#TasteLife | New Label Design for Yellowtail Canada

This summer I worked with Yellow Tail Wines from Australia to crowd source an image through a contest that would inspire a new label for 2015. Yellowtail Canada asked Instagrammers to share their best #TasteLife moments all summer to win weekly prizes, with the grand prize of the ultimate Taste Life Adventure.

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The winning Taste Life image (above) features two women set against the backdrop of BC artst Douglas Coupland’s Bubble  Gum Head piece. The limited edition labels will be featured on two [yellow tail] varietals, Pinot Grigio and Shiraz.

You’ll be able to pick up a bottle with the new limited edition label this spring. Now, we just gotta get through winter! To see posts tagged [yellow tail] click the image below!

Here’s to an awesome day,

<3 CASIE

Dragonette Dance Party at Good Day Hair Shop

Dragonette Dance Party at Good Day Hair Shop

The other day I was at Good Day Hair Shop in Kensington for a little pop-up party and DRAGONETTE was there. The performance was intimate; small venue and less than 100 people. Here’s some photos via She Does the City by Becca Lemire.

We decided to kick the party up a notch and dance with lead singer Martina Sorbara. Everyone threw their hands  in the air and sang along. It was a magical moment!

Good Day Hair Shop is in Kensington and you can find them at gooddayhairshop.com. That reminds me, I need a haircut!

Events | Santa’s Log Cabin at The Eaton Centre!

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Saw Santa with my sister  the other day at his Log Cabin in Trinity Square outside The Eaton Centre. We’ve made a point to visit the old guy at one place or another almost our whole lives. Despite knowing the truth, the mystery and wonder of Christmas is still alive in our hearts and it’s always fun to get a photo.

I guess we kinda look alike 🙂

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The front of the cabin features out all the beautiful trees deigned by stylish Toronto notables like Suzanne Rogers and The Chic Canuck.

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The Chic Canuck Team

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Jenie used to dance with the Raptors Dance Pak so seeing THE Raptor was trés exciting. He totally remembered her and gave her a salute when she arrived.

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Thanks Brill Communications for the invite and George Pimentel for the nice photos. Timber Block’s R-30 Insulated Cabin is open Fridays from 4-7pm and features comfy seating, free wi-fi and charging stations. There’s also a neat little tree maze for the kiddies! Or big kids like who who still gave it a go even though I could see over the trees.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

<3 CASIE

Treat Yo Self! Book A Holiday Hair & Makeup Appointment

Treat Yo Self! Book A Holiday Hair & Makeup Appointment

I recently booked a professional makeup artist to come over and do my makeup before a holiday event. It was SUCH an awesome experience. Having your hair and makeup done by a professional makes a HUGE difference. It’s amazing how much you can learn from a couple hours with an expert.

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I had Rimmel Canada spokesperson Vanessa Jarman over to doll me up and show me some tricks. She lined my eyes with Rimmel waterproof eyeliner before anything else, and told me to squish my eyes together ‘like I mean it’. This lined the inside of my eyes with a waterproof liner protecting my makeup from fading over the course of the night. A friend recommended an eyeliner stamp from Lovoir.com for future use. She also taught me to use an angle brush or small eyeshadow brush to set my liner with something dry (ie. eyeshadow).

I learned about colours to wear for my skin, blending and layering makeup, and using different sized brushes for different parts of the face. I’d been using a rather large blush brush and learned a smaller one is better for blending blush or bronzer around my cheekbones.

Vanessa blended three shadows to create my look and added a few individual lashes to make my eyes pop. We threw some hot rollers in my hair to glam it all up and she did a side braid to add some style.

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After my makeup was done, Vanessa asked about my dress and décolletage. What would be showing? She pulled out Burt’s Bees Radiant and rubbed it along my arms. I was glistened with an ever so slight brilliance. I’m picking up a bottle for myself today!

One of the other really rad things about having a pro do your makeup is that they really know faces and colours. Since my eyes were the main focus point of my look, Vanessa threw on Rimmel ‘Nude Delight 700’, the ‘Kardashian’ as she called it. I usually wear red lipstick and it was a nice change.

