Tour my new home-away-from-home: Indigo Innes + A giveaway!

I partnered with Indigo for this sponsored post. All opinions are my own and from the heart.

“It’s not all sunshine and rainbows but a good amount of it actually is.” — Adam J. Kurtz

I think I could move into an Indigo tomorrow and be quite happy. Thousands of books to read, dozens of cozy pillows and throws to curl up with, and so many mugs for tea that I’d never have to wash a dish. I could roll out a yoga mat in front of the store’s soaring windows (not that I do yoga but you know, I love all the cute gear), track my steps from one department to another on my Fitbit, and get my eight glasses a day refilling my S’well and bkr water bottles (because naturally they have all those too). So when Indigo invited me to preview their newest location, I packed a bag. I was out to the store last Friday for a tour and back the next morning for the ribbon cutting that kicked off the grand opening. (Me and more than 400 others who lined up to be the first through those beautiful indigo blue doors.) Here’s a look inside the 20,000+ square foot location at 2025 Mer-Bleue Road in Orleans. And trust me when I say it’s even better in person. 

50 Ways To Draw Your Beautiful, Ordinary Life: Practical Lessons In Pencil And Paper + Win a copy!

Thomas Allen & Son sent me a copy of 50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful, Ordinary Life: Practical Lessons in Pencil and Paper in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

“I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing.” — Vincent Van Gogh

When I was in high school I did a three-month student exchange in Quebec and took an art class heavy on illustration. One of our assignments was to draw our reflection in an everyday object, and I remember sitting at my host family’s kitchen table one day after school, totally engrossed in my homework as I tried to sketch my face mirrored in a chrome kettle. Until the smell of smoke broke my concentration. I looked up from my sketchpad and saw the croissant I’d forgotten in the toaster oven engulfed in flames and black smoke curling up the cupboard. (Merde!) A glass of water put the fire out (and shattered the door of the toaster oven), but I’ve never forgiven myself. I was so in the flow that I nearly burned the house down! Which is why I think maybe today’s book should come with a warning. Because it’s easy to lose track of time (and everything else) when you sit down with 50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful, Ordinary Life: Practical Lessons in Pencil and Paper. 

Craft the Rainbow: 40 Colorful Paper Projects from The House That Lars Built + Win a copy!

Abrams Books sent me a copy of Craft the Rainbow in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart.

Well our spring buds are taking their sweet time to bloom and I am itching to see some COLOUR. So let’s BRING IT ON! Today I’ve got the first of two new books to share with all kinds of brilliant DIY ideas to invite your favourite hues into your home and your wardrobe. Craft the Rainbow: 40 Colorful Paper Projects from The House That Lars Built by Brittany Watson Jepsen (remember her Flowers and Cactus colouring books?) explores everything colour-related under the sun, from why certain colours work together and how to use them, to fun facts in colour history and quotes from artists and designers who share their favourites. And the projects! Three for each of the pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and white chapters, followed by 16 rainbow crafts for those who love them all. There are party crowns made from drinking straws, tasselled curtain tiebacks made of crepe paper and wooden blocks, paper plants in every colour of the rainbow and shoe clips that turn cupcake liners into works of art. Sounds amazing, right? Just wait ’til you see inside. 

Retail therapy: Talking to Boss Lady Deborah Perlman of COCUS POCUS + A giveaway!

Cocus Pocus gifted me the products I’m wearing in this post in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

You know when you find a shop that’s so YOU and you just want to BUY ALL THE THINGS? That’s COCUS POCUS for me (and that woman there ↑↑↑ is the boss lady behind it). It’s one of my favourite new online shops for unique, colourful and totally FUN fashion, accessories, home goods and more, like this chunky-knit Santa hat I bought before Christmas — which is pretty cute on, if I do say so myself — along with these socks and these ones (If you can read this bring me a glass of wine, LOL). Today I want to show you some of my favourite pieces for Spring, introduce you to shop owner Deborah Perlman (aka Curator of Happiness), and share a giveaway for an item that I hope you’ll love as much as I do. 

Meet the makers: Q&A with Sweet Reads Box founders Kerrie and Mark + April’s reveal + A giveaway!

I received April’s Sweet Reads Box for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

This month’s Sweet Reads Box reveal is a little later than usual but I think it’s worth the wait. In addition to a peek behind the scenes with founders Kerrie and Mark, I’ve got a giveaway for the June box! If you’ve been following along you’ll know the boxes sell out quickly so while this one here has already been all snapped up, Kerrie and Mark have set a June one aside for one of you. They’ve also got a discount on right now for 15% off three- and six-month subscriptions with the code LOVEMOMS so if you’ve been thinking of trying it, now’s a great time! And if it’s the first you’re hearing of it, Sweet Reads Box is a Canadian book subscription service that comes with a novel and five or six related treats (including something to eat and drink, which always goes over well around here). You can see all my past reviews here. Now let’s get to the April box! 

Everything is the Worst: A Book for People Who Just Can’t + Win a copy!

