Enchanting Cosmetics: Indie Polish: Dino Eggs, Sharp Shooter, Enterprisi...

Enchanting Cosmetics: Indie Polish: Dino Eggs, Sharp Shooter, Enterprisi...: Hey there everyone, I just recently found this nice indie creator,  Indie Polish  out of Canada. They have been open for about a year and se...

Perfume Solid, Bad Wolf, Rose, Dr. Who, Vegan

Perfume Solid, Bad Wolf, Rose, Dr. Who, Vegan

Indie Polish Atomic Yam - Swatches and Review | Pointless Cafe

Indie Polish Atomic Yam - Swatches and Review | Pointless Cafe

Pointless Cafe: Indie Polish - Into the Darkness Swatches and Revi...

Pointless Cafe: Indie Polish - Into the Darkness Swatches and Revi...: Press Sample   *This product is Cruelty Free  ♥ I have a new-to-me indie polish brand to show you called Indie Polish! I have a few...

A.M. Polishes: Indie Spotlight: Indie Polish

A.M. Polishes: Indie Spotlight: Indie Polish: Hi Everyone, This time it's my turn to try some Indie Polish polish :) If you haven't yet, check out Annie's swatches here ! ...

The Lazy Laquerista: Indie Polish Swatches & Review

The Lazy Laquerista: Indie Polish Swatches & Review: Disclaimer:  This product was offered at a reduced price or at no charge to thelazylaquerista.blogspot.com in exchange for published revie...

ColorSutraa: 1500 LIKES GIVEAWAY!!

ColorSutraa: 1500 LIKES GIVEAWAY!!: Hello my beloved, wonderful followers!! As many of you know, I just hit 1500 likes on Facebook!! Can you believe it?! It's been just 7 ...

PolishNV: Star Storm by Indie Polish - review

PolishNV: Star Storm by Indie Polish: Star Storm from Indie Polish is a mix of matte white glitter with black stars in a clear base. I love polishes like these that can basically...

A great blogging friend shares all fun size beauty: EMPTIES #4

fun size beauty: EMPTIES #4: *WARNING* - There's a lot. I'll try and be brief with evaluations. I'm being uprooted from my current apartment to live somew...

Indie Polish's final summer flash sale!!!!

HUGE #NAILPOLISH #SALE 40% off at www.myindiepolish.com 

#Nails #nailpolish #NailArt #makeupsale #Canada #etsy #Toronto #handmade #nagelik

It's a Trap-eze - china glaze

I forget where I first saw this but the first time I tried to buy it it was sold out. Finally I snagged some!

it;s a barely lavender/lilac base with tons of glitter of all shapes and  many colors...I used 3 coats with seche vite in between the coats. I find it works better with thick, heavy and gritty polishes like this. I read one review that said it was hard to apply....I didn't find this at all. i found the glitter distributed very nicely. One thing i really like is the almost pearly glow of this polish!

 

                                                            This was taken in the sun

                                                             This one taken indoors



Sometimes i'm not sure if I like this polish  but there is something about it I really like! I'm not normally a fan of china glaze but I REALLY like this polish....enough to try more of their polishes! Good job China Glaze. This was a fun one to enjoy!

Beyond The nail - FINALLY a SUPERIOR neon yellow nail polish

FINALLY!!!!! my search for neon yellow is OVER!!!! Thanks to Toronto based Beyond The Nail!

ok seriously this was my first ever handmade polish purchase, and my 3rd neon yellow. So I approached this purchase with great desperation.

(this picture belongs to beyond the nail)

I saw a post on facebook about their neon polish and had to try it. I found it and noticed it's also UV reactive (which I care nothing about, but you might) It looked perfect and a bonus is, like us, they too are from Toronto! shipping was fine and I purchased and waited. Shipping was fast however the downside was in the meantime I'd had my nails done with other polish......NATURALLY the day I get my nails done my beyond the nail polish comes.....so I have actually waited about 2 weeks to post this as I just got them done again today!

so I painted 2 coats of white (which always looks horrifying)

Than once i got home I painted 2 coats of neon yellow with a coat of seche vite on top. This polish has none of the streaking or chalkiness neons always have....no lumpy pigments...it's oddly.......PERFECT.

(awful hands for polish blogging hahaha)

Customer service is great and this shop also offers tons of adorable decals for nails and  mountain of other colors!

you can find them below
etsy https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/beyondthenail
facebook https://www.facebook.com/Beyondthenail

check them out...i'm so glad i did!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Craftsy Experience (not good)

so I have long been a fan of craftsy...I've got some awesome patterns and tutorials free from them and they often have good sales for fabric. I couldn't pass up the fat quarter mystery box.....so I took the plunge.....

