Tuesday Top Ten

Just as I was getting ready for Autumn and enjoying the chillier weather, I get sick! Whomp, whomp. I am not one to usually get sick but I guess that what happens when you live off of chocolate bars and Smartfood Popcorn for 3 days... oops (no regrets!)

So maybe that is a little dramatic but I've been in bed more than I have been standing in the last day and a bit so I officially will take sympathy and soup from whomever will give it to me!

So this weeks Top Ten my Top Ten sick Necessities! It's the season for sniffles ya'll! 

Onesie / Pajamas

Okay, so I am the first to admit that I love onesies; I watch movies in Onesies, I sleep in Onesies, I’ve even gone to the grocery store in my Onesies. When I am sick, there is nothing more I want but to be warm, in my onesie and to do nothing. Comfy pajama’s are close to the top of my list because they can make you feel so much better by helping you relax.

and yes, this is the one I own! Best part: removable feeties!

Ice packs / Heat Packs

I used to get a washcloth wet and stick it into the freezer for a while, get it nice and cold, plus a little stiff and use that when I was heating up. However, I found the cutest ice pack for hot or cold (I had hot water in it yesterday) but I can be used for anything. Cooling down your forehead, warming your feet and hands or icing your ankle when you’re clumsy like me and trip down the stairs.

and how cute are these patterns?

Puffy Face Problems

I don’t know about you, but when I get the flu or a cold, I get a really puffy face and eyes. I often find if I don’t look good, when I look in the mirror it makes me feel even worse. So instead of looking like I was stuck by a bee in both cheeks, I do everything I can to help me feel better and get the swelling out of my face. The first thing I do is make a coffee mask. I use ground coffee mixed with honey to make a really thick consistency and put that all over my face. It’s simple because it’s only 2 ingredients and the mask helps reduce swelling and decreases the appearance of under eye circles (always needed in my life). The honey really helps hydrate your skin when is needed when you’re sick as well. Leave it on for about 20 minutes or so and then what I like to do after the mask to really knock out the puffy eyes, is take green tea teabags that have already been used and put them in the freezer for a while – placing the semi frozen teabags on your eyes will really help take away that puffiness  by shrinking and decreasing the dilation of the blood vessels under the eyes. Looking better will get you on track to feeling better too.

Moisturize!

Especially after doing face masks or having a runny nose, it’s really important for your skin to stay moisturize. Make sure to apply your favourite moisturizer on your face and body when you can and I always put Vaseline around my nose if I have had the sniffles and the skin is really dry there as well as on my elbows and knees as they really seem to dry out as well – especially when you are dehydrated from being sick!

Eucalyptus Oil / Vicks Vapo Rub

Vicks has been an all-time favourite in my family growing up and I can’t remember the amount of times I have used it. I use it on my chest, temples and a little bit around my nose when I am congested, have a head ache or have a runny nose. This stuff is magical however, I didn’t like having it on my chest when I would go to sleep because a) I like to wear a Onesie to bed if I’m sick and b) I didn’t like feeling sticky so the next best thing: put a little bit of Eucalyptus Oil on your pillow before you go to sleep and you will feel so much better in the morning!

 

Water / Hydration

It’s so important to stay hydrated, I am not a person who likes stuff in my water like lemon or cucumber, so I just stay with water straight up. But one thing I found most important is to have a water bottle that can lie on its side while you drink from it. There is nothing worse than being sick, and have to sit up to drink from a glass of water. When I am sick, my favourite laying position is the fetal position with a pillow between my knees so it isn’t the easiest to sit up. I have found that having a water bottle like a Gatorade waterbottle or a sport water bottle that you can just suck on while laying down is the best and I actually drank more water because than I didn’t need to sit up (just a note: this also helps for the mornings after when you have gone out the night before, if you know what I mean).

