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Casie July 5, 2017 LIFE

Things That Are Distant Though Near ☀️

Sitting outside yoga and feeling happy. The sun is bright, air warm, I’m sipping coffee at a picnic table before biking home. Had a pretty magical day yesterday, took Steph to Drake Commissary before her flight. After, I walked Queen West and popped into the Trinity Bellwoods farmers market to pick up some stuff. What a gem that place is, there was a babe playing guitar and singing, lots of fresh flowers, vegetables, fish. I got an organic chocolate fudge popsicle and sauntered down Dundas on my way home. I wasn’t listening to music but it was so lovely it was like there was a soundtrack playing. Went to yoga last night and this morning which makes me feel back on my game. ?? After so many days at the cottage I was really missing my vinyasa flow. We did yoga outside today and it was so nice. The sky was a bright blue and breeze warm. Finally replaced this little thing aka my personal photographer. It’s a Bluetooth remote for your phone. It works great and aside from photos you can use it for Snaps, Stories, or Boomerangs. Ordered on Amazon via Prime after I lost my other one. ??? In other news, Lauren and I are doing something crazy today for the new Spider-Man movie. Make sure you are following my Instagram for Stories as they happen! ? With love,

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Testing the Surface Pro 4 from MicrosoftStore.ca

I don’t get jealous often, but it’s time to come clean! ?? For the last year or so, I’ve watched two of my colleagues at 1188 Films use and rave about, their Surface Pro devices. They use it as a tablet on set, a computer in the office, and a notepad in meetings. While here I am lugging around multiples devices… It does seem that the interactive screen is becoming increasingly utilized and well-regarded in a business context thanks to it being compact, mobile, easy to use, fast, and highly accessible. I wanted to take one for a test drive, so when I got an email from the Microsoftstore.ca team to do just that, I was totally game! As you know, I spend a lot of time on my computer. I shift from being a blogger to working as a director with 1188 Films Inc. and doing a variety of other client-related tasks throughout the day (aka. emails galore). I’ve only had the device for a couple of days, but it’s seriously impacted my productivity. The Surface Pro 4 is both computer and tablet, so it saves me lugging around 2 devices. It’s also small and light, so it’s easy to carry in a purse or backpack. Lately, I‘ve been lugging around both my iPad Pro and MacBook Pro which makes my purse kinda (super) heavy. As a girl on-the-go, I found the Surface Pro to be super portable, and versatile. It’s like powerful little studio all in one device. The fact that the device converts from computer to tablet is a solid feature for creatives like myself. I’m able to work on a document in computer mode, present something in a meeting in studio mode, and give directions on set in tablet mode. All in one device. You can also work on a bunch of things at…

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Throwing Shade: New Celine Sunnies

I didn’t even know today was ‘International Sunglasses Day’ when I planned this post! It’s always crazy when those random days seem to line up with something you’re doing. A couple weeks ago I received an email from SmartBuyGlasses with an offer to pick out a pair of new sunnies for summer. It’s times like this I reallllly love my blog! I’d been eying a pair of Céline glasses for a while but couldn’t justify paying full price. Well, SmartBuyGlasses is the place to go! They’ve got heaps of designer sunnies at discount prices. I really like their huge selection of Carrera and RayBan (next on my wishlist!). I’m wearing the Céline ‘Tilda’ from SS15 which retails for about $500 CAD and on the SBG website they’re under $400. They’re made of acetate but have an expensive feel, as in they’re kinda heavy. I have a pretty big huge collection of sunnies ranging in price and save fancy ones like this for special occasions. They’re a little big on my head but I’m gonna try some Nerd Wax to keep them in place.

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LEARNING NEW THINGS IS GREAT!

For Christmas Sean got me an iPad Pro with Apple Pencil and my first reaction wasn’t what he was expecting. I kept saying ‘It’s so big!” and thought about returning it the first couple days. BUT now, I can’t imagine my life without it! Last week I signed up for a creative hand lettering course so I could learn how to use Procreate and it is SO COOL. The course ($45) is by Caroline Kelso Zook who has a website called Made Vibrant for creatives. I’ve subscribed to her for a few months and ? her work. I’ve been staying up late drawing, then dreaming about drawing. I’m only just getting started and on part 2 of 4 in the course. I’m learning new things every day so you’ll start to see colourful creations pop up more and more. Using AirDrop to share seamlessly between iPhone, iPad, Macbook is so incredibly awesome. YAY technology and internet and art. I started my drawing blog ‘Borderline Artistic‘ back in 2008 when I got my 1st gen iPad. I loved that little thing. Remember Andy? Now with iPad Pro, I’m creating more than ever and I’m planning to update things around here with more art. Went to Wake Up at Yoga Yoga this morning and had a coffee/croissant at Hale. Both places give me so much joy! Tonight is the media opening of Drake Commissary and I’m taking my yoga teacher, Sandy! Today is going to be sunny to put a smile on your face and flash it around. Sending you some sunshine through the internet, across the sky, right to your screen.