I waited and waited and waited and finally it arrived! I opened it up (swear to god there was a gasp and almost tears) and was shocked at the level of shit I received.....now I know it's a mystery box BUT almost every single fabric is from blank quilting ,,, in fact only 2 are from KIND OF mainstream lines....

The kicker was the doubles, triples and quads of fabric I got. I can see a double or 2 but this is insane...and the fabric is soooooo crappy!

These are all doubles, triples or quads!!!!!

This is all that came in singles

on the left vertically is all the repeats, the right is the singles....kind of off a bit no?

I contacted craftsy and the most they were willing to do was refund my shipping and duty....wow 22$...still out the 40-50$ full of shitty fabric that I will never use! had the listing said you will get several repeats...in fact we won't make much effort at all....singles will be few and far between, it would have been A) far more honest and I would not have bought it!  Would I EVER shop on craftsy again...perhaps,..if t was a huge sale.... would I ever TRUST craftsy, refer them to a friend, share or promo them on any social media in any way like I do most honest shops....nope...not a chance.... I buy alot of fabric...if not for me than for my supply shop.... I figure craftsy will be missing a few hundred dollars a year that I spend with fabric shops....

I'd like to say they cared....but considering they wou;dn't do much i'm not sure what to think. I now it's a mystery box but sorry for my french this is blatant bullshit!  and very dishonest.

all the fabric was paid for by me, and I really wanted to tell you how awesome it was........but it wasn't.... Or how awesome they were in helping me.......but they weren't

eventually this will happen to enoough people and word will get around..... I hope it's sooner than later so nobody else like me ends up in this situation!

www.craftsy.com

Sampler Village: Villager Voices Interview & GIVEAWAY ♥ ♥ Soapery S...

Sampler Village: Villager Voices Interview & GIVEAWAY ♥ ♥ Soapery S...: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Meet Robyn Traversie from Soapery Sweet ♥ Please tell the Village about yourself:   Hello...

Etsy shop review - Loops and dots

Needed some small gifts for my son's teachers. I headed to etsy....perhaps some custom notebooks this year!!!

I came across Loopsanddots on etsy . what a great shop!!! and local to boot!

I purchased 2 of these custom notebooks! here

it was so easy I just let her know the color I wanted and what I wanted to say on the cover.... I was shocked at how fast they were done, and since she's out in my area at times she asked if it would be ok to pop them into my mail *THRILLED* no chance of a postal mix up.


I also had a little book made up to write stuff down about my son...those can be found here 

The wrapping papers were just digital download sheets readily found all over etsy! I was so impressed from everything from start to finish! The gifts were loved and if I ever needed something custom like this I would RUN back to this shop in a heartbeat!!!!




all items are purchased FULL PRICE by me therefore an actual non bought review is what you can expect here! as with all items on my blog!

Me and the boy GIVEAWAY - LIVE NOW!

You can find our latest giveaway here! We are giving away one of our 4oz ageless lime and lavender mud mask! Shipped free to you!   ENTER NOW and good luck!

GIVEAWAY

Nail Polish Sleuth: Indie Polish review

Nail Polish Sleuth: Indie Polish: Today I have 2 more great polishes from Indie Polish . This Canadian company makes handmade unique nail polish.

Etsy Review of JDesignsHandmade Graphic Design made with love.

Needed an ad done quick and nice....searched thru etsy,,,,and luckily I came across JDesignsHandmade.
What a great shop! tons of premade etsy banners with basixc packages for 5$ uptp total etsy shop branding packs for 50-55$ A TOTAL STEAL!!!

I only needed a buttion ad and it was easy, just picked the designs I liked and literally typed out what I wanted it to say and told the designer to decide, for what I wanted on it, which one she thought would work best!

It was done fast, and emailed to me the next day. I was thrilled and only paid 6$!!!! and I think it's totally adorable

you tell me?

I would no doubt use this shop again....in fact I am thinking or rebranding a shop with her banner sets now too.

Also she has a special right now that can be found here

https://www.etsy.com/listing/92075248/etsy-banner-set-premade-etsy-banner-etsy?ref=shop_home_feat

Nail Polish Sleuth: Indie Polish Review~~~~

Nail Polish Sleuth: Indie Polish: Here are a couple of great polishes from Indie Polish .  It is a Canadian company that makes unique handmade nail polish. Finding Dory ...

YELLOW BRICK ROAD BY DEBORAH LIPPMANN Total disappointment......and I so wish it wasn't

so I watched this polish for awhile than one of my fave sites ever www.nailpolishcanada.com announced it would be on sale from 20$ to 11$ so I bought it......it's like at Christmas, when you see the big box the toy should be in.......but someone thought it was funny to put socks in the box....big let down...


