What’s On My Christmas List This Year

With Christmas approaching faster than ever, I’m getting asked for my Christmas list. Yes, I’m a professional in my mid 30’s and I still provide a list! The truth is that I would be happy with just spending some time relaxing with loved ones. I love everything about this season and one of my favorite things is when my husband and I have our annual Christmas date night where we dress up and go to a nice restaurant. I would honestly be happy with just that! But for those who need something more tangible, this is what I’m wishing for this year:

 

Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Hair Mist – $65

If you have been following my blog for a while you will know that Flowerbomb is one of my favorite perfumes, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw that they make a hair mist with the same scent. I’m new to the hair mist party but I have a feeling I’m going to love it.

Barefoot Dreams Blanket – approx. $246 Canadian

The dream in the brand name is probably more likely where this blanket will be for me, but I can wish for it though right?! I wasn’t sure what the hype was with this blanket given the cost of it… until I tried it in store. It’s so incredibly soft and cozy that I keep thinking about it.

Just about anything from Lush

Bath bombs, lip scrubs, shower gels, massage bars, bubble bars, I love it all! Anything from Lush will make me deliriously happy. When all else fails when it comes to shopping for me, go with Lush.

 

 

Gift Cards – Nordstrom/Aritzia/Sephora

Gift cards are not given the credit they deserve. When you get a gift card for someone you’re not only giving them the freedom to pick out their own gift, you’re giving them the gift of a trip to their favorite store. How can you go wrong?! Answer: you can’t.

 

Does anyone else have a Christmas list? What are you hoping for?

-SS

Choosing Happiness Isn’t Always Easy

This post is going to be a little different to what I usually write about. I do have a list of posts I want to write but I feel as though I need to veer off track for a moment. Yesterday one of my favorite fashion bloggers, Kyrzayda Rodriguez lost her battle with stomach cancer and although she may no longer be with us on earth, her inspiration and positive attitude has made an impact on many, myself included. In her last IG Live post her words to her 300k followers were simple yet powerful:

“What you want to do in life do it now! Don’t wait until the next hour or tomorrow.. no, go do it now!” – Kyrzayda Rodriguez

That one simple statement is really making me think and reflect. I have am spending so much of my life unhappy lately and I’m so tired of it. I want a change and I need to make it happen. Or, I at least need to be open and honest about how I feel.

Fall always brings a plethora of emotions for me. I suffer from severe seasonal depression (SAD), so when most people are excited about the leaves changing color and the start of the season of all things pumpkin, I’m just focused on how to keep my head above water for the next 8 months. In addition to the SAD, I’m a true summer soul and pumpkin spice lattes and the boots/leggings/scarf obsession just makes me want to run away.

On top of the feelings that I get from the change in seasons I’m feeling especially overwhelmed with some other aspects of my life. On the surface my life seems like it’s perfect. I have an amazing husband and a great marriage, two awesome pets, a beautiful home, a nice car, a closet full of clothes, great vacations… you get the picture. But the truth is that on the inside I feel as though something is missing. I have felt like this for a long time and it also consumes me with guilt because it makes me feel like the things I do have aren’t good enough, which is so far from the truth. My reality is that both my job and the city I live in make me unhappy every single day.
My mental health suffers daily because of those two things and trust me, I’ve tried it all to feel better. I could go on and on about how they make me unhappy but I can’t go down that rabbit hole. I’m dealing with almost two decades of unhappiness caused by both of them because no matter how hard I try to make them work, they never will, because they’re not right for me. The only thing that will work for me is change, and the only person who can make that change happen is me. At this point in time I don’t know what this looks like so stay tuned I guess!

On the positive side, this is where fashion and beauty come in. I have always been interested in fashion and beauty and it has always been a passion of mine, but as I get older I realize that it’s much more than that. It’s an escape for me. A way for me to focus my mental and emotional energy in a positive way rather than the struggle I feel in my day to day life.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening and for accepting my little space in the world where I feel as though I can share this. I’m so thankful that I have somewhere I can go to share the things I care about where I feel free from the judgement I feel in my daily life.

