What I Got For Christmas 2019

Let's get this out of the way first! If you don't like this type of post, that is okay. I understand if you keep scrolling down your feed! I've been doing these posts for years now, which you can see on my "Christmas" label and I know they are not everyone's cup of tea. I personally enjoy seeing what people get as gifts for any occasion. And a lot of the time, my eyes are opened to books, films, and other things that I didn't even know existed. If the gift has a story behind it, even better! I adore hearing about sentimental items and memories.

Speaking of which, this Christmas was so incredibly special and I know that I will always look back at it with fondness. It was my first time home for the holidays since 2011 and that was my absolute best gift this holiday season. Hands down! Spending Christmas Day playing games with my brother? That is everything I needed! Hugging my uncle that is on hospice care and my 84 year old grandfather, seeing family members I had not seen in years, having my grandmother's Christmas cookies again, dinner with my closest and oldest friends...I could just keep going. And I might in another post, if any of you are interested in hearing about my South Carolina life. My heart is so full right now and I haven't come down from the high yet!

Because I went home, it was a bigger Christmas than usual. We were home in SC (and I have a big family) and then back up here for a belated celebration with my husband's side of the family. And I learned the hardships of trying to shop for a teenaged boy (my brother). I realized that I am officially so removed from the teenage years that I was having to Google teenager trends, though TikTok also helped just by watching videos. The next time I'm down will be Thanksgiving and his birthday is the same week, so I guess I better go ahead and start my research now! Haha!

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Five Friday Faves for August 2019

I was doing six on these posts, but my love for alliteration kicked in and I changed it to five. That's the type of person I am. So here we are! If you haven't read any of my other Friday Fave posts, I like to do one of these monthly (when I remember). I cover random favorites that don't fit into my usual monthly beauty faves. So if you're ever interested in what I'm reading, listening to, etc. etc., I share some of that here. It also gives me the opportunity to ask you about any recommendations you might have, because I love recommendations!

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6 Friday Favorites

I have not done a proper "currently loving" post in a good while, meaning favorites outside of my monthly beauty and skincare ones that I share. So I thought this would be a great time to share and recommend some things I've really been loving recently and I would absolutely love for you to do the same!

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What I Got For Christmas 2018

I love these posts. Probably because I am such a curious person. Show me what's in your handbag, your fridge, what's on your wishlist, what you got for your birthday...I love it all. Not only does it tell me more about you, but it almost always gives me future ideas or shows me something I didn't even know existed. I've gotten a handful of things, read books, or listened to music that I now love in recent years because you originally shared and talked about them. And I get a lot of messages showing me things that you think I will love based on what I have shared in the past. I love that!

With that said, if these types of posts are not your thing, I totally get it. I won't take it personally if you exit out of this post, but I hope you'll stick around for other topics I post about. :) So here are a few things I got for Christmas. I'm dubbing it the "Christmas of Beverages" and you'll find out why below!

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InstaMonth for February 2018

Not sure what happened to the quality of this picture between editing it and saving it, but I realized it lost some pixelation in certain parts. If I think of it, I'll get around to fixing it probably next week. I'm already too far into weekend mode to do it right now, to be honest with you! But you can always swing by my actual Instagram to see the pixelated pictures in their full glory.

What's funny is that I made it all through January without mistakenly writing "2017" and all of a sudden on my February posts, I want to write it instead of "2018". I had to double check while editing! The last post took me wayyyy too long to realize that mistake, luckily before I hit publish. It's 2018, Wendy. D'oh! Anyway, here are a few shots from my Instagram in February!

1. All the hearts and everything red during the month of love, please!
2. January Faves
3. DAVIDsTEA Valentine Collection
4. Valentine's Day OOTD
5. One of my planner spreads.
6. Benefit Hello San Francisglow!
7. Shelfie Sunday.
8. February Faves
9. Snow day!

Hope you all have a great weekend! If you're anywhere the big snowstorms hit, I hope you stay warm and safe.

What I Got for Christmas 2017

Here it is in pure delayed fashion, my "What I Got For Christmas" post! We had to postpone one of our Christmas dinners in December due to snow and just got around to having it last weekend. So it was a mixture of that and dealing with a death in the family that this post was so delayed. But now I'm back to the grind! If you hate these types of posts, please just skip it. I have loads of other posts to read, if you'd like. Just scroll through the archives! I post this not to brag, but a lot of these items are still available and might give you some future gift ideas for others or for yourself.