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We Made Cement Planters! ?

I really wanted to make some of these after seeing they looked pretty easy on Pinterest. AND WELL THEY WERE! Embot and I gave it a go this weekend so she could give one to Grandma for her 70th birthday this week. I followed this video by TO’s own Sorry Girls but I have a few tips to add because they made it look more graceful. ? I used the smallest bag of sand concrete you can get at Canadian Tire. You mix it with water 4/1. We used old juice containers (ie. tetra pack bottoms) and put empty water bottles cut in half with a weight inside to hold the form. The bottle will rise up without a weight. Next time I’ll round up some juice containers before we do it. The concrete can also be messy make sure you put something down on your work space and I high reco doing in the garage our outside. One of the planters was made from a 2L pop bottle and it looks kinda neat because of the bottoms.The concrete takes 24 hours to dry. The water bottles inside the form were kinda hard to get out so we’ll switch to paper cups next (they use Tim’s cups in the video). This was a last minute idea I was kinda just wingin’ it with what we had around the cottage. They still turned out fine! I’ve been dying to get some copper (rose gold!) Krylon paint. I follow/girl crush on Tiffany Pratt and she’s been using it to paint things a lot lately. I put tape on the design I wanted and put on a couple thin coats of Krylon spray paint. Let it dry. Apply a thin layer of wet look concrete sealer to protect the concrete from staining and…

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Make The Most Of Each Day!

What a difference a week and some sunshine can make! MY GOD. Also, thank you to all who read and commented on my post about anxiety. We all go through hard days and I want you to know I feel it too. I’m a human just like you! Loving the weather this week. Have spent a good chunk of time at the house writing and getting things done. I’ve also been biking everyday and done some yoga. Feels so good! On Tuesday Keri (@keriblog) and I gave our home patio a HUGE makeover. I loaded up on plants at the Walmart sale and picked up a few cushions, lights, etc. They’re so nice! I’m in love with the new look and feel. Thank the sun gods for LESS RAIN, FINALLY. This ‘Double Rose‘ shirt is my new fav I picked up last weekend at the Skinny Sweats pop up (Toronto designer!). I love it so much. I’m inspired to make similar ones with my face on the tatas and some emojis, haha. Yesterday Lauren (@laurenonizzle) and I went to the afternoon Blue Jays game and rode around on our bikes after. We both have Schwinn cruisers from Canadian Tire so we are SCHWINN TWINS. SCHWINNING. SKWADGOALZ A post shared by Lauren O’Neil (@laurenonizzle) on May 31, 2017 at 1:47pm PDT Have some really fun and exciting work coming up the next couple months and I’m excited to share with you. It feels so incredibly cool to be doing work I love. Tonight dad is coming over to shoot a project for Father’s Day. Sending sunshine your way!

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The Hardest Part is Through

This past week was a hard one for me. Actually, this entire month has been a challenge, I’ve been on the verge of a meltdown since May 2017 started with birthday anxiety. I had a trip to Jamaica that started with an allergic reaction in my eyes, where I couldn’t see that well, it rained heaps, I missed my bf, and I got my period. When I got home I was overwhelmed with anxiety about work I needed to get done, and it was a short week. I went to the 1188 office every day to get the music video I directed wrapped up, and didn’t really have time to work (at home like usual) on blog things. The week finished week with a full day on set. I was so tired. Finally, on Saturday, it happened. I legit had a meltdown. Our car had a problem with the tire so I rented a car for the afternoon with my car sharing app and left around 11:15 to make it to Scarborough by 12:15. Well, no, that wasn’t happening. It took me 45 min to get to the DVP (highway downtown for non-TO peeps) and by then I was feeling super stressed after leaving the house in a huff w/ Sean. Then mum called and it opened the floodgates to me balling my eyes out, stuck in traffic. It seemed like everything around me was collapsing. Then, it started raining and the event I was about to drive an hour to was canceled. BUT, I was already on the DVP and still in traffic. I took a few deep breaths and decided to get off the highway. Didn’t really know where I was heading but the end goal was home. I decided to put on the Lumineers album and for…

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One Year Older, One Year Bolder! ?

