Thursday, February 28, 2013

Inspire Me Thursday

Oh hello there readers...is it Thursday!!!!??? Yes it is...and that means tomorrow is Friday! Thank GOD! What's even better is that after today February is OVER! 19 days until the first day of spring. Time to get a new pair of rubber boots!

I do love Marilyn, but I love the bookshelves behind her a lot.
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 A sure sign of spring spotted on my way into work...



 Now THAT is a Gypsy Caravan!

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 LOVE this

 We went to see The Junction Trio play Dvorak at St. Anne's Church last night... Classical music in a beautiful setting with a warm beverage and a hot date! Perfect for a cold and rainy Wednesday... and it was only a 5 minute walk away...that's my kind of commute : )


 Love Desiree
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

My Journey to Wellness: An Introduction

Dear Readers,

I was inspired to write to you guys today because I am feeling pretty great for the first time in a while…2013 had a pretty rocky start for me. I came to a truly traumatizing realization that I am not as healthy as I thought I was, nothing life threatening, but this discovery launched me into a pretty obsessive lifestyle shift. It started off with ramping up my exercise routine to everyday and making  MASSIVE diet changes… Eliminating processed sugar, caffeine, cutting out dairy (except for the odd sprinkle of feta cheese),cutting out bread, pasta, rice, and white potatoes while tripling my veggie intake, only eating organic hormone free meats, and drinking enough water to fill a swimming pool by the end of the week… Sounds pretty intense right? IT IS…but it didn't end there…I started to look into cosmetics because I knew they were bad for me but I really had no idea how bad… Holy shit guys… I'm serious here.. It's scary and I truly do blame some of my current health issues on the crap I've been smearing all over my face, my hair, and my body for almost 30 years!

So anyway, fast forward a month... I went from feeling helpless, angry, and depressed to feeling empowered, energized and confident.  I finished reading 'No More Dirty Looks' and at the risk of being totally preachy here I have to strongly advise that you pick it up if you haven't already…I thought I had a pretty good idea of the evils of the world but no…there were more….and these ones hit close to home… READ IT.

The book gave me the knowledge and the reference tool that I really needed to make a change…  I have cleared out thousands of dollars worth of cosmetics (even ones that say they're free of bad chemicals) and I will never look back.  My view of beauty has changed too…I'm taking a more natural approach… that's not to say I haven't stocked up on organic cosmetics, but I went to the gym all weekend sans makeup which may seem like no big deal to you but I haven't left my house without makeup on since grade 7…so this was a big deal.  

So I'd like you to join me as I embark on this journey of wellness (don't roll your eyes)…I'm going to start sharing recipes again, but these recipes won't be quite like the ones I used to post… These ones will be RIDICULOUSLY healthy but still delicious I promise… : ) I'll also share some DIY beauty recipes, maybe a couple green product reviews as I start the hunt for organic makeup, shampoo, soap, nail polish etc…

So here I go….on my way to a healthier life…

I hope you'll come too….we can help each other.

Love  always,
Desiree Pin It

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Inspire Me Thursday

Happy Thursday everyone! Hope you're surviving these depressing days of February... Don't worry, we're almost through it...I can see light at the end of the tunnel and what's inspiring me most this week is spring time!  
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LOVE this outfit!
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What's also inspiring me this week are DIY cosmetics and organic cosmetic lines.  I am determined to purge my makeup bag of all the terrible chemicals I put on my face everyday which is seriously alarming. I just purchased the above book and it seems like a pretty good guide to start with. I discovered it while searching for stores in Toronto that sell organic cosmetics (not very many to my surprise) but the one I did find 'Pretty Beauty and Books' called this book their bible which was enough for me.  I'm going to take a stab at making my own stuff too which I'm really excited about! Starting to gather jars, makeup bottles etc. so I can display my ingredients in a pretty fashion... There are tons of antique labels on the net you can print!  FUN!
It's not spring yet but it's definitely time to start wearing pastels. I am drawn to them every year around this time...




Love these!


 I'm getting through these dark days by making sure I have flowers in the house...
I've started meditating...

and I bought two pastel sweaters... : )

Its only a matter of time now!

Thanks for reading!
Love Desiree


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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Inspire Me Thursday

Happy Thursday and happy love day everyone...
 
I woke up extra early with the intention to make James a fantastic breakfast and when I went into the kitchen, this is what I found… How sweet is that?…What a pretty Valentine to match such a pretty orchid! I just love this guy.

Sadly, my breakfast was not so pretty, goddammit! Epic fail actually...The morning is just not a good time for me, it's the worst time for me really…I don't execute things well and today was no exception.  My Valentine ate his breakfast anyway and acted like he liked it even though I'm sure he didn't because it truly was a disaster, I didn't even take a picture it was such an embarrassment…I think I made up for it with the Valentine I had waiting for him at work though… The ultimate snack pack!  I have pretty much eliminated all sugar from our household so now James can get his fix at work... I also made these cute little heart book marks…: ) Find the tutorial here if you need a quick idea...I altered it a little bit, but you'll get the idea.

 When I think of love I think of Paris... I know it's crowded and the last time we went we said it would be our last...but every year around this time I start to feel all nostalgic about our time there and I want to go back but maybe it's best to leave my pleasant memories intact and choose another destination for a much needed excursion... : )
Pressed flower design idea!






And now for my verdict on The Opera... 
It was quite the experience!  We saw La clemenza di Tito at The Canadian Opera Company. It was quite a lengthy commitment and it was actually considered a short opera at 2 hours 45 minutes but it was a lovely night out and I'm so glad we went! We got all dolled up which is always nice and I got to wear my vintage opera gloves from Courage My Love in Kensington Market. I also got to use my antique opera glasses that my Uncle Jim gave me! I wonder how many other operas were viewed through the lenses! 
 My seriously handsome date...
 
 A friend of ours works at The Opera and seriously hooked us up with fantastic seats and intermission cocktails.  We had a box all to ourselves which I loooved... : )
If you're under 30 they have Opera under 30 tickets for 22 bucks...so you should take advantage...: )




A War time Valentine...


That's it for today folks!

Thanks for reading my loves...
Happy Valentine's Day
xoxoxo
Desiree
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