Contest - It's Nice to be Important but it's More Important to be Nice!

As you may be aware from reading my last blog post on Wednesday, my Tuesday of this week didn't start off on a good note but during lunch that day, my friend Katie dropped a gift off to me at my office, just because. After Katie gave me my gift of NARS Turkish Delight my day immediately started to pick up which made me happy because as a very firm believer in good karma, I know that with goodness comes goodness.

Throughout the remainder of the week I experienced so many positive things not only at work, but outside of work as well. For instance, two other people that I work with shared something with me that I thought was absolutely amazing about goals that they have. Such positive goals can only bring positive results!

Yesterday while I was shopping at Winners I was held up at the cash that I was checking out at because the cashier had to get assistance to make a ticket for an article that I was purchasing. She was so apologetic for taking up my time. I smiled and told her that I wasn't in a hurry and advised her that she could take all of the time that she needed. The "thank you" that she responded with was so sincere. It made me wonder if she regularly deals with a lot of rude and hostile people constantly in a hurry. I'm certain that that must be the case because I think that every single one of us can recall a time that we have witnessed the hostility of fellow shoppers.

As I was leaving Winners, an elderly couple who looked as if they were in their 80's were walking in front of me. They were of course walking extremely slow, the man helping his beautiful wife because she could hardly walk. They were so sweet. As we reached the outside doors of Winners I could have walked around them but I didn't. Because the parking lot is always so busy and the man was so engaged in trying to assist his wife, I stayed behind them to make sure that no one hit them as they crossed from the curb out to their car which was parked in the handicapped space near my truck. As we neared our vehicles, the man noticed that I was behind them and actually said "I am very sorry" because he thought that he and his wife were in my way. I stopped in my tracks, looked him right in his eyes and said "please, don't ever be sorry. Not ever". His wife beamed a beautiful smile at me, the man's eyes welled up with tears and he thanked me with the most amazing "thank you" I have ever heard in my life. I replied with a smile and "you're welcome". As I got to my truck I looked back over my shoulder and he and his wife were still standing at their car looking at me with smiles on their faces. I will never forget that little couple and the gratitude that they showed me for not rushing them along.

When I got into my truck, I sat for a minute thinking about the two "thank you's" that I had just received from the cashier and the elderly couple. Because I wasn't in a rush. Because I wasn't being hostile and pushy. Because I smiled. Because I was kind. It is so, so important to be kind. I didn't know my Grandma Olive, but I have been told that one of her favourite sayings was "It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice"; which leads me to my favourite story of the week...

Yesterday morning at 9:15am my daughter's school had a themed assembly about "Acceptance". A guest speaker by the name of John Hastings, an Olympic kayaker was present to speak to the students about how important "acceptance" is and how important it is to be kind to one another. One of the stories that he told was about about how at the age of 16 he was training in Europe. One of his fellow athletes, by the name of Pierre was from Quebec and only spoke French, or so they all thought. John said that no one liked Pierre and everyone made fun of him, never having anything nice to say about him. One day John heard Pierre speaking to their coach in English which made him ill because clearly, Pierre spoke English and knew all of the terrible things that they had been saying about him. To make a long story short, John and Pierre are now the best of friends and John credits Pierre for helping him face his dreams and aspirations of becoming an Olympian. During the same assembly my babygirl was presented with a Student Recognition Award for "Acceptance" from her teacher and her principle. It's amazing that at the age of seven, she knows the importance of being kind to her fellow peers and accepting everyone regardless of their differences.

So, in the spirit of kindness and good karma, I want to challenge you!! And I want to hear about it!!
The challenge is simple. Do a good deed for someone or a bunch of someone's. Something thoughtful and kind to bring a smile to the face of another. A good deed can be anything from baking a batch of cookies and giving them to a friend or relative, buying someone a gift, writing someone a letter or sending someone a card. Volunteering, supporting, helping!! Be creative and show your appreciation to someone that you care about - or even a total stranger!!

This contest challenge involves a prize (prizes are always fun, right?) and there are only three rules!

Rule #1: Do something kind!! Once you have done your good deed, in the comment box below, please tell me what it was that you did!! You have to comment below to be entered into the draw. Only one entry per person will be entered into the draw, but don't let that stop you from doing more good deeds for people!

Rule #2: Share this contest and post with your friends and family. Below you can see that you can share it via Email, Blogger, Twitter or Facebook - or even word of mouth. I know that kindness and good karma are definately things that we want to spread the word on!

Rule #3: Subscribe or Follow my blog via Email Subscription or Google Friend Connect. You can sign up right over there ---> FYI: by signing up via Email Subscription, you will receive my blog posts straight to your email any time that I post something new. If you are already an email subscriber then you are good to go. Easy peasy!

One winner will be chosen randomly to receive the following prize which includes some of my favourite things:

One (1) 10 ounce bottle of Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo
One (1) 2 ounce bottle of Macadamia Natural Oil Curl Reviving Cream
One (1) 1 ounce packet of Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
One (1) tube of Soap & Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss
Two (2) Pairs of handmade (by moi!) Rose Earrings (Colour: Black - one for you and one to give to someone else as seen in the side picture)
One (1) knitted scarf handmade (by moi!) - Please note that I will determine the style, width, length and yarn used for the scarf but upon winning the contest the winner will be able to choose the colour.

The contest starts now, Saturday October 29th and will end on Saturday November 12th at 1:00pm EST. This contest is open worldwide.

