CASIE STEWART

THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Fashion

The Boxed Water #ReTree Project & Brands That Give Back

wayhome, case stewart, muskoka, boxed water, cottage

It doesn’t seem that long ago I was at WayHome North of Barrie. It was a lot more Coachella-ish this year with the huge ferris wheel. Aside from going to the festival, I spent a bunch of time in the lake at the cottage because it was SO HOT. I kept hydrated with Boxed Water and paired that with my TOMS sunnies & shoes for comfort & style, all while doing a bit of good for the world. ? ?

I love when brands adopt a business model that gives back to an organization or cause. If you read my recent post on Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag you’ll know that Boxed Water donates 2 trees for each mention of #ReTree on social.

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This summer alone, Boxed Water has planted 250,000 trees with the help of people like us. Their goal is to plant 1 million! 

How is Boxed Water helping the environment?

  • – 74% of packaging is made from trees, a renewable resource
  • – They ship boxes flat to their filler, lowering our carbon footprint
  • – They use a thin foil barrier for freshness and HDPE for the waterproof liner and cap
  • – The entire carton is recyclable and 100% BPA free
  • – Trees used in their boxes come from well-managed forests
  • – As a member of 1% For The Planet, Boxed Water commits at least one percent of their total sales annually to reforestation

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The Biz Model of Giving Back

I’ve gotten a few compliments on these shoes and glasses (above) and would you believe they’re TOMS? They’ve moved on from those canvas shoes we were all wearing a couple years ago to more fashion forward items that adopt their one-for-one model. It started with shoes and now the company provide glasses & sight surgery through eyewear, improved access to water, and more.

TOMS paved the way for the buy-one give one model, inspiring others along the way. Canadian company Mealshare provides one meal for each meal sold and to date has given 832,321 meals across Canada. Another great company I’ve written about a few times is Me To We and their beautiful artisan jewellery and products, see here. 

The Boxed Water motto is to ‘inspire a better tomorrow by rethinking packaged water today‘.  Join in the Re#Tree campaign in Canada, pick up some Boxed Water at Loblaws or Sobeys.

ALSO, if you’re looking for a CUTE DIY with the boxes, try repurposing one as a planter. ? ? ? I’ve got a little tiny tree in one of mine. ? Check out this great post by Kaylee on The Blondielocks.

kaylee, the blondielocks, planters, blogger, DIY, boxed water

Here’s to making the world a bit better 🙂 Stay hydrated out there!

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LIFE

Being Your Own Boss Has Its Perks – Cottage Workation!

Being Your Own Boss Has Its Perks – Cottage Workation!

This week we are working form the cottage.☀️?✌?  I find I’m really productive up here. It’s a nice mix of working hard, writing, and taking breaks, snacks, and naps.

I usually spend the day writing and doing blog biz things then after 2pm, I go down to the dock, float in the lake, or read on my Kobo. I’m about to finish She’s Not There by Joy Fielding today. ?? ? This will be my 10th book since April, summer goals ✔️!!!

Today is Sean’s 40th birthday! I know, he looks so young, what a babe! I baked a layered red velvet cake yesterday for later and we opened presents this morning. We’ve got some friends joining us end of the week to celebrate together.

casiestewart, boyfriend, california, disneyland
Us at Disneyland in California a couple years ago ?

If you’re following my Snapchat you’ll have seen these photos and the MASSIVE WATERMELON I got the other day. It’s seriously the biggest one I’ve EVER SEEN. I might cut into it this afternoon. ???

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In other news, SEAN GOT ME A CLAWFOOT TUB. I’m in love with it. It’s SO BIG. It’s not set up yet but it will be eventually. I’ve dreamed of having one of these and I’m absolutely over the moon. I sat in it, inside the garage for about 20 minutes yesterday, with no water. It’s MASSIVE!

Andrea Claw-Foot Tub With Silver Medici Feet

Sending you sunshine from cottage country, here’s to a great week!

