the fresh perspective...

MOTIVATION

June is upon us and before we know it the heat and the insects will have us all complaining about cooler times and bug-less nights.  Until then, what are you doing to keep yourself motivated to enjoy the summer?  Are you a runner/outdoors type who is motivated by our longer days? Maybe you're a patio drinker that's motivated by the longer days?  Are you the type that gets the cottage itch and re-locates to the lake for the summer?  You might be the type that takes in all the city's festivals and shows for the summer.

I can't actually decide which category I fall into, but I do know that I'm getting some motivation to get more creative with fashion in general.  I've got a few shoots booked this summer and I'm getting excited about being able to do a little styling on the side.  I'm not sure that the average joe knows how much work, time, and planning actually goes into a proper photo shoot, but I'm ready for the task!

Motivation is a funny thing because we all have the capability to accomplish anything we would like, we just don't always know how to pull the trigger and get things done.  I think the majority of us do need something external to get us to accomplish more.  Something more external that forces us to look internally...  The nice weather and all the stylish people who come in and out of my life are motivating me to be more creative.  By the time you come into the shop in the fall, you will see the fruits of our labor and time.

Country living and lake life are where I'm getting my motivation from and hopefully it'll translate well on camera... That's it.  That's all...that's the fresh perspective...

magic monday - bag lady

CHRISTIEManager / Display Master

Christie somehow manages to manage us unmanageables. She's the very picture of grace, and can often be found dancing about the salon.

Christie made this backpack! You can buy them (and much more) through For You, Me & Us

Here’s what we found inside:

01 vintage lipstick holder 02 MAC lipstick - impassioned 03 Herbacin Kamille hand cream 04 **Malie Koke'e perfume oil 05 35mm film 06 **Priti NYC polish - american beauty 07 lipstick print compact - gift 08 keys - handmade keychain 09 **bobby pins (30 pins for 3.50) 10 Fort Garry Hotel matchbook 11 for you, me & us business cards 12 GREAT IDEAS notebook 13 vintage scarf 14 Triple C portable speaker 15 **Kevin Murphy Powder Puff 16 **Cleopatra combs 17 True History of the Kelly Gang - Peter Carey 18 Essie Polish - maximillian strasse her 19 antique cigarette case 20 **anj couture rose bobby pin

Find any of the starred items above in our boutique! We have one final bag lady coming up soon, so come back next week for a peek inside Andrée's bag!

happy monday!! xxo pascale

magic monday - luscious lady locks

As someone who wishes she woke up with sultry, bombshell hair à la Lana Del Rey, but isn't willing to spend more than half an hour getting ready ... I've made a new best friend. Hot Rollers.

Hot Rollers are the perfect way to get curls so sultry, you'd swear you stepped off a Victoria's Secret runway. They're more or less foolproof (bonus!) and take minutes to set.

Here's how:

Heat up your rollers. I normally flip the switch on mine as I'm headed to the kitchen to make my coffee. After I've got my first cup in hand, it's time to begin!

Starting with the top of your head, separate hair into 2-inch sections (sections should not be wider than the roller itself) Spray each section with your favorite hair spray (ours is the Kevin Murphy Session Spray) and roll hair onto the roller. Set in place with a roller-clip.

For added volume, remember to over direct the hair forward, while holding taut as you roll.

I normally roll the center section of my hair (from forehead to nape) then go on to roll two rows on each side.

When every hair is nestled ever-so-snuggly in hot roller heaven, I slap on some rouge, and grab a bite to eat. Your rollers are ready to remove when they've cooled completely. Most days I get distracted, and by the time they've cooled down, I'm only halfway done my breakfast. If you're in a bit of a rush, just give them a blast of cool air with your hair dryer.

Now for the fun part. Unclip each roller, and unleash the curls. When you've removed all the rollers from your hair, run your fingers through and give your head a shake.

Next, for that even, relaxed bombshell look, run a natural bristled paddle brush over your tresses. We love this boar bristle brush from Dannyco. (Free when you purchase any two Osis or Euphora products in our boutique!)

Give your hair one last spritz of Session Spray, and you're ready to go!

xxo

magic monday - bag lady

RENEEEsthetician

Renée is our favourite brow magician and nail artist.

Her bag was a gift from her brother, who purchased it while backpacking in Mexico.

Here’s what we found inside:

01 Daisy Roll on Perfume by Marc Jacobs 02 Lactaid - Don't ask, I'm not even lactose intolerant... 03 Lint Roller- I'm a cat mom! 04 Lush Liquid Lipstick in Charm 05 *Mint + Hazel Earrings 06 iPhone 07 Alice Munro - Lives of Girls & Women 08 iPod Shuffle 09 *Priti NYC Nail Strengthener 10 Joe Eyeliner 11 Nail Files- I can't stand snags in my nails. If they happen to break, I've always got a quick fix! 12 Sunglasses 13 MAC Lipstick 14 Day Planner 15 Blistex 16 Acrylic Paint 

All starred items are available in our boutique, so come visit us and pick up a few of Renée's favourite items!

have a great week, everybody!

xxo p

magic monday - bag lady

PASCALEReceptionista Extraordinaire

Pascale is our resident cry baby / cat lady, online specialist / receptionist to all.

Her bag is from Stay Home Club Her small makeup bag is from Scout & Catalogue.

Here’s what we found inside:

01 Jetoy Mini Planner via Ebay 02 Sakura Micron Pen 03 Tony Chestnut Leather Key Chain / Barry Manilow Key Chain 04 Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap / Heat Wave 05 Mineral Fusion Mascara 06 **Priti NYC Nailpolish in Nice Gal Peony - the perfect pink to welcome summer! 07 OLO Perfume Oil in Violet/Leather 08 **Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - a total lifesaver for any long haired lady prone to dry ends. 09 **Bobby Pins (we've got tiny boxes of 30 pins for only 3.50) 10 Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain. 11 iPhone - customized cracks, courtesy of the rocky cliffs of Peggy's Cove, NS. 12 Book - Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower 13 Kajal Eyeliner - I picked this up from a small grocer down the street from my place. perfect for adding a quick kick of extra drama. 14 **Malie Body Cream 15 Lint Roller - a must have for cat ladies, and dog ladies alike.

Find any of the starred items above in our boutique! We have a few more bag ladies coming up, so stay tuned!!

happy monday!! xxo pascale

magic monday - what's in our bags

CHLOEAssistant Extraordinaire

Chloe is our beloved assistant and resident perfectionist.

Her bag is from a fantastic Canadian company,  Echoes in the Attic.

And here's what we found inside:

01 Burts Bees Lipbalm 02 USB Stick 03 Assorted candy 04 Crayola Crayons 05 **Gleem Earrings 06 Colgate Floss 07 iPod 08 Prevex Protectant Cream 09 Sunglasses 10 **Kevin Murphy Powder Puff 11 Bus Tickets 12 Compact 13 Tide To Go 14 Business card

Starred are items Chloe picked up in our boutique. If you'd like to try any of her favorites, swing on by and pay us a visit!

happy monday, and stay tuned next week! xxo pascale