Day 346: The Rebel Mama Hotline – What’s Up with IG Filters?

This week I was a guest on the Rebel Mama Hotline podcast where I talked about Instagram filters. I love these ladies, their group is the one for ‘mom group’ dropouts, the badass, rebellious women out there like us. They’ve also got two books The Rebel Mama’s Handbook for (Cool) Moms and Get Your $hit Together: The Rebel Mama’s Handbook for Financially Empowered Moms. I started creating IG filters about 2 years ago using a free program from Facebook called Spark AR. I made a beauty filter called LoLo Lash, inspired by my bff, Lauren O’Neil. I drew the lashes in Procreate with Apple pencil using a face mesh rentering then created the filter in Spark AR and added skin smoothing. This filter has 2.2M impressions, 99% of them are women aged 25-35. I understand this is (prob?) the biggest demo on IG but it also goes to show who is using beauty filters the most. In this ep of The Rebel Mama Hotline, we talk about how filters can create unrealistic beauty standards especially when the filter drastically changes your face shape. People are now going to beauty clinics with a filtered image of themselves saying ‘can you make me look more like this?’. I have a filter on this post from Day 341 and deff thought about how botox or filler could enhance my face to make it more like this ‘pretty’ filter. One of my filters that is just the smoothing effect bumped way up (Smooth AF) has almost 400K impressions. I often use filters and other beauty filters, I like the way they look, the creativeness of them, and a lot of them hide when you look tired…or feel old. Tap the play button below to listen to a snippet of the podcast or hit play…

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Day 270: Spice Up Your Zoom w/ Snap Camera

This year we have all spent more time on Zoom or Google Meet than ever. If you’re feeling Zoom-fatigue, you are not alone. It’s totally normal to feel exhausted right now, there are so many contributing factors work, health, covid, money, plus the holidays are just around the corner. I used to love getting groceries but I find it stressful now. The other day I download Snap Camera for Mac and it’s a great way to spice up your meetings. You can get festive for the holidays, add a filter for perfect skin, or use all kinds of camera effects. It’s kinda fun. I’ve been using a colour filter to change my lighting and make my skin look flawless. Check out this great video by my friend Amanda Cosco on how to easily add Snap Camera to your computer.

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TRANSFORM – What to See at FITC Toronto 2018

Over the past couple years, I’ve attended FITC in Toronto and highly recommend it. I’m not shy about my love for emerging tech and welcome any opportunity to see what’s new, learn from innovators, and get my hands on the latest gadgets. If you love that stuff too, you should GET A TICKET NOW. Use code FITCCASIE for a 20% discount. Tell your boss you need to go for professional development.  FITC is a hub for creatives and stands for Future, Innovation, Technology, Creativity. My first FITC was in 2011 and I was blown away by all the cool stuff I saw. It’s amazing to think about how technology has changed since then. Last year I was walking around showing off my Snapchat glasses and this year nobody really uses the app anymore. I love tech because it moves so fast and it always changing. I’m writing this to you from the tech centre of the world in San Francisco, California. ? Since 2012 FITC has held events all around the world bringing people like-minded people together to embrace design and technology. FITC: The Technology & Creativity Conference   What to See at FITC Toronto 2018 Here’s a few things I picked I’ve added to my schedule. You can make yours on the website. The list of speakers is great and there’s heaps to learn. Something I really like about the website is for each session they detail an overview, objective, target audience, and 5 things the audience will learn. This helps you maximize your conference experience based on your own personal interest and desire to learn. Play By Your Own Rules, Jessica Walsh April 8 2018, 10:00 – 10:45am How to Tell Your Story, Matt McCue, 99U Magazine April 9 2018, 11:00 – 11:45am The Weird and Wonderful World of Book Publishing, Radim Malinic…

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Social Media Week Kicks Off Today – Visit YouTube, Twitter, Inspiring Speakers

