260: Use What You Got pt. 2

I spent hours this weekend sewing at the kitchen table making big floofy scrunchies. Each one is 100% unique and handmade with recycled fabric from my personal wardrobe. I had planned to donate items at the start of the year, then lockdown happened. Instead of buying new fabric, I decided to make them into new things. Since I didn’t buy new fabric, I could work my way through learning to sew again after 20 years, without worrying about fucking up. At the start of quarantine I shared my theme of ‘use what you got‘, I think that’s really carried through the rest of the year. Each tag on my floofy scrunchies says ‘Handmade by Casie w/ recycled fabric.‘ and has a little background story on the original item. Today picked up some clear plastic packaging and thread (and glitter thread!) from Dollerama and I can’t wait to put everything together. Put my wreath up on the front of the cottage. First time making one since I was a kid! In other news… Use What You Got pt. 1 was Day 34!

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Day 34: Use What You Got – Tie Dye DIY

My tie-dye yesterday turned out really good. I decided to crop this top and make a couple of matching scrunchies. I used old promo shirts I found in a drawer and made them into new clothes. ? How to Tie Die with Bleach The process was pretty easy and not too messy. It took about an hour from start to finish, including a short cycle in the wash. You Will Need: Clothes  Gloves  Bleach (you will be mixing 50/50 w/ water) Water Squeeze bottle (I used one of these) A Plate – to rest your things on Garbage bag – to set up your area Rubber Bands Paper Towel A well-ventilated space Before You Get Started It’s a good idea to make sure your fabric has been washed at least once. Decide on a style you want to create, I watched a couple of tutorials with different tie-dye techniques and went to town. It’s hard to mess this up so don’t worry. This video on Pinterest has a lot of methods in 5 min (spiral, shibori). The video below is short & sweet with 3 different ways to tie-dye. Open a window, let some fresh air in, you want to have good ventilation since you’re working with bleach. Get your gloves and workspace ready, tape the garbage bag to your space do you don’t stain ruin your kitchen table/counter/floor. ? 1: Rubber bands Wrap your garment in rubber bands in the desired design. The item on the left is has been bunched up to make a wild style, the right is a spiral. Place each item on a plate. 2: Bleach Mix 50/50 bleach water in your squeeze bottle. I like to use the lid of a storage bin and cover with a garbage bag to avoid making a mess.…

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IF YOU GOT IT HAUNT IT!? Haunted Houses + Halloween Things ?

I had a very Halloween weekend and it was so much FUN! ????⚰️ On Friday I went to Screemers at Exhibition Place with my sister. We put on zombie makeup, all black, and had a few spooky cocktails. There wasn’t really anyone else in costume so everyone thought we worked there. ? We took heaps of photos with randoms and spent a good part of the night scaring people. Seriously so fun. It was hilarious. We almost laughed our heads right off. Screemers has 7 haunted houses and most are inside. They’re super scary. We didn’t do them all bc were too scared tbh. You can have drinks at the Vampire Lounge, there’s food onsite, and you can smoke outside.  I highly recommend paying the extra $12 for front of the line access. Screemers hooked up with passes and it made the night more fun because we didn’t have to wait! Screemers is $32.95 and +$12 for front of the line access. There is metered parking onsite. ?? On Saturday Lauren and I went to Canada’s Wonderland for Halloween Haunt. The entire park is lit up for Halloween with hundreds of staff in costume creeping around corners and popping out all scary. I was super nervous going because the park is huge and the so are the haunted houses. There’s a lot of ground to cover.  A bunch of the rides are open so aside from scary people everywhere, the’s roaring rollercoasters soaring past your head. If you are not into being scared you can get a No Boo necklace and workers and creepy people won’t try to give you a fright. There was haunted house experience called Blackout where it is literally pitch black and you have to walk through not knowing if someone is going to jump out at any minute or where you are going.…

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Being Yourself is Exhilarating

On Saturday, April 1 at 10 am, Sean and I hopped in the car, drove to Budapest Park, and went in the lake with 20+ people. SO FUN! The cold dip was hosted by my friend Meghan Yuri Young x Soho House Toronto x Othership. The water was cold (obviously) but the sun was shining and the sand felt warm on my feet. We started with breathwork led by an Othership Guide, did 2 min in the lake, then had coffee and hung out at the beach. On the way there, I got a notification from the Co-Star app that said ‘Being yourself is exhilarating”, what perfect timing! I’ve been leaning into trying new things and honestly, it’s so much fun. When we got home I walked over to Lucky Tiger Vintage at Lansdowne for their first-ever bin sale. I waited about 45 mins but it was totally worth it. Everything was $5-20 and I came home with a huge bag of goodies. 🤗 10/10, a fabulous day!

