Not Your Ordinary Organic Sunscreen

As we enter the heat of an Indian summer, it seems that we can’t beat the heat except for when we escape to the beaches, pools, or lay under the shadow of a tree with a book.
I still have super-sensitive skin concerning the sun after adapting to nearly six months of the Canadian winter. Having a basket filled with sunscreen and rosewater spray, ready for a quick pickup on the way out, has become a summer habit.

After spending some time searching for the right facial sunscreen that isn’t going to break the bank, since most of cosmetic brand sunscreens are $35+ range, for merely 120 ml or less. Otherwise, the sunscreen is way too thick or greasy for my sensitive skin. Imagine how delighted I was when I discovered the Alba Organic Lavender Sunscreen SPF 30, that works well on my skin with its non-greasy and lotion that absorbs quickly with yummy lavender scent. I also bought another Alba Organic Facial Sunscreen SPF 20 for sensitive skin. With its pretty light pink graduated tube, it has found its rightful place in my purse.

Alba Organic Lavender Sunscreen SPF 30, with infusions of certified organic lavender acting as a natural insect defense, with aloe vera, chamomile, ginkgo biloba, and green tea. Your skin will thank you for the soothing and healing effect.
$9.69 CAD

There is Alba Fragrance Free Sunscreen SPF 15 that works for all skin types, perfect for daily wear.
$9.69 CAD




















For more information go to: well.ca

Image credit: well.ca

Giveaway! Gift Card from Living Rooms Direct

Bicycle Chain Links Go Modern

When I saw this wonderful Link Collection from notNeutral with its whimsical yet modern pattern on Living Room Direct, I know instantly that this extensive dinnerware collection was a winner in the upscale kitchen of any well-designed modern home. With a nod to mod design based on the link of a bicycle chain, it will appeal to the modernist to you. A variety of smart link patterns appear on the full array of dinnerware and different dishes including an espresso set.

The Brown Links dinnerware set is especially interesting, with the bold Brown Links Rim Bowl set, that will surely catch your attention. Its low, wide design makes it a perfect choice for serving pasta, soups, or cereal.

I especially love their graphic Brown Links Spice Dish Set that comes with four dishes featuring variations of the link pattern. Place them as a decorative accent on your coffee table or as salt and pepper cellars.

The latest but not last news on this notNeutral collection from Living Room Furniture, a web based company offering full scale home décor collections, is a $35 gift card giveaway, that you can placing an order on their vast online home décor lines, including shipping to Canada.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment with this post explaining what catches your eye at Living Rooms Direct.

The contest will be ending by July 31st at PDT 12am. One entry per person please, and do be sure to leave your email address! Contest is open to residents in either the US or Canada. The winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck!

My personal favorites in the notNeutral collection includes: the Brown Link espresso set and the Melamine Snack Set for kids. Both are on sale, listed below $35.

Artful Beach Totes

You know it’s time to visit the beach when the temperature has hit 30°C by noon. Glorious summertime is finally staying after the “hot one day, cold the next” pattern that has been going on for the last while. ‘Must-haves’ to bring to the beach include one or two books, a nice swimsuit, a large beach towel, Burt’s Bees lip shimmer, a batik sarong, Ray-Ban sunglass, sunscreen, a pair of Havaianas, a stainless steel water bottle, a Pylones comb, a little Hello Kitty coin purse and if there is still room, throw in Miss Vickie’s. With that, I am all set, ready to go. To stand out from the crowd, an ordinary beach tote won’t cut it. I’d take an artful, cute tote from Blue Q. They can match any summer outfit and still make you looks fabulous while caring for the planet since they are made of recycled woven polypropylene.

La-La Land Tote

In dreamy landscape, fairy-like fawns and rabbits, birch trees, and clouds float in a sky of pinks and greys. The other side comes with a different image so you’ll never be bored.
$12.00 CAN

Miso Pretty Tote

With its lavish Oriental motifs details and exquisite typography art, this charming Chinese package artwork never failed to amuse me. Rugged and oversize, it is like carrying a pop art poster with you everywhere you go.
$14.00 CAN

Crazy Collage Shopper Tote

What else I can say about this one, it’s like 1960’s Pop art with cut and pasted eye candy thrown in. It’s a timeless beauty to behold.
$14.00 CAN








For more information go to: BlueQ

Images credit: BlueQ

Summer Drinks – Iced Tea and Arnold Palmers

Today was one of those days where walking into a drugstore or mall with air conditioning was a life saving experience, meaning that it was incredibly hot. Visions of beaches danced through my head as I sat at work. Although I wasn’t able to go to the beach, I was still got the chance to make some yummy ice tea. Let me share my recipe!


