Things I Love Friday & Canadian Film Day 2020

 

Happy Friday, friends!

Did you know Wednesday was National Canadian Film Day? NCFD Is an annual day to celebrate Canadian movies by watching a great Canadian film.

If you weren't able to celebrate on the day of, here are a few good options to watch today:

♥ Maudie: The true story of iconic Nova Scotia artist Maude Lewis, who had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

♥ The F Word: A Canadian movie starring British Daniel Radcliffe and American Adam Driver, and a story about love, friendship and self-discovery.

♥ The Trotsky: A high school student believes he is the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky and starts a union at his father's factory. Things get more interesting from there.

A few I haven't seen yet but am planning to: Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (about the Oka Crisis, which was part of many millennials' lifetimes), There's Something in the Water (a documentary about environmental racism, helmed by Ellen Page) and The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom (a coming of age story in which Dolly Parton actually has a cameo!).

What's your favourite Canadian film?

Here are some other things that made me happy this week:

♥ "I Love Me" by Demi Lovato ♥ Seafood pizza and crab-stuffed pretzels ♥ Mine and Samuel's love spell ♥ Pink flowers ♥ Doing something creative every day ♥ Gender feels ♥ Feeling good  about my body because I see someone else who's gorgeous and fat feeling amazing about their body ♥ Lizzo ♥ Kicking BDD's ass! ;) ♥ Incredible notes from people I admire ♥ Buying a new book ♥

And a few fun things for you to read:

♥ 50 ways to be ridiculously generous-- and feel ridiculously good.

♥ What to make with all your pantry staples. Totally making those chickpea fritters!

♥ Also: this salad looks amazing.

♥ Have you been having weird dreams during lockdown? Because you're not alone. Man Repeller rounds up 12 really strange quarantine dreams and their meanings.

Sending you lots of love!

Image by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Things I Love Friday & Link Love 10 April 2020

Hi friends!

I know it’s been a while. With all of us cooped up and social distancing, this feels like the perfect time to get back to blogging, and being anything but emotionally distant from one another.

Since my last posts I’ve been struggling with illness and the stress and stigma that come with it, so I haven’t had much chance to write at all, let alone for my own blog. So I’m excited to be back, even though our collective circumstances aren’t so lovely. I hope I can do my small part in brightening your day and offering you resources to help you improve your life in some way.

Let’s start with a gratitude list :)

Things I Love Friday

♥ Getting back to making a weekly gratitude list and sharing it!

♥ The flowers (pictured above) that my boyfriend, Samuel bought me when we went grocery shopping today. They’re gorgeous, but more importantly, the gesture makes me feel loved.

♥ Cute messages from my mom, especially when they involve photos of our cats.

♥ Extra cheese

♥ Painting with watercolours 

♥ The makeshift Passover seder Samuel and I had this morning after he finished work.

Lovely Links:

♥ Roses have been cultivated by humans for 5000 years, isn’t that magical? I learned that-- and have been incredibly soothed by-- Tabitha of Winston and Main’s Daily Flower newsletter. If you love flowers are much as I do she’s definitely worth a follow.

♥ These are really cool handmade facemasks.

♥ 6 Jewish coronavirus initiatives you can support from home.

♥ The Quiet Prejudice of ‘You Are Not Fat, You Have Fat’. 

♥ Visit The Calm Place.

♥ This pizza looks amazing.

♥ How self-work and personal memories nourish creativity. I really enjoyed this interview with illustrator Loveis Wise.

♥ This podcast sounds fantastic.

Have a safe, wonderful weekend!

Things I Love Friday & Link Love 30.5.2014

Yay! It's Friday!

What a week! I hit a few rough patches this week, with my anxiety and Borderline, but things started looking up Thursday, when I wrote, had a heart to heart with my boyfriend and spent some time with my parents. Weeks like this are when I'm especially happy to pen a gratitude list. I hope you'll join me!

It's all about the little things!

♥ It finally feels like summer! ♥ Wearing a pleated maxi skirt and crop top. Fat girls in crop tops forever! ♥ Dozing off next to my boyfriend and feeling him pull me in closer. ♥ Grilled bell peppers. ♥ Compliments from strangers. ♥ "Lolita sunglasses" ♥ Nicki Minaj's new song ("Pills N Potions") ♥ When my cat waits for me to come out of the shower. So cute! 

