What a year it’s been! I’m planning to write something thoughtful about the things I’ve learned this year before the end of the week. We’ve all grown and changed so much. It’s crazy to think we’re almost at 300 days of the pandemic with no end in sight. As this is the last Monday of 2020, think about how you can make Monday your fav day of the week in 2021.
Today is a holiday (Boxing Day) and I’m looking forward to being back in business tomorrow and meeting with a colleague (over Zoom of course!).
We have to clear off some snow from the last couple of days but we’ve got a skating rink and cold-plunge pool down by the lake. Sean has really been into cold immersion this year. I’m not as experienced but I love the idea and how it feels (after, not during!). Planning to do at least one more dip before 2020 is over.
No, I didn’t change my face! These were taken with an Instagram filter! It’s wild how they can change your face to look different. I see how smooth my skin looks, eyes bigger, lips full, and all the comments about how great I look. No wonder people have body image issues! I am not this glam in real life haha.
This is my fav hat from Rudsak a few years ago for their 20th Anniversary, they only made 20 of them. Coat is the kids Jilly Jacket from Joe Fresh.
That’s all for today, not much happening up here in the woods.
Drove back up to the cottage today to spend the last week of 2020 in the woods. It’s SO snowy! The roads were pretty crazy once we got out of the city as we drove through the snow storm.
Sean did a bit of shovelling as I collected wood for the fire. I’m gonna bo back to eating less meat after indulging a bit over the holidays. I’ve also ate more chocolate and candy in the last few days than the entire year. Felt good tho, I earned a good binge.
One of my fav things to make is a simple chickpea curry in the Instant Pot. While soaking the chickpeas, I sauté onions & garlic with olive oil, then add spices to activate them. I add in some broth and chickpeas without the shells. I like to throw in tomatoes, potatoes, or cauliflower depending on what’s in the fridge. I set the timer for 12 minutes and once done, I add in chopped spinach. It is so incredibly good, especially on cold winter days.
Traditionally Sean and I give each other our gifts on Christmas Eve Eve. We’re back downtown and it’s so nice to be home. I met up with a friend for a brief distance hang then Sean and I celebrated the holidays with some drinks. We’re both officially off work for a few days and it feels GREAT.
Today, Sean gave me an Apple Watch and I’m really excited about it. I’ve wanted one for ages and we’re gonna do so much working out together.
This year I was really focused on getting to a weight where I felt good. For 2021, I really want to work on strength and muscle.
This year we decided to take a ‘whatever is better’ approach to Christmas. Meaning, we don’t need to do everything according to tradition and whatever we do is good enough. We opened presents and burned the wrapping paper in the fire with intentions, letting go of things we want to leave in 2020.
We had a casual Christmas style dinner on the 22nd with a turkey breast, gravy, vegetables, and cranberry sauce. It was good. We haven’t been eating meat much this year so it was a treat. I’ll make some brother with the turkey leftovers.
Spent a bit of time playing outside on the lake but it was SO WINDY. We were hoping to do some fireworks but they’ll have to wait for another day!
Needed to clear my head. Went for a nice long walk in the woods,, about 8km. The air was brisk and fresh, just what I needed.
Stopped to watch the water at this little creek and on my way back saw something on the road the resembled a snowman (see above). It was squished and a bit abstract but it made me smile. So simple, just sitting there in the wild.
Had a nice long chat with dad then listened to the final chapter of Greenlights on Audible.
Spent the day at home then decided to venture out for a walk before the sun went down. The street were surprisingly busy and there was a line at the LCBO. Today is the last day of school for 2020 and Emily is back with us now.
I added some pink to her hair and mine too. She was happy to have ‘Mermaid Hair’.
My new ‘indoor’ shoes arrived and I love them! Ordered from ASOS and was happy to get them on sale, however, the duty was $46 so they weren’t really a deal. Here’s to working from home in style for 2021!
Today was the first day the lake was fully frozen. The ice is nice. This year, we’ve been up on the woods from frozen, to not, and back again. What a year!
