New year, New blog.

New year new me? How about New year new blog?!

Welcome to my new and updated blog. Things got a bit different here. New colours and set up. Even a new name! 

I decided to make this change to make my blog a little more personal.  Don't worry, I'll still be posting the same content. I just wanted my page to have a new look that everyone could enjoy. Knowing me, I'll change a few things here and there to keep up with the seasons but the name will always be the same. 

Using my name makes it easier not just for me but for readers as well. Everything is all under one name which makes searching for things that much easier.

Anyway I really hope you all like the new look! P.S (TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!)

Happy new year, Everyone!

                                                                Katie - Xxoo

Happy Holidays!

  

It's Christmas Eve! Can you believe it's finally here?  I feel like this year went by so fast. Last Christmas seems like only a few weeks ago.


I just wanted to write a post wishing you all a great holiday season. Whether you're spending the season alone or with friends or family, make the best of it. Watch some Christmas films, and drink some cocoa. Hang out with people you love and eat all the delicious food you want. 

Remember to be safe after parties and while driving or walking home. Each of us have loved ones and ones who love us so lets make it through the holiday together. 

T'is the season for giving but that's not just limited to gifts. Give your time or give your kindness to those who need it. There are people in this world that have a difficult time surviving during the holidays. Your smile and your time could be just what someone needs to get through the day.

Family is more important than the gifts under the tree. Christmas isn't about the gifts to begin with so don't worry about what you don't have under the tree. Of course the excitement of having a tree surrounded by a mountain of gifts is great but being around those you love and creating memories with them will last much longer than a toy.


I know, Geeze what a preachy post... But I'm serious. Holidays have so much depth to them and can really be fantastic is you want them to be. So make this years festivities good ones. Enjoy yourself, be safe, and hold the ones that mean the most to you close. 


Happy holidays, Everyone!
                            
                                             Xxoo - Katie

Holiday Gift Ideas!

Tis the season for gift giving!! for some of you that's exciting and for the rest of you, including me it's stressful. It's now crunch time to find that perfect gift for someone special and if you're anything like me, I keep putting it off and have a really hard time picking thing out especially if some one is hard to shop for or just has everything. So to not only help myself but hopefully a few of my readers I thought, "Hey! Why not write about my gift ideas!" So here I am, and here you are. I hope I can either give you gift ideas or at least inspire an idea to help you get that perfect gift just in time for the holidays. So lets get started


First things first, Lets talk gift cards. Do I like gift cards? Yes. Do I like to give them as gifts? No. Not unless I know the person really wants it or would really appreciate it. I use gift cards as a last resort and for the impossible to shop for friends but the right card given to the right person can be a great thing. They can get what they want from a store they love and everyone's happy. Sephora, Bath & Body Works, Clothing stores and department stores are all excellent examples of the cards you can purchase. Check them out!

Books! So many appreciate books it's not even funny. So what's better than buying someone a copy of your favourite book or even a trilogy that everyone is talking about. Do they have a favourite author or genre? Start looking at the books they already have and do some research. Are they a Harry Potter fan and don't have the books? Well what do you know, A gift idea! 

You can't talk about books without thinking of your favourites that turned into movies.

Just like books, the list of great movies can and will go on forever. Maybe the person your shopping for has a book that was turned into the movie but they don't have the movie yet. Is there a movie they wanted to watch but never got around to it? Or a series they absolutely LOVE!?  Maybe there is a film you just know they are going to love. Purchase it and you can watch it together! 

Scents! Who doesn't love a good smell, especially one they can wear! Pick up their favourite perfume, candle, hand cream or body care collection. I find these gifts instantly put a smile on anyone's face, especially if it's their favourite. During the holidays a lot of scent collections can be purchased so finding them will be easier than finding a parking spot at the mall! These sets can get quite luxurious too so you can either spend a lot of money or hardly any at all. It all depends on the scent. 

Clothing! I don't know about you guys but mittens, slippers and sweaters are such a favourite of mine to receive. The gift of warmth just seems so generous and nice and obviously cozy. Who doesn't like to be cozy!? My boyfriend purchased a pair of mittens for me and I LOVE them. Going outside and being warm is the greatest feeling and every time I see my mittens I'm reminded of him which means my mittens are two gifts in one! Thanks Babe! I still love them! <3

These are the mittens he got for me. SO WARM!

Now lets get crazy and get someone something they actually need. Ask them what they really need and if you can get it for them, do it. A lot of families don't have a lot of money during the holidays. Purchasing something they need can really take the stress of budgeting off their mind and we all know what it's like to worry about money and having enough to provide. This gift could be something small like a hat, boots, food, or it can be a bigger gift like paying a bill or fixing something thats been broken. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this since everyone's situation is different.

So since it's the season for giving, I encourage you all to give back to your community! Help make some Christmas hampers for families in need, Shovel some snow for your neighbours, bake some cookies for your co-workers. Do what you can to make the holidays a little brighter for someone and trust me, Your holiday will become brighter too.

Whatever holiday you celebrate at this time, I hope its beautiful. I hope your surrounded by people that love you and appreciate you and I hope you are able to sit down and smile while counting all your blessings this year has given you. 

Happy Holidays everyone! I look forward to 2016 with you all with me <3 

                        

                                             Xxoo - Katie

My Charmed Aroma Experience

So there has been a lot of hype over these candles for quite sometime. Me being my usual self, I rolled my eyes at the idea of a ring in a candle and then I caved....because I always do.  
I watched as many ring reveals as I could and that's when I found myself looking at my conformation email "Your order has been placed." "Wow. Didn't take much to persuade you." I know.... Haha


So needless to say I was excited about my order but I ran into a few issues while waiting for my candle AND using it. I wanted to share my experience, hopefully if your ordering a candle or currently waiting for yours to arrive this will give you an inside look as to what you might expect.

