Oh Tyler, you just never stop. Hardly a day goes by when I don't see your daily post and sigh.
I am without my own words tonight friends... so I thought I would share this autumn poem from my make believe poet lover...
See more T.K.G. goodness and other tidbets that make me weak in the knees on my Swoon Worthy Loves Pinterest collection.
love you friends,
oxo
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A smile is the best makeup that any girl can wear.
True... but makeup still seems so fun.
I have only ever had my makeup done professionally a couple times and each time was such a treat. It is such an art and watching the makeup artist work before a wedding I am shooting is always something I like to capture and admire.
For my own wedding I was too practical....I went to the Clinque counter before and had my makeup done and bought a few things she recommended....I still have that eye liner and shadow and I got married in 1994 so that sort of makes a statement on my makeup qualifications. I am not very exciting, I pretty much do the same thing everyday and it is done in less than five minutes normally. When I do try to attempt a smokey eye or other trend it typically doesn't go well. So I have my Arbonne faves that I stick to and the rest is generally from Shoppers Drug Mart. A couple shadows that look the same, two mascaras....waterproof and not, a few eyeliners, the much needed coverup for my tired eyes and some lip glosses
I am working on a recent wedding tonight and listening passionately to a current song obsession over and over. I had to stop and contemplate makeup after this first shot of the artist's palatte...it was so gorgeous. Not perfect or pristine....just loaded with colour and the opportunity to play.
Her canvas... the fresh face of a bride. What an honor to capture the transformation from naturally beautiful to wedding day sparkle.
I always get goosebumps watching people create....kids drawing, artisans at work, bakers kneading, handymen being handy, musicians sharing their song, people braiding hair, even excavators digging sometimes. I love the process, and watching the face and hands of the artist of that trade.
There is art in everything creative or transformative...let the work your hands do be your masterpiece for the moment.
Mine are busy clicking files and photoshop buttons. Although I would much rather be holding a brush in my studio I know I am doing exactly what I need to be doing for work at this time. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share what I see through my camera fine tuned by my imagination and the wonders of technology.
oxo
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Rainy day morning shot of Tyler Knott Gregson for you....
I’ll play with your hair
until the weight of the night
anchors your eyes shut.
sigh
Don't you wish you could just crawl back into bed now?
Happy weekend friends.
Read more of the things that make me swoon on my Swoon Worthy pinterest board and heaps of other words that make me wonder and challenge me on my Snickerdoodles board.
Rainy days are best for reading and cuddling, chatting quietly, piling on the couch with heaps of blankets for movies and hot cocoa, and pondering life. I am grateful hubbie had the 7 am hockey practice covered this morning so I had that luxury....my head is so full and bursting with confusion right now. Putting on a movie and gathering my boys together for brunch and cuddles and hoping my folks have an amazing moving sale today and stay cozy.
oxo
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Pets make me happy and of course my boys make me happier than anything...put the two together and life is swell. Working on edits tonight and I found these treasures...
Silver Star, Liam's sweetie cat is shy and I have yet to get a couch cuddling shot but I don't want to forget her as she is sorta the Queen Bee of pet city.
She has the cutest little cat nose and pretty green eyes...we call her the "cabbit" as she sort of has a rabbit body but she is still lovely. All our pets are rescues and for some reason when you give animals a second chance and welcome them into your home they always seem to have such love in their eyes for you and your kidlets.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend friends. Ours was filled with rep hockey try outs for Liam and it was so fun getting back into hockey season and watching my middle boy do what he loves. He is likely not to make the team but it was an awesome experience and I am so proud of him for giving it a go.
Hockey Moms out there...the Nikita jacket that has been my Hockey Mom uniform for three years has sadly fallen ill to a broken zipper that's not worth fixing. I will be looking for the perfect jacket. Not too light, not too heavy, just past the bum...if you see it or have PLEASE pass along the deets. I have no time or desire to shop around this fall.
oxo
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It's going viral and is hilarious....so here I am sharing the new Mumford & Sons video for Hopeless Wanderer. It's an awesome song with a very playful video.