Link Love 

♥ Sometimes instant gratification is good for you.

♥ I really enjoyed this interview with Kat from Corporette.com. She says, "read everything!". Short and sweet advice. I couldn't agree more!

♥ Your child (or inner child!) will love this free printable Maleficent activity book (via Saving Dollars and Cents).

♥ I finally got to see Mad Men's mid-season finale. Loved it! How about you? My favourite part was Bert Cooper's send off. Can't go wrong with a song and a dance!

How was your week?

Things I Love Friday & Link Love 9.5.2014

I can't believe it's already the second week of May! I thirst for even warmer weather; time for sun dresses and sandals, walks in the park, sipping drinks on downtown patios. Bliss!

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Reading Lolita ♥ Exploring Allan Gardens with my boyfriend. ♥ Yummy glass noodles and sushi with my dad at HoSu. ♥ Broadway singalongs in my bedroom. I can belt it like the best of them (in my dreams, at least!). ♥ Baked brie. Lots and lots of baked brie. Yum. ♥ Misheard lyrics. Ha! ♥

Link Love:

♥ Ellen Page looks stunning in her Flare cover shoot. Um, and she's single, ladies!

♥ Pets may help prevent urges to self harm. Another reason to go hug your cat or dog!

♥  I love 20s singing sensation Helen Kane and you will too. Boop-Boop-a-doop!

♥ This warm spinach artichoke dip looks delicious.

What's on your gratitude or reading list this week? Have a wonderful Friday!

Things I Love Friday & Link Love 11.4.2014

Happy Friday, Sparklers! It's finally starting to feel like Spring here in Toronto, and I couldn't be happier. I'm more than ready to ditch my heavy winter coat and suede boots for sun dresses and sandals.

Next to New Year's, spring seems to be a time when many people make big changes in their lives. It's a time of rebirth, and we see that as inspiration, whether consciously or subconsciously. So I've been paying close attention to my own choices, and finding that I'm definitely on the bandwagon. A new beau (about whom I'm ecstatic!), renewed commitment to being the healthiest spoonie I can be, renewed ambition.

Little things that made my week:

♥ This "rare and beautiful sight"! Haha. ♥ Spearmint gum. Lots and lots of it. ♥ 14 hour phone conversations with someone special. ♥ Rocking the grunge look. ♥ Raisin bread with peanut butter. So simple, so healthy, so yummy. ♥ Skyping with David. ♥ This Pinterest board. ♥

Link Love:

♥ Too cute! This kid was crying... Until he realized he was taking webcam selfies.

♥ I had no idea you could make this many desserts in a slow cooker.

♥ More deliciousness: This garlic butter spaghetti with herbs pasta looks amazing.

♥ Sometimes reading about how successful businesspeople got started can serve as inspiration for budding entrepreneurs. If you're looking for a longer read, Entrepreneurs Turn Their Passions Into Profits is a good one.

♥ 50 fun, cheap dates (that aren't Netflix).

♥ Kristen Bell's live rendition of "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman" is adorable. She sings all three Annas' parts!

♥ I love movie lists, and this is a good one. 

♥ You probably won't make as much freelancing-- but you won't care.

So what's new with you? Tweet me or comment below; I'd love to know! 

Prints of the image used in this post can be purchased on Etsy. All rights to this photo belong to First Light Photo.

Things I Love Friday // 26.7.2013

Weekly wrap-up:

♥ To be completely honest... The past few weeks have mainly been about staying afloat. Sometimes it's especially hard to balance chronic illness with career and social obligations. Having said that...

♥ I had a great time in Niagara and Buffalo! We walked across the Rainbow Bridge to get from Niagara Falls, ON to Niagara Falls, NY. I've never been in two countries at once before! That was pretty cool. And the view of the falls was breathtaking. Afterwards, I went swimming, did a bit of shopping and hung out with Maman and David (who drove all the way from OH to see us :). Oh, and final note about this trip: the Fairfield Inn in Cheektowaga has the comfiest beds EVER.

