snickerdoodles

leaving on a jet plane...

  Tonight I am tying up loose ends and finishing the last bits of packing for a very early start tomorrow.  I am taking the two youngest kidlets and heading to Mexico to visit my folks in Nuevo Vallarta for spring break.

This was last years vacation with my Momma and Ry and Liam, my travelling amigos once again.  We had honor of staying a couple nights in Punta Mita at the Four Seasons while I did a story for a blog I write for called Have Family Will Travel.  Read the Punta Mita feature and see more photos here....

Little things add up to a fab family holiday at Four Seasons Punta Mita

I adore Mexico.  The people, the food, the country in general.  I am so smitten I have a Mexican themed Pinterest board.  Check out my fiesta love board for lots of fun recipes, party ideas and Mexican faves.  You don't actually have to be in Mexico to have a Fiesta!  Crank up the heat, mix up the margaritas and invite some friends over for a fun themed stay-cation party.

Back to packing and attempting to sleep a bit before the alarm sounds, I will be sure to keep posts and photos coming while we are away here, on facebook and instagram of course.

AND don't forget to keep entering to win the Courtnie LaFontaine hair product or service prize from this week...I will be drawing a lucky winner this weekend.

buenos noches friends,

oxo

 

 

 

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hair do spring renew...

hair do spring renew...

  Spring will soon be here and it was time for me to lighten up...shed some heavy clothes and some heavy hair in exchange for some fresh layers and highlights to carry me into summer.   I am pretty lucky to have a stylist I love close by.  Courtnie is talented, fun and gets my need for months between salon visits..she actually supports it with clever cuts that last and grow out graciously.

Despite my serious lack of hairstyling skills I have a pretty fun Pinterest board called hair love...

Today I had a couple images that were sort of my inspiration for layers and lightness for spring.  

I love everything about this image...LOVE the gray tank and undies, her hair colour and soft waves.  Obviously I don't have that sweet bod or face but I have a small chance of growing a less full version of that hair...that is maybe I have a chance if I would stop getting my locks stuck in my jacket zipper and having to rip them out ruthlessly!

I can't do those long bangs though...they don't work well with yoga and chasing kids and gardening and every other practical aspect of my life.  So I am sticking to my regular shorter side swept bangs with a fringe that Courtnie whips off.  Sort of like these...

While Courtnie worked today on my hair I worked on her social media launch.

 I am so proud to share her new Courtnie LaFontaine Square1 Salon facebook page and even more exciting her fabulous and quickly growing Courtnie LaFontaine Pinterst boards...ideas and inspirations for every hair type, look and style you can imagine.  

Let's celebrate Courtnie with a little contest!

 It's been a while friends.  So all you have to do is visit her facebook page and give her a like or follow her Pinterst boards, or both for two entries!  Once you have done that leave a comment letting me know and I will check up on ya.   The comments area is just at the bottom of the post, it's not hard to do.

Enter away and on the weekend we will do a draw and the winner will win a $35 gift certificate to visit Courtnie at Square1 Salon.  If you aren't local she will send that special winner a treat by way of a product specially picked for their hair type.   

As for my final hair today...I love it.  It feels fresh and healthy again and ready for spring break in Mexico. We spent so much time playing on Pinterest and chatting that I had to rush to pick up the kids and left after a quick blow dry and no fancy styling but after the mask she gave me and styling products it's so silky and light again I am thrilled to keep it simple.

All I have to offer is a silly phone selfie but you get the idea...it's layered well and shaped.  Best still, it is just a quick blow dry or even an air dry ready away from being ready to fly out the door....easy, peasy Mom hair thanks to Courtnie's talented way with the scissors.

Good luck in the contest friends, enter away, your hair will thank- you! 

oxo

 

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bag it....

   Quick friends... the first 200 schools to sign up get the new Bag It school set.   You can get a free copy of the movie and the accompanying curriculum for your school by going to http://bit.ly/bagitschools .  

Just did it for our little local school.   Happy Eco Friday tomorrow!  We have a PD day so I am sneaking in a post early.

oxo

 

showing my love with small gifts...

   Last week as we approached the 800 likes mark on my facebook Snickerdoodles page I promised a couple little prizes for readers and one for  like # 814, as 14 is my lucky number. 