Tomorrow we’re going back downtown to spend a few days in the city and pickup Emily.
Don’t worry Mum, Sean is standing on the dock here. It’s safe! Once making sure it was fully frozen, Sean cleared a section for an ice rink and cold plunge pool. He’s really been into Wim Hof Method the last year. It’s amazing how a dip in ice water gets your blood pumping and leaves your muscles feeling fire. ?
It was so nice and sunny today. Sean was outside with his chainsaw so I decided to pop out for a bit to get some vitamin D. It was FREEZING! I love being up in the woods but I wasn’t ready for the wind to hit my face, making my eyes water. Winter is here, baby! Made a little video on Instagram.
Today was a good day at work and once the sun went down, I closed my computer and we watched Designated Survivor. We’ve been watching it on Netflix the fast few days, it’s filmed in Toronto, and there are three seasons so it will keep us busy for a while haha. Remember back in October when I watched 6 seasons of Gossip Girlin just over a month? Perks of having nowhere to go! ? My guess is we’ll finish Designated Survivor in mid-January unless we kill the final 2 seasons over the holidays.
The tree is looking extra cute, especially at night. We’re planning to do a Christmas-style dinner and gifts here with Emily on Tuesday before going back to the city on Wednesday.
Monday is my business day at work and I look forward to it each week. I spend some time yesterday working on brand development for a new client just to get a jump start & start the week off right. I really love being back in an agency and it’s great to work from home. I met our agency co-founder at a party once almost a decade ago saw him briefly for a few meetings this summer when we could. Other than that, I’ve only met everyone virtually! I wonder how many companies will keep doing things this way?
I did my first run on the treadmill before my first meeting and it’s SO GOOD. I really loved using the treadmill at the gym last year so I feel like I’m back on my groove. I’ve also got similar weights to those at the gym so no excuses, gonna be even more fit in 2021!
I woke up pretty emo and it was not a great start to the day. Idk exactly whether it was being cold, not having coffee, or the general state of the world!
Sean and I decided to reset and make it Christmas. Tis’ the season! We set up the tree, lights, and some decorations. It looks cute ’round here!
We took a load of stuff to the dump, tbh, one of our fav activities. It’s so fun to toss things into a giant garbage can! Dropped off the trailer near Gravenhurst and went to Walmart to get some groceries & Christmas stuff. These days, going out for stuff like this is as close to a date as you can get.
Spent the afternoon baking banana bread and getting ready for the week. Feeling good all around!
I have been searching for Marmite for weeks, months! We used to be able to get it at Loblaws or Sobey’s but I haven’t found it. I grew up eating Marmite on toast, Marmite sandwiches, or a kiwi pizza (Marmite on toast w/ cheese!). I love it, always makes me think of mum.
Sean and I drove back up to the cottage today and stopped at the 400 Market where there’s a British shop. I left Sean to walk around on his own and when I found him, he was there and bought all the Marmite she had! I’m so happy! Marmite for life!
I had a really great call w/ the CEO of Funday Agency today and I am SO EXCITED about the project I’ll be working on for the next 8 weeks (and beyond!). At the start of this year, I wasn’t sure where my career was going and now, at the end of 2020, it’s looking BRIGHT.
We’ll be up at the cottage for a few days before going back at the end of the week. I’m excited to set up the treadmill we picked up yesterday from Sean’s a parents!
Tonight I got wild and used my straightener for the first time in months. My hair is getting so long! I did a tiny trim to the ends, an ‘air cut’ as my Sassoon Stylist calls it. Barely noticeable, just a tiny snip!
Over the course of this year, I’ve often had a list of things I want to accomplish each week. I set out to try and do one thing each day then, by the end of the week, I’ve accomplished a lot. It can so be super overwhelming to see the list and think, ‘where do I start?‘.
Today I called the CRA to deal with my taxes and straightened my hair (aside from work during the day) and tbh, I feel pretty good about it. Some days it’s something as simple as dealing with a laundry pile or going for a run.