-SS

FabFitFun Fall 2018

You know that a new season is on the horizon when it’s FabFitFun time again! The Fall box completely took me by surprise this year by arriving about 3 weeks earlier than normal. A great thing to come home to after a somewhat challenging day.

 

As usual, I tore into the box as soon as it arrived leaving me with little opportunity to take some good pictures, but I just couldn’t wait to see what I got and start using everything.

 

All subscribers receive the following:

• Glam Glow Bubble sheet masks – you actually get 2 of these but I used one right away.
• Beautyblender – I was SO excited to see this in my box. I’ve been a big BB fan for a while now and I needed a new one
• Simply Whimsical tea towels – they’re grey and white, which is just perfect for my decor!
• Skin & Co Roma Blue in Capri shower gel – this smells SO fresh, and I needed a new shower gel
• Luna Rica Cashew Butter Fruit & Nut Bar in salted caramel nut – this is a free sponsored item – I haven’t tried this yet but it looks delicious!

The following 3 items are choice items for all members:

• Choice #1: Vince Camuto tote bag or Crown Pro makeup brush set – Despite being a huge Vince Camuto fan, I went with the makeup brushes. I just didn’t need a tote bag and I always need makeup brushes
  

  
• Choice #2: Alfred French Press or Teapot – I went with the french press because I already have a teapot and I have never used a french press. I haven’t tried it out yet but I’m excited to!
  

  
• Choice #3: Catherine Malandrino umbrella (in white or red), or Cylo Cobra Wireless Earbuds (in white or black) – I desperately needed an umbrella especially with our upcoming trip to England so this was a no brainer for me.
  

  

Finally, the following are choice items for Annual subscribers. Seasonal subscribers will be surprised:

• Choice #4: Farmacy Dew It All Total eye cream, Touch in Sol Metallist Liquid Foil Lipstick Duo in “Penny”, or Cuccio Somatology Yogahhh! Bath Detox. I received the lipstick
  

  

  
• Choice #5: Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant, Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream, or Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser. I received the exfoliant.
  

  

  

If you are having a hard time deciding on which choice you would like, all members have the option of having FabFitFun pick for them.

 

The Fall box is not quite sold out yet so to grab one for yourself (or for a gift) head to FabFitFun to sign up!  They also offer special edition Editor’s Boxes once the seasonal ones are sold out. If you sign up through my link you receive $10 off your first box 🙂

-SS

My Favourite Drinks

September Writing Challenge #23 – My Favourite Drinks

This is kind of a fun post, it’s also really easy to write about because I have no variety in what I drink. I just stick to three things and that’s it. Exciting right?!

1. Wine: What does it say about me that this is the first one I listed?! I seriously love wine though. Rose, white, red, sparkling… doesn’t matter, I love it all!
   
2. Coffee: Either my regular “half sweet soy vanilla latte” from Starbucks, iced coffee in the warmer months, or black with two sugar cubs Nespresso from home, doesn’t matter. I love coffee and I need it every day!
   
3. Water: I try to drink water all day, even though we all know that it can be difficult at times, but it makes such a huge difference to my health, my mood and how I feel all day that it’s worth it. I often add lemon, mint, ginger and cucumber to spice it up a little, but usually it’s just me and plain ol’ water.
   

That’s it. That’s pretty much all I drink. I would love to hear some new suggestions!

