Monthly Beauty Favourites - September 2022

Here are the products I was loving this past month:

I purchased these products - this post contains affiliate links

I used to always have pick 5 products each month for my Monthly Favourites, but that is one thing I'm changing this year - whatever I'm loving, I will share whether it's 2 or 10 products!

Manicure Tuesday - Halloween Dotticure

Happy Manicure Tuesday everyone - I had a crazy busy weekend, so I didn't get my nails until yesterday! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

It's October you guys and now it's time for Halloween nails now - I'm so excited! The #CBBxManiMonday group always looks forward to October because we love Halloween nails and there is always some amazing nails this month! 

Five on Friday - September 30, 2022 - Carrie Soto Is Back Book Review, Twice New by WINS Thrift Box, Tulle Skirt from Poshmark, See The World in PINK Youtube Channel, and Monthly Declutter

Happy Friday - it's a late one, but better late than never! Hope you all had a great week - we are off to Edmonton for the weekend! 

ONE 

I purchased everything featured - this post contains affiliate links

I'm always so excited to share more great book reviews here - and it's another amazing read by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Carrie Soto is Back! If I'm being honest, I wasn't sure how I was going to mesh with this book; I'm not really in to tennis, nor did Carrie Soto come off as a likeable character in Malibu Rising, but that is really the beauty of this story! 

My Nighttime Skincare Routine

This is a follow-up to last week's Morning Skincare Routine - if you haven't seen this already, make sure you check it out! I think it's overdue to share my updated routine, so I hope you enjoy these! 

The Skoah was received as part of the Ambassador program, the Estee Lauder and Paula's Choice were received as PR samples

While my daytime routine is quite simplified, I do tend to have my nighttime routine a little more in depth - I like to take my time going through the steps and making sure my skin is taken care of! 

Manicure Monday - Bio Sculpture Pride of Nature Collection Swatches

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend! Can we believe it's the last Monday of September?! Bio Sculpture released their Fall collection and it's this stunning, so I'm glad I'm sneaking in swatches this month! 

This collection was received as PR samples

The BioSculpture Fall polish collection is called "Pride of Nature" - it is celebrating the brands 25th Anniversary and it is inspired by the majestic beauty of Canada (as a Canadian, you know I love this!) This collection has a total of 8 polishes, but because Bio Sculpture is also a gel/salon brand, there is one shade (295 Icebergs), that is just a magnetic gel polish, so there is 7 regular polishes in the collection and I'm sharing swatches of all of them! 

Five on Friday - September 23, 2022 ~ Fall TBR Books, Canmore Trip, Fun Amazon Finds, Walmart Fall Boots, and September 2022 Little Passports Subscription

Happy Friday - I hope you all have a great week! It's been pretty normal here, we were away for the weekend so it is always a little bit crazy catching up! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Yesterday was the first day of Fall, and since I'm not much of a planner for my reading, I try and stick to a little bit of a reading "theme". At the start of Fall I'm always reaching for cozy, Fallish books - thinks cozy fantasies and enchanted woods and lands are exactly what I'm craving!

My Morning Skincare Routine

I don't often feel like blog posts are overdue, since I can basically write anything at anytime, but I haven't written an updated routine since 2016! And, while this isn't going to change *much* since then, it has gotten a little more specific to my skin and finding what works best for me! 

The Skoah product was received as part of the Ambassador program, the FabYou was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

I like to keep my morning routine quite simple and gentle - I'm up quite earlier and don't have a ton of time in the mornings, so I like quick and effective products! 

Manicure Monday - Fall Holographic Geodes Polish

Happy Manicure Monday! Hope you all had a great weekend - mine was busy and amazing, so I prepped a really easy, pretty mani knowing that I wouldn't have that much time! 

I purchased this product on my own

I'm in full Fall mode, and that's what the CBBxManiMonday group is doing for our nails this month - I kept mine very simple, but honestly, still love these - this shade makes me feel very Fall and love the holographic finish! 

