TBT: New Zealand Fashion Week 2010

Next year is my 10th year of blogging and marks 9 years of casiestewart.com. Can you believe it’s been so FREAKING long? It amazes me when I think back to why I started this  bloggy blog and where it’s taken me since. THIS IS MY LIFE has been a public diary to keep memories and I’ve travelled round the entire world writing stories about my adventures. One of my fav trips ever was going to New Zealand for Fashion Week. A contest I knew online told the peeps at NZFW that I was a Kiwi and a Canadian blogger they should have attend. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I get to stick around for an extra week to spend time with my family.  I made friends on that trip I’ll have for life. This is me hanging out w/ top NY celebrity stylist Derek Fabulous and world famous designer Nicole Miller.  I blogged heaps that trip and you can creep them posts right hurre. I did a few interviews on that trip and one earned my first EVER magazine cover. Me, cover! Photo was taken by fashion photog Lynsie Roberts as press shots before I left. Click image to check out her website.   Here’s to more great adventures and TBT stories. Mum, TBT means Throw Back Thursday. <3 CASIE

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Canon Blogtography: Holiday Portrait Session

I  LOVE the holidays! Nothing like meeting up with friends, letting your hair down with colleagues, boxing day deals, and making memories. In our most recent Canon Blogtography Session at Herman & Audrey, I was pleasantly surprised to see Christmas decorations, a tree, and lights.  It may have only been November but there was no stopping me from putting  on the Christmas music! You can bet I started with Mariah! In this session we learned how to take portraits. It was my most favourite session all the ones we’ve had so far. We went over a variety of ways to shoot perfect holiday portraits and what lenses to use. We worked on depth, putting things in focus, and shooting under low light. ex. candle light. I’ve been taking my own portrait since 2004 when I started this blogging so it was really wonderful to learn how to actually do it right. Our session was lead by top Canadian portrait photographer Steve Carty.  He’s taken a few of my portraits before, see here and here for video. Tips on Taking Portraits from Canon Canada My Portraits from Our Session We were encouraged to snap shots of each other. These are a few of my favourite shots from the session. I’ll share some they took of me before Christmas comes! Andrew Dobson  Corinne McDermott Steve Carty Nelia Belkova It definitely helps to have a tripod when you are shooting group shots like this around the table for example. You can pick up a tripod from any camera store. I love to use a tripod and the self-timer for taking self-portraits and making sure I’m included in group shots.  Aren’t they cute? 🙂 For more tips and tricks on taking great photos visit canonoutsideofauto.ca and check out Steve Carty’s portraits for creative inspiration. Happy Holidays…

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so what i’m crazy, that leaves me with all the freedom

“People will laugh at you because you’re different. You will laugh at them because they’re all the same.” This quote came in a Twitter post by an experienced blogger I follow on Twitter named John Chow. People have always said “You’re crazy” or as I dance by myself in the middle of the dance floor with my arms over my head “That’s Casie, she’s crazy“.   For a while I thought, “Oh no, they think I’m crazy” but that was followed by thinking, “no, you are just different and they are all the same.” (Yes, I have had this conversation with myself more than once.) I would rather be seen as crazy, than ordinary any day.     As soon as someone says you are crazy, they really give you the power and freedom of expression to do whatever you want. You can transcend all boundaries of what people consider normal because they already know you’re ‘out there’.   This motivates me.

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Travel | Good Time Adventures in Koh Tao, Thailand

We went on an afternoon snorkelling cruise with Good Time Adventures around Koh Tao, Thailand. It was absolutely amazing! Our crew was so much fun and we drank, swam, jumped off the boat, and visited beaches. The shot of Jenni above was assisted by our Tour Leader, Luke, way to go! These photos were taken with my Canon Rebel SL1. To see the group I was travelling search #ContikiThai on Twitter or Instagram and visit this Twitter list. Thank you to Contiki, Tourism Thailand, and Good Time Adventures for this experience. It was absolutely amazing. I’ve got a few more pic from this cruise on my Instagram here too. Hope this warms up your Monday! <3 CASIE

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Check out ‘We Got Snow’ by my friend Leah Daniels!

Leah and I were in Thailand together and got along really well, heaps of laughs. She’s a Canadian Country singer and this little tune is a great way to kick off December 2013.  Our crew on the trip was anxiously awaiting the release of the ‘We Got Snow’ video after it was stuck in our heads most the trip. I love the kazoo part.  It’s perfect timing for the holidays! Get it here on iTunes. They made this great set in her basement and it was directed by none other than the awesome Tim Deegan, former MUCH VJ. Leah Daniels – We Got Snow – Official Music Video Have a great day my friends, the holidays are just around the corner and I’m already filled with joy! <3 CASIE

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