Comfy Blankets

I love being cocooned in a blanket. To me, there is nothing worse when you are sick than being not able to have your feet and shoulders wrapped up at the same time. I have one large duvet that I usually only use when I’m sick. It’s a king sized blanket and one my queen sized bed, there is enough blanket to be fully wrapped up and basically a big baby. But it’s important that you have the blanket that you need – if you’re cold, get something that you can wrap yourself in; if you’re hot, get a blanket that is breathable and airy so you don’t get overheated. Long story short – when you’re sick, your blanket is your best accessory.

Tissues

Ever been so sick, that you went through an entire box of tissues and then the skin around your nose is so raw and red? Don’t get me wrong; I love a good deal as much as the next person, but the one thing I don’t cheap out on is tissues. I usually get the brand with the added moisture in them and the very soft ones that don’t feel like I’m rubbing sandpaper on my face – I need something smoothing, not an exfoliator. And like above, make sure you put some Vaseline or lotion around your nose so that skin isn’t too irritated.

Bath / Showers

I love baths even without being sick but showers and baths are a great way to decongest you. The steam from the hot water will help clear out your sinuses and if you want to step it up a bit, add some Epsom salts to relax and replenish you and add some eucalyptus oil to your bath as well so your steam will really make you feel better. I usually like having the lights a bit dimmed and add music and candles to really help you relax. Make sure you have some water to drink with you as well because it is a good time to hydrate as well.

Distractions

Distractions are a necessity for me as well. Things like reading a book, watching your favourite shows or movies (aka any John Hughes movie for me). When you keep thinking about being sick, you will feel sicker. As much as I want sympathy from everyone around me when I’m sick, when I start getting back into my regular routine or even just do a cross word, it really helps. If anything, they will tire you out and you can sleep even more!

I hope these ideas help you out if you get sick but more importantly, I hope you don’t get sick!!! Now pelase excuse me, Ferris Bueller’s Day off is starting J

stay clumsy

xx jamie

High Five for Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! This week definitely hasn't been a short one for me but I'm glad it's the weekend because I have lots of plans going on and I'm pretty excited! I was planning to get the iPhone 6 soon since I'm still rocking the iPhone 4 with a broken back but with all of this #bendgate happening I might wait a bit, do any of you have the 6 already and what do you think of it?

Anyway, here are my highlights of the week!

1. Mike came home early from his work trip and got to have one more nice long ride on our motorcycles before the Vancouver rain puts them away for the winter.

2. We went to the race track to see his uncle do a few passes down the quarter mile but by the time we got there, the track was too dewy but it was worth the trip to hang out and have a few laughs

3. Hockey season has started up again! I am playing on a women's team this year and it was so nice to get my skates back on, it's been five months!

4. I did a total over haul of my vanity at home with lots of different containers from Target and Superstore to make it look great - it's amazing how having something be organized and pretty can change your mornings! Now I actually enjoy waking up early to put on my make-up... well not the waking up early part.

5. Last night we ended the work week in a very relaxing way since we have a very busy weekend ahead of us. We ordered pizza, had some wine and vegged out before going to bed - I received my Kate Spade bag in the mail yesterday too so while I was drooling over it, Mike was rolling his eyes.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

stay clumsy

xx jamie

Luxe Box: Fall 2014

It's that time again! The Fall 2014 Luxe Box arrived on my door step a couple days ago and it's always that feeling of excitement when you see something waiting for you! This is my forth Luxe Box however, it was the first time that I had upgraded my box. I decided to get the Get Up & Glow limited edition for $5 dollars more. 

The Get Up & Glow Box is great, because I upgraded my box, I was able to see all the products I was getting before hand which was nice but in a way, ruined the surprise of it all. I love getting a Luxe Box and ripping it open as fast as I can to see what is inside because it feels like Christmas but this time, there wasn't as much excitement because I already new what was coming.

AG Hair - High & Dry: AG's High & Dry is a versatile, high-grip, spray that infuses hair with natural lift and a matte textured finish.

This hair spray is great, I have been putting it in my purse and taking it with me for a freshen up throughout the day. I like that it gives me a matte texture, it doesn't add any shine or gloss which I really don't need and helps mask hair that might be getting a little greasy (always).