Five on Friday - September 16, 2022 ~ Sheep River Falls, Chinook Honey Farm, Sunflowers, and Halloween Bulk Barn and Dollarama Hauls

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - it's been a little busy here, we are participating in Corporate Challenge so I had a few late events this week and I'm tried! But, happy it's the weekend and we are going to Canmore for a wedding and I can't wait! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

Last weekend was beautiful and I wanted to get out and enjoy it with the kids - we drove out past Turner Valley to Sheep River Falls and it was beautiful! I love that this is a short little walk from the road and you can get right up to the Falls! It's also a beautiful drive and we had a great morning out there (we were also the only ones in the whole place at 10 a.m.!)

Jaclyn Cosmetics - Strawberry Feels Palette & Petal Drip Lip Oil ~ 3 Looks and Thoughts

Okay, I like to keep things pretty controversy free here, but when I saw Jaclyn Hill's Summer release (the Strawberry Feels collection), I was really excited. I've been hoping that her brand would do well - I know she is a little controversial, but she was pretty impactful in shaping the online beauty community, and I do hope that her brand does well, because I think she knows makeup!

I purchased everything in this post

I haven't actually tried anything from the brand since their Winter 2019 highlighter releases (which were amazing) - I'm always keeping my eye on things; but, nothing else has really sparked my attention until this release! I love the pink packaging, the strawberry branding and the shade selection in the palette is really pretty! The lippies from the line didn't quite catch my eye, but they do have a beautiful pink lip oil that I thought would pair perfectly with the palette, so I scooped it up too! 

Manicure Monday - Fall Florals Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend - I had the busiest weekend and was gone more than I was home! 

The Essie polish was received as a PR sample

On that note, I really needed a quick manicure for the week, so I love reaching for nail wraps when I need something fast and pulled together! I went with a Fall Florals mani (totally fitting since on our hike yesterday, we all had a few honeybees on us the whole time looking for their final Fall Florals!)

Five on Friday - September 9, 2022 ~ Five Little Indians Book Review, Where The Crawdads Sing Movie, Rings of Power Show, Auction Finds, and A Yummy New Mango Beer

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - pretty normal here and we spent the week getting in to a new routine with school and before and after care, etc. 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm so excited to keep expanding the books on the blog, and I love sharing what I love with you, so time to talk about Five Little Indians by Michelle Good - it was a powerful, emotional and deeply important read. This is a Canadian Historical Fiction, but with such a real basis, that this story feels incredibly real and it's probably not far off from real experiences of those leaving residential schools. This focused on five people exiting the residential school system in the 1960's and trying to find their way in the world - they all have very different paths but interconnect and overlap in downtown Eastside Vancouver.

Trying Out Adrienne Furrie Cosmetics - Swatches and a Makeup Look

I'm always so excited to try a local brand and share my thoughts - Adrienne Furrie is a Calgary makeup artist who also created a makeup line from her years of professional makeup artistry in studio, on sets, and working with everyday modern women! 

I purchased these products on my own

I discovered Adrienne Furrie through a friend - she also runs a subscription box, Lovely and Local and includes the AF makeup products, plus local Calgary products in the box as well. So, as soon as I heard there was a local Calgary makeup brand, I knew I had to try out a few of their products! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - August 2022

Here's a look at what I've been loving this past month:

The JVN hair oil was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

I used to always have pick 5 products each month for my Monthly Favourites, but that is one thing I'm changing this year - whatever I'm loving, I will share whether it's 2 or 10 products!

Manicure Tuesday - Fall Holographic Pumpkin Nails

Happy September everyone! Who's ready for pumpkin season?! I know, I know, it's still "Summer", but let's be real September is when Fall starts - I got my Starbucks PSL creamer and ready to slowly morph myself in to full blown pumpkin. 

I purchased these products myself

So, on that note, the #CBBxManiMonday is doing Fall themed nails for the whole month - my first Fall nails need to be pumpkins! I started with the holographic polish as the base; it's my perfect Summer to Fall transition polish! Sparkly pumpkins are perfect for this time of year!!! 

