaoke and then i met julian.*

it was on the second of two formal nights. i'm a firm believer that there are no better confidence boosters than red bras, black underwear and a little black dress. that night was a triple threat.

these days i try to convince myself that someone dared me to sing karaoke that night, but i know i did it of my own volition. (i did wouldn't it be nice, by the beach boys, it was cute.) josie, my sister and i had been following a lot of boys around that week and two of them –brothers – were hanging out at the promenade after the show. josie and kendra were ogling, but i was past that. my legs were moving before i was.

i think i heard josie and kendra trying to call me back, but it was too late. i swear to you it was like tunnel vision. i didn't know what i was going to say or do, but i was heading for them. i'm incredibly lucky they were sitting by the (non-alcoholic) bar at the time, and that there weren't many people in the promenade. i slid up in the stool beside the tallest one and ordered a sprite. he looked over and smiled. i smiled back. i sipped my Sprite. a little further down the boat, a folksy guitarist was strumming away at van morrison's "brown-eyed girl." when it came time for the "sha-la-las" he and i came in in perfect harmony. he laughed, deep and husky, and i still remember that laugh today.

he had short brown hair, sun kissed olive skin, a wide bright smile and deep brown eyes more gorgeous i'm sure than the chick in the song. i forget who spoke first, but i bet it was me. either way, his name was julian. his brother's name was john. i'm not sure how we got around to it, but we talked about how there were no consequences here really understood. for some reason, talking to julian was just easy compared to the way my tongue ties itself in knots whenever i'm at home. i told him about karaoke. and about kendra and josie. he told me jamaica was the best island because the drinking age was lower (he was 19 to my 17, a lofty and mysterious age). when my sprite was done, i said goodbye and walked away without looking back. at the time, it felt like the cool thing to do, but i wish now i had stayed.

we tried for the rest of the trip to bump into them again. we made a lot of visits to the promenade. one time we were on a balcony and we spotted them three floors below and i literally shouted "thar she blows!" (i think i just got caught up in the moment, something about being on a boat) we scrambled down the stairs but had already lost them in the crowd.

i don't know if you've ever been on one, but the last day of the cruise feels like the saddest day of your life. no one gets to sleep in because they have to feed you breakfast before shoving you off the boat. everyone was shuffling through this tired enormous breakfast line, like shackled inmates. i had just settled on a box of cheerios when i heard it.

"do you remember when she used to say sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lala-di-dah."

now if this was the movies, this would be the moment when the love interest appears, and they share a warm embrace or a heartfelt kiss or at the very least they exchange phone numbers. and i wanted my moment, i remember i ran from the line and stood in the middle of the room, waiting, but he never came. when the song was over, i went back to where my family was sitting and finished my soggy cheerios in silence.

and that's when it became inescapably apparent my life would never be like a movie.

authors note:

*julian's name has NOT been changed. in the futile attempts that someone who knows him will somehow pass it on and he'll come find me and all will be fabulous. think i was a little bitter when i was writing this. but these days, as you can see, i do believe movie moments happen. i just have to wait for mine.

so question, what are your confidence boosters? what makes you feels your fiercest? and if you've ever had a movie moment, i would lovelovelove to hear it!

xoxo

-B.

legit picture from my cruise.

apple a day; flu-fighting foods

2009-10-28T22:24:00.010-04:00

so i've been fighting a cold for a week now. i'm teetering between sick and not sick, and instead of just waiting for the cold to get me, i'm thinking i'm going to do what i can to stop myself from getting sick. there's the obvious stuff, resting and drinking water, but i wanted to look at the foods that can help you fight the flu, being sick etc. i

i'm pretty sure i've said this already, but i'm a terrible terrible eater. and though it's disheartening, it's not exactly shocking that a lot of the foods that turned up in my research are foods i don't like... let me see what i could force myself to eat here.

yogurt: i already wrote about probiotics, but apparently they can help you prevent colds too! just make sure it says it on the label.

red bell peppers: so everyone knows that vitamin c can help you fight colds. but i learned today that red bell peppers have twice as much immune-enhancing vitamin c as an orange does. craaazy. but i'm thinking i could trick myself into eating it if i snuck it into an omelette or salad.
green tea: now i don't like tea of any kind, but after researching all the benefits to green tea i'm thinking about starting! having two or more cups a day can fend off viruses and keep up your immune system.

sweet potatoes: eating them can enhance your immune system. beta carotene - that stuff that makes vegatables their orange pigment- turns into vitamin a in the body. and vitamin a helps treat respiratory infections. now i LOVE sweet potato fries! but my mom says they don't really count.

other flu-fighting foods include: almonds, garlic, leafy greens, oranges, chicken soup.

i actually found a recipe that includes all these ingredients and seems a) easy enough and b) tasty enough for me to consider making! check it out at this link! if i ever have time to make it, i'll post a pic.

that's all for now!
stay healthy!
-B.

romantic misadventures; bryce

2009-10-28T22:16:00.003-04:00

hey! got another story for ya!

back in grade eight, my best friend at the time was a guy by the name of bryce. i think the fact that we were opposites in pretty much every way was what made me like him so much in the first place. i loved the way he didn't care what people thought. being with b made me realize i didn't have to justify myself to anyone. he didn't completely understand me, but he did understand guys and that was something. (okay well didn't completely understand them, but who does anyway?) i'm not gonna lie, he was pretty weird too. but he gave great boy advice, he was funny, and he was always there for me. he's the one who kept me smiling all through that wretched grade eight grad. when i asked him to dance with me, he obliged. that dance also marked the first time i had my butt grabbed. i'm not really sure its much in the way of romantic advancement, but it is something.

we talked a lot, but that talking got a lot more frequent over the summer. it was the summer before high school, and i was freaking out about the change. i was convinced the love of my life (clay) had moved schools just to get away from me. i reached out and bryce was there.
junior high relationships are funny. i didn't see bryce the entire time we were "going out". even though we went to the same school we lived on the polar ends of town. i wasn't technically allowed to date so we couldn't tell my parents and rides were out of the question. and at 13 i was still too dumb to understand the complexities of the public transit system. so i spent a lot of time on the computer that summer, needless to say.

now, i watch a lot of tv and love every moment of it. but i think there's a problem that comes with it. i have very little life experience and draw everything i can from sitcoms, cartoons or the movie-of-the-week. i got it in my head somehow that i had to break up with bryce because i was still in love with clay. which, i'm sure was a plot i saw on tv the night before i had this big revelation. and i figured that, just like on the show, i'd end up with clay in the end. things didn't exactly pan out that way.

i don't remember how i broke up with bryce, but i know it was a lie. he stayed mad at me for three months. and for three months i beat myself up for ruining things with the one guy knew me more than anyone else. luckily, he came back around and our best friendship picked up pretty much where it left off. he was such a big part of high school for me. we didn't have many classes together, but he used to walk me to class, or call me late at night. and i'll never forget the time he brought a balloon bouquet and a teen titans cake for a birthday. we were best friends until grade 12 but we never spoke again of that summer. we've mutually blipped it from our memory. but if you're reading this now b, i'm sorry i momentarily forgot my life is not like tv.

author's note: because this is probably the last i'll speak of him, i'll tell you right now, clay and i never go out. but i'm glad i didn't date anyone back then, i didn't have a clue what relationships were about. this was such a hard chapter to post! i didn't know what relationships some things happened at the end of school, and the real b and i don't really talk so much anymore. and i have to be honest. i really miss him. the next chapter's a lot funnier, i promise.
but i wanna know, how do you feel about dating the bff?

till then!
xoxo
-B.

love your life;

2009-10-26T11:44:00.004-04:00

song of the day: it won't be long, evan rachel wood

it's been a while since i've done one of these! i think on the whole, things have been pretty great lately. but, this monday morning, as i found myself concentrating and overanalyzing the few things that didn't go so well this last week, i figured i'd step back and look at the good.

1. my moccasin boots: i've been wearing them pretty much nonstop.
2. party planning
3. the fabulousness that is my best friend D
4. bic pens
5. boys who give good advice about the boys who don't call
6. apple picking
7. youth group: i absolutely adore everyone in it!
8. secret societies
9. skype dates
10. chances

haha. i know i've already been crazy talkative today, but can i add one more? you, my dear reader. for sticking around even though things have gotten different around here. i hope YOU are having a fabulous monday.

lovelovelove
-B.

borrowed the picture from my friend C. his photos are AMAZING. hope he doesn't mind =P

romantic misadventures; robinson, clay

2009-10-20T13:46:00.007-04:00

because you asked for it, more awkward stories from my v. strange life. enjoy!

(missed a story? catch up on rory, thatcher, rob and james.)

writing these stores has helped me to discover a number of things about myself. patterns are emerging. chiefly that i crush in deranged cycles that eventually lead to disaster. i deny, i become obsessed, it doesn't work and i choose another victim. i can only think of one crush that differs from this pattern.

you can call him robinson. even though I'm going with the one name thing, nothing i could've chosen has anywhere near the star power of his real one. robinson was like my own little celebrity and i liked him that way.

i wish i was kidding about the star power thing, but i still think he really was. he fit the prototype of course, but he kicked butt in the arts department. he was big into drama, and played a whole bunch of instruments. he played bass, guitar, drums and piano. and he had a killer voice that always made me want to take of my panties and throw them at the stage. it was beautiful in its right, but he also had a way of moulding to anyone's voice. in a 2^nd he was bono, the next, the king of pop. and he had this way of strutting around on stage.

one summer in high school, i was a camp counsellor where he was program staff. i followed him around as much as i could. i got my campers to fall for him and headed up his fan club there. i scribbled his name in a million notebooks and pined for him like he was miles away instead of three cabins down.

speaking to robinson was out of the question. just like you couldn't walk down and talk to zac efron. unfortunately the one time I did talk to him, it was because a particular friend of mine was showing off a mammoth mosquito bite I had gotten. most of our encounters were in my head.

but that was it. i liked him as a celebrity and as forest gump would say "that's all I have to say about that."

author's note: this is HILARIOUS to read cause robinson and i are actually friends now. i should've beleived my mom back then when she said that a) boys are just as insecure as girl, and b) robinson was great but not better than me. i really did elevate him to celebrity status, and consequently put him out of league. if you beleive in leagues in the first place, and she doesn't. anyway, one more before i have to get back to work.

if i put all my romantic encounters on a chart you would see that the majority of them cluster up from ages 10 to 13. ah, junior high! tempers flaring and hormones ablaze. it was a beautiful time. people were so desperate to experience everything that they'd settle for anyone. still not me though, in most cases. but that was alright. i had my sights set on someone else.

no that i think about it, clay carlise was the reason i set up my prototype and never again strayed from it. clay wasn't and still isn't very artistic, but what he does do is sports. imagine me, at my tubbiest in grade 7 trying to keep up with one of the most athletic guys in my school.

a lot of girls liked clay in middle school, but none as long as i did – two straight years.

boys were confusing at that time. i was against note passing. against friends doing your dirty work. (do you like amy? check yes or no.) that leaves you way too open for rejection. i needed the cover of dark, distracting background noise and the ability to walk away and pretend nothing ever happened. that meant my perfect place to move was at school dances.

i don't summon my kahones very often. so i remember these moments – gearing myself up to ask clay to dance – quite vividly. my palms got sweaty (thanks for the genes their dad). my queasy stomach pulsed to the beat of the music. luckily my friend tiffany liked alex, clay's best friend. so we asked them to dance in tandem. alex and tiffany practically velcroed themselves together. after some dillydallying clay let me slip my arms around him.

gosh, grade 8 dancing is awkward.

a christina aguilera song was playing. And while everyone else was rocking back and forth awkwardly. clay was struck with a sudden bout of logorrhoea. he talked to me. he waddled us toward tiff and alex. he steered us to a couple we didn't know and started talking to them. talking, talking, talking. i still thanked him after.in a way, we both could write it off like nothing really happened. i stepped back in line with my group of friends and pretended my world just hadn't been rocked. (or at least, until the dance was over, i'm pretty sure i told EVERYONE when i got home)

it was a few months to the next school dance and i waited patiently. by this time tiff and alex were almost a couple so she didn't have to wait for me anymore. when the fourth slow song came on and i was tired of pretending to do something i thought about going over to him. kelly clarkson gently pointed out that "some people wait a life time for a moment like this." and i was tired of waiting.

he said yes. and this i think is the time i hope to never forget. if i think hard enough, i still remember what it's like to be held. to stare out over clay's shoulder and be convinced absolutely nothing was wrong with the world. to smell his adidas cologne and fresh laundry: to feel goose bumps absolutely everywhere when our cheeks touched, if only for a second.

i tried to talk myself out of liking clay shortly after that. (i do this a lot) but when the third dance rolled around, i didn't want to be alone. i tried to be all cool about it, like trick him into it. i think i said something like "everyone else is doing it, so we should too." but this time, clay didn't seem to need much convincing. my crush on him wasn't much of a secret those days, but it always wasn't known enough to become full fledged gossip, just little grade eight murmurs. so i've always wondered, did he know i like him and feel the same? or did he simply come to expect it?

after that, a plan was put in place. the next dance was our grade eight graduation and for once i was going to ask him, straight out, if he liked me. but even now, i've still never told anyone that i liked them. the week before the dance was sheer agony. i was so nervous i could barely eat. i fretted about it constantly. the grad ceremony seemed to drag on forever.

the dance was finally set to being and i was feeling the prettiest i'd ever been (to later be topped by grade twelve prom). i wanted to wait outside so that when clay came u could make it look like we had arrived at the same time

i waited all night, but he never came. and he was going to a different high school than i was. it wasn't like I never saw him again. i actually still bump into clay a few times a year. i just never had the guts to ask him where he was that day and i imagine now I'll never know.

but that's okay. something happened that day made me forget all about him, at least for a little while.

whoa! cliffhanger. haha. i'll post some more soon, but i've really gotta get back to my homework. one quick thing though, is it creepy or cute that i STILL remember what it's like to rest my head on clay's shoulder? i've got a really strong kinetic memory if that makes sense. (or i may have just made that term up). either way, the girl clay's dating now is SO SO sweet and i pretty much want them to get married. so? who's got awkward middle school dance stories for me! share away!

-xoxo.

got the pic from here, and here.

best ofs; oct 1- 18

2009-10-17T20:01:00.003-04:00

heyhey! been a while since i've done this. haven't been reading as many blogs as i would like, but here are a few interesting things i've found over the last little bit!

♥ i've been thinking alot about the friends i have lately, and i loved this article from lemondrop on the five friends you need, and the three you don't. good good stuff.

♥ i LOVE the idea of operation beautiful. people leave notes on mirrors, changeroom walls, anywhere really, to remind them they're beautiful. then they take a picture and post their story. i'm thinking about leaving one myself =)

♥ make your own pollock! rainn wilson tweeted about this the other day and i was playing with it for a good hour, haha.

♥ also check out tim gunn's rules for evening wear via marie claire.

ciao for now!
xoxo
-B.

got the photo from here.

romantic misadventures; thatcher, rob & james

2009-10-17T19:32:00.005-04:00

my apologies! my computer broke for a day there, but hopefully soon i'll have a new one! hopefully, you're having a good weekend! haha, and i'm not gonna lie, after i published the first story, even though that stuff was years ago, i still felt v. exposed, you know? but at the persistance of a few friends, i'm posting another. for now anyway. let the group therapy continue!

now i go to a very large church with a very small youth group. which should be good but has posed a number of problems in the past (present and future). i'm not sure if it happened inevitably, or if there were some girls who made sure that our youth group plays out like an episode of gossip girl. there was crazy gossip, drama and girl fights. but for the most part, it's not like that any more.

now that i'm thinking about it, most of my romantic-type issues are a result of bad timing. there's this one guy, who will henceforth be known as thatcher, because that's the coolest name i can think of. and this guy is pretty freaking cool. even in grade three, i was checking him out across the room at sunday school. taking in this perfect blue eyes and expertly coiffed blonde hair. baiting my breath and waiting for grade six. (they put the grade six through eight kids together. i waited and waited until finally, the summer before grade six. thatcher moved to brazil.) timing i tell you. but the thatcher thing is ongoing. he moved back a couple years later and girls still crush on him today.

here's another example. i'm a slow mover when it comes to love and all that stuff. it's experiences like the ones i am describing to you that make me so hesitant. there's rob, this one guy at church who fits the prototype perfectly. a complementary 5'8'' to my 5'7'', hilarious, plays the drums and as a bonus he has thick wavy hair that for some reason has always reminded me of a disney prince. (so why is it reminded and not remound? not finded but found? anyone else think the english language is completely crazy?)

in the fall of grade 11 i'd been debating between liking him. and by the time winter rolled around, it finally felt like things were going right. at my friend darcy's birthday, he hung around me all night long. so i was all set to go. to tell my friends i really was in this for the long haul. the next day, my friend hayley had news too and i made the mistake of letting her go first: apparently after i left the party rob had asked her out.

i still don't know if, had i told her, if hayley would have backed off. i'm not completely sure if she's that type of person. but now i'll never know. timing wins out yet again.

hayley, back then, was not much help in the whole romantic department. similar things just keep happening. when we first became close friends, she was dating this amazing guy, james . he was really nerdy and gangly and awkward but i loved that about him. he fit the prototype of course. and on top of that we were really alike. the same weird interests, the same quirks, the same sense of humour. even now, no one's ever really gotten me like that. in some weird way hew as like a different version of myself. people still say that. they also still say that it'd be bad to date someone like that and i still don't get it. and yes- that does mean we've never gone out and i bet you can tell where this is going already.

though this might not be timing's fault. have you ever noticed that guys suddenly get heaps more attractive when they're going out with someone else? james had always been in the picture but i only really noticed him in the summer of grade 10 and by that time he had already been dating hayley for a number of months and would continue going out for a year. but as i was kicking myself in the summer and all through the fall i kept thinking, if only i had gotten to know him earlier. if only timing hadn't boned me, yet again.