So first off,  my receipt didn't get emailed to me until 4 weeks after I ordered the candle. This annoyed me because I like to track my purchases. No receipt = No tracking info.

Next, my candle was on back order and I wasn't aware. I think it's changed now but at the time that I ordered my candle (August) the website displayed the candles that were on pre order. I specifically chose a candle that wasn't on pre order so I could receive it right away. I waited 10 weeks to receive my purchase. I felt that the company should have added a memo to their website letting customers know about the delay and that all candles were on pre order. As I mentioned before, I'm pretty sure they have updated their website and added in a note informing customers of the expected wait time.

My ring turned my finger green... This I wasn't too happy about. My ring was appraised at $80.00 so I didn't expect it to stay silver but I also didn't expect it to turn my skin green as fast as it did. That was pretty lame,

My next issue with the candle was the wax. It melts way too fast! I understand that having a candle with a gorgeous ring inside is exciting and no one wants to wait forever to get to it, but honestly, I expected a longer wait time to get my ring. after burning my candle for only 4 hours, I could see my ring and take it out with no effort. My candle is currently finished. I lit it about 10 times for only a few hours over the span of 3 weeks. I was a bit shocked to see how fast I went through the candle.

Finally, the wicks. they would constantly move around which resulted in my candle to burn unevenly, I had to move then back into place way more than I should have.

Now, with all that being said, I do have to point out that the candles smell amazing. I ordered Velvet Peach. It's a sweet summer scent. If you really like peaches then you'll enjoy this candle. My sister recently received her candles, she ordered Emerald Lime, which smells like a salted lime margarita and Sweet Pea Valley which smells true to the flower. Vanilla Crepe smells like old fashioned vanilla with a hint of sweetness, Over all these scents are gorgeous and I love every single one. 

Even though my finger turned green, I think my ring is beautiful and it fits perfectly! Can't complain about that!

Charmed aroma has beautiful and simple packaging, simple round jar, elegant label and a plain gold lid. I adore it's simplicity. I think you will too.

Even though I didn't have the best experience with this candle and even though I won't be repurchasing it, I do recommend trying it out! I mean why not, you get a candle and a chance at a $5,000 ring! 

Have you ordered a Charmed Aroma candle? What was your experience like and will you be repurchasing? Let me know!



                                                     Xoxo - Katie

Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions!

The idea of a new years resolution is really exciting. For most people it's a chance to reinvent themselves, better themselves and enhance their quality of life. Every year I have this extravagant image of who I'll be by next December, I'll have the body of Kate Moss, the attitude of Ellen Degeneres, Martha Stewart's creativity,  Jillian Michaels eating and workout habits, and of course Bill Gates bank account. Now are some of these goals reachable? Yes! but come on! there is no way I'd accomplish all of that in one year. Which leads me into my first tip on how to set and a stick to your New Years resolutions!

• ·         Be Realistic

Don’t set yourself up for disaster by choosing a goal that you know you won’t be able to accomplish. Go big or go home does NOT apply to New Year’s resolutions

• ·         Cost

Can you afford your goal? Maybe you want to go to the gym 4 times a week. Memberships are pricy! Make sure you can afford a year round membership before you commit! Want to change your diet? Make sure the food you choose fits into your budget!

• ·         Start Small

Instead of jumping head first into a New Year’s resolution and failing within the first month, plan your goals out. Start small and work your way up to the big picture. This way you keep your confidence up and always have a challenge ahead of you instead of doing the same repetitive thing week after week

• ·         Interests

Incorporate your usual interests into your goals. If your goal is to work out and you love to listen to music then do them together! If your goal is to eat heathier and you love hanging out with your friends, invite them over for dinner and have them try your new creations! The combinations are endless, find one that works best for you!

• ·         Focus

Don’t lose sight of your end goal. You will be working towards this for 52! Don’t give up. Keep in mind what you want to achieve. Your start small planning will help you stay focused

• ·         Challenge

Challenge yourself week after week but don’t over exaggerate. The point of a weekly challenge is to help you stay interested and to enhance your end results. Pushing yourself a little at time can really open your eyes and allow you to see just how strong willed they you can be!

• ·         Support

Reaching a goal on your own is completely satisfying but a lot of the time people need support especially from friends and loved ones. Sharing your accomplishments with the people who supported you really keeps you motivated and allows you see all the hard work you have done. Find support and use it as your foundation to achieve your goal!

• ·         Positivity

Choose a resolution you can stay positive about and one you believe in. I can’t stress how far a little positivity goes and how infectious and addicting it is. Keep a positive attitude before, during, and after your goal daily, weekly, and monthly. This will keep you motivated!

• ·         Test Run

If you’re not sure about the resolution you’re thinking about committing to then test it out! You have a few days to try it out, change or adjust so start today!

• ·         Don’t Pressure Yourself!

Don’t feel like the only time you can set a new goal for yourself is on January 1^st. Everyday can be the start of a new goal and a new you! These tips are not restricted to New Years and can be applied to your daily life any day of the year. New Year’s resolutions are not for everyone so if there not for you then don’t do it. Make a goal for yourself when you’re ready and have had time to get yourself motivated! When the time is right, you’ll do it so don’t worry.

If you found these tips helpful let me know and if you have any other tips I should know about comment down below because I'd love to read what you all have to say!

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday with your friends and family and are staying safe and happy. Enjoy your new year celebrations and I'll see you next year!

Xxoo - Katie