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 & 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?

Things I Love Friday 28.12.2012

It's the last TiLF of 2012! I can't believe it.

This week...

♥ I started planning for 2013. I think it's going to be a great year!

♥ I had coffee with Lin and Warren. It was wonderful to vent about the stigma attached to mental illness, in/visible disabilities, and how religion impacts coping strategies. Sometimes you just need a sounding board for those sorts of things. The cherry Italian soda was pretty good, too.

♥ My best friend, Chana, slept over on Boxing Day. Ilovehersomuch. We drank red wine, discussed plans for the new year and listened to Metric. Chana one of those precious people who, no matter how long it's been since you've seen them, you pick up right where you left off.


Little things which made me smile:

♥ Revisiting my teenage playlists. The Used, anyone? ♥ Trying on plastic tiaras at Dollarama ♥ Brunch with Vivian ♥ The Mindy Project ♥ A HUGE Dairy Milk bar... yum!

♥ Signing up for a Women and the Civil Rights Movement course with Brigitte (so we're kind of college buddies even though she's in Texas and I'm in Ontario?! Yes!!) ♥

♥ 'I love you' texts from my Mom, just because. ♥ The first snowfall ♥

♥ Tush is coming home from India this week! ♥ Crash Love ♥ News about this film. ♥

How was your week? What are you most looking forward to in 2013?

Things I Love Friday: 14.12.2012

This week:

♥ Just a few days until I'm done my copywriting class-- that means I'm one third of the way to completing my web writing certificate at U of T!

♥ This past weekend I had an amazing time at my Aunt Suzie's. We made crafts and drank coolers until past midnight. Pretty much my definition of a good time.

♥ I did quite a few hours of Copy Consultation. It was fantastic. My clients are the best! (And you can be one of them... hint hint).

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Wearing striped sweaters... lots of 'em. ♥ Peppermint Mocha lattes ♥ These cats ♥

 Welcome to the Rileys (didn't exactly make me smile, but it was a great film). ♥ Pizza buns 

♥ Letting go. ♥ My new favourite app ♥ Flyleaf's Fire Fire ♥ Chauncey ♥

♥ Metallic blue nail polish ♥ IKEA MONKEY!!! ♥ Cozy cable knit socks ♥

♥ Laughing at myself for thinking the golden tamarin is called "golden tamarind"... oops! ♥

♥ Glittery eye shadow. Best Channukah present ever?! ♥ Planning for the new year ♥

What was the highlight of your week?

Things I Love Friday 7.12.2012

As I start this week's TiLF, I'm inspired by a quote my mom emailed to me:

Isn't that just beautiful? So optimistic and empowering. I love it!

This week....

♥ I'm almost done my copywriting course at U of T! I've learned a lot and feel very accomplished. I earned 100% on my last assignment!

♥ My bronchitis is finally going away.

♥ I made a video to welcome you to Polish and Sparkle! The lighting is a little wonky because I'm not used to vlogging, but it's the thought that counts, right? Right?

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Wearing earrings my best friends bought me (huge, vibrant flowers from Tush and a sweet little R and E from Chana). I feel pretty! ♥ Spending Tuesday with my mom. ♥ Buying a yellow and grey striped sweater dress (which I am obsessed with!). ♥ Sweet messages from Stacy. ♥ Lea Michele & Amber Riley's rendition of Take Me or Leave Me (from Rent) on repeat. ♥ My 'home state', Florida, is "the undisputed winner of WTF". I love you, Florida. ♥ Planning a visit to my out-of-town aunt's, for this weekend. ♥ Sharp cheddar cheese. Yum! ♥ This week's 2 Broke Girls was pretty great. ♥

What was the highlight of your week?