Super mega love for:

♥ Brunch with Vivian. ♥ Magnum ice cream. Now I get what the fuss was all about! ♥ Putting together a shelf for my office and feeling like a total rockstar for doing it all by myself. ♥ Glitter nail polish. It's a party in a bottle! ♥ Dreaming big. Reeeeally big. And then working to make those dreams come true! ♥ Huge, ice cold bottles of water when it's hot out. ♥ Not worrying about cellulite even though it's swimsuit season. (Fuck that, we're gorgeous!). ♥ EverythingMouse.com (I love reading about Disney!). ♥ Beth Ditto and Kristin Ogata got married! Beth wore Gaultier (and looked gorgeous, obvs). ♥

How was your week?

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 19.7.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Weekly highlights:

♥ I'm on my way to Niagara Falls and Buffalo for the weekend. Little getaways are always fun!

♥ Sick Puppies' new album is out, and it's amazing.

♥ Working with HostelBookers.

Super mega love for:

♥ Pagoda ♥ Ice cream sandwiches. ♥ Rewatching Glee. ♥ Chevron maxi skirts. ♥ Chocolate cupcakes. ♥ Cheap Starbucks drinks. Iced passionfruit tea with a pump of raspberry? Yum! ♥ Buying new lipstick (little indulgences!). ♥

Link Love:

♥ Having trouble accomplishing an overwhelmingly huge task? Make the job smaller.

♥ How do you feel about Rag & Bone's first ever menswear campaign? It stars Michael Pitt so I love it.

♥ 21 things that just aren't fair, so you might as well get over them. I thought #9 and #21 really rang true.

♥ 26 signs you work in social media made me giggle.

What was the highlight of your week?

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 12.7.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ Realizing that, despite an immense amount of fatigue and pain and feeling discouraged, my persistence and ambition never falter. That feels amazing.

♥ Beach day! Chana, Tush, Abbi & I went to Woodbine Beach last weekend. Few things make me happier than swimming in the lake, especially with such great company.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ I ordered one of these stickers. Yay, Hillary! ♥ Ravioli. ♥ Swimsuits that make you say, "wow, I'm hot!". ♥ Ellen Page is a feminist. ♥ Not getting a sunburn. ♥ Midnight blue manicures with lots of glitter. ♥ Sick Puppies' new album is coming out this week! ♥ The ginger cat who keeps coming to my backyard, sitting on a lawn chair and meowing. Too cute. ♥ Michael Pitt. ♥

Link Love:

♥ Marimekko offers a free downloadable monthly desktop calendar. This month, it features a cute black cat!

♥ Make your own maxi skirt!

♥ How Cynthia Rowley Built Her Fashion Dynasty.

I mentioned in an interview that my dream was to design Band-Aids for adults. A few weeks later, someone from Johnson & Johnson called. I tell all my employees: If you want something, put it out there as loudly as possible.

♥ 14 books to read before they hit the big screen.

♥ Matilda stars reunite after 17 years.

♥ 19 Disney characters that could have looked completely different.

Have a great weekend!

Image: Naya Rivera

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 28.6.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ Heading to Ohio! By the time you read this, I should already be in Cleveland. I'm going for the long weekend, to shop, check out museums and spend time with my mom and a family friend. Should be awesome!

♥ Tush and I went to an advance screening of Despicable Me 2 on Wednesday night. Fun! I really want a minion of my own.

♥ Slowly starting to hit my blogging stride (again).

♥ The Socialexis website is up! I'm thrilled to celebrate my first anniversary of being part of such an incredible team of freelancers, founded by Innovator-in-Chief (and all-around awesome person) Alexis Grant.

Super-mega love for:

♥ Friends who postpone beach trips when you're out of town, so that you'll be able to go too. I love you, Chana! :) ♥ Good hair days. ♥ Looking forward to Canada Day. ♥ Cherries. ♥ Using a new lipstick for the first time! ♥ 'Killer Queen'. ♥ Amazing news for LGBTQ Americans! ♥ Feeling inspired. ♥ Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars. Where have these been all my life?! So good! ♥ New, super comfortable sandals. Bonus: they were insanely cheap. Seriously, don't rule out Walmart's footwear-- sometimes it's amazing quality, especially for the price. ♥ Ke$ha. ♥ Wendy Davis' bravery, resilience and cute pink sneakers. ♥

Link Love:

Hillary Clinton being a boss is one of the best YouTube videos in existence.