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Since Vanessa is a spokesperson for Rimmel, I asked her to give me a few products to try. I’ve used Rimmel and the products are good quality and not too expensive. Their foundation is one of my staples!

Product Recomendations from Vanessa Jarman

  1. Moisturize! Try Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick
  2. Try Rimmel Scandalize waterproof kohl eyeliner, it glides!
  3. There’s a new Rimmel mascara called Wonderlash, it’s like a hair brush for your lashes in a tube!

If you’re interested in booking a professional to do your hair and or makeup for a holiday event, birthday, wedding or anything fun, contact P1M at 647-348-7557. You can also find Vanessa and P1M on Instagram at @Jarmi & @P1M_Toronto. Happy to answer any questions too!

Here’s to a great day!

<3 CASIE

Photoset | YYZ Magazine: Issue 7 Launch Party

YYZMAG_Brian Hamilton, Casie Stewart

Here’s a few snaps from the YYZ Magazine Issue 7 launch party last week. See the full gallery here. Above is Editorial Director Lonelle Selbo  with (my man crush) model and man about town, Paul Mason.

The digital issue was released mid November and you can find the print version at Chapters and select stores around the city. I wrote about Dundas West in this issue and you can find my photo by George Pimentel on the masthead.  Photocred to Brian Hamilton for the photos in this post. Love this one of me! Thanks Brian. LMK what you of the issue, read it here.

 

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Notable Awards for Young Professionals

Notable Awards for Young Professionals

Today is the last day to vote for your fav people from Ontario in the Notable Awards powered hosted by Notable.ca. I’m nominated in the Best Blog category for Toronto. It’s my second time being nominated for a Notable Award, I was up for Best Personal Brand in 2011.

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I swore that after winning the Virgin American Provocateur competition I’d never ask people to vote for me again, I know it can be a bother, but here I am. I’m up against some really great blogs that are run by more than one person which is pretty cool. It’s awesome to be nominated with amongst my peers. You can vote for me here and pick out your favs in other categories here.  In other interesting news I’m Nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award (for the second time) in the Canadian Weblog Awards, winners announced next week for that.

I’ve been a big supporter of Notable and Julian since he started in back in 2008. In 2009, Julian and Notable document the top bloggers in Toronto, including me. They don’t all blog anymore but you’ll recognize Raymi the Minx, and Lisa Charlieboy in these photos. Below is another one from 2009, we’ve come a long way since then!

I had a quick chat with Julian this week about the Notable Awards and what’s next for the company. Scroll down for a recent video I did with Notable for their Icon Series and PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE.

Interview w/ Julian Brass from Notable

Julian and I chatted on the phone and I did my best to get it all down! Thanks Julian! Follow him on Twitter at @JulianBrass.

  • What was the inspiration behind creating Notable??
    • We as young professionals have so much potential, to live our dreams and help other live theirs. Notable is the brand that helps young professionals realize it’s up to themselves to make a change. The idea came to me when I was coming and going job from my job in Solicon Valley and back home (to Toronto). When it came to where friends and peers were getting information about their professional, social, non-profit information, it was a fragmented experience. There was no central location, not one brand to bring it all together.
  • What makes a Notable young professional?
    • Someone who is a hardworking, driven, young professional who also enjoys travel, a fun night out, and community. We talk about the living the 360 degree Notable lifestyle, N360. A person who is dedicated to their career, progressing each day, not just working, they’re living living life to the fullest, and you’re finding a way to make a difference in the world.
  • Biggest challenge in creating Notable?
    • When we started back in 2008, no one really understood the concept. People weren’t appreciating what we were trying to do. We might be in the GenX or GenY, but as a group we’re not the norm, we’re young professionals who really stand for something.
  • How was your team grown since 2008?
    • When I started in 2008. it was just me and a small editorial team. We’re at about 20 in various roles now.
  • What’s next for Notable?
    • Well, we’re relaunching the site very soon. We’re also evolving the brand w/ the intention of being THE brand for young professionals.  From charity to education, we’re everything a young professional cares about.