Let's see the good karma, my friends!

xTx

Disclaimer:
This contest is not sponsored. This contest is open from Saturday October 29th, ending on Saturday November 12th at 1:00pm EST. This contest is open worldwide. The winner must be subscribed to Tawny. Just Tawny. via Email Subscription. One(1) winner will be chosen at random via www.random.org. The winner will be notified via email on Sunday November 13th. If they do not respond within 48 hours the prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen via www.random.org and will be notified via email. The prize will be shipped to the winner via mail depending on the best way to deliver to their particular country of residence.

My Katie

Sometimes people do things for me that make me so, so happy. So happy that I scream so loud that I shock myself!!

Today (well, yesterday, technically) I wasn't having the best of days. A couple of things happened at work in the morning that I was battling my way through. I managed to get everything in order, but my day didn't start off to be sunshine and lollypops.

One of my dearest friends in the world, whom I am so fortunate to work with always knows when something is up, whether it is good or bad. I swear that she reads my mind (I tell her this all of the time) because it never fails - If I need her she is there.

On Monday she and I had a quick conversation about Sephora. She was telling me about her new highlighting skills and how much she loves the new Sephora at the mall that we both frequent. During our chat she mentioned that she wanted to become a Kardashian (we are just silly like that) and I mentioned that I was aching to try the NARS Turkish Delight lippy that Kim uses which I planned on getting when i went back to Sephora.

Fast forward to today...

During lunch today, my beauty bestie stopped in to see me. She smiled and asked if I was having a bad day. Without hesitation, I answered with "yes"! Out from her purse (or whatever she was holding; it's all a blur now due to the excitement) she pulled a little Sephora bag and handed it to me telling me that we (as in people in general) don't ever receive enough presents.

There in my little Sephora bag was the NARS Turkish Delight I had spoken of the day before!!

Completely unexpected, I screamed and hugged her with excitement. She totally made my day!!

Immediately after she left my office I received two work related phone calls in a row that were also unexpected and my day immediately started to pick up from there.

Sometimes the smallest things in life can make such a huge impact. You may not know it but that good deed you did or are about to do may completely make someone's day turn from awful to amazing and the good karma that your deed brings with it may change an entire series of events. You just never know!

I am so, so thankful to have a Katie in my life. I hope that you are blessed with a Katie too!!

I'm loving me some Turkish Delight!!

xTx

Sent from my iPhone

30-Something Skin

I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to turning 30 this past July. I felt the same turning 30 as I did when I turned 20 - I was not exactly thrilled! The only difference was that on my 30th milestone I didn't streak my hair bright pink, HA!

Over the past couple of years I have noticed a change in my skin. In your thirties your skin begins to lose it's elasticity, it requires extra nourishment and a skin regime that you should stay devoted to, especially if you want to reduce the signs of ageing (how many times have you heard that before?). Keeping your skin hydrated can be a feat if you live in Canada like myself. It is so important at this time of year to be extra friendly to your skin with the dry air of Autumn and Winter. Of course this  means drinking lots of water, cleansing and moisturizing. Keep reading...

Numero Un: As I mentioned above, drink lots of water. Eight glasses a day. Bla bla bla. I'll be honest; I hate water and I hardly drink enough of it. During the day while I am at work I tend to grab more coffee and tea than I do water which isn't something that I am proud of. I also have an addiction to Ginger Ale. This water ordeal is such a huge downfall of mine so I have to practice what I preach! I won't say anything more than the fact that it is important to drink. Water hydrates. Spritz some lemon into that glass and drink your merry little heart out. Your skin will thank you.

Numero Deux: Don't scrub your face into an oblivion, cleanse it gently! If your face hurts after you cleanse you're clearly not doing something right - Just sayin'. Find a gentle cleanser that is best suited for your skin type and be sure to clean your face every night before bed. When I shower in the morning I splash water on my face but I don't cleanse it like I do before I go to sleep at night. There are a ton of cleansers on the market that are cheap and simple - You don't have to cleanse with anything expensive. I love L'Oreal 360 Clean cleansers. Not only does this line of cleansers come with an amazing "scrublet" that is a little piece of wonderful, but I find that they are simple. Although I don't have sensitive skin, I use the blue cleanser because it is unscented and light. It is soap-free so my skin doesn't dry out with use and honestly, the scrublet (which you can see in the picture on the right - it pops in and out of the front of the bottle) is a must-have. I wish that I could find these little scrublet's for sale somewhere because the one that I have is amazing.

If you want to try a simple DIY facial cleanser that will only cost you a few cents and seconds to make; try mixing 1.5 teaspoons of melted honey with 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix together and cleanse your face and neck. Rinse with warm water to remove. It is gentle, natural and will leave your skin feeling so lovely.

Numero trois: Exfoliate. I recently started using pür minerals Pur Polish Multi-Use Exfoliator which is amazing. For $23 CDN you receive 8fl oz. of product in a pump jar that can be used all over your body including your face. Exfoliating a couple times a week is important to keep your skin healthy and looking fresh and young. Only exfoliate at night so that your skin has time to settle before you expose it to the elements. Love, love, love this product!