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DIY

Simple Summer Hosting Hacks for Outdoor Dining

Simple Summer Hosting Hacks for Outdoor Dining

Last weekend at the cottage Emily helped me put together lunch for the fam. It was so fun to do this together, she’s 8 now and a great little helper! She was also quite stoked to help with the blog. ?

Scroll down for a few ‘hacks’ we can up with using stuff you just might find around the house, the kitchen, or the garage.  It was all pretty simple and not too expensive, BUT when we put it together, it looked great! I guess that’s why they’re called HACKS.

On the Menu

We made mini sushi-style BLT wraps, a hot dog bar,  and mini bacon grilled cheese using products from Butterball Canada we picked up at Loblaws.

Simple Summer Hosting Hacks for Outdoor Dining

 

  1. Make an outdoor table using an old door. butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks8
  2. Use wrapping paper to decorate the table. Makes for easy cleanup! butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks7
  3. Organize your napkins or cutlery with Washi Tape. There are HEAPS of colours/prints!butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks9
  4. Freeze lemons to use in cocktails. ??? No need to water down those drinks with ice! butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks2
  5. Use a muffin baking tray for condiments.  butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks6
  6. Raid the dollar store for plastic plates and stack them. These same items were more $$$ at houseware stores. enlight1-6.jpg
  7. Baking cups inside little mason jars for sauces. Heaps of colours in these making mason jars even cuter. butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks5
  8. Put skewers in watermelon for easy snacking. I put them in the freezer so they were MAD CHILL. ☃️butterball turkey blog casie stewart hosting hacks1

If you loved this post LMK! Was fun putting it together. It was my first time trying turkey bacon which is 50% less fat than using bacon from pork. Found that it cooked a bit faster and made our meal a *little* healthier. The following day we used some leftovers to make cracked pepper maple bacon  that I’ll share in another post soon!

casie stewart, autograph, famous, blogger, canada, toronto

  * post sponsored by Butterball Canada but Emily and I totally did this all ourselves!
Events

Fam Ting @ Cabana Pool Bar + Au Revoir Automobile! 

Fam Ting @ Cabana Pool Bar + Au Revoir Automobile! 

Hung out w/ some of the coolest cats around yesterday at Cabana. Untitled & Co. hosted the fam and brought their own DJ.  IT WAS HOT. ???


View out there is so nice. ☀️⛵️? If you’ve never been, Cabana used to be The Docks nightclub, it’s now transformed into a daytime club environment. ?? I prefer the weekday crowd, it gets realllllly crowded on the weekend. 


My Chevrole Cruze Platinum was picked up shortly after this. I really liked driving it. Was great on gas, had a sunroof, and the tan leather interior gave it a luxurious feel.  

When I drove home this week for a meeting I cruised the highway singing the top of my lungs to XM radio and iTunes. I love having a car! I’m yet to own my very own vehicle but I really do enjoy the freedom it gives. 

Here’s to a GREAT weekend. 10 days at the cottage STARTING NOW. ☀️✌?️?

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Events

Christmas in July is Fun

Christmas in July is Fun

I love the holidays and yes I know they are months away BUT that doesn’t mean we can’t think about decorating or throw fake snow in a 360 camera rig. ???? I went to holiday events for Hudson Bay, Sears, and Canadian Tire recently and they were all quite lovely.

The Sears preview at Story’s Building smelled like Christmas when you walked in and had live music from Kat’s band Lady be Good. They had a holiday house setup with different rooms filled with all the housewares from Debby Travis, new clothes in the Jessica line, and a kids room filled with toys and clothes. I took at seat at the art station for kids and left a pretty pink holiday drawing. There was a lot of nice stuff especially the housewares, its been a loooong time since I checked out a Sears and this was a nice nostalgia

The HBC preview was at Arcadian Court and little less interactive but there was heaps of stuff I’ve added to my wishlist. HBC has some great stuff coming for the holidays and late September they’ll have toys in store. There’s a whole collection of new items added to the traditions HBC stripes including puffer jackets and jammies. I was really feeling the Wrap Me paper you can have customized at HBC on Queen Street with your own images.