I'm not impressed with Facebook's addition of hashtags. Neither is The Hairpin. (#thissucks #sobad #amirite)

This might be the teensiest variety store in Toronto.

Kimye leaked a fake baby picture. Brilliant and sneaky!

5 fun places to go in your hometown this summer.

Lastly: Over at The Teacher and the Traveller, Lin and I blogged about 6 Frugal Ways To Celebrate Canada Day & Fab Summer Frocks Under $75.

Enjoy your weekend!

Image Source

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 21.6.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ My mom had a week and a half off work, and it's been great having extra time to spend with her.

♥ Coffee with my best friends is always the highlight of my week.

♥ Getting excited about attending an advance screening of Despicable Me 2. It's not just for kids, y'know! :)

Little things which made me smile:

♥ This photo of Ellen and Portia's shoe closet ♥ Apparently it's weird to have a favourite verb tense. (Mine is subjunctive, by the way). ♥ Sunny summer days. ♥ Nectarines. ♥ Demi. ♥ I'm not sure if this is real, but it made me laugh. ♥

Link Love:

Alexandra Franzen is the best, and this recent article of hers is no different: How to get what you want (and earn karmic bonus points!).

Whenever you open your mouth — or place your fingers on the keyboard — you have an opportunity to add to the love in the world, or subtract from it.

This oven has a 'dedicated pizza drawer'. I think I need it.

5 restaurants with cheap wine in Toronto.

This made me laugh.

DIY satin cord bracelets are chic and look easy to make.

If you have pets, this is required reading: How to keep your furkids safe this summer. Plus, check out the adorable pictures.

Lastly: in adorable news, this cat saved a Japanese train station.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 14.6.2013

Happy Friday!

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

Lots of family stuff is my highlight this week. I feel very fortunate.

♥ Dinner with my Dad.

♥ My little brother won a prestigious athletic award. What a way to finish high school!

♥ My mom has a week and a half off, so we've been working on our side hustles, sipping frappucinos while reading magazines, and just enjoying each other's company.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Rebel Wilson's photo spread in Glamour UK. I especially adore the photo at the top of this post! ♥ This happened. Isn't my mom the cutest?! ♥ Purple nail polish ♥ Grapes, cherries and peaches. They taste like summer! ♥ This ♥ Sweet texts from friends. ♥ Listening to the Tangled and Lilo and Stitch soundtracks on repeat ♥ Jack McBrayer ♥ My freshly steam cleaned- living room. ♥ Cherry cola lip gloss. Smooch! ♥ 'Veronica Sawyer Smokes' (flawless song! flawless). ♥ I bought this dress & can't wait to wear it! ♥

Link Love:

How to get a sexy swimsuit body in less than 5 minutes!

Ever wondered what your favourite Shakespeare play says about you? Flavorwire has you covered! I found this accurate. You?

11 quick tips for writing compelling blog posts.

This is interesting: Mashable lists the top 10 things millennials ask the internet.

DIY animal jar tops are so cute, you'll want to make them yourself!

This Free Self-Love Kit is adorable! (Thanks for the link, Maman!).

Enjoy your weekend!

Image: Rebel Wilson in Glamour UK

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 7.6.2013

Hey, sugar! How was your week?

Mine was pretty good, so TILF time? I think so! (and then scroll down for this week's best reads!). 

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ Lunch with Tush, who's so much fun to be with and the best listener ever.

♥ My mom noticed that I've been doing little things to make her feel better, like making dinner as soon as she gets home, always asking how she's feeling and running errands. That makes me feel good.

♥ Sick Puppies' music video for There's No Going Back just came out, and it's absolutely amazing.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Listening to Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts on repeat all morning. ♥ Hot chocolate. Yum. ♥ One of my favourite books, Le Petit Prince, is about to become an animated movie. Crossing my fingers, because I hope it's incredible. ♥ Looking forward to summer street festivals in Toronto this summer! Read about some of them here. ♥ Reading about Miami and the Florida Keys. ♥ Hawaiian pizza. ♥

Link Love:

How do you feel about this list of the top 10 fictional boyfriends? I've always loved Ron Weasley...