Sun-dappled natural setting, rootsy jams in a barn, beard-y makeout session, bass-humping: it's a Mumford & Sons video all right, but those aren't Mumford & Sons. The English folk-rockers instead turn to seasoned pros to poke fun at themselves up in the new clip for "Hopeless Wanderer," which stars Jason Bateman, Will Forte, Ed Helms and Jason Sudeikis as members of the band. It takes a minute at the outset to realize they're not actually the musicians, thanks to long shots and strategically placed sun halos, but by the time Sudeikis is chewing sensuously on Forte's fake beard, or all four launch into a vaudevillean banjo throwdown, the cat has long since fled the bag.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/mumford-sons-tap-comedians-for-hopeless-wanderer-20130805#ixzz2bAXbicx9
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Most definitely a concert for the bucket list.
Enjoy friends,
oxo
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Kal Lake + a paddle board = MY BLISS
Stand up paddleboard is something I adore.
Being on the water, feeling strong, letting go with every stroke....peace.
This summer I am ever so excited to be riding this fabulous Kahuna board that is yoga friendly.
Very similar to the Braddah, the Wahine is slightly thinner and lighter. This is the perfect all round board to play in the waves, paddle the lakes and perform yoga. Having a wider shape than traditional SUP’s, the Wahine will let you play anywhere and comes in a few color choices for the girly side in you.
ANCHOR TIE - The Wahine has a tie down on the nose for an anchor or weight. Perfect for Yoga!
NOSE - KAHUNA Wahine has a traditional nose shape and a concave spoon.
ROCKER - KAHUNA Wahine has mellow rocker, great for stable paddling and waves too.
THRUSTERS - KAHUNA Wahine comes with a set of fiberglass honeycomb thruster fins.
Who wants to come along? Evening paddles on Kalamalka Lake, yoga at sunset? Day adventure to Kaloya?
I will be happy to let you have a little loop on my board. Kahuna Paddleboards is a Canadian company. They are custom designed by an amazing Whistler SUP enthusiast Steve Legge who has been paddling since 2005.
Need a board? Locally in the Okanagan they are available at Attridge Ski & Board in Vernon and One Boardshop in Kelowna. Make sure you tell the boys Kerry sent you and then let me know when I will see you on the lake this season.
oxo
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Try as you might, you can't do it all. I work so hard to keep things simple and mellow but life is complicated...things can get heavy.
Today I felt a bit off, and as the day progressed I got full on sick and chose bed over the impending faint I could feel coming on. So, almost five hours later I am sort of back to normal, I got to snuggle my boys and have some nice chats and watch the rain out my window but other than that I got absolutely nothing done around here.
Earlier today as I was starting to feel really ill I got so upset, overwhelmed by the mess and my commitments and as soon as I was feeling steady enough to walk I came downstairs to start my to-do list and make a catch up plan. I decided to eat something first and do a little light reading as I had the downstairs all to myself...I happened upon this article from Marc and Angel Hack Life, and it's changed the way my night is going to look.
So, as I know we are all busy and burdened by the complications life throws at us I thought I would share as a wee little way of showing I am thinking of you all. This is all stuff we have most likely read and heard before but sometimes we just need a little reminder....a helping hand to grab hold of ours and pull us out of surging spring streams as we are getting washed away in our own chaos.
If you get decent value from making TO-DO lists, you’ll also get significant returns – in productivity, in improved relationships, in financial stability, and in heightened levels of happiness – from adding certain things to a TO-DON’T list.
As you may have guessed, a TO-DON’T list’ is a list of things not to do. It might seem a bit amusing, but it’s an incredibly useful tool for keeping track of unproductive habits like these:
The ladies of The Real Housewives of Orange County, they’ll survive without you. The family members and friends of Duck Dynasty, they won’t notice your absence if you stop watching their show. Even the private lives of your elected politicians and local public figures mean nothing in the grand scheme of your own life.