Simple and Easy Iced Tea!

4 cups of boiling water
5 tea bags
1/2 cup of sugar
2 cups cold water
Ice cubes
Lemon wedges

1. Place the tea bags in a teapot and carefully pour the boiling water over the teabags. Let steep for an hour (or more, if you have the time)

2. Remove the teabags. For sweetened tea, add 1/2 cup of sugar (you can modify this amount depending on how sweet you want your drink).

3. Add 2 cups of cold water and ice cubes into the tea. Chill.

4. Squeeze lemon wedges into the tea or garnish your cups with them.

I also like adding a sprig of mint to my iced tea. It adds a nice cooling bite!


Arnold Palmer Drink

A fun variation on iced tea is the Arnold Palmer drink. To make it, take one part iced tea and one part lemonade and put them in a glass. Depending on your preference, you can mix them or keep them separate by not stirring.

Fall Fashion Preview – Part I – Chloé, Lanvin

With reminders of the recession swirling around our heads (Christian Lacroix’s company recently filed for bankruptcy protection), Fall’s rather toned-down vibe comes as no surprise. Dark and neutral colours dominated the runway, but some designers such as Galliano bucked the trend. Outerwear was a large part for many collections.

Hermès and Chloé


Clothes with a 40′s air were prominent. At Prada, models in heavy wool tweeds carrying large bags could have almost walked out of a street during World War II onto the runway. Chloé had slouchy yet feminine looks reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn. This reference was strengthened by the hair being soft waves and the makeup being glamourous and retro. For some looks, Lela Rose turned from her usual femininity and went for more utilitarian construction, but never fear, several sequined tops remained.



























Prada and Lela Rose


At Lanvin, the 40′s reigned down to the feathered poufs in the models’ hair. Sometimes with a dash of glamour, sometimes with more restraint, Alber Elbaz showed a tour de force.

Lanvin

Sweet Susana, my Fluevog dancing shoes

It’s the month of July, when the most weddings take place. You know that at the reception, you’ll dance all night long, to celebrate the nuptials with the loved ones. You’ll have memories of a lovely time, long after the party is finally over, after you’ve had to hang up your dancing shoes. My first dancing shoes, were lovely gold lamé pointed toe Fluevog flats in the style of the ‘30s, with long leather strings to wrap around one’s ankles. These fabulous shoes became too small after the baby was born, but I still wouldn’t part with them, for their obvious sentimental value.

Wearing these stylish Fluevog sandals, you would be able to dance the night away like a princess, for they are surprising comfortable.

Sweet Susana is summery sky-blue, vintage-inspired sandal in delicious leather, with strappy youngful details and a super comfortable 3.5” wedge heel. It’s a steal at a sale price of $65 CAN.

This crowd pleaser will keep begging you come back for more. Encore! Encore! In comes Renata. She is so comfortable that you can dance in the rain. She has adjustable ankle and instep straps for a great fit, and a soft rubber sole. A sale bargain at $189 CAN.

Hey, your name is Aquarius. The smoking hot mango color reminds me of the beginning of summertime. And it doesn’t matter if these shoes make you taller than your dancing partner, because you are too happy and confident to notice this. These show-stoppers comes with two buckles, a slingback heel, a full 1” platform and a 4” heel. You will still want two pairs at $165 CAN each.

For more information go to: John Fluevog Shoes

Images credits: John Fluevog Shoes

Cute, cozy organic baby wool blankets

Remember the baby blanket you saved and kept even after your kids grew out of it. Oh, I remember mine. I still have it. No, I don’t mean the blanket smell of spilled milk, baby powder, traces of lavender, and apple juice, thin and patchy with the ragged satin edge. Here comes the picture of “the little one dragging her blanket around the house while sucking her thumb”. The only remains of such a blanket is just a small shred of satin edge ribbon, hidden somewhere in case of an emergency needing its comforting touch. I mean a special blanket you intend to keep so you can pass to your grandchildren. “An heirloom blanket?” you ask.

This handmade soft felted lambswool blanket, with random clusters of felted flowers and embroidered ladybugs, will delight your little one. The flowers are individually and securely embroidered to the base blanket. The ladybug motif was originally drawn by a three year old. It’s machine washable, handmade and safety certified, and also a fair trade product.