As you can see, my gorgeous cousin Kelsey gives the Pur Polish a thumbs-up too ;)



Numero Quatre: Once you have cleansed or exfoliated at night, moisturize your face with a moisturizer that is right for you. I was using Elizabeth Grant's Caviar Night Creme (which is AMAZING!) but I have recently switched over to 100% pure Argan Oil from the ZINN Beauty Collection. After I cleanse, I blot dry and then allow my face to continue air drying for a couple of minutes. I apply the oil to my face and massage it in gently. It is not a heavy oil and it soaks in quickly, leaving my face feeling silky smooth, hydrated and healthy. Not only can Argan Oil be used on your face but it can be used on your entire body including your hair.
What is Argan Oil you ask? It is extracted from the kernal of the Argan tree which is native to Morocco. It's extremely rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids and is safe and effective for all skin types, proving to protect against issues like premature aging, acne, rosacea and sun damage. It does NOT have Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic Dyes, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMO's and Triclosan.

Fun Fact about Argan Oil: Way, way back in the day, day, long before you and I were here, the Berber people (the indigenous peoples that inhabited North Africa, west of the Nile River) used to pick the Argan pits from the waste of their goats (the goats used to climb the Argan trees to eat the fruit). The pits were then ground and pressed to make the amazing oil that we now know today. Fortunately in today's time the pits are no longer pulled from goat waste :)

Numero Cinq: Moisturize. I highly suggest moisturizing with a moisturizer that has an SPF15 in it to help protect your skin from the sun during the day. No matter what time of year it is, you want to protect your skin from ultra violet rays. It is no secret that too much sun exposure causes pre-mature wrinkles which we all would like to avoid. Since I have been using the Aragan Oil at night I have found that I have not required a moisturizer in the morning - I just rinse, blot dry, prime and apply my make-up.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
I will be back to talk about moisturizers in another blog post - They deserve their own :)
Quick Tip: Never use the same hand towel that you use to dry your hands to dry your face. Keep a roll of paper towel in your bathroom to use on your face. This way you use the paper towel once and can throw it away, completely avoid the possibility of germs getting onto your face.

Skin care may seem complicated but it's really not once you are in a steady routine. Educate yourself and love your skin.
xTx

Phantom Farm

I like to think that I am a brave person, but really, when it comes to really scary things, I am just a wimp. I cry like a baby when I am scared. Actually, first I laugh hysterically. And then I cry. A lot.

Phantom Farm, located north of Port Hope, Ontario is by far one of the scariest things I have experienced in my life. I've been through the silly haunted rooms at Canada's Wonderland, Wasaga Beach and Center Island. I experienced some scary themed ordeal at Universal Studio's in California. I've been through many Hallowe'en haunted houses in my lifetime. Some cheesy. Some decent. But only one terrifying.

I know that the people involved are of course just in costume but for some reason, when you're in the middle of a barn that is pitch black, with just the sound of rattling chains and cold hands grabbing at your legs, you forget about the costumes. It's ridiculous, really. The only time I have ever been to Phantom Farm I dragged some poor man through the entire tour with me. I didn't pull him along, I literally dragged him. He was falling, begging me to let go, pleading that I slow down. By the end of the tour he was soaked with my tears. My Aunt and Uncle (whose dear friends own the farm) had forewarned the staff that I would be going through that night so they were all on the look out for me to ensure that I was terrified. They did a superb job of that. Around each corner I ran into someone who knew who I was and did everything possible to frighten me. As my Aunt laughed in hysterics, the poor guy that I was dragging through continued to plead. I buried my face in his chest, pulled on his arm, made him fall, trip and stumble. The poor guy! I threatened to hit every costumed being that I encountered and screamed enough for an army of fifty 12 year old girls.

This month we will be going back to experience the "fun". I'm not excited at all nor do I want to go. I have already decided that I will not be taking the barn trip but I am considering (I can't emphasize that enough!!) the hay ride through the haunted forest but the barn is just too much for me to handle.

If you enjoy being spooked and love all things Hallowe'en, Phantom Farm is definitely for you! People from all over Canada and the U.S. make a point to go to the farm each year. It is only open until the last week of October, so if you have the chance and crave a terrifying experience you should really swing by to enjoy the "fun".

...But don't say that I didn't warn you...

Happy almost Hallowe'en!

xTx

Macadamia Natural Oil - Reviving Curl Cream

My Babygirl has some serious hair. Hair that extends all the way down her back and hair that is loaded with curls. I'm talking serious curls. Serious ringletty curls that take on a mind of their own. They are full of attitude and are completely untamable if they aren't cared for. A couple of years ago her ringlettes would spring into place with ease but since her hair has gotten so long and thick, the weight of it now pulls the rings down. Each night I comb and braid Babygirl's hair so that we are able to fix it up with a 15 minute ease each morning before school. Normally, I simply take the braid out, comb it through with my fingers, spray it with water and then brush it through with a wide toothed comb. To finish, I twist each curl around my finger to try to keep them as defined as possible with the spritz of a frizz tamer. Of course, when she comes home, even with a tamer, her hair is a frizzy, hot mess from her busy day at school.

Again, as we all know, I (alphabetically - LMNOP) love Macadamia Natural Oil products and have had the opportunity to try the Reviving Curl Cream on Babygirl's hair. Because these products are healing and not harmful, I have no concerns using them on my daughter's hair at all. After I spritz-spray her hair with water in the morning I run about a quarter sized amount Curl Reviving Cream through, focusing on the lower half to start; ending off at her roots. I haven't been twisting her ringlettes at all but I have been gently scrunching them into place and they turn out beautiful. I have found that this product is best used on damp to wet hair so I wouldn't suggest applying it to hair that is dry. It definately has a holding agent in it but it's certainly not a strong gel-like hold; just a nice soft hold. Babygirl's curls stay soft, defined, frizzless and shiney all day long, regardless of the amount of running (which she does a lot of) and playing (which she does even more of) that she has done at school that day. It is so nice to see her come home with the same pretty hair that she went to school with.