But your significant other, your friends, your children, your siblings, extended family members, business partners, employees and customers – these are the people who truly matter to you. Give them your time and attention. They’re the ones who deserve it.
And as you meet new individuals, be polite, but don’t try to be best friends with everyone. Take things slow and remain focused on your core people – the individuals whose absence would immediately make your life less fulfilling.
This moment will never happen again. Look around. Cherish your time as you’re living it. Work towards something, but enjoy the journey of getting from here to there. Experience each step. Don’t succumb to a vicious cycle of overbearing productivity that forces you to constantly think about every imaginable time and place except right here, right now.
It’s often hard to tell the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. And someday you will likely discover that the small moments you’re living now are really the big ones worth dreaming about. So learn to appreciate what you HAVE NOW before time forces you appreciate what you HAD THEN. (ReadThe Power of Now
Sometimes it doesn’t take as much strength to do things as it does to decide what to do.
Life is filled with difficult decisions. As you move through life you will come up on many forks in the road where both paths look equally as promising. The important thing is not which path you choose, but that you do in fact choose a path.
Deciding sometimes hurts. Not knowing which path to take can be painful. But nothing is more disheartening than never making a decision. If you never choose a road, you will never know where it leads. So when you’re faced with two equally good options, don’t be one of the people who choose the third option: to not choose.
Stop over-committing. While saying “yes” can take you down some wonderful roads, there’s also a ton of value in saying “no.” Your time in life is extremely limited; do you really want to give it away so easily?
If you don’t have time to commit to a new project, fulfill a favor, etc., it’s a good idea to just say “no.” Refusing a new request from friends, family, customers, etc. can be difficult, but rarely is it as stressful as over-committing and leaving no time for yourself.
The ambition to be successful in life is not always the biggest challenge, narrowing the number of commitments to be successful in is. Even when you have the knowledge and ability to access highly productive states, you get to a point where being simultaneously productive on too many fronts at once causes all activities to slow down, stand still, and sometimes even slide backwards.
Bottom line: Say no when you know you should. (Read The Success Principles
Proper money management is one of the most beneficial skills we can master to create a comfortable, happy future for ourselves, and yet it’s a skill that we are often culturally cut off from understanding. The consumerist society we live in tries to make us feel that happiness lies in owning things and continuously buying new things, and fails to teach us about the happiness not found in things.
When external influences suddenly motivate you to consider a new purchase, ask yourself this: “Is this thing I’m thinking of purchasing really better than the things I already have? Do I really need it? Or am I just being persuaded to be displeased with what I have now?”
You’ve heard the saying, “The best things in life are free.” Believe it. Spending time with friends, laughing, enjoying the antics of a pet, seeing a child smile, experiencing intimate and heart-felt moments with a significant other – these gifts are precious and free. Money brings comfort, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying that comfort. But it’s important to spend money on the things that matter to you, and let go of spending that doesn’t add value to your life. Spend on what you need, but don’t forget why you’re buying what you’re buying, or the spending will become a destructive habit.
Gossip is the evil. If you want to know something about someone, ask. Don’t assume; that’s how gossip grows and spreads.
If you’ve talked to more than one person about something someone else is doing, it’s time to step forward and actually talk to the person you’ve been talking about. And if it’s truly ‘not your place’ to talk to this person, it’s likely ‘not your place’ to talk about them either.
Ultimately, you should focus on judging less, loving more, and resisting the temptation to gossip about others, or portray them in a poor light. Be impeccable with your words. Speak with integrity. Avoid using your words to gossip about others. Use the power of your voice to spread truth and love only. (Angel and I discuss this in more detail in the Relationships chapter of 1000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)
Downtime is imperative. In all walks of life, the highest human performance occurs when there is equilibrium between activity and rest. This is due to the fact that the human body is designed to labor in short pulses, and requires rest and renewal at regular intervals, both physically and mentally. In other words, your productive working days should look something like this: activity, short rest, activity, short rest, etc.
Make time every day to not be busy. Have dedicated downtime moments – clear points in the day to reflect, rest and recharge. Don’t fool yourself; you’re not so busy that you can’t afford a few minutes of sanity.