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Bend when you can, snap when you have to.

I’ve been going to yoga again since the start of January and it’s made a difference in my life. I love yoga; moving, stretching, bending, breathing. It sounds so simple but they call it a practice for a reason, you have to work at it. For years, I had class 4x a week with Sandy, and it changed my life. Part of my ‘Trying New Things’ this year includes going to more fitness classes at different places. I signed up for a free month of ClassPass this month to experience new places. I went to Mosiac Yoga today and I was kinda nervous for a few minutes before leaving the house but once I got outside I was fine. It was great, I already booked another class. Join me for free here. I used to have a really hard time being still, alone with my thoughts, resisting the urge to move. In 2019 I wrote a post called ‘It takes Practice” where I talked about learning how to be still, slow down. Looking back, I’m so glad I started to make changes before the pandemic. It would have been harder otherwise. Seeing the person I was in old blog posts makes me prouder of the person I am now. It’s hard to grow & change, but so worth it when you come out the other side. This is a quote from the end of that post from 2019: “If you’re feeling stressed or holding something inside, let it go. Write it on a piece of paper and throw it in the fire. There is no sense carrying it with you for another day, week, or year. Free up that space in yourself to fill it with something that makes you happy, with sunshine.” CASIE STEWART, 2018 ‘ It Takes Practice‘ The…

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Press the Pause Button

I heard this quote in today’s ‘Daily Calm’ in the Calm app and it stuck with me. I got out of bed went right to my computer looked it up, found the author, and got his book on Audible. Finished my latest read yesterday and wasn’t sure what to read next but usually, when I least expect it, something happens to inspire my next read or listen. “When you press the pause button on a machine, it stops. But when you press the pause button on human beings they start,” argues my friend and teacher Dov Seidman, CEO of LRN, which advises global businesses on ethics and leadership. “You start to reflect, you start to rethink your assumptions, you start to reimagine what is possible and, most importantly, you start to reconnect with” ― Thomas L. Friedman, Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations I’ve been working on more of a slow-living type of life and honestly, it’s bringing me so much joy. Exercise, more sleep, good food, less drinking, and lots of time with my thoughts. Slow living means going through your life in a more thoughtful, meaningful way. Before the pandemic, I was always on the go, for like, my entire life. That 2-year pause we all went through + living up north in the woods, taught me so much about myself. I am resilient, creative, and determined. I’m thankful for each day and there is so much happiness to be found in what you already have, who you are, and the people around you. In other news, today I signed up for a course starting in January that I am so excited about. I’ll share what it is soon. If you can guess I’ll give you a prize. Until…

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Focus Your Power

The title of this post is a reminder for myself as much, if not more, than anyone else. Focus your power. Believe in yourself. You can do hard things. A couple of weeks ago when I heard gyms were opening up I was keen to get back into one. I got an email with a 4-week special at a spot REALLY close to home so I went for it. To be honest, I was a ball of nervous anxiety before my first class. I didn’t know what to expect, what to wear? If it would be too hard if I would enjoy it. In about 5 minutes of being there, my anxiety was gone. I knew it was a good idea and I made a friend. This is my third week going and I love it. I never really knew how to work out, to use the machines. When I used to go to LA Fitness before the pandemic I did free weights & Nike Training app workouts + running. But NOW I’ve learned to LOVE squats and lifting heavier weights, using ALL the machines. I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something different. I can’t wait for my next workout. ☀️ FOCUS YOUR POWER ☀️ Workout set by my friend! Check out Sasha Exeter x Joe Fresh!

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Day 450: I GOT VACCINATED!

Don’t say it..don’t say it…VAX GIRL SUMMER! ☀️ I’M SO HAPPY! I GOT VACCINATED! Sean gave me a tip from Vaccine Hunters that there was a pop-up clinic near at Harbord Collegiate offering the first dose of Pfizer today so I biked over soon as I could. If you are looking to get your first or second dose, check out the @vaxhunterscan account on Twitter, they’re posting vaccination clinics all across the country. I just really want to go somewhere ✈️, hug my parents, have friends to the house, and for this all to be overrrrrrr. Y’know?! ?✌️ One step closer to getting back to some kind of normal.