At 3 coats is streaky and reminds me of milky egg yolks......i tried with and without a base coat. with and without top coat....it's just a crappy yellow polish!!!! so the quest continues! The best yellow polish.


I do have to say I like how it applied.....but that's where the love affair ended.

Sorry.... I wanted to love it.

I apologize for my swatch pic...I have fat hands....and I don't manicure lots but your'e supposed to be focusing on the colors lol

                                                                              SIGH  guess i'll sell it lol

The easiest white bread you'll ever make! I know because i've made it twice in 12 hours!

I think fresh baked bread is seriously indulgent....making it is even better. I PROMISE you the first time you make this it will take  half hr to get it ready before rises....but today I just did it all off the top of my head in about 15 minutes and it's on the rise!.
I\ve never been much of a housewife in the traditional sense......so imagine to the look on hubby's face when he came home to fresh baked bread that was them made into fresh french toast in the morning! And my son just thinks i'm not beyond super mom!

here is the recipe I use. I found it searching bread recipes after having issues with crohns and looking for something with no fiber to slow down my system a bit

This is the easiest one-loaf yeast bread you will ever bake. The Super Easy Bread for Beginners recipe produces a soft crust and a moist center using the most basic ingredients that can be found in most kitchens.

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

Preparation:

1. In large bowl, add the warm water. Slowly stir in dry yeast. Continue to stir until yeast is dissolved.
2. Add salt, sugar, shortening, and milk to bowl. Stir.
3. Mix in the first 2 cups of flour.
4. If needed, begin adding more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
5. You do not need to use up all the flour called for in this recipe, or you may need more flour than called for. The amounts vary depending on many factors, including weather, which is why most bread recipes only give an approximate amount of flour needed.
6. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead, adding small spoonfuls of flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.
7. Put dough in buttered bowl, turn dough over so that the top of dough is greased. Cover and let rise in warm spot for 1 hour.
8. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead.
9. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
10. Form dough into loaf and set in buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
11. Score dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. Put in oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Turn out bread and let cool on a rack or clean dishtowel.

easy peasy!!!! and honestly neither time I watched the rising times and it was fine..... SERIOUSLY impressed!!!!! SERIOUSLY!

oh yeah REALLY!!!!! wait for it to cool... I know it's hard but worth the wait! 

2 days later and my son is making it himself...updated june 11th

Indie Polish Nail Polish giveaway! From our in the pink line!

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Hosted by www.myindiepolish.com

Sally Hansen Insta Gel Strips - UV gel strip

ok so I know it's not handmade BUT I know I have been wondering how good these are......and  I do have a handmade review coming later.

So at walmart I decited to try the Sally hansen saloon insta gel strips. You do need a UV lamp for these but I had one already.

I must admit it was hard to pick one as there are SO MANY to pick from but I liked the poppy design

It comes with everything you need. Literally I just opened the wipe pack wiped all my nails. pushed back my cuticles, buffed the shine from my nail....applied the strips (after fitting them) You just put them on and kinda run the cuticle stick over them so they are firmly on....You have to pull the strip over the edge of your nail...apply the topcoat (do not get it on your skin) cure it under the uv lamp and than use the wipe to take the tacky off and voila!  They are really cute (sadly it's a horrible day for pics but I will add some tomorrow when the sun comes out!)

I am really glad I bought these and am eager to try others.....there are SO MANY prints it's insane!!!!!

The kit includes

Gel Applique Kit

A first! Easy 2 step gel manicure in a strip. Easy on, easy off gel strip system.

Each shade & pattern kit contains:

· 16 Gel Polish Strips

· 1 Gel Top Coat

· 2 Nail Cleanser Pads

· Cuticle Stick

· File & Buffer

· Instruction sheet

you can find more info on the sally hansen site http://sallyhansen.com/products/nails/gel-nail-color/salon-insta-gel-strips-gel-nail-color-strips

I must say i'm seriously impressed!

The Delta Chelsea Hotel Downtown toronto

I'd stayed initially at the Delta and it didn't go well. I was contacted my Alistair the guest experience expert and a future stay and he assured me it would go better. Last weekend I decided to try again. This hotel is ALWAYS busy... but in a lively fresh way. There was a bit of mix up in the room I was given but I was in my room within 10 minutes. It was lovely, not spacious but everything I needed and above all else is was super clean. Although the one thing I can't stand is not at least having a fridge...(running to the ice machine to fill the bathroom sink with ice always reminds me of parties in university)


The location is PERFECT! but there are a few irrating things at this hotel.

