Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, I know I shared the little video from Christmas Eve and Christmas day but thought I would recap with some photos if you'd like to see.
On Christmas Eve, I travelled with Marco to Kingston to spend the evening with his family. We had a great meal and opened gifts late into the night. This was the first time I'd ever been away from my own family at this time, but I had a great time. After the gifts were done, the nieces and nephew gone, everyone got ready for bed. Marco and I decided to do stockings for each other this year--a first--and did that in private around midnight. It was fun and perhaps the beginning of a tradition.
The next morning we woke up and had breakfast with his parents. From there, we packed up and travelled the two hours back to Ottawa to spend the afternoon and evening with my family. My parents were busy cooking in the kitchen upon our arrival we settled in with some drinks and snacks to pass some time.
Around 4pm, my sister, her husband and my nephew arrived and we opened our gifts--also a first for this sort of thing as we normally do this Christmas morning--which was really fun. We didn't finish before my grandparents arrived for dinner, so we took a break to visit and eventually eat a turkey dinner (my fave!).
I'm going to do a full post and video on some of my favourite gifts but here is a really cool one my sister and brother-in-law gave me: a mini pie maker! As some of you know, I'm a huge pie lover and this baby whips them up in 10 minutes. This could be dangerous, but I'm really excited.
Later on in the evening, we finished opening our gifts and spent hours chatting, eating and trying to solve little metal mind-twister game puzzle things (above) Santa gave us. We left after midnight, tired and happy.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Other posts you may have missed:
* Christmas 2012
* Christmas 2011
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I made a little video of my Christmas that spanned over the 24th to the 25th, which included travelling to Kingston with Marco to see his family and then back to Ottawa to see mine. Thanks for watching! xo
| Vlog stands for video-blog, so if ya don't know, now ya know.
Although I'm not from Toronto, the ice storm that hit the capital of Ontario--also about four hours away from my city, Ottawa--was quite incredible. It's been over 15 years since we've seen a storm like this and hundreds of thousands went without power for days and sadly, over Christmas.
On the bright side, it makes for some beautiful scenery and photographs and while Marco and I drove back from Kingston on Christmas morning, we stopped along the 401 at a service centre to walk into a wooded picnic area to snap some photos of the aftermath.
Merry Christmas!
Today we travelled from Kingston to Ottawa for a celebration with my family. I'm currently hanging out, waiting for my sister, her husband and my nephew to arrive. We are going to open gifts and then my grandparents are coming over to join us for dinner.
I'm surrounded by treats, wine, and baked goodies. The photo above was taken this morning when we stopped at a service station on our two-hour drive from Kingston. The ice store that hit Toronto and more made for a beautiful backdrop so Marco and I took advantage and snapped some photos with the DSLR.
Hope you're having a great day. I'll be back tomorrow evening with more photos and and stories about my Christmas holidays. Sending love and a big hug to everyone!
In this video I show you how I create my messy French twist I rocked a few weekends ago. It's super easy, takes under five minutes and is great for day 2 or 3 hair.
Hope this is helpful and if you rock this look, tweet/instagram me @acoest1984 and use the hashtag #acofrenchtwist
I'd love to see your take on it!
I have several sequinned items; tops, skirts, dresses, a pair of shorts, but no pants and I could see these babies fitting right in.
I'd pair these with a black blazer and silk cami for work or a party with friends and something sexier like a sleeveless top for a night out with my man. These are definitely flashy but would work so well for NYE and since I'm a pant lover--more so than dresses, usually--these would be the perfect compromise.
Outfit deets:
* Urban Planet sweater which I have in baby pink & maroon (and you saw all of them in my Colour Pairings video), and you've seen outdoors with denim and boots.
* Urban Planet pants--my go-to black skinnies, they are the Brazil fit, $20 and perfect. I own three pairs (hello that price!).
* H by Halston cap-toe heels that I picked up in Vegas which I wore during Toronto Fashion Week this year, also with my favourite maroon waxed pants & in my How To Wear a Sequin Skirt post last year around this time.
* Accessories: Sirens necklace, F21 wrap bracelet & MK watch.
So the good thing about blogging is you don't need a voice. The bad news? When you're sick you don't feel like taking pictures of yourself. Fortunately I had this one that was taken earlier this week with this beautiful tree.