I like to give friends some of my favourite things so I decided to give away two wooden pear pins.  I have an apple one and a pear I wear on my autumn jackets and I live in a valley or orchards so it seemed fitting.  Then as a second goodie I wanted to give each winner a set of hand painted magnets from eachanoriginal that are made in Kelowna.  

Christine is the founder and waaaay back when before I had kids and we were friends we actually worked together for a short time.  I have always admired her business savvy and dedication. She has done amazing in building eachanoriginal into a successful company.  Order many styles of magnets, cards and other one of a kind gifts from their web page.

Jeanette Deshayes and Seanna McClafferty-Kreager were the lucky winners in the draw last night.   I hope you enjoy these small gifts as a token of my appreciation.  

Back to my dear friend Christine....I wanted to share a bit of her strength with you that goes beyond being a creative and successful entrepreneur...she is also a Mother.   If you have been reading Snicks over the last year, you  would know of Baby G.   Perhaps you read of my connection and prayers for her battle for health.   Gabrielle is blessed to call Christine her Mommy.   The Pinettes are a lovely family, so brave and loving.  I have done photographs for Gabrielle and most recently for a celebration of life for Christine's Mother who sadly passed this year.  It was a very special and moving night and I was honored to be included and to capture the moments.   I will share some images soon.

  For now please include them in your prayers...Baby G continues to fight and her facebook support page called Team G has over 1000 followers rooting for her and loving her from afar as she is back in BC Children's Hospital now.

If you missed my earlier posts please feel free to catch up with this piece from the fall on Baby G. 

So many of you touch me deeply with your comments, loyalty and words of wisdom...I feel so blessed to be on this journey with you via Snickerdoodles and I will continue to share my love when I can with little gifts.

Thank-you friends!

oxo

 

this weekends giveaway...

Guess who won the Feather Pendant necklace giveaway for the weekend???

 

Wendi Gabelhouse...hurray!

 

Not only was she a friendly faced cutie I saw soo often visiting Samarai Sushi in our Whistler days, she is the new owner of Teppan Village in Whistler...YUM!
Make sure to hop over to our lucky winners facebook page and give her a like, and when in Whistler eat at Teppan Village.

https://www.facebook.com/TeppanVillageWhistler

I still haven't shared my latest treats from Sasha...they are soo pretty, I will share ASAP.  Her stuff rocks!

One of the gifts was these cool Hola Hoops...

Happy Earth Day friends!  

oxo

can you hear the drumroll?...

aaaaaand the winner of the Sasha Eillenna Feather Penant necklace is.....

NOOR ANNAHAR!

It is so pretty, it's been gracing my desk and I have been admiring it all week.  Just send me a message and I'll pop it in the mail for you.

Anyone who didn't win and wanted a piece from the Great Spirit Collection Sasha's button is on my left sidebar and she has oodles of lovely things to treat yourself with on her page.

Generally I am a pretty quiet, mellow person and today has been anything but a quiet day...fun but my head is full.  Now I am off to the dentist and heaven knows what made me think an evening appointment would be a good idea.   Happy to check it off the to-do list and of course to give away a prize tonight.  Tomorrow I am so looking forward to an unscheduled 'me' day to finally get caught up on life and some things I have been eager to do.

oxo

 

Tyler Knott...sigh...

Tyler Knott's Typewriter series makes me weak in the knees.
Ready to swoon?

Go here... http://tylerknott.com/

 

Starting a pinboard just for this boy...my swoon worthy loves one is getting saturated with his work....

don't forget to enter for the gorgeous SE feather pendant necklace...

good luck & good night friends

oxo

my little problem with a capital P...

   Procrastination.  

Receipts and papers galore are spread across the dining room table awaiting my attention;  and heaven knows we need our tax return.  Yet,  I saw a tub of mascarpone cheese in the fridge that I have neglected to use, and now I am baking.  Mascarpone is not an easy cheese name to pronounce.  

Say...mas-car-poh-nay.  Like Nascar....with an M not and N, with a poh (like police) then nay at the end like a horse saying hello.  Got it?  

Wow, I'm good, maybe I should teach linguistics? ...perhaps next week after my taxes are done.

 It's not a completely ignorant way to procrastinate...mascarpone cheese is very expensive and by using it up before it expires and needs tossing I am sort of saving the family money in the long term.   Right?

Come on friends, I know you've got my back here.