Food delivery....it's not allowed. Not to your room anyways. Is it the noise in the hall of many delivery people due to the size of the hotel, or is it a bid to keep food sales in house? I don't really care...when I am ordering food I don't want to come to the lobby to pick up my food, especially after the spa, pedicures, or having had a few drinks.

No fridges or microwaves..... This bothered me more when my son was younger.....but seriously... I'd like to drink cold stuff or perhaps wrap up my uneaten food and store it....or perhaps reheat some leftovers at 2am....these are pretty basic things.....


Make sure you upgrade your room or ask for something newly renovated....some of the rooms are a bit "dated"


Overall this is a hotel I would stay at over and over again just due to location alone. The room service is a great price and well presented with HUGE lists of possibilities. The staff for the most part CARE about my needs and wants...I think a few changes or lectures in staff members and this would blow other hotels out of the water....Some of the staff are total pains, refusing to do much to help....I'm glad I ran into Alistair  even theu a negative stay, I will just deal with him from now on.


I want to LOVE this place I really do, If it were not for the small irritating things I would. But for location it cannot be beat!

Holographic Hussy: Introducing Indie Polish

THis is a great review of our sister shop indie polish I wanted to share!


Holographic Hussy: Introducing Indie Polish: Hey Hussies! My second blog post tonight is brought to you by fairly new polish creator, Tanya at Indie Polish. I've only just disc...

I did not want to leave the Delta Chelsea Hotel Toronto

Seriously when I saw the amount of kids in the lobby, and heard they had 1590 rooms I was a bit worried.....

I have a seriously injured foot so I was not sure how much stomping thru the city i'd be doing.....but honestly this plain old school hotel made it just so nice to stay in!

If you've never slept in a delta sanctuary bed YOU MUST!!!! it's the nicest coziest bed EVER... 4 pillows...ahhhhhhhhh it was so nice to sit and spend an after noon with a fine wine and my netflix!


Other than the odd door close and the maids cart go squeaking up the hallway  I HEARD NOTHING,,,,,I saw NOTHING!!! and even though almost every room has a balcony I did'nt even hear the doors all night.


I really didn't do much the first day.....but the second night I decided (after a painful new tattoo) to order room service... I ordered

cajun chicken breast sammy
Caesar salad
all day breakfast
and coffee

(i hadn't eaten all day lol)


IT was wonderful, delivered fast, with tons of condiments, neatly presented and the gentleman that brought it explained the cheque to me, went over my meal, and asked if I needed anything.....it was lovely...only the little white rose it a bud vase was the cute cherry on top....the only thing I hate   AND it's a personal pet peeve.... if you want to charge 9$ for a salad fine BUT STOP USING KRAFT PARMISEAN IN THE CONTAINER.....Buy a wedge and use the peeler ..it's honestly worth it and doesn't cost much more!


The bathroom was beautiful, bright but it could have used a new tub (old school small tub....me not so small)

I think I had an older non updated room. There was some wear and tear but i'll take it....I have NEVER felt so quiet and relaxed... I found it easy to just BE...just sit and be content not going out.

I got the room for 119$ thru livingsocial but would GLADLY pay the 150-170 a night.....SO WORTH IT!  and I was just steps from yonge street.

My check in and out were simple....no suprises...no bs...

I would STRONGLY suggest staying here if you are ok with a non suite, traditional room....it's not fancy but you can't always fake quiet, peaceful and that feeling of being appreciated for your business!





*for the record any review I do weather it's hotels or stuff is paid for OUT OF MY OWN POCKET.
spo I have no reason to sugar coat things!

Fuddie Duddies Sewing Pattern Review

I needed a bow tie for my lil man....so since my sewing is coming along nicely I decided to MAKE ONE. I looked on etsy and came across a shop called fuddie duddies and they had an awesome pattern deal

the pattern deal I got was 2 for 8 dollars but the tie pattern came with a free bow tie pattern so I got that and a pants pattern..... her deal now is as follows

the directions were slightly complicated but I think that's because sewing is quite new to me....and doesn't reflect the pattern. The out come was GREAT and I am THRILLED

I simply opted to add the elastic option instead of the neck strap....easy on and off!

I will say if you have any problems she will really make the effort to help....even if you explain things oddly she seemed to know exactly what I was talking about. I would FOR SURE without a doubt buy patterns here again

for a better look at more bow ties I made from her pattern I have them listed in a new shop on etsy 

Sew Says You Etsy Shop

Fussie duddies can be found at Fuddie Duddies

her lounge pants tutorial is AMAZING!!!! I plan to review this and post pics of my sons pants soon!