You've gotta love Gob Bluth and his $3000 suits... Come on!

Fellow Twitter nerds, you'll enjoy these posts from Thought Catalog: If Twitter Bios Told the Truth & Your Twitter Timeline Probably.

I was happy to discover an article about Torontonian musician Lights in a local newspaper (and you can read it online).

“There’s so many things that I feel like I’ve already done. It’s frustrating, but I just have to rediscover myself once again, and then triumph.”

On my list of places to go: the newly opened Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville.

With just one click, you can help someone in need!

Finally, I blogged about statement necklaces over at Pastels and Seashells.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Image source

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 31.5.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Hi, darling! I've had an excellent couple of weeks! (Hope you did, too).

♥ Two weekends ago, I had a sleepover with my longtime best friends, Chana, Tush and Shu. We made delicious pasta with cream sauce and broccoli and cheese, stayed up late chatting and sat on the porch swing to enjoy the warm weather.

♥ Last weekend, my mom and I stayed over at my Aunt Suzie's. We stayed up late and made crafts, looked at old photos and chatted about makeup and travel and magazines.

♥ Getting back in the swing of things! I'm rekindling my motivation, writing a lot and working on Facebook marketing. It feels good. 

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Slushies! Cherry mixed with Pepsi is ah-mazing! ♥ Chatting with my new friend, Kathryn ♥ American chocolate bars candy bars ♥ Arrested Development. It's just so good! (Gob is my favourite character. Who's yours?) ♥ This quote. ♥ Writing! ♥

Great Reads, Fun Stuff & Invaluable Resources:

You should wear red to work, says Levo League.

5 ways to maximize your time living at home. 

Carrot tea cake with cream cheese frosting sounds ah-mazing! The recipe is at the source.

Classic books annotated by famous authors. Readers come in two editions: those who write in their books, and those who don’t.

And if you're as stoked as I am about Arrested Development's triumphant return, you'll enjoy these 25 immortal season 4 gifs.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 17-18.5.2013

I've missed you, gorgeous! Thanks to some really painful complications from PCOS, I've been MIA for a little while, but I'm slowly getting back on track. That's something I'm incredibly thankful for. What are you most excited about this week?

Little things which made me smile: 

♥ 30 Rock marathons ♥ Connecting with new people on Twitter ♥ Learning lots from Alexis' webinar on Twitter for Go-Getters. Plus, you can sign up for Lexi's next free webinar here! ♥ Re-reading The Help ♥ Lana Del Rey's Fashion Magazine cover ♥ Working on new content for The Teacher and the Traveller ♥ Electric blue nail polish ♥ New music from two excellent but very different artists: Demi Lovato & HIM ♥

Make the odds be ever in your favor: Career advice from The Hunger Games.

I'm desperate to visit this cat cafe in Budapest!

7 tips for finding your writing voice. 

These Scrabble cookies are adorable.

How to ethically volunteer anywhere in the world.

Lastly, here's a travel piece I wrote with Lin: Mars on Earth: Visit the Cheltenham Badlands.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Things I Love Friday & Link Love 29-30.3.2013

I usually post Things I Love Friday and Link Love separately, on Friday and Saturday respectively, so... Consider this a 2-for-1 deal! Also, if you're so inclined, share your favourite links and moments from the past week, in the comment section below.

My week has consisted of:

♥ A couple very bad days, as far as Chronic Fatigue and Panic go. But I think those are over now. I'm feeling optimistic!

♥ A magical brainstorming session with Marina and Lin, over lattes and brunch.

♥ An epiphany about my Dermatillomania scars.

♥ Press at Toronto's One of a Kind Show (blog post about it coming soon!).