My Tiles Arrived! What is Tile and Why Am I Excited?

My Tiles Arrived! What is Tile and Why Am I Excited?

With the Tile app you can locate anything you want. I’m ashamed to admit how many times I’ve lost my phone, wallet, or something valuable. If you’ve been reading my blog for a few years, you might remember a few tragic incidents! Now, I don’t have to worry!

Tile was a Kickstarted I supported in 2013, they surpassed their goal raising $2.6 million, the most successful campaign to at the time. Pebble watch blew this campaign out of the water with $10 million not long after.

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Tile is a $25 Bluetooth-enabled chip that attaches to a possession (ex. keychain, wallet, boyfriend, child) and is locatable on Tile’s iPhone app. What makes Tile different from almost every other similar device is that Tile’s users are all connected through the cloud, creating a giant search net that negates the disadvantage of Bluetooth’s extremely short range.

Connecting my Tiles was super easy once I downloaded the app. Press the ‘e’ to activate bluetooth, it makes a sound, place Tile on phone screen to connect, name the device, done.

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I’m pretty stoked to have them since it’s the LONGEST I’ve EVER waited for something I bought online. That’s Kickstarter for ya, had to wait for production since they were just a prototype at the time. I’ve got one on my keys, wallet, and Sean’s keys so they are never lost. 😉  If you wanna join the Tile crew, check out tileapp.com.

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OVER APP for World AIDS Day

In other news, one of my fav editing apps, Over, has gone RED for World AIDS Day. The new pack is full of great designs! I purchased it for $4.99, all proceeds go to AIDS research. This app is awesome for adding text to images or art to make them look like posters. I made the stuff below really quick. For more about the app watch the Over episode of THIS: The Hot Internet Show on Coral.

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Have an awesome day!

<3 CASIE

 

I Got a Vajacial.

I got a Vajacial.

A what? A Vajacial is the same concept as a facial, except it’s for the bikini area…

I got to Fuzz Wax Bar for my first time. Had been walking around the house for 20 min before I left, was almost late. I was nervous. Asking myself all kinda questions like, what’s gonna happen? Will it be a girl? Where ‘exactly’ does this happen in that region? Is this gonna hurt? I’ve never had a Brazilian. I was nervous. As any aberdeen escortguide.co.uk employee will tell you, looking after your nether regions requires regular upkeep and maintenance, but that still did not stop me feeling jittery.

Vajacial Starter pack: sign up, room alone, disrobe, wait for it.

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The experience was good. Once I was on the table with a towel covering waist to thighs, I relaxed. I Felt calm. A nice young woman did the treatment and her Irish accent was lovely, we had a couple laughs too. It was over in 20 minutes. I did not at any time have anxiety or feel like she went too close to my private parts. This had me nervous earlier.

The Vajacial is a five step process and here’s how it went down:

  1. She cleansed the skin around my bikini area with antibacterial towelettes. Towels were soft.
  2. Second she put on an exfoliator that’s used to remove dead skin cells in preparation for extractions. The exfoliant was really gentle too.
  3. I had a blindfold on so I didn’t see this part but she used Tweezers and a lancet to extract any ingrown hairs trapped
    under the skin. If you have really coarse hair or are prone to ingrown hairs, I can imagine this being a bit painful.
  4. She put a mask to help with the removal of any ingrown hairs. Next she grabbed a high-frequency wand and I had to take off my blindfold to see this thing. I know they’re used in facials but I’d never seen one. It helps to infuse the product deeper into the skin and treat deep rooted ingrown hairs, it also vibrates a little bit.
    • How it works: A glass electrode is filled with a Neon or Argon gas, where a high frequency current is conducted onto the skins surface.
  5. Last step was moisturizer, gently applied to calm, soothe, and lock in moisture. I was feeling fresh! I took of my blindfold, it was over. My skin felt really soft. I would do it again. Great way to give your ‘area’ some TLC. 😉

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Was recommended this bikini brush and Fuzz’ very own Skin Perfecting Body Scrub to make sure my skin all over is soft and smooth. Winter can be a real stress on your skin so it’s important to take good care of it.