So I have Laryngitis; I've been fighting something all week and woke up on Wednesday with no voice. I didn't realize this until I got to work and someone came to discuss something with me…Oh my! Where is my voice?
It progressed and got worse through the day, until I was whispering only when necessary and my vocal chords felt very strained. I went to the clinic and she confirmed, viral Laryngitis which means the only cure is rest--ie. no talking--and that I'm contagious. That said, I'm home today, resting and missing my Christmas party lunch with colleagues #wahwah.
How's everyone's Christmas shopping going? Mine is not even half complete so I'm hoping to finish up this weekend and meet my goal of wrapping everything by Sunday night. I always tend to shop right up until the last minute anyways, so, this is pretty normal. Any last minute shoppers out there like me?
As always, thank you so much for reading and coming to my little corner of the Internet.
The holiday season is upon us and I asked you all on Facebook if you had any topics to suggest for the next LCW (Let's Chat Wednesday--thanks Kate) and someone suggested holidays traditions and re-gifting. So without further adieu…
I think I might have re-gifted something once or twice, but I don't tend to make it a habit. Additionally, if I'm going to re-gift something, I'm going to add another item to beef up my gift, so to speak.
One thing I love re-gifting for though is a hostess gift. If someone gave you something like a spa kit, a bottle of wine, or something for the home that isn't necessarily your taste, I would see nothing wrong with passing that brand new item onto someone who will truly love it. Additionally, a hostess gift is not a gift you had to give, but a nice gesture.
Thoughts on re-gifting? Would you?
With Christmas quickly approaching, I've got several things on my radar at Place d'Orleans I'm hoping I will find under the tree.
Here's a quick look at what I'm wishing for:
Clockwise from top left
1. Aldo, Herveline over-the-knee boots | Confession: I already bought these as an early Christmas gift to myself. I know they will take me from holiday parties with friends to out shopping for gifts and well into the new year. Bonus, they have a chunkier heel making them easy to walk in during winter and totally on trend.
2. Jean Machine, Vegan leather & ponte jacket | Love this waterfall-front blazer, I'd pair it with leggings on the weekend and ankle boots.
3. Maurices, Bow earrings | These remind me of bow earrings my mom wore in the 80's but with a modern twist that make them chic for now. I love studs and like to mismatch my earrings for added interest so I'd likely only wear one at a time.
4. Roots, Mabel tee | I love slouchy tees and I always tend towards grey. This would be perfect with denim for an effortless look. Add a statement necklace and wedge boots to dress it up or a beanie and some hi-top kicks to dress it down.
5. Bluenotes, Ombre gloves | Who doesn't need an extra pair of gloves? If not for yourself, these make a great gift or add on for someone else. Love the subtle ombre which is a trend that is still going strong.
6. Eclipse, Tattoo French terry zip-up hoodie | I have to admit the colour and leather pulls on this hoodie sold me. I love hoodies and wear them on weekends and to-and-from the gym. This one looks so cozy and comfy.
7. Limite, Delaney faux sherpa jacket | This is nothing like anything I own and I think it would be a really cute with some leggings or over a plain dress. Since it's not too heavy, it would be more of an indoor layering piece now, and a coat for next Fall.
8. Softmoc, Converse Chuck Taylors | I have been eyeing a pair of Chucks for months now and have decided they are a necessity for my wardrobe. Bonus, they are on sale at PDO right now!
9. Jean Machine, Blank NYC vegan leather denim | I can never get enough black pants and waxed or faux leather are a personal fave because they add interest even if you pair it with something plain and black.
10. Aeropostale, Bayla perfume | I found this in the summertime and haven't stopped thinking about it. It's a light, citrus-y scent that would be perfect for daytime or a holiday down south. The price can't be beat either.
11. Dynamite, Soft faux leather shorts | Love these jogger-esque shorts. I have a pair of faux leather shorts and wear them all the time; in the summer with sandals & in the winter with tights. So versatile and I like how these are an unexpected take on the trend.
12. Boathouse, Nixon Monarch watch | I like how this is different that a regular gold watch with the tortoise/gold strap. I love thick, metal watches and this would be a great one to add to my slowly growing collection.