Little Things Which Made Me Smile:

♥ This career advice ♥ Marina and the Diamonds' Electra Heart on repeat ♥ This inspiring quote. ♥ Planning an upcoming mini trip to Newark and NYC ♥ Ryan Gosling's velvet suit. Velvet!!! ♥ Teasing Edward with a laser pointer. Cats pouncing = adorable.♥ An incredibly clean office. (Thanks, Mommy! ;) ♥ This!! ♥ Peanut butter cookies. ♥

Easy, gorgeous spring mason jars. I love the bright colours and totally plan to try this.

How to fail for a month, year or decade and still be okay is packed with advice.

"Do you create anything or just criticize others?" 

A New York freelancer is writing a book about how she lives in Manhattan on $1000/month.

An excellent article from GLORIFY (whose Twitter I run): Eat what makes you feel good-- whether that's raw veggies or a massive cheeseburger.

I adore Morrissey, and find it hilarious how much he hates everyone.

More celebrity news: these male celebs are feminists. Way to go!

Have you ever been to Bali? Indonesia looks beautiful.

The most brilliant thing I've read all week is this article from The Onion:
"Do what you love…in between work commitments, and family commitments, and commitments that tend to pop up and take immediate precedence over doing the thing you love. Because the bottom line is that life is short, and you owe it to yourself to spend the majority of it giving yourself wholly and completely to something you absolutely hate, and 20 minutes here and there doing what you feel you were put on this earth to do."

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Things I Love Friday 15.3.2013

The number 1 thing I'm loving this week is... An amazing, inspiring post from Golda Poretsky at Body Love Wellness. This will change your life (whether you're fat or not, but especially if you're fat).

"You’ve been taught that if someone thinks you’re too fat, or too loud, or too smart, or too dumb, or too whatever, or not enough whatever, that they get to have a say in how you feel about yourself.

So I’d like to introduce you to the deep spiritual practice of

Not Giving A Shit.

You may be thinking I’m joking when I say not giving a shit is one of my main spiritual practices, but I’m not...

Learning to not give a shit about the people who don’t want to work with me because I’m fat was key. And if other practitioners see my fat as an issue, I truly, on a deep level, do not give a shit.

If you notice that you’re holding yourself back from doing something you want to do because of other people’s opinions, it’s time to get on board with this spiritual practice."
Stellar, right?! Read the whole article here.

Some other stuff I lovelovelove:

♥ Finishing my Social Context of Mental Health course at University of Toronto (through Coursera) ♥ Listening to Patsy Cline's Walking After Midnight ♥ Heart-to-hearts with my little brother ♥ Stacks of new magazines to read ♥ Buying adorable zebra print rain shoes ♥ End-of-Winter Green and White Soup with Cheddar Scones (recipe coming soon!) ♥ Not beating myself up over the fact that my CFS was especially bad this week ♥ Weekend plans with new friends! ♥

How about you? What's on your TILF list? Enjoy your Friday!

Things I Love Friday 1.3.2013

Hey, it's March! Can you believe it? Time to enjoy the last of this winter and look forward to spring... Frilly dresses, chocolate bunnies, fresh flowers and long walks in the woods. Exciting! So here's a wrap-up of my week. Be sure to share your own gratitude list (or a link to it) in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ A huge breakthrough for both my business and my confidence.
♥ An excellent dinner with my dad at Positano.
♥ Finally seeing Tush for the first time in months. I've missed her so much.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Listening to my favourite Queen song ("Killer Queen") on repeat ♥ Perfect winged eyeliner ♥ Hours spent poring over travel brochures ♥ Getting compliments for a job well done ♥ When friends absolutely adore the gifts you give them ♥ High scores on extra credit quizzes ♥ The New Black's dark blue nail polish ♥ Chatting with my friend Sherri (she works with me at The Selectively Silent Child, and she's totally awesome). ♥ Snow-covered pine trees ♥ Salon visits ♥ Striped sweater dresses with long chain necklaces ♥ Demi Lovato's new single, "Heart Attack". It's beyond amazing. ♥ When cats push doors open with their heads and announce their presence with meows. Ha! ♥ Suuuper comfy fleece pjs ♥ Candy-coloured decor ♥ Sweet, unexpected text messages from faraway friends ♥ Peppermint EOS lip balm ♥ Poppy seed rugelach ♥ This llama! ♥

Tell me about your week, love!