Handmade wool blanket – Ladybug
40 x 37 cm – 15.5 x 14.6 in
Days of summer sale $35.99 CAN, 10% off $39.99












A blanket handmade in soft felted lambswool, with clusters of small felted flowers embroidered along the edge of the blanket. The ladybug motif was inspired by a budding three year-old artist. This will encourage some storytelling and exploration at bedtime. The back and front of this blanket give variety and have finished images. It’s machine washable, handmade and safety certified, and also a fair trade product.

Handmade wool blanket – Fleabug
40 x 37 cm – 15.5 x 14.6 in
Days of summer sale $35.99 CAN, 10% off $39.99

For more information go to: Essere Organics

Image credit: Essere Organics

Summer Books Roundup – Travel Books!

To me, summer is a time of traveling. If traveling is not possible, the next best thing is being an armchair traveller. With some nice champagne (Orangina and Fanta, two European drinks that are good too), curling up and reading these books is almost as good as trekking around Sardinia or Thailand.

“This was Marianne, the revolutionary heroine, the French equivalent of Uncle Sam. This being France, instead of a bearded old uncle who looks as if he should be advertising fried chicken, they have a seminaked woman”.

Hilarious account of Paul West’s escapades in France for a year. Includes cultural confusion, french nightclubs, crazy bosses and sexy french women.

The numerous follow-up books are just as humorous and fun.

“Our architect, an expatriate Parisian, had warned us that building in Provence was very
similar to trench warfare, with long periods of boredom interrupted by bursts of
violent and noisy activity”

The Provence collection of books from Peter Mayle is definitely a series for food and sun lovers. The rich descriptions of the good life in the South of France from the author of A Good Year are worth reading.

For the gourmets reading this, one of the books in particular, French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew, will definitely have you laughing and drooling, so make sure you have some pâté and baguette around.

Several Twists on Chloe Gladiators for Summer!

First seen several seasons ago in Chanel’s resort collection, these sandals are a smash hit this summer. We think they’ll be popular going into the fall, which is why you should run out to get these beauties here:

$292.60 Chloé at mytheresa.com

These cuties are a gorgeous twist on the normal gladiator sandal with its wider woven bands and its smooth grey silhouette. We love Chloé! Another reason to buy: they’re on sale – $586.60 down to $292.60

$189 Tory Burch at mytheresa.com

These are closer to basic gladiators but we adore their vivacious green colour makes them stand out like nobody’s business! They look comfy and would add a summery touch of bold green to any outfit. These are also on sale!

$1099 Balmain at mytheresa.com

For those of us who dream of shoes, there’s these swoon-worthy heels from Balmain. Made of elastic, they look super comfy yet also fierce because of their many studs. These are my dream shoes! Worn with a tough but chic leather jacket, you’re set for a night out anywhere.

Be cute by wearing the Harajuku Lover fragrances

Have you always tried to express yourself? If your personal inspiration includes street fashion like the Gothic Lolita style, anime, graphic novels, theatre and Hello Kitty, Harajuku Lovers Fragrance would be a perfect signature fragrance. This line of five fragrances was inspired by Harajuku’s youth fashion scene, and captured by lyrics in Gwen Stefani’s album. Not only does this unique fragrance package comes with five cute doll-decanters, each one comes with adorable personality. Choose one that fits you!

Lil’ Angel
She’s a preppy schoolgirl outfitted in a sweet plaid miniskirt, white knee highs, and shiny black Mary Janes. The scent is citrus floral with pineapple and lollipop notes. Yes, you read right, lollipop! This little angel is classy and sweet.

Baby
She’s a cutie in a short baby doll dress, with apple green ribbons in her hair. With a bat of her lashes, she can win anyone’s heart. The scent is sweet, powdery and floral with notes of white rose, white musk and jasmine.

G
She’s a real stand out with her blond curvy hair and black velvet headband. G is outfitted in a white lace top and baby powder blue miniskirt. She isn’t shy and lets you know what she wants. The scent is oriental, gourmand and fruity with notes of coconut and jasmine.

Music
She’s a tough yet charismatic sailor girl who isn’t afraid to speak up. With her smocked sailor outfit and black boots, she’s ready to take on the world. The scent is fruity floral with notes of sweet pea, pear and sleek woods.

Love
Sweet and caring, Love’s favourite symbol is the heart, which she doesn’t wear on her sleeve, seeing as she wears red lace-ups and a navy miniskirt! Instead, her hair is adorned with hearts. The scent is a floral bouquet with pink pomelo, rose, and vanilla orchid.






For more information go to: Shopper Drug Mart.com

Image credit: flickr.com/photos/harajukuloversfragrance

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