Sweet Leaf Bath Co. - Blush Body Wash: Blush Body Wash is handcrafted with a luxurious & nutrient rich blend of Coconut, Olive, Jojoba and Hempseed oils.

This stuff smells amazing! It has a very watery consistency which isn't a bad thing but since I don't use a loofa or anything like that, it is hard to have a lot of product in your hand. What I do like about it though is that it lathers so well! I am not fond of body washes that don't lather, I feel like nothing gets clean until I see some bubbles at work!

So Susan - Concealer Quad: A compact of 4 concealer shades that cover dark spots, blemishes and minor imperfections. The texture blends seamlessly into the skin to create a flawless complexion.

This concealer quad is great, right now I have just been using it with my fingers but I will be getting a new brush soon to use with it. I have been using it to define my nose a little more so the range of shades is great for me. They are all very warm shades which work well for my skin. 

Amarte - Aqua Veil Pure Hydration Serum: Rich in natural herbs and intensive moisturizing ingredients, this deeply hydrating formula optimizes skin's ability to absorb and retain moisture.

These Amarte samples are great - I am not the best when it comes to remembering to put on moisturizers however, this serum just feels so good on my skin and in a few short days, I can already feel that my skin feels softer.

Amarte - Aqua Cream: Functional organic ingredients control skin's oil-moisture balance and increase softness.

This Aqua Cream is my new favourite; I am already looking to get a full size of this. Putting it on, it doesn't make your face sticky or oily, it absorbs right away and feels so nice. I have very oily skin and I feel like my skin is a bit more balanced, if that is the placebo effect or not - it doesn't matter to me, so I haven't had to powder throughout the day as much as I used to and my skin is looking much clearer and fine lines (read: wrinkles) are looking less noticeable - hooray!

Burt's Bees - Lip Gloss in "Autumn Haze": Rich pearlized colour combines with natural oils rich in nutrients to leave your lips soft, shiny and 100% naturally beautiful.

I haven't always been a big lip gloss person, mainly because my hair acts as a magnet to it and then I just look like a crazy person however, this Burt's Bees is pretty good in my books. Not alot of product comes out on the wand at a time which is nice because it just gives your lips that dewy look rather than the I just ate a glazed donut look. I have been putting it over my deep red lipsticks with a bit of gold shimmery eye shadow in the middle of my bottom lip to give a bit more dimension. 

Loose Button - Blush Brush: This brush is designed with an angled shape and innovative bristle composition to apply blush gently and effortlessly around the contours and hollows of cheeks for a natural-look.

This brush is nice but since I have a blush brush I am in love with, I haven't used this much. Nothing wrong with it but a girl can only have so many blush brushes right?

Thanks for stopping by and hope you liked this seasons Luxe Box, 

do you subscribe to any boxes that you recommend?  Let me know!

stay clumsy

xx jamie

Tuesday Top Ten

 When I was younger, I used to love the summers for the long days, no school and sleep overs at my friends houses; now, summer is fun but I usually spend most of it sweating off my make-up or chugging water since I'm so dehydrated. Over time, my preferences have changed. My favourite outfit used to be a spaghetti strap tank and a little skirt from Hollister, but gone all the days of middle school and now I appreciate myself a trench, scarves and lots of layers.

Since my favourite season is starting today, I thought I would do my top ten today on my favourites for fall!

Favourite Jacket:

I actually bought this jacket last year from BeyondTheRack.com. It's so comfortable and you gotta love a faux-leather sleeve with a peplum accent, You can still buy it on ShopStyle for less that $100 dollars.

Favourite Scarf:

This scarf is the right mix of feminine and pattern; hounds-tooth floral is beautiful. It is not a heavy scarf as I tend to run a little warm so a lightweight material is still able to keep me warm. This scarf can be found at Indigo-Chapters and right now it's on sale!

Favourite Hat:

Nasty Gal Hideaway Panama Hat. 

I have a very big head so I have been looking for a hat just like this that actually fits! I think this would be perfect for a night out walking around or at the pumpkin patch without getting cold ears!

