I'm a huge list person. I have lists for anything and everything. I especially like them when they pertain to goals and to-dos. I get such satisfaction whenever I can cross something off! My newest list is 10 things I'd love to do this summer. Nothing life changing and most are not new to me, but I have not done some of them in ages. And really it just comes down to doing more and getting out!
Congrats to Priscilla M who won my latest giveaway! I will be sending you an email shortly and get your prizes out as soon as possible.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I've lost a few followers lately and I'm so sorry if it is due to lack of posting. My plate has been full, but I still try to get a post or two out when I can. I know my blog has taken a bigger turn toward a lifestyle type of blog, but I have always included a nice mix of posts on here. I assure you that I will continue to have a mix with makeup, hauls, music, and more. I hope that this is okay with you!
This past weekend, we celebrated my husband's birthday. On Friday, I took him to see Star Trek Into Darkness in IMAX 3D. AMAZING! Loved it, and I don't always think it, but I found the 3D to really add to the movie. On Saturday, I planned an outing with him and my in-laws to go to a Toronto Blue Jays game and to dinner. Thought I'd share some pics from the baseball game. We had some pretty decent seats and a lovely view!
A friend in the UK gave this to me on Christmas along with two other little goodies. It came from the UK, but you can find these in your local Rimmel London aisle with their other products. I thought I would provide my swatches and review on this cute little quad.
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
This is something different that I have never done before. I figured I would share some of my favorite fonts to use on my graphics and pictures. I have provided links to each one and all of them are free. Yay! I hope some of these, if not all, are new to you. I always love finding new fonts to use. They can add so much to graphics!
My husband and I packed up and went to Muskoka for two nights which I talked about in a previous post, but I always enjoy seeing what people take with them while traveling. Here's what I took to get me through three days!
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
So one of the announcements that I had announced was coming in April is...I'm going to start showcasing a different blog each month that I enjoy reading. They will get a designated post and a button in the sidebar. I hope you are all excited about this and find lots of new blogs to read through this new feature! I have also started a new "blog of the month" label, so that you will be able to go through all future featured bloggers. So much fun!
For this month, I have chosen Kar Yi! She blogs over at AngelicBetrayal and she's doing a lot of traveling currently.That equals a lot of fun posts of products, food, experiences, etc. I'm living vicariously through her while she's exploring! Kar Yi is such a lovely person and I really hope you check out her blog.
I used my Super Cash the other day online and put through two orders to use both. Saved a massive $60 on those alone! Here's what I picked out- some of it was on sale or clearance. I also got a white cami and metallic striped shirt (only $3!), not pictured.
Heart sweater, chambray shirt, cable-knit sweater, plaid shirt, mini hearts sweater, heart pintucked blouse, and a striped sweater dress.
I am such a lover of heart prints and I am pretty sure this haul makes that obvious! Look for these items in future OOTDs. You guys should really check out Old Navy right now, because they have some amazingly cute styles out (especially sweaters!!).
Are any of you guys on 8tracks? I've been on there for a long time now and I still can't get enough. It allows you to create playlists consisting of 8 mp3s. It is a paradise for music lovers. Below is my latest themed playlist. Let me know if you are on there!
I love hearts every day of the year, but that's just me! With Valentine's Day being Thursday, I have compiled a list of several heart items just begging to be worn that day or any day!
perfume - Vera Wang (via Sephora) blush - Too Faced (via Sephora)
scarf - Forever 21 necklace - Tiffany & Co.
iPhone case - Urban Outfitters flats - Old Navy
print top - Old Navy sweater - Old Navy
My other Print Lovin' Series posts:
Plaid
Stripes
Polkadots
Now, I have changed my layout once again. I know, I am ridiculous! I've changed a great deal including: background, header, fonts, my divider, blog icon, and my post signature. I do hope you all like it, of course!Laissez les bons temps rouler!
I have not done an Instagram post in a while, and honestly I am addicted to the app (I'm "wendybanner" on there). I thought I would share a bit from the past month, because January was pretty darn good to me. I hope it was good for you too! And I'm hoping February will be just as good. :)
^ random OOTD, January favorites, part of my perfume display, another OOTD.
^ Loooove Mitch Albom books, Jade being a ham, new skincare I'm trying out, an adorable cupcake bath bomb, and my favorite magazine (People Style Watch).
^ Jade continuing to be a ham who apparently took ownership of my hand, other half of my perfume display, mini OOTD, and a perfect day consisting of caffeine and photography.
TIP: Now with my perfume display, I keep it in my closet as it is dark and cooler. I put most of them in the black and white tray, though some body sprays are also under my bathroom sink. With the polar bear tray above, I put my favorite scents of the moment. Having a different tray to do that allows me to rotate my perfumes around so that they all get use.
I'll be heading out tonight for the MAC Archie's Girls launch party. Fingers crossed they will have the items I want still in stock! This is the first collection from MAC to excite me in quite a bit. I'm not much of an Archie fan, but the packaging is cute. And my husband is a big fan, so maybe he is rubbing off on me after all of these years! Though I must say I am excited about the Archie Meets Glee series coming out soon. I am a huge Gleek!
I got these three MAC eyeshadows for Christmas. I have not had a new MAC shadow in a while, so I was excited to get new ones to try out. Here are my swatches of Sumptuous Olive, Patina, and Naked Lunch! I had previously swatched Patina from the Snowglobe palette from Christmas 2011. But I don't reach for it as much as I thought I would with it being in the small palette. I often reach more for my bigger palettes than the smaller ones, so I think the normal sized one will get much more use! Is anyone else like that with their palettes?
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
I was tagged by Christine to do this tag. So why not?! :)
^photo taken by me in 2009
1. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute? -Normally pretty close to the last minute, but this year we started around late October. We just finished with everyone on Monday, though!
2. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be? - Ah, I love so many Christmas movies. I'd have to say Love Actually, even though I've never even seen it (despite owning it on DVD for years...note to self to finally watch it this year!). I just really love the idea of being in London at Christmas. Otherwise, I'd totally love being an elf in The Santa Clause movies!
3. Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? -Christmas Eve! In my family, we opened the majority of our gifts on Christmas Eve with the special "Santa gifts" being saved for Christmas morning. Christmas Eve was also the night of our family dinner, so everyone could do their own thing Christmas Day.
4. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it? -Normally it is after my American Thanksgiving. This year saw us doing it at the beginning of November, but only because every weekend after was booked with plans. I'm not complaining because I enjoy having extra time with the decorations! Both my husband and I decorate the tree. I take care of the other decorations around the house.
5. White lights or colored lights? -Colored lights. I just love color! But honestly, any Christmas lights are pretty. I'm such a sucker for Christmas lights. If we were in a house instead of a condo, I'm not certain that I wouldn't be an honorary member of the Griswold family! ;)
6. Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise? -I peek and I beg for hints. And I'm happy to say that over the years, I have become a master sleuth at determining what a good amount of gifts are. I hate surprises, but I do also love guessing what things are!
7. Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or in Santa's Workshop? -Santa's Workshop! I'd want to be the reindeer keeper. :D
8. Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions! -I mentioned my family traditions while growing up above. Here, my husband and I open our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve and then spend Christmas Day with his family for a dinner and to open gifts to each other. Now when I go home, I try to spend Christmas Eve with my dad's side of the family and Christmas Day with my mom, stepdad, and little brother!
9. If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be? -All I need is my husband. ♥
10. What tops your tree? -Santa Claus this year. Last year was a snowman. I think I'll get a star or an angel for next year. I like to switch it up a bit! I keep them all and just rotate them. Sometimes we put up two trees, so I'll have two different types up.
11. Can you name the 12 days of Christmas? -The song? I know a few of the days, but I don't think I could do all twelve from memory. BUT I love Straight No Chaser's version...hilarious!
I bought Amber Diamond at the Givenchy event that I mentioned in a previous post. Here are my swatches and general review!
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
You can find my wishlist here. I managed to get everything on my wishlist and only purchase four things that were not on it, plus two additional items as Christmas gifts. Not too shabby!
^ I believe I spent a little over $35 at Crown. They raised the show price of the OCC Lip Tars from $10 to $12 each. I did not write down the price of the concealer, but I think it was around $24. The Embryolisse cream was $25. And the Naked pigments were 2 for $50, a great deal since online it's one for $60.
So there we have it! And yes, reviews and swatches are to come! Everything can be found under the "IMATS" label. If you went this year, I hope you found everything you were looking for. :)
So this past weekend was IMATS here in Toronto. This is the start of my posts! I'm going to share what I wore both days in this one. Stay tuned for my other pictures, hauls, and swatches in upcoming posts throughout the next week or so. There may be a small break in between some posts since it's the week of Thanksgiving. :)
^ This was my outfit for Saturday. Seriously, every single article of clothing and the ankle boots are Old Navy. The purse is H&M. It has a detachable chain so I removed it to make it a clutch for the day.
^ You guys, I'm obviously obsessed with Old Navy because again everything is Old Navy. The shoes are American Eagle Outfitters. Seriously, go out to your local Old Navy and buy this sweater at once! It is the softest sweater I own and I can see it getting a lot of use this winter!
Stay tuned tomorrow for pictures from both of my days there!
I thought I'd share my outfit from Sunday, as well as some things that I picked up during trips to two malls- one on Saturday and one on Sunday. My husband has become a pro at shopping while I'm with him and me not seeing anything he buys, so anything else that was purchased and is not shown is wrapped and under the tree or in my stocking. Yep, I've already got our Christmas tree up! I am a Christmas nut and I just couldn't bring myself to wait any longer. I knew I would not have any free weekends in the next long while, so why not?! :)
Sweater, cardigan, jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: American Eagle Outfitters
Tote bag for shopping: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Necklace: House of Harlow 1960
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
I know I just posted a load of haul posts from my trip to South Carolina last month, but here I go again. The following items were purchased on Saturday at Bath & Body Works, Old Navy, Chapters, and Shoppers Drug Mart. I was pretty naughty in the retail therapy department! In my defense, there were good sales at Old Navy and B&BW! That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
I haven't done an Instagram picture post in awhile, so why not?! Hope you don't mind! If you have instagram and want to follow me (wendybanner), I'll happily follow you back. These are just random pictures from the last few weeks that I thought I would share. :)
^ Sequins, bows, and leopard print. LOVE.
^ With fall, it brought out my need for yet another coffee mug and I just had to grab this hot cocoa mix when I saw it in Target. Perfect combination!
To see more pictures, please keep reading.
September was good to me. The weather started getting cooler, Starbuck's pumpkin drinks came back, I got to go home for a bit, and just all-around good things happened. It's nice to finally have a whole month that didn't throw any curveballs. Those don't happen often! Here's a few products that I really enjoyed. :)
Urban Decay Naked palette- This has been in my favorites quite often. I own both the original and the Naked 2, but I just seem to gravitate more towards the original.
MAC StudioCareblend powder- I like it a bit more than the MSF Naturals, but it doesn't last nearly as long. Not the staying power, the actual powder amount! I feel like I hit pan on this after only a short while of owning it.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in Cherish- A pretty lavender pink!
Maybelline Dream Lumi in Radiant- This might just replace my Clinique Airbrush Concealer permanently!
Smashbox Blush Rush in Flush- It's a gorgeous pink and the shimmer provides a pretty glow to the cheeks.
