February Favourites

Here's a little list of the things I'm loving this month:

Tangle Jr. -- These make great fidget toys for people with anxiety or impulse control disorders.
Brita bottle -- Buy yours here! Free shipping on Canadian orders $25+. Practical, portable, and it makes tap water taste good.
Troll dolls -- How could you not smile when you see these?!
Old Navy polar fleece scarf -- The scarf pictured is similar. Cozy, practical and cute.
Striped sweaters -- See above! Cozy, practical and cute.
Blue glitter nail polish -- I like Nails Inc's "Royal Arcade".
Lap desk -- It helps keep my laptop from overheating, and is comfortable for hours.
Dairy Milk Cookie Crunch -- Yum. Just yum.
Sparkly hair clips -- Mine were a gift, but you can get some at the dollar store (!!), Ardene or Etsy.

Want your product or site featured in this new series of monthly favourites? Contact me for information.

Full disclosure: I purchased all of these items myself (unless otherwise specified). This post is not sponsored in any way, however an affiliate link is included in this post. Thanks for supporting Polish and Sparkle!

The Polish & Sparkle Holiday 2012 Gift Guide

Still haven't gotten your Christmas shopping done? No worries! Check out these items; there's bound to be the perfect gift here for at least one of the ladies on your list!

The gift that keeps on giving: A Julep Maven, Glymm or a good old fashioned magazine subscription.

Mix-and-Match Cookie Tin: A delicious present you can put together yourself.

Body Image Boost: A plush size yay! scale or body positive anthology would be the perfect present for any woman in your life.

Music to her ears: Beef up her playlist with some great jams.

Festive bubble bath: Ahh, luxury!

Indulge her intellect: An Indigo or Barnes and Noble gift card lets her pick out her own great read.

Champagne: Whether she enjoys it as an extravagant just-because treat or on New Year's Eve is up to her.

Julep and Glymm are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Polish and Sparkle!

The One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale 2012

The One of a Kind Christmas Show & Sale is a great opportunity to buy gifts for family and friends (and a little something for yourself!), support local artisans and get in the holiday spirit.

Since 1975, the show has been a festive fixture in Toronto and now, in its 38th year, it's better than ever-- not to mention the largest consumer craft show in North America.

Here are some of the things you'll find at the show this year:

 Gorgeous handcrafted ornaments, including matryoshkas.

 Cupcakes bath soaps! They smell so good, you'll want to eat them.

 Wooden bookmarks. These would make a great stocking stuffer.

Me, with my media pass.

The show is on until 2 December at Toronto's Direct Energy Centre. For more information, visit The One of a Kind Show website.

All photos by Rebecca Esther. I received a free press pass, but that does not affect my review. All opinions expressed are my own.

8 Things To Do This Black Friday

Note: This article is especially for my American readers, who are celebrating Thanksgiving today.

Instead of rushing to the mall tomorrow, here's how you could be spending Black Friday:

1 Shopping online instead. No crowds, so you can take your time. Less stress, so you'll probably spend less money. And you can stay in your pj's.

2 Writing a Things I Love Friday list. Thanksgiving should be every day!

3 Curling up with a great read. Pore over your favourite blogs' archives or choose an exciting novel.

4 Whipping up a yummy, light, post-Thanksgiving brunch for yourself and your family.

5 Taking a day trip to Canada, where we don't observe Black Friday quite as fervently!

6 Looking into setting up a savings account. Save instead of spending!

7 Skimming through the Polish and Sparkle Link Love archives.

8 Giving yourself a DIY mani-pedi. Go all out with warming scrubs and gorgeous polishes.

How are you going to spend Black Friday?

Image Source: SomeEcards

This Summer's Best Graphic Tees & Where To Buy Them

Graphic tees are awesome. You can dress 'em up with pumps and a pencil skirt, or kick back and just pair an old favourite with comfy jeans and sneakers. Great tees can be found for 5 or 10 dollars a pop or can be easily DIY-ed, making them an affordable way to upgrade your wardrobe. And best of all, a fab picture or phrase can effortlessly add that 'little something' to even the simplest of outfits.

I've rounded up some of the very best graphic tees this summer has to offer, in a wide variety of sizes and styles, in online and brick-and-mortar shops, and in different price ranges, plus ideas for where to buy them. There's bound to be a few for you!

♥ Plus Size Barbie. Comes up to 4x. I'm waiting for this one to arrive in the mail, actually! I couldn't resist buying it, because really, who doesn't wanna be a plus size barbie? From the same store, Not Photoshopped is pretty cute!

♥ Whenever I'm in the States, I love to stock up on tops at Target. They're cute and affordable, which is perfect for my wardrobe and wallet. Last time I was in Buffalo, I bought this one, which has Mickey Mouse on the front and neon pink stripes on the back. This weekend, I'm hoping to snap up the Hello Kitty one just like it! Other options from Target include: "Beautiful" (because you are!), "Captain Julius" and "USA".

♥ If you're looking for something a little different, try a trapeze tank, a crop top or a handkerchief hem top.

♥ Thrift stores and eBay can be great sources for cheap, unique t-shirts. Also try etsy for vintage ones!

♥ Let your geek flag fly! Show off your fandom love! I'm partial to Kingdom Hearts and Big Bang Theory.

♥ For more t-shirt ideas, follow my t-shirts Pinterest board!

Which tee is your favourite?

Full Disclosure: I have not been compensated in any way by any of these companies whose tees have been featured.