An Overnight Mask You'll Thank Me You Tried

I don't know why it took me so long to get on board with overnight masks. Okay, that's a lie... I do know! I thought they would leave your face feeling soo slimy before bed and end up all over your pillowcases. Boy, was I ever wrong. I was introduced to this Kiehl's Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Overnight Mask a few months ago and I am hooked. I have since been adding it to my weekly routine and it is so lovely! It actually feels like a treat and I get excited about my weekly addition. The texture is whipped; it's cooling, light, airy and so soft, and it goes on flawlessly.

What do I do?
I simply swap out my normal face routine one night a week and slather this on after I have cleaned and washed away all makeup. It is gentle to use more than once a week so feel free to go wild! I love it because it is so soft on the skin and you will notice a difference when you wake up. I'm talking that soft, baby skin you are looking for! Make sure to completely rub it in the skin (upward and outward) so it can completely penetrate the skin and you are not left with any residue.

What does it do?
It smooths out the skin on your face, it tightens and it firms your skin. If you need a boost of elasticity or line filling overtime, let this be your go-to! My skin always feels so soft and hydrated the next morning. And if you're like me and love a good floral scent mixed with a hint of ginger, you will LOVE this.

Simply wake up, wash off and slather on some more oil and you are good to go! FYI-- I'm oil-obsessed and the perfect compliment to this mask is the Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate is my jam. Your face will be SO DEWY, so glowy and just so silky! I could massage it into my skin for hours! Keep in mind, 1-2 drops are all you need! No more dull skin I can promise you that.

Have a mask I need to try? Let me know!

S H O P  T H E  P O S T

Our Engagement Party- How to Throw a Large Scale Event

Throwing a party for 100 people is never an easy task. But when you decide to have the party at your own house, you know you're in for it. Or are you?

After Brandon and I got engaged our parents were adamant about throwing us an engagement party. But so quickly after that Christmas rolled around, and we all thought why not just wait until the summer until we can throw a backyard bash unlike no other. And that we sure did!

The day was probably one of the best days of my life. At first, I was so unsure about the whole party, but it truly meant soooo much to us that so many of our friends and family members came out to celebrate. I kept thinking... if this day is this sweet, I can only imagine what our actual wedding day will be like. Ah, I am still over the moon, overjoyed, overwhelmed, just on cloud nine.

But how did we make the day come together? Well, I do plan events for a living SO I had a few tricks up my sleeve. We wanted to make it personal and special, but really knew for an event this size we could not do it on our own. My mom and mother-in-law were machines. Guys, I can't even tell you how much blood, sweat, and tears went into this day. They worked endlessly to make sure every detail was executed flawlessly. The food, the pastries, the music, the decor... ah, let's get into it!

THE FOOD
Food is a party essential.
For an event this size, we needed catering. It wasn't a question. But we wanted the catering to reflect us, and not just your average deli sandwiches. We wanted a touch of G, and a touch of B brought into every detail. I went to my favourite girls from The Fix + Co. to pull together an appetizer menu that would WOW and that was so me! They hit it out of the park. We had raw Thai wrap, vegan stuffed peppers, falafels, some amazing homemade dips like guacamole, beet hummus, and arugula pesto. They also put together some teriyaki tofu skewers, watermelon-feta skewers and Capresee bites. For the main spread (which was a buffet), we had some of B's favourites-- lasagna, veal parmigiana, roasted veggies and chicken souvlaki. Everything was SO delicious. I was eating it for days. Keep in mind, it's better to order per person for such large events when you are ordering catered food. They are the pros and they know just how much to ensure you'll have enough.

Pro tip: Use fanicer platters or chaffing dishes to set the mood. Also, write up your menu using Canva and print it out on cardstock. I sprary painted some old frames gold and had the menus sitting on the table so guest knew what everything was. This also helps for those with dietary restrictions!

