I can’t strictly explain why I’m so taken with this piece. I’m not exactly the “let’s jaunt around the world” type; can’t remember the last time I remembered to pack a camera while on vacation; and have issues leaving the house, let alone the country.

But it’s SO. BLOODY. ADORABLE!

From Foxy Originals, introducing Globe Necklace: “Bon Voyage! Hold the world in the palm of your hand, and then capture the moment and don’t let go. You’ll make a lifetime of memories in this multi-plated feature. Available in Mixed Metals.”

Foxy’s “Globe Traveler” line officially launches tomorrow (Feb 2nd), and includes other worldly items, including a gorgeous Compass Necklace and incredibly original Babushka Earrings. I stole the above pic from their Facebook fan page, where I was tipped off about the upcoming release.

Now excuse me while I search for last-minute vacations online. I think it’s time to blow this pop stand.

Click here to visit Foxy Originals.

Some people talk about their kids. Others, their hobbies. Shopaholics talk about shopping malls. Of course.

My love affair with Sherway Gardens supersedes every relationship I’ve had in my life in terms of longevity and lust. (Well, perhaps my parents could be up there with the whole longevity thing… but Sherway Gardens is a very close second.)

It all began in April, 1978. I was born at the Queensway General Hospital (now known as Trillium Health Centre) which gosh darn it, happens to be RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET from Sherway Gardens. You know how some infants turn towards the light? Or the sound of mommy’s voice? It’s a well documented fact that I turned towards the mall.

Years later, even after my family moved from Etobicoke to Mississauga, I still remember making the trek to “Simpsons” and “Eatons”. This was, of course, pre-Square One (gasp!) so driving 25 minutes to the nearest mall did not seem out of the ordinary. Of course, after being treated to Square One, which was literally around the corner from my childhood home, I began to forget about Sherway Gardens; opting instead to hang out at Mississauga’s destination for mallrats which was conveniently only a 5-minute bus ride away. (more…)

Don’t even think of looking at these pictures if you haven’t read my “Danier: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” post. It is necessary to completely understand my yearning before you can fully appreciate my jubilation.

Et voila! I received a most anticipated phone call this afternoon: my Danier coat was in! Price tag: a cool $249, down from $699 (that’s a savings of $450, or 65% off! #squee). I couldn’t wait to try it on and persuaded Melissa, the very lovely Danier associate at Erin Mills Town Centre, to take a few quick pics.

Apologies in advance for the lack of makeup (shopping on a Wednesday night), UGGs (again, shopping on a Wednesday night) and RoboCop pose (I was trying to highlight the detailing on the arms).

Verdict: Best purchase of 2012. Maybe ever.

Oodles of thanks to Beata and her entire team at Erin Mills Danier – especially Melissa. Not only did she handle my frantic request for a transfer with professionalism and grace, but when I arrived at the store – even though her shift was over – Melissa stayed to help me try on the coat, chat with me about how awesome it is (this alone took about 17 minutes) and complete the sale. LOVE LOVE LOVE my new winter coat!

UPDATE!!! While shopping at Urban Barn this past weekend, I was reminded of an ol’ favourite, and quite frankly the *PERFECT* way to incorporate tangerine into your home decor. It’s the Laughing Buddha! Now who doesn’t feel instantly uplifted and joyful?

“The Laughing Buddha is one of the most popular symbols used by Feng Shui Consultants for enhancing the good luck and wealth. Laughing Buddha is also known as Happy Buddha or Matreiya. This Buddha is regarded as one of the gods of wealth and keeping this symbol at home is said to bring prosperity, happiness and success, while keeping this figurine at the place of business is said to enhance business and money luck. Laughing Buddha absorbs negative Chi and emanates positive energies.” – Source: Hubpages.com

Mmmkay, on trend AND a symbol of prosperity? YES PLEASE! Urban Barn’s Laughing Buddha retails for $37 and is also available in glossy turquoise, white, red and pink (but there’s only ONE colour of 2012… ergo, go for the tangerine). And now to consult an expert in Feng Shui – I need to make sure this little Buddha is perfectly placed!

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming…

You know how multiple sources predicted the demise of Kim Kardashian’s marriage to whats-his-name?

Sure, I would have taken that bet.

Another sure thing? Spring 2012′s “it” colour – Tangerine. Far and wide declared the hottest hue for the upcoming season, vivid bursts of the fiery colour have been seen everywhere from the runway to home decor. In fact, Pantone named “Tangerine Tango” the 2012 Color of the Year.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

I love tangerine/orange shades and am thrilled that the colour is making a revival for Spring  - especially after the long, dreary winter months. Wondering how you can incorporate the lively hue into your lifestyle to stay on trend? I’ve spent the morning scouring the ‘net for some affordable, easily accessible ideas that will energize your wardrobe and perk up your living spaces. Now orange you glad you popped by? (more…)

For most Canadians, snow hasn’t been a major concern this winter… yet. With measurements of the white stuff in record lows, I’ve been crossing my fingers that we can bypass this whole winter wonderland thing entirely. I know, wishful thinking.

A few months ago, anticipating that I’d eventually have to face the cold hard truth, I started shopping for Ryder’s new boots. The thing is, I didn’t really know where to begin. We had long been fans of flexible-soled footwear, but with his feet growing at an alarming rate (size 11 already! He’s only 3 years old!) Ryder was well out of toddler tootsies.

So I asked moms of school aged children – which boots should I buy for my little guy with big feet?

Surprisingly, a LOT of them responded with “SKECHERS”.

Really? When I think of SKECHERS, I think of the Shape-ups walking shoes that help my butt stay fabulous. I also think of seriously hot casual shoes, comfy semi-formal shoes, and super cute winter boots. For women. To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know that SKECHERS made boots for little boys.