As soon as I walked into Canadian Tire’s Christmas in July I could smell all the trees and it was lit. As in there were heaps of lights, y’know. We always get a real tree so it was kinda cool to compare real and fake trees. Some of the artificial ones smell real, crazy. They had a 360 camera rig (The Big Freeze) setup and since it was not my first time in this thing I knew exactly what to do. Grabbed some snow and threw it into the air as the circle of cameras snapped and VOILA!

christmas 360

CT 360 christmas

The setup here was pretty neat, also different room setups, the living room was bright and casual and the tablescape for dinner was filled with rose gold. So into this trend for the holidays! My one true love here was the tree dress, it wold be heavy but amazing AF to wear! ??

All this really has me thinking I’d love to have a Christmas in July part at the cottage next year.  

In other news, Michaels AND Dollerama have Halloween stuff.

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LIFE

Long Weekend! Make It Count ☀️?????

Long Weekend! Make It Count ☀️?????

In Muskoka for the weekend. ☀️???? The weather is so nice. We came up today instead of last night because it was a long week! Finished Stranger Things on Netflix, great show. ?  I hate that empty feeling when you’ve binged something good and then it’s over. ?

We’re at PIE right now waiting for pizza. ?????  There’s a couple locations in Barrie, this is the first in Muskoka. The pizza is SO GOOD. We order a coulple then take some home each time. Cold pizza is my fav breakfast. ?

Saw this sweet Corvette outside. Sean has one from 1982 sitting in our garage. ? This weekend I’m driving a new Cruze from Chevrolet Canada, it’s sweet!

I borrowed a tent from Mountain Equipment Co-op and Emily and I put it together with no sweat. ?☀️??  The last time I put up a tent I think I was her age. Things have gotten easier since then! 


Tonight we’re having fireworks and a fire.  ?? 

PIZZA IS HERE, OK BYE. ❤️?

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Beauty

Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag

Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag

Summer, yay! ?? Hard to believe it’s almost the of July! ?? Have no fear, there’s still plenty of time to soak up the sunshine, read books in the hammock, and have delicious snacks on the dock.

As you know I spend most weekends at the cottage over the summer, this list of skincare stuff isn’t super fancy but it’s a combo of things I was sent to try out (then replaced with my own money) or products I stock up on so there’s one at home and the cottage. I love all things skincare and there are so many other products I want to try. If you’re as passionate about skincare as me, you could become a social marketer. If you don’t know what this is or you’d like to learn more, click here.

This post is sponsored by Boxed Water, is a socially conscious packaged-water company re-thinking the way water is sold, shipped and consumed. For every photo posted of Boxed Water with#ReTree on social, they’ll plant two trees. ?? I love the little box, so cute.

Ok, here we go!

Summer Skincare Stuff I Love

1. WATER – Drink heaps of it. Your skin will thank you. ? Drinking water has some fantastic benefits, it can make your skin look really bright. The Neostrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser is a creamy foaming cleanser that also brightens the skin if your skin often looks a little dull. Boxed Water is triple filtered for purity using reverse osmosis, carbon filtration and UV systems and filled in both Michigan & Utah. The entire carton is recyclable and 100% BPA free with 1% of all sales going to reforestation. ? ? ? You can find it at Loblaws or Sobeys in Canada. ?? Keep your skin and immune system healthy by drinking filtered water on the go. Did you know that you can now find and buy water bottles that have their very own filter system already in it? Sites such as Water Filter Way have reviewed some of the best bottles on the market, so be sure to check them out here – (https://waterfilterway.com/best-filtered-water-bottle-reviews/). At least this way you are able to have constant access to clean water so this should give you no excuses.

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2. WIPES – Do not leave home without them. Found these ones Yes To. Coconut ones at Shoppers and they’ve got coconut water and kukui nut (from Hawaii) to hydrate your skin. Perfect for removing makeup, wiping hands on long car rides, or god forbid you have to take a wee on your nature hike.

3. SELF-TANNER – I love the sun and having a tan but I don’t wanna have old wrinkly bacon-like skin. I was sent Vita Liberata earlier this year and I absolutely love this stuff. It goes on easy with a mitt, is not streaky, and best of all is not smelly! I order online from Sephora.

