Peachy’s got it!

Peachy's got it!

My homemade attempt at Princess Peach is pretty pathetic. Im not particularly crafty, and I was very limited with my resources and budget, but I think everyone got the gist of the costume. I was trying to achieve the peplum look of her dress, but I just did not have enough material to work with. Plus, I chose tule, and it ended up being wayyy too sheer. I had no idea how to layer it to make it darker. Oh well though, my first crafty halloween project turned out okay in my books. I think next year, if I make a costume, ill spend some time researching the best way to do it.

Mani Mania

Mani Mania

Words used to describe my nails after I have painted them include, sloppy, streaky and juvenile. I think the mixture between impatience, and unsteady hands is a real killer for the at home manicurist. Im ready to embrace a new trend, and I think the nail pen is the right alternative for me. Im hoping it will keep my lines clean and my hands a little steadier. Luckily the kit I purchased from Laqa & Co included remover pads, since im bound to screw up 😉 The set is called If you leave, and it included a pink nail pen, a top coat nail pen and a fat lip crayon. The lip crayon is a vibrant pink, im hoping its more wearable than it looks in the tube! One nice surprise was the interesting artwork on the boxes. I loved the unique way that the goodies came packaged. They are done by aspiring young artists, and you can go check out their profiles here, if are interested. So far the set seems promising! I hope the colors suit me.

Swoon.

Swoon.

Im so smitten with these outfits by Tamara Mellon. It has been a couple years since the co-founder of Jimmy Choo left the company, and I think she has been spending her time wisely. I love the combination of print and texture. The leather skirt is to die for, and I cant get enough of the thick fur coat with a loose fitting trouser. While I usually shy away from overly flashy pieces like the romper thats featured, I actually think it would be really nice with a statement necklace and black pumps. She really captures the high fashion style in a way that seems accessible to the every day fashionista. I think I could replicate a lot of these looks without the big budget price tag. Overall, I think she does a great job of mixing low maintenance looks, with a high fashion style.

Monsters and Mayhem

Monsters and Mayhem

Its my favourite time of year again, Halloween season. I was really worried that I would be deprived of halloween this year because I didn’t think it was such a big deal in Europe; but Amsterdam has not failed to impress! Dam square is the cutest halloween carnival right now. You can get Dutch pastries, french fries, German sausages; or spend some time in the haunted house ride, or either of the two big rides (if you aren’t scared of heights.) Our plan is to have a few drinks, and head into the city in full costume to enjoy the carnival. I can’t wait to take a ride on the tall spinning one! Although, maybe I should do that before I have too many drinks…

Swedish berries never tasted so good

Swedish berries never tasted so good

I just returned from beautiful Stockholm. I was visiting one of my best friends who is currently on exchange in Sweden, and she is a lucky girl! Stockholm is like a fairytale story. Huge colourful buildings, women that look like princesses and cobblestone streets. I enjoyed my time with a boat trip around the islands, taking in museums and having coffee and cinnamon buns (swedish speciality) I would love to go back and check out Stockholm again, I think a few days is too short to see any city. The next time I go, I will be more prepared for how expensive the city is, I had a bit of sticker shock every where I went! I still need to see so much of Scandinavia, so I think a few other places will be on my list before I return to Sweden, but I definitely hope to go there again.

Urban takes Amsterdam by Storm

Amsterdams notorious tourist shopping strip on the Kalverstraat is now home to hipster paradise, Urban Outfitters.  The public launch happened at 5 pm, and it featured a DJ, a photo booth, temporary tattoos, and some local beer. While I do enjoy a good purchase from Urban, Im not a huge fan of their prices. Needless to say, the prices were insane. Not only was it more expensive than Canada, but it was also in Euros, double lose. I still enjoyed perusing through the shop, and I thought it was a pretty successful launch party. You can’t really complain about free beer 😉 They also had a raffle going to be chosen to swing at a piñata for your chance to win 500 euros, but I was gone before the swinging took place.  Once sale season starts, ill be rolling back into Urban to check out whats available, but until then, I will just window shop.

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Mint rehab

Mint rehab

Amsterdam can be a bit gloomy at times, but you cant let the weather get you down in such a beautiful city. I live in a neighbourhood with lots of Turkish shops, and they sell some fantastic mint! Nothing beats coming home from a cold day with a pile of fresh mint and making some tea. Mint tea is so aromatic, probably one of my favourite smells. Its always nice to kick back with a snack, a warm blanket and big cup of hot mint tea. Give some fresh mint tea a try if you have never had it!

Let them eat cake

Let them eat cake

Probably one of my favourite parts about living in Amsterdam, is the abundance of incredible bakeries. You can literally stumble around any part of the city and still find a delectable pastry shop. While strolling around one day, I came across a fantastic French bakery called Petit Gateau. They had an incredible selection of tarts, cookies, cakes and brownies. The tarts were almost so beautiful I couldn’t eat them, key word is almost ;). I indulged and split with a friend two cookies, a hazelnut tart and a chocolate ganache tart, which came with a bonus homemade marshmallow chocolate bear on top. The fillings were so rich and amazing, they complimented the crust perfectly, which was buttery and crunchy. If you are strolling through the city, please go check it out for yourself!

Vintage vantage

Vintage vantage

Ive always loved the over the knee boot look, and im really glad its still fresh this season. While strolling around Amsterdam, I came across a cute vintage shop called Episode. It was like walking into paradise. I could sense from the minute I stepped in, that there were some hidden gems all over this store. It was the type of place that you know you have to shop alone so you can have the time to rummage for hours. I ended up walking out with a fantastically beautiful pair of over the knee black leather boots, for 35 euros! Such a steal for real leather. Im obsessed and I can’t take them off. Must return there ASAP to blow the rest of the money I brought with me.

A year in the Dam

A year in the Dam

Okay, I totally fell off the blogesphere, but in my defence I was busy prepping for my year in Amsterdam, and I have since been learning how to be Dutch. Its pretty simple to fit in here, drink lots of beer and be super stealthy on a bicycle. The rain sucks, but everything else about this city is marvellous. Personally, I see Amsterdam as an urban village. You have the small world charm of a little city, without losing any of the big city flavour. You have amazing shopping, great cafes, a vibrant night life, and yet you can be from end to end of this city in 30 mins on a bike. The dutch make you feel at home, and are super accommodating about you flagging them down for directions when you get lost (which I do constantly) I look forward to my year here, and can’t wait to see what this city has to offer!