If you're like me and you're a nosy type of person, keep on reading. I mean, show me your gifts, what's in your bag or refrigerator, the inside of your planners, closets...Nosy and curious until I die! Where's all my nosy people at?! :)

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Back to School Must Haves and Trivia - Perfect for Parents!

When this PR package arrived, I could not stop looking at the adorable box. And it was well-stocked with some fun back to school items in it! Some of the things in here are suited for everyone, some more for the younger crowd, and certainly items to make any parent's life easier! There's a little quiz at the end just for fun!

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My Birthday

I wanted to get this post up yesterday, but it has been a rough month. There's been three family deaths, two on my side and one on my husband's side. Yesterday, his 102 year old great aunt passed away so I stepped away from everything for the most part and spent time with him.

My birthday was last Wednesday and I want to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday. I thought I'd type up a quick post just to show a few things I got and tell you how I spent the day. It was nothing extravagant, which was perfect for me! The day marked ten years since my grandmother's funeral (Yes, my dad planned her funeral to be on my birthday. And no, I've never been okay with it. Long story.) and I just wanted to do something to lift my spirits. She had the largest hand in raising me and it's a time where I really spend missing her and thanking her at the same time. It's an emotional rollercoaster, if I'm being completely honest.

My main birthday celebration was a nice dinner out at our local Chinese buffet restaurant. I gleefully stuffed my face with sushi, sesame chicken, and noodles. And afterward, we headed to my MIL's where my husband had a cake waiting. No complaints about any of it! I got some really thoughtful gifts and I thought I would share a few of them below. My friend Daniel thought of me while down south in Nashville and brought me back a country ham and Dolly Parton CD from the Cracker Barrel, so I even felt like I got a dose of home!

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InstaMonth for June 2017

I've had double celebrations these past few days with Canada Day and Independence Day. No complaints here! We had a cookout at my MIL's on Sunday and enjoyed firing up the grill as a joint celebration of the two holidays. Fun question: do you call it a BBQ or a cookout? I consider a BBQ to be where a group of people eat a meal that has been slow-cooking all day and a cookout is where a group of people eat fast meals like burgers and hot dogs. But then again, I'm from the south and the topic seems to be a way of life back home. Haha!

Here are a few pics from my Instagram over the month of June. I'd love it if we followed each other, just look for "wendybanner". But please don't unfollow me right after I follow you back. That growth tactic drives me crazy. I see that it works for many, but no thank you.

1. The "I only went in for toilet paper" haul. // 2. Body Fantasies Soft Peony is a scent made for summer.

3. I got these when I redeemed some Shoppers points. // 4. Planner girl for life.

5. Testing this MUFE Water Blend - not a fan. More later. // 6. Also trying this Revlon mascara. Liking it!

7. National Pink Day speaks to my soul. // 8. New planners!

9. A few new Odylique goodies to try. See my other reviews here. Can't wait to share my thoughts.  // 10. Barry M haul! Swatches coming.

11. June faves! // 12. 20 years of Harry Potter. A series that continues to change my life. I'm a Hufflepuff (with a dash of Gryffindor)! What house are you in?

Today also marks three years since we rescued our dog Indy (it's in his name!). Best decision we could have made, because he's just a perfect fit to our family. I can't believe it has been three years already. My obsession with this little guy knows no bounds. #crazydoglady

InstaMonth for March 2017

It's a rainy day here in Toronto and it is unconducive for my photography plans. April showers strike again! To be fair, Sunday was pretty sunny and hit 60F here. I could have taken pictures then, but it was Sunday. I chose to do a family walk with my husband and dog instead. No regrets!

I'm still stressing out over my phone plan and possibly switching carriers. I have been with Telus for eleven years and it just keeps getting worse when it comes to contract renewal. After being told they would offer me nothing, I'm shopping my options. We pay more for less here. Prices for the phones, data, etc. all go up. I understand there is a lot of less populated areas here, but that really is a shoddy excuse (see this article). Money, money, money is what they should really say when asked about high cell phone plans. That sounds much more truthful. Maybe I'll stay with Telus. I don't know yet. I'm going wherever the best deal is. What I can say is that this has caused many headaches. #adulting

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my Instagram last month!