-SS

My Fridge Staples

September Writing Challenge #21 – My Fridge Staples

Ok, how boring does the title of this post sound?! I mean, does anyone really want to know what I keep in my fridge? It’s part of the writing challenge though so I have to do it. So what do I always have in my fridge:

• Beer & wine: Kind of goes without saying. Beer for Mr SS and wine for me (or both of us, depending on the day).  We usually have an assortment of beer in the fridge comprised of whatever we have leftover from 6 packs we have purchased, or that people have left at our house. As for wine, most of the time I end up getting a bottle the day I want it, but I try to keep a bottle of white (chardonnay or pinot grigio), rose (French), red (cab), and prosecco in the house at all times. You never know when you might need it!
• Lemons: One thing I love in the morning is warm lemon water. I don’t really know if it’s as beneficial as the internet always says, but I drink it anyway. SOmething about it wakes me up and makes me feel good in the morning, so that alone makes it worth it to me. I usually always have a bowl of pre-cut lemon wedges in the fridge for convenience.
• Chef’s Plate: This is something that warrants a blog post of it’s own, but I do need to mention it here because we pretty much always have a meal ready to go in the fridge. Chef’s Plate is a meal delivery service where you get 2-5 recipes delivered to you each week (you pick from a menu) with all of the ingredients ready to go. We have been using it since February and are obsessed, it makes our weekly menu planning so much easier and we avoid the “what’s for dinner” argument each time.
• Feta Cheese: I love feta! It goes with everything, it’s delicious alone, and even though I’m lactose intolerant, for some reason I don’t have any issues with feta. Definitely a fave for me!
• Hot Sauce: I can’t live without hot sauce! Easily my favourite condiment and our house definitely always has a collection of different brands.

-SS

How I Spend Time Alone

September Writing Challenge #9 – How I Spend Time Alone

This post could seriously not be more perfectly timed! As I write this on a Saturday night home alone, I have a face mask on, some candles burning (Jo Malone, of course), a glass of wine, dog curled up on the couch beside me, and the TV is playing re-runs of Sex and the City. Sounds like heaven? Too cliche?!

I’m married so I obviously live with my husband, which means that whenever I get some time alone, I have to make the most of it. We don’t spend a huge amount of time apart; random special event vacations, an annual golf trip (him, not me), out of town work trips once in a while. Right now we’re in the middle of the annual golf trip… he left yesterday morning and gets back Monday afternoon.

During the day if I’m not working I have a total girls day. This morning consisted of a special VIB Rouge event at Sephora, spending way too much on “Fall essentials” at the mall, lunch of avocado toast, nail appointment and a Starbucks date. If it’s during the week then I’m usually at work so other than going to bed alone, my days aren’t that different than usual. Night time I take the opportunity to pamper myself and relax!

Here are my personal essentials for spending time alone:

• Spa time. I’m talking the full package – bubble bath, face mask (hello, current fave face masks!), eye patches, pedicure, and anything else that makes your body look and feel amazing
• Wine. No explanation required!
• Vegetarian food. This is probably just me, but I absolutely love vegetarian food and I take every opportunity I can to have meatless meals. When Mr SS is home, we usually have some kind of meat or poultry so I really relish in the time alone to eat only vegetarian, and also try new veg recipes. Tomorrow I’m planning on trying a recipe for vegan “tuna” melts that I found on Pinterest
• Shopping. In person, online, doesn’t matter
• Favourite TV shows/movies. One time when Mr SS was out of town, I watched the entire season of Orange is the New Black in one day, another time I watched three seasons of Girls in two days. Lately, I’m just all about SATC and because, really, when am I not all about SATC?!
• Depending on how long the alone time lasts, sometimes I work on a project that I find difficult to complete when he’s out of town. Last time it was our closet, which happens to need to be organized again. This time I’m too busy at work so tomorrow will probably be spent doing work stuff instead 😦

How do you like to make the most out of your time alone?

-SS

10 Things That Make Me Happy (right now)

Sept Writing Challenge #1 – 10 Things That Make Me Happy (right now)

No Friday Favorites this week, not because I don’t have any favorites to talk about, but because I didn’t have any time to write it this week! Probably not the best start to the month, but whatever, not much I can do about that now!

Thinking about a new month brings me to my post today. I decided that since my blog is new, I would create a writing challenge for myself. My goal is to blog everyday in September…. this is probably an insane idea, especially with all that I have going on this month, but I have never been the kind of person to do things half-assed!