authors notes:

i used to like them stick-man thin, but my tastes have really changed in the last three years. james and i aren't really alike any more. and he's been with a different girl now for the last three years, and i'm super happy for them!

i also wrote here that i wondered if "hayley would have backed off." and i'm thinking now, isn't that kind of selfish of me to think that? cause i mean, if rob liked her and not me, it really wouldn't make a difference, now would it? ahh the beauty of hindsloveight. my question though, is how do you handle it when you and a close friend like the same guy?

till next time!
xoxo
-B.

romantic misadventures; rory

2009-10-14T10:46:00.005-04:00

song of the day: taking chances, glee cast.

heyhey! i hope you've been having a fabulous week! i'm going to try something new today. yesterday, i was piddling around on my computer, and i found this thing that i'd written at the end of high school. i'd completely forgotten that i'd written down my most significant romantic misadventures up till summer 2007. i found myself crying laughing at how different things used to be. not only have i changed, but my approach to guys has changed a lot. but i'm not really sure who or what i was writing it for! so i've decided to share it here. just for fun. i mean, i haven't had time to write real articles lately. so hopefully this'll tide me over until things get less hectic!

and i'm going to give you the chance to play love guru. after each story, give me your best advice! okay, here's the intro i wrote:

no boy has ever made me cry.

believe they've certainly given me reason to. but when it comes down to it. i just can't do it. i'm not going to pretend there's anything special about me. it's just a fact.

and that's what i aim to present to you. the real facts in my lovestruck and irony-prone existence.

as much as it will kill me not to make my life more interesting - or less sad - i will keep everything as honest as possible. the only thing i am doing is changing everyone's name: to protect them, but particularly to protect myself.

i've never been kissed either. i've never had a boyfriend. so i'm guessing that you're thinking the fact that I actually have a rather sizable collection of romantic misadventures is rather odd. but, it's doable. you'll see.

and the first story: rory.

i feel even though there are a few of them, i should start with a highlight. in grade ten i had a monster crush on a guy i will now call rory. he was and still is my perfect crush archetype. male, most importantly. and tall, one of the most important factors. i have this thinking about liking guys who are shorter than me. it's just awkward, when you're holding hands; in your prom photos; at the altar. i'm on the tall side (5'7'') already and don't need to feel anymore awkward so it's best to just nip that one in the bud. luckily rory was plenty tall, a good 6'4''. he was artistic, that's a must. i do a little bit of everything; drama club, piano for 10 years, flute for 5. i sketch a bit, not that i'd ever show anyone. i write so much you'd think it was my job. (it's not, but i really wish it was.) rory played the drums and the bass, always keeping the beat. he had gorgeous red hair. and he was funny. and it just so happened that we had every class together 2^nd semester in grade 10, so i was pretty much doomed from the start.

i spent a great deal of time staring at rory and not a lot of time talking to him. so if he did know i had a crush on him, he was a really good sport about it. he must have caught me ogling him at least a hundred times. he responded well to my christmas card that greeted him with "hey hottie." (a decision i still regret to this day.) he didn't even say anything when i quite clearly switched with norah to get him as my partner when the school secretary taught a ballroom dancing class. (he was a really good sport about that one, and a really good dancer. and he proved he was fun when we turned our "frame" into a bumper car and purposely started knocking other people off balance.)

but the highlight happened in grade ten english. i love my teacher for that class chiefly because she let us study family guy instead of reading to kill a mockingbird like all the other classes. we didn't skip the shakespeare though, and i'm glad for that:

rory and i got to read the balcony scene.

i didn't say much in my classes then, and i still don't. but rory had been reading the part of romeo all class long and as soon as act two, scene two came up my hand shot up out of its socket. teachers always pick the quiet kids when they finally do participate, just a little something i've picked up.

so i got to stand on a chair and speak in a fake british accent while rory professed his love for me below. i know he didn't mean it, but in the moment it felt like he did.

rory spawned a lot of bad poetry that semester. but oscar wilde said "all bad poetry springs from genuine feeling," and i firmly believe it. there could have been something there. but the next semester we had no classes together and rory started going out with a girl I believe he is still dating today*. i moved on. but the good thing is: light always breaks through yonder window.

that was difficult. i've never written non-fiction before and the temptation to make it more interesting was tempting. like a kiss at the end of the balcony scene or at the very least, making myself seem like less of a loser. but i've vowed to write things as they happened and that's what i'll do.

*author's note: rory dated that girl for about three years, but they're no longer together.

they get so much better i promise! but the way that i've written them, like the flow of it, is too right to mess up. i might post the next one tomorrow, maybe even later today! i'm that excited.

oh, if only high school B knew what i know now! but my question to you is, how has the way you crush on guys changed since high school? and, does anyone else find gingers as attractive as i do?

there are so many more stories to come! stay tuned!

xoxo
-B.

got the photo from here.

current obsession; 5 minute chocolate cake

2009-10-06T11:28:00.007-04:00

song of the day: haven't met you yet, michael buble

i should be working but instead i'm wholed up in the library watching michael buble videos. then i realized, if i'm already slacking off, i might as well be blogging! so now i'm scrambling desperately to get caught up on all the wonderful blogs i've been missing. i feel like i have so much to tell you! i know some of these are super old, but here are the things i'm loving so far:

♥ this post from college fashion about finding and maintaining your personal uniform.
(i think mine right now, is definitely, long cardigans, tanks and boots of all types. comfy and cute!)

♥ this fab article about connecting with your inner creative writer.

♥ interesting article about the vampire "trend."

♥ the post from whowhatwear has me considering pouncing on the leopard accent trend.
(i would LOVE a pair of leopard print flats, i think.) and this post from elle has me rethinking faux fur and more excited about where the wild things are.

♥ according to stylecaster, H&M is FINALLY going to launch a full website. not that i think this'll help curve my shopping cravings any... it might actually just make it worse.

i'm still only HALFWAY through the blogs i usually check. and this is how i've been making it through long studying nights. i'm not sure if i'm helping or hurting by passing this one. a couple weeks ago my friend K posted a recipe for a 5-minute chocolate cake. the recipe is super simple.

ingredients: 4 tablespoons of flour, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of milk, 3 tablespoons of oil, and a splash of vanilla extract. 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips are optional.

instructions: toss it all in a mug, stir, and pop it into the microwave for three minutes.

granted, it looks a little funny and doesn't taste quite the same, but it sure does in a pinch. i've been loving it with ice cream and caramel sauce. even if you bake it (for 25 minutes at 325 F) it's awesome to have just a personalized serving of it! my sweet tooth rejoices! so tasty! if i wasn't school i'd be making some right now.

gotta jet! hope your tuesday is treating you well!

lovelovelove,
-B.

borrowed the picture from K's blog!

thoughts; reflections on phil. 4:13

2009-09-30T17:32:00.007-04:00

song of the day: the bird and the worm, owl city

sorry i haven't had much to say on fashion or beauty as of late. even though i've stayed with my commitment to never take a day off style, my outfits have been a lot simpler in recent days. (although i will put up pictures soon of the aforementioned french connection dress!) but this is something i've really been mulling over in the last couple days, and i realized i had no place to publish it. but i mean, all that i believe is as much a part of my style as anything else, so why not? here's what's on my mind.

as i was thinking about school, and everything else i'd taken on this year. i've only ever been thinking about what i can do to make it through. i mean, i though it all figured out when i was reminded of this verse: "i can do all things through christ who strengthens me." (phillipians 4.13)

i wrote it down in my agenda and made it my mantra for the last couple weeks. but in my typical self-absorbed fashion, i only focused on the first part: i can do all things. i can do 23 hours of school, 16 hours of church stuff and 10 hours of work cause the bible says i can. makes me sound like i could be superwoman or something.

i didn't even realize i'd totally manipulated the verse until a few days ago. when i went to read it again and i realized that it isn't just a line, that's not all that paul said while he was writing his letter to the people of philipi. so often i take bible verses completely out of context when it wouldn't make sense to do that anywhere else. like if you opened up a random book, took one sentence out of it and tried to live your life by it, it would seem completely ludicrous. and yet that's what i did.

so i read the whole chapter twice (it's not that long) and it's got some really great stuff. it touches on being humble, working joyfully, pressing on towards goals, though not in the way i thought it would. phillipians four, contrary to what i thought, isn't offering advice on why people are strong. it's not so much a pep talk not for me, but for god. it starts off by thanking god for all he's done and who he is. it's an argument for why god has given paul everything he needs. quite obviously, it's the latter, not the former part of verse 13 thats the important part. and check the message translation: ¹²i've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. ¹³whatever i have, wherever i am, i can make it through anything in the one who makes me who i am.

kinda puts a new spin on things. i look less like superwoman and more like myself. usually, i tend to ignore these, but today i checked out the accompanying verse my bible tucked in at the end there. “my grace is all you need. my power works best in weakness.” so now i am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of christ can work through me.(2 corinthians 12:9b, NLT)

so i will not complain, but boast in my inadequacy. i'll do it right now. i know that between taking first, second and third year courses on a major i've just switched to, and leading a youth choir (something that i know nothing about) i'm in WAY over my head here. but i'm warming up to the idea that even despite all my to-do lists, organizers and freaking out, god's already got this.

i feel, or rather i know, that god's been behind all the decisions i've made. like calling me into communication studies, and telling me that yes, those four extra hours a week doing youth choir are what i need to be doing right now. so i don't know what i would even think that he would just abandon me now. even if you don't believe in god per se, i feel like when things get stressful we seem to forget we're never completely on your our own. it is so like our culture to muscle through things by ourselves. you know?

but for me, i'm proud to say i am unable to handle all of this on my own, and i'm super glad i don't have to. anyway, that's all for now. the textbooks are calling!

xoxo
-B.

got the picture from here.

love your life;

2009-09-28T13:18:00.004-04:00

song of the day: fireflies, owl city

sorry i've been MIA in the last little bit. i am still adjusting to my new incredibly busy schedule. mondays are the most intimidating. as i'm compiling this week's to do list, it looks like there's no end in sight, and this past weekend wasn't nearly as restul as i needed it to be. so before i do anything else, i'm taking a minute to catch up on the things that have been making me terribly happy as of late.

1. baby news
2. bouncy castles
3. when my dad cooks dinner
4. karaoke
5. headbands
6. chow mein
7. new friends
8. getting under crisp sheets at the end of the night
9. playing disney music while i'm at work
10. getting a french connection dress for $3! (thank you sales, discounts, gift cards and winners)

and how have you been?

got the photo from here

catalogue; fifteen

2009-09-21T08:28:00.006-04:00

occasion: world premiere of whip it
blue striped blazer: forever 21, $10
white bubble dress: garage, $15
red quilted flats: aeropostale, $6
bag: h&m, $15

snapped this picture just outside the red carpet. this weekend and the last i managed to cram in two trips downtown for TIFF (toronto international film festival). last sunday, me, L and A checked out the world premiere of whip it and i LOVED it! it was really funny and sweet! if only i was cut out for roller derby...

mm, about the outfit. i love that i bought that dress and waited until after labour day to wear it.
but i love breaking the rules! wish i had taken better makeup pictures, cause i attempted to curl my hair, kinda sorta. and i was wearing this really sweet blue eyeshadow (though i used it as a liner) and a new red lipgloss. oh well! maybe next time! meanwhile, check out pics of drew barrymore and my gorgeous friends. heading off to school now! have a happy monday!

how to; manage your time

2009-09-17T13:36:00.003-04:00

song of the day: one day like this, elbow

hello there! it feels like i've been MIA today, i've got so many blogs to catch up on, comments to leave. i hope september is treating you well. mine has been, in a word, hectic. and it's looking like it's only going to get worse...

i write these for me as much as i write them for you, as i hung up the phone the other day i realized i'd taken on another commitment without even realizing it. then i went to jot down all i've taken on from september to december and i may have started hyperventilating a bit. here's what i've signed up to do:

school, of course. i spend 14 hours a week in classes,
not including travel time, idle time or homework
work 10 hours a week at the party place
be the fundraising co-ordinator for my friends' theatre company
helping with the editing/publishing of two books
sing on a worship team every other sunday
lead vocal sectionals every other week
assist with a youth choir
lead worship for our jr. high and high school youth groups
not to mention, i'll be taking part of my own youth group
i may be leading a small group this year
and possibly joining a dance troup?
and keeping up this blog!

i calculated. with a schedule like that i'll be at my church/doing church things for a total of 16 (unpaid) hours a week. and it's not that i have a problem with that, i LOVE what i do. but do i have time for it all? (show the progress on my list, how helping mary doesn't take much time, etc) so i scoured the interwebs for some helpful tips on how to manage your time and get everything done.

» make to-do lists. but it's more than just making lists, prioritize them! i tend to go overboard and write things like "do laundry" or "paint nails" that yes, are essential, but only add clutter to an already busy list. only write down the stuff you really need to do. if i organize things by the time in which they need to be accomplished i'll be much better off.

» put the tough stuff near the top. get the yucky stuff out of the way, i've found that putting it off just makes it worse.

» break things down into manageable tasks. seeing "TERM PAPER" at the top of your list can seem daunting, break things into smaller steps and tick them off as you go.

»multitask. but do it the right way! organize things into types of tasks and work on them all that way

»make use of idle time. on your commute, waiting in lines or in waiting rooms, idle time between classes. making use of those little blocks of time can really add up. regardless of how crowded the bus is, i'm always that girl taking up the extra room with a textbook spread out across her lap. love me, hate me. whatever gets the job done, i say.

»cut down on distractions. turn off the tv. put your phone on silent and only have on application going at a time. i certainly plan to start doing that last one. i'm guilty of opening multiple applications when i boot up my computer and leaving them there till i'm done. i swear, internet tabbing is the best thing that ever happened to me. i'll be working on my paper and when i get stuck, i'll quickly refresh facebook for some inpsiration. i'd be doing myself a favour if i let the word app be the only thing keeping my attention.

»set timers. if you've given yourself 20 minutes to dawdle/facebook stalk, set your phone alarm or osmething so you know when that task is supposed to be done. i usually take tv show breaks, and as soon as that shows over, i know it's back to work.

but don't forget...

...to give yourself breaks. i think it's good to unwind a little, to have something to look forward too. make them a part of your schedule, and make sure you take them.

...to be flexible. there are some people who think that rigid scheduling is the way to get everything done, but i prefer to just make a really organized list, that way it's not such a big deal if something comes up and changes things. i think in life you gotta go with the flow!

...it's okay to say no. so here's some advice i need to follow. it's like "no" isn't even in my vocabularly! but i guess letting people down after you've said you'd do something is just as bad as not doing it in the first place.

...to stop and look back on what you've accomplished. take time to check those items off your lists and survey your good work. it'll fuel you to do more.

anyway, i'm off again! have a happy thursday!
lovelovelove
-B.

clock pic from here.

love your life;

2009-09-14T09:44:00.005-04:00

song of the day: the show, lenka

i hope our weekend was as fantastic as mine was! but in consequence, i didn't have time to write ANYTHING. and i do feel awful about! and sadly this week looks even busier than the last, i'll see how things turn out.

1. sunshine on skin
2. celebrity sightings (i saw drew barrymore, ellen page and kristen wiig last night! too much fun!)
3. the front seat of his car
4. dive diners with amazing french toast
5. baby hands
6. the first time you write in a new notebook
7. the novelty of driving
8. catching up over coffee
9. when magazines come in the mail
10. cocktail rings

boo. i'm already exhausted, and i'm only at the beginning of what looks to be an exhausting week! wish me luck!

-B.

beautiful pic from here.

current obsession; colorstay ultimate

2009-09-10T09:16:00.005-04:00

i've fallen in love with a new lip colour. before there was nail polish, i was obsessed with lipsticks/glosses and averaging about two a week. thankfully, i've got that under control. but then i saw this revlon colorstay ultimate lip colour peeking out of my mom's makeup bin...

here's what it promises, straight from the revlon website:

food-proof lipcolor with a built-in, ultra-conditioning topcoat
one-step application: no topcoat required for comfortable wear
stays comfortable and wears beautifully for up to 12 hours
does not feather or fade; no touch-ups required, even after meals
available in 20 full-coverage, soft satin shades

and i think it very nearly lives up to all it says it will be. i think it's a really interesting combo, it has a wand like a lipgloss but feels really lipsticky when it's on. it does last a REALLY long time. ridiculously so. you need to give it a minute to dry (no talking!) and then it stays in for the long haul. like, the only way to take if off is with a strong makeup remover.

but it's totally kicking the butt of the lip colour i bought at sephora last month. i have it in #1 nude and premier plum (the shade i'm wearing in the pic). the temptation to buy this in EVERY colour possible is tempting! but i've got a budget to stick to, and school books to buy.

it's super important to apply it to bare lips. my only qualm? it would be awesome if it had just a little more moisturizing. even though there's not top coat required, i tend to stick on some c.o. bigelow's lip butter to keep things soft. but it's a bit of a compromise, even though it feels a little dry, it looks really natural when it's on because it's not all that glossy. i've been wearing it every day for the last two weeks. anyone else ever tried these?

