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

November Favourites

November is almost over! Where did my year go?! Anyone else wondering where it went? 

So I've been loving  few things this month that I wanted to share with you because I'm completely obsessed and its become a problem! So lets just get started so you can be just as excited as I am. =)


Beauty Favourites

TheBalm has created 7 matte lip shades and I received one in my Ipsy glam bag last month. I used it once and forgot about it until this month. The shade I received is called Committed and that's exactly what I am to the shade. I've used this everyday that I've applied make up. The shade is a pinky nude that glides on smooth. The colour is very pigmented and stays on for quite sometime. Besides the colour and staying power if this matte lipstick is the smell. Chocolate mint?! Yes please!!  Check this lipstick out, I'm confident you'll love it just as much as I do! 

Morphe eyeshadows have quickly become my favourite shadows I use them every day I wear make up and am constantly buying more. The two shades I want to rave about today are Birthday Suit and Marbleized. 
Birthday Suit is a matte light brown. I use this all over my lid to add depth to my eye. This shade blends in with my skin tone so well it looks quite natural when I wear it by its self. It's an easy shade to work with and like all Morphe shadows, it blends out very well! 

Marbelized is a beautiful golden brown shade. It shimmers, it shines. It does everything a shimmer shadow should. it blends beautifully and stays where I apply it. I have no trouble with these shadows creasing which is a major bonus and I also don't get much fall out. When I use this shadow I apply it on my outer corner over top of Birthday Suit. Adding this shade to a matte shadow will instantly spice up your look and add dimension to your eye. Give it a try. I think you'll like it! 

Pur-lisse BB Tinted moist cream

I also received this in my Ipsy glam bag back in October and started using it this month because the weather got colder and the air became dry so why not use this, Cover up blemishes and moisturize at the same time? The coverage with this product surprised me. I didn't expect it to be as pigmented as it is and I didn't expect it to have the coverage it did. Personally I have to apply this at least twice a day to keep it looking fresh but for me that's not an issue since I usually refresh my make up twice anyway. Give this a try if you're looking for a lighter alternative to foundation.

Nani Long lasting lip gloss

Now this collection is a steal! Why? because I got all 38 colours for $40! These colours range from pink, red and brown. they are all matte lip glosses that finish like a matte lip stick. They apply nicely, last long and are highly pigmented. These glosses don't smell like anything and some of them are shimmer shades. Try these glosses out. You'll fall in love with the shades and be overwhelmed with all the colours! 

Non Beauty Favourites

Greek seaside candle from febreze 
Wow! Everything about this candle makes me happy. It smells like  airy seaside summers, salt and flowers. It's incredible haha. The only downfall to these candles is that they burn fast. I wish they would last longer but to be honest I dont care how many times I have to repurchase this. I'll always be happy. 

Happy planet chocolate banana protein smoothie 

 I'm obsessed and currently drinking this! I've turned away from chocolate banana anything for years and one day while at work someone was drinking this and I was curious about it so after work I bought one and I've been hooked ever since! This shake is delicious and made right here in Canada! Happy planet products are amazing and I love all their products, especially the Thai coconut soup (Thats another blog post) So if you ever see this drink, try it or the other flavours they have, I'm sure there's one for everyone! 

That's it for my favourites! a small post but full of great things I think you'll love! remember to comment if you've tried any of these products! Let me know what you think!

Happy Holidays!

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

One Year Of UselessKatieTips!

So this post is going to be a bit different from my usual posts. I just realized that I've had my blog for an entire year!! So I've decided to make a post to share with you a few things I've learned during this past year with quotes and just some random thoughts here and there. So if this isn't your type of post, you can exit this window. I promise I wont be mad. If you're looking forward to reading this then hold on a quick second. I promise I'll get to the body of this post right now.

"Develop a healthy relationship with food. If you're hungry, eat. If you're full, don't eat. Eat vegetables to be god to your body, but eat ice cream to be good to your soul. 
Take pictures of yourself frequently. Chronicle your life. Selfies are completely underrated. Even if the pictures are unflattering, keep them anyway. There will always be mountains and cities and buildings, but you will never look the same as you did in that moment in time.
Your worth does not depend on how desirable someone finds you. Spend less time in front of the mirror and more time with the people who make you feel beautiful.
Close doors. Don't hold onto things that no longer bring you happiness and do not help you grow as a person. It is okay to walk away from toxic relationships. You are not wear for letting go.
Forgive yourself.. We all have something in our pasts that we are ashamed of, but they only weigh us down if we allow them to. Make amends with the old you and work every day to become the person that you've always wanted to be." - Tina Tran

I'll be honest, when I first seen this quote on Tumblr and didn't want to read it but for some reason I did anyway and didn't regret reading a single word. Every part of it I can relate to and I think most of you can too. It really reminded me that, Yes! I'm allowed to be happy, and happy I will be.