I wanted to start with a post about 10 Things That Make Me Happy right now and why. I want to revisit this in a few months to see if it’s the same, and to see what changes as time goes on.

So, as of September 1, 2017 (ugh! Fall please take a step back, I’m so not ready to say goodbye to Summer yet), here is my list of 10 Things That Make Me Happy (right now):

1. Long weekends
   This one is kind of a given since it’s the start of the Labor Day Long Weekend. September is shaping up to be one of the busiest months I have had at work in a long time so in preparation for that, I took a couple of vacation days to extend my 3 day weekend into a 5 day weekend. So far it’s just started and I am loving it! Seriously, is there a better feeling than not having to set your alarm and knowing that you have absolutely nothing to do that day?! Even better when it can last for 5!
2. Massage
   Again, another one that’s just so fitting right now. I have been dealing with some sciatic pain for the past ~week and my shoulders and neck have felt super tight. I keep telling myself I need to go for a massage but for whatever reason, never seem to actually book one. I made sure that I had one booked to start my long weekend and it was ah-mazing! Totally worth it and totally making me happy right now.
3. My job
   If you had told me a month ago that I would list my job as something that’s making me happy, I would have laughed you out of here. My job has been causing me So. Much. Stress. for so long that I actually never thought I would be in this situation right now, but yet, here we are! My nightmare boss was let go a couple of weeks ago and I have been able to clear my head and really re-engage in my job. Who knows if this will last forever, but for now I’m going with it.

4. Magazines
   I know that the world of media has changed so much and magazines just aren’t really “in” anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them. Vogue, InStyle, Cosmo, Glamour, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Canada… I love them all! I especially love the really heavy ones (hello September Vogue issue!). You often hear that it’s the small things in life that keep you happy, but when it comes to magazines, it’s so true for me. The fashion, the beauty, the perfume pages. So much happiness!
5. Online shopping
   Don’t get me wrong, I have been online shopping for years, but for some reason lately, I’m *really* getting into it. It seems as though I have a package coming almost every day, it’s keeping me away from the mall and opening my closet up to so many new items that I usually wouldn’t find. Love, love, love it!
6. Summer weather
   Does this one need an explanation?! Usually Calgary summers aren’t that great. We get a few nice days here and there but that’s it, and last year was just completely awful. This year however, has been AMAZING! So many days over 30C, no rain, hardly any wind. Just complete perfection for a summer worshiper like myself!
7. Travel
   This is probably not the travel description that most people would expect. I am not a traditional “traveller” in the sense that I will go anywhere and do anything. We usually go to the same places and I’m 100% ok with that. I travel a few times a year and it’s mostly to different places in the US. This year we skipped our annual trip to Hawaii to stay home with Shandi, but we added New York to our travels this year and OMG, I am in love. Although I only went to a few places this year (NYC, California, Las Vegas), I am so thankful and so happy for the opportunity to go to different places and get out of town for a bit.

8. My Family
   My little family is just that, little. It consists of myself,  my husband (let’s call him Mr SS), our 8 year old puggle and an 11 year old cat. We’re far from perfect but they all make me happy every single day. I’m so thankful to have all 3 of them in my life and I remind myself of that as often as I can.
9. Our home
   Mr SS and I live in a typical, suburban 3 bedroom, double attached garage home and I love it. Every day when I come home, it doesn’t matter how my day was because I love this house so much. Just spending time here makes me happy and, cheesy as it sounds, I feel so lucky to be able to call this beautiful house our home.
10. Shandi
    This one is a little tough to talk about… Shandi was my everything. She was my sidekick and my entire world for 11 1/2 years. We had to say goodbye to her 4 months ago and I miss her more than words could ever describe. I would give anything to cuddle with her and pet her one more time. But, heartbreak aside, I am so, so thankful and happy that I was fortunate enough to have her in my life. As hard as it is to lose someone who meant so much to you (fur baby or not!), I feel happy every day when I look at her pictures and think about the memories we have together.

That’s what is making me happy right now! What about you guys?

-SS