Day 247: The Great Windstorm of 2020

Well, the last 24 hours have been something else! It’s not often that we have a power outage at the cottage but yesterday, there was a massive wind storm in South Western Ontario and it hit us hard. We lost power around 3pm and I was only on 50% phone battery. We charged up devices best we could, made a fire for heat, and pulled out the candles. Sean and I slept in the living room near the fire with doors to the rest of the cottage closed off. It was pretty scary at times, since it was dark around 5pm, we had only candles & flashlights to make it through the night. The wind outside was the fiercest I’ve ever experienced here, with rain, snow, hail, and cold temperatures. Sean woke up a couple of times in the night to add wood to the fire and by 6 am we were both awake. The power didn’t return until about 3 pm but we managed to still stay connected and avoid any meltdowns (me lol). Monday is the busiest day at my job so I charged my phone in the car so I could make out weekly status update calls. After that, I organized the spice cupboard and did some exercise. I figured since I was trying to conserve my device batteries, I could make good use of my ‘offline’ time. In other news, I got a big beautiful Monstera plant at Walmart yesterday for $34.99! I’ve wanted one for a while so I am pretty happy to watch her grow. There’s some bright new growth and she seems to be pretty healthy. Kinda wish I picked up a second one! Over the next few months, I’d like to add Monstera to my propagating. They had fiddle leaf fig plants…

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Day 122: I Went To A Spa! Introducing YOUTH MEDISPA, Toronto

It’s been ages since I went to a spa so when I was invited to check out the brand new YOUTH Medispa in downtown Toronto, I was so excited! I had a Bespoke Medical Facial followed by Botox and filler. This is more than a beauty clinic, they’re a female-led, luxe anti-ageing spa with over 30 years in the business. They offer Injectables, advanced laser and facials, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), hair restoration, skin tightening, vaginal rejuvenation, and plastic surgery consultation. Inside YOUTH Medispa, Toronto With the new Covid19 restrictions, they’re allowed to book patient appointments and are taking all the precautions necessary to make sure your visit is safe and enjoyable. The day before my appointment I was sent several forms and waivers to sign-off on my treatments and informed they would provide a mask if I didn’t have my own. I arrived 15 min early for my appointment and was greeted at the door with sanitizer and one of their specialists who was also wearing a mask. I was so excited I wore a dress and heels for the first time in months. I was the only patient at the time and as restrictions change for Toronto, they will continue to stagger appointments and have both entry and exit doors so no two clients cross paths. The entire space is 3,100 square feet with 4 floors, 4 main areas, and 9 treatment rooms. Big fan of the art displayed, their look is very minimal, black & white, with a pop of colour here and there. They’re paperless and wireless meaning you can pay for your services ahead of time or inside the treatment room without having to go back to through the building. YOUTH Medispa – Bespoke Facial My first treatment was a Bespoke Medical Facial that…

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Day 83: New Ways, New Mask, New Look

Biked around early in the morning and met April for a social distance hang with coffee in her backyard around 8 am. We talked about life, everything going on in the world, things outside us, feelings inside us, it was really nice. She always has good advice, makes me laugh, and is there with a compliment or to a reminder when I need it the most. It’s crazy to think back to a few months ago when everything was different and we had no idea what was coming. Things will never be the same, this is a new way of life, of living, of thinking, of feeling. In the afternoon I walked to Danica’s Bathing Belle shop in Roncy to pick up my mask and see her new mural being painted. It looks so nice and the art is done by @Viszla_Bacon on IG. He has a couple other in the area, you might recognize his work! Bathing Belle will be opening up soon to take appointments at the shop. I ordered the Rasta Lion mask to match my suit and scrunchie. I love it! Her suits are the best bathing suits I’ve ever owned, she makes them herself, and the fabric so nice. Highly recommend. It was a full moon last night, I sat out and read my book for a bit. I placed my crystals out under the moonlight and made my wishes on the moon. Even though I couldn’t’ see it through the clouds, I knew it was there. I got this yellow bowl two summer’s ago from a shop in the LXMarket, Lisbon. I was hesitant to buy it but I’m so glad to have it now. This orange outfit is my most favourite thing right now, I copped the crop/shorts from Sasha Exeter‘s post and…

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Day 73: This Is A Test, You Can Handle It!

Yesterday my blog crashed! Thankfully I contacted my server host and their support team helped me out. I was stressed but calm. In times before now, I might have freaked out, got upset, or had a cry. Not this time, I kept my cool, knowing I have regular backups and that it will be ok. Advice for other bloggers, update your plugins one at a time, update before you post new content, and make sure you have regular backups. Feels good to be back to regularly scheduled blogging!

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Day 59: Support Your Friends!