-B.

catalogue; fourteen

2009-09-09T17:47:00.003-04:00

occasion: first day of school/jonas brothers concert
chain necklace: forever 21, $7
purple plaid tunic: sirens, $17
skinny jeans: aeropostale, $20
burgundy flats: aeropostale, $6
(book) bag: h&m, $15

you read that right, i am a repeat outfit offender. but i don't mind =) i think this was a great choice for the first day of school. even consiering that my creative writing prof went rogue and took us outside for classes and i totally got mosquito bites / grass stains. (sounds a lot like my first day of second grade, haha). it was still a good day! i got to catch up with the friends i'd forgotten over the summer and i finally got the nerve to talk to the boy that i always seem to bump into on the way home. fun!

but i want to hear your back to school story! what was it like? what'd you wear? meet any one exciting? how was it?

i'm off to choir practice.
later my lovelies!
-B.

love your life;

2009-09-08T08:46:00.003-04:00

did everyone have a good labour day weekend? mine was good but way too short. school starts tomorrow. so for me, i'm eating icecream for breakfast and watching cartoons, for this one last time. i woke up early to see my sister off for her first day and i was about to complain about how early it was it occured to me, i'd be the one waking up this early pretty much from now until next april! i am excited though.

when i was rewatching the season premier, i picked up this bit of wisdom from glee: the only life worth living is one you're passionate about. if you're not passionate about your about, maybe you should shake things up?

this week, here are the ten things making me terribly happy
1. when you seperate your chopsticks in one clean crack
2. the sound plastic makes when you tear into it (i love new things)
3. dinner dates with my mom
4. homemade smoothies
5. shopping downtown
6. unlimited texting - i just got it and had no idea what i was missing
7. singing
8. baby shoes
9. when someone offers you a ride home, even more so when it's out of their way
10. late night denny's runs with old friends

that's all for now!
xoxo
-B.

best of; aug 31-sept 4

2009-09-05T20:24:00.002-04:00

super random finds this week. but this week, on the whole, has been pretty random.

♥ check out this list of the 99 most influential fashion blogs. there were SO many i hadn't heard of but now i've got a TON more to check out. fabulous stuff, really.

♥ i've truly enjoyed finding out "what hipsters hate." funny funny stuff.

♥ i've also enjoyed - and cringed at- people of walmart.

♥ i love all of the new bloggers on college fashion. but i gotta love zepyhr too. check out her 25 reasons to dress up everyday. as if i needed one.

♥ here's a collaboration i'm happy about. garance dor is teaming up with the GAP. i'll keep you posted on that one.

♥ i'm a word nerd. i can admit it. i got excited about the words being added to the dictionary this year. frenemy? why yes i think so.

♥ mission to learn gives some times on finding time for everything.

♥ check out some great labour day deals via the budget babe.

that's it for me. still trying to scrounge up someone to go to a gig with me tonight! have a happy rest of the weekend!

-B.

quick tip;

2009-09-04T19:21:00.001-04:00

don't forget to get your computer ready for school by deleting old/unused programs and files.

je t'aime;

2009-09-03T12:49:00.002-04:00

just posting about a blog i'm loving lately. i love karen's style and her blog wheredidyougetthat. i'm totally experiencing skirt envy right now. check out her blog for more pics.

current obsession; fall tv

2009-09-03T10:37:00.007-04:00

song of the day: anything i'm not, lenka

this is probably going to sound weird, but TV is kind of like the second religion in my house. missing an episode of house on monday night, is kind of sacriligious. so now that we're into september, i need to know what times i'm going to need to work shows into my schedule. these premieres are just another reason fall is my favourite season.

got all the dates and info via tv.com. a very helpful feature! and you'll want to double check things with your local listings as well. it's awful when you go to watch your favourite show and discover it's moved to a completely different day. i found a cool site that does it for all the major canadian channels.

here are the ones i'm most excited about.

glee (sept 9, 9pm). it feels like it's been forever since they showed the preview episode for this show in the spring. it seemed like a cruel idea but i don't know if that was there best move. now there's a LOT of pressure for the show to be good. but i'm pretty sure i'll stick this one out for the whole season.

house (sept 21, 8pm ) have you been following house/seen the previews for this? i was hoping the tail end of this season would just be someone's horrible dream! but apparently not so. this whole mental hospital thing is going to seriously set back my "huddy" plans though.

gossip girl (sept 14, 9pm). to be perfectly honest, this is not my type of show. but after two seasons, i know i would not miss a single juicy episode. it's so addictive >.<

wow! it was hard to pick just three. here are the other premieres i won't be missing, i've put links to the newer/lesser known ones.

fringe (sept 17, 9pm. i can not WAIT for this show to come back, but i'm not happy about the time slot. thursday is a cutthroat night)
bones (sept 17, 8pm), the office (sept 17, 9pm)
the beautiful life (sept 16, 9pm)
heroes (sept 21, 8pm),
smallville (sept 25, 8pm. not looking good this is like the burial ground.)
snl (sept 26, 11:30pm. megan fox is apparently hosting the premier. odd choice, she doesn't strike me as funny),
ncis (sept 22, 8pm),
the mentalist (sept 22, 8pm. who doesn't need more simon baker in their lives? this tuesday time slot is only for canadian channels, and will change in october).
flash forward (sept 24, 8pm),
lie to me (sept 28, 8pm),
the jay leno show (sept 14, 10pm),
v (nov 3, 8pm),
community (oct 8, 8pm),

i have NO idea how i'm going to fit all this in. my friend T says i could always just give up on sleep. that's what he does. anyone else as serious about tv as i am? anyone else cry during the writer's strike? no? okay. that's cool. i know, my tastes are ALL over this place. so for you, what's that tv show you will not miss?

-B.

weekly resolve; school year resolutions

2009-09-02T10:19:00.007-04:00

you know what's weird? i make resolutions at pretty much all the time, except at new year's. too busy having fun. haha. but every school year, i always keep in mind a few things that i want to do. i'm actually really excited to start my third year. i've finally switched my major to something i LOVE and i can't wait to start my courses. but at the same time, i'm feeling the pressure to do well because my parents weren't too happy about the switch.

here's what i'm looking to take on this year.

eat breakfast. how many times have i heard about the benefits of eating breakfast? and felt it for myself? when i eat breakfast, i don't end up binging in the afternoon or feeling quite as cranky. and yet i never make time to do it. this year, i'm going to give it a real try.
eat better on campus. i can't tell you how many times i fell victim to the taco place by my film class. i think this is gonna mean i prep/pack lunches from home. i think that's it on the food front. i'd make a fitness goal, but i know i wouldn't keep it.
make new friends. saying that aloud takes me right back to second grade. (check me out on my first day, at right) but i mean it. as i said, i am switching my major, and even though i'm staying at the same school, it's a completely different program and a completely different campus. it's like coming super late to a party. everyone will already know everyone else, but i will fight my urge to fade into the backgroud. in a dream world, i'd join a club or something, but i really don't have the time.
stick to my budget. i finally tabulated what i spent for the month of august. i was far, far from the goal i set. but i did take a sizable chunk out of my visa debt! i need to do even better in the months to come though.
make time for everything. i think i'm pretty organized, but i'm awful with time management. there's a lot i plan to do this year: helping to get a book published, youth group, two different singing groups, and keeping up this blog of course! not to mention all the tv i can't live without. i'm going to resolve to stay on top of things so my school work doesn't get lost in the mix. i know there's a way to make time for everything, i've just got to find it.
never take a "day off" from style. this is actually more of a lifetime goal. with a little work, i think you can let your own personal style shine through in just about anything. i hate those days where you wake up late and throw on the first thing you see and walk around miserable for the rest of the day. so i resolve not to have any.

but more important than the goals you make are the steps you do to . i think if you're going to do this you should put it in a place where you can see it. i'm going to try vision boarding. i'm turning my computer's desktop into a visual reminder of all the things i hope to accomplish this year. (so i'll see it before i load up firefox and spend careless hours checking up on blogs =P)

you don't have to wait to make goal. a and rememer... "it's never too late to start the day over." (-michael franti)

so what are you hoping to do this school year?

-B.

top ten; fall trends

2009-09-01T15:07:00.004-04:00

song of the day: haven't met you yet, michael buble

happy september! i don't know about you, but it's a part of my fashion philosophy to splurge on a wardrobe full of essentials and then pepper it with seasonal items i'll buy on the cheap. here are trends i plan to endorse this season. then check out my picks on shopstyle! most of them are >$50.

1. band jackets. if i hadn't bought a fall coat last year, i'd totally be cashing in for one of these right now. i LOVE this look. i can't stress it enough. it would be awesome if i could find a real vintage marching band jacket somewhere. fingers crossed! motorcyle and military jackets are also in for the fall.

2. leather. it's easy to wear this trend anywhere. motorcycle jackets are also popular. and there's no better way to master girly grunge, glam than with a leather mini.

3. full minis. this season's skirts are all about interesting full shapes and patterns. look for skirts that incorporate ruffles or zips. and pair them with paired with black tights to finish off the look.

4. something plaid. i've already gurgled on about plaid. it's one of those fall fashion staples that just keeps on coming. look for plaid oversive shirts and tunics.

5. destroyed denim. bleached, shredded and distressed jeans are all in for fall. try pairing it with a cardigan for an interesting contrast.

6. plum lips. this is another fall staple. try adding a plum lip colour to your regular fall makeup look.

7. leggings. yep, they're STILL here. and i'm thinking i'm nearly ready to venture out of my plain black cotton ones. they are popular with sequins, in lace, with patterns. but the same rules apply. denim-look leggings (i've heard them called "jeggings" but can't bring myself to use the term) are also popular.

8. over-the-knee boots. make sure the pair you pick fit close to your leg at the top. gapes are a no-no. other popular footwear: (peep toe) ankle booties,

9. animal prints. you can use them as a neutral to anchor your look. they also look cute as accesories.

10. cuff bracelets. when it comes to jewelry this fall, bigger is better. from the looks of things, bangles and statement/bib necklaces are also fall essentials.

i posted this o'er the weekend, but don't forget to check out pantone's choices for fall colours! did i miss anything? what trends are you loving this fall?

-B.

je t'aime;

2009-09-01T11:47:00.004-04:00

hey there! so i've received an award from little red over at the redhead fashionista. i'm so excited! check out her AMAZING blog if you haven't already.

i'd also like to pass this award on to:

Clare's Closet
Lola Loves Makeup
Mermaid in a Manhole
Carrots and Chocolate

and thanks again little red!

love your life;

2009-08-31T09:07:00.006-04:00

song of the day: teenage love affair, alicia keys

this is one of those mornings where i don't feel like doing this. this has actually been an awesome week until i got in the way of it. have you ever looked back on something that's happened and realized you were a saboteur to your own happiness? i'm really bad in the whole boys department, and i mean really bad. i assume things aren't going to work out, and even when i want them too, i kind of drive them that way in the first place. i hope that makes sense, i know i'm being vague.

i used to hate it when my mom said it. but i really do think it's all about having the right attitude. i believe positivity attracts positive things. if i go around expecting all my relationships to fail, that's exactly what will happen. my cynicism about love sometimes does me in. hopefully it's not too late to undo what's been done. i press on. with the 10 things that are making me terribly happy today.

1. first dates (?) and all the butterflies that go with them
2. walking around downtown
3. the smell of new clothes
4. getting a text message that makes you laugh out loud
5. best friends who'll give you advice
6. concert singing: that half song, half scream that can fill an arena and make your skin goose bump a bit
7. girl's nights (i've had three this week)
8. celebrity sightings
9. buttercream frosting
10. the realization that things can always change

phew! could only come up with 6 for a while there. okay. i hope your monday is treating you well! i'm off to go compile by expenses/make new budget for the month. boo. wish me luck with that one! and then i've got to catch up on commenting on all your lovely blogs! sorry i'm so behind.

-B.

photo from here.

best of; august 24-28

2009-08-29T17:04:00.005-04:00

heyhey! since i missed last week, i'm throwing in the best ofs that should have been. so enjoy those! check out...

♥ the eleven punctuation marks that give your text messages hidden meanings. funny read.

♥ a review of bandslam and a critique of its marketing scheme that's actually enough to convince me to want to see it.

♥ 12 beauty secrets that really work from stylebakery.

♥ glamour presented 3 surprise fat burning foods last week.

♥ carmindy, from TLC's what not to wear, shares some date night makeup ideas.

♥ lifehacker presents some tricks to "macgyver" your way out of everyday situations. mullet not required.

♥ and! check out this pdf of pantone's fall colour. pantone is THE colour authority when it comes to fashion. i'm loving honey yellow and iron.

♥ lemondrop had this fantastic list of things that are funny but true. i had a laugh. example: "if carmen san diego and waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible."

♥ the budget fashionista lists a bunch of sites where you can score free stuff!

what interesting reads did you find this week? link me up!
have a good weekend!

-B.

how to; create a lookbook

2009-08-28T17:51:00.005-04:00

song of the day: natural woman, aretha franklin

in the fashion world, a lookbook is almost like a catalogue, meant to show off a product line. but you can create your own to track your own personal style. you can catalog it in hard copy (a 3-ring binder works best) or online (using a program like evernote). if you've been reading this blog, i'm sure you've heard me mention lookbooks before. i keep all my style ideas on my computer cause that works best for me. it's a complete mishmash of things, but i love it.

here are a few good things to keep in a lookbook.

your aesthetic affirmation: let the very defintion of your style set the tone of your book.
your inspiration: clip pictures of inspiration from ANYWHERE you can find it. it doesn't even necessarily have to be pictures of people in clothes. check my random list of inspiration from the other day.
your style muses: it's a good idea to keep track of the celebrity looks that inspire you. and not just clothes, hair and makeup ideas as well. when you've got the pictures all set out, look at what the pictures have in common and try to emulate it.
your own pictures: one those days where you think "man i look good" snap a picture to remember it for later. then look for trends, note what works.
your own outfit ideas: anytime a new wardrobe combo comes to you, jot it down for later! i always have outfit ideas scrawled in the margins of my homework. (just don't write it on the back of a test, those take a while to get back.)

and it doesn't have to be all pictures either. copy and paste your how tos and things. but really, organize it any way you want. the idea is that you have a place to keep everything straight and so it's easier for you to get dressed in the morning. i've found that, having a place to keep my ideas and things has cut my morning prep time in half.

that's all! have a happy weekend!
lovelovelove.
-B.

photo from here.

top ten; summer soundtrack

2009-08-27T13:18:00.003-04:00

taking a style break and just sharing the songs that have meant the most to me this summer.

1. You Are Mine, Charlotte O'Connor.
2. Catch Me, Demi Lovato.
3. Desert Song, Hillsongs.
4. Fallin' for You, Colbie Callait.
5. Mansard Roof, Vampire Weekend.
6. I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas
(I heard it everyhwere and STILL didn't get sick of it. Amazing!)
7. World War III, Jonas Brothers
8. You Are For Me, Kari Jobe
9. If It Kills Me, Jason Mraz
10. You Belong With Me, Taylor Swift.

you make my dreams come true?
phew! that was hard to cram into just ten!
so for you, what songs'll mark the summer of '09?

current obsession; aesthetic affirmation

2009-08-26T14:27:00.005-04:00

when it comes to defining your style, i think it's a good idea to have a sentence or two like a style mission statement or as megan over at charade called it, an aesthetic affirmation: a phrase that sums up your overall aesthetic look, something that fully captures your style no matter what the season/what things are in style. think of it as a mantra to redirect your fashion choices.

megan summed hers up like this: "cute with an edge, comfy and laidback, yet feminine, cropped cardigans, nipped waits, gold illuminations and muled hues set against gold locks."

but it's hard for me to just pull that out of the blue. then i got a second wind of inspiration from a over at the glamours grad student. her approach was to find the statement you want your wardrobe to make and work from there. this exercise is a lot easier to do.

if i really stop and think about it, i want my wardrobe to scream: pretty, smart, cool and daring.

i think those are the main things. i'm not one of those girls who needs to be hot you know? i think the pretty factor is acheived with bright colours, feminine shapes, and natural makeup. smart, to me, means clothes that fit well. this means no bunching up, no "making things work" with safety pins, and having no buttons missing or bra straps showing. i'll need to work on that one. for me, cool is anything with leather, studs, zips and rips. in moderation of course. i hope a "dog the bounty hunter" image isn't coming to mind. think of... someone elle would be in their street chich category. someone who's not always gunning for fashion perfection and in doing so achieves it anyway, know what i mean? and as for daring? it was one of the first things i wrote down, but it took a long while for me to figure out what i mean. i think somedays my look is a little TOO put together, and i want to be more spontaneous with my choices sometimes. particularly in the makeup department.

even though the manhattanite in the photo (via elle street chic) manages to acheive all of this at once (aren't her shoes amazing?) i don't think i could. i think a more reasonable goal now, is to have every item i incorporate into my wardrobe accomplish at least two of these words. i'm still working on a real statement, but hopefully this'll redirect my fashion choices in the fall.

if your wardrobe could talk, what 4 words would it say about you?

that's it for me, but don't forget to check out the posts by megan and A. and check out charade's posts on dream style, it's good stuff.

xoxo
-B.

catalogue; autumn inspiration

2009-08-25T23:51:00.003-04:00

for autumn, i'm currently being inspired by:

nude lips, full skirts, gossip girl re-runs, wine red and deep purple, long legs and longer lines the eighties, scarlett (an butt-kicking, name-taking character from the old g.i. joe cartoons), leather, ruffles, and zippers, studs, gilded eyes, hardwood flooring, hugging everyone in sight, bronze, nights by the fire, diane kruger and her flawless, dewy skin, lace, old books, demi lovato, door steps, pool tables, marching bands, truffles, vampire weekend, forest green, denim, imperfection, ballerina rockers, frye boots, pearls, glitter, sequins, blue eyes, thunderstorms, toronto sounds, freshly shaved legs, high ceilings, smudged eyeliner, and bedhead.

and i feel this will result in:

the search for a military jacket in my price range, forest green nailpolish (i've got my eye on the "aragon tomorrow" shade from OPI's espana collection), distressed jeans, any shirt with stud/zipper detailing, hitting more high notes than ever before.

what's inspiring you?

lovely pics from here, here, here and here.

thoughts; style evolution

2009-08-24T14:13:00.005-04:00

song of the day: smile, lily allen

as i was prepping to write all these articles about style, i got thinking about how my style has changed. when did you first start buying your own clothes? in jr. high i kind of bought a few things here and there but i think i really started buying all my own clothes in high school and i think that's where my real style evolution begins. to sum up my style: "anything on sale." other than a few babysitting gigs, i didn't have a job through most of high school. so my fashion choices were really limited. truly, i don't think i paid more than $20 for anything the whole time. i will say this right now, i was not a fashionable kid. back then, i didn't care about clothes that much.

i was going through all of the old photos i could find. what i found, is that i was too embarassed to put any of them up here. i think my high school style had two real periods. for most of grade 9 and 10, the last dregs of what i call the chubby period, a typical B outfit would be: a striped polo, worn over a long sleeve top, with flared jeans. (no they weren't popular at the time but yes, i still wore them) it was all about comfort. although, it has ALWAYS been about jeans. i think i've only owned one pair of sweatpants my entire life. i did have a lot of cool accesories though. interesting quirky pieces eithered borrowed or bought and i wish i hadn't lost most of them now. i had these rainbow star earrings that led me to meet one of my BEST friends. the end of grade 10 also marked a mini-goth phase punctuated by a LOT black nail polish and a bad attitude. SO glad i grew out of that.

by grade 11 and 12 i think the main word to describe my style was cute. i wore a lot of graphic tees with silly sayings or cute pictures. my short torso meant i could buy clothes from the kids department so i had a whole range of places to buy them from. there were a lot of skirts and sneakers involved. i remember in the winters i'd wear my scarves indoors, before it was popular to do so. i got a lot of strange looks. there was this grey zipper hoodie i had that i carried with me EVERYWHERE. i kept sewing the holes up cause i didn't have the good sense to throw it away and buy another one. but it really did match with everything.

since university 2 years ago, i've really toned things down. ditched the cutesy graphic tees for simpler pieces. traded hoodies and sweaters for cardigans of all shapes and sizes. i still LOVE jeans, although i tend to favour a skinny fit now. there have only been MORE scarves and a lot of dangly necklaces. oh! and i finally started using makeup. it sounds small, but those few changes have made all the difference in the world.

now that i'm at the end of it, i highly reccomend you track your own style evolution, it's so interesting seeing where you've come from to get a better sense of where you're going. i like the idea that i'm pressing onward to stylish, one blog post at a time.

what were your wardrobe staples/signature items from the past and how are they different now?

got the photo from here.

je t'aime;

2009-08-24T12:50:00.004-04:00

heyhey! here's all the stuff i bought from buffalo. i may have gone a little overboard given my recent financial situation. but i press on. and i take pictures and show you all the stuff i bought.

