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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San Francisco: 5 Great Things to Do

There’s no shortage of things to do in San Francisco, you have the water, the Wharf, the city, parks the hills, and over 3,500 restaurants. The key is finding a few ways to see the city with enough time to explore. If I’m on a short trip to a new city, I like to pick 3-5 things I really want to see and give myself lots of time to do it. That way I can leave early in the day and take the scenic route, enjoy meals, take streets without a map, and follow the sunshine. In this list, you’ll find five great things to do in San Francisco if you’re on a short trip but want to see a lot. I’ve also included my runner-up for street art and FOOD.  Fisherman’s Wharf & The Grotto  There is no shortage of great food in SF but if you’re looking for fresh (and sustainably served) seafood, you’ll want to book a table here. The Grotto was first opened in 1935 and the first sit down restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s recently been renovated, restoring many of the original features, giving a modern touch to the 1930’s decor. Here you’ll find great views of the bay, the bridge, and boats while taking in the incredible menu by Executive Chef Paul Bruno. Make sure you check out the new beehive on the roof as you walk in the dining area, it’s not be missed! Golden Gate Bridge & Alcatraz Tour I was keen on getting to Alcatraz and biking across the bridge but found myself a bit short on time. I found the perfect way to get some sun and see the sighs from the water with Blue & Gold Boat Tour. Over the course of an hour, you’ll get a great view of the city from the bay, get up close to the bridge…

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You’re like 9 to 5, I’m the Weekend

I am so happy it’s finally NICE OUT. I know I’ve been a bit quiet and not posting as much the last couple weeks but I needed a break. Sometimes I go through stages where I don’t feel like sharing my life online. It can honestly be kind of overwhelming. Last week we spent 6 days at the cottage and it was just the reset I needed. This weekend we’re heading back up for 3 days and I’m going to do some gardening with Sean’s mum. I think it’s important to recognize when you need a break. I’m feeling a bit more inspired to wrote and share. I’ve been working on a few things behind the scenes with 1188 and other clients. On a side note, the tray and plates in the first post were on sale at Loblaws, I love them! This weekend I’ll spend some time catching up on posts and fill you in on what I’ve been up to.  

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Be happy where you are, this is once where you wanted to be.

I was sitting here feeling a bit of Monday blerghs and then I looked at my computer and around me and said: “WTF, stop it!”. Actually out loud to myself. I’m working from home and I’m drinking a coffee I made downstairs with the patio door open and my plants are in the sun while I look at my little space and suddenly think I will eventually need a sliding door repair for my patio as the latch is becoming stuck more often than not, but that’s a different days job. I spent most of yesterday updating my speaker’s agency profile information sitting in my room watching Netflix. THIS IS ONCE WHAT I DREAMED OF. Ok, it’s not all roses and rainbows but I wanted to be here. I worked hard for this. I put in hours and days and years of work to get here and I have nothing to be so damn salty about. Sometimes all you need to do is remind yourself this is right where you wanted to be and fully be IN that moment.The sun is out and I am feeling good. It’s easy to get down or distracted and feel like your neverending list of tasks is piling up but there is a lot you can be grateful for. I talked to a friend this morning and a reminded her to make a list of things she’d already done, then she wouldn’t feel bad about the other list she had been meaning to do. There is enough time in the day or week to do the things you need to do. Some of the things I want to get done are not necessarily what I need to get done. Ex. my hair is a shag and the house is a little messy but that’s…

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Life’s a Beach!

Helloooooo and happy Monday! We’re up at the cottage after a few relaxing days of sun and snow. Yep, the lake is STILL frozen. Mostly frozen. Sean tested it out and there’s a pretty thick layer under the top bit of crunchy snow. It’s usually all melted by now which is kinda crazy. It felt like a beach outside the sun was so warm and reflecting from the lake. I got a slight tan like from my top and Sean was doing lumberjack things with no shirt on. ? I posted a bunch on Stories over the weekend, you can check out the Cottage Story here. We invented a new game, ‘throw the brick and try to break the ice’. It’s more fun than it sounds, trust me. Last night he did a bunch of fireworks on the lake and it is the coolest thing. The colours reflect on the white snow ice and light up the sky. Ice, nature’s filter. Oh, Life! This morning I posted an article from Gary Vee about not comparing yourself to people on Instagram. This has been a topic around friends and events lately. It’s important to remember people only post their best photos and part of their life they want to share. I am not showing you a photo of me right now as I’ve been wearing the same clothes all weekend and they’re a mess from cooking, cleaning the cottage, and doing yard work. Without this hat, my hair stands right up like a troll doll and my face feels fresh with no makeup. It’s great, I feel awesome. I don’t feel like sharing a photo of myself right now though, might scare ya, haha. It’s Time You Stop Comparing Yourself To What You See On Instagram     Sending out sunshine for a great…

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The sun is finally out!