Right now, more than ever we need to support our friends! We are all in this together and we will get through it by being there for each other, at a distance! Social media is an amazing tool to share the things you love, you like, and support others. This tweet has been pinned to the top of my Twitter profile for over a year! Last night I joined in a pop-culture trivia game on Facebook hosted by my friend Alex. Follow her on IG @lexniko, I love the content she creates and she’s funny AF. Today my friend Mariah sent me a message about her latest project, a film called Pamela & Ivy. I know I don’t do movies reviews often but today her message came just as I was about to have lunch. So, I watched it and put a few notes into a post here. You can also watch the full 16-minute film in the post or on YouTube. Mariah and I had been internet friends for a little while and last year we met for a coffee date. It was so since to meet face-to-face! I am inspired by her work and how much she has accomplished at a young age. She founded GTE Productions at 21 and is an award-winning actress & filmmaker. Her talent is out of this world! After lunch, I went to the post office to ship a wee package of a card & friendship bracelet + an item from Knixwear. I am so impressed with their customer service! A couple of weeks ago I placed an order from the warehouse sale and when the package arrived, the order wasn’t correct. That same afternoon I was refunded for the missing items and they asked that the wrong size item I received was…

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Day 58: Focus Your Power

I keep a stack of creative books beside my computer on the table where I work in the kitchen. Sometimes when I’m feeling a creative block, unmotivated, or sad, I grab one and open it to a random page. For mother’s Day, I opened Rupi Kaur‘s ‘the sun and her flowers‘ to a poem with advice from a mum. Today, I opened Adam J. Kurtz book ‘Things Are What You Make of Them‘ to this page. Most of the time, the universe seems to know exactly what I need and presents a message on the page. I see you. What even is fashion? My Quarantine Style this week has been a bit wild. It’s still quite cold up here so I need to layer up. It’s hard to believe the long weekend is days away and we had a couple of flurries today. SPRING WHERE ARE YOU!? Here’s hoping we jump right into summer! Next week we might crack temps over 20 degrees. I AM REALLY READY FOR SOME HOT SUN.

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Day 56: For The Mamas

Mums, step-moms, grandmas, sisters, pet mums, plant mums, sister and friends who are there for us with mum love, today is for you. Had a nice chat with my mum and then went to a garden centre. We Facetimed Sean’s mum and had her pick out a big beautiful hanging plant to go at the cottage front door. In the evening, I did a self-care spa including a foot mask, face mask, and watched Dead to Me in bed while drinking rosé. It was nice! Good show. Sending special love to my mum who had been a source of strength and inspiration every day of my life. I love you so much! She always has good advice, a creative idea, or the right thing to say when I need it.

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Day 28: The Bright Side

Remember a couple of weeks ago (Day 19)when I was collecting onion skins for fabric dye? Well, it didn’t really turn out, the colour was a washed-out beige and not very cute. However, I discovered you can dye clothing with turmeric which makes fabric BRIGHT YELLOW. I tested it on this (formerly white) sweater from Superette and it LOOKS AMAZING. I love it so much, this yellow is my favourite colour. ??☀️ I did laundry at home because the washing machine up here has been out of service for a week. On the way back, we stopped at an appliance shop on the highway, which was surprisingly open. The man working came out to the car, and after letting him know what we needed, came back out with the part to fix it. I am so impressed with Sean’s handyman skills, he has now fixed the water, the washing machine, and the plumbing. ❤️

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Day 21: Reality Check

The news today is a very sobering reality of just how intense this situation is. I have been watching the live news reports on CP24 from 1 pm-3 pm and my chest is tight with anxiety. It is hard to believe the world we are living in, it’s not a movie or simulation, this is real life. It’s heartbreaking. Ontario alone could see 15K deaths and over 1M cases have been recorded around the world. Today I sent a couple of invoices for the last round of work I did and to be honest, I’m not sure what’s next? This Day in History: Covid-19 The Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020. I am putting this information here as a reminder to look back on one day when this is all over (it has been floating around on Facebook). Premier Ford said we are looking at 2 years for this to fully be over and once the first round of the virus starts to ease up, we could see a second and third wave. There are now 11,283 Confirmed Cases in Canada on this day with 173 deaths. Gas prices are at a record low 68 cents.  School cancelled since March 13th until May 1st (kids aren’t likely going back until September) Self-distancing measures on the rise. Tape on the floors at grocery stores and other stores to help distance shoppers 2m from each other. Limited number of people inside stores, with 1 per family, therefore lineups are outside the store doors. Hand washing stations in the Store Entrances and Pexi-glass barriers installed around the Cashiers/Check-out Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed. Parks, trails, entire cities locked up. Entire sports seasons cancelled. Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events – cancelled. Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings – cancelled. No…

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Podcast: Coming Up in My Sneakers w/ Heather Loduka

I’m on another podcast! A couple of weeks ago I hung out with Heather Loduca and we recorded an episode of her podcast, Coming Up in My Sneakers. On each episode, Heather talks to industry leaders about their ‘come-up’ story of who they are and how they got to where they are today. In this ep, I go right back to the beginning and share about my family, my first business, publishing, high school, and more. We laugh a few times in the first 6 minutes so I hope you enjoy it lol. I’m not sure I’ve ever shared this much about my personal life before so if you’ve got time, hit play below or find the podcast on your favorite service here. The podcast is available on all podcast streaming services, find your fav way to listen here. Casie Stewart is THE original influencer. Before Instagram, before Tik Tok, Casie was blogging and connecting with brands and using unique business tactics that are completely applicable today. She started back in the 00’s when people didn’t even know what an influencer did or how it could help their company. In this episode Casie offers real advice, amazing stories from working with Much Music and Virgin Airlines and a colourful come up story that any 2020 influencer can greatly benefit from. Heather Loduka, Host, Coming Up in My Sneakers