Allow yourself to be happy without worrying about the opinions of others. This took me a long time to figure out and the second I realized that I don't have to hide my happiness, my life changed. 

Embrace change. Even though this can be the hardest thing you'll ever do, I promise you it's worth it. I moved across the country to get away from a few people and a bad situation and I'm telling you. It feels amazing to be myself and to no longer be judged!

Love a family that loves you back!
No more wasting time on people who don't care about you and only say nice things to you to make them look good. You should NEVER feel ashamed about the person you are and No one should ever let you feel that way.

Always be yourself!
If you can't be yourself somewhere then why are you there? Why waste your precious time on something or someone that doesn't allow you to be yourself? Surround yourself with places and people that truly love you for all you are.

Be apart of something that you truly love and believe in.
Whether this is a family, religion, or work, Love it. and be apart of whatever it is because YOU want to. Not because it would please everyone else. As a people pleaser I struggled with this but moving away made it clear that the people I was associated with would only be interested in me if I conformed to what they thought was best.

Do something for yourself.
For the past 4 years, I did nothing for myself. I slaved to make someone happy who just didn't want to be. I constantly put myself second to everyone and was punished for even thinking about doing something for myself. You can't live like that! You have to stand up for yourself and realize how you deserve to be treated. Find people that appreciate you and all your efforts but also encourage you to be your own person. 

 Surround yourself with people who are happy and want the best for you.
I slowly started to distance myself from the people who didn't care about me and started hanging out with friends again. It was my Friend who showed me how people who love one another should be treated, just how much love I deserve, and how loved I really am by the people that truly matter. Jamie and Craig, I can never thank you enough for all the talks, tears and downright honest moments we've shared in the kitchen. You two are what kept me going when I was broken and I love you so much for that. <3

Don't hold on to heartbreak.
Okay, Cry. That's okay but I've learned to just let it go. I've learned that sometimes no matter how hard you try, not everything I meant to be. It's not worth it if it's not natural. Let it go and move on

The best things happen when you're not looking.
you have a routine, Yeah. so do I. You follow it everyday and nothing changes.
Until one day everything you thought you knew confuses you. He comes along and makes you smile. He doesn't know that you were crying only minutes before and he doesn't know anything thing about you but he thinks you're nice and he wants to know more. He doesn't pry or force you to share, He lets you be yourself and it turns out he likes who you are. He likes your laugh, your jokes, your smile, and your thoughts. He is perfect.

Let yourself love again
Even if it's 4 months or 10 years after your last relationship. Go for it. Indulge yourself in complete bliss. I did, and I've honestly never been this happy before. I think some of this happiness is because I've set myself free from the people who only wanted to hurt me. Now I'm confident and my future is so clear!

I'm dating someone.
I know some of you reading this are a few of those people who love to judge me and have been for the past 4 years and that's fine. Continue if you must. What you think about me is none of my business. Just keep in mind that you only know one side of the story. It's always going to be that way and I'm okay with that. As for my new relationship, I'm happy. I've spent the last couple months working and talking to him during all my free time. He's made me realize what I deserve and not just in a relationship but in daily life too. He knows things about me that no one else know, he understands, listens and cares. He is genuine, creative, honest, and smart. He compliments my life like no one I've ever known before and I know he will be in my life forever. Luis, you make my life brighter and you've always had my back. You never break your promises and you always ask how about my day. You remember the little things and you appreciate them just the same. The little things you do add up quickly and I really want you to know just how much I appreciate your time and effort in our relationship. You truly are my greatest blessing and I'm forever grateful for you. Thank you for showing me what it is to be happy again. There is no one better for me than you!

Alright. I know this post has been all over the place. I just had to type and say what I needed to. 

Be yourself guys and never settle for less than you deserve. Be happy, smile and love.

Please don't ever hold back from what you want and what you love. Take control. This is your one life and I believe you shouldn't waste any more time being sad or confused.

I love you guys, thanks for reading

                    Xxoo - Katie

July Favourites!

Hey everyone!! 
It's been forever since I've done a favourites post so I'm pretty excited right now and I hope you are too! I've only been loving a few products this month so this post wont be too long I just wanted to share my new loves with you! So lets get started!

BEAUTY FAVOURITES
24 Hour Revlon Colorstay  Foundation
"I'm addicted and I just cant get enough!" Lyrics just get me sometimes...
For a drug store brand, this foundation is FANTASTIC! It stays where you apply it and has amazing coverage. It never leaves my skin feeling dry or oily and it stays on forever! Don't skip washing your face when you wear this foundation. It stays on so well that your pores wont be able to breathe. Wash that face! Don't be lazy!