Yesterday was my birthday and thank you for all the warm wishes! ? Had a wonderful birthday eve and entire day. In the past I’ve blogged a whole bunch of activities and crazy party but this year was different. I wanted to relax, have a cake, and go to yoga. ??? Sometimes I get really weird around my birthday and want to hide away in my cave, not talking to anyone. I hate to planning anything and the whole idea of it gives me anxiety. I don’t need to go crazy on my birthday, I celebrate my damn self all year! So, when May 8th rolls around, all I really wanna to do for my birthday, is chill TF out. So, that’s exactly what I did! One of the best things of my day was Sean taking the day off to hang out and recharge his batteries too. It was so nice to go for a long walk in the neighbourhood, look at the houses, antique shops, and have lunch together. He did treat me to a little something from Jacobs the jeweller, my favourite, which was so lovely, but I would never expect gifts. This year I really didn’t care about getting things you buy in a store but moments, simple things, memories. 10 Great Things I Did on My Birthday Got a whole bunch of helium balloons and put them in the house! They’re still up! Morning drive in the sunshine listening to my a fav album (JAIN – full Zanaka album ??) Went for a walk with Sean around the ‘hood + got some new records Free birthday coffee at Starbucks ordered w/ the app so my name was spelled right Mexican food ? Laying on the couch scrolling in nap mode Fresh flowers + fresh sheets…

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Cottage Life & Having a Strong (Mobile) Network – Telus Love!

As you are welllll aware I spend heaps of time at the cottage over the summer. One thing our whole cottage crew knows is that I have the best internet. I’ve been with Telus for a looooong time and their mobile network is seriously amazing. When we’re driving along Southwood Road there’s a few spots where service drops, but not for me. We always use my phone to stream music from because my network literally, never misses a beat. ?? When we’re on the dock, it’s common for people on ‘other’ carriers to lose signal or miss calls. Not me! ?? I’m always popping on my WIFI hotspot to offer our guests uninterrupted scrolling. We’ve even given my number as a phone contact since I’m on Canada/Ontario’s largest 4G LTE network. Wondering about coverage in your area? Check out the Telus interactive coverage map HERE. Below is a screenshot of Muskoka, all purple means 4G LTE across the whole area. I’ve got the bandwidth to download or stream Netflix using my mobile connection. In Ontario, TELUS ranks highest, with its customers experiencing the lowest incidence of calling problems in the region. Humble Brag ?⤵️ According to the J.D. Power 2016 Canadian Wireless Network Quality Study, TELUS ranks among the highest in overall wireless network quality across Canada. Aside from a strong mobile network they have an incredible human network of people on Team Telus and do lots of great stuff across Canada. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some awesome charity and giving back initiatives through my work with them. They’re also the #1 national communications provider for customer service. Proud to be part of Team Telus and happy to share what makes them a great company to work with. Check out the website at telus.com and see the whole group of #TeamTelus advocates here. On that note, despite having an amazing network,…

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Hi Mum, I just called to say thanks.

Today I rung mum at work and I think she must have been busy because she seemed a little surprised when I said ‘hi mum’. I told her I was calling to say thank you for having me and being so supportive. She didn’t have a lot of time to talk but I wanted to thank her for everything. To tell her I love calling her all the time when something exciting happens and I can’t tell anyone else or they just wouldn’t feel as excited as her. For all the times she stayed up late sewing ballet skirts to sell at the studio so she could afford our dance classes. For driving to all those dance competitions, skiing, skating, birthday parties, recitals, modelling, tae kwon do, and to all my friends houses for sleepovers. For showing me how to bake and encouraging me to make things in the kitchen, thank you. For embracing my weirdness and letting me wear what I want as a child no matter how bizarre the neighbours thought she was for doing to it. For putting us in summer reading club at the library. For all the work that went in to creating JEANS Publishing company and helping me write that book as a young teenager because I know it was shit ton of work and late nights (for her). For teaching me to work hard and not listen to anyone who says ‘you can’t do that’. Your strong attitude is with me everyday and I carry it close to my heart and I hear your voice in my head. For teaching me to be tough and know how to throw a damn good punch (whoops!) and studying Tae Kwon Do together. For getting me braces because you knew that my smile would bring joy to other people and I…

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Casie March 7, 2017 Art

CEREAL KILLERS! Creative Typography at @weare1188

Got an email last week about National Cereal Day and I know the 1188 dudes love cereal. So, I asked the agency to send a bunch of boxes and I would post about it in exchange. Welllllllll, the 1188 crew loved the idea so much we made cereal typography art. Jeff Woo with the typography skills! The office ‘free blog food’ rule is you have to let me take a photo of it. Here’s a few bowls! I want (Jeff) to make more stuff like this. It was fun and I love sharing with everyone bc like who doesn’t love cereal/snacks? Thanks Kellogg’s & Strategic Objectives! Thankful for the 1188 team because I don’t know if I would have had an idea this great let alone the skills/patience. ?? The office is ALWAYS open for snacks so feel free to send if you would like us to try! ?