1. princeton tee, charlotte russe, $8. hope y'all took advantage of the scratch and save weekend they had going on! it took five bucks off this t-shirt. good good stuff.
2. skinny jeans, aeropostale, $20. admittedly, NOT a necessity, but i like starting the year off with a fresh pair of jeans.
3. pens and pencils, $1.50. my loyalties with bic.
4. black flats, target, $13. simple! for school.
5. print scarves, pac sun, $8. i'm a big fan of the buy one get one deal.
6. colour club nailpolish in "wild child," errr some random place, $6. direct cosmetic warehouse or something? they had TONS of nail polish lines. i know i said i wouldn't, but i went a little crazy in there. this crazy green is on my nails right now.
revlon ultimate colourstay lipstick in "#1 nude," walmart, $9. i was looking for an amazing nude and finally found it. i'll have to upload a pic soon.
7. necklace, forever21, $7.
8. hoodie, hollister, $30. i know. PLEASE begin planning my grey intervention. i wouldn't even consider it a power colour, but i can't stop buying it!
9. nailpolish, direct cosmetic warehouse, $6 for the whole set. i LOVE the colours here. the purple is the same colour of popsicles, v. summer.
10. 8 subject-notebook, target, $7. yes EIGHT subjects. fellow stationary-addicts take note, it DOES exist.
11. grey cardigan, american eagle via marshall's, $15. i wanted this sweater when it was in AE stores last year but dragged my feet about purchasing it, i was so happy to find it o'er the weekend.
12. pink v-neck, forever21, $5. finally! a break from the grey rut! my sister convinced me to buy this pink shirt and i actually really like it.

i'm proud to admit that because i paid off some of my visa before i left, i'm not any more in debt now than i was before. okay, proud is putting is putting it a bit too far. but it's certainly better than nothing! so look out for this stuff in future outfit posts coming soon. did you buy anything over the weekend? any great deals you'd like to share?

love your life;

2009-08-24T09:32:00.005-04:00

hello dolls! and a happy monday to you! even though i way overspent i had a fabulous weekend shopping with my family and chiling at the youth group pool party.

1. making my mom laugh
2. playing with the bubbles in hot tubs
3. butter pecan syrup
4. hugs from my friend A - she's the best!
5. that feeling you get when you finally, really, truly, let something go
6. when my dad takes the day off to spend it with my sister and i
7. the cheesecake factory- they have a new red velvet cheescake and i almost died it was that good.
8. finding the last of the item you want on sale and in your size
9. buying school supplies =P
10. realizing how much a summer has changed you

this week a lot of the posts are going to be about redefining/ re-affirming your style. so i begin the morning/week with some sage advice from dolce and gabbana:

"don't ever forget to be yourself. there is nothing less attractive than someone who's trying too hard. the most important thing is to feel comfortable with yourself and your look. that's as true for makeup as it is for an evening gown."

photo credit.

how to; find your power colour

2009-08-20T11:13:00.005-04:00

(song of the day: TBD)

morning! something stuck out to me about indiana's amazing interview from the other day. she said that "yellow" is her power colour and that got me thinking, what's mine? today i'm going to try and find it. it seems that colours are mostly grouped into warm and cool.

you're probably a warm complexion if: dark brown, black, deep red, reddish or golden brown hair; brown or green eyes; olive, beige, golden skin (or skin which tans easily).

and you'll look best in: red (with warm undertones such as tomato red), peach, orange, golden yellow, golden brown, olive green with gold jewelry.

you're probably a cool complexion if: blonde, light to medium brown hair; light green, hazel, or blue eyes, fair or pale skin (or skin that burns easily)

and you'll look best in: red (with blue undertones such as cherry red) pink, blue, teal, turquoise, purple, mint green with silver jewelry.

these aren't hard and steady rules. it's best if you go test it out for yourself. stand in front of your mirror in a well lit place and hold up your first test colour. take note of a few things. does it flatten your appearance? does it make dark areas on your face stand out even more? does it make you look tired? does it stand out more than you? then it's probably a colour you want to avoid.

but it's definitely working for you if it shows off your eyes, lifts your complexion, or gives you a radiant glow.

but, as i've always said, i think FEELING good as just as important as looking it. go with your gut! cause i mean, if i had to choose? i'd say white is my power colour. i think half the fun of wearing it is knowing i have to carry myself better so i won't spill on it. you're going to need to keep your power colour in mind when you're (back to school) shopping. what's your power colour? any other tips on how to find one?

just a quick update here...

my budget is coming along okay. my family has been VERY unsupportive in my latest endevaor as they are taking me on a three-day shopping trip this weekend. what i've done, is paid off as much as my VISA as i can and compiled a list of the 5 things i actually NEED. and that's all i'll be allowed to buy. wish me luck with this one, cause you know how i get around Forever21/Delia's.
everything will be back to schedule on monday! as i am a student, "back to school" issues, fashion/beauty and other wise, will be the focus in the next two weeks. i hope that's okay! it'll include things like school-year resolutions, redefining your sense of style, better ways to get things done, and my favourite picks for new tv shows. hopefully there'll be something for everyone. if there's anything you'd like to see let me know! and for those of you in the same boat, i'd love to answer your BTS questions/queries. leave it in a comment or email your question to sunshower.style@gmail.com!

i've got to get packing. see you monday!
B.

je t'aime;

2009-08-19T22:33:00.001-04:00

song of the day: you make my dreams come true, hall & oates

i haven't seen 500 days of summer yet, but this is enough to make me want to.

quick tip;

2009-08-18T09:39:00.003-04:00

fake a matte finish on your nails by running a nail buffer or chamois cloth over them

style profile; indiana adams

2009-08-17T14:51:00.005-04:00

hey there! i'm super excited to present today's style profile, indiana adams of adored austin. she's an actress and writer from austin, texas with an interest in fashion and home furnishing. her blog has just launched but i'm already in love. she's got a fabulous wardrobe and great style! not only in fashion, but in writing too. i love her outfits and videos. here's what she had to say about her blog:

i am so excited that my blog is doing so well and has a very loyal readership even though i just started it up in the beginning of july. i have no idea why this is, but my guess is it's because i write exactly like i talk to my best friends, which means i don't shy away from being funny or even poking fun at myself from time to time. i think fashion is often ridiculous and outlandish, so it's important to me that i talk about those things, too (besides "hey, look what i wore today!"). my video posts seem to be pretty popular, too, and i think it's either because 1) not a lot of fashion bloggers are doing a lot of video posts, and 2) my dog is in some of the videos, and he's freaking awesome

who/what inspires your style... i am most moved by nostalgia. nostalgia is my favorite emotion! i love things that have a special connection to my childhood, my grandmother, and seymour, indiana (the town i grew up in). that means i really like the 80's, tulle, gaudy costume jewelry, and casual farmer style.

fave beauty products... origins clover blush, clinique high impact, black mascara and water

5 guests at your fantasy dinner party... abe lincoln because he's my presidential crush. why? well, because he's tall, likes to read, and grew up in the midwest. he's pretty much the male version of myself. nicole richie because i think she'd be hilarious the entire time and she'd be dressed like the boho queen i want to be one day. my middle school arch nemesis, so i could be like, "look how awesome i am! famous people have dinner with me!" a genie who would be so excited that i invited him over to dinner that he would give me three wishes with no strings attached. my husband because it'd be weird to have a dinner party without him! plus i like to recap events with him at the end of the day, and it'd just be sooo much easier if he were there and knew exactly what I'm talking about!

your favourite purse, and the one thing that's always in it... i always, always, always carry a giant purse because it has to hold my massive digital camera, my sash of business cards, a notebook, and my brick of a phone. my favorite purse is my mom's 1980's gucci bucket tote which she had in her (gasp!) throw away pile last summer. as long as i can remember, my mom had used that tote as her daily purse. (editor's note: i'm still waiting for confirmation on this, but i think it's the one picture at right.)

as for the thing i can't live without? you know those people who are constantly tinkering around with their phone? yeah, that's me.

fave fashion decade... oh, man. don't make me choose my favorite fashion decade, because i just can't without having an aneurysm! i love the sweet, simple mod dressed from the 60's, the bohemian style flowy tops of the 70's, the menswear inspired stuff of the 80's, and the floral prints from the early 90's. since we can wear all of these on any given day, i'd say so far, this decade is my favorite. cop out answer? yes.

fave piece from your wardrobe... my grandmother was having a yard sale a year or so ago in which she was selling most of her to-die-for costume jewelry from the 60's and 70's. i bartered some mcdonald's gift certificates for an amazing silver owl necklace that i remember playing dress-up with when i was a kid.

when you were a kid, you wanted to be... i could never decide what i wanted to be as a kid: a waitress (yes, big aspirations, I know), an actress, a lawyer, a rockette...i wanted to do it all!

favourite colours to wear... bright, sunshiney yellow is my power color. every time i wear it, i feel invincible and exuberant!

you're most likely to splurge... did you know that it's possible to spend $150 at goodwill in less than 30 minutes? well, it is. i do that. kinda a lot.

she's also got some parting fashion/style advice for you dear readers!

1) fit is everything. a cheap pair of jeans will look like magic if the fit is spot on, and
2) if you're dealing with limited closet space (like i am) don't buy things unless you love them, and don't keep things unless you still love them, and lastly
3) don't wear things that showcase the top of your butt crack or things that ride up into your lady crack. i can't think of any fashion circumstance where this is okay.

i think she's just hilarious! be sure to keep checking up on her blog! i know i will =)

love your life;

2009-08-17T09:16:00.006-04:00

song of the day: have you ever really loved a woman, bryan adams

random as it is? that song has been stuck in my head ALL weekend long. and this was a super long weekend too! between work and weddings, churching it up, hanging with friends, i've been crazy busy! i'm super tired and i might be getting a bit sick. anyway, before we get on with the list, check out this quotation from one of my favourite bloggers, gala darling:

"i think one of the best ways to get excited about your life is to take stock of the things in it which are already magnificent, fabulous & delightful! if you do it regularly, it starts to become a way of thinking — you feel that your life is already full of glory & wonder, rather than lacking. it’s one of the best ways i know to start feeling real happiness."

so here we go, 10 things to love terribly.

1. birthday parties that get off alright! (i'd like to say a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my bestie R! i love you babe!)
2. when father's cry (A's dad lost it while giving his toast at her wedding but it was probably the sweetest thing i'd ever seen)
3. dancing down the aisles at the supermarket
4. looking out from the stage and seeing the faces of people you love
5. getting my bank/visa statement (for once, it's low! woohoo!)
6. being surprised at your own spontanaeity/courage
7. getting the list of my school textbooks (i'm actually really excited about this year!)
8. ticking off that last item on your list
9. the way your legs feel after you've just shaved them
10. the spinach cheese dip at kelsey's, and a table full of people to share it with

you know what i'm not loving? mosquite bites! but i'm not going to think about that right now. i am SO excited for you to read this week's style profile. coming up in a bit!

stay tuned!

i know it has nothing to do with anything, but i absolutely LOVE that picture!
thanks so much monjori!

best of; august 10 - 14

2009-08-14T22:40:00.004-04:00

(song of the night: falling over me, demi lovato)

since i'm at a wedding all day tomorrow i figured i may as well post my best ofs tonight! enjoy, and as always, i'd love to see what cyber-treasures you found this week! comment and or email me!

♥ this week i found a whole slew of things i'd like to add to my book list. scott schuman's book comes out august 18th. WhoWhatWear also has a book now available for relase. and then nina garcia has another book coming out in september! admittedly, i have yet to read the one hundred, but i read the little black book of stlye. good stuff!

♥ i am seriously considering turning to maghound for my magazine fix. for $4.95 a month you get to choose any 3 magazines from a huge list of popular publications. maybe you feel like glamour, elle and vogue one month and then seventeen, glamour and cosmo the next? maghound let's you swap. they've got tons more options as well. if not for this budget i tell you...

♥ temptalia shows you 5 ways to wear bright pink.

♥ according to a new study, the average woman will spend 16 months of her life crying. in disbelief? so was i?

♥ i've got a confession to make. i used to be horribly, terribly addicted to perezhilton.com, it's weird, cause i can't say i like the guy all that much? but i got such satisfacation, peeling through those pink pages for hours on end. ahhh, memories. but just when i thought i was safe, he launches cocoperez. pretty much the same stuff but with a bigger focus on fashion. i fear.

♥ i think yes and yes is the best blog i found this week. i love sarah's ideas for "cheap thrills."

♥ in local news, i found out that there are two more bath and body works locations coming to missisauga. i know if you're reading from the states that doesn't even qualify as news, but they've only just started coming here in the last year. i'm excited! my bottle of sweat pea shower gel is running out.

♥ finally, lemondrop rhymes off their list of the worst pop-culture boyfriends. funny stuff.

enjoy your weekend, wherever you are!

lovelovelove.
B.

how to; bright lips

2009-08-14T13:32:00.004-04:00

happy friday! i hope you're having a good day. i know i wrote about it last week, but i still found myself falling into the mindset that august is "just the month until school starts." and don't get me wrong, i'm excited about school! but i keep finding myself kind of just waiitng in stasis, for september. so i'm making it my goal to do something exciting with the next two (or so) weeks. here are 3 of my favourite summer things to do.

1. go outside. nothing says summer more than hopping outside. i'm out there whenever i can. it's been raining alot, so heading outside has become even more exciting. i tend to do a lot of my internship work out on my back porch before it gets too warm.

2. summer is also the perfect time to save on summer clothes! stores are busy trying to clear out summer stock to get ready for fall. pick up tanks and tees on the cheap! and then come up with places to where them!

3. experiment with a new look. i've been doing this a little lately. i'm thinking in the next couple of weeks i'm going to go over my style affirmation for the next year. i'll post that up later. but ahh! there i go! thinking about the fall again! here's an idea!

summer is an awesome time to rock your bright makeup. i do have to watch out cause superbright ones can seem to harsh on dark skin tones. (i tend to wear only deep reds and berry shades) but i have a new favourite! my go-to for bold lips is cool watermelon from maybelline. it's not TOO bright? and it's also got spf 15. you really need to find a bright that works for you.

and there are a few tricks to making bright lips stay all day long. first? exfoliate. then, dab on a nongreasy lip balm ten to twenty minutes before applying the colour. blot the balm, and take your time applying the colour carefully. finally, dust lightly with a translucent powder and you should be good to go! excuse the mussy hair, but that pick's of me at the end of the day! still looking bright! that's all for now!

-xoxo
B.

thoughts; more to love

2009-08-12T13:56:00.002-04:00

i'm afraid i've finally caved. after long years of abhorring any type of reality tv, i've finally gotten hooked. i don't know what it is. the lack of good summer programming on major networks, my budget (i have been staying home a fair bit more these days), or maybe i've finally just gotten bored enough to watch. either way, i wouldn't miss an episode of more to love if you paid me.

it's pretty much the bachelor, but for a plus-sized man and a house full of plus-sized women. i'm not saying i approve of the show because i kind of feel they exploit the whole plus size/low self esteem issue. but, and i am so ashamed to admit this, but i'm kind of addicted. i've never watched a show like this before -i'm more of a cartoons, CSI or sci-fi kind of girl- and i've actually learned a lot. how weird is that? to start...

