Lately Vol. 9

I haven't done a lately post for a while so I thought I would share some of my instagram/iphone photos and a little about what I've been up the last couple months. Back in November myself and a few fellow local blogger and local retailers hosted our first House of Bloggers event, and we raised over $1000 for Kids Cancer Care. I had fun testing out different nail appliqués and developed an obsession with plum lip colours. I've been trying to make more time for friends over the last couple months, and have also been trying to fit in my running goals and keep up with yoga. And that's pretty much what's been going on lately. 

House of Bloggers Shopping Baazar with blogger friends Karolina and KD 

Revlon by Marchesa nail appliqués 

Isabel Marant for H&M scarf and a winter run

dinner with a friend and JP made an apple pie!

plum lips and painting with my sister

Happy Holidays

Here are just a few photos from around the house on Christmas Eve.  It has been so nice to spend quality time with family and loved ones this holiday season. This year we had family visiting from out of town and it was the first Christmas we had spend together in nine years! 

Wishing everyone the best for the rest of the holidays! I can't believe this year is almost over. 

Early Christmas Dinner

On Sunday JP and I had an early Christmas dinner with his side of the family.  It was a relaxing evening spent chatting and catching up with family. I decided to wear an incredibly comfy sweater dress that I picked up a couple months ago from Joe Fresh and spice it up with this fun statement necklace that caught my eye a couple weeks ago from Joe Fresh. You can't see in the photos because the light is so bright, but it has this really interesting faux leather texture. 

In other news I wrapped up the first semester of my second year of grad school on the weekend and it has been so nice to relax the last couple days. I'm looking forward to taking it easy for the holidays and spending time with family and friends. 

Outfit Details
Joe Fresh sweater dress, riding boots, and necklace
Mackage Kenya leather jacket via Aritzia
TNA Equator leggings via Aritzia
Gap scarf

Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation

I thought I would do a review on the Chanel Mat Lumiere Long Lasting Luminous Matte Fluid Makeup before I said farewell to it. I haven't wore it in well over two years, but up until now could not part with the bottle. This is the foundation I decided to wear on my wedding day and I was very happy with it at the time. Unfortunately I started having allergic reactions to it a few months after the wedding. I discovered that I am allergic to titanium dioxide, and because of this I have difficulties with products that contain SPF. The SPF in this foundation is apparently pure titanium dioxide, which is actually good news for those who are looking for a foundation with a good SPF, it was just not good news for me. This foundation blended very well and gave a medium coverage. The matte finish was not flat, and I would agree that it was a "luminous matte" finish. It did not look cakey or heavy and appeared natural. I also loved how light it felt on my skin. I don't typically like scented face products, but I didn't mind the scent of this foundation. The reason that I choose this foundation for my wedding day was that I wanted my skin to look matte and I wanted a foundation with SPF. It is not recommended to wear sunscreen for wedding photos, but I was getting married in Cabo and decided that I would risk a foundation with SFP and a "white glow" in my photos over sunburned skin. I didn't end up noticing a white glow in my wedding photos, so this foundation ended up working out well for my wedding day. Overall I really loved the Mat Lumiere foundation and would have continued to use it if it was not for the allergy. 

Almay | Gentle Eye Makeup Removers

A little while ago Almay sent me a couple of their new eye makeup removes to try out. I have very sensitive skin and Almay is known for their hypoallergenic and fragrance-free products, so I decided to give these eye makeup removers a go. 

Soothing and De-Puffing Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Pads

I don't typically use makeup removing pads or wipes, but I think these a great idea for travel. I like the idea that they have a dual purpose as they are also soothing and de-puffing. They are also hypoallergentic, which is pretty much a necessity for me. I definitely think the soothing element is more useful then the de-puffing though because my eyes aren't usually puffy in the evening when I remove my makeup. The one thing that I did not like about these makeup remover pads was the strong scent. They are supposed to be unscented but they definitely had a distinct smell to them. I prefer makeup removers and face cleansers to have a mild scent or no scent at all. Even though there was a strong scent they were gentle and did not irritate my sensitive skin. They did a great job at removing my everyday eye makeup and I only needed one remover pad per eye. Overall I think these are great if you are in a pinch or travelling because of the connivence and efficiency, but I wouldn't choose to use these everyday.

Longwear and Waterproof Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

Out of the two products I liked this eye makeup remover best. It was unscented and worked well. The formula is activated when it is shaken up and mixed together and it is supposed leave skin moisturized. I poured the remover onto a cotton pad and held it over my eyes for a few seconds before swiping my eye makeup off. I can't attest to their claim that it removes waterproof makeup because I don't use waterproof mascara formulas, but it did remove my millions of coats of mascara and my longwear cream eyeshadow. As with the remover pads, it didn't irritate my sensitive skin. 

Plen+y: Get Cozy

A few weeks back I was asked to participate in the Plenty "Get Cozy" blogger challenge. I choose to style this super soft and comfy ombre sweater, and I am absolutely loving it.  It has quickly become one of my favourite sweaters for winter, and I love how it looks with my leather jacket. As soon as the cold weather hits I bundle up in my biggest scarves, boots, and sweaters.  How do you get cozy for winter?