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The Secret to Getting Ahead is Getting Started

I’m not sure if I did something or what but my lower back is so sore today. I can do a forward bend but if I only go 15-45 degrees, it hurts. I’ve got a heating pack on now and I’m watching Dragon’s Den/not moving till tomorrow. I did however, still go to yoga today. Six weeks ago I would have probably cancelled anything that made me leave the house with this pain but since I’ve been working out I feel stronger. A couple days ago I told my yoga teacher (Sandy) how I came to class even though I was feeling blerghhh and tired and she said “Nobody ever regrets going to yoga” She was so right. Today I initially cancelled going to the nooner (via the app) but when I was home from work at at 11:45 I decided to just GO FOR IT. Jumped into my gear, ran out the door, and was there 2min early for the 12:15! IT FELT SO GOOD. There was only other person in the class with me so it ended up being semi-private. I feel like it was a stroke of luck after hustling to get there! I’ve been going to class at least 3 times a week for just over a month and I’m so happy for finally dedicating time to myself for myself. And screen free! Last year I wrote about JOMO, The Joy of Missing Out and I’m still on that vibe. I’ve spent the last 5-7 years doing so many things every weeknight and lately, making time for yoga has been a really great change. If I ever think about teaching yoga, I know https://www.siddhiyoga.com will give me all the information I need. I’m more mindful of the events I do go to, and I make the…

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Casie February 25, 2017 Tech

2017 Canadian International AutoShow w/ @VWCanada

Recently I went to the AutoShow with VW to check out what’s new for 2018. It was a PA day so people were invited to bring kids and pets along for the special event. I documented it all with my Snapchat Spectacles and they were a hit. You know how much I love tech and these things are rad, watch the video here. I’ve always loved cars, we spent heaps of time in the garage and hot rod workshop w/ dad growing up . It’s incredible how far car tech has come! Volkswagen is known for great performance, reliability, and safety, ‘a good German car’ as I’ve heard so many times. We were looking at the 2018 Tiguan Redesign, 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, and 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf. There was also another little one I just loved, scroll down to see! The event was hosted by Amber Mac, George Pimentel, Afiya Francisco, and Heather Davis. Amber of course talked tech aspects of the new cars, George took photos, Afiya talked about style and how your car fits your lifestyle and aesthetic. Heather is a family road trip expert and she shared how the 2018 Atlas was a great family car for travel, seats 7! The 2018 Tiguan Redesign is a great car for people who like adventure. I like the aesthetic of this car, it’s sleek but tough, you can tow a set of seadoos or boat (up to 5500 pounds) and pack all kinds of stuff in the boot. Perfect for #cottagelife! My fav was the VW Beetle Dune. A few people said this was a perfect car for me. I love a cute little convertible! It’s actually quite spacious with 4 seats and enough room for a couple suitcases in the trunk. One of the cool new things they launched at the AutoShow was the…

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NEW LOOK, WHO DIS | 2017 Partnership w/ @SassoonToronto

I wanted to get my hair cut before I went to LA and Vegas, but it just didn’t happen. I was been feeling pretty dumpy, the ‘I need a haircut’ feeling can really get you down. However, the day before I left for California I received an email at the bank and said ‘YESSSSS’ out loud to my phone while in line. It was from Matte PR who works with Sassoon Salon, inviting me to be an ambassador for the brand. I love Sassoon’s precision, have a ton pinned on my Beauty Board and remember that super funky black/blonde I had about 2 years ago, total Sassoon style. My hair has a HUGE impact on my style, it shows off my personality and it’s part of my overall ‘look’ or ‘brand’ if you wanna call it that. If you’ve known me for a while, you know short blonde hair is MY THING. Short/blonde is also SUPER HIGH MAINTENANCE, having a partner to work with elevates pretty huge expense plus I love having experts on hand. I really enjoyed my first experience at Sassoon which is great because this hair is a sizeable time investment every couple weeks. In case you’re not familiar, The blonde can go yellow/brassy and the cut looks sloppy if not cut on the regular. My New Cut Colour ?????? SUPER SHORT. Loving my new hair so much. This was first my first appt at @sassoontoronto and it may just look like short blonde to you but this hair is VERY HIGH MAINTENANCE. The perfect blonde takes hours and a good short cut takes precision. ✂️ I feel SO MUCH happier than I did last week! My hair has a big impact on how I feel and last week after being in LA, I really started feeling the January blues. A good cut/colour…

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Made a Thing: Little Wooden Laptop Table