Yaaaaay! GUYS, spring. It’s like almost hereeeeeee! If you go outside today there are so many smiling people. ?????????????????? I mean it’s mostly the sun but it could also be 420. We are having pizza at the office. Tonight I’ve got a double date with one of my bffs to the Tokyo Smoke event at The Design Exchange. We’re planning a cottage visit this weekend and I wonder if the lake has thawed? It’s about time to start looking at water pipes for sale for my bff maybe to make use of it at the cottage! Today I posted on Instagram for the first time in over a week. I haven’t felt like posting on my own account. Behind the scenes, I’ve been manning client IG accounts but with the long, grey, freezing days, I’ve been so BLARGHHH. I stook outside on the roof patio with my arms up facing the sun, trying to charge my batteries. It’s amazing how much of a difference sunshine makes. I wish I was wearing this outfit right now and every day after. I love it so much. It’s a rental from the girls at Studio Fitzroy. A post shared by CASIE |Writer Speaker Director (@casiestewart) on Apr 20, 2018 at 5:08am PDT   Sequins, so hot right now and forever. I’m pretty sure my 10 years in dance as a kid are to thank for my love of sequins. I could wear them any time of day, any day of the week. A post shared by Duckie Confetti (@duckie_confetti) on Apr 12, 2018 at 9:46am PDT Met these ladies in Jamaica with Andrew. It was such a fun trip. They retired and moved there to live their best life. So happy and fun. Here’s to a great day!

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Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like It #15

I didn’t realize how many days it has been since I blogged. There’s a handful of photos ready to publish in posts with no words. I haven’t had them to write. I mean they’re always floating around my head and in notes on my phone. Sometimes I don’t feel like sharing. It all sounds so dramatic when I write it down, I’ve just been working on other stuff.  A whole life happens behind scenes of a blog, with clients, speaking, freelance writing, new work, family time. This weather is 100% not helping my desire to stay cooped up in the house though. Binge-watching show after show, I’ve only gone to the store 1 block away since Sunday. Yesterday I watched a season and a half of Doctor Foster on Netflix. Today I’m going to make date scones and spaghetti bolognese.   It’s ok to stay inside. It’s ok to not want to share on social media. It’s cool to spend heaps of time hibernating and feeding your soul. Soon enough spring will come and we’ll all be outside spinning in the sunshine. I think of those days and feel warm inside. Until then, I’m ok staying cooped up in the house and keep a little quiet, low key. And here we go, it’s SNOWING AGAIN…    

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Ways to Make Some Extra $$$$

This blog post is an extension of a conversation, an email, and a couple texts. I finally got around to it hahaha. I remember learning about the ‘multiple streams income’ concept from The Wealthy Barber, Dave Chilton back in college. I always wanted to get to point where I had multiple streams of income and wasn’t waiting for my next cheque to arrive. There’s working hard and working smart and I am a big fan of being creative and efficient. Depending on where you’re currently going in life, there are different options you can take. For instance, if you’re a retired homeowner, you may even be able to take out a loan using your home as security. A lot of retired people turn to equity release as a way of finding extra money. Check out EquityRelease.co.uk to learn more about some of the equity release options available. But what about ways to generate more income? If you need to get more $$ in your pocket get smart about making more money. If you are in urgent need of cash then you may want to see what your local pawn shop can do for you. Get bills in your bank, scroll on my friend! Get Money w/ Ebates Cash Back + Referrals I’ve earned over $100 on my purchases in the last couple months. I have both USA and Canada accounts. I (spend all my money on the internet and) love buying things at Sephora and Amazon.ca. It’s free money you get back on things you’re already buying! Sign up her One of the other cool things is you get $$ for referring friends with your sign up link, so send this out to your fam and get them to sign up. BAM! You get money and in the form of…

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Weekend + Wilderness

I recently got 5 bins of stuff I’ve had in storage for years. What a time capsule! On Saturday night I had some drinks and opened them, going through all my books and writing. It was just as I imagined! I’d been thinking of doing that just that and I sprawled everything out on the floor feeling inspired with fond memories. It’s amazing how books can do that, I’ve read and collected so many poetry books. It was so nice to re-read things and see all the PostIt notes on pages. Glad I never got rid of them. I love being up at the cottage and doing creative things. I really wanted to do some woodworking with the pieces in the garage but it’s still too cold. Finished my latest Kindle (The Perfect Roommate) on Saturday then took a thick nap in the sun. It was great. Feeling ready for this week and tonight we’re going to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors at the AGO‎. Sending sunshine your way. Here’s to a great week!  

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Creativity: It’s Always There, You Just Have to Find It

I haven’t written much in the last week. I’ve been busy but I’ve also been tired/lazy. Last week I directed a commercial, went to a conference, and had a press trip. It was non-stop go-go-go and although I relaxed over the weekend, come Monday I felt drained. I love my work and what I do but I am much more of a homebody and introvert than you might realize. I love staying home! Being a blogger (writer) means you spend a lot of time at home on your computer.  I’m listening to the Call Me By Your Name Soundtrack, did you see that movie? It’s beautiful. I saw it on one of the flights I’ve taken since January. By the end of February, I’d seen almost every new movie on Air Canada. I was happy to see this one pop up, it’s good. After coming back from New Zealand I was pretty relaxed and ready to start 2018 business. But now, I can’t believe it’s April and I feel like the last two months have been a blur. I was super sick for half of February then I had a week in Vancouver, a week in San Francisco, a couple weekends at the cottage, and few days in Ottawa (Gatineau). Where did the time go?! This weekend we are heading up to the cottage and I can’t wait. Before we head north, I’m attending a creativity workshop with FITC. I’m hoping for an electric charge that inspires me to make things. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine, feeling tired but your creativity is always there, you just have to find it. I’m a very creative person but I go through waves of stopping and starting, staring at my computer, into hour-long blackholes of scrolling FB or IG. It’s easy to get caught…

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