Thomas Allen & Son sent me Everything is the Worst in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart.

It’s the middle of April for crying out loud and the windows are frozen shut, the power is cutting out, my nose is running like a tap and we’re out of tissues with lotion. Yeah, everything could be a lot worse, but can we not do that for a minute and just call it the shitshow that it is? If you just nodded in agreement, 1) you are my people, and 2) you’ll love Everything Is The Worst: A Book For People Who Just Can’t. New this month from Workman Publishing, it’s a collection of hand-lettered illustrations that say what’s on our minds at one time or another — things like “Can everyone please shut up”, “I’d rather stay home”, and “Tired AF”. PLUS a paper garland to punch out and string together that says “Everything Sucks”. Perfect to flip through on those days when you’re not feelin’ it, and great to gift to that friend who tells it like it is. “If I’m at a party where I’m not enjoying myself, I will put some cookies in my pocket and leave without saying goodbye.” — Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy’s quoted in the book too, along with Amy Schumer, Amy Poehler and other smart people.) 

DIY marbled eggs and entertaining tips + A giveaway!

Two Oceans sent me some wine and craft supplies to facilitate this post. All opinions are mine and from the heart. 

With Easter just around the corner I’ve got a fun craft for you today that would make a cheap and cheerful addition to any Easter table and a quick and easy activity to do with family and friends. Let’s make some DIY marbled eggs! Handmade Jungle‘s Victoria Stacey developed this clever craft for Two Oceans Wines and I’ll show you eggs-actly how to do it, plus share some of Victoria’s entertaining tips and a giveaway to get you started. Let’s hop to it! 

My faves from Foxy Originals’ new Spring/Summer collection + A giveaway!

Foxy Originals sent me some shiny things to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

As much as I want to pack my winter coat away in the basement and not look at it again for another eight months, this weekend’s fresh snow makes me think we’re still a few weeks out yet. Which isn’t the end of the world but still, I feel like I’m not the only one who could use a pick-me-up to get me through. Luckily my friends at Foxy Originals were happy to help me out. Today I’ve got a look at my favourite pieces from their new (and very sunshiney) Spring/Summer collection, and a giveaway to share with two of you. So fun, right? I feel better already. 

Gift ideas for your galentines + A giveaway!

Entertainment One sent me complimentary copies of A Bad Moms Christmas to facilitate this post and Penguin Random House Canada sent me The Wedding Date for an upcoming review. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

What would we do without our girlfriends? Ideally we’d show them how much they’re appreciated throughout the year but sometimes we fall down on the job. (Well I know I do. Barb, if you’re reading this, I miss you!! Let’s make a date to catch up and watch Gabriel Suits!) Remember your galentines this Valentine’s Day and treat them to something they’ll love, whether it’s a few hours of babysitting so they can enjoy some time for themselves or an “I care” package of thoughtful treats. Here are some of my favourite gift ideas and a giveaway to share with a friend. ❤️ 

Five things (Florida edition) + did you win?

Well hey y’all! How have you been? I want to say I’m just home from Florida but truthfully it’s coming up on a week and apart from an event on Tuesday night, I’ve been mostly lazing about the house in my jammies watching the new Queer Eye on Netflix and organizing a few odd things here and there. I’m overdue for check in and thought I’d pick up where we left off with a few pictures from my trip. I also have the potential winners of January’s Thursday Plantation and Sweet Reads Box giveaways to announce so we’ll get to that too. 

What’s inside January’s Sweet Reads Box + A giveaway!

I received January’s Sweet Reads Box for free to review but all opinions are still my own. 

I know I gush a lot about Sweet Reads Box (if it’s the first you’re hearing of it, it’s a Canadian subscription box for book lovers that includes a novel and a few treats tied to the story) but when January’s arrived this week, I was so happy with it (it’s so me!) that I was like, “Is it my birthday?” As it so happens, today is my birthday and lucky me, I get to share one of my favourite things with you! Thanks to Kerrie and Mark at Sweet Reads Box, one try small things reader is going to win a January box of their own! Let’s see what’s inside. 

DIY valentine soap + A giveaway!

Thursday Plantation Canada sent me some samples to try free of charge, but all opinions are still my own. 

I’ve been reading a lot about self-care in the blogosphere over the past week or so and feel like I’m getting better about identifying (and maybe even embracing) what fills my cup (as uber cheesy as that sounds). Making something tangible with my own hands is huge for me. (This poster = TRUTH.) When I leave the camera or the kitchen or the blog for more than a few days it nags at me; I feel listless and ghost-like, like if I don’t make some sort of impression, something solid, then I don’t exist. Is that weird? Maybe as a lead-in for a fun and easy DIY. Maybe a little dark for this happy valentine soap. But it is what it is, and I have to tell you I was elated by how well these turned out and how much I enjoyed the process. If you’re a maker or think you might be one, show yourself some love with a sweet DIY you can keep for yourself or gift to family and friends. Valentine’s Day may be a few weeks away yet, but love is in the air with this super cute and good-smelling soap.