This weekend I did more than just watch Netflix, I made a thing! On Friday night I saw this cool bed table laptop stand thing found it on Etsy. It was $60 but then $40 in shipping and I was like HELL NO. So I decided to make one! Saturday morning I went to Home Depot and picked up 1/2″ copper pipe, 4fittings, and 4 steel flange. I asked a dude who worked there for help to save time and he cut the pipe for me too. I didn’t think about cutting the pipe so this was a huge help! If you’re reading from the UK, you can buy copper from aluminium warehouse or somewhere similar instead. I used a large cutting board we had around the house as the table top. Next time I’ll use a bigger piece of nice wood from the bunch we’ve got at the cottage. I think rougher edges would look nice. All the pieces cost just under $50 and it didn’t take long to put this stuff together. The glue is to hold the pipe bits together and I let it dry overnight. So happy with how this turned out. I saw it, wanted it, and made it! I’m no expert on DIY, yet but I’ve got a long list of things I want to make for the house and cottage. This does however mean that I am going to have to invest in some more tools! Most important of all, I need to find a good cordless drill. The staff over at Coolest Gadgets made a comparison of the top-rated cordless options, so I will definitely be checking out their article for some inspiration. Making things gives me so much joy, I used to spend heaps of time in the garage with my…

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My Fav Tech Gifts from the 2016 Telus Holiday Guide

Christmas is just over a week away and there’s a good chance you still have few people on your nice list (including yourself!). ?? Telus has a ton of amazing gifts you can buy online or from one of their interactive stores across Canada. You’ve gotta check out the Eaton Centre store in Toronto if you haven’t yet, theres heaps of things for your home, travel, audio, AND toys, aside from phone stuff. Last year I got a Nest thermostat, amazing JBL speaker, great USB cables, and a MIP robot for the child. Here’s a few of MY FAVS from the 2016 Telus Gift Guide. These are all things I’ve gifted or been given in the last year – Fitbit, Instax camera, BB8, and the PureGear Metallic Cable. BB8 Sphero Robot – $189.99 Last weekend I surprised Embot with a tiny little BB8 Droit. She loves Star Wars and robots. BB8 comes with a stand for charging and connects to Force Band through the app on your phone via Bluetooth. Once connected, you use THE FORCE to push, pull, and control BB-8 like Em is doing here. She’s been having so much fun using to guide him around the house. He can easily go over carpet, rug, tile and wood floors too. Instax Mini 8 Camera – $99 This camera is great. A total hit at holiday parties and with the parents. I took photos of everyone at mums one Christmas and this year I’ve packaged up some stuff to send back to New Zealand filled with Instax prints from the last few months. You can order one of these online or pick up at a Telus store. They’ve got the Instax Mini 8 cam available in Rose Gold, Blue, Black, and white. See this post for an #InstaxHolidays giveaway + Twitter party details for tonight! Fitbit 2 Charge –…

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21 Days Till the New Year – Why Wait to Make a Change?

Went for my first yoga class in a while today. I feel so good. Found a studio that’s a 7min walk and beside a great coffee shop. I also downloaded a countdown app for my next trip (California!) and set a countdown till the New Year. There’s 21 days till 2017 and since it’s been such a sh*t year for heaps of reasons, I’m gonna try and make the last bit really great. IF NOT NOW, WHEN? In case you’re just tuning in, I had breast reduction surgery this summer and have been a bit slow getting back to it. The recovery was not too long/hard but big stretches with arms over the head were not in my favour. I did some aerial yoga about 3 months after but not full on yoga-yoga. Plastic surgery is something that I had been thinking about for a long time so I made sure to do as much research as I could before committing to a procedure. One of my friends has recently had a breast reduction operation at the luxurgery facility in New York. I cannot wait to meet up with her soon so we can swap stories about our procedures. Today was the day. Registered for a noon class at YOGA YOGA and set out to make it a good one. A couple weeks months ago I picked out some great yoga gear from the new Gaiam website as a gift from the brand. THANK YOU! Today I opened all the packages and put on new stuff for class. WOO HOO. YOGA YOGA is a vinyasa yoga studio in the Junction Triangle super close to my house. Had it not been a snow storm I’d totally have been there in 2mins via bike. Felt good to stretch. The class was warm…

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#InstaxHolidays | Printer + Camera Giveaway & Twitter Party Signup!

Two things I totally love things about blog life are travel and new tech. Nothing like a great adventure or new gadget to kick things up a notch! This week I got the new Instax Sp-2 printer and this lil’ thing is so awesome. It’s a sleek printer that takes any photo from your phone or tablet and prints it on Instax film. It makes a great holiday gift for someone you love or yourself because you can print out your all your selfies for the fridge/fam. I already have so many of these prints around the house! I’ve joined forces with a couple blog friends to do a sweet giveaway worth $350 that includes the Instax SP-2 Printer, an Instax camera, and a bunch of film. We’re also hosting a Twitter party with $3,500 in prizes. Scroll down and enter both ASAP! A video posted by ? C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Dec 10, 2016 at 8:34am PST You know I’m a big fan of the Instax camera ever since I directed the commercial for it last year (this one). This new printer is next level, you seriously print ANY photo from your phone or tablet in t-10 seconds. It’s super easy to use right out the box and you don’t need to be tech savvy to operate it. Pop in the film cartridge, line up the yellow stripes, charge it up with the USB cable, and you’re almost about ready to roll. Just download “instax SHARE” from the App Store or Google play and connect wifi to your phone or tablet. The thing I like most about it is the design, you can store it on your book shelf or dresser as decor. These photos are amazing keepsakes. I have so many in our home. It’s super easy…