THE DESSERT

I love making desserts, and so does my mom. But I didn't want her to be slaving away in the kitchen when there was so much other stuff to do. However, I knew the desserts had to wow since they are so important to us. We enlisted the help of one of the best patisseries in Toronto-- Nadege. You guys all know Nadege. They basically were first on the French patisserie scene here in the city, and have been around for almost 10 years, so I knew we had to have them. Chef Nadege Nourian was born in Lyon and comes from a long line of pastry chefs in France. Brandon and I are enamored with the French lifestyle so having a French-themed sweet table was not even a second question. Our sweet table was fitted with a macaron tower, petit choux, mini Marie Antoinettes and other delectable goodies from Nadege, including their famous and insanely delicious marshmallows. Since they do catering for large scale events they know how to properly ship their goods and this made it SO easy to have everything delivered day the of. All we had to do was set it up and voila. The guests were blown away at how fresh and utterly delicious it all was!

WOW FACTOR
Every party needs an element that will wow your guests. For us, it was having Sugargirlee create an epic balloon installation. This piece acted as a photo op, and it just elevated the whole event. It made it next level because let's get real, how many people do you know that can create insanely massive balloon walls?! Laureign and her team are SO insanely sweet. We got on the phone weeks before the party hashing out the details. She had an idea of the space and ran with the idea to create something beautiful for us. If you want to elevate your party decor, balloons are where it's at! They are so fun and so impactful! They also blew up some massive confetti balloons to place inside near the sweet table. They really tired together the inside space with the outside space. And guys... I still have the balloons! Talk about helium quality!

THE OUTFIT
It's your party you need to wear something that makes you feel amazing. Doesn't matter if you are re-working something in your closet, or buying a new piece. For me, I wanted my arms covered and wanted to be chic and fancy, but with a bit of sass! I walked into Honey and found my outfit within minutes. Guys, I can't tell you how many times I have walked into Honey and left within 15 minutes because I found the perfect piece. I was so obsessed with my outfit, never wanted to take it off, even when it chilled right down at night! The lacey, bell sleeves, the skirt that flared out but hugged in the right places... Ah! And those earrings that I cannot stop thinking about. So perfect (to me anyway!). If you're looking for an outfit to turn heads, check them out, NOW!

THE AMBIANCE / DETAILS 
I love a good vibe. And I knew our vibe had to hit the mark. To really hone in on the summer in France theme we had to get some key details down-- flowers, greenery, music and a his and her cocktail. If you are looking for flowers that really encapsulate a French garden vibe, Emily from Threads & Blooms is your girl. I love how personalized she made every arrangement. I literally told her my budget and what colours I was going for, and also what flowers I did not like, and she went to town. The day before she hit up her local flower suppliers in Niagara so all the blooms were local, in season and so fresh. She also gave me a bucket of extra flowers so I could lay them around wherever I felt necessary, i.e.: the bar, by the speakers, on the walls, sweet table, etc. This was so sweet because it allowed me to tie other areas of the space into the theme.

For the little details, we accented with gold frames. We strung our engagement photos in empty frames and literally glue-gunned them to the brick. We gave out French lavender as favors and wrapped them in rustic bags. We had herbs and lavender as decorations and also garnishes for our drinks. I created dinner and drink menus using Canva and framed them in gold. We rented tables, chairs, and a bar for the pure ease. 

Pro tip: Hiring a bartender and another staff is essential for parties of this size. You need someone to be cleaning, helping to set-up dinner while the night is going on. You do not want to be doing this, nor do you want your family members to! If I could I would have hired another bartender to keep the line down. Another great way to ensure the bar line up is small is to have wine and beer as self-serve and reserve the bartender for mixing cocktails.

PHOTOGRAPHER
I cannot stress this enough. A photographer is essential. Guys... I didn't even have my phone on me the whole night. I thought I would take SO many photos but I did not take one! Thank goodness friends and family did, but in all honesty, the photos are not of the same caliber or quality. Krenare Ali was SO kind to come out for a few hours and take some photographs of my set up and guests and I could not be more thankful. I just wish I had her stay longer. Photographers will catch the memories you won't, and will freeze the frames you'll want to remember forever. And keep in mind, hiring a professional is always better than asking a family member to run around alongside you with your camera. They know angles, they know good lighting, they just know.

We all have that one day from the summer that is most memorable, most special and that you'll never forget. For me, I think it will be this. I still beam when I think about it! Did you have an engagement party? Would you try planning a large scale event like this? Talk to me, guy! XO

Thank you to Nadege Patisserie, Sugargirlee & Co, The Fix + Co, Threads & Blooms, Honey, and  Krenare for helping us bring this whole day together! .

Photos by Krenare Ali.