Five on Saturday - September 3, 2022 ~ 7 Year Anniversary, First Day of School, Britney's New Song, House of Dragons, and a Month of Vegetarian Meals

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - I'm happy we are having a long weekend this weekend and it's going to be a hot one! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

This past week, Mitch and I celebrated our 7 year Anniversary - we had a lovely night, had some wine and went to our favourite Indian restaurant, Karma! It was nice, we always keep our anniversaries pretty low key expect our 5 year trips! 

Monthly Reading Wrap-up ~ August 2022

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

Belladonna was received as an e-arc - this post contains affiliate links

So, in August I read 10 books - a mix of genres from young adult magical realism to adult historical fiction. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year - I think I have been doing a great job of that so far! Also, I've been trying to read a mix of old and new books, which I've done a good job at so far this year. I read 7 audio books, 2 physical books, and one e-book this month! 

Monthly Beauty and Book Haul ~ August 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

I purchased everything in this post

Jaclyn Cosmetics Order ~ $85.95 CAN + $14.33 customs. I have been waiting to try the Jaclyn Cosmetics formula for a while and the last palette didn't interest me much; but, this pinky berry neutral palette did! It's really pretty, the packaging is cute and I also picked up a lip oil from the brand as well. A little bummed I got hit with customs as well, but excited to share my thoughts on these soon! 

Manicure Tuesday - ORLY x Lisa Frank Nail Wraps in Markie Unicorn

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend! 

I purchased these wraps - this post contains affiliate links

The #CBBxManiMonday group are sticking with Summery and bright nails for July and August - I thought for the last week of Summer (and Pride week here in Calgary), that these bright, rainbow nail wraps from ORLY x Lisa Frank are perfect for when you need a quick Summer mani! 

Five on Friday - August 26, 2022 ~ Wedding Attendees, Bulk Barn Haul, Back to School Finds, Lightyear Movie, and Monthly Declutter

Happy Friday everyone - hope you all had a great week! I've been in Edmonton for training all week, so it's been pretty quiet over here. Happy to be coming home to the family for the weekend! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

This past weekend one of my friends got married in Shouldice Park in Calgary and it was super cute! I've never been up to that park and it's beautiful, right on the river - they had a daytime wedding that had games and snacks in the park. Elliott has never been to a wedding before and he did really well and loved the games! So cute - I'm so happy to see weddings back up and running now! 

New ELF Luminous Putty Blushes in Belize & Isla del Sol

I've been pretty impressed with the new ELF products that I've been trying lately - their putty blush formula was one of my Top Makeup Products of 2021 and I have the formula in a couple of shades so when I saw they were releasing a luminous formula in their putty blushes, I had to try them right away! 

I purchased these products on my own - this post contains affiliate links

E.L.F. Cosmetics Luminous Putty Blush ~ $9.00 CAN. A putty-to-powder, buildable blush that adds a pop of color to your complexion, now with a subtle shimmer finish.

This is meant to be a lightweight buildable formula that melts in to the skin, offers a high pigmented application and a shimmery finish for a glowing complexion. It is also infused with argan oil and vitamin e for a boost of hydration. 

New JVN Hair Complete Blowout Styling Milk + 20% the JVN Website!

I'm always excited to receive a product earlier than a launch so I can try it out and let you guys know right away what I think about it, and I've been lucky enough to have that happen with the last couple of JVN Hair launches!

This product was received in exchange for an honest review - this post contains affiliate links

If you've been on here before, then you know I'm a big JVN fan and I was super excited to be part of the JVN Beauty Community Queen's and Co. where I can receive their hair products and give an honest review on the products! If you recall their last release in June knocked it out of the park for me - the Complete Conditioning Mist is my go-to leave in conditioner and detangler! 

Manicure Monday - Shimmery Purple Flowers

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a good weekend! I had a lovely wedding to attend and then drove to Edmonton last night; i'm here all week for work training!