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Work Hard. Play Hard. Sleep Easy. Join The #DreamWaterHoliday Twitter Party Wednesday 8pm! $500+ IN prizes

Nothing like a good sleep, eh? Last month was really hectic with lots of travel and tbh, it made me so tired. Different time zones, hotels, sleep patterns, it really tuckers you out. Wednesday at 8pm I’m hosting Twitter party w/ Dream Water Canada and I’d love you to join. We’ve got $500 in prizes including a $250 spa package. We could all use a little pampering this time of year! Tickets are free and I’m asking you register your Twitter handle so we can contact winners with no stress. Powered by Eventbrite I usually travel with melatonin to regulate my sleep/help me feel refreshed and this summer I tried out another herbal supplement called Gaba Gaba. A couple weeks ago I was sent a few samples of Dream Water which contains both supplements and 5-HTP that helps them all work better together. The first time I tried it, I noticed I started to feel sleepy in about 10-15 and was out like a light in I’m guessing 20 (idk I fell asleep lol). Dream Water is a tiny into a 2.5oz shot with the ingredients below and sweeter. I first saw it in the USA but you can find it here now at Shoppers, Walmart, and select retailers. If you have any experience with Dream Water or questions LEAVE A COMMENT! It feels so nice to say that after not having comments for over a year. It’s like the phone lines are open again! Tonight I’m going to see Ross Petty’s ‘Sleeping Beauty‘ then going home to drink some Dream Water. ??

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Casie November 28, 2016 Tech

Visiting the Google Shop within a Shop + $250 Best Buy Giveaway

About a week ago I was out the door bright and early one morning for the media preview grand opening of the first Google shop in North America at Best Buy in Mississauga. I love going to this type of event! Ever since I was a little kid, my dad used to take us to stroll around Future Shop, look at all the gadgets, test stereos and TVs. I think I have him to thank for my lifelong love of tech. Google Shop is a ‘shop within a shop’ that’s got all kinds of Google goodies and product demos. I visited one of my favourite beaches in new Zealand via the Portal, tried Fantastic Beasts in w/ Google Daydream VR, and was sent home with Google Chrome. ?? I thought this was a neat thing to do over the holidays! Hangout with Santa in the Google shop. Select your city at g.co/instore to find your closest location. Before touring the store I chatted Best Buy’s Angela Scardillo, VP Marketing & Communications. The main thing I learned from her was how they’re really trying to make tech approachable. Their new round of ‘experience stores’ have a more immersive experience where you can touch, feel, test things. The new store design has raised access flooring that expands and contracts expand so they can actually move the store around and change the shopping experience. The new flagship Google shops are now open at Best Buy locations in Mississauga, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Angela also showed off her Google Pixel phone and I really want to try one. It takes great photos and organizes them in your phone like Google Images. I’m still thinking about it days later… To celebrate the new Googley space at Best Buy, we’ve giving away a $250 gift certificate. To enter leave a comment, visit FB, follow us on Twitter, or send a…

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Blog Life: Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like It #12

Yesterday I updated the look of this ol’ bloggy and it’s really making me happy. Over the past 6 months I’ve been working lots (which is good but tiring), recovered from a major surgery, and was in a car accident. I don’t usually share much the blarghhhh days I but there’s been a few lately. It’s not ALLLL sunshine and rainbows, I am HUMAN! I feel like post-election world has been really getting me down. Every single time you turn on the tv, internet, Facebook bad sh*t is happening. It’s sad and exhausting. ? Do you ever just feel like you need a f’n break?! AND THEN, on the opposite end of the spectrum you scroll FB/IG and it seems like people have these perfect lives. Last night I spoke on a panel about beauty & aging and something I mentioned is the ‘Facebook Self’ we all put out there. You know the one I mean! The curated version of beautiful photos, the clean house, smiling well-behaved children, the perfect meal etc. Well LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS LIKE THAT. It’s messy lol. I hardly ever share the house bc there’s always a clothes pile somewhere. Pile on the holidays and it’s all kinda overwhelming. This weekend I’m volunteering to serve lunch to 80-100 in need at a mission with some friends. I’ve been looking forward to it all week. Bringing joy to others, you can’t help but have some yourself. Sunday I’m part of a big ‘Boss Babes Brunch’ w/ some power ladies which will be fun and inspiring. With my recent obsession for Amazon I got a huge ring light and photo setup for home so I will be playing with that too. This post is #12 in a series of blogposts I’ve written when I don’t really feel like blogging. I find blogging about it helps…