ENJOY!

A second stay at Toronto don valley hotel.... wish I could say it was good.

ok so it didn't totally suck......but boy what a change from the first trip....and sadly so. Check in was easy...we upgraded to a newly renovated room for our 2 nights (extra 30$ a night)  The renovated rooms only means you get a kurig coffee maker, a different colour theme, new carpet and shower.....not a big deal. Oddly our door did'nt even really close unless you really pushed on it....

Our room had a balcony which I thought would be nice as I was with my son....however the view into the condo's next door and the parking lot left ALOT to be desired.....why you would put a kid in a balcony room with no view is beyond me.....I felt like it was perhaps the only room they had available at the time. If I could say one good thing about the view it would be there were rabbits in the garden....but that's about it.



We spent our first day relaxing and not doing much....we went swimming...but this time it was dofferent....there was tons of rust seeping down from the skylight. I understand it's winter and there's condensation but there was ALOT. It wasclear this had been occuring for some time. The pool was kinda scuzzy.....like nobody ever cleaned the tiles around the inner edge and all the scum had affixed to the tile...certainley not like it was on our first visit...and it wasn't even as busy as our first visit.


Dinner was excellent again!



The evening was  a never ending lullaby of the screen door above our room opening and closing all night and people spitting off the balcony......gross



As with most hotels there was a hanger for room service breakfast so  I filled it out and left it on our door and went to bed...IMAGINE MY SURPRISE when breakfast didn't show up......well you see...nobody bothered to collect the card off our door...then I was blamed by the bitchy woman for not putting it out in time when I had put it outside at 10pm......it says to place it there before 2 am... So needless to say I had to give my order to this total bitch in room service who told me to just give her the order as she was very busy. I ordered eggs benedict which was great...and for the boy, croissant french toast....which never arrived...what came instead was 3 tiny croissants that my son would;nt eat. I called downstairs and explained to a very nice man what happened and it all got fixed and my son's food arrived in about 10-15 mins...and he did enjoy it.


We spent the day at the science center.....while leaving our room it smelled grossly of cigarettes. My son has asthma and I am allergic to smoke so this is a reason I only stay in non smoking hotels....I mentioned it to the woman at front desk and her reply was "that's odd they have a balcony, I'll have someone go spray it"  yeah cause that solves the problem.....


it all just kept going wrong.... We did have an awesome fellow at front desk that saved me when the vending machine would not give my son his chocolate bar....he brought us 2 and our twonnie we lost..... sadly this was a highlight of our stay.

Upon returning from the science center exhausted I got to walk with my son down the endless hallway thru the cigarette smoke filled hallway that now also smelled like pot.....when I arrived in our room I called down to front desk....nobody did anything to help...again she informed me she would spray the hall....which most adults know does nothing as far as second hand smoke goes.... my husband was so pissed he told me to phone the cops about the pot....but since I was spending the nights alone with my son I didn't want to start an issue.  But at this point I was getting pissed. The fellow who handles their twitter account who had actually addressed the issues we had sent up some fruit and candy for me and my son.....which was nice but I would have been happier not popping benadryl into me and my son because of smoke allergies (it wasn't slightly stinky...it was the entire length of the hall and especially in front of a select few rooms)

dinner again was great!!!! it always is


After more swimming and my son falling asleep, my husband passed by for a bite to eat on his way to work. I ordered him the burger and cheesecake.... It arrived...wrong. the Burger was fine but the cheese cake was apple pie...the man who brought our food let me know that it was wrong and he would be back with the cheese cake. I wish he'd left the pie....cuz the cake tasted like the cardboard it was packaged in....it was sooooooo bad.....but at this point having 2 of 2 failed room service deliveries I just wanted to go to bed and go home the next day!


Between the smoke, and the staff not doing anything but spraying the hall (which if they did you sure couldn't tell) the 2 out of 2 room service fails, the pool, and the view it was a really really sad stay compared to our first stay. You see, I like to find a place and stay there....almost exclusively. I'm fiercely loyal and spread the word of good places. I told everyone I adored this place....but after our recent stay....well I'll keep looking for a place that will at least honor their non smoking hotel policy......

I'm almost a little sad.....if they could get staff that valued their jobs or customers they would do very well. There were 2 people in the restaurant that were great, one guy at front desk and the fellow I'd talked to on twitter several times....but dealing with the bitchy woman for room service and the twit that did nothing but order others to spray the hallway when it was REALLY REALLY CLEAR where the pot and cigarette smoke was coming from but still did nothing.....  Well if you don't give a shit....than why should I.