4. NIGHT CREAM – No matter how tired you are PUT IT ON EACH NIGHT. I started using this Nivea Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Night Care a couple months ago and it’s super hydrating. I’ll take all the no-wrinkle things I can get at this point. It was sent to test out but I picked up a refill from Shoppers.

5. SUNNIES – The skin around your eyes is super sensitive, you don’t wanna be squinting or having those UVA + UVB rays attacking your eyes. Keep your face looking young and get huge glasses that cover your face.

6. Dermalogica Age Smart Primer Spf 30 – This primer is tinted and perfect for summer when you need coverage but don’t wanna wear a lot of makeup. I’ve been doing stuff with Dermalogica for a few years now and this is a product I always like to get my hands on. [More Dermalogica posts]

7. SUN BLOCK – This Clearly Sheer from Coppertone is new this year and it’s quite nice. There’s a smaller one in a spray bottle that’s perfect for your purse. ALWAYS wear sun block, OK? ?

8. AFTER SUN CARE – I’ve been using this Hawaiian Tropic Silk aloe lotion for years. It’s a saviour if you’ve had a long day in the sun or someone gets a sun burn. lather it on, like slip-slap-slop it all over your tender skin. once it dries, re-apply. You’ll avoid getting read and burnty. ?

This has motivated me to think about other lists I can make… LMK if there’s anything you’d like to know my thoughts on!

Here’s to a wonderful long weekend and LOTS OF SUNSHINE! ?? ? ??

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Beauty

You, You’re a Babe.

You, You’re a Babe.

To be honest, I’m really excited to get my hair done today. I’m going full blonde and cutting it short-short. One of the great things about having short hair is changing it ALL THE TIME.

Before my surgery last month I really wanted to change my look, but when I went to the salon the person doing my hair wasn’t the regular person and they didn’t do the best job or what I wanted. So, it’s not looking too cute right now.

You can’t really tell how not cute because I carefully wear a veil of internet and you can’t see past the screen you are reading this on. ??

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I’m going to update this post later with some photos. I hope you’re having a great week. I’m looking forward to being back up at the cottage and floating on the lake.

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Events

Had Dinner w/ Montes Wine and Now I Wanna Go to Chile

Had Dinner w/ Montes Wine and Now I Wanna Go to Chile

Wine Wednesday? Perfect time for this story! A couple weeks ago I attended a media dinner with one of the winemakers from Montes Wine. After hosting a tasting and doing a giveaway of the wine earlier this year, it was really neat to hear personal stories about the family business. (I’d tasted a *few* glasses and read so much before the dinner!)

I joined a few bloggers for dinner in a private room at Red’s in the Financial District. We sipped wines from their vast selection while the winemaker told stories about his father and the partners getting started in 1987. A few things stood out about the history of Montes and how they came to be the pioneer producer of premium quality Chilean wine.

One thing I loved is that he was really into skydiving and his father was a pilot. They would fly around the area looking for good soil, the son would jump out of the plane, check the soil, and they’d go from there. Some of their wines are now produced in soil they found together.

He also said they used to have men and women sort the grapes but the men would always get distracted by sports, start talking, and stop working. The women who sort the grapes (by hand) are able to chat and work at the same time with no disruptions. Ha!

montes wine, casie stewart, blogger, canada, chile
Montes Founding Partners

The four founders grew Montes from nothing to now being sold in more than 100 countries. They helped put Chile wine on the map. I would loooooove to visit Chile. The winery looks beautiful and I want to see all the things they’ve done to be sustainable. They use grazing animals (llama and sheep), have responsible waste management, a biodiversity program, and heaps more. ??? I’m secretly hoping they invite me to visit! 

Montes Images by Peter
Montes Images by Peter 

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Theres a few different types of Montes Wine avail at the LCBO. BTW did you see they deliver now? WHAT A TIME TO BE ONLINE. 

If you’re reading this in another country there’s a good chance you can find some near you too.