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample, I am a Nails INC ambassador

I've been loving the shimmery light polishes of the Summer - I did the glazed donut nails a few weeks ago and loved them. So, this is a little spin on that because this Nails Inc polish is so gorgeous and I haven't used it in a long time! 

Five on Saturday - August 20, 2022 ~ Bones Coffee Nightmare Before Christmas, Calaway Park Day, Amazon, Thrifted and Auction Finds!

Happy Saturday everyone - hope you all had a great week!

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

Okay, I know it's only August, but when my favourite coffee company announces a Fall coffee collection, I knew I needed all of them! I'm actually on my last bag of Bones coffee (Smores) and it was time for a restock! When I first spotted these, most were sold out, so as soon as the did a restock I picked up one of each flavor (plus a few more for gifts) and I'm so excited! 

Fall 2022 - The Jilly Box Subscription Unboxing

I'm a big fan of Jillian Harris, so when she announced that she was starting a subscription box, I was so excited! The box started with the Winter 2019 box and sadly, I was not one of the lucky originals who won a subscription spot, so I sign up every season and hope to get picked for a lottery spot! 

I purchased this box

The Jilly Box is a quarterly seasonal subscription box - the products within the box include some of Jillian’s (and Team Jilly’s!) favourite items (and brands) from home decor, fashion, bath and beauty, health and wellness, accessories perfect for each season. Some of the items included will be custom designed exclusively for the Jilly Box. The Jilly Box really focuses on including products from small, local businesses while being ethically sourced and inclusive. They also focus on reducing plastic waste and packaging - the big boxes can be turned inside out and reused! Also, they try to include Canadian, woman owned brands, as well as Bipoc and LGBTQ owned brands as well. 

Kiko Milano Festival Glow Collection - Swatches and Makeup Look

I was so excited when I was in Italy to pick up some products by Kiko Milano and I've been using a few of them and enjoying them! I have to apologize in advance to my Canadian readers - these don't ship from Italy to Canada, but they are available at Ulta in the U.S. (which also sadly, never resumed shipping to Canada, but if you are planning a trip to the States, you could pick up a few things!)

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I found a little Kiko Store in Rome and was able to pick up a few things from their Festival Glow line - this was their Summer 2022 collection and the products are glowy! They are all about glowy skin, sparkly eyes and water proof products - I only picked up a few things as I was travelling by carryon only or I would have pick up more! 

Manicure Monday - Neon Abstract Nails

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a good weekend! I finally had a relaxing weekend at home to myself and it was much needed for some good R&R! 

The Biosculpture polishes were received as PR samples

So, I had a plenty of time to do makeup and nails all weekend and it was perfect - I haven't had that much time to myself in a long time and it's been a very busy (but great) Summer! 

Five on Friday - August 12, 2022 ~ Summer Bookish Romance Books, The House In The Cerulean Sea Review, August 2022 Little Passports Subscription, Produce Keepers, and Shania Twain: Not Just A Girl Documentary

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a great week. It's been quite a week here - I got back from my Grandfather's service in BC on Sunday night and it's been quite a draining week since. I'm honestly looking forward to my first relaxing weekend of the Summer to recuperate this weekend! 

ONE 

I purchased (or borrowed) everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm not much of a planner for my reading, but each month I try and stick to a little bit of a reading "theme". Now that we are in to August, what's the perfect read for Summer? Romance of course! But what's even funner is that a whole bunch of new romances have this fun bookish theme! So I rounded up a few fun Summer Romances with a Bookish twist! 

Monthly Reading Wrap-up ~ July 2022

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

I purchased all these books (or borrowed) - this post contains affiliate links

So, in July I read 9 books - a mix of genres from classics to young adult fantasy. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year - I think I have been doing a great job of that so far! Also, I've been trying to read a mix of old and new books, which I've done a good job at so far this year. Last month was mostly new books, so I balanced it out this year with a few older books as well. I read 5 audio books and 4 physical books this month! 

