the gift guide for a cozy holiday

Hey beautiful! I'm still here, I promise ♥

It has been a crazy, yet so wonderful couple weeks and I am just watching a breath! Currently curled up by the Christmas tree with my boo, watching Christmas SNL and enjoying a quiet night since those tend to be few and far between around this season.

I planned a huge friends and family event at work last week and then Pete + I hosted our annual Christmas party on Saturday (so fun!) Yesterday was perfect. We went out for a coffee, and got our gifts for each other for this year (we bought moccasins! perf) and then spent the day snuggled up watching Christmas movies, writing out cards and having a picnic charcuterie. *Magic*

As I was curating a Secret Santa gift for my work's SS exchange, it got me thinking of a few ideas of a gift guide! Simple little things for a cozy holiday/winter season!

1 // murphy + jo candle - I keep seeing these amazing candles all over the city. Not only do they look pretty, but they smell incredible too. Oh, and they're from Toronto AND they make a donation from every candle to Save Our Scruff.

2 // field notes - When in doubt, a nice notebook is always a good idea. People love gearing up and getting inspired for a new year, and what better than a blank slate? Picked up some up for a gift from Phillistine here in our hood.

3 // palo santo - Literally my favourite scent in the entire world. Palo Santo reminds me of all things good (especially Cali, which we're heading back to in a few weeks!) You can get some nice PS from a local shop in Toronto called Crown Flora

4 // a cozy blanket - Can't go wrong with a nice throw or blanket. We have so many but I love them all for different reasons. I love the palette on these simple ones from West Elm.

5 // the little book of lykke - You know how much I love The Little Book Of Hygge, well Lykke is just as magical and I loved it so much! I got to meet with author Meik this year and it made me adore him even more.

6 // kitten + the bear jam - Oooh baby, K+B had a really cute booth yesterday at the blush+bloom holiday market. I picked up a delicious (and beautiful) jam and a pack of scone mix. Such a cute idea as a little gift! Love!

Oh, and I am doing pretty good on my Christmas To-Do List! I'll post an update soon! xo

Etsy Challenge - My Shop is now OPEN!

Happy Sunday, Gorgeous!

+ If you hadn't noticed, my blog is back (oh how I missed it) it was down for about five days and I am excited for it to be back because I have some fun things to post very soon. 

First up, an update on my Etsy adventure ♥ - as I posted before, I was chosen to be the host of the 30 Day Etsy Challenge which was an initiative to encourage creatives from all over to join me in opening their own Etsy shop in just 30 days. 

I've always wanted to open my own Etsy shop, in fact it's something that has been on my yearly goal list for at least the last two years! I've always thought of making and selling my own prints out of my hand written font. The past 30 days have been such a fun adventure, and between my full time job, this blog, our social life and planning a wedding it's most definitely been a challenge for me.

The homework & lesson plans for the challenge really inspired me and kept me on the right track, and the interactive Facebook group was a great way to share your ideas, get feedback and connect with other creatives! ♥  Even if I had a really busy day or week, the plans helped me to stay focused on the task at hand.

For me, I really like sharing my to-do lists, goals and dreams on my blog and social media because it helps motivate me and makes me feel accountable. Joining a community like Etsy motivates you, excites you and helps you in so many ways. This challenge was exactly what I needed to get my act together and really make this little dream I had a reality.

The biggest challenge for me throughout the 30 days, was staying focused and making time throughout the process to work on things to keep me on track. Time flies so quickly and life is busy, so it's important to schedule time for the things we really love, because before we know it the days, weeks, months and even years get away from us. This was a good learning experience for me and I definitely feel like I learned a lot from what I can accomplish if I really set my mind to something.

So, now what? My shop is officially open, but it's nowhere near perfect. I've got my first set of prints ready for the shop, but I know how I would like to improve them for the next round. I have ideas for new quotes and phrases, and other goodies I will sell in my shop! I am being realistic with myself, since I know with Christmas coming up, and nearing 6 months until the wedding, time is of the essence! However, I can't wait to grow this shop and keep it a fun & happy place for anyone willing to check out.