Today kicks off Social Media Week in Toronto. I’ve been part of it every year since it started, in some capacity. This year I’m on the SMTWO  Advisory Board for my second year and speaking on a panel Wednesday. It is truly amazing to be part of an industry that has grown and developed SO MUCH the last 10 years. I could go on an on about how special the start of it was and how there were so few people. Back then, the role of Community Manager didn’t exist, we couldn’t’ schedule updates, there were no analytics, no budgets, and advertising was few and far between.  Back then people had influence, we called them leaders. Fearless self-starters who took chances, tried new things and did things differently. We followed to see what they would do next. Influence came from their work and the impact it had on others, not just followers.  Things have really changed and they continue to change. This is what makes Social Media Week such an important event for our growing industry. Every year the topics are different and there’s new platforms, policies, and processes to discuss. For the past couple months, I’ve been tweeting ‘NEW THINGS EVERY DAY‘ almost daily when a new feature is added to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat. It’s a challenging space to work in because your tools and the entire drawing board are always changing. #SMWTO has TONS of cool things, here are a few of my favourites! Take a Tour of Twitter Interview with Instagram Mega-Star @GirlWithNoJob Tour YouTube Space Canada Ready to Lead w/ Kirstine Stewart “Clapback” and the Progression of Brand Tone on Social Media Working with Influencers: Then and Now (My panel wd/ Deb from RockIt!) Fireside chat w/ Founders of Diply How to Make Friends and #ReachPeople Thank you to Michelle & Pinch…

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Speaking at Centennial College – Advanced Social Media

Here I am on the TTC again. I really wish I had headphones but they’re still in my travel bag at home. I’m heading over to Centennial College to chat with a class of Advanced Social Media year 3 students about my life and work. I try to say yes as often as I can when a friend or close contact asks me to chat with their class. It’s always an opportunity for me to learn. I love their questions. I love reminding them that the job they’ll have one day might not, and probably doesn’t even exist. It’s ok if they don’t know what they want to do yet. I remind them to find something they love doing and become really, really good at it. I tell them to explore creativity and try new things. To not be afraid of other people who can’t see their vision or grasp their unique idea. There have been so many times in my career where the person/people I was working with or for, didn’t get my idea. Most the time it was because only I could see so far ahead, not as far as me. They weren’t there yet. Having the skills and knowledge to see an idea before anyone else will often keep you ahead of the pack.  When I worked at CTV for Much/MTV Canada I remember telling my boss it would be a good idea to put the show hashtag on the tv screen. He totally thought I was crazy and made me feel bad about my ‘dumb’ idea. We all know how that turned out, eh? Another time at an agency job I suggested we get this cool InstaPrint thing from NYC. It involved hiring a guy to man 4 machines onsite for the event that would print little…

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Watch Sean Rip It Round the Track! #FordFathersDay

Wednesday this week I took Sean to a track with Ford Canada to giver in the Ford RS and Mustang GT. I’ve driven on tracks with Ford a few times so know just how fun it is. It really helped me learn to handle a vehicle and be a more confident driver. Ford invited me to bring a dad in my life in celebrations of Fathers Day. Sean works really hard and I knew this would make him feel great! I only went one lap and let him take a few extra just to see the smile on his face. WATCH THIS Our options to drive were Ford Mustang GT Convertible, Ford Mustang GT Fastback, and the Focus RS. The Focus RS is REALLY FAST. You’ll see Sean say it’s amazing in the video. ? One of my fav things of the day was doing a ‘hot lap’ with professional drivers Darryl Timers (Ford of Canada’s Performance Driver since 2013). Our vehicles were fully stocked with GoPro’s to catch our reactions. I also woer my Snapchat specs while driving so hit play below to see a first person view of me on the track. Wore my @Spectacles on the track. Cool experience. Really teaches you to handle a vehicle! TY @FordCanada! #FordFathersDay #FordMustang pic.twitter.com/2zgweeqXLC — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) June 14, 2017 THANK YOU Ford and the team from National PR for a memorable experience with a fav dad in my life. We’ll continue to talk about this day for a loooooong time! Don’t forget to say hi & love you to the dads/uncles/granddads/brothers and dad friends in your life this weekend!

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Enjoy A Little, Endure a Lot

This week felt like a long one and it’s finally Thursday. As Keri would say, “Best night of the week!”. Tonight I’m heading to my BFFs house out of the city and tomorrow we rented a sweet hotel room in a random Ontario town, not too far, for a well deserved girls getaway. Sometimes when I look back at my story of the day, on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook, my short term memory forgets things even happen. This was the case a few times this week. I started the week slow, was super tired, and had a sore shoulder from an awkward sleep on Sunday. Tuesday I spent most the day dragging my a$$ through the motions, but, by the end of the day I was so inspired I couldn’t sleep! I was a judge at the Women in Wearables Tech Meetup for the Female Founders Cup.  It was  great to be surrounded by incredibly amazing women making waves in the tech community. You can watch the livestream here if you’re looking for some inspiration.  Women & Wearables: An evening of celebration, discussion & activism Full house for #WWTO! #techtuesday (@ MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, ON) https://t.co/YBfoWuGYVy pic.twitter.com/Rhlijqql5j — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) March 28, 2017 Wednesday seems like a blur. Did yoga at 7:30 then drove home, picked up Emily and took her to school. Shawn Hawaii came over for quick head shot shoot around 9am and by 10:30, Sean and I we were heading to 1188. The rest of the day was non-stop and by 9:30pm I was finally ready to sit down and do things on my computer. I am SOOOOO looking forward to a 2 night getaway with my BFF and a s-l-o-w pace. I love what I do but life is exhausting and I’ve had to teach myself to take breaks. Also, I can’t wait till we open the…