○beauty isn't about size. this seems like such a no-brainer. but watching the show only reaffirmed it for me. a lot of the girls in the house are truly, geuninely gorgeous. the ones i consider "ugly" are the girls who do crazy things for attention, go around badmouthing everybody else. beauty, for me, boils down to integrity. but on the aesthetic side of things? it's all about a great smile and clothes that fit and flatter you.

○obsession is NOT attractive on anyone. in fact, it just makes you look plummm crazy. don't leave notes on people's bedroom doors. don't tell them that you're falling for them a few days after meeting them. (cough *kristian* cough)

○this kind of goes hand in hand, but there is nothing as unattractive as trying too hard.

○i've learned alot about "the perfect man." he is never worth stabbing people in the back for. he is not dating other girls while he's dating me. and he ISN'T the perfect man if he doesn't love me back.

○i've learned i could NEVER be on a game show like this. i'm way too nice and i fall way too hard.

○one surfire way to bomb a date: talking too much (danielle, anyone?)

○on the plus side, i feel a little better about things. i'm always scared when i like someone and begin to pursure it that i'm going too far. but i feel like watching the show has given me a more accurate view of what that looks like. but on the reverse: it's made me doubt when i have a connection with someone. cause usually the girl who says "we have a connection" goes home.

○ and lastly, i've learned boys don't know what's good for them. cause lauren should have gone home on the first day =P

please tell me i'm not the only one watching this =P or the only one who glean's life lessons from television.

anyway, some updates from my life as of late. i thought gi joe was fabulous! it definitely helped that i spent the last week prepping by watching the old school cartoons. i really liked it. also, we're 12 days in and i can count the number of purchases i've made this month on one hand! go me!

xoxo
-B.

je t'aime;

2009-08-11T15:46:00.003-04:00

i know i'm like a day late, but i just finished watching the teen choice awards. you know me, i haven't met an award show i didn't like. and there were two stand out stars for me. emma roberts was lovely in monique lhullier. i love that she let the built-in statement necklace be the focus of the outfit. the the LWD was simple and classic. same with her hair. and i love the fresh-faced makeup with the touch of winged eyeliner. (click either picture to enlarge)

my second favourite was selena gomez! i'm usually not a fan of hers. but i loved what she wore. the asymmetrical dress was a v. mature look. (i'm still tracking down who made it). her hair and makeup choices were awesome also.

and you know what i really didn't like? miley cyrus. i have NEVER been a fan of hers and the nose ring/biker shorts/stripper pole combo only confirms what i already knew. anyway, did you watch? who would you pick for best dressed?

all photos courtesy of justjared.

current obsession; plaid

2009-08-10T12:59:00.004-04:00

after a two week hiatus, i finally stepped into a mall the other day. i didn't buy anything mind you, but i couldn't help but notice that the mall had EXPLODED with plaid. it's everywhere. it's always been one of my favourite patterns, but i'm excited that it's going to be a big trend for fall.

one general thought for wearing plaid is that less it more. let it be the loudest piece of your outfit. generally, avoid wearing it with any other prints.

plaid isn't just for preps and lumberjacks. there are so many ways to wear a simple tunic like this! you can slip it over leggings, jeans, skirts or shorts.

toughen it up, with a leather jacket or layers of oversized metallic accesories, studded jewelry or biker boots.

soften it up with pearls or a glam clutch, or adding a cardigan in a contrastning colour. also, you can make a plaid button down feel more western by tying it up and pairing it wiht a skirt.

plaid accesories are also v. cool! switch things up by adding a scarf,

i've settled on adding one plaid piece for fall, but i haven't quite decided which one i want yet.
check this tunic from charlotte russe, retails for about $25 CAD.

lovelovelove
-B.

love your life;

2009-08-10T11:03:00.005-04:00

so i'm kicking off this week with a new list of the ten things that make me terribly happy.

1. colouring, it's very relaxing!
2. homemade cannelloni & pomegranate italian soda
3. people who believe in you when you don't
4. getting lost on your way home
5. watching my old high school musical on tape with a friend
6. getting packages in the mail
7. old-school gi joe cartoons
8. sneaking into my sister's bed to stay up and talk
9. thunderstorms-as long as i'm inside while they happen
10. being carried. when you're on the taller side, this happens less and less, but i'm happiest when my feet don't touch the ground.

just loving the life i've got, anyway i can. how are you loving yours?
xoxo
-B

best of; august 3-7

2009-08-08T21:08:00.006-04:00

song of the day: you are for me, kari jobe

happy saturday! sorry i haven't written much, but i really did have a fabulous time at the conference. i find it crazy when you think you've heard a story a million times, and then someone comes along and spins it completely around into something completely new. this whole week kinda been like that. randomly, a lot of old things feel new again. i hope you had a good one! here are the best ofs for this week!

♥ i love when people can turn a positive into a negative. check out 7 reason's it's awesome your stressed via seeinggood.com

♥ A over at the glamorous grad studnet talks style inspirations.

♥ to no one's surprise, a canadian study found that how much you eat depends on who you're eating with. it's SO true.

♥ hey fellow writers-i know you're out there-check out copyblogger's 73 ways to become a better writer. this really helped me when i got stuck with my novel this week.

♥ you've heard me rave about daisy by marc jacobs, finally lola daisy's older sister perfume is coming out this month. given my budget and all i will just have to wait and hope someone buys me a bottle.

♥ karen over at the makeup and beauty blog linked over to this awesome post with 10 tricks for making amazing playlists.

♥ i realized i have like, 3 friends L and, 2 J friends and 2 friends R so if you've been following my blog, it must get pretty confusing. but! one L and one R have blogs now! and they are truly lovely. i am continuously in awe of my friends!

that's it for me! later my lovelies!

je t'aime;

2009-08-05T23:07:00.004-04:00

song of the day: our song, taylor swift

today, i'm loving revlon's posh pink nail polish (featured in the picture at left). especially on my skin tone, it's like a perfect barbie pink. my friend J came over and we did a spa day, as i suggested the other day. it was great, cause i got a pedicure in a fun new colour for no money. woohoo!

apologies as i'll be a little preoccupied with this conference i'm attending for the next two days. back with some real stuff soon!

-xoxo.

top ten; august/september movies

2009-08-04T11:58:00.006-04:00

i cannot lie. these type posts are among my favourite. movies are big to me. i'm one of those people that loves to be there on opening night, jostling elbows for seats and holding places in line. getting their early, and giving your flats enough time to really adhere to the soda-sticky floor. but then again, i'm kinda weird. hahaha. money permitting, here's what i'll be lining up for in the next two months in order of my most anticipated.

august.

» gi joe (august 7)
the 10-year old boy inside me can not WAIT for this movie. and the 19-year old girl inside of me really likes channing tatum. it's win win really. in my mind, i kind of hope it lives up to the grander of tranformers the first.

» bandslam (august 14)
it's about a group of misfits who band together (literally) to compete in their school's battle of the bands. before the v-hudge factor had me boycotting this one, but the trailers won me over. i'm a sucker for your textbook awkward geek hero.

» paper heart (limited release, august 14)
i love charlyne yi! she's so cute and so funny. in the film, she travels the country to make a documentary about love.

» julie and julia (august 7)
one things for sure this movie will make me REALLY hungry. i love amy adams, and meryl streep and eating, so this movie's pretty much a done deal for me. it looks so cute!

september.

» cloudy with a chance of meatballs. (september 18)
this movie would sway me over on voice cast alone. bill hader, andy samberg, neil patrick harris, anna faris AND mr. t! not to mention, it was one of my favourite books when i was a kid. i'm excited =)

» fame (september 25)
if you know me, you know i'm a sucker for a good musical. remakes make me a little iffy, but so far i've only heard good things about the new cast. i'm really excited to see the movie.

» the invention of lying. (september 25)
ricky gervais is all over this film. he wrote, directed and stars in this movie about a world that has never heard of lying. gervais's character, a writer, takes advantage of the situation. the trailer for it looks so funny! it also stars jason bateman, tina fey and a whole bunch of other comedians i love. so i'm excited for this one too.

» surrogates (september 25)
when i first saw the trailer in the movie theatre i remember being extremely creeped out. but it's one of those movies that's actually been playing on my mind. it's got me so curious i actually think i might brave it and go see it. the story takes place in a futuristic world where people interact through robots (the surrogates) but when the people behind the surrogates begin being murdered, a cop (bruce willis!) has to leave his home and investigate. looks creepy but good!

» the september issue (september 11)
tons of fashion websites and blogs alike are all aflutter about this documentary about how anna wintor (vogue's editor-in-chief) puts together one of the biggest issue of the magazine. the hype has me intrigued.

» coco before chanel (september 25)
and from those sames blogs and sites, i've heard alot about this biopic about coco chanel. audrey tatou has the title role and she is TOO cute. i'll probs check this one out.

haha. as usual, my movie taste is ALL over the place. what what about you? what are you most excited for?

-xoxo.

weekly resolve; make the most of august

2009-08-04T11:34:00.002-04:00

this is a goal i'll be working toward all month. it's always been a pet peeve of mine how those of use going back to school write august off before it's even begun. yes there are back to school commercials on tv already, but that doesn't mean summer's over. my sister is the prime example of this, some days she's actually mopey at the prospect of going to school. and it's still nearly 30 days away! i'm going to use august to cram in as much hanging as i can and to work on my driving. i haven't driven much since my little accident, but i'm determined to get back into the saddle - err...driver's seat. there are tons of things to look forward to this month: another friend's wedding, a birthday party, the possibility of last minute vacations and summer camp. and who knows what else might turn up? what are you doing this august?

love your life;

2009-08-03T09:44:00.004-04:00

song of the day: you are mine, charlotte o'connor

g' morning! i'm switching things up a little bit today. just testing it out. let me know what you think. i stumbled across a collection of lists over at rockstar diaries that feature the 10 things that make people happy. so this morning i'm rhyming off ten things that make me terribly happy right now. it was a little hard to come up with, but i think i got it.

1. full-contact scrabble games
2. the smell of old books
3. making plans
4. pink cream blush
5. writing out on my porch, when it's sunny enough to do so
6. movie trailers
7. catching up
8. freshly painted fingernails
9. the smell of a rising red velvet cake
10. countdowns, and the associated notion that something good is coming

and i should add saving money to this list. i didn't wait for a fresh start to make good on last week's resolve, and i think it's been going along really well. that's it for me! hope you're loving your life lately!

-lovelovelove.

CUTE photo from Rowena R.

best ofs; july 27-31

2009-08-01T21:11:00.004-04:00

song of the day: fallin for you, colbie callait

happy august to you! this week i FINALLY had time to go through my wardrobe. (you remember when i wrote about the importance of a finely whittled wardrobe). i enlisted my sister to help me and even though it hurt a bit i got rid of THREE full garbage bags of clothes. i'm donating them to charity next week, of course. it's cool now, because the clothes i have left (and there are still plenty) are a much better reflection of my personal style. pat on the back for b!

you know what else was cool? i wrote about somebody once told me last week, and the owner/head photographer for the site emailed me in thanks! so cool! i'm thinking about making my own submission to the site but i'm not sure what to say yet.

and thanks for bearing with all the changes that have been going around here. i've been playing around with things until i get them just the way i want them. anyway! sorry for the delay, here are the best ofs for the week.

♥ a recent study found that women, throughout generations are becoming increasingly attractive. woohooo!

♥ the frisky put together a 30-day guide to breaking up, the break up bible as they called it. i was tracking it the whole month of july. the suggestions are good for single girls too, full of ways to rediscover yourself and to relax.

♥ this week i found out the the sophie kinsella, writer of the shopoholic books had been writing under a pseudonym. i feel like i found out santa's not real! i understand why writer's use pen names but hate when i find them out. her real name's madeline wickham. has anyone read of her books? i'll make a point to rent one next time i'm at the library. wickham/kinsella, whoever she is, also has a new book that was just released 2 weeks ago. i want to check that out too.

♥ glamour posted some cute twitter pick up lines.

♥ a phsyical therapist discusses how to survive high heels, heavy bags and other accesories without injury or at eye4style.

♥ best personal fashion blog i stumbled upon this week: fashion CHALET.

that's all for now. i've gotta go find something in my new (clutter-free!) closet to wear to church tomorrow. enjoy the rest of the weekend my lovelies!

top ten; free things to do with friends

2009-07-31T10:44:00.003-04:00

morning! i'm chilling today at my friend R's house and taking a spare moment to blog. i only just realized my recent commitment to spend less is going to affect everything. usually when people call me to hang out i go first and think later. i've the same approach to spending. so i've come up with ten really cool and free ways to spend time with the people you love!

1. group spa day. not gonna lie, this is probably my favourite idea out of all of them. you get all your friends together and bring all your nail polish and then swap 'em around. everybody can get a new colour and a free manicure! and of course, don't forget a good massage circle.

2. go on a wandering walk. head out with your group of friends with no particular direction. there's this one area of town that i've always wanted to just explore. go places you've never been before. i hope i can get around to doing it this summer.

3. check community calendar. it often has events or special deals. you might be surprised at the free things available in your area. maybe there's theatre or a concert in the park, ribfests or a free swimming hour.

4. have a DIY faceoff. if you're ever feeling crafty, gather all the stuff between your friends, share it around, fire up the glue gun and have an all day challenge to see who can come up with the best project. the most wearable project wins!

5. retro games day. me and my sister sometimes go into the back of the closet and pull out all the games we used to play. monopoly jr, and twister. don't forget old card games, if you're into them. and of course, there's no greater childhood pastime than blowing bubbles!

6. full on games day! i can't say i'm all that athletic but even i don't mind a day of playing some football. especially since it's free! frisbee and soccer are also fun.

7. picnic. there's nothing more fun than doing a picnic potluck. have everyone bring something and head to a free park. and if it's raining, as it has been where i live, spread out a blanket in the middle of the living room. indoor picnics can be fun too.

8. swap parties. this is the ultimate free fun event. reveryne commits to bringing either old CDs, DVDs, books or clothes and everyone swaps up and goes home with someone new.

9. start a new hobby. grab a friend and do that thing you've always wanted to do. start yoga, learn japanese. but don't think you'll have to spend tons of money to do it. your local library has tons of resources for free.

10. go stargazing! i hope to do this at some point this summer too. don't forget to pack blankets and bugspray.

i'm sure there's tons more you can come up with. you don't need to spend crazy amounts of money to have a good time. it's not so much about what you do with your time, but who you spend it with. that's all for me! see you later!

-lovelovelove.

style profile; piper larson

2009-07-30T12:14:00.006-04:00

hello hello! today i'm featuring piper larson of the daily diva dish. a website that has daily posts on beauty, fashion and lifestyle. i've been enjoying the articles and product reviews. check out a post from the other day about creating the perfect pout. piper was nice enough to answer a few questions for me. on with the interview!

your personal style... american classic meets euro chic. i like to mix basics with over-the-top accessories. my biggest weakness: cocktail rings. the bigger the better!

last fashion purchase... a red coral statement necklace.

signature scent... dolce & gabbana light blue.

go-to summer outfit... i don't necessarily have a go-to outfit. (i like to experiment too much for that.) but one of my favorites this summer was worn at a party I hosted. black ankle pants and a simple black summer shirt...with killer accessories: sky-high gladiator heels, a great tan and a crystal cocktail ring big enough to double as a paper weight.

5 essentials every girl should have in her closet... a perfect pair of black pants. flat front, straight cut, good-fitting and long; a classic handbag; a piece of statement jewelry; a great pair of jeans; a pair of comfortable and versatile heels.

you're most likely to splurge on... handbags. i think a good handbag is worth it because you can use it every day.

top shops... i love unique little boutiques. when i travel, i'm always looking for these quaint little stores. you never know what treasures you'll find.

a good time means... being with good friends. my ideal: beach getaway with the girls. so much fun!

your nails right now... essie mademoiselle.

favourite quotation... "don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin."
grace hansen, author.

starting august 1st you can begin entering the daily diva dish's haute august giveaway. they have weekly drawings for luxury beauty products. and the grandprize? a louis vuitton cosmetic pouch (retails for $285). you can enter daily! click on over!