I can't say enough about this line of hair care and style products. To be honest, the only thing left to say is; if you haven't tried Macadamia Natural Oil, there is no question that you should. It's a simple as that.

xTx

Full Disclaimer: The product I have spoken of was provided to me by Macadamia Natural Oil. No further compensation was received and no guarantee of a positive review was promised nor expected. All opinions expressed are my own - we all know I have one! Thank you, Macadamia Natural Oil for providing my daughter and I with the BEST hair care products possible.

Hello Kitty Nails

Last Sunday I painted Hello Kitty on Babygirl's nails but sadly I forgot her ears.  It's amazing what you can paint with a toothpick!

xTx

Photo © Copyright Tawny Gelinas, 2011

Five ★ Sunday (On a Saturday Night) - Candles

Every year, come September and October's crisp Autumn weather I always make sure that our house is full of the things that make my family and I feel warm and cozy. Like my Mom, I have a serious obsession with candles all year long but I especially love to burn them through the Autumn and Winter months when the smells of freshly cut grass, flower gardens, BBQ's and pool water are no longer. When I was younger we used to attend many functions at the CNE in Toronto and I would always look for a booth selling Kokimo Candles so that I could buy a Candy Candle for my Mom. Back then my favourite Candy scent was grape but now I tend to stick with scents that are warm and that remind me of my childhood. If my Mom wasn't burning candles she would burn a homemade contraption on our stove or over tea light burners so that our home always smelled like cinnamon. Scents with cinnamon are always very comforting to me because of this.

One of my favourite candles to burn in the Autumn is called "Leaves" by Slatkin & Co. which can be purchased at Bath & Body Works.  "Leaves" to me is the true scent of Autumn with high notes of golden nectar, mandarin and red delicious apples paired with undertones of cinnamon, mulled cider spices and fresh red berries. Not only is it a beautiful scent but one 3 wick candle smells my entire house for hours at a time, has a life span of 40-65 hours, comes in a pretty re-sealable jar and burns completely clean with no wasted wax. These candles are really pricey and sell at $25 a jar. The only time I buy them is when they are on sale, 2 for $25. Even though I adore the scent, I refuse to pay $25 for one candle.

My all time favourite candles are Sparta Candles. Like Kokimo Candles, Sparta Candles are Canadian made and can only be purchased online or in the Anything Used and Sparta Country Candles store in Sparta, Ontario. The scent pay off of these candles is phenomenal. What is even more phenomenal is that the 12 oz candles burn for at least 80 hours and are only $9.99!! Even better, once your 12 oz candle has burned out you can purchase a refill candle to go right back in the reusable jar for only $7.99. BUT, if you purchase 5 or more refill candles, they are only $5.99 each. That's $30.00 (plus applicable taxes) for 5 candles equalling 400 hours of burn time. Love it!! My favourite scents are Wildthing, Cinnamon Hearts, Peach Passion and Twisted Raspberry. Oh, and Blueberry Mountain and French Vanilla and Sunburst and Santa's Bake Shop. You know, I could list them all. These candles are beautiful and well worth the price. You will receive free shipping on all orders over $25.00. I believe that a standard shipping charge of $20.00 is added to all orders under $25.00. Honestly, you can't go wrong ordering online (if your order is over $25) and you certainly will not be sorry that you did so.

What candles do you love to burn?

xTx

Photo's courtesy of Bath and Body Works and Sparta Country Candles

Sunday Night Nail Art - Rio

Babygirl loves having her nails painted so every Sunday night (sometimes we miss a Sunday) I paint her nails for her so that they are done for the school week ahead.

Rio has been a huge hit in our house - even though I am terrified of birds :). We saw it in 3D (well, I didn't see it in 3D because I can't see 3D) at the theater and we purchased it on DVD. Babygirl loves it so much that this week she wanted Rio nails.

We started off with a semi-clear base because Babygirl requested something "sandy coloured" and let it dry. Once dry, we began painting Blu in a rough outline on Babygirl's thumb. Poor Blu looked more like a blob of nothing at first.

Once Blu's blue blob was complete we painted on the beak with black polish. I don't use any fancy tools for this. I have one fine nail art paint brush that I use to paint everything on that I just clean with nail polish remover as I go. You could use a fine art brush if you'd like.

Once the beak was done I went back in with black and defined Blu's eye and feathers. Don't forget to paint on the three little feathers on top of his head :) You could also use white to add more definition to his eye but I didn't, I just used a baby blue.

Once Blu was all done we started painting the word "RIO" on Babygirls other fingers. The blue "R" went on the ring finger of her right hand. When painting the "R" be sure not to forget the three little feathers that poke out of the top of it (just like on Blu's head).

Then came the yellow "i" on the middle finger of her right hand.

And then the orange "o" on her pointer finger. Once the letters were done I began to define them in black, again, just using the nail art brush that I have.

Below is the finished product on Babygirl's right hand. Because her pinky finger was left unpainted she requested that I paint it hot pink.