You deserve quiet moments away from the daily hustle, in which no problems are confronted, no solutions are explored, and no demands are being made of your time. At least twice a day, while you’re awake, withdraw yourself from the sources of stress that refuse to withdraw from you. Do so for a few minutes and simply be and breathe.
What do you need to stop doing? What belongs on your TO-DON’T list? Leave us a comment below and share your thoughts.
Photo by: Alex
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Night friends,
oxo
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By lucky happenstance last week, I found my perfect spring and summer body care products.
While doing a Shopper's Drug Mart point redemption for $200 free stuff (b.t.w. the Optimum program is extraordinary)I decided to treat myself to a new body scrub. While shopping, I had seen the Kibio line often and been intrigued but the prices points sort of kept me browsing on past. But Kibio has been discontinued from Shoppers Drug Mart as the line is no longer selling to Canada so everything was half price. I decided to let myself have a closer look.
Kibio has simple packaging, is certified organic and has over 98% natural ingredients. I am a big believer in Chinese Medicine and herbal healing so Kibio really appealed to me. It's also eco-Friday so it's the perfect time to share some more about this cool company's philosophy.
Kibio is Ecocert and Cosmebio certified....to read the details of these labels look at the Kibio page of certifications.
Respect for the environment with ‘noble’ raw materials from organic farming practices and the integration of ecoconception in our quest for sustainable, responsible development.
LE KI
The ‘Ki’ or ‘Chi’ in Asia is the energy of life, the foundation of all traditional medical practices known for their ancestral effectiveness.
It is from this universal notion that we imagined the Kibio brand.
We turned to nature for inspiration when creating our new idea of skin care; a nature of power and respect.
Pure and original, our products draw their strength from the earth’s energy in order to give skin balance and beauty.
It is skin care that reconciles the most beautiful sensorial pleasures with the most advanced and effective results while perfectly respecting the skin and everything that surrounds it.
Vital energy
Kibio products give the skin what it needs and only what it needs, meaning the substances it will benefit from and what it is able to metabolize.
What is ‘ki’?
‘Ki’ is a Japanese word that means ‘energy’.
In the name Kibio, ‘Ki’ symbolizes the brand’s desire to place energy at the heart of everything it does.
Beauty is the result of natural, effective skin care products but it is also the result of a balanced lifestyle which is based on this energy.
Why ‘ki’?
Energy circulates throughout the body, much like blood does. Traditional medical practices highlight the importance of this energy flow to help prevent illness and maintain a healthy body.
When energy circulates in a balanced manner, the skin, like any other organ, finds its own balance and appears youthful and healthy.
How does ‘ki’ work?
Kibio products help optimize the body’s flow of energy from the outside by providing true, ‘living’ products and from the inside by practicing a ‘Kibio’ attitude.
A Kibio attitude is one that a person lives, demonstrates and puts into practice.
When ‘ki’ is blocked, this can lead to an imbalance in the body that eventually shows on the skin.
I adore the scent of lemongrass so when I saw the Exfoliating Body Scrub with Cranberry, Shea butter and Lemongrass I was sold.
It's so nice and fresh and really gives you a good scrub....it's too course for daily use though. It was on sale for $15 so it actually ended up being a fair bit cheaper than the Arbonne Awaken Salt scrub I normally have but have been out of for quite a while. It's also a wonderful product but even with my Arbonne membership this Kibio scrub on clear out was way cheaper....and you can travel with it. Never gamble with packing a sea salt scrub in your luggage as the oil will find a way of leaking onto your clothing.
I also needed a new body wash and decided to try the Kibio Orchard Nectar shower gel as the scent was a divine combination of white flowers and fruit. It's based on sugar and coconut and gives a nice creamy lather and cleans without stripping your skin of moisture. AND the scent is enchanting, I couldn't stop sniffing my arm through the first day.