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Day 311: Amber is the Color of Your Energy

Today was a good day. Left the house late afternoon to meet Natalie and her dog Chloe for a walk before the sun went down. We sat outside in the park by the Telus Centre near the Royal Conservatory of music, then went around the park. Walked through some of the University of Toronto buildings and I recognized a bunch of from Tiny Pretty Things on Netflix. There are heaps of recognizable locations if you’re watching the show, see some of them here on BlogTO. Good show, I’ll finish it tonight. Before heading home I had a little meetup outside with Nelson & Talia. We went to Eatily and got groceries. It felt like being out on the town! It’s been so long since I went to a place with anyone other than Sean. We were all wearing masks and only inside a grocery store, but it was invigorating! Earlier in the day, after my run, I tried a TikTok hair trend to do natural, heatless waves with a belt from a robe. I wasn’t sure how it worked at first but as the day went on, the curls relaxed and my hair looked great. I can’t wait to try it again and get really good at this. I’ve dreamed of having long hair for years and without the pandemic, I would have probably cut it. The title of this post on Day 311 is Amber by the band 311. My sister and I used to love this one so much. It will make you smile. ?

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Day 198: Love Yourself First

Spent the morning with calls and meetings then went to the 1188 office to work for a bit. I cleaned out my desk there a few weeks ago to de-personalize it, the desks work more like co-working now. People aren’t really coming into the office much these days but if someone needs to for production or a meeting, there’s space. It was so nice and warm out once 3pm hit I had to get outside. I think it’s the last summer0like day we’re gonna have…for a while. Stopped into Visit Zane for a little hangout, Zane is one of my oldest friends in the city. We’re both from Cambridge and used to hang out in high school! Next, I had a margarita in the sun on the Squirly”s patio, read my book a bit, and caught up with an old friend in New Zealand over DM. Forgot I had this great shirt from LX Factory in Lisbon, it says “The love of my life is myself.” You gotta LOVE YOURSELF before you can truly love anyone else. Y’know?! The weather was perfect so I decided to walk back to the house in the Junction Triangle. It was lovely but my feet were not a fan, walking 7km in platform Converse is not recommended. Spotted some Briony street art along the way!

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Day 150: Search & You Just Might Find It

Went for a run today and did my fav Abs & Arms workout on the Nike Training app. I worked in the morning and by the time 4pm rolled around, I was ready to switch in to my suit and spend some time in the sun. Took my latest read outside and had a beer on the dock. Sean and I went on an adventure in the evening to go look at a motorcycle in Gravenhurst. He’s been looking at a few different used ones over the past few months and he finally got one! I love it. Maybe I’ll get my M1 licence?! In other news, I’ve been doing a bunch of website updates on the backend for security and functionality. I’m way overdue for site maintenance! If you’re looking to find out a local Toronto web design company, check these guys out!

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Day 132: Love the Lake With You

We went for a nice slow cruise around the lake in the morning. It’s very hot this weekend! In the afternoon, we ventured out to Bracebridge, visited a couple of shops, got groceries, and had some lunch. Wherever we go to town we try to stick to the list and be efficient, by the time we get home we’re exhausted. Shopping and getting supplies during quarantine is stressful. I used to love going to the grocery store and dilly-dallying around the aisles but it’s not like that anymore! Found a cute second-hand shop inside the Muskoka Natural Food Market called Revolution with heaps of nice clothes. I didn’t get anything but I might take a few nicer items from my closet to donate. Check them out on IG at @revolution.mnfm. Yes, I wore my fav outfit 2 days in a row. ? At night we had a little hangout with some cottage friends on the lake. Sometimes I miss being in the city but I love being here with Sean so much. ❤️

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Day 109: You’ve Got A Friend in Me

Today I had a great day. I went to visit Talia at their cottage about an hour away and Elise was there too! We swam in the pool and it was so nice to have a girl hang. I was so excited I didn’t even take ANY PHOTOS. I don’t know what I was thinking! Over the past month, I took a step back from posting to give space to creators of colour and support Black Lives Matter. the ripple effect sharing and documenting less on social media has directly changed my behaviour. I’m spending more time enjoying the moment and less picking up my phone to capture everything for the ‘gram. I spent some time reading a new book in the afternoon and when Sean was done work, our friends surprised us with a visit on their boat. The boys went skiing and we listened to music on the lake. Sean, what a dreamboat! This has become my new fav outfit, I got it at Joe Fresh a couple of weeks ago and used Sasha’s SASHA25 code for a discount. It’s totally wild and so comfy. I love being here so much. We’ve been meeting more neighbours on our road and the lake, everyone is so nice. Tomorrow there’s a garage sale at the Mayor’s house down the road. ?