Then we began painting Jewel in on her left thumb. Start with a backwards "C" and build the neck down from the bottom of it. Go in with black and paint the beak, also similar to a backwards "C".

Define Jewel's eye and paint a hot pink flower onto the side of her head. As an added touch you could even add a flower decal rather than painting a flower on.

Once Jewel was complete, we finished up by painting the other four fingers on her right hand in hot pink as well. Let dry and paint on a top coat. Sadly when I was painting the top coat on I accidentally leaned on the "R" and ruined it so I had to re-paint it lol.

It's always a huge ordeal choosing a nail design but we definately have fun once we begin the painting. Normally we watch a re-run (or two depending on how long the design takes) of iCarly or Tawny Town, sip juice and paint away. It's a fun way to end our weekends.

If you have any nail ideas please share! I would love to hear them!

I hope that you all have a great week :)

xTx

Rio movie poster courtesy of www.disney.com

All nail art photo's Copyright © Tawny Gelinas, 2011

Five ★ Sunday - Hello Autumn, I Have Missed You xo

Five ★ Sunday is dedicated to Autumn this week. Truthfully, I will more than likely drive you crazy with my love for this season but since it's my favourite time of the year I can't help but talk about it. Below are a few things that make me Autumn-happy.

www.beso.com

So, remember back in the day, like, prior to a few months ago when I was terrified of eBay because my identity was stolen? Well, I'm not so terrified of shopping online anymore. Actually, I think that I am now borderline addicted. Maybe acrossline addicted. Maybe just completely addicted. I am loving me some eBay and online shopping. I suppose that my identity crisis caused me to be a bit more leery but I love searching the online aisles for super cheap deals on things. When I'm bidding on eBay, I don't make big purchases at all. I always refine my searches to free shipping and start with the lowest prices listed. I have bid on and won some super cool things for less than $2.00. I love chunky cocktail rings and have scored quite a few for only $1.00. Scarves, makeup, bracelets and beret's are all in the running under $2.00 too. Deals are ridiculously exciting - which leads me to my first fav of the week.
Through my stumbling for good deals I have discovered Beso - Every online shoppers dream! Beso is an easy navigation site that links to hundreds of stores and brands which makes your shopping super fun and super easy. No matter what you are looking for, type it in the search box at the top left side of the page and a listing of the item that you are looking for will come up for purchase available from all online stores. I love that once your search results come up, there are tabs that you can click on which provide all of the deals and free shipping related to the specific item you are looking to purchase. You will also find tabs along the top of the page linking to various items on sale from 20-80% off, a brand and store directory, the Beso Blog, and quick link categories for women, men, home, kids, jewelery and beauty. Obviously this isn't one of my Autumn-ism's but I think that you should check it out!

Revlon ColorBurst™ Lipstick

I don't wear a lot of lipstick. Actually, I only own one lipstick (M.A.C. Spirit) which I rarely wear but absolutely love. I know that may sound crazy given my obsession with makeup but I've never really worn a lot of lipstick. I am a lip gloss junkie (you will find various lippies all over my house, vehicle, purses, drawers and office. I am literally the Hansel & Gretel of lippies - I leave them where ever I go) but I just don't wear lipstick.
I have full lips and I love the voluptuous look of them but I don't like to enhance them with colourful lipstick (lip gloss, yes, lipstick, no). I definitely don't wear lip liner (I don't even own one) because it adds so much definition to lips. Collaborate a bright coloured lipstick with those lined lips and you have my nightmare.
I think that this is a psychological thing. When I was 10 years old and in grade 4 I knew this girl that used to occasionally wear pink lipstick to school. When she wore it she always applied it over top of her philtrum (the area between your upper lip and your nose that has those two little vertical lines). I always thought she looked silly when she did this and one day I asked her why she wore it above her lip. Her response was: "because it is a part of my lip and I want to make my lips look big and pretty". I wasn't allowed to wear makeup until I was 16 so at 10 the thought of "big pretty lips" was nonsense to me and I thought she looked like a clown. Anyway,  I think that this may be the main reason that I don't wear a lot of lipstick.
A couple of weeks ago while I was at Shopper's Drugmart browsing the makeup section, I came across the Revlon ColorBurst line of lipstick's. I am a huge sucker for matte packaging (odd, I know) and I loved the grid pattern of the lipstick shell (odd again). Clearly I only purchased the lipstick because I liked the package (obviously my sudden urge to make a purchase based solely on the packaging is every marketer's dream) but I was actually surprised when I got home and tried the lipstick on. I paid about $13CDN (tax included) for my #70 Soft Nude purchase. It has a very smooth and creamy consistency which I like and the colour doesn't bleed onto my philtrum which means that I don't have to wear a lip liner with it (bonus). The top of the lid is the colour of the lipstick so I imagine that this would come in extra handy if you had a plethora of lip stick's in your collection and wanted to find a colour quickly. I find this lipstick has a very similar feel to the one M.A.C. lippy that I own and it is rather moisturizing. The colour that I chose is neutral and also perfect for Autumn. I give the Colorburst 5 ★'s because it has made me want to try other lipstick's. What is your favourite lipstick brand? Do share so that I can try them out!