So after a few days of using these two things I decided to see what else was in the line before it was all sold out of Canada and our local store. I use a body oil instead of moisturizer all the time. I love how a good body oil soaks into your skin and leaves a nice amount of moisture all day. Typically it's Arbonne's Unwind Massage oil, which is so nice and lasts forever. I love the fragrance, it's soothing and warm, but for the summer I was hoping for something lighter and fresh.
Of course Kibio alos had a body oil on the tempting shelf at Shoppers Drug Mart... so yesterday I took the plunge and bought a bottle. After my bath I tried it and I am soooooo smitten. The scent is light and clean and the oil leaves your skin so soft and moisturized.
It is so deserving of it's name Kibio Velvet Skin...possibly the best body oil I have ever tried. For the record, it's so important to choose wisely what you put on your skin...your biggest organ.
A couple weeks ago when the budget was tight I decided in a pinch to try a cheaper oil. I was in a hurry and grabbed a bottle or Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Dry Body Oil...it was under $10 and I didn't take the time to read the label. It smelled nice and being called Organix I figured it was organic and natural....big mistake. After the first time using it my skin was dry hours later. The oil went on well and smelled nice so I was curious. I checked the label and it had mineral oil.....grrrr. No wonder. Mineral oil is a petroleum by product...not only is it not healthy for your body it sits on the skin...it will not soak in and nourish like a natural oil will. So it might be cheaper but you will go through much more and also be slathering toxic chemicals on your skin.
So sadly Kibio will no longer be available at my local store but luckily I got the chance to try it and tomorrow at Shopper's Drug Mart during their 20 times the points event I will grab a few things to tuck away and carry me through till autumn. I asked, and the line is available in most Canadian SDM stores if you want to try yourself. American and European friends I am sure you will be able to find this product easily in your shops, it originates from France.
Last but not least I wanted to share one more oil I recently tried and loved, although not for an everyday warm weather oil. For everyday I like a lighter scent but for special occaision's or evenings The Romance Massage oil from Back To Earth is captivating and is the perfect massage oil for couples. It's under $10 and all natural, made with grape seed oil and 100% therapeutic grade essential oils of lavender, marjoram, patchouli, mandarin, geranium and chamomile. You can order this and treat a loved one from my Back To Earth sponsor button on the left sidebar and it will be shipped to you. All of their products are amazing and affordable and the fact they are made so close to my home is such a treat. Any given day I can zip down to the Back To Earth shop in less than five minutes for a gift or some soap or cleaning products, we are rather spoiled here in Lavington.
happy weekend friends,
take time for you, treat your body well and feel great in your own skin for years to come.
oxo
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Just under a week ago I returned from a little four night girls getaway. This is a new thing for me as I am a big wuss when it comes to leaving my boys for more than a day or two.
My travel-mates took care of most everything and I happily tagged along. First they considered Vegas but Vegas is chilly in November and I wasn't sure I had it in me to handle all the stimulation and chaos. When their second proposal of a great deal in sunny Palm Springs came along I was hooked. I'd only been to Palm Springs once, years ago, for a day trip and I remembered the cool desert landscape and deliciously dry heat.
Lucky for me my gal pals are travel savvy and did their homework finding us a perfect place to call home for four nights, The Riviera Palm Springs. I was immediately intrigued by the web page images of the property and loved the old Hollywood style. Getting things in order so I could go was quite a feat but things fell into place quite nicely.
I flew into Vancouver late on a cold and wet typical November night on the coast. The girls picked me up and we all hunkered down at a friends (thanks Jen!) for a short sleep before an early flight the next morning to Palm Springs. Travelling without a single kiddo was a breeze. We landed in Palm Springs around noon and it was a gorgeous, clean, open-air airport. Cold, dark, wet Vancouver to bright, warm dry Palm Springs in a couple of hours...it was so easy and exciting.
We got our luggage and a cab and were at the Riviera in less than a half an hour...our fare was $20 which included a nice tip.
Pulling up to the hotel we were instantly pulled into the Riviera's chic 60's atmosphere. Sparkling glass, mirror and mod leather furniture. Pristine white cut wood overlayed over orange walls. Swanky Sinitra-ish tunes were playing and several doorman were there to greet us with a smile.