When I blog I also post reviews too yelp, twitter, facebook and a handful of others..... I also provide good word of mouth randomly as I think of it.....I always pay my way and am never given rooms free for reviews.....which is why I can be so honest..... I don't even know if I would stay here again.....unless I got the room on sale or thru a group plan (which luckily i did)  Even the fellow I was talking to on twitter seemed to all of a sudden stopped our conversations when I mentioned how disgusting it is to stay in a hotel that doesn't even uphold their non smoking policy....but at this point....I'm not at all surprised.


I read a review on yelp about this hotel that said "even if you put lipstick on a pig it's still a pig" I'm wondering if the first trip I had was just a REALLY REALLY REALLY done up pig.......

Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Niagara Falls, ON A good old Favourite

I have likely spent about 25-30 nights in this hotel over the last 3 years with my husband and son. It's Ever so slightly off the beaten path. But about 3 minutes from casino Niagara, Clifton hills and everything our family enjoys!

Included ever morning is a great buffet breakfast...everything is VERY fresh and trays are provided to take it up to your room.

The hotel is clean and quiet....and the front desk staff are great and rarely change so it's nice to see the same faces, and they have a jar of help yourself cookies that helps a ton when checking in with kids!


This is an ACTUAL smoke free hotel and I've never stayed and smelled smoke in the halls.

Having stayed over march break the hotel was very full...noise from above was an issue but after a quick call to front desk and the problem was solved.

This hotel's rates are always amazing even in the summer. If you are a gold points member you can also use your points to stay. For this trip we used 10.000 points each of 2 night bringing our nightly rate down to 57$ for a 2 room family suite. We like the suite as the bedroom has 2 queen beds and a door, so once our son is asleep we can draw the door and enjoy watching tv in the living room. Internet access is free and parking is only 8$ a night.

The pool could be warmer....but it's clean and the hot tub is great. It's clean, quiet, predictable and all we need...oh and you get a fridge and microwave in the room!


Considering my stay earlier in the week at a hotel in Toronto .this was heaven!  The only think I wish this hotel had was a restaurant....but they do have a little market downstairs with snacks and all the essentials you usually forget at home.

If you don't need fancy but want a good place to stay I'd stay nowhere else.... in fact we haven't stayed ANYWHERE else in 3 years when we go to Niagara falls... we just think it's perfect!

can't wait too get back....oh and the new bus route passes right in front of the hotel!

CkmCouture - banner design - Highly Recommended

This designer works her butt off to make sure you not only have what you need but a few options to pick from. She designed me a few versions of a main banner and  let me pick the one I thought would work best. Than provided me a few smaller vacation and sale banners.
1 needed minor text edits but it was a great job by someone with a great sense of what they love and how to use it tastefully. I find her designs unique, often dark but still beautiful. I would use this designer again without a doubt if I needed something really original..... Our indie polish banner was made for us in a few days...and we love it

I put these images here for examples  we all know how copyright works so don't steal!!!!! not only is it tacky it's rude



other examples include

AMAZING STUFF!

her shop is on etsy at CkmCouture

Cassandra will take care of whatever your design needs are !

ENJOY!

BAck from Mexico

we are back from our trip and I honestly have so many reviews and cool stuff to share that I have to wait till lil man is in school to get started...but it will be starting this week I assure....It feels great to be back!

COMING AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

a Rafflecopter giveaway For free nailpolish at Indie Polish! Anyone can enter to win a free bottle of polish shipped free!

ENJOY

Nail Polish Sale - Indie Polish - Handmade nail polish

USE CODE NAILME FOR 10% OFF ANY PURCHASE AT etsy.com/shop/IndiePoli… TONS OF NEW #HANDMADE #NAILPOLISH #FRANKENPOLISH #NAILS #MANICURE #ETSY
— IndiePolish (@IndiePolish) February 6, 2013

ooooooooooo come play beauty shop in our sister store! Indie polish is the spot for me and the boys growing nail polish line!

Stitched Together: My Favorite Oven Mitts - Tutorial

This is a great tutorial from an amazing blog that I found online with all kinds of well illustrated easy to follow tutorials. I have not made these potholder/mitts, but i'm working up the courage!


Stitched Together: My Favorite Oven Mitts - Tutorial: My very favorite gift to give these days is square oven mitts.   Yes, I've made them again and again .  I did not come up with this idea - ...

How To - My first big sewing project. A blanket for the boy!

ok I am a very beginner seamstress... I've made a dozen pillows...some baby wipes and a hairband. BUT my son has been driving me nuts for a blanket of out 2 fabrics he picked back in the fall. so to shut him up (yep I said it) I made it today.