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.
I’d like to thank me for all my hard work over the years, and not giving up on me, and for staying committed to my goals. Ha! Jk, I worked with a friend at an agency who helped initiate the process. I’m now verified on Twitter (2012) and Instagram (2020).
If you haven’t seen Snoop give this award speech where he thanks himself, you’re welcome.
Getting verified made me think about some of the cool stuff I’ve done over the years. The process involved submitting a bunch of references to verify my work and who I am in the world. If you ever wanna do a deep creep, I have another website at casiestewat.biz with speaking, directing, brand partnerships (over 100!), and press/media over the years.
Here’s a little hilight of some videos, awards, commercials, etc.
Looking back, this was a pretty neat experience and I don’t think they ever did this section of the awards as a separate event again. I was up against someone I really wanted to beat and was SO NERVOUS I would lose. I remember drinking too much that night to try and escape the anxiety. The Canadian Academy awards (Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television) are kinda like the Canadian version of the Oscars, awarding excellence in film, TV, and digital.
We shot this over a 4 day stay in Mexico. One day to rest once we arrived, 2 days to shoot (all on iPhone!), and 3/4 of one day to rest before leaving. It was a fun shoot but very busy. The whole team was great to work with. This commercial ran during the Superbowl AND the Grammys that year (it came on right after GAGA performed!). In January of 2020, I went on a Sunwing trip to Cuba (not work!) and that was my last vacation. I miss traveling. One day!
This was shot by Sean’s company 1188 Films and the brand rep from Aeroplan was a former client we had both worked with. I remember being on the phone with the client a couple weeks before the shoot when she told me she was able to myself and a GUEST to New Zealand for the holidays. Mum and I went for a month and it was so memorable. That trip meant so much to my family, mum, and me. We were able to spend heaps of time travelling together, laughing with friends and family, and seeing her mum (Nana) before she passed away. I am so grateful for this experience and it warms my heart just thinking about it.
I got a call from my acting agent at the time to go to an audition for this last minute. I didn’t have time to go home and change but the role was for ‘hipster girl’ so I went in what I was wearing. When I booked it, the message from the wardrobe dept. was to wear the same clothes. LOL. This would make me a certified professional hipster.
This was booked by my speaker agency (National Speakers Bureau) and I drove to London, ON, the day before. I will never forget that someone was killed on Highway 401 that day when a tire flew off a transport truck, it happened about an hour after I passed that same stretch. I stayed in a small apartment on the Western University Campus so I was ready to take the stage first thing in the AM. I am a bit embarrassed because I was so nervous that day! I’ve come a long way as a speaker since 2015 but looking back, I’m proud of myself for giving it a good go and talking about something I love. The theme was The Human Condition and my talk was Exploring What It Means to Be Human on The Internet.
I hated this article with a PASSION when it came out. I was so mad. The author had been so nice to me in the interview, I shared all kind of things I was excited about blah blah blah. Then, she turned it right around on me to make me sound like an idiot. Pretty sure I sent her a nasty email. Ah well, no press is bad press and I love this illustration. I think I’ll frame it.
I will remember this day as something great to come out of 2020!
Feeling good today! I love Monday, it’s a day full of opportunity, a fresh start to the week. Yesterday’s outing left me feeling all kinds of happiness.
When I posted this today on IG, a few people were surprised at how long my hair is now. It’s growing like crazy! Longest I’ve had it in over a decade. One friend even said they weren’t sure if it was my sister until the mask came off! Did you like the IG post yet?!
This mask is a new design by my friend Anela, the designer behind Considerate Goods (posted about her here). I picked up a few new masks from last time I was in the city and they are SO STYLISH. I even got a special one for holiday and I look forward to sharing it with you! I also got the houndstooth which is super nice.
I know things are hard right now and we wish it could be different but it’s important to see the joy in little things, to get outside each day, and find things to be happy about. Last winter I wrote a series about dealing with winter SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), you can find those suggestions here.