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Did You Lose Yourself?

I think I found her. I had to go on a journey but the fire is starting to burn again and it’s lighting up the sky.

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Rebuilding Your House: I Broke My Collarbone

A year ago today I slipped on some ice at mum’s house, breaking my collar bone, getting a massive black eye, and severe nerve damage to half my face. It was right after receiving an Alumni Award from the President of Conestoga College. What a DAY. It was horrible. I was in severe pain most of the winter and did you know that having nerves repair themselves feels like you have a hair on your face that’s not there? Something so simple as taking a selfie was hard for months because I couldn’t move my arm above 90 degrees. I felt like half my face looked different. Does it? I declined attending a lot of events because I didn’t feel good about myself. This is a couple of days after the accident and before it got worse. This night I was up for an Ontario Premier’s Award so I had to attend the ceremony. My eye was watering the whole time and I was so self-conscious about the makeup running. This past year has been all about rebuilding, reprogramming myself, changing old habits, and loving myself more. I’ve been working on strength and can finally Chaturanga Dandasana again. I’ve been thinking about what happened a lot the last few days and I want to remind you that what you see on the internet is only a fraction of someone’s life. I’ve always been honest and real on my blog but this was something I wasn’t ready to face head-on, I didn’t know how to deal with it so barely mentioned it at all. I felt bad about not being strong, my arm was so weak and my confidence was broken. A year later, I’m feeling better and have another X-ray tomorrow that is hopefully my last. I want to remind…

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TIFF19: Take a Peek Inside Twitter’s #TwitterHouse!

Yesterday was the ‘official’ start of #TIFF19 and I got a first look at #TwitterHouse! ??? Hosted by Twitter & Elevation Pictures, it’s the first time Twitter has reallllly had a big festival/event presence in Canada. Please enjoy this quick little tour! View this post on Instagram A post shared by CASIE ??✌?? #TIFF19 (@casiestewart) on Sep 6, 2019 at 3:39am PDT I am SO looking forward to this weekend bc I’m attending  @Twitter’s #SheInspiresMe panel w Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu and the cast of #Hustlers. Huzzahhhhhhhh! I love Twitter so much. It’s my fav social media platform. I’ve been by there Twitter Canada office a couple of times, check it here. I love this time of year SO MUCH and am trying to enjoy every single moment! I’m grateful and thankful for every opportunity that comes my way. Please lmk if there is anything you REALLY want to see or if you have a question for @JLO? I doubt I’ll get to talk to her but hey, it’s #TIFF, anything can happen!!!!! If you aren’t following me on Twitter, do you even tweet? Lipitor no prescription buy Sertraline online Buy Tadalafil online Buy plus Viagra online

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Take Time For Yourself.

I’ve been finding just about anything to distract me from doing the things I should be doing today. Last week I went to Vancouver a day before my meetup so I could be ready and rested before spending the week with Telus creators from across Canada. I love what I do but it takes a lot out of you to be present online AND in real life while creating content in real-time. On influencer trips, there’s always a camera around, you’re posting to the internet with the proper hashtags, making sure your outfit is cute, and talking to people face-to-face. It can be pretty taxing! One of my favourite moments last week was walking around downtown Vancouver w/ Cory Lee and stopping by Pink Alley. It was such a beautiful day to be outside surrounded by bright colours, making memories. Would you believe I spent 15+ hours on Instagram last week? I’m due for a digital break but there’s always something exciting to do and I want to share it with you and the world. I know I should disconnect and take time away from screens but then again I have heaps of things to get done and they all involve being ON A SCREEN. Ahhhh! Over the years I’ve learned it’s good to take breaks, to let your mind rest, thoughts wander. Years ago before Instagram, I had 40+ posts month over month. These days I find myself writing a ~10 blog posts a month when I’m in the mood or have a due date. I love documenting my life but don’t put the pressure on myself I used to. Over the years, the mediums have changed and the content is in different places but I think the message is still the same: You’ll never be younger than you…