Welcome to your new home! These Aldo, Herveline over-the-knee boots are finally mine.
I had initially purchased a pair of black OTK boots with a pointed toe--similar to these--but when they came in, the leg portion was huge on me and they looked cheap and plastic (but cost $140, so they shouldn't--they are no longer available). I immediately found these instead but couldn't pull the trigger right away as they were $250 and didn't come in a size 10.
I waited and checked the website every day, and happened upon them at the mall. The display was a size 9 and it turned out to be a perfect fit, which is odd as I'm always a 10. I went back the next day, returned the other ones and as luck would have it, they were marked down as part of a three-day sale for $160! I made the exchange and went on my merry way.
My weekend began Thursday night--as I took Friday off--with a Secret Santa party among friends. This was a stellar gift table and you already saw my charcuterie plate I brought.
I scored a beautiful, custom necklace which I tweeted about.
Friday was spent running errands and prepping for the surprise 60th birthday party my mom, sister and I were throwing for my dad that night. We spent all day at my sister's chopping, cooking, preparing the food, holding my nephew--naturally--and be very sneaky about it.
Later on that evening, waiting for my parent's to come home to a house full of people, tons of food and a great celebration.
My Dad and I at the end of the night. He was so surprised! I made a little video about the party if you care to watch.
Saturday morning gym sesh; my best attempt at a pull up. Seriously.
Lunch at Chuck's.
After lunch we poked around Marshalls. I spotted these Puma x Alexander McQueen hi-top kicks. I thought they were cool looking but I didn't get them; I'm on the fence about whether I'll still be loving wedge sneakers come Spring--it's been two years since first coveting, they might be getting played out.
This weekend was freakin' freezing (-30 degrees Celcius) so I was bundled up everywhere I went.
Outfit deets: Winners beanie, Bench jacket, Club Monaco scarf & Ardene mitts.
Saturday night: Chinese food & Home Alone movies with my man. Perfect night to stay indoors during a snowstorm.
Cuddling with #eveyabish
Sunday morning--er, afternoon--brunch post gym. We sped through the meal to get errands run and a football game watched.
I'm trying so hard to grow out my nails for Christmas--that was my goal when I started about three weeks ago. See that gash on my ring finger? It's from my nail! That's progress. I have a terrible nail biting habit so I'm so proud to get them to this length.
Sidenote: I lost that midi-ring at my Dad's surprise party. Wah.
Sunday evening chilli & work (blog, YouTube, etc.)
Happy last full week before Christmas!
The other night I went to a Secret Santa party with friends and needed to whip up a quick appetizer, as the party started soon after work ended. I'm going to show you how to create this plate for under $22 (including the dishes!).
What you need:
Food Basics
* Whole wheat naan bread (5 pieces) | $1.99
* Prosciutto | $5.00
* Olives | $1.99
* Artichoke & Asiago dip | $3.49
* Roasted Red Pepper hummus | $3.49
Dollarama
* Cutting board | $3
* 3 small dishes | $2
Putting it together:
1. Chop your naan bread into pie-like pieces, the smaller the better as it will go further and no one likes a huge piece of bread (no double dipping allowed!).
2. Take out your proscuitto and roll it up individually so it's easy to grab.
3. Instead of using the containers the dip come in, I like to spoon the dip into small ramekins; it looks prettier and like you spent way more time--hey, did you make that dip?--you get my point.
4. Put the olives in a bowl.
5. Set it up with bread on one side, meat on the other and your dishes separating the two for a stylish take on food. Prepare for tons of compliments.
You could add cheese if you wanted, I was trying to keep the cost down though. The best part is you can leave the cutting board and dishes at the party as hostess gifts, if you wanted--they will love it and it only cost you a mere $5 bucks.
Happy partying!
This used to be a really difficult thing for me. To swallow my pride and apologize.
Yuck.
No thanks.
You be the bigger person.
Or, it's not my fault.
However, with some time and a lot of practice, it's become a bit easier. There are definitely times when I don't want to apologize, but ultimately, I try to approach situations being gentle and not getting my back up. I always tell myself to put my pride on the side and make the situation better. An apology goes a long way, and as the age old saying goes, 'Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?'
I thought I would bring back the Let's Chat again, it's been a while and it was always enjoyable reading your responses!
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