A breakfast box made in Montreal: October’s OatBox

I received October’s OatBox in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes.

OatBox is a monthly breakfast subscription box from Montreal that comes with two large bags of handcrafted granolas that are 100% natural and preservative-free, plus two recipes. Gluten-free boxes are available and subscriptions can be delayed or cancelled free of charge.

Inside October’s Lookfantastic Beauty Box

I received October’s Lookfantastic box for review purposes. All opinions are my own. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes.

Last month’s Lookfantastic Beauty Box was mostly a miss but (spoiler alert!) October’s is almost spot on. I love when that happens! Happy day! If this is the first you’re hearing of it, it’s a monthly subscription box from the UK that delivers six premium beauty and skin care products and a copy of ELLE UK for the low low price of £15.00 or about $22 CAD/month and free international shipping. (I don’t get any kick-backs for saying that, I just think it’s a great deal.) 

Nana + Livy handmade vegan bath treats + a giveaway!

I received the products in this post for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Amelia So’s house must smell amazing. When she’s not taking care of her two young daughters, the Burnaby, BC entrepreneur makes vegan, food-based bath treats in her home studio. Real orange peels go into the orange soap blocks; rosemary and tea tree oil scent shampoo bars; and rose petals and rosebuds mingle with Himalayan pink salts and mild Kaolin clay in the rose bath tea. It’s all about feeding the skin with nutritious ingredients — a hobby Amelia started on her maternity leave in 2017 and turned into a business a year later. She called it Nana + Livy after her two young daughters, Natalia and Olivianne, and somehow found the time recently to answer a few questions about the biz. 

October’s Sweet Reads Box is a thriller! (Literally)

I received October’s Sweet Reads Box for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

I’ve been down in the dumps for a bit but I feel like I’m finally starting to shake it off, so herewith a reveal I’ve been wanting to share: the latest (and quite possibly the best yet) Sweet Reads Box. The monthly subscription box promises “me time delivered” with a new novel, a sweet treat, coffee or tea and a few other treats related to the story. October’s box marked the Canadian co’s second anniversary, so an extra surprise was included as well. They have the anniversary and we get the presents! I like where this is going. 

October’s Glossybox #beautybox

I received October’s Glossybox for review purposes. All opinions are my own. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes.

Glossybox is a monthly beauty subscription box that delivers five deluxe or full-size beauty products ranging from trendy to high-end. At $21 USD it’s generally a great value for what you get and a fun way to take products for a test run. (Glossybox draws from 400+ brands around the world.)

Because a little pampering is in order: GlobeIn’s October box

I received GlobeIn’s October box for review purposes. All opinions are my own. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes.

GlobeIn is a monthly subscription box featuring handmade, ethically sourced products from makers around the world. Each box has a theme and for October it’s the Revive Box, curated with treats for a little personal pampering.  

Mental health, Foxy Originals’ new fall/winter collection + A giveaway!

I received the pieces in this post in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It’s World Mental Health Day and I’m frustrated. I’ve been in treatment for anxiety and depression for 20 years and for all that work, I’m still struggling. I’ve made some gains for sure (exhibit A: the fact that I’m talking about it here or anywhere) but I regularly beat myself up for getting worked up about things that I think most people wouldn’t give a second thought. For example, I’ve got two events coming up in the next month that I should be looking forward to — book-related events I’ve paid to attend — but the closer they get, the more dread I feel. It’s this downward spiral of “I’m not smart enough/funny enough/entertaining enough to be there” combined with “I need to lose 10 to 15 pounds by then or people are going to think I’ve totally let myself go and I’m going to hate every picture.” (My heart is pounding just writing this.) How does any of this relate to Foxy Originals‘ new collection? I’m getting to it.

Currently coveting

Happy Tuesday, everybody! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was relaxing and fun, with a couple of free craft workshops at Bayshore with friends on Friday and Saturday (we made macrame plant holders and denim scrunchies with Victoria from Handmade Jungle), an early spin class at The Dailey Method yesterday morning and much lounging yesterday afternoon. I’ve got a batch of pumpkin muffins in the oven that’s making the house smell really good right now and a couple of hours before the kids come home from school so I thought I’d catch you up on some things I’m loving lately.

Smoothies by subscription: Goodfood’s PB&J delivers

I received smoothies for review purposes. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes. 

Goodfood is a weekly subscription that delivers all of the fresh ingredients you need in pre-measured amounts to make delicious meals at home. Earlier this year the company introduced a breakfast option: a variety of smoothies packed with quality farm-frozen ingredients and ready in seconds. This month I tried a new flavour, PB&J.