Calgon Refreshing Body Mist - Marshmallow Scent

Another thing that I love is body spray. I have plenty of perfumes but I like that body sprays are soft and don't linger everywhere that you go for 15 minutes - because a scent that you enjoy may not be a scent that other people enjoy. For example, I am not a fan of patchouli and I can smell it from a mile away. It has to be the muskiest smell in the world, it lingers FOREVER and it kicks all of my senses in the face. Just thinking about it as I type this is making my nose hurt! So, again, my point is that what you think may smell lovely may not be so wonderful to someone else - which is why during the day I only wear body spray. My signature scent is Victoria's Secret - Vanilla Lace which I wear all of the time but I have many Calgon spray's as well. My favourite from Calgon is the Marshmallow scent. Although it doesn't really smell like roasted marshmallow's to me, it is soft and sweet scent that has notes of brown sugar, vanilla and sandalwood. Very pretty and also nice for Autumn.

Kings & Queens - Queen Isabella, Cinnamon Orange Body Milk

It is the time of year that you want to start preparing your skin for Winter weather. All skin varies, but if you are like me, I don't have to use a lot of lotion during the summer because the weather is moist with humidity but come Winter when the air is crisp and dry, my skin requires a lot of TLC. Last year around this same time, I purchased a bottle of Queen Isabella's Cinnamon Orange Body Milk by Kings & Queens - I couldn't get enough this Body Milk. It smells amazing; very spicy and warm - something you want to put on after a hot bath to cuddle up next to a fireplace sans comfy clothes and a good book. Because it is a body milk, it will not leave your skin feeling heavy; it's light, goes on smooth and soaks in quickly. Made in Greece, all Kings and Queens products are free from mineral oil and parabens and are beautifully enriched with pomegranate (which we all know is amazing), blue Egyptian lotus (which was used by Ancient Egyptians as a natural aphrodisiac) and malachite extracts (which is a strong detoxifier and antioxidant). You can conveniently purchase these lovely products (with equally lovely packaging) at Shopper's Drugmart for $10-$20CDN. Additionally, each product comes bearing a story about Royal's and Noblemen during Ancient and Medieval times who each played a part in bringing herbs and spices to the New World.

BeaverTails

I love the Byward Market in Ottawa because there are so many great shops and restaurants to be had. One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon in the Autumn is to stop by the BeaverTails shop at the corner of George St. & William St. in the Byward Market. 

BeaverTails' are a thin pastry made in the shape of a, you guessed it, beaver tail. They are each made fresh at purchase, can be ordered with various toppings and are so yummy on a cool day. Babygirl and I always order the Cinnamon & Sugar flavour - delish!

What are some of your favourite things to use or do in the Autumn?

xTx

$12.99 EVERY DAY!

I hope that everyone had a great week!

Babygirl was stoked to be back to school with all of her friends. Thankfully I have a child that loves to wake up to get ready for school so our morning's (for now) are not a battle. I am sure that eventually when she becomes a teenager, mornings will become a nightmare so I will gladly take each easy morning that we have until that day.

Shopping for back to school clothes this year was interesting. Tiring. And funny. Babygirl finally broke out of her "pretty is for girls" stage and decided that it was time to give pantihose and dresses a run. Year after year I have begged and pleaded that she let me buy her dresses and skirts. It was always "No, Mom. I don't like dresses, I'm a cowgirl". Although I have always wanted her to dress "pretty" but allowed her to define her own style personality. According to Babygirl, cowgirls don't wear dresses and she was happy wearing her jeans and yes, her cowgirl boots to school. Much easier to gallop around her school yard on her imaginary pinto horse during recess.

I grew up in the country on a farm with horses and spent 16 years of my life traveling to rodeo's but I never cared to compete in them. I was happy riding and caring for my horses but as much as my Dad wanted me to, I never deemed myself a cowgirl. My daughter on the other hand is the complete opposite of me. If you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up she will immediately answer "a cowgirl". I don't think that a single week has passed in her life that she hasn't (at least once) asked if we can move into the country on a farm and often states that we can keep a pony in our backyard if we aren't going to move to the country any time soon. She's such a country girl and with her cowgirl dream comes a lack of dresses and drawers full of jeans.

For some reason this summer Babygirl became fashion savvy and decided that it was time for her to start dressing "pretty". I didn't argue. While shopping we spent countless hours holding each outfit up so she could analyze it in a mirror in order to make her final decision. I was a very proud Mama when we left each store with cute outfits (that included sparkles and sequence [but absolutely, 100% NO FLOWERS PERMITTED]) in hand! Most Mom's may think that this dress thing sounds crazy but when you have a daughter that has refused to wear "pretty" clothes for her entire 7 years of existence, you would have jumped all over the "pretty" shopping spree too.

With all of the galloping that Babygirl does, she manages to go through a ton of shoes. I'm talking a TON of shoes. Her last pair of cowgirl boots lasted her entire grade 1 year (she sadly grew out of them this summer so now we are on the hunt for new cowgirl boots) but she tore every pair of sneakers that she had apart. I guess that cowgirl boots are made to withstand the galloping; sneak's - not so much. Because she gallops through all of her shoes and so many at a time I try to buy them on sale. I refuse to spend over $30 on a pair of shoes because it is literally money wasted in our house.

Payless always has super cheap shoes which are easy on the wallet. While back-to-school shopping this year we purchased three pairs of shoes from payless. On Monday morning while Babygirl and I were putting her indoor (black Mary Jane's - SO exciting to me because that means she is dressing like a girlie girl) shoes into her backpack, I took the shoes out of the box and placed it on our coffee table.