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Travel | Escape & Discover – A Surprise Weekend in Sudbury, ON

This summer I went on a really fun adventure with Ford Canada. They sent us these great luggage bags and told us to pack for a weekend. We had no idea where we were going and in my fret of nervousness the night before, went crazy I decorated my bag. In a group of 20 or so bloggers, it wasn’t hard to know where my bag was at all times. Dare to be different! ??? They sent a driver to pick me up bright and early on a Saturday morning when I was whisked off to a Ford Dealership to meet the gang and find out what was going on. After some snacks & coffee it was time for the reveal. I was handed an envelope with this card and a boarding pass. I did NOT think we would be going anywhere by airplane. Good thing I didn’t pack full size lotions! My team and I jumped in our next car and went straight to Porter Airlines. It felt a bit like The Amazing Race when 4 groups all went separate ways to different destinations. There was a Comicon happening downtown in Sudbury that weekend. Noticed a lot of really cool street art. The paper is called the ‘North Bay Nugget’ ? ?. Went for a hike in the Duchesnay Falls. Ate a seriously huge poutine. We spent the night at a great little 3bdrm beach house bed & breakfast on the lake. We had planned to try loads of water sports and I had packed my wet suit and my dryrobe equivalent, but after a toe-dip inspection we decided it was a no go. The water was pretttttty cold. I had been to Sudbury as a kid but I didn’t remember much. It was pretty neat to see the…

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Tech | The FUTURE is HERE: Siri Can Now Send Money via PayPal

Last week I met up w/ Jen aka @jennandthecity for after work drinks, we’ve been meaning to hang out for ages and our schedules finally aligned. It was my first time checking out Bar Reyna in Yorkville which has a gorgeous back patio that feels like an escape from the city. I picked up the tab bc we were in a bit of a hurry and a couple days later, Jenn sent me money via PayPal using Siri. I’ve had PayPal for ages and it’s my fav way to shop online, this new integration makes sending money to friends super easy. If you’ve ever had to pay someone back or been waiting for someone to pay you back, it can be super awkward and/or annoying. Luckily your girl Siri makes it super easy. Starting November 10th, for the first time in Canada, iPhone users can tell Siri to send or request money through an integration with the PayPal app. A first for Canada, PayPal launches peer-to-peer payments w/ Siri. More here: https://t.co/U2dvZqlYFk #P2Ppayments #sendmoney #remittance pic.twitter.com/MvaJR1qz7N — PayPal Canada (@PayPalCA) November 10, 2016 Once you’ve got the PayPal app [download here if you don’t have it yet!] and your phone is on iOS 10, you’re ready to roll. Wake up Siri and ask him/her to send money to a friend. Contacts who match the name will pop up, select the person, and voila, Siri will send it. You can 100% send money to someone who isn’t on iPhone and if they person doesn’t have a PayPal account, they’ll be prompted to set one up. Lending money to friends can end bad, on average PayPal found that 30% of Canadians have lost a friend over an IOU. Been there? Me too. In the PayPal Money Habits Study by Koski Research, they found more than 53% of us Canadians find it…

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Tech | Canada’s Leading Digital Media: NextMedia + Digi Awards 2016

Last week I was a speaker at NextMedia, Canada’s leading digital media conference. the 2 day conference focusses on creation, distribution, and monetization of digital media content and technology. Our panel, moderated by Amber Mac, was Blurred Lines: Best Practices for Disclosing Paid Content. I’ve mentioned it a few times how this is a hot topic. My thoughts are that if you are working with someone or got the product/thing as an in-kind donation or gift,, just say so. If you always work on things you genuinely like, being authentic is easy. This isn’t a great photo but it was a memorable moment. Jake said people who will just work for any brand and do it for the money are ‘brand whores’. It’s hard to trust someones opinion if they don’t really have one and they’re just slingin’ stuff at you all the time. Discussing the #BlurredLines on #Disclosure of #Paid #Content via new #Advertising Standards #Rules ☠️ #nextMEDIA16 #handshake A photo posted by Kevin September (@septembersphere) on Nov 10, 2016 at 7:49am PST Amber asked me to be a presenter at the Digis which is the award show closing out the conference. In it’s 10th year, the awards celebrate Canada’s most successful digital media companies and creators. I wasn’t nervous at all until it came time for rehearsal and I had to read a teleprompter. Which, by the way, was easier than I thought! I presented the award for Best Branded Content. The winner was Lilly & The Snowman from Cineplex. In other news, I left getting a dress to the last minute. So, I popped over to my go-to girls at Studio Fitzroy to rent something. Remember in the summer when I blogged about their dress rentals? That biz was SO SUCCESSFUL they’ve opened a dress rental spot on Dundas West.…