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Thoughts on Graduating: Find Something You Love

Last week I spoke at the graduation for Conestoga College. There were 15 programs graduating and hundreds of students. I got to wear a gold cape as a ‘special guest’. I checked the colour of the cape before the event and came prepared with gold shoes. It was pretty cool! The top photo above is me with Conestoga College president John Tibbits at the presentation of my Alumni Award last year. I was in shock when I found out I’d been nominated for the Premiere’s Award then Conestoga surprised me with an Alumni Award. [The highest award from a college delivered by the president!] This isn’t the kind of award you can apply for, and I am so honored to be recognized. I took my mum, and her BFF (aka my second mum & Fairy Godmother!) to the ceremony. We had a great time! Looking Back… I’ve spent the last decade working in social media as the industry grew and developed. I’ve had my blog for 14 years. When I went to Conestoga College for Marketing, social media was not invented. Blogs were not invented, there was no Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. I was into marketing as soon as I knew what it was. I chose to study it in college because I had a *feeling* the internet would be something big. SMART THINKIN’ EH! Honestly, in college, I used to skip class and I hardly ever bought textbooks. I didn’t have much money in college or university, but I always did the work. I worked well in groups when I was the leader, I liked writing, I was really into presentations. I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I left Conestoga College, so I went to university, in Australia. I liked business but I had no…

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5 Cannabis Podcasts to Elevate Your Knowledge

This week an article I wrote for the Twisted Extracts blog went live. My relationship with the brand grew over the last couple of months after they sent me a few of their cbd edibles to try. I completely fell IN LOVE with the Twisted Extracts CBD gummies and CBD caramels. I found they really chilled me out and helped me be calm/focussed, without getting high. I ordered a bunch with my own money when the samples ran out! If you’d like to research more into the compound CBD, head on over to educational websites such as CBD School. This blog post includes 5 podcasts by talented Canadians that will inform you about what’s going on in the cannabis industry, legalization, benefits of the plant, and ways to consume. The blog also goes on to discuss the different strains of cannabis. For example, did you know that strains such as blue city diesel can be used for their euphoric and happy mental effects? The different strains of cannabis can have a unique impact on your wellbeing and therefore it is important to educate yourself about the key differences if you intend on using this drug. Within each podcast, you’ll find stories by interesting people from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and learn how they got into the weeds. Each show is hosted by someone I know or have met and can vouch for their knowledge of the cannabis space and passion for the plant that is the hemp flower. If you’re keen to try a CBD edible, use this link to get $10 off your first order of Twisted Extracts. I’m quite keen on these Cara-Melts and they’re $13 for a pack of 8, containing 8x10mg CBD. Any questions, lmk! Canadian Cannabis Week is coming up at the start of…

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Tips to Get Your Car Ready For Spring from OK Tire

It’s almost spring! This post has some handy tips to get your car ready for warmer weather. Read my interview with OK Tire.

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Easy Ways to UP YOUR MOOD in Winter

I don’t know if I’ve ever spent so much time at home, inside the house, as I have the past month and during the Polar Vortex. Thankfully, today our upstairs patio door is no longer frozen shut but winter is far from over. Long winters like these are often hard to get through and the constant dull weather can really bring down your mood. If you’re feeling stir crazy or craving some something to boost your mood, here are a few things I like to do to make me feel happier when the SAD kicks in. Home Spa Love yourself and self-care your mood to a higher frequency with a little time, DIY beauty hacks, and products. You don’t need heaps of money or fancy stuff to pamper yourself like the queen you are. I love doing masks and usually get them from Shoppers. Also recommend checking out the beauty section of Winners, they almost always have a good selection at a great price. I got this set of metallic masks to nourish, brighten, and hydrate plus an applicator brush there the other day for $7! ? I Pinned a few DIY recipes with ingredients you probably have on hand here or scan the pin code in the Pinterest App. Make a quick body scrub by mixing your used coffee grounds with coconut oil. Or make a simple lip sugar scrub with and a combination of white/brown sugar plus olive oil/coconut oil/honey, with peppermint, lemon, grapefruit, lavender, or activated charcoal to brighten. My mum makes a GREAT, thick, face cream with marigold, frankincense from New Direction Aeromatics. I love it! Light Therapy This helps to boost your mood, deal with SAD, and can (not an expert!) help depression. I have the Phillips Hue light system in my room that includes Hue…