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
 This brush is God sent! Its my "go to" brush for my foundation and so far I swear by it. I favour this brush over my others because the short bristles really help you work your foundation into your skin for a flawless finish. Anther reason why I love this brush so much is it's durability. I'm tough on my brushes and go through them quite quickly but this one has stayed in tact and I'm pretty happy about that!

Revlon Photoready Pressed Powder -Translucent
So this is the first time I've tried Revlons translucent powder and I'm in love. I'm privy to their photoready powder in medium but because it's summer I don't want to have a heavy amount of make up on and I feel like this translucent powder allows my skin to breathe a little better then their pigmented powders. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm just going by how my skin feels during the day. this powder has shimmer in it so once applied it, the shimmer will catch in the light and highlight your natural features. You don't have to worry about reapplying this product. I

t hugs to the colorstay foundation and creates a flawless matte finish.

Goody Ouchless Elastics
If you have thick hair, then you already know.. These are a miracle! I've been loving these pony tails for years. I go through them so fast, mostly because I lose them or they eventually break. Anyway, most pony tails break in my hair instantly but these last quite a long time and they don't have a metal connector so no more hair being pulled out! They're called ouchless for a very good reason! Try these out! I'm so sure you''ll love them just as much as I do!

Goody Medium Claw Clips
When applying my make up or styling my hair, I grab these clips. When applying my make up I clip my hair behind me to keep it out of the way. When I style my hair I like to use these clips to keep my hair sectioned. I find the medium clips to be the perfect size for my thick hair. they stay secured and hold my hair in place extremely well. If you want an easy half up hair style, pick up these clips or if you just want your hair out of your face I recommend them for that as well.

MUSIC FAVOURITES

Currently LOVING Kat Dahlia! I think I'm in love again. I'm addicted to this song and can't get enough, it's constantly on replay or playing in my head. I think what I love most about this song is the fact that it's so relatable. I think a lot of us ave had that moment of "Here we go again." and this song captures it pretty well. give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy it just as much as I do.  

Lets be honest for a second........ we all have those moments when were jamming out to a song and we get right into it, to the point where you pray to God that no one is watching you.. For me that song is BBHMM By Rihanna. Seriously, guys I dont know what comes over me when I hear this song but for some reason I think I'm Rihanna and I try to be as tough as she is but lets be real for another second..I'm not. but there's no shame in having fun and thats what I do. I have to say though, this song is NOT for everyone! Especially the video, It's NSFW and watch at your own discretion

And that's all I have for you guys this month. Not a lot of favourites but definitely good ones. What have you been loving this Month? Make sure to tell me down below! Happy FriYAY Everyone! 

                                                      Xxoo- Katie 

Long Distance Relationships - Date Ideas

The very thought of a LDR can be quite scary and even seem ridiculous to many people. but with the right tools, this type of relationship can be just as successful as an ordinary one

So to keep you and your Love close I've gathered a few different date Ideas you can enjoy with the help of technology and some pretty awesome websites! Some of these ideas are plain and simple which makes for great and relaxed dates that you both will love! So lets get started! 

1. TogetherTube 
This website is pretty great you can watch YouTube videos with other people at the same time and even chat! Use TogetherTube  to watch movies, or to share your favourite Youtuber with your Sweetheart!

2. Online Gaming
PC Gaming, Xbox, WiiU, PS4 Whatever you have that can let you and Bae play together, do it, it's fun! Race to the finish line in Mario Kart, Fight to the death in super smash or annihilate some treasure trolls, spiders and the skeleton king in Diablo III. Theres a game and console out there for everyone, try a few! =)

3. Skype
This is an obvious one. Skype is made for communication and has a visual aspect, so just like FaceTime, it's popular. Set aside some time once in a while to Skype your Babe and just talk! Communication is crucial in any relationship, especially when it comes to long distance!

4. Phone Calls
Another obvious idea. Phone calls can be great if you can keep a conversation going. Talk about the highs and lows of your day and what your plans are tomorrow. This is a really simple date idea, one you can always make time for. just sit down relax and just talk!

5. FlockDraw
If you can draw on your laptop or if you can't, give FlockDraw a try. I personally can't even draw a straight line on Paint but isn't it cool knowing you and your Love can create a picture together? 

6. Sing! Karaoke by Smule
I've had this on my phone for a while now and I really like it! Try this app if you like to sing or if you want to try something different with your Sweetie. This app is available for Apple and android so you can always play together! 

7. Twiddla
This super cool site allows you and yours to share the same screen. Twiddla allows you to draw, upload images and look at web pages together. Another great thing about this site is you can message and listen to each other. I found this a bit confusing to use on my own but give it a try with someone and see how it works for you

Hopefully I've given you a few new date ideas to try out in your relationship! If you try any of these or have any ideas that I didn't mention, let me know as I'm always curious to see what you guys come up with! 


                                                    Xoxo - Katie