Favourite Socks:

Top Shop 

I love me a good, warm sock especially ones with cute print that you see out of the tops of booties or winter boots. This pattern is one of my favourites for the cooler season and I can't to start wearing all my wool socks!

Click through below to see the rest of the list!

High Five for Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone!!

I hope you all had a great week. Mine has gone pretty well (and fast!) which is nice and the weather is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL in Vancouver so I will definitely be heading to the beach at some point and try to make this summer tan last a bit longer. Here are the highlights of the week:

1. My all time favourite beer is the Granville Island brewing Robson Street Hefeweizen and it's always my go to. Before Mike left, he brought home some of these and I was like "Hey Day? What?!" Turns out they just renamed it and gave the packaging a little facelift. I'm alright with making things look prettier. Also, please note this was my friday night, Mike working late and me with beer and pizza in my pyjama pants at 8:00. What can I say, I'm a party animal.

 

2. I got to meet this sweetheart! I mentioned last week that Mike's brother and sister in law had their baby. Well here she is, Kenzie Rose. She's so adorable!

3. My sister helped organize the Terry Fox Run near my home town so I went and was taking photos and getting in on the fun and support the great cause.

4. Mike is on the other side of the province for a couple weeks and he's been telling me how it's going. This was a conversation we had on Monday about how he's been eating over there. You can kind of tell he is a picky eater.

5. Last night I had soccer practise but couldn't play because I hurt my foot during the week (of course I did) because a stick went THROUGH the bottom of my leather Steve Madden flats... while I was walking on asphalt.  I still don't know how I accomplished that. But I went to practise anyway and brought along some company! Harvey was so intrigued by all the little dogs running around the park but he behaved and accepted all of the attention he got from the team.

That's it for this week! I hope you all have a great weekend!

stay clumsy

xx jamie

Passport Stamp Picture

I love travelling and although there aren't too many places I have seen, I will travel whenever I possibly can. A few months ago, it came to the point that my passport expired and I didn't want to just throw it away. It had all of the stamps from where I had travelled and to me, was like a souvenir all to itself. So then, I had this old passport lying around with nothing to do and I thought I would give it a bit of life and show off these little reminders of where I had been and who I had been with.

This was a super simple project and it didn't take me long. An hour or two at the coffee table watching TV and was done in no time. All you need is your old passport (or whatever you will be using), paper, glitter, liquid glue, a pencil, scissors and a frame. I had all of this stuff lying around at home so it’s also a super cheap project as well!

First thing I did was cut out all of the stamps in my expired passport – there were some pages that backed on to others so I just chose which side was better and cut those ones out. Also if stamps over lapped, I just cut them out together because I liked the way they look.

Next, is where your handwriting skills are tested. I am not great at cursive so I roughly spelled out the word and then went back and fixed it up as much as I possibly could to make it look all right. Then, cover that sucker with glue. After one failed attempt, I figured out that a small steady stream a couple times works better than a heavy stream since the lines got really thick and then spread out so the letters lost all of the shape.

Now the fun part, cover the letters in glitter! I put all the glitter on and then I let it lay flat on the table, excess and all, to dry for an hour or so just to give the glue a bit of time to harden. After, I shook all the excess back into the glitter container, touched up a few letters and it looked great!

Now, bring back your stamps and lay them out the way you want them positioned. I splayed them out in a way that it would look in a passport and really like the bold colour behind them to help them stand out. I didn't totally glue them down since (hopefully) I will have more stamps by the time my next passport expires that I could add on! All I did was put a dollop of glue on a spare piece of paper, and then dip my pencil eraser in the glue and stamp the glue to the back of each stamp. So they will stay in place but they aren't there forever.

I let the glue dry overnight since I was putting it in a frame, I didn't want the glass to flatten the letters and the next morning it was ready to go and I hung it on the wall. I am so happy with how it turned out!

Let me know what you think and if you would do this with your passport as well!

stay clumsy

xx jamie

Tuesday Top Ten!

