When the summer months roll in I get an unexplained craving for ice cream. Every. Single. Damn. Day. There’s nothing I love more than the homemade variety, and with the farmer’s markets in full swing in and around Calgary, the fresh fruit options are endless. Blueberries are at their peak right now, and when my man came home with a box big enough to last us the rest of summer I knew I needed to find a recipe to use them. I actually tested two different recipes, one using the Philadelphia method of making ice cream, and one using the French method. French won out and I went with this recipe that was the right combination of creamy and decadent while spotlighting the fresh blueberry flavour. Ice cream cones post lunch, snack time and dinner from now until September.
I love everything about books and reading, and it’s a love that I hope to pass along to my children. I’ve yet to succumb to the Kindle or any other sort of digital book as I love the feel, smell and look of a physical book. Yet when I went to decorate my daughter’s nursery I couldn’t get past how the brightly coloured books clashed with the calming decor that encompassed the rest of her room. Now the purpose isn’t to cover all the books, she has a bookshelf within her closet that is stacked full of brightly coloured literature. But for the few books that were being used in the bookshelves outside the closet I wondered what to do to make them more cohesive with the rest of the space.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen displays in children’s rooms with books of all colours and sizes that look incredible. For what I was trying to achieve with the look and feel of the nursery the brightly coloured books just seemed out of place.
I thought a lot about what to use to cover the books, and I remembered I had small scraps of beautiful wallpaper leftover from areas in my home that matched the decor of the nursery exactly. Problem solved.
I covered the books in the same way you would a gift box, using tape so at any point I can easily uncover the books without damage.
The finished product turned out so well, I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. If you don’t want to cover your books there are used bookstores like Fair’s Fair Books in Calgary that has vintage or classic bound books that would look fabulous lining the shelves of a children’s room.
Akris Silk Blouse, AG Maternity Jeans, Michael Kors Fur Vest, Prada Wedges, Balenciaga Handbag
With the time change delivering maximum sunshine in the evening hours and the weather deciding that, in fact, it is almost spring, this week is shaping up to be a productive one. I’ve been feeling the urge to start getting ready for baby in a big way, and at the same time enjoying the last few weeks of life without a newborn (translation – sleeping as much as possible). I can’t believe our family is about to expand by another human being, and while I’ve seriously jokingly wondered to friends and family how I could possibly love our second child as much as I love our Eloise, I’ve been assured, the love isn’t shared, it’s multiplied.
Gap Maternity Tee, J. Crew Plaid Shirt, Pea in a Pod Denim, Chanel Sneakers, Prada Handbag, Aritzia Hat
My style has become increasing casual whilst pregnant, I can’t even remember the last time I opted for a pair of heels just for the fun of it. The first thing I tend to reach for in the mornings is leggings and a soft tee, anything to keep my comfort level high. I’m beyond grateful sneakers are so on trend, and the newest addition of this fabulous Aritzia baseball hat has been a lifesaver on days when my hair has already received the maximum dose of dry shampoo. If I have to leave the house for work or appointments I upgrade to my distressed denim and fabulous accessories, all the while hoping that my largest accessory, my bump, will distract from the lack of fashion I’ve been displaying lately.
In years past I would have spent this day hustling around the city doing last minute tasks for my Annual Oscar Party. Unfortunately, this year I’ve had to put the event on hold, a home renovation, unpacked boxes and being eight months pregnant means I have to sit this year out of the hostess seat. Don’t fret my friends, this is strictly a one year hiatus and I plan and making next year the best yet. I just adore hosting this event, and while I may even shed a little tear or two on the night of (I’m pregnant people, it doesn’t take much these days), I wanted to share all of my fun tips and tricks with all of you, and reminisce on years past.
The first thing I do after I get invites sent and RSVP’s back is to print off the ballot sheets. I always have my guests fill them out upon arrival and we spend the evening tallying our scores. There’s some sort of prize for the winner, in the past it’s been makeup palettes from Sephora, jewellery from J.Crew or tea from David’s Tea. I love spoiling my guests and it makes the game that much more competitive knowing there are treasures to be won. You can download your own ballots from Vanity Fair HERE, Pop Sugar HERE, or MovieFone HERE. The very first Oscar party I hosted while still living in Vancouver included a game of Oscar Bingo that I had found online and printed out. I was thrilled to see that Cupcakes and Cashmere created her own version of Oscar Bingo and has a link to download it for you and your guests!
Whatever it is you plan on doing for the evening, whether it be hosting or attending a party, watching at home with friends or family or yourself, I hope you enjoy the evening by taking in the fabulous fashion and the often cringe-worthy hosting efforts. You can view my previous Oscar night recaps that I covered on the blog from the Oscars 2013 and Oscars 2014, and below are all my tips and tricks I’m sharing with you.
My favourite way to welcome my guests is to let them know that they’re VIP right from the start. The red carpet has always set the tone, and I love staying on theme for this night.
I adore sending party goers away with a little take-home, and what makes more sense than a mini bottle of bubbly? Extra details like glitzy name tags always helps with the wow-factor of the evening.
One year I decided to up the anti and did a little DIY at home. I sprayed and sparkled each mini take-home bottle of bubbly for added glitz-factor.
For a couple of years I ordered trophies for the winners of each category. I give out prizes for best dressed, best hair, and overall achievement for getting the most correct on the ballot. Prizes for best dressed are voted on by all the guests, which has been a difficult decision every year, my gals really bring it.
This was a picture from the first year I hosted the Oscars party in Calgary. We had two Oscar statues show up along with a gaggle of gorgeous women. The first year was so successful I knew it would be an ongoing event.
First things first, my guests know to grab a ballot when they walk in and get it filled out while we take in the Red Carpet arrivals.
While some years I’ve done straight Champagne, one year I set up a Champagne Bar, complete with recipes and everything you needed to garnish your beverage. The best part was making sure you tried each flavour…twice. Another year I altered this idea slightly and did a martini bar with three different flavoured martinis, a touch harder to try each favour more than once.
The year Ellen hosted the Oscars I knew I needed to take the cue from her and as hostess of my own party I suited up, literally.
The majority of the years I’ve made cake pops, they’re great to send home with guests and an easy and delicious treat to indulge on whilst keeping up with the awards. These little bags of ‘popcorn’ were an absolute hit.
Printing off the ballots, wrapping the prizes and preparing the voting station are all apart of the prep work I do pre-party.
Most years I get to get glammed up, and for 2015 it was all about Lanvin and Jimmy Choo.
Some years are more low-key than others, but I always always make sure to include movie theatre favourites such as popcorn, Twizzlers, and Junior Mints for my guests to snack on.
Last year I was only two months post-baby, and for a while I thought about cancelling the event. Instead, I made the executive decision to change up the dress code. Instead of getting glam and having cheese platters and hors d’oeuvres I stated on the invites that it was strictly pyjamas and pizza.
Last year we also introduced a nacho bar to the mix, because what goes better with pizza, pyjamas and watching the Oscars than a delicious side of nachos? While this was the initial set up I also had jars of salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, onions and tomatoes to add on.