My favs were/are the Montes Alpha Malbec 2012, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Cherub Rosé.

casiestewart, casie, montes wine, chile, travel, blogger

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LIFE

Putting Your Best Face Forward w/ Dr. Lisa Kellett

Putting Your Best Face Forward w/ Dr. Lisa Kellett

This year I turned 34, I know, hard to believe! I’ve always had a young youthful spirit and boundless energy, think back to the other weekend when I drew all over my bag for the Ford adventure. Mum had a chuckle when I showed her this photo, sometimes I’m still 8 years old.

casie stewart, DIY, backpack, design, travel, camp, camper, camping, tattoos, stay home club, #escapeanddiscover, Ford, NO FUN PRESS

I have been noticing a few flaws in my skin as I’ve aged and while it’s normal, I wanted to take measures to prevent it from getting worse. A few of my friends suggested an austin cosmetic surgeon but a few months ago I was given the opportunity to learn about Emervel, a soft dermal filler for dealing with fine lines and wrinkles. It’s used most for enhancing lips and minimizing the signs of ageing. For a professional procedure, Nurse Bec, at Injectable Effects, can perform dermal filler treatments on clients looking to regain youthful looking skin. It was good timing because I’ve had more chats about ‘enhancing’ beauty at events over the last year than ever. Earlier this year I shared the Emervel Kissability report with info on plumping up your pout.

YouTube Canada gave me some stats about beauty & fashion trends on the rise, three of the top beauty trends are eyelash extensions, eyebrow filler, and lipstick. Canada also ranks 3rd worldwide for ‘lip filler’ which had a big spike last year and continues to grow.

According to dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett, “Emervel Lips helps achieve a balanced and harmonious look, and, combined with other products in the Emervel line, can give the face a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance. Patients are very satisfied with the natural-looking and long-lasting results.”

I made an appt with Dr. Lisa Kellett for a consultation without knowing too much but I was interested in seeing about minimizing smile lines around my mouth (nasolabial folds) and the lines between brows (neuromodulator). I considered the appointment like an interview, I wanted the low down on what people were doing and results.

Dr. Kellett analyzed my face and talked about options. I was relieved to hear she’s a minimalist and likes to go for the ‘refreshed’ look. Basically, nobody would be able to notice exactly what was different but I’d look ‘refreshed’. She said ‘refreshed’ again and as I left that stayed in my mind. After a week I booked an appointment.

Before

no makeup date of appointment, frowning, visible smile lines. I used black & white because I look haggard!

casie stewart, dr. lisa kellett, toronto, filler, emervel
* I’ve been using Miracle10 for about 8 weeks and it’s really helped the redness in my skin go down and clear up my complexion. See before and after of those here.

After

The morning of my appt at DLK in Yorkville I was kinda nervous. Arrived about 30 min early so I could get a coffee and snack. I got to the office at 8:20 for my 8:30 appointment. Dr. Kellet came in and we chatted about looking ‘refreshed’ and I let her do her thing.

The whole appt took about 30 minutes and it didn’t hurt. The needles they use are very small, less of a prick than an immunization. She did a treatment for my smile lines, and cheeks to enhance natural contour.

One week after: lines from nose to mouth minimized, looking fresh

casie stewart, dr. lisa kellett, toronto, filler, emervel

The treatment for the smile lines will last about 6-12 months. I can 100% understand why 9/10 patients want to have this procedure again. I love it. It’s just enough to make a slight difference and I feel refreshed. If I hadn’t written this post I don’t think anyone would even notice!

When I got home from the appointment Sean popped by the house and looked at me for a second, then said ‘you look pretty‘. It made me feel great. ?

If you’re looking into this type of treatment it’s important to go to a reputable dermatologist/clinic. If someone is offering a discount, think twice before putting that stuff in your face. Dr. Kellett is one of the top in her field in Canada and you can find her at DLK on Avenue Road.

It’s been a couple weeks since my first visit and I’m due for a follow up. I’ll give you an update how that goes. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me via email or send me a DM.

Here’s to putting your best self forward and feeling great about it! 1-casie_yellowheart, love

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