I hardly write this kind of ‘intimate’ stuff so if you have any questions I didn’t answer, please ASK! If you wanna give it a go, book online at Fuzz Wax Bar and say I sent you. You can find Fuzz Wax Bar on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; hashtag #FuzzVajacial.

Thanks Olena and NKPR for twisting my arm and thank you Jessica and Florence for the goodies. I’ve finally worked up the courage to go for a Brazilian!

<3 CASIE

Life | Domestic Success, A Sign!

little book, domestic success

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I found what I thought was a passport on a ledge. When I turned it over the pages flew open to this page. It must be a sign I’m on the right track. Have been doing more domestic things lately and spending time at home. This weekend I made holiday shortbread. Sean had to take it to the office so we didn’t eat it all!

It’s the little things that make all the difference. You have to be open to catch them with your eyes, or they will pass you by.

❤️ CASIE

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UPDATE: When I got some there was a DOUBLE RAINBOW!

Tech | We’re All Just Trying to Figure It Out

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This might be one of my fav photos I’ve ever taken. I love it. Snapped with iPhone on a whim while leaving my sisters place. It brings back memories, nostalgia, I’m not even certain what exactly, just old times.

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Found the quote below over the weekend and it resonated with me. I’ve been reading here and there about impostor syndrome, the inability to unable to internalize accomplishments. When you feel like someone is going ‘figure you out’, realize you don’t know what you’re doing, see right through your whole charade. ‘Impostor Syndrome is the domain of the high achiever. Those who set the bar low are rarely it’s victim’ (Forbes).

It’s ok to not know what you’re doing, We’re all trying to figure it out as we go. I used to get severe anxiety before going to events, being on stage, speaking. It’s not that people wouldn’t like me, it’s that they would, and sometimes I didn’t know exactly what I was doing but I was going on experience, and making it up as I go. Being in the world of social media before it was a business (or industry!) has taught me to realx and roll with it. Preparation, constant innovation, and trying new things has kept me ahead, made me a ‘pioneer’. (It always weirds me out when someone calls me that, the thought of ME being part of the start of something.)

So I got to thinking about blogs and authenticity and why people even blog these days, and I thought about why they started. A blog, formerly WebLog was a place for non-tecnical users of the WWW to write about and discuss a topic.

A blog (a truncation of the expression weblog)[1] is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries (“posts”) typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first). Until 2009 blogs were usually the work of a single individual[citation], occasionally of a small group, and often covered a single subject.

The whole world of blogging has changed so much. It’s like people blog for the things, the invites. I roll my eyes when someone’s feed is contest, after contest, shilling competing brands. It looks cheap. Once I spoke at a conference with a girl who had 50k Instagram followers but she hardly gets 20 likes per photo. The worst is when you’re following someone and think, ‘wow they’re doing great’ then the next day they gain 10K in followers out of nowhere, it’s like all they care about is how to get instagram followers. Social media and blogging are built on reputation, one sure way to 1) lose all credibility, and 2) look like a narcissistic idiot is to buy a bunch of followers. There’s even services you can subscribe to now that will give you X amount of likes per photo for a monthly service fee. It’s not hard to see through. Kinda makes it all seem so blah.

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I started my blog as a way to keep more memories about people, places, things, and thoughts. I’ve become addicted to documenting and if I don’t write things down, I’m afraid I’ll forget. Twitter has been really great for keeping memories, also Google. From my research on Impostor Syndrome, it’s quite common in successful women. If you ever feel the anxiety creeping over you, couple good reads below.

Those are my thoughts for the day. Hoping to get outside and soak up some sun. It was 15 degrees at 9am. Not bad for November, baby!

Remember, you’ll never be younger than you are today so make the most of it. 🙂

<3 CASIE