Sunday, 21 October 2018

Two Makeup Products for Early Morning Classes

By far 8 am classes are the worst. Your tired, possibly hungry and cranky about having to go to class. The last thing I want to do in the morning is apply tons of makeup. But that doesn't mean I want to go completely bare faced. I will often chuck on a light base layer and some eyebrow and call it a day. These two products hold you down throughout the day and make you feel more put together.

I have always hated foundation but when I found the Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation my opinion compelttly changed! It doesn't feel like much on your face but it covers and smooths your complexion. Giving instant coverage in seconds. All you do is swirl your powder brush and then buff the prodcut into your face. Super amazing when you don't have time to apply liquid ! It looks nice and photographs really well!

The Benefit Gimme Brow is the most amazing brow product for quick makeup. Just brush it through and it instantly fills in and secures your brows in place. Super simple and it lasts a really long time. I am big fan of products that are consistent. And I know that this product will coitally give me winner brows !

Hope this helps anyone struggling with their early morning makeup

-Em

Friday, 19 January 2018

Week Update: Back to school Blues

Back in the swing of things. The first few weeks are always fun. You get back into your routine. Class...study...sleep. Then the fun disappears, and then you are faced with the actual work. Not so great. It seems to have hit me harder this time. My week has been school study and sleep. How exciting.


Cool Finds

1. This fantastic cream from Nivea (super moisturising and the perfect pick  for my dry winter skin)
2. This website that sells Antiques ( might just me but I love some vintage browsing)
3. The best darn coffee in the whole world at Bean Around The World in Vancouver. Try it. You will not be disappointed
5. Coloured Pens . I'm learning German, and there is to rule for masculine or feminine you just have to memorise it. I have been writing masculine-feminine in blue and pink.



Songs on repeat

1. Silence // Maeshmello
2. River // Eminem
3. Hard to Handle // The Black Crows
4. Havana // Camilla Cabello
5. Black Water // The Doobie Brothers



Shopping Wants

1. This super cute swimsuit from J.Crew. I love the colour, and I also love to see brands that I like moving towards a more size inclusive and representative model base!! Warms my heart :)
2. This coat that the bloggers rave about is on sale, and it is majorly tempting. I think that might be because of pay day yesterday. There are lots of winter coats on sale at Nordstrom. Check it out!
3. These Madewell loafers are still haunting me. I love them. I have seen them on other people. They are gorgeous. I just can't seem to pull the trigger and buy myself a pair.



Books 

I am currently reading What Happened by Hilary Rodham Clinton . It's pretty good so far. Even if your not with her politically you cannot deny that she is a great writer.



Things I couldn't live without this week

1. Flashcards
2. Coffee 



Words of the week 

"All the crazy in my dreams,
Both my broken wings,
Every single piece of everything I am"

-Love Em 

Monday, 15 January 2018

5 FIVE FAIR ISLE SWEATERS TO KEEP YOU WARM THIS WINTER

The fair isle pattern has been around for years. It has floated in and out of fashion but has always been a fan favourite. I received my own Fair Isle sweater for Christmas one year from my mum. It has been a staple in my closet ever since.



Here are 5 sweaters that will be equal parts trendy and fashionable for your wardrobe!





This super cute sweater from Abercrombie & Fitch is hot right now. I have seen it on many bloggers, and it looks super classic. It's also on sale for 36 dollars. SCORE


This classic sweater is sold at Nordstrom and is well reviewed. It is also under 100 dollars! Great colours and a traditional print how could you go wrong! I would wear it with jeans and brown boots to class or on casual days. Pop a white shirt underneath, and a pair of black flats and the look is effortlessly elevated





J.Crew makes some excellent sweaters. Every year as fall rolls around I am gazing at their classic styles. However, I have developed a limit to how many I can buy. I simply cannot afford to buy all the cute things they got going on. I have decided to restrict myself to one sweater a year. This super cute green fair isle sweater just might break the rule. The cables are thick making it nice and warm and the green is just to die for!





This J.Crew sweater is for the trendsetters. The belle sleeves play with the current trend without being full on out there. Its a classic spin on a new trend. Perfect for those who want to rock the belle sleeved wave but still want something timeless and classic. 