How to Deal With Setbacks

As I sit here writing this, I am couch ridden. Long story short I had an accident at our new house. Regardless of how it happened, I am here now with a boatload of stitches in my left foot and just dealing with it. When it first happened my only thoughts were "you are a fricken idiot", and "how could you let this happen".  After the hospital I went home and felt just miserable, I felt so sorry for myself and just could not let the feelings pass. After a night of feeling like this, I woke up and decided I needed to change my outlook. I needed to change my perspective on the whole issue. I knew I would not wake up 100% and I needed to be okay with that.

For a person that cannot sit still, needs to be doing something and likes to be independent, this was hard to come to terms with. I mean, I can't even walk to the washroom... B is having to literally carry me over there. But instead of focusing on what I cannot do, I need to focus on what I can do. I may not be able to walk but I can think. And I can think myself out of this one. 

If you are struggling with setbacks, mentally or physically I know how challenging and debilitating it can seem. We don't have control over the things we once did and it makes us feel horrible. In hopes to stay sain, I'm making a list of the ways I can deal and cope with this setback. Because it is just a setback, it is not permanent and it will pass. 

1. Let it go

Once you've had your episode of disbelief (because this is definitely going to happen), or anger, let it go. Don't get me wrong it is important to allow yourself time to grieve, but you cannot fixate on the grief. It doesn't really matter how it came about, or what happened, it did and now it's time to face it as truth. Do not focus on the problem, the issue or the negative aspect of the occurrence because that will only keep you in the realm of the problem. Focus on the solution. You can only feel so sorry for yourself before it's time to turn around and say "I will not let this define me", "I will surpass this". 

I had my night of misery, aka me crying on the couch, feeling ashamed and just sad. When I woke up the next morning I knew I still would not be able to put pressure on my foot or walk just yet, but that didn't stop me from changing my outlook. I slid out of bed to the floor, grabbed a pillow, sat on it and  literally pushed my way across the floor to the bathtub. I then got in, washed off the icky hospital juju, and slathered some lavender shampoo in my hair. Just the mere thought of me doing something by myself, for myself, was liberating. Once I let go of the problem (not being able to walk) and fixated on the solution I welcomed positivity into my mind and came up with a brilliant way (if I do say so myself) to get across the room. 

2. Be grateful

I could sit here and write down all the things that did happen, but what about all the things that did not happen. Guys, the accident could have been a lot worse! But I listed off in my head what I was grateful for. 

*I was not alone. I could not even imagine if Brandon was not there to act so quickly and get me to the hospital when the bone was literally popping out of the top of my food, and the blood was pouring out of me.  I am so grateful for him and everything he did following.

*Again, it could have been so much worse. I could be in a cast... or worse.

*It's the long weekend and I really don't have anything crucial that needs to get done. Sure, I had plans for the weekend that I had to cancel, but there's always next weekend (aka my birthday weekend, and there's another-- it could have happened on my birthday weekend!).

*My mom's support-- making dinner, bringing me ice cream, taking my laundry... she is god send! 

Point is, I could go on forever with all the things that I can do and have at my fingertips. Again, focus on the positivity and positivity will come. What also helped me was writing this down in my journal. 

3. Allow yourself to rest

I want to always be doing. It's true, I have a hard time slowing down.  But taking the time to rest is essential for recovery. I can't even tell you the last time I sat down to watch TV, but here I am on episode 4 of Good Girls... I'm giving myself the permission to do nothing and it (sort of) feels nice! I am realizing you can't rush recovery. You're life, routine and everything else that comes along with it will be there when you heal. If it's not, it's not worth it. It's so important to listen to your body as it tells you what it really needs, not your mind. You do not want to rush and give yourself a false sense of healing when it can cause more damage to begin in. 

How am I resting?

I am doing it all. Magazines, manicures, books, podcasts, journalling, writing, blogging, drinking fancy tea, drinking fancy water, you name it. Also, I'm wearing lipstick, enjoying a cup of coffee and sitting in a summer dress because these are things that give me pleasure. Give in to the things that give you pleasure. It's okay. 

Now I will likely be on the couch for a bit longer, so I'd love to hear how you cope with setbacks, hurdles, or speed humps. And remember you just need to be yourself, you don't need to prove anything to yourself. Focus on the solution, not the problem and positivity will come.