-xoxo
B

je t'aime;

2009-07-30T11:12:00.004-04:00

to my dismay, i realized today that my SPC card was expiring! it's absolutely dreadful. sorry this post is kind of a local thing. SPC (student price cards) are only valid for canadian students. basically, you buy this card for $8.50 that gives you 10-15% off at tons of different stores for a whole year. this was my first year buying one. i hadn't before because, i didn't fully understand what it was, and i didn't want to pay for it. but it was my mom who made me realize with how much i shop - now, used to shop - the card would pay for itself. and it did! in about three weeks =P i can't even imagine how much i saved the whole year. and even though i don't plan to be buying as much this year, i still think the card is a good investment. PLUS: this year they've added new stores! now there's 10% off dynamite, garage and aeropostale. (check here for a full list) and if you register your card at the website, you can check back and look for local special offers. restaurants periodically have deals on. all in all a good investment, i'd say! i've allotted some space in next month's budget to pick one up =) is there anything like SPC where you live?

current obsession; budgeting

2009-07-28T11:58:00.005-04:00

song of the day: if it kills me, jason mraz

i know budgets are a weird thing to be obsessed with, but i made mine this morning and it really wasn't that bad as i was fearing! the hard part is going to be sticking to it. but here's what i did. first off, i started with a template. they do all the work for you. especially if you use one on excel, cause those ones can do all of the calculations for you. but if you'd rather do this by hand, i've got a template for you, here. but if you google "budget template" you'll find tons.

the first step in making a budget is figuring out where your money goes in the first place. total your income and then track your expenses for the last month. (if you have time to map out more than one month, you'll get a better sense of your average, in case it's a month of ireggularly high spending.) then subtract the one from the other. in the red? me too. but it brought some things to my attention.

my first realization? i spend WAY too much money on makeup. the thing is, i just buy a little at a time, but i'm still buying WAY too much. in july alone, i wasted $175. and you've seen me, i don't even wear that much! i found there are a few more hidden money suckers in my life.

magazines; ridiculous, when i read as many blogs as i do.
smoothies; when i've already said i prefer making my own at home.
DVDs; so many times i buy a DVD just for the sake of owning it, but then it just sits on my shelf.
the vending machine at work; i calculated, if i took the time to bring something from home before a shift i'd save $10 a month. which seems little, but will add up.
cheap jewellery; my jewellery box is full of $5 rings that only last a month before turning green and it'd probably be better if i just didn't buy any at all.
nail polish; i always talk about how nailpolish can be a nice accent to an outfit and i'm not knocking that of course. but in tracking my expenses i realized that i average about one $9 bottle a week and that's a little insane.
taxis; i'm not knocking them and i would like to say that a taxi home after a night out is always a good idea, but sometimes i'm just to lazy to take the bus, that's $20 down the drain right there.
drinks; i always end up stopping for adrink when i'm out at the mall, tucking a water bottle in my purse before i leave will save me about $20 a month.

when you're making a budget, make a list of things you feel you can not live without and then juggle your finances around to accomodate them. i've decided to prioritze going out to eat with friends. we tend to go out to grab a bite or dessert after worship practices or for birthdays. plus, i've read that on average spending money on an experience feels more rewarding than spending money on just items. so that's what i've made the most room for in my august budget. especially because it'll be my last chance to hang with a lot of people who go back to school in september. i've also set aside the money for one movie (GI JOE!) and a meager back-to-school outfit, and that's it!

i do feel the budget i've set is a bit optimistic. (i can't help it, i'm an optimistic person) but i've read that it's perfectly fine to make adjustments. not to totally renege on what you've set out to accomplish mind you, just to rearrange things while sticking to your goals. one of the top reasons people drop their budgets is because they feel they can't stick with them. that won't be me! (i hope.) this site was super helpful with budeting tips and info.

alright! just a few more things. it's my mom's birthday today! but that's not the real news. i FINALLY got around to writing an about page. check it on the tab at left. i also added a few more sites (in no particular order) to the blogroll over there. i plan to maintain it a bit more as i continue making blogging friends. check out some of the sites and blogs there, it's good stuff! and another thing. while i'm still not comfortable using my whole name, but i don't really feel like i am "sunshower" either. that's a thing, not a person! so you can call me B from now on =) have a fantastic day!!

xoxo
-B

catalogue; thirteen

2009-07-28T00:08:00.004-04:00

so in my attempts to spend less i tried to resurrect an item from my closet-graveyard. i've had that hooded cotton vest for years, worn it a few times but never again. lately i've been loving the look of vests/waistcoats with tank tops. it's so summery and cute! this outfit was perfect for my friend's gig downtown.

occasion: pub night
black hooded vest; urban behaviour, $15
long purple tank; costa blanca, $20
skinny jeans; bluenotes, $20
studded/bow heels; walmart, $20
huge ring; h&m, $6
long necklace; urban behaviour, $8.
hair pin; (gifted from my sister!)

weekly resolve; save money

2009-07-27T15:41:00.003-04:00

it's not déja vu. i'm really revisiting a resolve i just had. because even though i didn't buy anything for a whole week. i don't feel like i accomplished anything because i fell into my old patterns again. if anything, i spent TWICE as much in the week that just passed. like i was trying to make up for it or something! just terrible! logically i should even be in debt. i still live at home, i don't have a car and i'm not paying for school. my dad's an accountant for goodness sakes! so how did i get to be so bad with my finances??

for one, i tend buy things i don't really need. like yes, the NYX liquid liner i bought is amazing and i totally do like nyota uhuhra, bu that wasn't a necessity you know? i wish i had realized that before i went ot the mall and dropped $30 on various makeup products >.< and second, my finances have run wild because i just don't like talking about them! but i'm trying to change. i've come up with three new tips.

but this time, i'm getting serious. more specific. it's not enough to just say, i won't spend money this week if i complete fall off the wagon in the next. and of course, i scoured the interwebs for some creative solutions. for startes, i'm making an addendum to my shopping rules. (the ones i wrote a bit ago and still didn't wrap around my VISA card like i said i would) so the new rule #2, any purchase, no matter what the size or price, must be slept on. if it's not something i wouldn't come out for the next day, it's not something i can't live with out.

my second serious step? i'm going to begin keeping a debt diary, not for all to see, but i've bought a new journal just for the cause (and i know that seems counterproductive, but it'll even out. i'm going to get my finances in order if it kills me!) the first thing i need to stick in this diary is a budget, i'm working on it as we speak. you're also supposed to keep track or your daily spending purchases: how much of your money you're spending and for what. putting your thoughts on paper has a way of making you think about your actions, or so they say. i'll let you know how it goes.

any lastly, i've come up with a financial affirmation for this week. (yes i believe in affirmations, if you repeat anything enough you'll believe it. but more on that later): it is MY money and i WANT to hold on to it.

so there we go. saving money, take two. hopefully i haven't lost you in all the boring talk. if you've got any helpful advice, i'd LOVE to hear it, truly. anyone else ever conquered shopoholic-ism before? wish me luck!

-xoxo.

love your life;

2009-07-27T10:10:00.004-04:00

1. today: the sun is shining for the first time in DAYS. i'm thinking i'm going to go out and write on the deck. and i'm also grateful for my grandparents. they live down the street from me, but it's not often that i REALLY spend time with them, you know? i love the way they still stock their house with oreos and sunny d for me. i love the way my grandpa talks about himself in third person. and i love the way, after all these years, they still love each other! i was having a week where it felt like nothing really ever lasted, and kinda feel that they're proof some things always will.
2. i'm looking forward to: seeing funny people with my friend T! i haven't seen him in a long time and the movie looks hilarious.
3. one thing that'll make my week: quotations like these! i'm going to need some help for this week's resolution.

got the photo from here

“The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that’s when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it."

John C. Maxwell

best ofs; july 20-24

2009-07-25T19:30:00.005-04:00

hey there! and happy saturday to you! here are the best ofs for this week.

♥ first up, some forever 21 news (i'm obssessed, i apologize). but, did you hear their expanding into makeup and home furnishings? can't say i'm too excited for the beauty products, i'm too busy envisioning what would happen if forever21 and ikea combined. sheer magic. read all about it.

♥ forever 21 also has a new circus-inspired collection coming out soon. it's called twist. check out the lookbook.

♥ this week at time they published an article about why girls have a few best friends but boys hang in packs. interesting stuff!

♥ if you're into sartorial humour, check out fashematics. the only place where you can see math like the equation at left.

♥ check out unclutter.com's guide to making time for everything!

♥ and perhaps my favourite find this week. someoneoncetoldme. it's a growing collection of photos where people pose with things somebody once told them. it's actually really inpsiring. the photos are fabulous.

what's the most interesting thing you found on the interweb this week?

thoughts; types

2009-07-24T14:56:00.002-04:00

time for some friday afternoon musings? yes i think so. a little while ago i had a friend of mine who's looking into this new guy and has taken to asking me "what do you think his type is?" and i had to stop and think about that. i thought about the girls he's dated before but couldn't really find too many similarities between them. then i stopped to think about the people who i've liked/dated. their personalities were all REALLY different. i mean, they've all been male, that seems to be the general theme. but that's it. every time i went to make a rule, i could always find an exception. i don't think you can help who you like, whether they fall into specific types or even if they don't.

plus, i feel when people say type, almost 80% of the time, it has to do with looks. i wouldn't want to miss out on someone with a personality that perfectly compliments mine because i was too wrapped up in where they shop, or how tall they are. i don't like typing stop me. it's just too narrow a way of look at people. you can't say "you only date athletes" because that's a trait that can change, you know what i mean? i'd be lying if i said i didn't have preferences, but not a solid "type."

but then i had to look at things from the other side. and in thinking about it, i've come to the realization that I don't really fit the "ideal type" of most of the guys around me. well not just me specifically, any black people really. excuse me for being so candid, i don't mean that in a racist way. because to be perfectly honest, i'm not really looking for a black person either. (a preference, but not a steadfast rule) but what if the guys i know aren't as open minded about types as i am? are you? and if you like a guy but aren't his "type" do you still go for it?

i guess i'd really just wrote this to say that especially at my age (near 20) when you're supposed to be out dating i think it's better to be more accpeting of guys of all kinds. just because you've dated tall musicians your whole life doesn't mean you have to always date guys like that. opening yourself up to the possibility of dating different varieties of guys expands your dating pool and could always help you grow personally by getting to know people you might not otherwise. and who doesn't want that?
no real conclusions here, just thoughts. hope you're having a happy friday! if my movie plans pan out, i will show the result of my uhurua-inspired look.

-later days!

je t'aime;

2009-07-24T12:47:00.010-04:00

i've raved about star trek before. i went out to see it again last night, and instead of being bowled over by the combined sexiness of chris pine and zach quinto, i was more able to focus on uhura.
zoe sladnana did a fabulous job and has me feeling completely different about the whole winged liquid liner look. in fact, i'm thinking i might run out and get some today. but until then...

recreate the liquid eyeliner look, by applying mascara from the tube with a fine eyeliner brush.

je t'aime and quick tip in one! and the two-for-one doesn't stop there. on top of all that, i've got two questions for you. first up, i'm hoping i'm not the only one here. but...

do you ever let tv/movie characters inspire your style?(poll)

and second...

i understand if a yes or no answer won't do. feel free to explain in the comments. let's discuss!

je t'aime;

2009-07-22T10:24:00.009-04:00

between blogs, fashion websites and polyvore, i'd heard of modcloth for a while now. but when my friend L suggested it i finally went and gave the website a look for myself. in case you've never been, modcloth specializes in vintage clothing. it was started by a couple fresh out of high school and has turned into one of the top online stops for vintage/indie wear. i totally got lost on their website a few days ago, but i've picked out some of my favourites, above.

isn't that prep school dress darling? i can think of a thousand ways to wear that right now. and i doesn't surprise me that their out of "the brigitte dress" second in from the right (all the names for the items are so cheeky and cute too! i love the idea of a "tiers for fears dress") the high tide dress (the one-shouldered colourblocked number) is amazing too. the floral one makes me want to host a tea party and i don't even drink the stuff.

i'm loving that they have a $7 flat shipping rate, but not loving that i have no money right now. have you ever bought anything from modcloth? what would you if you could?

apple a day; sleep myths

2009-07-21T21:12:00.004-04:00

(song of the day: every time you lie, demi lovato)

heyhey! i know i've said it a thousand times, but i really am having a busy summer and my sleep schedule is suffering because of it. and for some reason i like awake in my bed unable to sleep and then get really tired in the middle of the day. anyone else find summer does crazy things to their sleep schedule? i did a bit of googling, and today i'm debunking three sleep myths.

the "i'll just catch up tomorrow" myth

there's no such thing as catching up. there's no way to make up for lost sleep. but it's a good thing the human body knows how to deal. the sleep system is homeostatic – it self-regulates. if you sleep less than your body wants you’ll naturally restore balance to the system the following nights. it's best to keep a regular sleep schedule. going to bed and waking at the same time will make it easier for you to fall alseep at night.

the "i'll just lie still myth"
if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall asleep after 15 minutes or so, it might not be such a bad idea to get up and do something relaxing. try reading a book, or listening to soft music. once 15 minutes passes the anxiety of trying to keep yourself still can actually keep you awake for longer.

the "warmer you are, faster you'll fall asleep myth"
people always associate tons of cozy, warm blankets with the perfect conditions for falling alseep. ironically, it's easier for the human body to sleep when things are slightly cool. (probably why in the summer time i sleep in my blanket but keep the fan on.)

but that myth about drinking warm milk before bed? totally true. the seratonin in helps you sleep. that's all for me! sweet dreams everyone!

-lovelovelove.

got the photo from here.

style profile; little red

2009-07-20T10:50:00.005-04:00

i'm pleased and excited to announce a brand new column here at sunshower style! today i'm doing the first ever style profile with little red of the redhead fashionista. when i went on my blog hunt last week i discovered hers. it's still pretty new but i've enjoyed reading her fabulous posts! (this one about celeb transformations is my favourite) and like me, she's a communications student with a major interest in fashion and a well defined personal style. check out my interview with her!

three things you can't live without... my cell phone, my macbook pro, and my car.

favourite movies... clerks and clerks II, mallrats, the devil wears prada, and the hangover.

how would you describe your style... i'd have to describe my style as just me. i know that's kind of lame. however, my style isn't anything crazy and i don't dress any particular way. i have a pretty casual look since there isn't any aspect of my life that requires me to dress up. i just wear what i like and what i feel comfortable in.

what inspires your style... various fashiohan magazines and certain celebrities inspire me. i absolutely love rachel bilson, lauren conrad, and nicole richie. those ladies always look fabulous whether they are at an event or just going to the grocery store.

favourite beauty product... M.A.C.'s eye pencil in coffee. i always wear eyeliner. i feel so weird without it! i wish I could break that addiction though.

you feel your best when... i think what makes me feel my best is just hanging out with my friends. no matter what is going on in my life, they can always brighten my day and help me have a good time.

last fashion purchase... two pairs of steve madden shoes i got recently. i bought a pair of black peep-toe heels and a pair of purple flats!

if money was no object what would you buy next... louboutins!

top shops... i love shopping at h&m and urban outfitters. i can always find great stuff at both places!

style mantra... "a girl should be two things: classy and fabulous," coco chanel.

i have to say, i pretty much enjoy her taste in everything! don't forget to check out her blog! that's all for now!

-xoxo.

love your life;

2009-07-20T09:31:00.003-04:00

(song of the day: follow through, gavin degraw)

1. today: i'm loving girl talk, mostly because i find happiness means nothing if you don't have someone (or two, or three!) to share it with.
2. i'm looking forward to: rekindling an old hobby. i haven't played piano in a while and i need to for this thing coming up at church. somethings are NOT like riding a bike, they take time and practice, and they're all the more beautiful for it.
3. one thing that'll make my week: if i can put some time aside to get some writing done!

(AMAZING picture by raisinsawdust)

best ofs; july 13-17

2009-07-18T17:16:00.005-04:00

(song of the day: so close, jennette mccurdy)

heyhey! catching up at the end of a busy week. here are the best ofs i've found!

ONE. if you haven't seen it already check out this hilarious step by step guide to getting yourself shot by the sartorialist.

TWO. and if you've never dropped by the sartorialist, check that out too! gorgeous people, gorgeous photos.

THREE. not gonna lie, got pretty excited when they announced the emmy nominations this week! i love award shows. it's a shame we have to wait till september 20th! (steve carrel ftw! who are you rooting for?)

FOUR. i am greatly amused by teagan mccrae's conan o'brien-like stylings. check out her post of hilarious future "predictions."

FIVE. check out five cool google/gmail tricks, via cosmopolitan.

SIX. over at the frisky, they talked about celebrities who embody the style of different cities. sounds complicated, but is actually really cool. for example, sienna miller is quintessential "london." what city are you? (i'm thinking i'm a new york/california mix.)

SEVEN. and at charade they had a really good post about picking your luxuries. it's been especially helpful as i've been trying to save money lately.

EIGHT. the 100 essential skills for geeks, via wired.

catalogue; twelve

2009-07-17T15:28:00.014-04:00

(song of the day: chasing pavements, adele)

hey! the day's been kind of overcast and so am i. but i hope your weeks going well! mine's been an absolute whirlwind. this catalogue is a little bit different i know. i apologize for the pic spam. just click on each picture to make it bigger. here's what i'm wearing:

top: charlotte russe, $6
high waisted skirt: h&m, $14.50
silver gladiators: aeropostale, $20
necklace: ardene, $6
occasion: hanging out

this week's been interesting, i've barely been home. and i've been finding it really hard to get dressed. i had this special event (sorta) and the temptation to buy something was rough. i ended up making vanilla & raspberry cupcakes to curb the craving. what i found that works?

i had to work harder at drawing fashion inspiration. when i buy things, i tend to wear them place them in particular outfits and then just rewear those outfits instead of continually switching things up. my lookbook expanded exponentially this week. and i made a few new blogging friends in the process. (if they're reading, hi!) if you have a friend who's your size, it's sweet to swap clothes, even if just for the day. my other tip for making what's old feel new? changing my nail polish colour. i'm not sure if you can tell, but i'm rocking some pastel yellow on my toes. it's awesome. it's my go-to way to change up an outfit. but clothes are easy, i just wish people were as easy to figure out...

-xoxo.

quick tip;

2009-07-16T11:03:00.003-04:00

save money on your electricity bill by unplugging cell phone/ipod chargers when they're not in use.

top ten; shopping rules

2009-07-15T13:36:00.004-04:00

(song of the day: one of the boys, katy perry)

today is an exciting day. i'm finally presenting an article i've been working on for a while. and I seriously am going to print them out and keep them in my wallet. preferably wrapped around my wallet. these are the ten rules I consider (or aim to consider) before any purchase.

1. first rule, never buy something on sale that you wouldn't but full price.
i buy a LOT but i rarely buy things at full price. that said, i still get swayed by sale prices. i'm twice as likely to buy a simply because it's got a sale price attached. i have a whole collection of things back in that section of my closet i nicknamed "the graveyard."

2. any purchase of more than $100 must be slept on.
i borrowed this rule from glamour. $100 is still a bit much. i might pick a smaller number. maybe $50. often, i go into a store and think i've find something i can't live without...in EVERY store. if i see something i think i can't live without. i should take 24 hours to chill out and re-evaluate how i really feel in the morning. if i can't curb my craving i'll go back and get it. if it's still there, it's meant to be.