Our first couple of days I didn't pick up my camera at all as I was a tad burnt out from shooting and in holiday-mode but I couldn't resist snapping a few detail shots our last days.
Our room wasn't ready for a couple hours so we grabbed some summer things out of our bags and went to change in the restrooms before leaving our luggage in storage with the front desk. No expense was spared in the glamour & glitz of the inside of the hotel after leaving the main lobby....it was so fun.
On our last evening after several rounds of camera instructions I found someone to snap an image of all of us on one of these cool settees. Then, it was off to the Westin to dance.
The Riviera Palm Springs is a huge property and has been around since the 50's. It's history is rich; it used to be a favourite spot for the "rat pack" to hang out as well as many Hollywood stars into the 60's and 70's like Sonny and Cher. It's all not bling...overall the resort is rather laid back. The buildings are only two stories and are tucked away amoungst trees, gardens and lovely mountain views.
Mid-century modern is one of my favourite design styles ever and the Riviera and much of Palm Springs stays true to those roots. We could walk to the downtown core and it was rich with places to eat, design shops and boutiques.
Overall though I have to admit I spent the most of my time by the pool relaxing. I did some serious napping and reading while sipping cocktails and loving the cool dj mixes of 60's music. The weekend was busy but still mellow and not at all crowded. Come Monday though things were so quiet...here is an image from my little green towel nest:
They have the most amazing suites that line the pool area with private firepits and hot tubs...sigh, one day!
Back to reality for now, I'll share some more detail shots and such soon friends.
I am thinking next November might have to be there first annual Snickerdoodles retreat to you know where...who wants to come along?
oxo
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My birthday goodies started early this year thanks to my friends Shannon and Marwan who gave me a present when they were visiting a couple of weeks ago, and I am still swooning over it.
Twig Prints is a textile design and printing business out of Whistler, BC. Abbie has a great sense of style and colour and Shannon treated me to two of her fabric baskets. A big one that is an up-cycled coffee sack combined with Abbie's fabrics to make a handy spot to stash all the little things that gather in the kitchen/dining room. The second Twig piece Shannon bought me is this...
It's the Twig Tub Wildflower print in my perfect green...it's happily holding a plant as we speak and looking quite adorable. Shannon bought both gifts in Pemberton from a new eco-boutique called One Earth Collection that sounds fabulous. They are simple in design but obviously hand-made with brilliant skill and both are pieces of art as far as I am concerned. Treasures.
I haven't had the best news lately and I am trying to take it all in stride but not doing so swell. This morning when I awoke I found an Aveda bag by my work computer and I knew my dear friend Carmen who always knows how to spoil me silly had dropped it off with hubbie last night to bring home to me.
Since it was eco-Friday here on Snicks and Aveda makes a strong environmental committment I thought I would open my gift a wee bit early for a pick me up. It contained a pretty new nail polish colour, a Light the Way lavender soy wax candle packaged in a glass holder made from recycled wine cooler bottles that is a fundraiser for a clean water campaign, a pretty, and minty new mango hued lip polish that is yummy...
and then the best part of all some of the new Aveda lavender products. I have been a long time lavender freak and I can't wait to try my new Stress-Fix bathsalts. I have them open by the computer now and they are absolutely intoxicating in a good way...different than the vodka and lemonade I am going to make when the boys are in bed but still good and way healthier!
Sugar and mineral-rich salt infused with aroma clinically-proven to relieve
feelings of stress. Aroma includes essences of lavender, lavandin and clary sage
from organic farms and is formulated using the science of aromaology and the
power of pure essential oils. - Aveda.com
Also tucked in the package are some of the Aveda Comforting Tea bags...this stuff is just what I need right now.
I am blessed to have so many amazing folks to call friends and so grateful for these decadent gifts that would have been what I picked myself if you had of given me a choice, you know me too well ladies.
happy weekend friends,
oxo
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