Things I Love Friday 22.2.2013

Here's what made my week:

♥ Spring is coming! It doesn't feel like it yet-- think icy sidewalks and chilly weather-- but I remain optimistic. I dream of pastel manicures, flirty pinks and sky blues, blooming flowers and outdoor picnics.

♥ Brunch with my dad. Last weekend we dined on amazing Atlantic salmon eggs Florentine and peppermint tea while we caught up. I love that, both being adults now, we're closer than we were when I was a teenager. Now, I look forward to the time we spend together.

♥ I was chosen to model plus size lingerie at an upcoming sex-positive show! I'm so excited. For info about the show (Sexapalooza Toronto), click here. Lingerie & other adult-friendly wares will be on sale. Come say hi!

Super mega love for:

♥ There's a special yoga mat for cats! ♥ Listening to Queen. ♥ Nubby Twiglet's citrus & sunshine moodboards. ♥ Rereading Les Miserables ♥ New twitter followers. ♥ Cream soda ♥ Good mail days! ♥ Catching up on The Big Bang Theory episodes with my mom. ♥ Pizza with sausage, feta and black olives ♥ Flirting! Ooh la la! ♥ Making plans with my best friends. ♥ "LMAO ILY" texts from my dad. LOL, amirite? ♥ Blue & cream stripes. ♥

What made your week, sugar?

Things I Love Friday 1.2.2013

My cat, who spent all day yesterday alternating between ignoring and hissing at me, is currently sitting in a little fuzzy black ball, purring. He keeps getting up and headbutting my elbow, which makes it really difficult to type! He's adorable, though, so I have to forgive him.

This week hasn't been nearly as productive as I'd have liked, in part because I spent so much time beating myself up about not being productive. Isn't it ridiculous that we humans do that?

Nonetheless, here are the highlights of my week:

♥ Wednesday night dinner with my dad. We went from being really close when I was a kid, to not speaking at all when I was a teenager, to actually liking each other again, now. I have a lot of hope for our future. Deep down, I'm still my Daddy's little girl (even if I'm not so little any more.. emotionally or physically).

♥ Finishing my stint as i.seeKissimmee's guest blogger. It was great to not only go 'home' to Central Florida, but to be published on a major tourism site as well. That's huge! Thank you for the experience, Kissimmee CVB!

♥ ...can I say getting cuddles from Edward counts as a highlight of my week? Ijustlovehimsomuch (see opening of this blog post...).

& super mega love for:

♥ The sweetest texts from Tush. ♥ Dressing Edward up in a little red hat. Tee hee. ♥ Starting to plan my next trip-- yes, I already have itchy feet! ♥ Finally posting this (the topic has been on my mind for ages). ♥ Lemon chicken, soft noodles and garlic brocoli ♥ February. That means winter is almost over! I'm trying not to wish time away, but winter is hard for me. ♥ Valentine's Day is coming up! I don't have anything planned, but I'm excited anyway. I like pink, candy and sappy movies. C'est parfait. ♥ Polish & Sparkle has a new header! I hope you like it. ♥

Tell me about your week! I do love your emails, comments and tweets! ♥

Things I Love Friday: (Soon to Be) Homeward Bound

I can't believe I've been in Florida for almost a week! Already, though, it's nearly time to go back to Toronto. It's true: time flies!

I'm sad that I'll be heading back to the cold, away from Florida (where I feel so at home). But I'm trying to look on the bright side. A gratitude list often helps me put things into perspective, so here goes:

Highlights of my week:

♥ Waking up early to watch the sunrise and work on my writing.

♥ Blogging for i.seeKissimmee.com.

♥ Swimming in a gorgeous, moonlit heated pool surrounded by palm trees at Mystic Dunes resort.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Blue glitter nail polish! ♥ Out of this world beignets at the Tomorrowland Cafe in at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. ♥ Finding adorable kitties hiding in my Orlando hotel's courtyard. ♥ 

Pizza with peppers, tomato, sausage and lots of cheese. ♥ Girls ♥ This! 

♥ Scalloped accessories. ♥ Cool nights and hot days. ♥ Red wine. ♥

How was your week, doll?