my blanc canvas

My Blanc Canvas Adventures: Demo Soap Workshop

My Blanc Canvas - Demo Soap - 1.jpg

Happy Sunday!

I LOVE workshops and DIY projects- it is always super reward for me when I make something on my own. In my 2016 Action Plan post last month, I mentioned some actions that I will take this year to bring more balance into my life and one of them was to take on more DIY projects and workshops so that it gets my creative juices going!

For years, My sister and I both use vegan soaps from Demo Soap, locally produced and based in Toronto Liberty Village. This past Christmas holiday we decided that we would take their Soap Making Workshop together and gift the soaps we make to our friends. It was such a creative experience and we had a ton of fun throughout the whole process! I have provided their contact information below if you would like to take up a workshop with them. It makes a cute date night, fun to do it with friends and family or even plan a small party there. The whole process took about 2 hours long and afterwards you wait about an hour or so to pick up the soaps. During that time, I would recommend going around Liberty Village to visit other stores or grab a bite at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen or School!

IMG_0776

With my sis, Karen!

My Blanc Canvas - Demo Soap - 3

Here are some of their essentials…Lavender is our absolute fave!

My Blanc Canvas - Demo Soap - 2

Their “treats” section smells good enough to eat!

Continue reading →

Zara Spring/Summer’16 Shoes

I LOVE Zara shoes so I thought I’d round up my favourites spring essentials from their S/S’16 selection! These are fun for when the weather warms up and the best part is that they’re all under $100! I’ve also included some style inspiration on how you can sport these with different looks.

3770101050_2_6_1

For Comfort: Leather Fringe Plimsolls ($69.90)

I’m so happy that sneakers are so trendy now and you can sport them outside of the gym and potentially even dress them up a little! I don’t own a lot since I’m used to wearing more heels but I am always on a lookout for cool styles. This pastel pair is super cute – the suede material adds a softness to the look and the lace tie is perfect for the spring/summer outfits.

Continue reading →

3 ways to style

I’m loving this Forever 21 Crinkled Surplice Romper! You got a sneak peek of this cute little number when I shared it on last week’s My Obsession Monday post so I wanted to show you how versatile it is and what I would pair it with!

Continue reading →

Saks Canada x Shantell Martin

IMG_9794.jpg

IMG_9697.jpg

Throwback to the time I attended the Saks Canada x Shantell Martin event. I had a BLAST and I look forward to checking out the new Saks Fifth Canada store on Queen Street!

IMG_9787

It was really awesome to be in such a creative space. Shantell Martin spent days before the event and illustrated all over the walls, floor, and canvases in her bold style. I love the style of her work, it’s very impactful and it tells a story.

IMG_9722

Continue reading →

2016 Action Plan

IMG_3307.jpg

Happy Lunar New Year! I wish you all a successful year with good health and many amazing opportunities!

Celebrating Lunar New Year has been a family tradition and it never feels like the beginning of a New Year until I have gone through all of the Chinese traditions with my family. I love spending time with my family, eating lots of traditional snacks and the obvious…getting red pockets! Haha.

 

There’s usually about a month and a half between January 1st to Lunar New Year and I like taking that time to reflect on lessons learned from the previous year to help me better set an action plan for the upcoming year! As I get older, I spend more and more time taking care of myself and making it a priority to keep my mind and body in check. My main focus this year is to bring more balance into my life. Here’s my action plan for 2016!

 

Drink Clean

1. Drink More Water
It never hurts to drink more water – my skin will love me for this!

2. Make more smoothies
Love using my Cuisinart SmartStick (currently 25% off at Canadian Tire!) to make smoothies. I always use the typical fruits and greens but this year I want to try ingredients that I haven’t used before like different nuts and oats! If you have a go-to favourite smoothie recipe, please let me know in the comments below!

3. Try a Juice Cleanse
I generally eat pretty healthy and clean, it’s just that the amount I eat is not so healthy haha…so I’d love to try a juice cleanse this year to give my body a detox!

Drink Clean.jpg

Continue reading →

MONDAY MANTRA

Monday Mantra - Jan 11, 2016.jpg

HAPPY 2016 friends! Thank you so much for being so supportive in 2015. I am so excited to bring you more fashion, style and design inspiration this year!

I promised myself back in mid December that I would take a (real) break over the holidays from my work and it’s been so refreshing to shut my brain off for a little bit and just put the focus back to my family, friends and loved ones. During the year, I usually get so wrapped up in my work. I LOVE what I do so much and I constantly want to find ways to improve and do more! The reality is that one of my major goals in 2016 is to really bring some balance into my life and take care of myself a little bit better. This started back in May last year when I decided to quit my full time job to build on different personal and professional skills, start my blog, freelance and to take a break. I am going to continue working on balancing my life this year but with an action plan! That post will be going up shortly so stay tuned!

Here’s a glimpse of my NYE…more photos to come!IMG_2087.jpg

Continue reading →

Holiday Lookbook: 3 Outfits

Christmas is around the corner and that means outfit planning for all the upcoming holiday parties and get-togethers. When it comes to shopping, I always love finding pieces that are versatile so that I can style them in different ways. Here are 3 different holiday looks that will be great for all your holiday parties!

Holiday Lookbook - Outfit 1.jpg
Holiday Chic - Party Look - Full Outfit.jpg

This little sequins crop top is the perfect party piece to add some sparkle to your holiday look! As for the shoes, pick a pair of chunky heels for comfort so that you can mingle and dance the night away!

Continue reading →