Month: November 2014

Let’s shop: ALDO!

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Schvitz. Puce. Aubergine. All words that are just as fun to say as they are to hear.  But none sound as good to my ears as the word discount. So naturally I jumped at the chance to attend ALDO‘s grand re-opening Sunday at the Bayshore Shopping Centre. In addition to 20% off everything in the store, the A-List event promised a few happy surprises and even a little swag. Woot! Here’s some of the highlights.

Our hostess with the mostest: Marilou Moles, ALDO’s local style ambassador and founding blogger of Twenty York Street. Marilou offered style advice, drew the lucky winners of three ALDO gift cards and one winners’ choice of any shoes or boots in the store (luck-ee!) and curated a collection of her favourite items, including some of the hottest new arrivals.

The booties! I mean, c’mon!

And the shoes! (VALLIO and BROLETTO) Hot hot hot!

Jen of Loafers and Polish eyed some of the sparkly accessories.

And my girl Carolyn of The Fashion Fix upped the ante on her daytime glam with a make-over by one of two MAC makeup pros.

I could have stayed in the chair all day (it felt so good!). But we had shopping to do! (Thanks for this picture, Marilou!)

Carolyn had been looking for a headband to give her mother for Christmas and found the perfect one.

I fell in love with this bag (hello dear friend!) but left it at the store for another day. What I really needed was a good pair of warm winter boots, preferably ones that wouldn’t make my legs look fat. (You know what I mean?)

These ones don’t make my legs look fat, do they? I hope not, because they’re the ones I bought, along with some special wipes to keep the salt away. The boots have a cozy lining that should keep my feet toasty warm.

On Carolyn: LAMPLEY.

On Marilou: PASSARELLO.

And on our way out, swag bags for everyone! You totally want to know what’s inside, right? Well I’m going to show you! (I’d want to know too!)

A classic pair of sunnies, the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar, some pretty little ear candy and a long tiger-tooth necklace.

There’s no party like a shopping party! And ALDO knows how to throw one. Watch for A-List events in your area!

Five things

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You know those rare moments you desperately want to capture on camera only you can’t take a decent photo to save your life? That. I’m just home from the most fantastic, unusually glamorous week in Toronto and I have maybe two or three pictures I’m happy with, dammit. Pictures are all! I would have loved to show you great shots of the makeover station, smoothie bar and festive tablescapes at Wednesday’s special event for Target REDCard holders at the Toronto Stockyards, but they’re just, I don’t know, meh. This is the best I’ve got. Fortunately it was also the highlight. I mean, Sarah Richardson! Woot!

The accomplished decorator, designer and television host signed copies of her new book, Sarah Style.

I also attended the fashion and beauty blogger conference, Spark Sessions, saw a taping of CityLine and a live show of The Social and snapped up some great goodies from the new TOMS for Target line. (One for one for all!)

The week before, my favourite flower shop, Bloomfields, was just starting to introduce a few holiday items into the mix. Among the gorgeous hand-tied bouquets and cactus in the cutest little pots were the most charming Christmas ornaments, the little foxes in the drawer. Don’t you love?

The kids asked for seconds of this Easy Skillet Chicken Parmesan, so we’ll add it to the rotation.

Influenster sent us a copy of the new Monopoly Jr. to review (more on that in another post).

And my latest DIY was published on So Fawned Lifestyle (formerly So Fawned). Will you try my DIY mason jar cake plate?

Or maybe just the doughnuts. That’s fine too.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Which chair to choose?

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Good news, mes amis! No, great news, friends! This week Urban Barn announced the winner of its dining hack contest and wouldn’t you know, it’s me! The gourd tea light holders I made for sofawned won me the title Hostess with the Mostest and a $2,500 gift card to spend at the store. So fun, right? I’ve been wanting to replace our living room chairs for a couple of years –they’re an eyesore after a decade of wear n’ tear — so I think I’ll put most of it toward a new pair. But which ones? Will you help me decide? These are the four in the running:

1 Chester 2 Devon 3 Groove 4 Russ

I’ve had my heart set on the Chester (#1) for months, sitting in it whenever I was in the store and trying not to drool on the upholstery. It’s got a gorgeous tall back, elegant lines and it’s incredibly comfortable, but when I look at it here with the other chairs and our couch I wonder if it would be the best fit. It’s much more traditional in design, while our couch has a mid-century modern feel. It’s this one here, from eQ3. (You can also see it here in our living room.)

Reverie

See what I mean? We should probably go with something more boxy, no? The upholstery is another thing altogether, but we’re probably best to choose a solid since living room is already a cacophony of pattern and colour. The couch is teal against a peachy-brown brick wall and faces two chairs set against a white-and-black wallpapered wall. (Gosh that sounds hideous! But it works. Really.) Maybe I’ll get your thoughts on the colour when we’re at that stage.

But for now, which chair? Should it be the Chester, the Devon, the Groove or the Russ?

Thanks again to Urban Barn for the chance to win and the very generous prize. I can’t wait to go shopping!