Black Friday Wishlist

Today is an exciting day for me because my mom and I are heading down to the US for the weekend to do some Black Friday shopping. We don't have Black Friday here, but we do have a comparable day for shopping, which is December 26th. We aren't going early enough to crash the doors at 6 am (or 3 am as I noticed on some advertisements!), but I still hope to find some deals and shop at some stores that we don't have here. In preparation, I've compiled a wishlist to keep myself on track and avoid any impulse spending "just because it's on sale".

Bench: Bed Bath and Beyond: $129



Mini: Charlotte Russe: $32.50



Cardigan: Old Navy: $39.50


Beanie: Forever 21, $6.80

• Wine/eggplant coloured shift dress
• Feminine blouses
• Black sequin mini
• Dark blue denim leggings
• wool mini
• Lace-up booties
• Sweater dress
• Fair isle knit sweater
• Leopard print scarf
• White wool beanie
• Black ankle booties
• Decor items for my newly painted office
• Deacon's bench for my kitchen
  

I'm not under any illusion that I will find every item on my wishlist, but I find that if I don't make a list I will get off track and buy a bunch of random items that I really don't need. Do you make shopping wishlists? Does anyone have any Black Friday shopping tips to share?

Dressed for the Weather

Skinny cargos: Blank Denim, boots ? (old), blouse: Maurice's, cardigan: Topshop, necklace and earrings: AG 925.

Well it's been snowing like crazy here since yesterday and the forecast has called for 15 cm of snow by the time it is supposed to stop this evening. Yesterday I was sure to dress for the weather in my waterproof motorcycle boots and a warm and cozy oversize cardigan. I guess Patch was feeling photogenic, as she decided to make an appearance in two of my photos.

On another note, Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely blogger friends to the south. Hope you have a great day!

Birds of a Feather

Lately I've been lacking inspiration in the style department so I haven't had any outfit photos to post the past few days. We got our first major snowfall this weekend and I've been mainly concerned with bundling up when I leave the house and putting together stylish outfits has been on the back burner. Hopefully I will get used to the cold temperatures and my inspiration with soon return. Luckily, I've been on a roll in terms of home improvement and decor so I have something to share. I picked up these 3-D wall stickers a few months ago at Urban Outfitters and finally got around to putting them up this weekend after re-organizing and painting some of the furniture in my office. I apologize for the terrible lighting in these photos; it's dark when I leave for work in the morning and it's dark when I get home in the evening so I have a lack of natural light to work with. It's hard to tell but the wall is grey and the stickers are white. I'm contemplating painting or colouring some of them black after I paint my bookshelves and dresser black, but I'm still undecided.

While I was on the bird theme I realized I hadn't shared any photos of my new jewellery holder, also purchased from Urban Outfitters. I no longer have to shove my baubles into a jewellery box to get tangled and warped, they are now all nicely organized on this hook which conveniently hangs over the back of my bedroom door.

Pretty in Pink

As I mentioned previously, I am in the process of painting all of the furniture in my home office. I began with a variety of mismatched pieces that I had collected over the years and instead of throwing them out and buying all new furniture, I've decided to give them a second life with a little paint. I wanted to paint my desk a bright pink that would make it an inviting place to work, and settled on 'Valentine Pink' by CIL. Here are some photos from around the web that inspired me.







Before: Mismatched furniture and a cluttered workspace.







The result was a bright and cheery workspace that I will actually work at instead of moving my computer out into the living room. Next up: black painted bookshelves and dresser.

Home Improvement

I am admittedly a horrible painter. The only things I have ever painted successfully were the doors in my house and that really wasn't too terribly difficult. Despite this, I have decided to embark on a major painting project in my home office. Right now my office is not the most inviting room in the house; it's terribly cluttered and the furniture in it is a collection of random pieces that I have acquired over the years. After much consideration, I've decided to go with a black, white and pink colour scheme in the room. My first order of business was my sewing table. It started as a boring brown colour with old fashioned hardware, and now it is modern and bright looking. I used two coats of spray on primer and two coats of white paint applied with a brush. I changed the hardware to crystal knobs and voila - a brand new sewing table for less than $15!

Black, White and Red All Over

Top: Tommy Hilfiger (old), blazer: Silence and Noise, denim leggings: J Brand, boots: Botkier, necklace: ? (old), pendant: gift, belt: Danier.

I was looking for a pop of colour to brighten up this dark ensemble and stumbled upon this red and white shirt from a few years ago. I probably haven't worn it for over a year, but when I threw it on with this outfit it seemed like a brand new top to me. Since entering the blogging world I've been inspired to shop my closet more often and mix and match new and old pieces. I love having a photographic catalogue of all of the outfits I've worn which helps me create new and unique outfits in the future. Have you been inspired to shop your closet?

Classic Chocolate Fudge

One of my favourite holiday treats has always been fudge. I know it's not the healthiest choice, but I love to indulge in fudge over the holiday season. In the past, my own attempts at making fudge have largely been unsuccessful; it just never seems to turn out for some unknown reason. This year I was determined to be successful so I tried a new recipe in my Bon Appetit cookbook. The recipe can be found online here. I made a few modifications including using marshmallows instead of marshmallow creme (I've never seen it in stores here in Canada), using semisweet chocolate, and omitting the walnuts. This time my fudge turned out, and it was deliciously rich and sweet.

Remixed Pink Sequins

Top: Forever 21, blazer: Silence and Noise, denim leggings: J Brand, boots: Frye, necklace: Forever 21.

I first wore this sequin top here, and have since found many new ways to remix it. Here is the most recent way that I've worn this versatile top. I wore it to work to add a touch of femininity to an otherwise dark coloured outfit.

Fur and Shearling Boots

When the weather dips down to a frigid -45 degrees celcius, I'm not ashamed to say I practically live in my Ugg boots. I've heard that wearing Ugg boots is a fashion faux pas but I must admit that I can't live without them on cold winter nights here in Canada. Recently I have been looking for some boots that will keep my feet warm and toasty while still looking stylish. Here are some of the fur and shearling boots that I have fallen for.

Albert Fur Lace Up Boots, $135.


8020 Bee Suede Shearling Bootie, $145.25.


Sam Edelman Orlando Suede Boots with Fur Cuff, $200.


Audrey Furlined Wedge Boots, $100.


Sam Edelman Shalin Faux Fur Boots, $200.

Which are your faves?

Just Peachy

Dress: Topshop, blazer: Silence and Noise, tights: Forever 21, necklace: Guess (old), boots: Frye.

I picked up this dress from Topshop on sale a couple of months ago but hadn't had a chance to wear it until recently. I've never owned a dress that is quite this feminine but I'm liking it. I toughened up the look with leather boots and a boyfriend blazer.

Skor Toffee Bits Cookies

My absolute favourite chocolate bar is Skor. The mix of crunchy toffee and chocolate is heavenly. I had a craving for Skor this weekend and decided to make Skor cookies with Hershey's chipits. The recipe can be found online here. The result was a delicious and chewy treat!

Leather and Roses

Dress: Topshop, jacket: People's Liberation, tights: Urban Outfitters, boots: Frye, necklace: ? (old).

I received this dress from Topshop this week and couldn't be happier with it. It is really comfortable, looks great with tights and boots and is long enough to wear to work. I had been admiring this dress for a while and finally took the plunge and ordered it. As a rule, I usually stick to dresses and skirts that are knee length or longer for work. My work doesn't have an official dress code, but as a high school teacher I tend to err on the side of caution with the clothes I wear. I sometimes find it challenging to put together outfits for work that fit my personal style but are still conservative enough for the environment I work in. Do you find it challenging to express your personal style at work?