Someone ate the bag of Oreos I just bought so I am just going to use chocolate oreo wafers instead and I think these Mascarpone Oreo Snowflake Cookies from Kevin {&} Amanda will still be divine.  

(note: these need a full bake time to flatten out and bake nicely, I rushed my first batch and they stayed puffy and didn't dry out enough...next two batches baked beautifully)

Unfortunately it's a large tub I bought for a Meyer Lemon Crepe Cake I intended to bake for Noah but we since have gotten a little crepe-logged and it didn't seem so appealing.   But brownies always go over well and these Mascarpone Brownies from Home Style with a Side of Gourmet look absolutely wicked. 

Yes? No? Maybe?

 I have yet to find a review so I will let you know.  

A new contest went up yesterday friends...be sure to enter to win a hip new feather charm necklace from Sasha Eillenna Jewelry.

Now I suppose I should tackle the taxes.

oxo

a lovely giveaway...

   In 2002 we moved to Whistler, I had a fresh new babe and one other kiddo who was three and was mostly  hand painting glassware at that point.   Lots of glass, I had eleven wholesale accounts one of them being in Whistler at Skitch that did rather well.  I was honored to be able to participate in the Whistler Farmer's Market that first summer.  And for several after, until I realized it was a rather insane thing to try and manage a table at a busy market while nursing babies and attempting to keep other squirmy boys happy for the day.  

My first summer at the Whistler Farmer's Market I had a table near a very cool girl named Sasha, she made jewellery.  Since that summer years ago I have stayed in touch with Sasha and admired her creations.  Sasha Eillenna Jewelry.  Now, ten years later I am so proud of my market friend  and happy to host her awesome logo and link on my sponsors sidebar.

   Sasha handcrafts each piece using anything from vintage charms, semi precious stones, suede, antique bronze, gun metal as well as gold and silver plate.  Every piece is very much a tiny story or inspiration from Sasha's life. Each piece is sealed with a heart shaped clasp for love and dedication. Stay inspired, never stop being creative and always explore change.

 

To celebrate our new collaboration Sasha has generously donated a beautiful piece from The Great Spirit Collection line.

 

One lucky Snickerdoodles winner will get a Feather Pendant on a chain.  My favourite charm from the collection.   These necklaces are gorgeous.

The feather symbolizes a new beginning.  It means a new life ahead...Believe in change.

 To enter you simply need to hop over to Sasha's web page and see what piece or collection you like best.  Leave a comment her with your pick or picks.

  To earn extra entries go to and ' like' her facebook Sasha Eillenna Jewelry page and leave me a comment letting me know you did so on my Snickerdoodles facebook page under the contest announcement.  

Good luck friends!

As pour moi?   I am a big bracelet lover.  I do love all her creations but am especially smitten with the beachy summer pieces like the Seafoam Bracelet.

I also am drawn to these hip bronze Super Sweet Studs...cute aren't they?

These Stud Dangles would be awesome with a tank and jeans in the summer...

Back to bracelets for my last pick, I think it's awesome that with her Triple Luxe Bracelet you can customize your colours of beads.

That is an easy pick for me...white, mint and pink, although I think all the combinations sound amazing.  Layering bracelets is a popular trend again this summer and the possibilities are endless with Sasha's designs. 

Welcome Sasha, you have a beautiful eye for all things creative.   I am so happy to share your work as your business continues to thrive.  

Enter away friends, I'll draw a lucky winner next Monday evening.

oxo

a couple of WINNERS!...

  Christmas is coming early for our two lucky winners tonight!  

Funny thing is I know both these lovely ladies and they are both from the Whistler area.   Two big baskets of entries and both pulled were from a little mountain town...awesome.

Erica Finnson you'll be able to start your babe's book collection off with a bang with your Mail A Tale custom book box.  They'll personalize it for your lil Rambo.

I brought our December picks into the kindie class today and read Sad Santa and our of twenty three kiddos not one of them had heard it before which was wonderful.

AND Jennifer Leigh I can almost guarantee you'll be having a nightly bath after you receive your amazing Goddess of the Earth collection from Barefoot Venus!   Honestly...this stuff magically makes all your cares disappear.

I'm a little jealous!

For those of you who didn't win please feel free to visit either amazing company easily via my sponsor buttons on the left sidebar.  Two brilliant Canadian companies and am thrilled to support.

Thanks to everyone who entered and shared.   It was fun to do a double giveaway to end 2012 with a bang.

oxo