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Travel | Walking Wynwood w/ New iPhone 7 Plus from Telus

On my travels last month I was in Miami for a short visit so I took a tour of the Wynwood Art District. I’ve been dying to go there and check out the walls. Telus hooked me up with with the new iPhone 7 Plus before my trip to the Florida Keys so I left my DSLR at home and went iPhone only. Telus has been rated the BEST National Carrier for iPhone and has a variety of plans avail to make sure you get the phone you want. You might be looking to upgrade after all my travel photos! For info about the iPhone 7 Plus or awesome features of iOS 10, visit telus.com. TBH this phone camera is the absolute BEST I’ve ever had. I strolled around Wynwood for about hour taking photos of walls, doors, various alleys, and art in alleys. When I got to the airport I edited them all using Camera and no apps or filters. I am so impressed with this little thing! The sky was a little crazy this day because Hurricane Matthew was passing by, it made for a good street art backdrop though. The iPhone 7 Plus has 2 lenses 1 is a reg iPhone camera and the second lens is a telephoto. With the iOS 10.1, Apple released Portrait Mode which uses the telephoto lens to isolate the subject like a professional camera (DSLR). It’s incredible. Works amazing to take photos of friends but also is killer for close up shots of products, nature, just about anything with dimension. Lots of photos in this post so have the short version here, click below for like 20 more!

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100 Pieces of Sponsored Content + New Ad Standards for Influencers

I’ve been trying do a better job of keeping tract of my actual blog related work. Since casiestewart.com is a mostly a diary about my life, it can be hard to determine what is sponsored (work) and what isn’t. I share heaps so maybe you miss the little disclaimer line now & then. I like to keep a good mix of non-sponsored content mixed in with the spon con. Last year I set up casiestewart.biz as my online portfolio website and I UPDATED IT THIS WEEKEND. There’s 100+ examples of sponsored things I’ve done over the past few years. Crazy how they all add up! Found this quote on Forbes over the weekend and it’s what motivated me to stop scrolling social media and put in some quality time building my website. I’m finding/remembering stuff all the time so there’s a bunch more to add. CASIESTEWART.BIZ/WORK This week I’m on a panel at the NextMedia Conference talking about this stuff with someone from the ASC, Facebook, and an agent who represents influencers. It’s sure to be a good discussion and spark even more around the topic. In a prep call for the panel, Janet from the ASC said: “We have simply introduced a new Interpretation Guideline to require disclosure of any material connection, because we identified a gap in the coverage of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards regarding bloggers and influencers.” Influencers and sponsored content are a very hot topic right now with new rules in Canada from the ASC based on the USA FTC regulations on testimonials, endorsements, and reviews. If you are interested in the you can find them here. DEFF WORTH READING. I’ve got a few more things to share on this topic, it’s surely not going away. Until then, make sure you take a peek at my work at…

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These Are The Vines of Our Lives

I loved Twitter’s Vine app. I used it heaps when it first came out and have 200+ thousand views and 400+ videos. Yesterday Twitter announced it’s shutting the app down (and cutting 9% of global staff). This is a good reminder, it’s not about the platform, it’s about the content. As someone who’s been on the internet, making stuff for over a decade I’ve seen a lot of apps have their rise to fame, go viral, get a huge user base, then die. Lets look back at 12secondstv, I was one of their top users and in 2010 they got bought by AOL and closed up shop. I made short videos of almost everything I was doing and posted them on the app. Around the same time I’d been an active user on Dailybooth, a website where you shared a photo of yourself everyday (mostly from your computer webcam). When Instagram came out, nobody needed Dailybooth anymore, there was a new app with filters right in your phone. Dailybooth died in 2012. Anyone remember Viddy? I hung out with the founders in 2013 at CES in Vegas and joined the app right away. It was the video version of Instagram! Justin Bieber and bunch of celebrities used it all the time. Then, one day, Instagram added video. It was game changer. In months Viddy was done. Users jumped ship to an app they were already on to share content to an existing audience. “it’s not about the platform, it’s about the content” SOME OF MY FAV VINES OF THE TIMES Here are a few of my fav Vines from my channel and the Internet. I hope you enjoy. As a reminder, keep making good content and try all the platforms to see what is out there. LADA GAGA SCARES LEO – Remember this? OOP! https://vine.co/v/iMAHYTw00bH https://vine.co/v/inAiBuI6UOX THIS KID IS ALL OF…

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