Manicure Monday - Summer Polka Dot Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - hope you had a good weekend! I drove to a family event so Friday and Sunday I drove for 9 hours each day (so, I needed a quick, pretty mani for today!)

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample

I was singing the Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot bikini this weekend, so it inspired me to do some yellow polka dots because it's the perfect easy and quick mani!! 

Five on Friday - August 5, 2022 ~ Smash and Tess Rebecca Mini & Getaway Midi Dress + $10 off, Month of Vegetarian Meals, Invermere Finds, Calaway Park and Telus Spark Science Centre

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a good week - we got back on the long weekend for over a week away at the cabin, and I'm driving to B.C. again this weekend for my Grandpa's service. 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I placed an order on the Smash and Tess Summer sale (which is still going on btw if you want to check it out!) I love my midi Rebecca dresses, so I picked up the Rebecca Wrap Mini Dress in Blue Steel and the Getaway Midi Dress in Champagne Dream and I love them both! I wasn't sure about the champagne colour, but I love it and the cut is excellent. The Mini Rebecca is super cute and all the midis are on sale right now too! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - July 2022

Here's a look at what I've been loving this past month:

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I used to always have pick 5 products each month for my Monthly Favourites, but that is one thing I'm changing this year - whatever I'm loving, I will share whether it's 2 or 10 products!

Manicure Monday - DIY Glazed Donut Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - I'm so excited to be back doing my nails after a hiatus last week while I was away at the cabin! 

The China Glaze and Bio Sculpture were received as PR samples

Since we decided to keep up the Summer theme for August, I thought it was only fitting that I try the nails of the nails of the Summer - Glazed Donut Nails! 

Five on Friday - July 29, 2022 ~ Terra Moons Celestial Equinox Quad, Kiko Milano Mood Boost Radiant Blush in Perfect Mauve, Kiko Milano Fruit Explosion Eyeshadow Palette in Rose Alchemy, Fenty Beauty Resting Peach Face Cream Blush & Mini Gloss Bomb Cream, and Kiko Milano Winter Sales Eyeshadow Palette 03 Sunset Time

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a good week - I've been computer-less enjoying a week at the cabin with all the family! 

Since I'm away, I'm skipping a life update for my Five on Friday post (and will save my update for next Friday!) and instead I'm sharing and swatching 5 palettes that I've been keeping in my collection for a while and totally missed getting reviews up on them in a timely fashion! 

ONE 

Terra Moons Cosmetics UO Exclusive Celestial Eyeshadow Set ~ $24.00 CAN. Eyeshadow set by Terra Moons Cosmetics for Urban Outfitters, featuring four pressed pans of shades inspired by the celestial elements. 

This was an exclusive set for Urban Decay - they've previously had a couple of sets with them and they were little sets of pre-existing shades, so when I found out they were all brand new, I knew I had to pick them up! The shadows are stunning and the Harvest Moon shade even made my Favourites one month last year. I have played with them, but didn't get a review in time, so now this set isn't available, but I always like to have swatches saved in case these things do come back! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ July 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

XO Treatment Room Order ~ $74.55 CAN. If you've been around here for a while, you know this is my hands down holy grail Vitamin C serum. I use it every day and I will only use one other brand (Paula's Choice), so naturally I just finished one of each of those, so here's my backup. This is $89, so I had a little bit of a balance in my paypal so I saved a little bit this time around! 

Five on Friday - July 22, 2022 ~ Summer Books, Calgary Stampede, DIY Sam's Study, July Declutter, and Costco Boba!

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - it's been a little long here, but we are heading to the cabin tomorrow for a week long family vacation and I'm exited for it (it will be both crazy and relaxing! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm not much of a planner for my reading, but each month I try and stick to a little bit of a reading "theme". We are well in to July, so I thought share some "Summer" themed books that are perfect to read right now - I have a mix of older and newer books! 

Belif - Aqua Bomb Brightening Vitamin C Cream

Okay, it's been months since I've done a dedicated skincare post and I'm a little shocked - I will pick them back up. (I've been a little more steady in my routine for the sake of my skin, so I am trying new products less frequently and making sure what I'm using is working for me!)