Here is the shop and some of the prints that are available as of now. Thanks everyone for the love and good vibes throughout the whole challenge.

shop cute by jules (!!!)

Outfit Post + Daisy Natives + I Love the Internet!

H A P P Y   M O N D A Y!!!

& Happy Labour Day! Can you believe that Summer is almost over? Where has time gone? It most definitely doesn't feel like Summer is over in Toronto. It's been hot hot hot the past few weeks (and I am personally so ready for this to end and Fall weather to kick in asap) I am not a lover of super hot weather and nothing makes me happier than autumn (ok well, Christmas does..but I do really love it)

Pete and I decided to stay home this weekend because life has been catching up with us and we really needed to stay home, relax and just get some stuff done! I feel good after getting some things crossed off my to-do list (cleaning, organizing, an ikea visit, some wedding stuff, some ETSY planning, and best of all spending time with Pete)

It's been a while since I've done an outfit post so I stepped outside to our hood and had Pete snap some photo's on Saturday (even though it was SO HOT out!) There's not too much to this outfit, but I am mostly excited to share this sweet t-shirt I got from Daisy Natives - I am in love with this shop and the adorable shirts and head bands. Also, can I just talk about how I love the internet because it brings total strangers from distant places together? Sarah, who is the cutie pie behind Daisy Natives, found me on Instagram a few months ago ; we quickly learned we loved so many of the same things and were newly proclaimed Instagram Besties, we later found out that not only do we have the SAME BIRTHDAY! but we're also both getting MARRIED on the same day next year! How insane is that? I love supporting talented, creatives who put their heart & soul in to their brand! Sarah most definitely is one of those people. ♥

// Check out the Daisy Natives website

// Follow Daisy Natives on Instagram

// + Follow Sarah, the cutie behind Daisy Natives on Instagram

+ outfit details;

- hat, H&M

- shirt, Daisy Natives

- cardigan, H&M

- necklace, Anice

- dress, Forever 21

- shoes, TOMS

Our Favourite Meal + Making Your Food Look Pretty!

h a p p y   t u e s d a y ♥

Life has been insane lately, and after a wild and busy birthday weekend and wonderland all day yesterday, I am feeling like it's time to slow down, relax and have some "me time" for the next couple of weeks. I cannot wait for Fall because I absolutely love that time of year. I am ready of cosy evenings, layered clothes, reading books, working on my blog, spend time at home, drinking coffee and just working on some really exciting things.

So for my post today - I am sharing (one of) mine and Pete's favourite meals to make! We have always loved a "snacky" type meal and change it up every time, but no matter what it's always delicious. Ideally, we will go to a market to get something local and fresh. And since I love the host and plan parties, this always gives me a chance to make our food not only look yummy, but also have a super cute spread before eating it!

Here are some shots of our cute-as-can-be snack spreads! // some of our favourite things to eat during our snack dinner: cheese (any kind and every kind ever), olives, pickles, crackers, fresh bread, cucumber, carrots, celery, bruschetta, grapes, berries, and nothing tops it all off better than some wine and fresh flowers (basically mandatory for a successful meal!)

Etsy Weddings - Paper Goods!

Happy Monday Gorgeous!

 I had an amazing weekend and seriously sweet birthday yesterday (more on that soon!) and today I am sharing another ETSY shop round up of some of my favourite shops. I am such a lover of paper goods, so I really wanted to share some shops that have absolutely beautiful handmade paper goods!

I just think that receiving a beautiful, thoughtful card, invitation, or save the date is so special. I know that in a digital world we won't always see these things as much, but I am personally someone who LIVES for this kind of stuff. I have said it before and will say it again - I was to shop local, and support Canadian handmade vendors as much as possible throughout our wedding. If I am not making it myself, I want amazing and talented Canadians creating the perfect pieces for us!

Here is my round up of ETSY Paper Goods:

*Blushly Designs Etsy Shop*

Toronto, Ontario

From Save the dates, to shower invitations to wedding invites - everything is beautiful to look at at. I fell in love with the way this menu looks on this table setting, so classy but also creative and timeless. Custom printing of all shapes and sizes for all occasions and everything looks SO.GOOD.

