ONE WORD 2014 // AMY

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Cherish

Hey! I’m Amy!  After giving it a lot of thought, I decided that 2014 needed a word that I could hold onto during the ebb and flow of the challenging and beautiful times ahead. I chose the word ‘cherish’ because I wanted to see the value in each situation, and to foster a hope for each day.  Sometimes I find it easy to be worried with the unknowns in the future. Often, I voice my frustrations more frequently than my gratitude.  My husband recently joined the army, and the decision was a substantial one.  We will be given orders on when and where to move, and we can certainly expect to move often.  This did not originally fit with my “plan” for our future together. My career plans, and hopes to settle down and buy a house suddenly need to be drastically modified. As the unknowns ahead started to fill my mind, and I lost sight of what truly matters.  Then I read 1 John 2:15-17:

 

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.  These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave.  But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” 

 

I realized that my own achievements and possessions had become a major priority. Yikes! I also realized that in all things, I needed to rejoice, and to find moments and people to cherish and appreciate.  Life is a gift, and I have been given so much to be thankful for. Living for Christ and loving others is much more important than the career and possessions that the world makes so appealing.  

Amy

Thank you for sharing your heart Amy and again, thank you for taking all the beautiful photos!! (Hire her!!)

xo,

s.s.♥.

ONE WORD BRUNCH

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FYI I am a straight up lover of brunch. You want to take me out for dinner? Ahhh, let's do brunch instead? Waffles, morning light, pretty flowers, the comforting smell of coffee and bacon...now those are my game. Orange juice? Oh, you got me hooked. Now add inspiring conversation to the mix...a little piece of Heaven.

And that's what last Saturday morning was. I invited some girlfriends over to have a One Word brunch. As you know, I've been doing this One Word thang for a few years now (2012, 2013, 2014). Last year I hosted a One Word dinner (which was so lovely). This year I decided upon brunch because as you know, I'm a lover of brunch. Basically each girl brought her incredible self, some delicious food and the word God had given her for 2014. 

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I made waffles (which my sister in law had made on Christmas day and are THE BEST and yes, I'll be sure to share the recipe soon) and Danae made candied bacon (which was ahhhmaazing!) We ate a lot and laughed a lot...the best combo.

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Ok, and can we talk about the elephant in the room for just a moment? You may be wondering why I have pictures of a lovely girly brunch with a "Let's get it on" chalkboard in the background? Ha, it's only up because of sheer laziness. It's been up since I hosted a lingerie shower for a friend in October…October, oh gosh, I know. Note to self: get around to decorating dining room...

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It was so incredibly, cool to see how God gave each of us unique words. I'm in awe of how good our God is. He cares for each of us individually and He speaks clearly today!

Each girl's word was so inspiring that I have decided to feature them all. Yes, you'll be hearing from five beautiful women of God over the next couple weeks...get pumped!

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You may notice only five women appear in these photos, that's because the incredible Amy was taking the photos (hire her, she's amazing!) You'll get to meet her soon enough though, because she's sharing her one word tomorrow.

We each left that brunch feeling soooo refreshed. It was so so so so good to gather with intentionality and bacon too of course.

xoxo,

s.s.♥.

P.S. Do you have a word for 2014? if so, I want to hear from you! Blog about it or comment below :)

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING // 1

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I'm a major fan of the public library. My favourite lunch breaks are those spent power walking to the downtown branch, finding a book and then sitting in the glass courtyard while I soak up the first couple pages.

I fell in love with books in grade 6. I had an incredible teacher named Mrs. Sinclair. She obviously loved reading and it rubbed off on me. I began devouring books. Today I don't have as much spare time as I did when I was eleven but my love for books hasn't fizzled. I usually have a library book on my nightstand or in my purse and if it's a gooder, I read it any spare moment I can.

Here's what I've been reading the past few months:

1. The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin- This one's a historical fiction novel about Charles and Anne Lindbergh. Charles Lindbergh was a famous aviator in the 30's. Because I LOVED The Paris Wife, I thought I would love this guy but honestly, I found it kind of boring. The Lindbergh's story was very sad and tragic but the book just didn't captivate me. 