As it gets colder and we have nowhere to go, it’s gonna be hard but WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
After a day of rest, I was ready to go out into the world. I woke up early, got dressed, and ventured out for a coffee. I chatted with a friend for an hour before picking up a few groceries. It was so nice and sunny out! Love a good long walk in the sun.
When I got back home I put on (yes, another!) Christmas movie and made falafels, an Israeli-inspired salad, and some delicious orzo in the Instant Pot.
I made plans to go on a photo walk with April and walked down to Queen & Lansdowne. We hung out in the sun, taking photos in the alleys. It was so lovely!
We walked west to the Bellwoods from Parkdale, I picked a bouquet of eucalyptus from Crown Flora and a vegan cookie from The Drake. We sat in the park for a little bit, taking in the sun, before heading back home.
It’s so nice to be back in the city, walking the streets, and having distance hangs with friends. Gotta appreciate all the little things!
Today was a much needed day to just be with my thoughts, my bed, my snacks, and holiday movies. I took a much-needed ‘do nothing’ day to relax and recharge. I can’t even remember the last time I had SUCH a lazy day.
It was so nice. I made coffee & tucked myself into the couch for a holiday movie in the morning. Then I took a nap. In the late afternoon, I ordered McDonald’s on UberEats and ate it in IN MY BED. No shame! Selfcare!
It is more than ok to take a day or an afternoon to just BE. To do nothing. Actually, I highly recommend it. Take a personal day when you need it, it will revive your soul.
If you are looking for a little mini escape, play this song with headphones on and let your mind wander. It’s one of my favs.
New boots from L’Intervalle in Montreal arrived and I love them. Popped over to safely visit Michelle before she moved out of her apartment.
It was so nice out today, felt like spring at 7 degrees in the sun. In the afternoon Sean and I drove out to Oakville to visit Sean’s parents and pick up the treadmill. Can’t wait to set it up! Sean’s mum also gave me some fabric to work with. THANK YOU!
Looking forward to a few days up in the woods. I feel like my creativity is really popping these days, ready to bloom!
I might have a problem, it’s Instagram ads, they get me all the time! I saw these tracksuits on Instagram and they looked SO CUTE. It took a couple of weeks for them to arrive and, low and behold, they were not as cute as the photos. The top one is hilarious, Sean said it reminded him of a clown suit. I love the colours but the fabric is not great.
The suit below was so big. I might be able to make the pants or top work individually but as a set, I’m swimming. I washed them right away hoping they might shrink but no dice.
It’s totally crazy how well Instagram can sense what things we might like. Over the years, I’ve made some questionable purchases. ? I’m currently waiting on two more jumpsuits I saw from an Instagram ad. After seeing IG ads for local jewelry designer Jenny Bird, I ordered myself sold beautiful gold pieces as an early Christmas present. I also took advantage of L’Intervalle’s 50% off sale and ordered some gorgeous leather boots. They’re on their way from Montreal and should be here Monday! The 50% off sale is still on FYI!
Woke up to a winter wonderland! I reckon we got almost 10cm last night. Had a productive workday then Sean and I went to town around 6pm. Took it easy on the roads and made a date of going to Canadian Tire. Not a lot to do in these parts (or anywhere!) these days.
On the way home, Sean had to clear a tree off the cottage road so we could make it back. Crazy times! I think more snow is coming tonight. Good thing we got a good snow shovel!
I woke up this morning excited for work. I have talked about my love for Monday before. Monday is a day full of opportunity, who knows what emails you’ll get, how a call will change a plan, or who might pop into your day and brighten it up. I’ve worked freelance for years but before that, I’d been in full-time jobs where I dreaded Monday morning. If you think about it, Monday doesn’t suck, you just hate your job.
I baked some cookies during our all-staff meeting today, then dropped some to our lovely neighbour and my favourite postal lady, Judy, at Kilworthy Post Office. I rang Mum and we talked about little gifts we’ve made/are making for people and let me tell you, nothing like a handmade gift.