Outfit Details
Monk & Lou Dipdye Leita pullover ℅ Plenty
Gap coated jeans
Joe Fresh boots
Wilfred Coquette scarf via Aritzia
Mackage Kenya jacket via Aritzia

Photos by Colleen

H&M at Chinook

H&M recently opened at Chinook Centre Mall in Calgary, and I was lucky enough to set foot in the store before the doors officially opened. The store is beautifully designed with an eye catching two story high feature wall and a skylight. I found the lay out was easy to navigate. While checking out the store I immediately set my eyes on a sweater that I loved and stopped looking around because I didn't want to be tempted into spending everything in my bank account. 

Below are a few photos from the event. 

 

Fall Knits and Suede

I'm so obsessed with the boots I'm wearing in this outfit, but shortly after I bought them it snowed and I haven't had very many chances to wear them. I'm also totally obsessed with this sweater and I have been wearing it constantly. A couple years ago I went through a cardigan phase, and now I'm loving all kinds of knitted sweaters. 

Well, I don't have too much to say. It's been snowing a lot and I have mostly been staying indoors, drinking a lot of coffee and working away on papers for school. JP and I have some friends visiting from Austrailia for the next few weeks are we are so excited that they are here! 

xo Ashley

Outfit Details
Sweater and necklace ℅ H&M
Rag & Bone ombre jeans
Gap suede ankle boots

Photos by my little sister

Autumn Chill

I'm sitting at home procrastinating going for a run and working on homework. I have been drinking my coffee as slowly as possible and savouring the morning. I don't want to start my homework yet because if I get in a writing mood I will definitely bail on my run. My exercise goal for this fall/winter was to run outdoors as often as I can, but I'm having a hard time actually sticking to this goal. It's already snowed here and it's making me want to just sit indoor everyday.  To give me some more motivation, yesterday I checked out a running path close to my house that I haven't been on before. I definitely want to test it out. Well, enough procrastinating for today. I'm off for my run. 

Outfit Details
Talula Trooper Jacket via Aritzia (similar)
studded sweatshirt ℅ Joe Fresh
Joe Fresh ankle boots
Gap coated denim (gift from Karolina's Style)
Willow Earrings ℅ Adorie

Photos by my little sister

Revlon By Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques

A few weeks ago I was sent the some of the limited edition Revlon By Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques to test out. The nail appliqués are designed to translate red carpet couture gowns into something any woman can wear everyday. The appliqués feature metallics, bold colours, beading, and intricate prints. So far I've only tried out Gilded Mosaic. They are so beautiful I'm afraid to ruin them! I also want to save a few for some special occasions. I think a fun way to wear them ( and save them!) would be to paint your nails a complimentary colour and use only one nail appliqué on an accent nail. I think this is what I'm going to try next. If you want to see a photo of how Gilded Mosaic turned out I put a photo up on my Instagram and Facebook page. 

When I applied the Gilded Mosaic appliqué, I used a base coat underneath and I'm not sure that this was the best method. Maybe it was because I didn't let the base coat dry fully, but the first hand that I did turned out a little wrinkled. I removed the base coat from my other hand and started out with clean nails and they turned out much better. I also took the time to smooth out my second hand so that may have helped as well. The thing I like most about the nail appliqués is that there is no wait or drying time. It's quick and easy. They can also last for quite a while, but you can also remove them with no fuss. 

Click here for a video I found with some really great application tips and tricks. 

Crown Jewels, Gilded Mosaic, Royal Burgundy

Evening Garnet, Jeweled Noir, 24K Brocade

24K Brocade, Beaded Couture, Crown Jewels, Evening Garnet, Gilded Mosaic, Silk Rosette, Jeweled Noir, Royal Burgundy
Photos courtesy of Revlon and Marchesa

Photos courtesy of Revlon and Marchesa

Photos courtesy of Revlon and Marchesa

House of Bloggers Shopping Bazzar

For anyone who is from Calgary and area, come stop by Eau Claire Market on Sunday, November 3 from 12-5, for the chance to shop my closet at the  House of Bloggers Shopping Bazaar. Myself and a few other local bloggers will be selling our clothes with proceeds going towards Kids Cancer Care. This poster is a sneak peek at some of the items that will be for sale at the event. 

Along with shopping local bloggers closets, you will also have the chance to shop from local retailers, there will be hourly giveaways, and a silent auction. 

Check out the Facebook event for more information and check out House of Bloggers Facebook page to be the first to hear about future events. 

You can also keep up to date and help spread the word through twitter by following and tweeting #HOByyc and @kidscancercare

See you there!

Falling Leaves

This is what I wore a couple weeks ago when I stopped by Leo Boutique to chat with Caitlin Power about her F/W 13 collection. I had to pull out my Caitlin Power romper for the occasion. My favourite part about it is the leather detailing on the shoulders.  I wish that fall would last longer in Alberta. I love autumn colours. This year we lucked out and the leaves seems to linger just a little longer then usual. 

Outfit Details

Talula jacket

Caitlin Power Romper

Jeffrey Campbell ankle boots

Photos of me by my little sister