2. Z: A novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler- I went into this one with crazy high hopes. From what I knew of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (mainly from my favourite movie, Midnight in Paris, ha!), I thought they were a fascinating couple but I finished this book feeling depressed. I also was incredibly thankful I didn't grow up in the 20s. If you want a sad, downer novel then read this one.

3. Tell The Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt- I really, really, really enjoyed this novel. Mostly because I loved the main character, June. Great characters, great writing. It also made me cry, so that gets double points. 

4. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes- This was a cute read to begin with but ended very tragically and not how I wanted it at all. I'm kind of mad at the author and of the character's decision at the end of the novel. It was a good read though, so I recommend it!

5. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella- Nothing like a good ol' Sophie Kinsella book. It was a funny, light read but not as good as some of her past novels.

6. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh- This was actually my pick for our book club (when are we meeting next ladies!!!). I've read it before and loved it all over again. It's a beautiful story about love, grace and restoration. I highly recommend it!

 

Can't say I was thrilled on my most recent reads but there were definitely some gems in there. I'm always looking for a new book to read. Let me know what you've read lately!

xoxo,

s.s.♥.

MY FAVES // MAKE-UP

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Story time.

When I was a teenager I applied for this thing called 'The Bay High School Council'. I can't remember much about it, except that the interview was terrifying (I performed a monologue from Erin Brockovich in front of 20 grade 12 students), we got to be in a parade and a fashion show (where I wore REALLLY ugly clothes) and we got a job at the Bay. I lucked out and was placed in cosmetics and fragrances.

There, in my seventeenth year, I gained a love for fragrances and more importantly, makeup. I helped out on a few makeup counters throughout that year and a few years after that I worked for Clinique. I absolutely love makeup and still do some freelance work on the side (I'm excited to be working on some of the models in the upcoming you & her Vancouver event!)

So I thought it was about time, I'd share some of my favourite beauty-related things…get ready for my favourite fragrances, skincare products, hair products and (today's) makeup products!

I use almost all of these products everyday. On a normal work day, I'll usually take about 10 minutes to do my makeup (15 if I do a cat eye, ha!)

So here they be, my favourite makeup products (in clockwise order):

 

1. Naked 2 Palette- This is my absolute favourite palette. It has the perfect mix of warm and cool tones. Naked 3 just got released at Christmas but it's a bit too pinky for my liking. Honestly, you can't go wrong with Naked 2.

2. Mac "Hip n Happy" Lip Liner- The best way to get your lipstick to last longer is to completely cover your lips in lip liner. I love the light pink pigment that this one produces. It's strong enough to wear with just a gloss on top.

3. Balm "Bahama Mama" Bronzer- I use this everyday. It's absolutely perfect for contouring. It's a tad dark, so just use a bit and be sure to blend, blend, blend.

4. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation- For years I searched for a foundation with actual lasting power. My search was over when I found this one. It's a bit pricy but I only use it for my nose and chin so it lasts me forever.

5. Mac "Blankety" Lipstick- I've been hunting for a good nude lipstick. This one takes the cake. It's not crazy nude-y where it looks like concealer on your lips. It has some depth and pink undertones. So pretty.

6. Mac "Brun" eyeshadow- I use this guy for filling in my eyebrows. It's the perfect brown and works on just about everyone.

7. Smashbox "Pout" lipgloss- This is the perfect pale pink. I usually pair it with Mac's Hip n Happy to make it stay extra long.

8. Lancome Hypnose Mascara- The best mascara ever. Nuff said. Seriously, I've tried a bajillion mascaras. This gives the best drama without mad clumping. I love it, I love it, I love it, booyah.

9. Mac Prep & Prime- I always use this before applying lipliner. It totally preps your lips making them silky and smooth! I bought it a few years ago and I still have it, so that tells you how long you'll have it for, ha.

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So there you go, my favourite makeup products! I'm excited to let you know that I'll be pumping out some makeup tutorials every once in awhile!!! So if you have any questions or any requests, send them my way!

xo,

s.s.♥.