I loved sewing this weekend and I can’t wait to make more things. It’s taken some time to get familiar with my machine but I’m getting it. Each of my one-of-a-kind scrunchies has its own imperfections, making it unique. It gave me so much joy to make and style each one. A few people have asked how to get them, I’m thinking about making a shop and donating some of the proceeds. Tbh, kinda wanna keep and wear them all but I have enough scraps/ones that turned out bad ( ?) to have a piece of each floofy scrunch.
Doing things that don’t involve a phone or computer will inspire you in ways you don’t even know. I highly recommend it.
The agency I’ve been working with for the last few months is called FUNDAY. I love the people, the work, the hours, and it generally makes me happy to be on the team. If you are interested to learn more, check out funday.agency.
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!
Today I had virtual lighting consultation with Luminaire Authentik. The meeting was set up by my friend & PR maven Kate Makinson, to create a custom light for my space. Started in 2015 by Maude Rondeau, Luminaire Authentik has become known for its Scandinavian aesthetic, made-in-Canada craftsmanship, and limitless customization options. I fell in love with their designs and started to visualize new lighting in our home using their 3D Creation Tool.
Love this style!
This colour!
Instead of physically going to their location in Leslieville, I opted to have an online consultation with Alana who was in the showroom. She was so helpful! Over Zoom, I took her on a tour of my space and shared what I was thinking. I fell in love with a large hanging light that’s white on the inside, with a large bulb, and BRIGHT yellow on the outside.
It’s going to hang so nice and be a focal point of the room. It takes a couple of weeks to make and will arrive at my door in early January. I’ve never had a custom light and after spending the last year transforming my space, it’s going to be a bright, beautiful, final touch.
This is the old light that is being replaced. Goodbye! ?
Here’s a preview of my new light using the Luminaire Authentik 3D Creator tool. I can’t WAIT!
Visit luminaireauthentik.com to browse their beautiful designs and play with the 3D Tool. They have so many customizable options depending on what you’re looking for. The Toronto showroom is located in Leslieville but you can also do an online consultation like me.
If you have any questions, LMK! I will share an update once it arrives and I set it up. Excited to bring this custom, Canadian-made sunshine to my room.
Well hello there! Spent the whole day inside, did not run today. Curled my hair with vintage hot rollers and I looked like a cherub. Decided to pop on a nice yellow jumper to brighten the day.
Tomorrow I’m meeting Talia in the morning for a socially distanced coffee date. I really miss seeing friends!
Usually, at this time of the year, I would be getting ready for a week away in New Orleans with some of my best friends. Seeing Facebook memories pop up makes me really miss travel. Seven years ago during this time, I was in Thailand with Contiki and 20 YouTubers. Such a great trip.
Today I was dreaming about going on vacation and the first place I would go back to is Costa Rica. If I was going to move to a tropical climate, I would love to live in CR.
In other news, remember how I mentioned wanting a treadmill? Well, ladies & gentlemen, the magic of the universe has shined its light in my direction! Sean’s dad emailed him to say they have one in their garage. AHHH! I am so thankful! It’s amazing how you can manifest great things in your life if you put positive messages out there.
Keith, if you are reading this I am sending you my love!!
My marketing professor in college used to say this to us. Each day we had her class, she expected us all to dress like we were going to work. I have always loved a good outfit and dressing nice for school was something I took pride in.
Even though I’m not going anywhere or seeing anyone, I like to dress up on Monday to start the week feeling good. Today I did my hair, put on makeup, and a dress. Each time I popped downstairs my dress fluttered around like I was flying. A simple pleasure. I felt great all day and had a wonderful burst of creativity in the afternoon before my last meeting.
I don’t dress up every day but in my experience, putting on a great outfit is usually a great way to make yourself feel better. By Friday, I’m usually in a cozy outfit with messy hair and no makeup, but it’s the end of the week. ?
I finally looked up the quote! Turns out, the full text is “no matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up.” It’s by NYT best-selling author Regina Brett and I am now following her on Twitter.