*Protea Press Etsy Shop*

Toronto, Ontario

I am in LOVE with this beautiful wedding day goodies from Protea Press. Custom pieces for your big day that are just lovely. I love the itinerary and menu and think that having these added touches at a wedding is so special. All patterns and themes are unique and wonderful. The ones in the photo above were my favourite!

*Wrinkle And Crease Etsy Shop*

Calgary, Alberta

Ok so can we just talk about this wedding card and how it's actually insanely perfect? I absolutely love this print and how simple yet gorgeous all of the cards and prints in this shop are! I also decided recently that anything with gold on it is something that I am going to LOVE 110%

*Paper Dainty Etsy Shop*

Edmonton, Alberta

This card just totally won over my heart because it's so simple but SO sweet and adorable. I LOVE the fonts on all of these precious wedding themed cards! For your flower girl, your bridesmaid, save the dates etc! Paper Dainty has such a consistent and amazing look to everything she creates.

*The Little Card Co Etsy Shop*

Port Colborne, Ontario

These cards are extra crafty and lovely because they are all water colours and Eco-Friendly and Plantable Greeting hards which I absolutely love. I thought these ones were absolutely perfect! I also loved to see options of "groom and groom" "bride and bride" along with "bride and groom" - very sweet!

ETSY Weddings - Inspiration for the big day!

Oh hello there gorgeous! We're half way there! Happy Wednesday ♥

So, if you've been around here for a while you may of heard that Pete and I are engaged (omg! still excites me so much to say it) we are over-the-moon excited to plan our big day! 

A personal goal of mine for the wedding is to support any friends and local vendors as much as we possibly can! I love supporting local shops and businesses in general, and it's something I've always been passionate about. Since we are in the early stages of planning our wedding, right now it's all about finding   i n s p i r a t i o n & it's everywhere! I've been flipping through magazines, looking at wedding blogs, and I've made my own inspiration board in my craft room!

In the next few weeks I will be sharing some of my favourite ETSY shops for weddings! I've spent so much time searching on Etsy and have found some seriously beautiful stuff. Bookmarking in full effect.

Here is my first ETSY wedding round up for some inspiration!

* Spark & Thistle Etsy Shop *

Toronto, Ontario

I have been a huge fan of Spark and Thistle for a while now, and the pieces they create are absolutely beautiful. They have a diverse and unique selection of handmade jewellery and I basically want everything in their shop! These two pieces were some of my faves in the shop. It would be so fun to wear something pretty like this to add a pop of colour on the big day!

* Truvelle Etsy Shop *

Vancouver, British Columbia

The handmade dresses in Truvelle are beyond beautiful. I cannot even begin to imagine the hard work and time that goes in to making such custom gorgeous gowns. They are so feminine and soft, I really love her work! This dress photographed above is just to die for. 

* Sparkle Pony Shop Etsy *

Montreal, Quebec

Sparkle everything! I am in love, I am in love with it all. Sparkle Pony Shop is a whimsical place filled with the most wonderful shiny, and sparkly decor. Table runners and table cloths and pillows oh my! I am seriously swooning over these pieces and might need to convince Pete that we *NEED* a sparkly table runner for the head table!

* Pixels and Timber Etsy Shop *

Caledon, Ontario

Ok, how adorable is this custom handmade wedding coaster? Pixels and Timber creates some lovely custom wedding decor, like wooden signs and coasters. I love the fonts she uses and the design! So pretty and unique. These would be cute for the bride & grooms table!

* Pomtree Etsy Shop *

Ottawa, Ontario

Party and wedding decorations handmade in Ottawa. Pomtree has so many adorable paper goods to choose from! Anything from tassle garlands, to pompoms, to paper bags, to paper straws. I literally cannot even choose what I like best because I love them all! 

* Dixie & Twine Etsy Shop *

Calgary, Alberta

More glitter covered party favours. Truly the key to this sparkle queens heart! Dixie & Twine is a shop filled of sweet-as-can-be paper goods. Custom banners, flags, straws, tags and paper bags. All of the most perfect colours and patterns, and I will most definitely be all over this shop when it comes to making up our wedding favours for guests!