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.

The Birthday Edit: lookfantastic’s September beauty box

I received the lookfantastic box for review purposes. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes. 

Lookfantastic Beauty Box is a subscription box from the UK that includes six premium beauty and skin care products and a copy of ELLE UK magazine each month. At £15.00 or about $22 CAD/month and free international shipping, it’s one of the best beauty bargains on the market. September’s celebrates lookfantastic’s fifth birthday with some of the most iconic products in the industry.

A new Canadian subscription box: The Hygge Starter Kit from Hygge in a Box

I received the Hygge Starter Kit for review purposes. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes. 

Hygge in a Box is a new quarterly subscription box for those looking to bring more happiness and comfort into their lives. 🙋‍♀️ Today I’ve got the Hygge Starter Kit, a smaller version of the quarterly box that’s designed to provide an intro to the hygge-inspired life with some ideas and products for meaningful moments and relaxation. Inside are items that touch on some of the key elements of hygge: Warmth, Light, Nourishment, Comfort, Connection, Joy, Mindfulness and Nature. All are made with ethically sourced materials by Canadian artisans and businesses.

I love a good mystery: September’s Glossybox #beautybox

I received September’s Glossybox for review purposes. This post also appears on A Year of Boxes.

Glossybox is a U.S. beauty subscription box that typically comes with 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 try brands you may not have seen otherwise. (Glossybox draws from 400+ brands around the world.) September’s box includes a bonus mystery product. I didn’t look at the spoilers, so the contents were a complete surprise to me. 

Meet the Maker: Northern Ontario artist Julieanne Murphy-Steedman of Heirloom Island + A giveaway!

Julieanne created a custom map for me in exchange for this post.

Today’s post has been a few months in the making, so I’m really excited to finally be able to introduce you to a wonderful map maker and visual artist, Julieanne Murphy-Steedman of Heirloom Island. Julieanne and I have been following each other on Instagram since our friend Christine of Life on Manitoulin connected us a few years ago (it may be longer or shorter than that — my long-term memory is pretty crap and my short-term one’s not much better, ha ha) but it wasn’t until this spring that Julieanne reached out about collaborating. I love her work — her new series of maps of Ontario towns and cities fantastic! — so it’s been a pleasure to get to know her a little bit by email and share this interview with you. Julieanne mentions a couple of venues where you can meet her at the end of the post, but I’d love to flag the Ottawa one here again. You can catch her at Etsy Made in Canada at Carleton University’s Fieldhouse from September 27 to 29. Now to the Q&A! 

Five art prints I love and where to find them

Some of you have asked about a few prints you’ve spotted here and on social so I thought I’d do a quick round-up of my favourites and where you can find them. I’ve got all five in my living room right now; some new, some old, all under $33 CAD (including one you can download for free). 

Salud! Inside GlobeIn’s lastest Artisan Box

I received the August GlobeIn Artisan Box for free for review purposes. 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 Premium Box has a theme and for August it’s the Salud Box.