3. don't buy anything that requires you to buy something else.
this occurred to me. if you need a new camisole/belt to go with your new skirt, it's not much of a bargain. and unless we're talking formal wear, you don't really wanna buy anything that requires too much tailoring.

4. don't by anything that doesn't fit.
i truly think that makes anything look good is when clothes fit you well. i get swayed by sale prices and end up with a collection of sloppy looking shirts, that "will fit as long as i pin them" or "i might grow into." at 19, i don't really think i'll be doing much growing. and my sewing skills aren't getting any thing better either. if the last item isn't in your size, it's not really meant to be, now is it.

5. ALWAYS try things on. for a long time, in my shopping hayday, i didn't try a single thing. claiming that i was in too much of a rush. but if you're in a rush, you're usually too busy to make good wardrobe decisions. and also...

6. only buy the things that make you dance in the chnge room.
this is another one i read on glamour a few months ago, but it's really helped me lately. when you try on a shirt/dress/pair of pants, and you do that little wiggle in the change room because you know it looks that good, that's the item you wanna buy. i can't count the number of times i've bought a trendy item that no doubt looks good, but does nothing for me. it's the items that make me dance around that i end up getting the most out of.

7. if something comes in, something comes out. i've always like the idea of this rule in theory, not so much in practice. the next time you want to initiate another item into your closet, ask yourself if you'd be willing to part with another item to get it. and then you're supposed to actually do it! it would definitely keep your closet from becoming overwhelmed. but you know how much trouble i have throwing things away.

8. consider cost per wear.
this is always a good thing to keep in mind when you're purchasing everyday wear. divide the price of the item by the number of times you think you'll wear it. i think it's best to spend money of things like bras, shoes, watches and handbags. timeless items that will increase your style quotient no matter what. plus for these type items that you wear everyday, the cost per wear will basically be nothing!

9. pay with cash.
this one's a lot easier said than done because i almost never have cash on me. but swiping my visa/debit is a lot easier. but at the same time you don't even notice how much you're spending. and sometimes i like that, but lately it's been getting me in to trouble. lastly...

10. don't go it alone.
i'm not gonna lie, i kind of need a shopping babysitter, more than anything. but it might not be a bad idea to shop with a buddy. an honest one, who can tell you what looks good and what doesn't, what you should spend money on and what you shouldn't. my friend R and my sister K are really good at this. don't forget to return the favour!!

i've actually got enough to make two posts on this. maybe i'll come back to it! and hopefully one day i'll be able to add "reformed shopoholic" to my profile. haha. what things do you take into consideration before you buy something?

je t'aime;

2009-07-13T20:45:00.002-04:00

i tried it! and being absolutely honest for a week did have its advantages and disadvantages. but i learned a lot. as i said last monday, i spend a lot of time trying to smooth things over and keep everyone happy even if it's at the expense of my own feelings. so this week i tried to correct it.

honesty is awkward, i'm not gonna lie. at first, i was answering things on default. it was kinda weird to chase people down and tell them that "no, i'm not fine." but surprisingly some really good conversations came out of unexpected people. you'd be surprised who's there for you if you're honest first.

and in a way it was liberating. there was something i'd been meaning to tell someone and it felt awesome to get it off my chest. i learned that you can say "yes, that outfit does look bad on you" and "i'm sorry, but i don't think that's a good idea" and people WON'T bite your head off for doing it.

i still don't think i was a complete success. i think i achieved more than usual honest? but not radical honest. even though i said i wouldn't, there were times when i inadvertantly avoided touchy subjects. as long as someone didn't ask, i didn't tell. but when they did ask, i did tell. and it was actually kinda fun in a way! this is something i'd like to go back to at some time. one resolution at a time though!

weekly resolve; save money

2009-07-13T15:08:00.008-04:00

another week, another resolution! it may seem weird that i'm also attempting to do things all the time, but i'm trying not to wait around to achieve the stuff i wanna do. i'm not going to wait till new year's to do something i can start right away. (i'll post my radical honesty wrap-up a little later on)

that said, this particular resolution is something i've been meaning to do for a while now. but i wasn't quite ready to face it until my visa bill came last thursday. for a solid year, me and my visa were great. i paid it off on time and never had interest then all of a sudden (okay not all a sudden, like 2 movies and four shopping sprees later) things started to slide. and slide. and continue to slide. and then i hit a car, and i owe my parents money for that. i'm not going to give the exact number, but it's pretty bad.

so it seems ridiculous, given all that, that i continue spending the way that i do. the first step is admitting you have a problem. so my resolve this week is to cut it out completely. i've instigated a "no-buy" week. no makeup. no shoes. no purses (...only because i just bought one).

but that's not enough. i need to save money too, and i'll be the first to admit i have NO idea how to do that! usually i avoid personal finance blogs like the plague. but i've been scouring them to find tips i like. here are some of my favourite tutorials.

squawkfox's 50 ways to save $1000 a year
also this week, squawkfox rereleased her ebook on frugal food and fitness
fabulously broke talks about 5 general finance tips.
ivillage presents 4 debt triggers and ways to avoid them
self has a financial guide with tons of good ideas

be sure to check back i'll be adding more as i focus on finance this week. mmkay. me and R are off for dinner. later!

-xoxo.

best ofs; july 6-10

2009-07-12T14:03:00.002-04:00

(song of the day: i could break your heart any day of the week, mandy moore)

sheesh! what a week! softball games, plays, work, job interviews, making new friends and seeing old one. i hope your summer is keeping you as equally entertained. unfortunately i was barely home and not keeping up with things as much as i would've liked. i'm finally at home with a few hours to myself. i've got a decision to make that i really don't want to get to quite yet so i'm catching up on so you think you can dance.

ONE. this is probably my favourite find this week. i just found out about looklet and i'm shocked and appaled i didn't know before. i highly reccomend it if there are any polyvore fans out there! instead of collaging your dream outfits, you get to put them on a real model. their wardrobe is expanding daily. i lost an hour on looklet, so you can't say you weren't warned.

TWO. check out maura kelly's musings (via marie claire) as the discusses two relationship clichés. should you be in it two win it? or is it true that you only find someone when you stop looking?

THREE. zephyr at college fashion counts down the 10 beach day essentials. i wanna hit the beach soon!

FOUR. apparently, when you're watching tv or at the movies, you're less attentive to what you're eating and thus more prone to overeating. find five ways to beat overeatnig at never say diet.

FIVE. i've still been checking in on the girl with the uniform project she's still going strong! check it out if you haven't already.

my question to you though; if you could only wear one outfit for a whole year, what would you choose? let me know!

current obsession; summer scents

2009-07-09T09:40:00.004-04:00

(song of the day: forever and for alaways, shania twain)

morning! my current obsession? the sweet smells of summer days. in summer superlight fragrances are the name of the game. i think scent is an important and intimate accesory.

in summer, you want to aim for fragrances with citrus and/or floral top notes. in perfume, citrus goes beyond lemon and orange: think bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, and neroli. for florals, think lily of the valley, jasmine, and ylang-ylang.

i'm (still) obsessed with daisy by marc jacobs. but i find it smells better in the summer. if you haven't smelled it yourself, it blends wild strawberry, red grapefruit, gardenia, violet and jasmine notes. it's a simple yet appealing, just like daisies themselves! i get complimented it on it alot.

but R and i were smelling samples at the bay the other day and i've found myself haunted by the smell of lacoste's love of pink. it's a chypre/fruit fragrance that's got hints of red orange, passionfruit, lemon, pink magnolia, quince blossom, stephanotis, white cedar, musk and vanilla. it smelled SO good and i'm considering it as my next perfume purchase.

take caution of two things. heat amplifies the smell of any fragrance and your nose finds it harder to smell something it's become accustomed to. in warmer weather, you'll need to wear a little less to keep the smell from overpowering you (or anyone else in your vicinity)

and lest we forget, sunscreen is one of the best smells of summer. and my new friend A (thanks J) introduced to a delightful smelling sunscreen with mango and papaya notes that is everything right about summer scents. i'm going to have to ask him and track that one down. in the meanwhile, check out some of my other favourites.

so what are your favourite summer smells? (it doesn't have to be a perfume.)
that's all for me. i've a lunch date! later my lovelies!

je t'aime;

2009-07-08T09:38:00.004-04:00

i'm feeling tribal. and LOVING this print skirt.
retails for $41.80 CAD at shopruche.

how to; prevent makeup meltdown

2009-07-07T16:01:00.004-04:00

(song of the day: mansard roof, vampire weekend)

as the weather warms up, makeup melts off. but not this summer! here are a bunch of tips and tricks for getting makeup that lasts. my most important suggestion is to try and wear as little makeup as possible, but should you feel you have to here are some suggestions.

before leaving the house...

start with a clean, fresh face. lately i've been using (and loving) olay dual action cleanser and pore scrub. but i've heard the exfoliants can be harsh for some. i like the way my skin feels offer, deep cleaned and dry, ready for makeup. if that's not your cup of tea you can also try a mattifiying cream, pore minimizer or a favourite of yours that absorbs oil.

skin: all i keep hearing when it comes to summer makeup that lasts is tinted moisturizer. and i mean that's great and all when you can find one that actually matches your skin tone. i have been unable to find one dark enough for me under $30. (if you have any suggestions let me know!) but when you find your oil-free tinted moisturizer of choice, apply with a damp sponge in short outward strokes.

for me, all i really need for cool dewy sking is a moisturizer with SPF. when applying, don't forget your neck, hairline and the tops of your ears! clean up problem spots with a few dashes of concealer.

eyes: makeup is more likely to melt when it contains emollients. i remember reading this interview from bobbi brown and she suggested you avoid overly creamy products. she preferred powder blushes and eye shadows becaues they are less likely to run. mineral makeup is good too.

aim to use neutral colours because they are less likely to show should they melt/run. skips the eye liner, most usually smudge. if you can find a waterproof eyeliner, avoid dark colours because they create dark circles around your eyes should they run. keep liner to the top lid. if you haven't already, trade in your favourite mascara for a waterproof version. but beware, even waterproof shades can melt if you use to use, try one thin coat.

lips: lip glosses can turn your lips into a slip and slide, and they also intensify your lips reception to the sun and can increase your chances of burning there (what an odd thing to say). lipstains don't melt off like other glosses do. if you don't want to splurge on new lip wear, you can transform any lipstick into a stain. you'll want to use a bright shade, the pigments are richer and better at tinting lips. apply two swipes, wait ten minutes and gently tissue off the top layer.

cheeks: again i recommend a stain, instead of applying directly use your fingers to get a more natural look. if you choose a bronzed colour (as opposed to a pink or rose), use it to give the look of a sun-kissed glow all around: smooth it across the bridge of your nose and on the high points of your cheekbones.

and then, i recommend finishing up with a transparent finishing powder. (maybelline has a nice one!)

when you're out...

it might not be a bad idea to carry blotting paper on you. i've never used them myself but the idea seems simple enough. press the sheet up against your face, there's no need to wipe. and if you can't get your hands on thatm try using a large white tissue to blot at your hairline eyes, coerners of the nose, lips, chin and jawline and attempt to suck up oil and smudges.

if your eye shadow has creased, close your eyelid and press your finger against it to smooth the remaining shadow and wipe away liner and mascara. wipe your lips clean and add a wash of balm or gloss to freshen up.

i think that's it for me. how do you beat the heat? drop me a comment!

-lovelovelove.

photos from here and here.

weekly resolve; radical honesty

2009-07-06T16:09:00.001-04:00

this week i'm experimenting. for a while now (well okay, ever since i saw lie to me) i've been toying with the idea of radical honesty. the idea was propose by psychotherapist brad blanton who believed that people would be alot happier if they only told the truth. no lies at all regardless of colour (white) or size. i consider myself to be a pretty honest person but i can't deny that i don't make a little white lie from time to time. after all, the average person tells an average of 3 in just a ten minute conversation.

don't forget, you're lying when...
-someone asks you how you are and you don't give a real answer
-you feign interest in something
-you leave things out.

i'll be honest here, i'm a v. non-confrontational person who believes that white lies can help to smooth things over. it's a little patronizing to pretend to be interested in something you're not. and telling the truth to a friend could actually be helpful. i hate hurting people's feelings or stepping on toes. and i'm not always such a sharer either (even though you'd neve know it from this blog). i have a habit of stopping short of what i'm saying what i really think. but i've realized lately that those little lies aren't doing anyone any favours.

so this week i'm going to acknowledge things exactly as they are, to others and to myself. i'll let you know how it goes next monday!

-xoxo.

love your life;

2009-07-06T10:08:00.007-04:00

(song of the day: thinking of you, katy perry)

1. today: i'm happy for the problems i have. yesterday this african children's choir came to my church, and listening to the hardships they've had to face made me so much more appreciative of mine. some of the stuff they've dealt with is just unimaginable to me. and it reminded me to be glad for where i live, and what i have, including my "problems." because really, they're nothing on a grand scheme of things, know what i mean?

2. i'm looking forward to: hanging with my friend E! even though i've known her forever we've never hung out before. do you ever have friends like that? it's made me realize that i could've been missing out on being better friends with the people around me because i spent so much time hanging with the same people. i can't wait to finish the conversation we had at the wedding the other day. i'm excited.

3. one thing that'll make my week: realizing that being awkward is NOT the end of the world.

apologies for the lack of best ofs this week, unfortunately, i was add the last link to my draft in evernote when my internet timed out and lost the whole thing. not to worry though, there's some good stuff coming up.

got the photo from here.
for formatting, and the reason i do these, read here.

quick tip;

2009-07-03T14:37:00.002-04:00

When shaving your legs, it's best to go agains the grain for the closest shave. But when shaving your armpits, the opposite it true.

je t'aime;

2009-07-02T17:44:00.006-04:00

(song of the day: battlefield, jordin sparks)

happy thursday! hope all is well. how'd you spend the holiday? the day i had was not the day i was expecting when i woke up yesterday morning, but sometimes it's best that way. just a few updates and miscelleaneous things.

when i check the hair poll the morning there was a tie for both jennifer aniston and zooey deschanel! it's funny when you're presented with two options how you find what you really want? looks like it was zooey all along. my version's a little different, i followed the instructions i found but they really weren't geared towards people with medium hair. i still think it turned out okay. (that wasn't the dress btw, i was still in my pjs when i took this.) anyway, i'm not closing the poll just so i can see which one people really do like better.

in other news, i got my nails done today with L. au moment, i'm wearing parlez-vous opi? i certainly do. i don't know if you noticed, but i'm a bit of a nail polish fanatic =P i'm still a HUGE fan of the france collection. even though it was for the fall, i figure this colour is bright enough for summer, no? L got miami beet, which is my favourite from the south beach line. (anyone else excited for the espana collection??) it was lovely, but then on my way out i had my first OPI matte polish sighting! i was so excited i was giddy, just ask her. i bought gargantuan green grape matte and i'm going to try it out as soon as my mani chips. hahaha. what's on your nails right now??

-xoxo.

(got the photo from here.)

awards;

2009-07-01T13:06:00.005-04:00

i'd like to thank little red for my first ever awards!! hopefully i'll have more to add to this page soon.

current obession; audrey, wait!

2009-07-01T11:43:00.004-04:00

first, happy canada day to you! i hope you're doing something exciting!

so today, i'm wondering what kind of books you're into? more commercial or literary fiction? romance? suspense? i like it all, but today that book that so raptly caught my attention was some teen fiction by robin benway.

usually i'm wary when a book has TOO many of those blurb reviews on the back cover/inside leafs or what have you. but after finishing the book (in under 24 hours :S) i believe the hype.

it's about a girl (audrey) who dumps her egotistical musician boyfriend. the breakup song he writes about her, rises to the top of the charts. the book tracks how her life changes as she's dragged along in the process.

i was wary again, that a story like this could fall into predictable territory. in fact, usually books about girls who become famous bore me. (it's becoming a bit overdone, don't you think?) but the characters totally set this book apart. and i have to say i'm way jealous of the way benway writes. she's got great style.

audrey was a fantastic character: witty, funny and smart. totally would want her as a friend. i love when the background characters have just as much dimension as the ones in the front. and i loved that it had its own soundtrack. some i'd heard of and some i hadn't. but i find it funny that i'm willing to take music suggestions from a fictional character =P

it was a really funny book too. i also have this really annoying habit of laughing out loud when i'm reading, but i just say that's the sign of a good book. i reccomend it if you've ever liked anything by Rachel Cohn. anyway yeah, and amazing and funny story about music and love.

but yeah, what are you in to? what's good?

let me know
-xoxo.

apple a day; tree pose

2009-06-30T13:15:00.004-04:00

(song of the day: i want you back, jackson 5)

heyhey! hope your tuesday's treating you well. mine's going okay. i spent TWO hours on my school website, but i think i've finally got things sorted out now. it's been a long time since i wrote anything health/fitness related. today we're talking yoga. i've got pretty good balance to the tree pose is one of my favourites.

one. begin standing with your feet together and arms down at your sides.

two. place the sole of your left foot as high as it will go on the inside of your right thigh, just like in the picture at left.

three. with your palms up, raise your arms above your head. hold for 5 to 10 deep breaths (30-60 seconds). focus on keeping your breaths slow and steady. easy as that!

over at self magazine, they paired this move with an appropriate calisthenic: a hybrid plié squat. check it out for a real workout and some more poses.

the picture above was also borrowed from self.

love your life;

2009-06-29T10:30:00.006-04:00

(song of the day: running, david archuleta)
for fomatting, and the reason i do this, click here

1. today: i woke up sick and late. but i didn't let it get me down and i'm proud of that. i know the reason it feels like a truck hit me this morning is because i had an AMAZING weekend between weddings and birthdays and die hard. i wouldn't trade it for the world.

2. one thing i'm looking forward to: right now, it's celebrating the birthday of a friend. (love you L!)

3. one thing that'll make my week: if i can find a bottle of arizona's half and half and this quotation.

thanks for the photo trish mccoy!

