Weekend Snapshots

{ lovely lavender at the farmer's market }

{ so many varieties of cabbage }

{ maple syrup on a stick...so good....so Canadian }

{ my current favourite eyeshadow } 

{ Andrew sneaking in some snuggles with this little one } 

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend. Mine seemed to fly by much too quickly, a Saturday morning (okay, afternoon) trip to the farmer's market, sunbathing at a friend's pool,  marathoning Orange Is The New Black (I'm totally obsessed you must watch it) and a Sunday baby shower. Why can't weekends be just a little longer?

Mood Board: Floral Shop

floral studio | saylor lane | flowers on chair | samantha photography | mimosis logo | tinge floral | vase of flowers | vintage botanicals | your darling blog | wreath | aprile elcich website | water colour | prairie fair website

For one of my final school projects this term I am designing a logo and website for a floral studio. To begin the project, as I begin most projects, I created a mood board filled with images that inspire the topic. Vintage botanical drawings, floral workspaces and some stunning logos and websites that already exist. I find putting together a collection of images can really help you narrow down your concept and colour story. Plus I love making them!

Tabbouleh Salad

While in Toronto I ate at Tabülè, a delicious Middle Eastern restaurant where I enjoyed the best tabbouleh salad I had ever had. Ever since I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Such a delicious and fresh salad, perfect for summer. So I of course had to recreate it at home. The best part about this salad is that it actually tastes better the next day!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bulgur
2 - 3 cups chopped fresh parsley (stems removed)
1/2 mint chopped
2 tomatoes or 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
1/2 an english cucumber diced
3 scallions thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon and zest
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook bulgur according to package directions. Cool. Add parsley, mint, tomatoes, cucumber and scallions and toss. Whisk together lemon, zest, olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir the dressing into the salad (you may feel you don't need full amount of dressing) until combined. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

90 Days With Bicyclette Boutique

My lovely friend Paige, who owns the darling Bicyclette Boutique in Toronto, recently teamed up with Kolab Cinema to create a short film showcasing her summer line. The film, entitled 90 Days, celebrates love, summer style and life in Toronto (which of course makes me miss the city like crazy!) Paige describes the concept as street style meets fairy tale, which is exactly what you feel when you're in Bicyclette. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I do! 

Scalloped

shirt: anthropologie (similar) | shorts: club monaco | shoes: j.crew (on sale) | bracelets: bfrend

One of many things that I love about this time of year is all of the great sales that go on. Typically (especially in Vancouver) the weather is only just warming up enough to even wear our summer clothes now and everything has already gone on sale, perfect! I had been eyeing these J.Crew sandals for some time now and lucked out finding them in my size on sale and an additional 40% off. I really couldn't pass them up! 

I'm also loving these bfrend bracelets that I recently picked up. I'm all about the dainty jewelry lately and these bracelets fit my taste perfectly right now. What are some favourite pieces in your closet lately?

Weekend Snapshots

{ anniversary celebrations }

{ lovely invitations for a friend's upcoming wedding }

{ taking in the beautiful views in Whistler }

{ patio brunch }

This past weekend Andrew and I celebrated our four year anniversary. It seems crazy how quickly four years have flown by. Especially when I think about all of the cities we have lived in both separately and  together, the moves we have made for each other and how much has changed in just four years. When we first met I lived in Toronto and Andrew in Vancouver, then somehow for a little over two years we did long distance between Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Finally we now both live in Vancouver together. We often have people ask us for advice on surviving a long distance relationship, which I usually am not sure how to answer. The whole experience was exciting for us, of course it wasn't easy, and in the end one of us had to pick up and move permanently, but it allowed our relationship to grow slowly. We built trust, learned to communicate and really appreciated the time we had together. 

So I guess my advice would be to enjoy the late night phone calls and surprise visits, cherish the time you get to spend together even if it's short, and know that eventually there's an end to the distance. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are one of my favourite sweet snacks. So classic yet so many different ways to make them. This recipe is one of the best I've tried so far, with a few slight adjustments and the addition of walnuts, I have a hard time not finishing them all in one sitting! If you are a chocolate chip cookie fan (and who isn't?) then you must give this recipe a try!

You can find the recipe here. I used milk chocolate chip cookies instead of semisweet and butter instead of shortening. 

Silk Pants

top: j.crew | pants: club monaco | clutch: club monaco (old) | sandals: sam edelman

I've been searching for the perfect silk pants all season and was so glad to find these at Club Monaco with the arrival of their July collection. They are so comfortable and versatile, I've already worn them a few times since buying them!

Office Styling

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As you may have noticed I have a serious obsession with super feminine styled offices. Home decor has been on the back burner of priorities around here lately, but I still find myself dreaming up new looks for our place. I've mentioned a few times how much I'd love to add some feminine touches to our office, and I think some of these pieces would do just the trick. I think wherever I live will always be an ongoing project as my taste changes, but that's what I love about style and decor. It is always evolving with you. 

Weekend Snapshots

{ a serious Sunday morning caesar from here }

{ pretty strung lights }

{ Saturday morning at the farmer's market }

{ soaking up the sun at Kitsilano Beach }

{ our current house guest }

It felt so good to finally spend a weekend at home after what seems like months of travelling. And I have to say the weekend was quite a success. Andrew and I caught up with quite a few friends, enjoyed the sunshine and did some work. Most of our weekend, though, was spent preparing for my mom to arrive today. As I had mentioned a few posts ago, my mom is moving to Vancouver (from Toronto) and I couldn't be more excited. Moving across the country is not easy, especially when you have lots of furniture and pets, so I'm so glad it's almost over. It has been a bit of a stressful process but so worth it in the end.

Earlier last week when we flew home from Toronto Andrew and I brought my mom's two cats with us. It was quite the experience, especially when one of them decided to escape from her carrier on the plane. Slightly embarrassing to say the least. Luckily they survived the journey and are very lovely house guests. I have really missed having a pet around the house, hopefully someday soon we will have one of our own.

In My Summer Bag

bobby pins: h&m | sunglasses: aritzia | wallet: aritzia | perfume: sephora | sunblock: sephora | lip gloss: sephora | bag | scarf

I find in the summer I carry around a little more in my bag than usual. Although I try not to lug around too much on a daily basis, some items are a must in summer. Such as sunscreen, sunglasses and bobby pins to keep my beach waves under control. And of course, Coquitlam Centre has me covered for all of these essentials and more, what are some of your summer bag essentials?

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

If you have ever been a fan of peanut butter banana sandwiches then you will love this smoothie. My current go-to snack, especially after a workout. Feel free to adjust the amount of peanut butter to your liking and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 banana
1/2 a cup + 2 tbsp of chocolate almond milk
1 heaping tbsp of peanut butter
3 ice cubes

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together.

Bridal Shower Gift Ideas

one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight

Wedding season is upon us and with that so are bridal showers and other events surrounding the bride. So if you're attending a bridal shower this season, here is some gift inspiration for the bride. How adorable is that minimergency kit for brides?

Weekend Snapshots

{ my current favourite J.Crew bathing suit cover } 

{ summer leaves }

{ stealing away a few moments alone together }

{ luckily the rain held off despite threatening clouds }

{ hanging my feet off the dock }

We just returned from our cottage where we spent our Canada day long weekend. The rain thankfully held off and we managed to enjoy the somewhat warm weather. On Saturday my parents threw Andrew and I an engagement party with our family and friends. We ate a little too much good food, taught my dad to play beer pong (he was a natural) and stayed up late around the fire. It could not have been a more perfect weekend.