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Say Yes to You

Over the past 2 years, I’ve been on a mission to be healthier, both mentally & physically. Ever since I took that solo trip to LA I’ve been paying more attention to my body and taking more time for myself. My next quest is to learn about gut health.  Did you know that your overall well-being, including your weight and immunity, may be tied to your gastrointestinal health? In the summer I went to a workshop hosted by  Koena, an over-the-counter probiotic supplement to promote gastrointestinal health. This was my first introduction to gut health and got me thinking about my family.  Last month I went to another workshop focussing on food sensitivity, leaky gut, and overall gut health. I’m learning but there’s so much to know.  A key takeaway is you really are what you eat and your gut is connected to your brain which is connected to everything else.  What are Probiotics? Probiotics are  “friendly” bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal track and help maintain and protect gastrointestinal health.  This week I’m starting with Koena Probiotic Supplement for adults.  Their products have no GMOs, are vegan, gluten free, preservative free, with no dyes or artificial flavours. The adult formula has a blend of probiotics and a prebiotic (fibers). Koena’s also offers certain blends for women and children’s individual needs. Their products are crafted from natural medicinal ingredients to promote healthy gut flora.  Our intestines are populated by a large number of various bacterial strains: a well-balanced and rich intestinal flora, also called the microbiota, is able to protect us from many disorders. Its activity helps with everything from digesting food, to fighting infections and protecting the body from toxins. If you have any tips for gut health (or remembering to take your vitamins) I’m all ears!  I’ll be sharing an update in a few weeks on how I’m feeling and my recommendations on probiotics.…

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Smart Tech to Help You Through The Winter

We all know it’s coming, the dark and cold months of winter where all hibernate a little more and give thanks to the Netflix gods. I’ve been trying to stay on track with being productive when I’m at home and working out and am determined this winter to exercise just as much time as I spend binge-watching. Luckily, we live in a tech world that allows us to have all kinds of smart devices to help our minds and homes running smoothly through the dark seasons. A site like Wired Smart has some great info on practically every type of smart device that can be useful but today I decided to focus more on the tech that will help get you through winter. Scroll down for tech accessories I find help me through colder days. Finess Tracker: FitBit I have been using a Fitbit on and off for the past 5 years. I love the reminders to move every hour and getting those steps in each day. It’s a small thing that keeps me accountable to move. I also love seeing my heart rate, the interval tracking, and getting text messages on my wrist. The weekly reporting is a great way to motivate yourself to be more active. I’m currently using the FitBit Versa and Sean has the FitBit Iconic. I still use my FitBit Alta HR sometimes because it’s slimmer and looks more like a bracelet. Telus also has Apple Watch if that’s more your speed. A Home Assistant: Alexa I love her, I ask her things every day. Mostly ‘what’s the weather’ so I know how many layers to put on and what type of jacket to wear. I love the weekly email from Amazon telling me with ‘What’s New with Alexa?” and all the skills you can…

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Why Don’t You Have a Will Yet? Get One Today, Meet Willful. + Discount Code!

Do you have a will? No, of course, you don’t! Who thinks about that while you’re out living your best life? Hate to remind you but along with taxes, we can’t avoid death. You should have a will and you can get one with Willful in 20 min for less than $100 today. If you’re in a situation where you’re looking to contest a will, you might want to seek out will contest lawyers to help with this matter. This weekend my friends got hitched, Erin Bury married Kevin Oulds, the creator of Willful. I’ve knows this duo for 10 years and am not surprised that they had the most unique wedding guest gifts I’ve ever seen, they gave every one of their guest a will. Till Death Do Us Part, right? Kevin created Willful after dealing with a difficult family situation, something none of us wants to deal with. To be honest, I’ve learned anything from TV or The Young & The Restless, it’s really important to have a will. Do you have any idea what will happen if you don’t? Read this. If you’re common law, your partner gets nothing, the government will get involved in your finances, your family could have to vacate your family home, it’s not pretty. I saw first hand what can happen to families when certain aspects are unknown and what happens when there’s not a proper plan in place. I set out to make that experience easier to navigate and make it more affordable and accessible for people. Kevin Oulds, Willful Founder & CEO Their mission is to move estate planning from the back of your mind to the same spot as insurance, retirement, or financial planning. Stuff we might not want to think about and but get more intense the less attention you…