I was surprised at how much I loved this Gap sweater. I tend to stray away from crazy prints and bold colours. I have reddish hair, and I find many of these colours wash me out. However, this one is super cute! I tried it on, and it really worked. Its super soft and comfy. Perfect for more casual days.


Hope you enjoyed this post! 
Stay warm 
-Em 
Also check out my last post 3 ways to challenge yourself in 2018!

Monday, 8 January 2018

3 Ways To Challenge Yourself in 2018

Learn a new language

Languages are tricky. They are definitely a challenge... However, learing a new language will push you out of your comfort zone really quickly. The benefits way outweigh the negatives. You get a unique worldview and can travel and interact with people who speak that language. A new set of friends and a mental challenge is always refreshing. This January I started learning German. I have always loved German history, and a ton of the documents I would love to read are in German. I want to be able to read and enjoy the culture and the language without the English filter. My goal is to be fluent by the end of 2019. We shall see how that goes...



Write or read for 20 minutes a day

I am a writer. I am a reader. Language mainly English is my thing. I enjoy losing myself in the complexities and the depth of meanings. This was clouded when I went to university. I stopped reading for fun and writing as well. My challenge was to read something I loved for 20 minutes a day. We are 4 days into the new year as I am writing this and I am doing pretty well. It is challenge. Making time and remembering to do it is a challenge but I feel like I am better for it.



Stop the screen time

Ever heard of being tanned by your computer screen? I have, and I am too familiar with the dazed zoned out look that appears when you have been on your computer too long. My challenge was to have at least 2 hours a day where I did not touch any screens. Phone, iPad, computer ... anything just me and my thoughts.



Hope you are having a good start to the new year! Check out my last blog post on back to school organization tips 

-Love Em

Wednesday, 3 January 2018

Back to College Organization Tips

The semester is about to start. The days of sleeping till ten and partying are over. Its back to reality, and for me, this means back to university. It's rough. You're riding the after holiday wave, you've got your new years resolution (hopefully) in swing, and you really enjoyed that time off. Here are some tips that will help you stay organised as you start your winter/spring semester of college.


1. Set up your agenda
Most of my profs send out the syllabus the week before the class starts. This means that I have all the critical dates for each course ahead of time. I usually like to put in the immigrant things like tests, midterms and projects. I leave out the individual readings. Instead of writing them in ahead of time I do it week to week. The reminder of writing my readings in makes it easier to remember to do them. A pro tip for staying on top of your planner is to use it for your life outside of school. Make sure to write down your social engagements and appointments. Only write them down in your planner. That way you will be forced to open it and look. You will also be ten times more likely to write in it.


2. Calendar Organization
I have a huge calendar. It sits on my desks and pans the month. The giant calendar is great for looking at things in the long term. Write all your essential dates on here as well as in your agenda. Sometimes you can be surprised by assignments if they are only written in your agenda. For instance, i flipped to the next week in my agenda on Friday to discover I had a quiz on that coming Tuesday. That didn't give me much time to study. By writing out all the dates on a big calender, this problem is solved.


3. New note books
Buy new notebooks and stationery that you like. Notebooks with designs on the front will force you to keep your book neet and tidy. Or at least that works for me. The more I love the design on the front the harder I will work to keep the inside nice and neat as to uphold the beauty indie as well. This is overall important. Your notes do not need to be pretty. But for me when my notes are pretty, they are readable, and that is what is most important


4. A Clean Desk Does Wonder
Having a clean workspace is a given. I aim to make my area as clutter free as possible. Spend some time. Make sure you have everything you need near you. Whether it is highlighters or more paper. Make sure that you have enough space and light. I have a lamp directly on my desk, and it illuminates the whole place. Make sure that the area you study in is light and comfortable Nothing beats a good study session where you feel productive so make sure you give yourself the tools to do so.


5. Kick up your fitness
Now I am not a doctor so don't do this without consulting anyone. My most prominent stress relief is cardio. I hate it with all my heart,  mind and soul but I recognise the space of mind it puts me in. That's why I will make a point of getting up extra early and tosssing more cardio into my daily life. It helps a ton.