1. Planner addict. // 2. Two of my favorite fantasy worlds. // 3. Pink and glowy makeup, please.

4. My first facial oil. // 5. February faves. // 6. Basics.

7. Arbonne eyebrow products. // 8. Sleek black packaging. // 9. Corks and Bubbles = amazing!

10. ColourPop Summer Lovin' // 11. ColourPop Out and About // 12. Springtime pastels!

Girly Back to School Supplies for 2015-2016

This time of year always makes me want to go out and buy new supplies. It becomes completely ingrained in us, doesn't it? I've been out of school a while, but I still take advantage. I take an online course or two each year, so those pretty little notebooks and colorful pens always get used. Who can say no to them? Can a person ever really have too many notebooks and pens? Folders for organizing? I don't think so. #notebookhoarder

I've already expressed my addiction and adoration toward planners and how I think they are a necessity. So now, here are a few other pretty supplies that I would not mind carrying to school or having on my desk at home!

Folders (via Target)
I always had one per class, plus a few extra report folders at home for when a project was due.

Clipboard (via Target)
Ah, the wonders of a good clipboard. If your school has those really small arm desks that barely hold a book, you'll want the extra support while you take notes. I was stuck in a class or two with one of those during college.

Pencil Case (via Chapters)
Keep your pens, pencils, and other little accessories in a cute case or bag. The bottom of your backpack will thank you!

Pencils (via Target)
I prefer mechanical pencils unless a Scantron test is involved. And the bigger the pack, the better. You know you're always having to lend one to that friend who forgot theirs.

Pens (via Ban.do)
My high school let students take notes in pen, but everything else had to be in pencil. I think pretty pens make a difference. Almost makes you want to whip them out for those long biology notes!

Binders (via Target)
For me, I was more of a folder and notebook person. That's just because I rarely went to my locker, so I didn't want to carry multiple binders all day. I did keep my binders at home, though. I'd empty the folder contents when it would get full and add it to its dedicated binder. This double system worked wonders for me.

Notebooks (via Chapters)
Like with the pens, I think pretty notebooks are worth a splurge. Or buying a cheap one and completely personalizing it. Make it fun to whip out in class and at home when studying. 

Backpack (via JanSport)
Oh man, I never fell out of love with JanSport. In college, I opted for tote bags but only because most of my classes were an hour or two apart and I'd be able to go back to my dorm in between. But JanSport got me through all of middle school and high school and multiple band trips. And they have like 60 prints to choose from now. This floral one is my personal favorite!

Do you still love the back-to-school shopping time like I do? 

Office Supplies Haul!

I bit the bullet and finally picked out which planner would get a year-long commitment from me. This is serious business, you guys. The choices are rampant out there and you really have to dig deep to figure out which planner is going to work best for you. Vertical, horizontal, lots of writing space, etc. I've used so many different kinds over the years. I've learned that vertical does not work well for me, nor do pages that have already been designed (leave that fun part up to me!).

After my first physio appointment on Saturday, I asked to go to Chapters as a special treat (I had birthday money burning a hole in my pocket). I had not been out of the house in ages, because it takes so much work between my walker, the wheelchair, and having to hoist myself into the backseat of our van backwards and shimmy in to get my leg straight. So it's far easier for me to just stay in, only going out for appointments. About a month to go before I can start walking a bit. If you're a new reader, I broke my knee in June.

This year for my trusted annual companion, my final decision came down to Moleskine and Kate Spade. I've used Moleskine multiple times over the years and I had a Kate Spade one in 2014. I knew I loved both and so at that point, it came down to design. So shallow, I know. Every time I see the below quote, it puts a smile on my face. It's bright and cheery and makes me want to pick it up. Ding ding, we had a winner!

Along with the Quick and Curious agenda, I picked up the gold bow paper clips. I mean, how can you not? I'll do a post soon on the insides of the agenda soon. It's a little different from my 2014 one. I'm going to have to work more on that "she is quick" part with physio. Ha!

Maybe not fully an office supply, but you have to stay hydrated while planning. Yep, that's my reasoning. This watermelon tea sounds and smells amazing. Summer in a tea bag! I brewed some last night and have been letting it chill overnight in the refrigerator. It's calling my name!

I also grabbed one of their new lap desks. I'm in love with the navy floral print that they have brought out for fall. I definitely want one of the notebooks. I tossed out my last lap desk before we moved last year, because the filling was going flat. I love using these when I'm sitting on the couch with my planner or working on my laptop. It's been even more useful when I'm in my wheelchair, allowing me a solid workspace.

My Picks for 2015-2016 Planners

Office supplies addict for life right here. There is no such thing as too many folders, notebooks, pens...I want them all and I want them now. And one of my favorite supplies is a good planner. I have been a firm advocate for keeping a planner since my early middle school days. It's one of those things that I just can't live without.

My planners have kept track of homework, practices, what I eat, what I do, lists, and more. I cannot tell people enough what just keeping an agenda can do for them. It's your life in one spot and it is there to help you remember that term paper due next week, that eye appointment in three days, that new hilarious inside story with your best friend and where you were when it happened.

