Give Thanks

Today my family and I will be feasting on delicious food (turkey for them, tofurkey for me!) and enjoying each other's company. I give thanks for my amazing family and friends, our safe country and everything that the Lord has blessed me with. Please excuse me while I prepare to indulge! Happy Thanksgiving loves!

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juicy red

An old post I had written (think August) that never got published, so here she be!

 

Curled my hair, painted my lips red and put on some heels. Feeling a little fierce! 

12 Before 2012 update!

Hey y'all! I just thought I'd drop in today to share a quick update with my 12 Before 2012 progress!  

• I finished reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets last week, and am about halfway through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The funniest part of my experience while reading last night was a reminder of my 12 year old obsession. This newspaper clipping fell out while I was getting my HP on:

Oh yes, I was madly in love with Ben Afleck (think Pearl Harbour)! This is part of the reason why I love re-visiting things from my childhood!

• I made 2 bracelets two weekends ago, but never got around to sharing them with you. Here they be: 

Beads, wire and a clasp.  

Braided yarn with a clasp.

• I've lost 5 more pounds since my last weigh-in, which brings me to 65 total pounds lost! Only 10 more to my goal weight! I think I can manage that before the dawn of the new year!

That's all I wanted to share today. I'm so glad that I'm slowly ticking things off of my "to do" wish for this year- it makes me feel as though I'm accomplishing something! 

{top image via/text edit by pinkazaleaparadise}

(royal) weekend recap

Well loves, it's Monday again. This past weekend I took a jaunt to my parent's for some TLC (television, laundry, cooking- haha!). We went to Aberfoyle's Special Antique Show, and it was quite the sight. There were hundreds of vendors and tons of people milling around. I saw quite a few oddities and beautiful things. I didn't purchase anything, but I got a ton of ideas for my future dwelling (and it was also something I wanted to do on my 12 Before 2012 list). Later that afternoon, we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. I can't put into words how gorgeous and relaxing it is there, so I will let my pictures do the talking:

 I will be channeling the inner peace I found there during this hectic week. I highly recommend going there if you ever get the chance!

Dreams

Thinking about the future...

picture via/text edit by pinkazaleas

red + emerald

Almost a week since I last posted? Shameful. I'm here today to share a colour combination that has been inspiring me for the last few weeks. There's nothing more dramatic and elegant than vibrant, red hair contrasted with a deep emerald or teal. Since I've been known to have red hair (albeit not as deep or rich as these ladies), I've been taking cues from them and wearing deep jewel tones more often to really contrast my hair. It makes a bold statement, and screams confidence- just take a look at them!

Emma Stone takes it a notch further with deliriously sexy red lipstick. 

Drew Barrymore in an Emilio Pucci gown. Fabulous. 

Jayma Mays looks classy and cute with a sparkly scoop neck. 

Russian model Ulayna Sergeenko looks vintage-y sleek in her fall 2011-12 lookbook. 

Blake Lively always looks stunning, and her new red hair is no exception. 

Pantone's fall Fashion colour report for fall 2011 has also been providing me with some guidance for the "it" colours of the season. It's no surprise that deep teal is red hot this fall. I'm also loving "phlox" and "cedar" which I think would look equally gorgeous on these red-headed celebs. 

Which Pantone fall colours speak to you? Do you think red hair and emerald is passé, or ingenious? I'd love to hear what you think! Have a colourful day, loves!

12 Before 2012 update!

Settling back into routine at school has kind of put my 12 Before 2012 list on the back burner, but I have managed to accomplish some small feats. One of my goals is to re-read the entire Harry Potter series. Last night I finished reading the first book in the Harry Potter series (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for those of you who don't know). I plan on starting the second one tonight. It's a great way to relax and unwind after a busy day because it's an interesting and easy read. I can't believe there are so many details I'd forgotten over the years! 

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Another thing that I've been working on from my list is my weight loss. As of a few days ago, I had lost another 5 pounds, which puts my total weight loss at 60 pounds! It's surreal that I've accomplished this, but I intend to keep going. I don't own a scale here, because I found it far too easy to become a slave to the scale. I've started a combined workout regime of walking and pilates, and I keep eating healthy food choices, so hopefully the pounds continue to come off. Even if they don't come off as quickly as I would like them to, I feel great because I'm taking care of myself, and I feel accomplished, proud, and confident. 

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Now you're all caught up on my progress so far... 3 and a half months left of 2011 (that feels almost unbelievable as I type that... because that means I'm only in class for that much longer- eek!).