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Beat Winter SAD: Hire a Cleaner

Cleaning the house at any time of year can be a challenge. When you have the long dreary winter where it’s dark before work and dark when you get home, it’s even harder. Also, how do we go through so many dishes and kid’s clothes in a week? IDK. We have been meaning to do a deep clean on everything for longer than I care to admit. AskForTask gave me two hours of free cleaning to try the service and let me tell you, IT WAS AMAZING. I booked the cleaning via askfortask.com and was able to list the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and share comments. The whole process took about 5 minutes and I paid the difference (after my discount) with PayPal. I booked the recommended 3 hours and our Tasker arrived Sunday morning and cleaned for the requested time. They require you to be home for the cleaning so I booked a time that worked for us. Starting the week knowing the work is done has me feeling grateful. I can’t believe how much she deep cleaned! At one point I went to our first floor and she had completely moved our furniture to clean behind the couch. Our while place looks great. Highly recommend Maria with AskforTask, very thorough. For all the work you do in a day, a week, a month, treat yourself and hire a cleaner. There’s a handy app that allows you to communicate with your Tasker and add more hours if need be. Use code CASIESTEWART for $10 off your first task and give yourself some peace of mind. You deserve it.

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Review: iRobot Braava jet m6 Robot Mop

I don’t have an actual pet but when our little robot is cleaning the office floor and docking near my desk, I feel some kinda love. For the last few weeks, I’ve been testing out the new Braava jet m6 Robot Mop. This latest innovation from iRobot is a smart mop that cleans your floors, charges itself, maps your space, and keeps you updated on what it’s doing through the iRobot HOME app. Cleaning The Braava jet m6 Robot Mop definitely does a good job of cleaning floors. The last few weeks have had a lot of messy shoes, drink spills, and holiday snacks so we gave it a good test. It’s easy to use and able to get in close quarters like around desks & close to walls. One of my fav features is that it’s small enough to get under the edge of the kitchen cabinets where it can get pretty messy. Wifi + iRobot HOME App The app is pretty great and sends push notifications when a job is completed or the device needs your attention. iRobot uses Imprint Smart Mapping technology, mapping your space, creating a digital document in the app of where it’s been or it needs to clean. You can also pause and resume the cleaning job at any time. If you have a Roomba sweeping device, you can sync both so that once the Roomba is done cleaning dust & dirt, it can signal the Braava jet to start mopping the floor. You can also set the cleaning time within the app so it gets to work while you’re out for the day, sleeping, or at work. We have ours set to clean at 10am, 3 nights a week when the office is free of humans. Other things to Note It’s pretty quiet,…

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Hello from the Woods!

Sean and I have been up at the cottage for a couple days now. We had a pretty chill holiday time, neither of us have a big family so it’s a pretty quiet few days. I’m treating this getaway like a year end retreat. Soaking up the silence of the outdoors, making use of the space and time inside the cottage, and finding ways to pass the time without house wifi. The first night we both crashed around 7pm when we realized the internet/ cable has been turned off for the season. We have mobile service (thanks Telus!) but aside from that the only movies we’re watching are on VHS or DVD. After my workout I did a meditation and listened to a great tarot reading for the end of the year. It reminded me to make the most of this time before the new year to enjoy each moment. Breathe deeply and not to rush things. So, that’s exactly what I’m doing! I’m excited for a new year and hopefully a few new exciting things to share. Enjoy the day! buy Cialis Super active

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The 2019 Breast Cancer Campaign w/ Estee Lauder

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, a woman is diagnosed EVERY 15 SECONDS. Multiple women will be diagnosed by the time you read this post. I was asked to be part of Estee Lauder’s 2019 Breast Cancer Campaign with a goal to raise $9M for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. By joining the campaign, I’m here to raise awareness and money to help fund more research so we can *hopefully* beat breast cancer. It breaks my heart hearing stories about how many people die from it and also talking with friends & family about our own personal connections to breast cancer. It can affect anyone. This year, an estimated 268,600 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 62,930 women will be diagnosed with in situ breast cancer. An estimated 2,670 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. cancer.net 25 years ago, Evelyn H. Lauder created the Cancer Campaign and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (#BCRF) and since have raised millions to find research, education, and services. All Estee Lauder companies participate in donating the BCRF and you can shop their pink ribbon products here. It really is something that can never be done by any one person; it has to be done by a group. Evelyn H. Lauder For every in-feed IG post shared in October and tagged both #TimeToEndBreastCancer & #ELDonates, @esteelaudercompanies will donate $25 to @bcrf up to $250K, which will fund an ENTIRE YEAR OF RESEARCH. Hair @sassoontoronto MUA @beyondbeautifulbybrittLashes @true_glue_beauty Photo @aplus_creative Buy Abilify buy Aciphex No Prescription buy Isotretinoin online buy Nexium online

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