My current planner (by the brand Eccolo) goes until December, but most of the 2016 designs have already been released with the start of the school year. You can get ones that go from August-December and start using it right away. I have yet to decide which new design I want for this coming year, but I think I'll be treating myself to one soon. Here are some of the ones that have caught my eye.

• Florabundance 17 month large agenda (ban.do)
• Wild Confetti large agenda (Lilly Pulitzer)
• Floral 17 month planner (Rifle Paper Co. via Chapters)
• Quick and Curious large planner (Kate Spade via Chapters)
• Tide Green large weekly planner (Moleskine via Chapters) 

Have you already bought your planner or picked one out? Are you a planner newbie? If so, welcome to the club!

My Home Binder

I got this idea from Pinterest probably a year or so ago and I made a mental note- when I move, put this idea to use! The home binder holds all of my warranties, instructions, manuals, etc. in one place. I was so bad at putting the booklets that come with things down and losing them. This gives them a place to go, so no more tearing my place apart.

I went out last weekend to Target and picked up this gorgeous binder and some sheet protectors and got to work. When we moved, I had to get all new appliances and made sure that I kept track of the booklets and such. I got them all in this binder within minutes!

So for example, this is the sleeve that holds everything about my washer. Besides appliances, I also have my steam mop instructions, cable company info, iPhone warranty, and any other item that I bought a warranty on. Now if something breaks down, I know exactly where to go to get whatever information I will need. Guys, this has made my life so much easier in just a short time and small amount of work. So worth it!

Kate Spade Agenda in Rose Print

The year is coming to an end and it's that time again. A time where the office-supply nerd comes out in full force! The time where I get to buy a new organizer to get me through another year. I suffer from mild OCD and I've had to have a planner for as long as I can remember. I have to be organized and I have to write everything down. It just helps me!

I have had all kinds of different planners and I've enjoyed them all. I've kept them all too, as they are like mini journals of my life. This year I wanted to try a different brand and I fell in love with this floral Kate Spade design. Super girly, super pretty, and definitely right up my alley! I found mine at Chapters. I do not see this exact design on her website, but she does have other cute ones listed.

Here are some pictures of the details and inside!

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InstaFriday!

I have actually been neglecting my Instagram account lately, but I guess it's because nothing exciting has happened during this week. Also I may be the only one who gets a little antsy when my picture amount goes up, so I start being pickier about what I snap a picture of. I'm weird, right? Don't answer that.

Here are a few recent pictures from my IG to celebrate InstaFriday! Happy Friday and I hope you all have a lovely St. Patrick's Day weekend!


^ Some of my favorite moisturizers this winter. Embryolisse, Korres Lip Butters, Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, and Bath & Body Works Shea Cashmere hand cream.

To see more pictures, please keep reading.

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A Small View of My Wardrobe + Organizing Tips!

I shared these pictures on my Instagram and thought I'd put them on here, as well. I have two areas where I keep my clothes- a set-up in the bedroom and my walk-in closet. I'll show a little of my set-up and give a few tips that I use for organizing.

^ I have two wardrobe pantries set up with an Ikea Expedit bookcase in between. The first wardrobe houses my husband's clothes and miscellaneous items. The other wardrobe holds my various concert tees, dressy tank tops, casual tank tops, camis, some of my shoes, and other miscellaneous things. The baskets on top of the Expedit is where a lot of random things are thrown to be out of the way.

The first row has: floral tops, plaid tops, casual tees, and dress shirts. The second row has: jeans, jeggings, leggings, and yoga/workout plants. The third row with the red cubes has: 1st- travel bags, 2nd- purses, 3rd- designer purses, 4th- wallets and clutches. The fourth row has: sweaters, sports tees (Leafs, Patriots, etc.) that I wear on game days, and 3/4 length sleeve shirts.I've really enjoyed using an Expedit to house some of my clothes. I prefer it to a dresser, since I can see my clothes without digging.

I always try to group like-minded items together. Prints, styles, types. Each has their special spot and it helps me find what I need when I need it. It makes putting laundry away a lot easier too! 

^This is my walk-in closet. The left picture shows my cardigans. I always hang them up. Below those is a three-drawer dresser from Ikea that houses my undergarments, socks, and nightshirts. The bottom left of the picture is storage boxes that house sentimental shirts that I can't bear to get rid of and I've put our laundry basket on top of those.