As I am trying to fit her Mary Janes (!!!!) into the bottom of her backpack (without scuffing them) she yells out in horror "OH NO, MOM!!!!! WHY DID YOU BUY THOSE SHOES!!!!! THIS ISN'T GOOD!!!!!"

I'm quickly pull the shoes out of the bag! "What?!" I said, "What's wrong with them!?!?" I'm panicking now, thinking the worst, she's onto my pretty girl tactics! She's never going to wear the cutesie little shoes!

Frantically, Babygirl grabs the shoe box that I placed on the coffee table and points to the sign that says "Every Day - $12.99". "Mom, LOOK!!!!! WHY DID YOU BUY THESE?!?!"

I'm quickly trying to recover. "Because they are cute and they match your pretty dresses and they were cheap! What is WRONG?" I want to cry...

"Mom, they aren't CHEAP!" she declares, "You are going to have to go back to the store and pay $12.99 for them EVERY DAY!"

...LOL...

Fortunately it was just a price concern not a style concern (phewf!). My Babygirl may be a cowgirl. But at least she is a frugal little cowgirl.

xTx

Banana's for Pravana

As I previously mentioned, this post will be the kick off to my Five ★ Sunday series. Each Sunday I will publish a post highlighting some of the things that I am currently using and consider to be super wonderful. If it has made it to Five ★ Sunday, it is because I want to share my excitement with you :)

Canadian summers (as all Canadian's know) are extremely hot and humid so I don't generally style my hair until autumn arrives. The arrival of autumn means that the humidity disappears and pretty hair styles are able to return. To me, this means curls. I adore long bouncy curls. Curls that keep their shape but are fexible. There is nothing worse than the feeling of rigid hair that won't move! Autumn hasn't quite arrived yet, but in preparation for it I have been curling my hair and trying out some new products that are amazing.

The first is Pravana's Elevate Botanical Root Boost. This booster is alcohol-free and happily fortified with natural ingredients like horsetail, sunflower and jojoba extracts and Panthenol Pro-Vitamin B5. After washing my hair and towel drying the wetness out, I simply apply the foam to my roots and work it out to the ends. I comb through, blow dry (with my head upside down) and curl with my flat iron. I love that the hair on top of my head stays awake even with the added weight of my curls. I never walk away from my bathroom mirror looking like Snookie but I do walk away with hair that stays moisturized, has volume, shine and bouncy curls that move when I move - and it smells like fresh pomegranate's too :)

My curls don't generally keep their shape for very long  (without help) in the summer. Pravana's Super Shape Hair Spray is phenomenal. It is highly concrentrated so only a small amount of product is required to tend to your hair's style and to provide a very flexible but firm hold. If you are working on a style that requires a heavy hold, just spray longer until desired. Brushing through your curls with a round brush after you have applied your hair spray will again leave them bouncy, full of life and smelling lovely. Last night I was in Quebec for an evening out - After applying my Root Boost, I curled my hair and spritzed it with Super Shape. Even though it was hot and humid, my frizzless curls didn't want the evening to end - They stayed in place all night long. Most importantly, when I use this hair spray it doesn't make my scalp itchy (which hair spray often does) nor does my hair feel like a dried out train wreck at the end of the day.

In ancient Sanskrit, Pravana means "the source of all things". Out of Woodland Hills California, Pravana's hair care and style collection (everything from shampoo and conditioner to hair paste) was created by professional stylists and all products are sulfate-free, cruelty-free, paraben-free and eco-conscious. Their fabulous products can be purchased in fine salon's and spas throughout America. An added benefit to purchasing Pravana products is that they have a Technical Hotline for any questions that you may have pertaining to their hair products. That is serious service!

Below are a couple of pictures that I took last night. I apologize for the terrible quality. Next time I will bust out my Canon.

Happy boosting and spritzing, my lovelies ;)

xTx

Product photo's courtesy of http://www.pravana.com/

Three photo's of Tawny, © Copyright Tawny Gelinas, 2011

Full Disclaimer: The products I have spoken of were provided to me by Pravana. No further compensation was received and no guarantee of a positive review was promised nor expected. All opinions expressed are my own - we all know I have one! Thank you, Pravana for assisting with my curls, I am ready for autumn to arrive!

Mammoth Cupcakes

So, I overfilled the cupcake cups, which resulted in gigantic cupcakes! My icing turned out yummy but I am unfortunately really bad at decorating :(
I hope that everyone is enjoying their long weekend so far!!

Good Morning World

My prediction was wrong. I wasn't up before 7am. I was up at 7:15! 15 extra minutes if sleep? Yes, please! Haha :)

Sent from my iPhone

I Love Family Weekends!

Given that I live about 9 hours (driving distance) away from my parents (and most family), I don't get to see them very often anymore. We speak on the phone daily, Skype, Facebook and MSN but no technological means of communication is quite the same as being with them in person. I may be bias but I must admit that I have the most amazing family. We always have so much fun together!

This weekend we all travelled to my parents' house down south to surprise my Mom for her 69th (she will probably kick my ass for posting her age online LOL) birthday! at 7pm on Saturday evening when she finally found out that we (her family), along with about 60 of her dearest friends were all there to celebrate an early birthday for her, she was in absolute shock, flashed her beautiful smile and broke down in tears.