He had picked these 2 fabrics

The batman panel was great. I bought it from ebay. And the hot rod fabric is from alexander henry....I know they don't match at all but it's my son's quilt and I told him he could pick what he wanted. and it actually looks really cute together.

So At walmart I picked up some baby blanket batting. it comes folded in a flat big piece. The panel for my son's blanket was 35"x43" so I left 1/2 inch for thread as i'm still not a great perfect line sew-er. So I had to cut my hot rod fabric and batting to the same dimensions...easy enough!

I used this GREAT hobo mom blog for guidlines http://www.hobomama.com/2010/12/sew-cozy-throw-blanket.html

it seemed easy enough... just that it's big and kinda bulky. After pinning than repining the 3 fabrics together (yep I pinned it wrong the first time) I got sewing...I checked repeatedly that I was not going over the edge of the fabric...(which I was at one point..) so I guess in an amateur move I just back stitched all the way back and kept going in a BETTER straight line down the blanket. I will admit that I think I stretched the batting so I had this...ummmmm "overlap" or :wave of extra fabric" BUT batting is very forgiving. I simply flattened the batting along the blanket with my arm, pinned down the overlap and sewed a second seam and it worked out fine and didn't add much bulk at all. I do know I should have ripped the seam and redid it all, however if I did not get this blanket done I would either go deaf from the boy asking if it was done...or stop and put it all away. I thankfully remembered to leave a space open to flip it inside right. Than finished off the open part with a "ladder stitch" ooooooo fancy

I had already poked out the corners with my finger (and you thought I forgot)

I must say it was probably a rather crude way of making my first blanket, but I must say myself...it looks great...and I didn't need to go buy one.... It was also GREAT practice in the "sewing under kids pressure" department. My son adores it, and it will be going on the plane with us soon. The best part of making my first big project is I now know what not to do the next time. I also learned how to break my neeedle and am now going thru sewing withdraw until I get to the sewing shop tomorrow. So with that I leave you be.

I never thought i'd see the day where I could do all this.... With the help of an amazing and encouraging friend and seamstress pam, who has an AMAZING etsy shop st http://www.etsy.com/shop/PKStuff (and I have alot of her awesome stuff)  

a great beginner sewing tutorial I got at http://www.etsy.com/shop/CranberryWay

a naggin son and a genuine desire to learn I got thru it... I'm eager to gt onto the new projects I have planned and cut already! And about those broken needles......well I burned alot of food learning to cook too! 

I'm no longer afraid to sew and it also helped alot with self confidence knowing that in my ADHD mind if I just prepare first and have it all ready the actually put together part is easy peasy

This is his "MOM!!!! i'm trying to play my games" Face!

The relaunch of INDIE POLISH

Well it's 2 days early! and with only 2 missing polishes INDIE POLISH HAS REOPENED!

With over 10 new colors, revised listings and better shipping rates we would be so honoured if you'd join us in our relaunch! http://www.etsy.com/shop/IndiePolish


There is also a GREAT incentive for bloggers to try and blog our polishes too!

Hotel Review - Toronto Don Valley Hotel And Suites

Having had a horrible stay at the Radisson, and a disappointed boy on my hands (swimming is one of his great loves) We got an offer to stay at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel And Suites.  It was an offer to good to pass up so we decided to go.

Andrew, who was on staff at night was amazing to deal with. After thoroughly confirming and re-confirming my stay he let me know early check in was fine. When we pulled up to the hotel it was beautiful. It's located in an area of the city that sits on ravine land. A BIG winding driveway led up to a beautifully enclosed entryway where, once we exited the truck we could hear music playing...My son said "mom this IS a fancy hotel..they play music outside!"

We did have a few hiccups checking in with our breakfast vouchers from the girl at the desk who we were not overly fond of....she explained that the breakfast vouchers were not an option, after Andrew had clearly stated it was part of our package...she kept trying to get us to upgrade our room explaining that the new rooms were recently renovated and a totally different color (like I care what color the room is for my sleeping hours)

Our room was an executive king room and was EXACTLY as pictured.

I will say that on their site they rave about the views.....however my view was of the highway and parking lot...this may be off putting to some but my son ADORES watching the highway at night so this was fine for us. The room was FREEZING but warmed up REALLLLY fast with an old fashioned window unit that was a bit complicated to figure out but worked REALLY well!

Our room was SPOTLESS...baseboards and all! Even the old school TV is our room was wiped clean and dust free (I'm not one to care if the TV is flat screen) Our room did not have a fridge or microwave and if I wanted one they were 20-25$ EACH. Thankfully my son is not a baby anymore and we didn't really need it!

