Can a bohemian clutter bug live with a streamlined contemporary?

I've spent most of the weekend relaxing and tidying my apartment - no energy to do a full-on re-org, alas, but sometimes you can get the FEEL of a re-org by just rejigging the elements on a console, as I have here.

The urge to de-clutter and purge myself of all my STUFF is still going strong, helped along by life's little events - falling in love with someone overseas - and that fact that said beau is a contemporary style kinda dude: minimal clutter and an uber streamlined look is his design dealio.

So I dedicate this pared down little twilight tableau (consisting of a vanity/console I traded with an ex; flowers given to me by someone I wrote about in the Town Crier newspapers; a brass/glass box with all my little tchotckas in it; a brass lamp bought for $5 at Consumers Lighting in Toronto; a lamp shade from a garage sale; and a thrifted hardcover book you will be hearing about very soon!) to my darling N, who, like many of you lovely readers, checks in every day to read this wee blog -- because, well, he loves me.

I'd say a bohemian clutter bug and a streamlined contemporary can most definitely live with eachother! It will certainly make life interesting!!

Read More

White foot, thrifted shoe

Take a good long peep at this creamy white foot if you can bear it, 'cos tomorrow at this time it'll be as brown as a berry!

In anticipation of a trip to a warmer clime with a beach and a wedding, I'm getting a fake, hand-sprayed air-brush tan tomorrow!

I've done it before and let's just leave it at this: goddess.

In anticipation of my semi-tropical trip, I picked up these leather Franco Sarto for $7.99 at my local thrift hang out in Toronto, Stretch Thrift.

They look great with my skinny jeans, as you see here (thanks to pal Chris for snapping this shot), and they rock with sundresses - and when the top of the straps and buckle show the look is tres ooh-la-la semi-naughty.

Maybe tomorrow you'll see my brown feet with another pair of thrifted sandals.

I never find it gross, btw, to wear second-hand shoes - provided they're in good shape, not smelly, and not uber worn. These were in such good shape the bottoms were hardly scraped!

Read More

Beauty splurges & saves

Ok I lied: Giant Tiger outfit coming tomorrow.

Since I'm on vacay the theme this week has been R & R, and some pampering thrown in.

My beauty splurge: a facial for $60 (def an -out-of-Toronto price!).

This is me after my facial, pretty much without makeup (save for the cheapie but oh so wonderful liquid navy eyeliner purchased at my local Dollar Blitz in T.O.). Nothing like a good facial to plump you up and make you want to swear off makeup for good.

BUT I couldn't resist a beauty save: the"Paris Collection" sparkly berry lipstick with Vitamin E I picked up at the dollar store near where my folks live. It's a brand I always seek out when I come home (hey, Paris for a buck, wouldn't you buy it?) and it makes my lips so soft.

Yesterday it was 26 degrees C, so Mom and I, after doing a day's worth of yard work and cleaning, decided to park ourselves on the back deck with a bottle of vino and some nail paraphernalia.

We also decided we'd save ourselves $35 each and have loads of fun by implementing another beauty save strategy: giving each other a pedi!

Two hours later, after quaffing white wine and a good gab and laugh fest, we were done.

Don't our toes look great? My feet are so soft. Now I have to get a bit more sun on my white legs.

I have a balcony in my apartment and think this could be a fun way to do some chicky bonding with gal pals (providing we're ok touching each others' feet) and not have to shell out for a summer pedi.

Read More