The top right picture shows where I keep my perfumes and some of my accessories. Yep, that's a Disney Princesses holder holding some of my necklaces. I'm not ashamed! :) The black swirly holder actually used to be a candle lantern holder. Two of the lanterns broke, but I decided to reuse the holder to house some of my necklaces on!

I like to keep my perfumes in the closet since it's dark and cooler. The white organizer holds some random beauty items, as my bathroom is to the right in the closet. Above the perfumes are my rompers. Everything is stacked on another Ikea dresser that holds my PJ shorts and bottoms. The bottom right picture shows my dresses that are in rotation right now. My other dresses have been relegated to the guest room closet!

And there you have it! If you have a post similar, I'd love to see it. I'm an organizing addict, thanks to my mild OCD. I never get tired of seeing home decoration and organization posts! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Bathroom Storage Pics via Instagram

First off, let me just say that I was asked to write my first guest post over on Emily's blog! :) I talk about my top five favorite MAC neutral eyeshadows for fall. The blog post is up now, if you guys want to go take a look! And please check out Emily's blog. She's great! ♥

I posted these pictures on my Instagram a few days ago, but I thought they'd make a good post on their own. It's just how I store some things in my bathroom. When my bathroom is organized, I just feel better. I like the room where I start my day getting ready to be pleasing to the eyes and it needs to be easy for me to grab what I need without searching.

This is the left corner of my bathroom counter. The pink basket on the left holds my leave-in conditioners, heat spray, dry shampoo, combs, etc. The pink basket on the right holds my mouthwash, deodorant, hair straightener, curling iron, and a few other little things. The striped circular tin is from Ikea. I covered the original tin with wrapping paper so that it would better fit in with my decor. It holds most of my facial items. Then the clear jar holds cotton squares and Q-Tips.

This iron tray was gifted to us by friends. To be honest, I'm not really sure what it was meant for (I think maybe it's a bread holder?). So I brought into my bathroom and found another use for it. I really like to try to find other uses for things! This sits in the right corner of my bathroom counter. It's the perfect size to hold a few Body Shop back-ups, a Victoria's Secret PINK lotion, and my washcloths.

And I have these resting on my mirror's shelf. These are my favorite Bath & Body Works scents at the moment, so I like to have them showcased and easy to grab. From the left, there is Secret Wonderland spray (in the holder), Secret Wonderland lotion, Charmed Life spray, Pink Chiffon spray, and two Caribbean Escape candles.

So there's a few areas of my bathroom. I've already shown what's in my shower, as well. Hopefully this gives you some storage or organization tips! Have a great weekend!

Nail Polish Storage

The way I store my nail polishes and accompanying items is nothing special. I might purchase one of those wall racks one day, but none have yet to tickle my fancy. Plus the fear of it falling off the wall and breaking everything worries me!

While I had a few polishes from before, my true addiction started when I finally kicked my nail biting habit last year. I still have some bad days where I bite, but I'm really proud to be rid of my worst habit of 20+ years. The double-edged sword is that I got rid of one habit and started another with buying nail polishes! Oops!

^ Everything together fits on one shelf of my "beauty" bookcase. I'll show it all in a future makeup organization post.

^ I keep everything in colorful little trays. I keep my mini sets of polishes in the back (OPI's Muppets Collection and Sephora's Glee Collection). The box on the left came from the dollar store, the one in the middle is from Ikea (and I just put flowery wrapping paper around it), and the one on the right is from Target. I have them organized by brand instead of color.

All of my OPI and China Glaze polishes are in the left box. The middle one contains Revlon, Sephora by OPI, and Barry M mostly. There is also a mug at the back that holds my nail art brush/dotter and nail art pens. At the back and middle of the right tray, I have mostly brands that I may only have one or two polishes from and also my Seche Vite base coat. In the front of that same tray is my Essie shades.

^ I got this little box at Target last month. It holds all of my removers, my cuticle cream, Salon Effects polish strips, and my manicure kit.

If When my collection grows, I'll probably change my organization around. For now, this fits my needs and I can easily find which colors I want to use. I'd love to know how you store your nail polishes!

Ikea Vika Alex

I've seen quite a few people with the Alex units from Ikea and I really like the look of them. I grabbed the Vika Alex, which is the smaller model. I looked at the measurements online and it seemed that it would fit under the Malm Occasional Table (that I use as my vanity), but that was a no go as the Alex is too tall. So I've put the unit to the side in front of my window.

If any of you own this, do you have an issue with the drawers? Mine get stuck and I really have to tug and push to get them to open and close. We followed the directions closely, so I was wondering if this might just be a normal issue. Regardless, I do love how it looks and it holds a lot!