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Turn Your Face to the Sun and Shadows Fall Behind You

Hello and good morning! I’m feeling good vibes today despite not feeling great the last couple days. Spent the last 24hrs inside the house with Sean doing next to nothing but watching Netflix and taking naps. I feel recharged! Watched a good movie called The Angel, a few more eps of Maniac, and a full season of how to Live Mortgage Free (which really got us thinking!).  The past 2 months have been kind of intense. I went on to Portugal and Mexico, had TIFF and Fashion Week, all on top of my regularly scheduled work. I still have heaps to write about. I know from the outside it all seems like fun and vacation but let me tell you, there is a LOT of behind the scenes things you don’t see. Being on all the time is exhausting. The start of a new month brings renewal and I am excited. We have 3 months left in the year and before we know it, it’ll be 2019! What’s your 2020 vision? This week I’m speaking at an event on Wednesday and a TV commercial I’m comes out in a few days. Sean and will be spending the weekend at the cottage and most likely repeating our tradition of Swiss Chalet on Saturday and then hibernating till Tuesday. I’m working out of the office all week and not doing many events so I can focus on getting into a routine. I’ve booked a few sessions with my trainer and evening yoga. Last week I made it to 2 yoga classes which is more than I’ve done in ages.  Today is a great day to make a change in your life. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Your life is your movie, you’re the director, it can be any kind of movie…

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The Internet of Things – Protecting Your Smart TV

We just got a new Smart TV and I’m super stoked. Sean and I worked from home the day it arrived and we also ordered tacos which turned into a great game of tv or tacos?! It’s my first time having a *brand new* TV. Our previous model was bought 2nd hand years ago, we’re retiring it to the cottage now.  The Sony 4K Android Smart TV is so clear and it was really easy to set up. It comes with Google Play, Netflix, and internet connectivity making it easy to watch your fav shows, download movies, or watch videos on YouTube. Over the last year, I’ve been making our home smarter with the addition of Hue Lights which I’ve heard a friend managed to build some of his own, wow! He told me he built some with parts he found at Octopart but I digress, a Dyson fan, Alexa, and now an Android Smart TV.  As we start to make our home smarter, we’ve got so many entry points putting us at risk for privacy and hacks. 90 percent of Android TVs are reportedly vulnerable to hacking The solution is to make sure we can browse the internet and watch all our fav shows without having personal data compromised. ESET is a leader in security solutions for home computer & mobile.  They’ve created the world’s first ever security solution for Android Smart TVs, using tech to guard against cybercriminals with their eyes on connected TVs. I quite like their i-Robot style dude below.  There’s a free version available for download as well as a paid version that gives you premium features for a year at $14.99. I went for Premium. If you have a Sony Android TV, the app is already downloaded you just have to pop into the HOME section from the remote and click Accept. Android…

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Crawl into your creative cave and come out a butterfly.

I was so looking forward to being in the city this weekend. We’ve been away for almost every weekend since March! I got a few things done around the house and took some good time to fully relax. It feels great! We all need days like this. After watching The Wedding on Saturday at Windsor Arms, I came home, changed into sweatpants, sat on my bed, opened my computer, and set up my iPad. It was the perfect day to chill. Tbh, I love sitting at home, quietly, on the couch or in my bed. I’ve got a great little setup using a small table I made last year. I originally found it on Etsy but was crazy expensive on Etsy so I made it myself! It’s great it for sitting or working in bed, and as a footrest at the desk. For my mouse, I use a book or a marble board I got at The Drake General Store. Another thing I use in my ‘bed office’ is this iPad holder from Umbra. I shared it in a gift guide video a couple years back (video). It’s $20 at Umbra but sold out and $35 on Amazon. ? The rest of the weekend I watched  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Video (good show!) and caught up on the Y&R. Drove to the beach with Sean. Hung out with some friends in Trinity Bellwoods. Did some fireworks, played with sparklers. It was the perfect city weekend! This week I’m in Vancouver with #TeamTelus.  I can’t wait! We’ve got 2 days of activities with the Canada-wide Telus influencer gang. Most of us are staying at the beautiful Westin Bayshore, the view looks amazing. My flight is super early so I arrive with plenty of time to explore before we all meet up for dinner. As usual, I’m leaving packing to…

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