These are my tips for staying organised. I try and keep these true throughout my semester. I find the more organised I am the lesss stessed I am. This in tern is very food for my helath.

Check out my 2018 New Years Resolutions Post

-Love Em

Saturday, 30 December 2017

5 New Years Resolutions for 2018

Bring on 2018! The new year always comes as a surprise to me. It feels like I never get used to writing the year and its over. Besides my resolutions for this year, I would LOVE to travel more. I was thinking maybe a weekend in Victoria or perhaps a trip to Nantucket. I've heard its lovely in the summer. I plan to read twice as many books and drink twice as much water. But I figured I should lay out some formal resolutions: 


1. Do at least 30 minutes of cardio five days a week. 
I am turning 20 this year, and I know this when the fitness craze of the teen years seem to slow down. Also goodbye teen metabolism. I am a bigger person. My parents are big people. And with that comes an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. So my first new year's resolution is to either walk, run, swim or bike for 30 minutes every day. To take care of my body inside and out. For my health and my future.


2. Drink more water
I don't drink nearly enough water. I am super bad at it. I could go a whole day without feeling the need to drink water. This is bad for my health. And to counter this bad habit, I have already begun my new water regime. My goal is to drink at least two water bottles a day. Now I know I will forget throughout the day and so I will drink one water bottle fast in the morning before I go to school and another before I go to bed. This will allow me to nourish my brain without forgetting about it throughout the day. It might sound silly, but it has been working so far. I feel way more energised and awake, and it is making a considerable difference in my somewhat sparse exercise routines.


3. Read at least 15 minutes a day. 
I  am a history major. This means I can read upwards of 300 pages a week. I read like crazy. However, all of the readings are required and painstaking. I find I miss the novels and fun books I used to read. When I got into university my time slipped through my fingers. Now I have decided to take control back and make time for the things that I miss.


4. Keep a cleaner space
I am a messy person. I am not a dirty person. There is a big difference. And while I will admit to being somewhat lax in the organisation department it does not mean that I cant improve. My goal is to do 20 minutes of cleaning and organising a day. And just get into the general habit of putting things back into the same spot when you are done with them. I feel like the reduced clutter will free up my mind.


5. Put my headphones away. 
I am guilty of wearing my headphones everywhere. I love music. I love listening to music anywhere, and since I transit to school, it is really easy to get wrapped up in la la land and be unaware of whats around you. Headphones seem to isolate people. It stops people from talking to you and interacting. My goal is to leave my headphones at home or in my bag instead of wearing them all the time.


I hope your new year's celebrations are with all those you love and cherish!

-Emma-Lynn

Sunday, 24 December 2017

Christmas Traditions


Happy Christmas to all near and far. I wish you and your family all the best! My family is huddled close together around our gas fireplace reading The Night Before Christmas. One of our many traditions. 


We usually read the night before Christmas before the young ones go to bed and write down who read it each year. I have read it 11 years in a year and considering I am 19 I think that's a pretty good accomplishment. Its great tradition to get into. I have always cherished hearing the well-known story.


We usually let the younger ones put out the cookies. But as the number of younger ones are dwindling as we grow, my brother and I often do it together. It makes him so happy, and it gives me great joy in knowing that his Christmas fantasies will soon come true.


Once the children are in bed, it is usually my mother and me who make the cinnamon buns for the morning. We always have cinnamon buns on Christmas. Its a funny tradition of ours. We bake the most straightforward kind that we could find. The ones we cook where found in the Best of Bridge cookbook. They are super simple and super yummy and easy. Most of the work is done the night before, and then they are left to rest.




Once that is done my family usually watches the Grinch. The aniatmenated version. It was a tradition that was started before I was born. My parents used to watch it even when it was just them. I find that I have grown to know the words yet the appeal is still the same. It is a lovely 30 minutes that gives us a break from all the other Christmas activities.




I wish you all the happiest and loveliest Christmas possible. I am giving huge hugs to all you near and far. 


Love
 -Em