"The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same."

Carlos Castaneda

best ofs; june 22-26

2009-06-27T09:06:00.010-04:00

(song of the day: for my love, bethany dillon)
(happy birthday L!)

ONE. i know we don't have target here, but i was still pretty excited when i heard anna sui was designing a gossip girl-inspired line just for the store. it's not in stores till fall, but check out a preview of the collecion via the cut. which one would you wear?

TWO. i'm not a twilight fan by any means, but i did find this article pretty funny. it lists ten ways that twilight has ruined a generation of high school girlfriends.

THREE. fan of crude humoured comics? me too. right now i'm reading getsajob. the creator, aaron bowersock gives a historical or pop culture figure an amusing job. like what would happen if picasso got a job designing signs for the city, or if clifford got a job as a seeing eye job. good times. if you have a wiifit you know how funny/annoying this is =P (click to enlarge)

FOUR. ages ago, my friend R sent me this really cool list of 5-minute meals that slim. check it out! let me know if you think there's one i should try.

FIVE. karen over at the makeup and beauty blog gave a rundown of 21 tips and tricks for buying makeup from your drugstore. it's good stuff!

okay, that's all for me. singing at a wedding today. AH! have a good weekend lovely ones.

-lovelovelove.

je t'aime;

2009-06-26T13:27:00.008-04:00

so i'm currently trying to think of what i should do with my hair for the wedding tomorrow. i've already got my makeup sorted out but i'm stumped in the hair department. i have to say i am really not a fan of updos, on the whole. you will rarely see my hair in a ponytail or bun. but updos seem to be the norm most times, no? that or curls, and curls and me don't fare so well on hot summer days. another bummer? my hair's shorter now and i have a hard time doing anything other than leaving it down. and on top of that, have to keep it simple because my sister won't be there tomorrow to help me! here's what i'm looking at so far.

luckily, i found how to's for all of these styles. it shouldn't surprise you that there are two hairstyles here with braids in them. jennifer aniston's is simple enough. it's definitely my fall back if i can't come up with anything more creative.

i'm loving zooey deschanel's, and i've even done something like it before. but i'd have to run out for some sort of sparkly broach/pin tomorrow morning. and i think the waves make it a little more fancy, no?

if i'm going to go the updo route it'll definitely be something like jessica alba's. i'm into assymetry. i'm also loving that it looks kinda messy but in all the right ways. i'd probably leave my bangs out though. so...

or maybe you would suggest something else entirely? i open to anything! i'm watching some avatar and dragging my feet about going to work.

thoughts; you make time for what's important

2009-06-26T11:50:00.010-04:00

(song of the day: everybody knows, john legend)

morning! so today i'm thinking about time. when i was little the days seemed to crawl by, and now i can't get them to stop. my friend's B is getting married tomorrow and it feels like they only started going out just yesterday. it's crazy. things just go SO fast. i mean, it's almost july and it feels like i have yet to do anything with my summer vacation. while i was writing my last essays and exams i made a list of all the things i wanted to do, and they all remain un-checked.

i've always said: you make time for what's important. but never really taken my own advice. usually when i say it, i'm whining about whatever friend blew me off that week. but it applies to me too! i mean, somehow i always find time to (guiltily) read perez, or browse EVERY twitter trending topic or go see a movie i don't even really want to see, or make a late night mcdonald's run, but i've got a novel i've been meaning to write and i haven't even started. i mean, this week has been ridiculously busy and fun, but at the same time i haven't really done much.

when you "can't find" the time for something make time! being too busy isn't always an excuse. EVERYONE is busy. my advice? define what's important to you and then do it. do it right away! don't make time an excuse. it's easier to get things done when you've got your priorities straight. deep down, i realize i always find time to watch reruns of the office, or hang out with people because i love that stuff. even if it doesn't really accomplish anything. in all honesty, i need to put a bigger effort toward getting the important stuff done.

in the next week, i'll be thinking about spending my time more wisely. if writing's what's important to me, that's what i'm going to make time to do. so what about you? what do you need to finally get around to? for more check out this short post for the skelliewag blog, even the comments were helpful.

and one more thought;

here's what i learned from princess protection program. i saw it the other day and one line stuck with me. in typical fashion, the mean girl tries to make a fool of the perfectly innocent good girl. but instead of striking back, instead of getting angry, she replies "no one can make me something i'm not." i'm paraphrasing, but it's so true. don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

-xoxo!

photos from here and here.

quick tip;

2009-06-24T22:20:00.002-04:00

Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going out; it takes time to sink in.

catalogue; eleven

2009-06-23T14:33:00.006-04:00

(song of the day: you and i both, jason mraz)

occasion: church
dress: old navy, $15
brown cami: fairweather, $5
white cardigan: borrowed
silver gladiators: aeropostale, $20

hello summer! i'm loving the weather of late. i wore this to church after the bachelorette and then to my mom's graduation party last sunday. despite a few complications, she did end up being surprised and it was really fun. i don't think i've ever worn as many dresses as i have these last few weeks. i think i'm in love. what's become your go-to summer staple?

love your life;

2009-06-22T09:05:00.006-04:00

so i woke up this morning and i wasn't loving my life at ALL. i'm not actually sure that i want to do this today. but then i remembered that days like these are the reason i started writing this section in the first place. so i press on.

1. today: i'm glad my sister's finally on summer vacation and we can hang out. she's had her head in the boks for WEEKS now. we're having a spa day, and then going horseback riding with our cousins.
2. i'm looking forward to: my friends getting married at the end of the week! and transformers, bien sur.
3. one thing that'll make this week better: Psalm 146.

ironically, this morning i came across some tips over at charade for dealing with your down days. v. helpful. that's all for now!

thanks to meg loves sunshine for the awesome picture.
to read why i do this, and for formatting, see here.

best of; june 15-19

2009-06-19T21:01:00.003-04:00

(song of the day: here we go again, demi lovato)

phew! it feels like i've been more busy than ever since school let out. but, i wouldn't have it any other way. between personal showers, goodbye parties and convocations it's been an awesome week. my mom got her masters and won an award for academic excellence, i'm uber proud. tomorrow's going to be nuts too. work, then a goodbye party, then a bachelorette party. shwew! anyway, here are the best ofs for the week!

ONE. check style bakery's outfit suggestions for bachelorette parties. definitely gave me some ideas as the one i'm going to tomorrow is my first!

TWO. this week i stumbled across the uniform project. it's "an exercise in sustainable fashion." the girl has pledged to wear the same dress for an entire year. the way she accesorizes is amazing and a little bit inpsiring. but she's also taking donations and giving them too an organization that funds uniforms and other school stuff for slum children in india. it's good stuff.

THREE. i've read this EVERYWHERE this week, but still can't help being excited that jimmy
choo is coming to H&M. expect to be lining up for it sometime this fall.

FOUR. attention matte fans! some of you really liked the idea of matte polish when i wrote about it a bit ago. a lot of nail polish brands have jumped on the trend and are slated to release their own matte collections in the near future. but essie has come up with a matte finisher that can be applied over any polish to give it the desired finish. it should be in stores by fall 2009.

FIVE. this week FB from fabulously broke put together this comprehensive list of superfoods everyone should be eating more of. i just wish i didn't find most of them to be really yucky. i mean butternut squash, do i have to? =P

SIX. the latest personal blog i'm obsessed with is "...love maegan." she's got a ton of super sweet outfit posts, and a DIYs that actually don't look too hard to do! that's her at left. i'm loving her tulip dress and the front french braid. amazing!

SEVEN - TEN. if you're anything like me, you've completely forgotten about father's day this sunday. (oops!) check out these gift guides, one from glamour, one from collegecandy, and two from style bakery: one for the traditional dad and one for the hipster dad. but hopefully you've already found something!

that's all! have a great weekend!
-lovelovelove.

contact & subscribe;

2009-06-18T23:40:00.006-04:00

get your (near) daily dose of sunshower style.

you can always bookmark me,

or head back out to the homepage to subscribe to me with your google reader

or

or

Subscribe to sunshower style.

or, you can follow me on polyvore, if that's your kind of thing! i'd love to check out your sets.

more following options coming soon!

.........

i'd love to hear from you! you can reach me at

sunshower.style@gmail.com

top ten; ideas for cutting costs on wedding gifts

2009-06-17T15:20:00.002-04:00

(song of the day: if you only knew, savannah outen)

i'm not a wedding expert by any means. that's why i'm writing these! but i remember i had a particularly unfortunate experience last year. i shelled out $50 for a bridal shower present and then it turned out i wasn't even invited to the wedding. NOT a pleasant experience. i had forgotten back then that it's not so much what you spend as to what you get that matters. the price tag isn't the bottom line, you should find/buy/make something the couple will appreciate. now that times are tough people are evening more understanding. hopefully these gift ideas will keep everyone happy!

it's important to set a budget (1) more and more i'm trying to at least find a goal amount that i want to spend. it makes me more careful when i'm about to go over. and of course, it makes me more careful of the item i pick up. i'm perfectly willing to go over my limit if it's a really good deal. i find that budgets put things in perspective.

i think gift registries are wonderful. it takes all the guesswork out of everything, but when you're a student, not everything on said list is attainable. i think it's okay to purchase a smaller ticket item and then personalize it with a really nice note (2) or something. people don't really write letters any more but they're amazing to receive. chock it full of memories, wishes or advice for the happy couple. or get a group of friends and pool together (3) to get something reaslly nice.but if you're going to d this, don't wait till the last minute.

you can find an item from the gift registry and try and find it cheaper elsewhere (4). this only works if it's the EXACT same item. but if they're registered at the bay and you can save yourself five dollars at wlamart, i don't see a problem with that! just don't forget to notifiy the store that they can cross the item off the list.

i totally suggest giving etsy a browse (5). you could find a one of a kind gifts that they'd love. you may even have something you could personalize. if you're crafty you may even want to try making something yourself. i'm not talking a plaster cast of your palm print. homemade gifts (6) can actually be really nice. the key is to keep them personalized. go with names, or inside jokes,or something special with a memory attached. and keep the couples interests at heart first and formemost. if they're not really into cross stitching, it's not going to be much of a gift.

and if you've got skills of other sorts, you could always offer them (7) as a gift. if you're good with video, you can offer to edit all of the wedding footage taken into a nice dvd for the couple, cause services charge a lot for that. if you're musically inclined ask if the couple would like some free entertainment for the reception. if you're a whiz in the cosmetology department offer to do hair or makeup for the bridal party. maybe you can paint some original artwork for their new home.

some other kind of frual but still v. cool ideas (8): packaging up the perfect movie night (popcorn and video rental coupon included), framing their wedding invitations, putting together a cookbook of foolproof recipes, any kind of scrapbook is lovely really. and then, magazine subscriptions are gifts that keep on giving.

if you're tapped out for ideas, i've never heard of a couple that's complained about getting cash or gift cards (9). they're definitely easier to pack with you! and i think it's perfectly legit to use gift cards you've gotten (10) to buy someone something else. i'm not opposed to using coupons or store credit either.

one last thing: avoid regifting at all costs. if you didn't use it want it, why would anyone else?

anyway, that's it for me, i've got worship practice and some shopping to do!

-lovelovelove.

je t'aime;

2009-06-17T14:12:00.005-04:00

i'm loving this outfit from forever 21. it's soft but not TOO soft you know? but it was her, i'd pull the shorts down just a wee bit more. (you have to squint, but they're there.) haha, i'll defs be recreating this in the future though. it's been a looong time since a catalogued outfit, mostly cause i can't find my camera. haha. more wedding stuff is on its way later today my lovelies!

in other news, forever21 launched their blog last night. there's not much content yet, but the layout alone is enough to get me excited.

don't forget to check product info.

current obession; weddings (part 2)

2009-06-16T17:21:00.004-04:00

about face.

today i'm covering hair and makeup. if you're rolling in money you can always solve the problem by booking a hair or makeup appointment and i will envy you from a far. i had always thought that wedding makeup had to be outdone on complicated but almost everything i read suggested the exact opposite. apparently, the thing to do is to find a fresh, but natural look that highlights the best possible you. especially for summer occasions, sheer and simple looks are the best. in weddings, it's better to look timeless as opposed to trendy.

my first tip? have a test run a few days before. there's nothing fun about running late to a wedding with makeup and hair that you hate. you can make sure you have any thing to need and it won't be too late to incorporate new ideas. you never know where you'll find inspiration, magazines, celebrities, blogs ;) but you never want to try something new the day of.

you have to consider makeup that'll last for the whole day and that will look good in pictures. having a good foundation and concealer are key. it always seems that the tiniest imperfections get amplified in pictures. pick one that matches your skin tone exactly. you also might wanted to choose one that won't get cakey by the end of the day (again, a test run here would be helpful)

a few last makeup notes: avoid matching your makeup to your dress and go with what brings out your facial feautres! in your purse the day of the wedding i suggest carrying oil-absorbing sheets and lip gloss for touchups. lovely!

now as for hair...

take note of the dress code. with formal attire updos are the norm, but you can keep things more simple if you're headed to a daytime wedding. don't go with an updo or curls just because it's the thing to do, choose a hairstyle that compliments your face! round faces should go for volume and height, square faces are flattered by layered, wispy, romantic looks. heart-shaped faces do well with sweep of hair across the brow and oval faces generally look good with anything. do a little googling/experimenting.

the immensely tight bun look is on its way out right now. opt for a cute bedhead bun and accesorize with a sparkly pin, fresh flower or headband. or a cute look like the one in the video. i can see offsetting something like that with some nice dnagly
earrings, coulnd't you?

but don't over do it. after all, all the real attentions supposed to be on the bride ;) and if all else fails, remember that a smile is your best accesory!

-xoxo.

p.s. karen over at the makeup and beauty blog rounded up 101 bridal makeup tutorials for your perousal. even though they're aimed at brides there's plenty of good stuff. tons of videos and tutorials. go nuts!

je t'aime;

2009-06-16T14:46:00.002-04:00

reasons today is awesome: went to the hairdressers, hung out with my aunt, drove for the first time since my little accident, bought lingerie for the first time (still not for me, but it was quite the adventure!), bought the new jonas brothers cd (and i'm loving it) and THEN i found this delicious picture of ed westwick to tide me through a summer without gossip girl.

absolutely fabulous.

got the picture here.

current obession; weddings (part 1)

2009-06-15T17:06:00.003-04:00

dress the part.

so this week there'll be a bit of a focus on weddings. i certainly hope i'm not the only one going to a wedding in the near future, it feels like wedding season is fully underway so i hope these next few posts are useful to you. gosh! there's so much i want to say, but i'm picking out the good stuff.

today i'm covering what to wear. the first key to that is figuring out what kind of attire is required. a couple weeks ago when i announced this series i pointed out a post from fabulously broke that was a pretty good guide for proper attire. you can use the time and place of the wedding as an indicator. afternoon weddings are usually not black tie affairs. even when an invitation says casual jeans are not reccomended. go business casual to be safe. black tie: requires your dressiest look. most weddings fall somwhere in between check FB's cheat sheet for more.

it doesn't really matter if your dress is this or that colour (though i'd say avoiding white at all costs is a pretty safe rule) or is this or that trend. the most important thing is fit! any dress that you have to be stuck in all day (sitting, standing, dancing, taking pictures etc) NEEDS to be comfortable no?

first tip? buy a dress that fits you, regardless of what the tag inside says. if you ask me, the sizing system for women is retarded anyway. if a size 10 makes you LOOK better buy it! even if you're usually a size 4, just cut the tag out to make yourself feel better.

second. know your body and dress accordingly. (i'm talking things like wearing empire-waist dresses if you have a shorter torso, off the shoulder cuts and halter necks diffuse broad shoulders) a dress that fits is instantly flattering!

when buying a dress you always want to consider versatility. formal wear isn't cheap. but i've got no trouble forking over more change for a dress i'll be able to wear more than once. my prom dress, gorgeous pink, bowed contraption that it is, sits alone in my closet. while girls who bought black dresses are free to wear them over and over again.

so the rule of thumb? the simpler the lines of the dress, the more you'll be able to make it look different. considering accesorizing with a belt, ribbon, shrug, broach, statement necklace, or scarf. if you're going to an outdoor wedding try working a floral broach. the real flower will look amazing! and of course changing your hair and makeup around (more on that later this week!) and of course, get it in a colour you love! one that flatters you, and one you'll love to wear over and over again. summer weddings are the perfect time to embrace warmer colours, if that's what you're into.

i leave you with a few quick thoughts:
-hosiery is no longers necessary, but if you choose to wear it, at all costs, avoid panty hose and open toed shoes
-if you're really strapped for cash, trying organizing a dress swap with friends who're going to the same event and all the same size

so that's all for now? but it's not too late to submit your wedding questions to me!

-lovelovelove.

dress by BCBGMAXAZRIA

je t'aime;

2009-06-15T13:49:00.003-04:00

mosquito bites are the absolute WORST! i found four new ones this morning and was none too happy about it. i would not have made it through the weekend up north without benadryl itch spray. i like that it doesn't sting as much as after bite and i find it works better for longer too. unfortunately, i've only seen it in the states - but if you've seen it here let me know asap! i can't even remember what i did before i found it. so i'm asking y'all, how do you cure the itch?

i googled and found this list of 40 mostquite bite itch remedies. you'll never guess what i tried.

some of these sounded like they made more sense than others. but i decided to go for a crazy one! toothpaste! (i used one of those basic cream toothpastes from arm & hammer) it sounds crazy cause it is. i just spot tested on a few-of many- mosquite bites. my results were mixed. it relieved the itch for only a few minutes i feel. and i'm stuck being sticky and rather minty. but i mean, at least i'll have something to do if i ever run out of benadryl spray, heaven forbid!!

so there you go. what i wouldn't do for you, dear readers =P