Turns out I was living under a rock. And not just any rock, but the Rock of Gibraltar. Because apparently, not only does SKECHERS make boy’s boots, but they also happen to be an industry leader, and their entire line of boy’s footwear has quite the cult following. #oops

What makes them so special? Consider this:

Waterproof leather and synthetic upper
Textured leather with smooth and metallic synthetic overlays
Waterproof seam sealed design
Three strap front for easy adjustment
Adjustable hook and loop closures for easy access
Padded collar and padded gussetted tongue
Soft fabric boot lining with durable fabric front panel
Insulated with 200g Thinsulate(R) lightweight thermal material
Temperature rated to -10 degrees F/-20 degrees C
Shock absorbing midsole
Flexible rubber lug traction outsole

There’s more (seriously!). See the entire list of features here.

And so when we received the very cool Boys’ Wyndham – Bartel to check out, let’s just say we were both thrilled to bits. I loved them for – well, everything listed above – and Ryder, who has recently become very fashion conscious, loves his new look. Because we just recently had our first snowfall which actually stuck to the ground, the little guy had a chance to model them for me! (more…)

A few months ago, much to my chagrin, I found myself in Danier.

Now don’t get me wrong; it’s not that I dislike the store or merchandise, or frankly, have somewhere else I’d rather shop. The problem – ergo, the basis of my chagrin – lies in the fact that when I do visit Danier, I tend to want a lot of stuff.

Jackets.
Accessories.
Blazers.
Handbags.
Skirts.
Gloves.

Oh my!

On this particular visit, I found myself staring straight ahead in a concerted effort to avoid eye contact with a certain to-die-for leather jacket. Must.not.try.it.on.

Unfortunately, I ended up with an eyeful of the most gorgeous winter-lined coat I had ever laid eyes on.

“With its statement double fox fur collar (!!) and smocked detailing, this lightweight techno fabric coat screams ‘gotta-have-it’. Winter lining insulation, a hidden zippered placket and zippered pockets are practical touches. Wear it over a soft jersey maxi skirt or slim leggings depending on your mood.”

Against my better judgement, I tried it on. And it was love at first sight.

Was it the smocked detailing I fell in love with? The slim, tapered fit? Or was it the very fetching fox fur collar? (Don’t tell PETA. I swear, swear this is the only time I would consider wearing fur. I swear.) Regardless, I felt like a million bucks in it. I HAD to have it!

Of course, priced at $699, I had to put it back. After calculating that the coat would actually cost closer to $800 ($791 with tax), I just knew that there was no room in the budget for a garment at that price tag.

However, knowing that Danier is VERY good at placing items on sale, I waited.

Tick tock tick tock. (more…)

Paging Canadian Fashionistas!

Here’s a little something different for you. If you haven’t heard of BeachMint – parent company of JewelMint.com, StyleMint.com and ShoeMint.com – listen up, cause this may be the answer to your search for frugal and fashionable finds. And in breaking news – they now ship to Canada!

How it works:

1. Create a FREE StyleProfile so you can be paired up with the looks that suit you most.
2. Every month, you’ll receive personalized suggestions based on your profile. Choose to buy or skip a month in the first 5 days at no charge.
3. If you love what you see, great news! It’s affordable too. ALL StyleMint.com and JewelMint.com pieces are just $29.99 USD, and ShoeMint.com items are $79.98 USD. So, you always know what to expect when it comes to pricing, and may be pleasantly surprised with the selection.

StyleMint.com features product designed by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen; JewelMint.com is co-designed by Kate Bosworth and celebrity stylist Cher Coulter; and ShoeMint.com, the most recently launched partnership is co-designed by Rachel Bilson and celebrity stylist, Nicole Chavez. Legendary shoemaker Steve Madden manufactures the shoes.

The only caveat: Once you make your first purchase, you have officially “joined” the club. Then, if you don’t opt out in the first 5 days of each subsequent month, you’ll be charged $29.99 (StyleMint and JewelMint) or $79.98 (ShoeMint) as a membership charge. This appears as a credit and can be used to purchase an item that month – but for busy gals such as myself who may not remember to opt out, it can definitely add up to unnecessary purchases. So be forewarned!

I received some goodies from each of the ‘Mints, including these crazilicious “Pauline” wedge platforms from their Winter Debut Collection.

Elevate your Fall/Winter wardrobe with our leg-lengthening suede platform bootie. Named after Nicole’s grandmother, Pauline, the gold corset detail and matching cord offer a vintage touch to this avant-garde, sculpted silhouette. 2″ platform and 6″ wedge heel. (more…)

Okay, let’s do this. Stickheads are:

1. Super cute hockey stick-themed hats for boys and girls.
2. Proudly made in Canada and a portion of all sales are donated to three charities that support children playing sports, cancer and the environment.
3. Created from soft, cozy 100% polyester, anti-pilling polar fleece.

and… KIDS LOVE THEM! (more…)

Note: The following giveaway is now CLOSED.

This year, have you been nice… or naughty?

(For some reason, the tune “bow chica wow wow” just popped into my head.)

Either way, la Vie en Rose has you covered – with everything from warm, fuzzy pjs to scandalous merry widows, you’ll find a great selection of unmentionables. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to cross the grownups off your list: the 2011 Holiday Collection is chock full of gifting ideas for $50 or less! Take a peek at some of my faves:

Click here to view the full holiday look book. (more…)

Let the Holiday shopping begin!

Today only, you can save 30% off ALL orders at Foxy Originals (includes regular AND sale merchandise)! Simply enter code GIFT30 at checkout.

Plus, don’t forget that you can grab $8 flat rate shipping anywhere in North America… or FREE shipping on orders over $75! I’ve got a few gals on my Christmas list who would love the gift of Foxy :)

Click here to shop at Foxy Originals.