This product was received as a PR sample - this post contains an affiliate link

Belif Aqua Bomb Brightening Vitamin C Cream ~ $56.00 CAN. A lightweight cream born from the Aqua Bomb DNA with added vitamins C and E plus four types of hyaluronic acid for visibly bright, glowing skin.

I tried the original Belif Aqua Bomb so long ago (actually back in 2016 before it was even readily available in Canada - I had to special order it back then!) and I really enjoyed it. It was a lovely gel texture and my skin loved it! 

Manicure Monday - Neon Mix Tape 90's Nails

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was really busy and a little all over the place; but, here we are and I'm glad I have lovely nail wraps when I need a quick mani! 

The Bio Sculpture polish was received as a PR sample

It's July and the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing "Summer" themed nails for the month and I'm here for the bright and fun nails for the season! So I'm sticking with neons like last week and I'm loving how bright these Bio Sculpture Live Life Loudly polishes and they are perfect for Summer! 

Quarterly Beauty Empties ~ April - June 2022

Monthly Empties posts were getting a little overwhelming - they were a lot to write and keep notes about. I've decided to still talk about empties, but only makeup products and skincare products (no more body, hair, nail or personal care products!) It was just getting too much, but I still want to share my thoughts on products I've used up! 

Some of these products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel in Dark Brown ~ $12.00 CAN for mini size shown here (full size is $24.00 CAN). A highly-pigmented brow gel with a long-lasting, waterproof formula for creating fuller-looking, defined brows—like Dipbrow Pomade in a gel form.

I had a pretty instant love affair with this brow gel - it just adds so much colour and hold to my brows. It's a product that you actually only need to use the tiniest amount of product to use properly! It's a super long wearing formula and pretty weather proof! This has been such a game-changer for my brows so it's my go to! 

Repurchase: Yes! 

Unboxing BellBees Mystery Box!

It's been a little since I've jumped in and bought a mystery box; but, I love BellBees - they are a lovely curated shop with great selection of fantastic Asian Beauty brands! They are Canadian and Women owned! 

I purchased this box on my own

Because they have such a great selection of brands, I couldn't resist when they released Mystery Boxes for purchase - Standard for $50, Medium for $75 and Large for $100. (Since I've been on a stricter beauty budget, I've been mostly saving my money to know exactly what I'm purchasing, but the brands and the surprise aspect pulled me in!) I picked up the middle size so that I could get in on free shipping too and it came within the week! 

Five on Friday - July 15, 2022 ~ Trickster Series Review, My Garden in Bloom, June 2022 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit, July Little Passports Subscription, and Seed Crackers

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all have a good week! Mine was nice and normal around here! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm so excited to share not only a book review today, but a whole series review - the Trickster Series by Eden Robinson! The books are Son A Trickster, Trickster Drift, and Return of the Trickster. I think sometimes these book get wrongfully shelved as young adult fantasy books, and they are pretty true adult books (they start to get a little graphic in the last couple, but even the first one starts with some pretty heavy material); also, I would call these contemporary fiction (which is what they are labelled as) with a fantastical twist. 

Summer 2022 - The Jilly Box Subscription Unboxing

I'm a big fan of Jillian Harris, so when she announced that she was starting a subscription box, I was so excited! The box started with the Winter 2019 box and sadly, I was not one of the lucky originals who won a subscription spot, so I sign up every season and hope to get picked for a lottery spot! 

I purchased this box - this post contains affiliate links

The Jilly Box is a quarterly seasonal subscription box - the products within the box include some of Jillian’s (and Team Jilly’s!) favourite items (and brands) from home decor, fashion, bath and beauty, health and wellness, accessories perfect for each season. Some of the items included will be custom designed exclusively for the Jilly Box. The Jilly Box really focuses on including products from small, local businesses while being ethically sourced and inclusive. They also focus on reducing plastic waste and packaging - the big boxes can be turned inside out and reused! Also, they try to include Canadian, woman owned brands, and this box also includes 3 LGBTQ+, BIPOC and Minority owned brands! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ June 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

Shoppers Haul ~ $11.58 CAN. Okay, what better summarizes my haul posts up - I can get books and beauty at Shoppers! Okay, I went in for mascara and ended up with a whole body line from a new Shoppers Brand, Truly, some lip balm, a dry shampoo, and a couple of Summer books! 