The boyfriend is out of town working this week which means for me; having a big glass of wine, lighting lots of candles and listening (and unsuccessfully singing) non-stop to Broadway soundtracks every night. It also gave me a chance to scour the internet of "some of my favourite things" (see, the Sound of Music is always relevant!) and I thought that I would share my top ten!

If you know me, it doesn't take long to realize I am undoubtedly in love with Lauren Conrad. She is my style inspiration, showed me that cat eyes aren't that hard to do and if I could rock that blonde hair - I would in a second. She got married this weekend and I was more excited to hear that than people I actually know getting married. Anytime she's in the news, it will always be a favourite of mine, but that's not why this is number one. Paper crown is making bridesmaid dresses!! Look at these beauty’s! Heck, I would probably get married in any one of these. I love the neutral tones and the cut and shape of them.

 

The ladies at A Beautiful Mess know how to use DIY right but one of my favourite projects of theirs has got to be this Washer and DryerMakeover! Such a simple idea and it totally changes the whole look of a laundry room. Consider it on my to do list!

I am obsessed with this coloured hair trend and I am obsessed with Orange is the New Black. Haas anyone seen Dasha Polcano’s new hair? I absolutely love it – the bluey silver with a lavender ombre. It’s beautiful, now if only I can think of how to make it office appropriate…

Target. Can that be a favourite all on it’s own? Last Friday night, Mike and I went out for dinner and I asked if afterwards we could go to target and he said that’s not a date night thing and we did something else instead…BUT THEN… I saw this picture of Iggy Azalea and her boyfriend out for their anniversary and look where they went… I think I have an idea for our next date night!

I am someone who gets scared very easily and I mean, someone hides behind a corner, jumps out and says boo and that will bring me to tears. I cry when I get scared and not in a “I just lost my dog” sort of way, more like “there’s tears running down my face and I don’t know why” sort of crying. Well let’s just say this list from Buzzfeed was dead on about what it’s like in my world.

Halloween costumes, make-up tutorials and all that are in between will be filling our feeds on every type of social media pretty soon if they haven’t already. My favourite person to watch for these amazing tutorials and costumes has to be Kandee Johnson hands down, if you haven't seen one of her Halloween videos...get on that! 

 

Starbucks has gotten my name right a few times however it usually comes out Janine, Jimmy, Janice and so on, and this video had me laughing out loud. If you haven’t seen it yet, it has been one of my favourites this week. My sister and I went to Starbucks once and as her name is Elle, she told them her name and on the cup was a few awkward crossed out blobs and then just a large letter L. I understand where they came from but it made us crack up and we still talk about it.

There is no doubt that Mandy from Vintage Revivals is the queen of all things DIY but her last project takes the cake. I have seen a few projects on Pinterest about making over old trailers and campers but with her style, “the Nugget” is going to look amazing!

 

Surprise Sales. The best thing ever. I was just telling my friend how I wanted a staple bag for the fall that was really big, and can hold everything but also something I can splurge on. Considering my wallet is a $7 zip pouch from target and my purse is basically non-existent, I wanted to treat myself. Well, I splurge wasn’t necessary! While perusing Instagram on my lunch break, Kate Spade’s Instagram account had given a website for a secret sale and their deals were amazing! I got a brand new bag that’s nice and big without the big price tag! It was $200 dollars off, the bag was only $150 dollars! A bit of a splurge but this bag is my new baby! I am all for sales but this deal takes the cake for the next while. The sale continues until midnight on September 18th (Pacific Time!)

My last favourite for right now is the new COLORsensationalMaybelline Lipsticks in The Buffs. I have already gotten 5 of the colour since I started with one and I just keep picking more up every time I go to Target! I’ve got the shades: Espresso Exposed, Untainted Spice (my fave!), Truffle Tease and Sin-a-mon - in that order below. I use them on their own but I also build them on top of my other lip colours to tone down the colour and make them more nude. Officially Obsessed!

 enjoy the rest of your week!

stay clumsy
xx jamie