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2017 Canadian International AutoShow w/ @VWCanada

Recently I went to the AutoShow with VW to check out what’s new for 2018. It was a PA day so people were invited to bring kids and pets along for the special event. I documented it all with my Snapchat Spectacles and they were a hit. You know how much I love tech and these things are rad, watch the video here. I’ve always loved cars, we spent heaps of time in the garage and hot rod workshop w/ dad growing up . It’s incredible how far car tech has come! Volkswagen is known for great performance, reliability, and safety, ‘a good German car’ as I’ve heard so many times. We were looking at the 2018 Tiguan Redesign, 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, and 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf. There was also another little one I just loved, scroll down to see! The event was hosted by Amber Mac, George Pimentel, Afiya Francisco, and Heather Davis. Amber of course talked tech aspects of the new cars, George took photos, Afiya talked about style and how your car fits your lifestyle and aesthetic. Heather is a family road trip expert and she shared how the 2018 Atlas was a great family car for travel, seats 7! The 2018 Tiguan Redesign is a great car for people who like adventure.  I like the aesthetic of this car, it’s sleek but tough, you can tow a set of seadoos or boat (up to 5500 pounds) and pack all kinds of stuff in the boot. Perfect for #cottagelife!  My fav was the VW Beetle Dune. A few people said this was a perfect car for me. I love a cute little convertible! It’s actually quite spacious with 4 seats and enough room for a couple suitcases in the trunk. One of the cool new things they launched at the AutoShow was the…

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Talking Influencer Marketing on the #UrbanizeTHIS Podcast

This week I was a guest on the final episode of the UrbanizeTHIS Podcast with Matthew Slutsky & Ara Mamouran. We had a blast recording and a bunch of laughs before and after. I chatted about the web, influencer marketing, social media, and real estate. Click the play button below to listen!  I got to try on my first pair of Spectacles from Snapchat since Ara has a pair. I AM SO JEALZ OMG. I didn’t connect my Snapchat to test out recording but they felt cool. These glasses allow you to handsfree record videos and post directly to Snapchat. FOLLOW ME ON SNAP: CASIE STEWART   I am hoping to try and track down a par at CES in January! I’ll also be in LA so if the Snapchat Bot is anywhere near, I WILL FIND IT! Subscribe to the UrbanizeTHIS podcast here. I you have a topic suggestion or guests you’d like to hear from Tweet @aramammo or @iSlutsky. (Yes that’s his REAL NAME! ?)  

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Blog Life: Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like It #12

Yesterday I updated the look of this ol’ bloggy and it’s really making me happy. Over the past 6 months I’ve been working lots (which is good but tiring), recovered from a major surgery, and was in a car accident. I don’t usually share much the blarghhhh days I but there’s been a few lately. It’s not ALLLL sunshine and rainbows, I am HUMAN!  I feel like post-election world has been really getting me down. Every single time you turn on the tv, internet, Facebook bad sh*t is happening. It’s sad and exhausting. ? Do you ever just feel like you need a f’n break?! AND THEN, on the opposite end of the spectrum you scroll FB/IG and it seems like people have these perfect lives. Last night I spoke on a panel about beauty & aging and something I mentioned is the ‘Facebook Self’ we all put out there. You know the one I mean! The curated version of beautiful photos, the clean house, smiling well-behaved children, the perfect meal etc. Well LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS LIKE THAT. It’s messy lol. I hardly ever share the house bc there’s always a clothes pile somewhere. Pile on the holidays and it’s all kinda overwhelming. This weekend I’m volunteering to serve lunch to 80-100 in need at a mission with some friends. I’ve been looking forward to it all week. Bringing joy to others, you can’t help but have some yourself. Sunday I’m part of a big ‘Boss Babes Brunch’ w/ some power ladies which will be fun and inspiring.  With my recent obsession for Amazon I got a huge ring light and photo setup for home so I will be playing with that too. This post is #12 in a series of blogposts I’ve written when I don’t really feel like blogging. I find blogging about it helps…

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Forgot to Cancel Amazon Prime But Embracing It = Ring Lights!