Manicure Monday - Neon Bright Diagonal Negative Space Nails

Happy Mani Monday everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend! 

The BioSculpture polishes were received as PR samples

I missed last week - whoops! Usually, I have my nails prepped while I am away, but I was enjoying some time with my family and didn't bring anything to do my nails with! 

Five on Saturday - July 9, 2022 ~ Calgary Stampede, Penticton Trip, Wine Haul, Crown and Thieves Dinner, Minions: The Rise of Gru Movie

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all had a good week - we got back from Penticton this week and my little guy has been sick for the past few days, so it's been a little crazy! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I went to Sneak Peek night at the Calgary Stampede this year - it's been two years since I've been so it was so fun to go! We did all the rides, ate a grilled cheese donut and had a fun night! (I will share more pictures on my instagram soon!) We managed to miss a tornado warning, hail and rain and ended up with a really good night! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - June 2022

Here's a look at what I've been loving this past month:

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I used to always have pick 5 products each month for my Monthly Favourites, but that is one thing I'm changing this year - whatever I'm loving, I will share whether it's 2 or 10 products!

Monthly Reading Wrap-up - June 2022 and Mid-year Book Freakout Tag

This year I thought I would share a little more of all my books and I thought the best way to do that would be if I wrapped up my reads of each month, so I can share mini reviews on all the books I've gone through! 

It could be a big range from 2 to 10 books depending on how much I read, but I figure I can share a little synopsis and quick thoughts on each book. I will still be doing more in depth reviews on books that really capture me! 

Wake The Bones and Cat's Cradle were received as review copies - this post contains affiliate links

So, in June I read 9 books - a mix of genres from young adult horror to adult fantasy. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year - I think I have been doing a great job of that so far! Also, I've been trying to read a mix of old and new books, which I've done a good job at so far this year, but this month was only new books (the oldest was published in 2020), so I think I will try and make up for that by reading mostly older books in July! I read 6 audio books, 1 physical books and 2 e-books this month! 

Five on Friday - July 1, 2022 ~ Wine Tasting, Winners Dress Find, June Beauty Declutter, Zoo Day and a Sunscreen Haul

Happy Friday everyone and Happy Canada Day! I hope you all had a great week - we've been out in Penticton since Tuesday and it's been lovely! 

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We started out our trip with a little bit of wine tasting - we went to Okanagan Falls and went to Noble Ridge, Blasted Church and a few smaller places too. Such a fun day! 

This picture was taken at Noble Ridge - it's a gorgeous place with a little view of Vaseux Lake and it's so pretty! 

Manicure Tuesday - Shimmery Pink Flaky Nails

Happy Monday everyone - I hope you all had a great weekend! 

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Did these bright pink shiny nails catch your attention?! Good they should - this month's Mani Monday theme is activism and while I planned somewhat to focus on Pride and Indigenous issues (given that it's pride and Indigenous history month), however the U.S. and their landmark decision to overturn a 50 year old law, is crazy enough that we need to talk about women's rights and health access. 

Five on Saturday - June 25, 2022 ~ Meeting Kaitlyn Bristowe, Book Lovers Review, Tâpwê And The Magic Hat Book, Father's Day at Calaway Park, and Rea's Italian Cucina

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a great week! 

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Oooh I was so excited to hear that Kaitlyn Bristowe was coming to Calgary for a Spade & Sparrows event - I loved her on the Bachelor/Bachelorette, she is hilarious on her podcast, and the wine is delicious! So naturally, I managed to line up after work and get a few bottles of wine signed - she was so sweet and the team was great!