My cousin Ashley is a chef and made 140 of the most amazing chocolate cupcakes that you could ever imagine, with five different types of buttercream icing - Vanilla bean, fresh raspberry, cocoa, coconut and caramel. Not only were they beautifully decorated with sparkles and sprinkles but they were a tastebud heaven as well. We had a great dinner, live entertainment, games, drinks, beautiful company and a very happy birthday girl!

One of my favourite things to do is to sit with my family and talk. We literally talk and laugh for hours. Some of my fondest family memories are of all of us gathered around my parents long kitchen table laughing and talking over dinner or a game of some sort. It is too sad that our weekend couldn't have gone on longer. The next time we will all be together is at Christmas time - which is one reason why we had an early birthday for Mom this year.

Although I am happy to be back in The Twa, I miss everyone so much already!!

I will post some pictures from our weekend later on :)

As a side note - As you all know, I have been raving about Macadamia Natural Oil hair products. My Mom had been aching to try them so for her birthday, one of the gifts that we all gave her was the shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and oil treatment. Well, she is now in love with these products as much as I am. After we did her hair yesterday, she spent the rest of the afternoon running her fingers through her hair and having everyone touch her pretty locks! Her hair went from its "straw" state to soft, silky and full of life - in just one use! Unbelievable! Mom was stoked!

I wish you all a beautiful week! Be sure to spend time with those that you love. And don't forget to laugh. A lot.

xTx

The Parkdale Market

By mid July, our Canadian summers are always extremely hot and muggy - the type of weather that I have a love/hate relationship with and the type of weather that my hair just hates. Humidity+My Hair=Frizz. Not pretty. Fortunately this summer I found a way to tame that craziness!!

Come mid August, the weather always begins to settle down - It's still hot but the stickiness begins to dwindle. You can walk outside with no worries that your clothing is going to stick to you and your hair is going to take on a personality of its own. You don't have to worry so much about pumping the air conditioning on sonic blast the second you get to your car. Better yet, you don't have to be concerned that the air blowing sonic blast out of your car vents for the first 30 seconds isn't the temperature of 500 degrees. Those first 30 seconds are always so raunchy!
Regardless of how hot and muggly the weather, there are so many things to see and do here in The Twa. Everything from cultural festivals, boat cruises down the Rideau, camping and fishing, historical museums, beautiful parks and beaches, wine tastings, fleamarket's, sidewalk sales, live music and patio gatherings.

Since I was a little girl my favourite summertime dinner has been BBQ steak, baby potatoes (with butter and sour cream), fresh green beans, corn on the cob and cucumbers soaked in vinegar. This is why my favourite part of the summer is the abundance of roadside stands and farmer's markets that sell fresh fruits and vegetables. Coming from a country background, I have had the opportunity to visit some of the most amazing markets and stands that Ontario has to offer; which is what brings me to my excitement of the day.

Yesterday afternoon babygirl and I went to the Parkdale Market in Wellington West's area of The Twa. The air that surrounds the market is so fresh and sweet from all of the tables lined with produce straight from our local farmer's fields and gardens.

You can find the Parkdale Market at Exit 122 off of the 417. Parking is plentiful, however if you don't drive I believe that the OC Transport has a stop directly in front of the market as well. One way or another, I suggest that you find your way to this lovely piece of open air heaven.

Cutest eggplant head ever :)

I love fresh garlic so much! These rows of garlic bulbs make me smile :)

I don't know any grocery store that has produce this perfect!

So pretty! Some of the yummiest berries to be had come off of the Indian Reserves in Quebec.

Even if the prices are a tad higher that most grocers, you can bet your pretty penny that you are purchasing the best of the best from some of the friendliest farmers you will ever meet.

Bouquets of fresh flowers are available as well.

And bananas!!!!!!!!

We met some of the nicest people in the market yesterday. One farmer that we met named Francois was happy to stop and chat with us for a couple minutes, offering up a raw cob of corn for babygirl to snack on (which as you can see from the picture above was taken down to bare cob because it was so delish). We purchased a bakers dozen of sweet (caramel) corn from Farmer Francois for $6.00. It will take presidence at our Sunday dinner this evening. We can't wait to boil it up!

Aside from the corn on the cob that we purchased, we also bought a quart of strawberries for $5, red (my fav) baby potatoes for $4 and a quart of ground cherries for $5. I've tried some crazy things before, but this was my introduction to ground cherries. As you can see they come wrapped in their own tiny little leaf lantern, which when opened, reveals a beautiful amber coloured fruit. Ground cherries are pitless and (in my opinion) have the taste and texture of a sweet plum minus the tartness of the plum skin. They were of course founded by our Native ancestors; will last up to 6 months in their hull and can be packaged and frozen, baked into pies, breads, jams and muffins. Apparently these little marble sized balls of sweetness are hard to find, so my suggestion is that if you come across any being sold, be sure to scoop some up and give them a try. They are so yum!!

The Parkdale Market is open 7 days a week from 7am to 6pm. It opens up for the season in April and shuts down again until the Spring on December 24th. Located directly behind the market is a beautiful park with a splash pad for the kids! These areas of the city make me so happy because you forget how close you are to the hustle and bustle of the downtown core.

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for a fresh purchase, or to simply take in all of the sweet, sweet smells and vivid colours that represent our beautiful province in the summertime.

xTx

All photos © Copyright Tawny Gelinas, 2011

It pays to be anal...

It appears that all anal patients at this dentist's office receive better service and deals than the average joe - like free Zoom Teeth Whitening!!
Nice!!
:D