If you haven’t seen my tweets over the last few days I’ve been kinda obsessed with Amazon Prime. I forgot to cancel the ‘Free Trial’ and got charged the full ~$100 Amazon Prime amount for the year. Yeah duh. Whatever. I’ve decided to embrace it and tbh it’s amazing. [This post sponsored my bank account.]  I ordered a whole bunch of things this week including a big ring light, tripod, studio backdrop, citric acid, and an iPhone ring light. The acid is for making bath bombs! It was $5 for a small canister at Bulk Barn yesterday so I checked Amazon and bought 2 pounds for $10 AND it arrives today. A couple people asked me about my little baby ring light for my iPhone. It was from Amazon and is on SALE FOR $14.99 ($16.99 CA). The package was all in Japanese (?) and it came with batteries. ORDER →  Universal Camera Ring Flash Took photos in this post with it. Last night I was speaking on a panel about ‘Aging Gracefully’ with an event for Restylane/Galmerma. [I got a couple fillers this year if you missed that post.] I got a few other things this week but I haven’t opened them yet. Thinking about using them to make a video but idk so, no promises. That’s all for today. THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING. DO YOU LIKE THE NEW LAYOUT????

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The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.

Yesterday was one of those full on go-go-go day. The night before I was so tired, falling asleep at my computer. I closed it down and told myself everything could wait till the morning.  I make blog-life look pretty glam on the outside but behind the screen is a lot of hard work, late nights, meetings, and stress. I feel like I’m behind most the time, but some days I feel on top of the world. No day is ever the same.  I remember laying in bed thinking ‘just get me through this week, then I can relax‘. Had a great time speaking at a national Canadian corporation about my blog, social media, and influence marketing. A few talks booked on the topic of creators/influencers lately which I feel shows a that the market and budgets are shifting towards more digital. Filmed a short video with new blogger Nneka Elliott. You might recognize her from CP24 where she’s been a news anchor since 2008. Had a diner with Saje Wellness and about 50 other young women. Did a class with Army of Sass. Then went home and read a bit before fall ing asleep with my Kobo. Just reading back over this makes me feel exhausted!!! The whole day was documented on Snapchat.  Tonight we’re going to the cottage for a couple days before I fly out to Arizona on Sunday. That reminds me, I have to pack! Gah.  Title quote is by Audrey Hepburn ? FYI my contest for office space at The 48 inside 1 King West closes today – enter by visiting the post below! Get to Know The 48 Office Suites + OFFICE SPACE Giveaway!

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Travel | I’m in South Florida this week! 

Follow my Snap, Instagram, and Tweets for sunshine and adventures. Updates from other media on the trip are on the #SeizeTheKeys hashtag! ?☀️?✈️️???‍? Heading to breakfast now them Hemingway’s House. Later today I’m planning to bike around some more then we’re going paddle boarding at night! BLOODLINE WAS FILMED HERE! Trying Key Lime at every meal ?? Rented a bike to explore Key West Our backyard at Chelsea House Hotel Today was so great. In Florida all week and ready for adventure. Biked around Key West, swam, beach, saw roosters & iguanas. Ready to retire tbh. #travel #thisismylife #seizethekeys A photo posted by ? C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Oct 2, 2016 at 6:59pm PDT  

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Tech | #SeizeTheKeys! ☀️? I’m Heading Down to Florida!

Well, it’s just starting to cool down and I’ve got something warm and exciting to share… on Sunday I’m going to the Florida Keys! I’m heading down with Florida Tourism and a couple other blog friends. I’ll be documenting my experience on Facebook (w/ Live!), Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. I can’t WAIT to see what we’re doing. I got a heads up that we’ll be Night Boarding, which is stand up paddle (SUP) on board that are LIT. I love my SUP board so stoked for this I’ve had the Beach Boys song Kokomo in my head all week. (There used to be a bar in the Keys called Kokomo!) I’ve also looked up famous movie scenes filmed there and this one is on my to-do list haha. Have you been to the Florida Keys? Any recos of what we should do there? LMK!  

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