The bathroom was BIG and SO clean. I liked the old style red granite counter tops and a HUGE GIGANTIC bonus was HEATED TILE FLOORS  ahhhhhhhhhhhh.....what a treat in the morning. 

Our Internet was free which in Toronto is saying alot as may hotels charge 8-25$ a day for Internet, and it was high speed wireless! 

We were spending the day at the science center so we left for the day.

Upon our return we had some dinner....I can honestly without a doubt say it's one of the best hamburgers I have ever had EVER! it was great! My son had a cheese pizza that he FINISHED so it MUST have been great! I also had a whiskey sour which was soooo good! The waiter was very pleasant and understanding towards my son (the boy has adhd, autism and odd, so his behavior is sometimes difficult in places new to him) The fire place across from our table and tv's were a great distraction. I was also REALLY surprised about the bill...it was far lower than expected and way better than many hotels. The teal, white and cream decor in the restaurant and thruout the hotel is so lovely and clean!

To top off a great day we went to the pool.....WOW. The pool is amazing! first of all it's a perfect circle and the entire roof is a skylight. But better yet it's WARM!! the first hotel we have stayed at where the pool is so warm it's surprising!. As it got darker, several big ornate coach lamps turned on automatically....and as it got darker the ambiance almost became a romantic candlelight pool....had it not been for my child, and several others that is! But it was so beautiful! The hot tub was REALLY hot, and they even have have a family change room which is so smart. Upon our return in the morning, it was a totally different feeling. Bright and welcoming!

(the lounge chairs are not the same and I saw no drapes but the rest is the same)

Would I stay here again? I'm already trying to find an excuse too! With INCREDIBLE winter rates starting at 99$ or 2-4 night packages from 84-95$ a night why not enjoy a STAYcation! 

Other incredible features

The most comfy bed and pillows ever!!!

room service from 6pm-11pm

a little shop open from 9a-11p

Some rooms have balconies

a seasonally available outdoor pool

it's SO quiet! 

Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites - Toronto, Ontario (ON)

175 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1J3

Contact: 416-449-4111 | Fax: 416-385-6700 
Email: reservations@torontopreferredhotel.com
 Website http://www.torontodonvalleyhotel.com/

On a more positive note - a great review!!!! OF US!

a few weeks ago I was emailed by a lovely customer named Ria. She had purchased our vegan glitter lotion in coconut cream pie....

I was surprised to find she was planning to review it as part of her dedication to finding vegan, cruelty free products that are AFFORDABLE. So we mailed off her order and waited.

well today we got word of her pleasing review.

her blog is here ria lives well


and the review was as follows

Coconut Cream Pie Glitter Lotion

Posted on January 25, 2013by Ria

Hi and welcome back to Ria Lives Well!

Today’s topic is one I’m very excited about.

For a while now, I’ve been searching for cosmetics and toiletries that are 1) cruelty free, 2) made with all natural ingredients, and 3) affordable. So far, my favorite shop to find such products is Lush. However, when shopping at Lush, I can never check number three off my list. That doesn’t mean I don’t still heart Lush. I absolutely do! Yet my weakened wallet has me searching for another avenue.

And I found it.

While browsing Etsy, I discovered a shop called Me & The Boy. The owner makes just about everything I’m searching for. Perfumes, lotions, soaps, even nail polish. I forced myself not to buy everything I wanted, and instead purchased one item: Glitter Potion Supreme Lotion in Coconut Cream Pie.

Affordability? Check.

One eight ounce bottle only cost $8 since it was on clearance to make room for the Fall and Winter fragrances. But you won’t find remarkably cheap prices in the clearance section alone. Me & The Boy offers vegan, gluten free body washes for $5; soy candles for $5.26, and beautifully hand crafted soap, like Yuzu Spearmint for $4.75.

So I finally received my lotion in the mail today, and what’s my verdict?

Love this stuff!

The Moisture

This lotion doesn’t sit on my skin, but penetrates and does a wonderful job of moisturizing/softening the skin. And the smell? Deliciously addictive. Unless you aren’t a fan of coconut, you will certainly fall in love.

Glitter me Gold

Despite the name-Glitter Potion Supreme Lotion-I didn’t think much of the word “glitter”. After spreading the lotion across my skin, bits of gold freckled my arms and legs. So then came the realization: “Ah. Glitter lotion.” Even as I sit here writing this post, I’m constantly distracted by the glint from my skin whenever the light hits the right spot. I can only imagine what a hot seller this is during the Summer months.

All Natural

My favorite element of this lotion is that it’s 98% natural and 100% vegan. When I look at the ingredient list, I actually know what most of the ingredients mean.

So I decided to have some fun. I compared it to the lotion I used beforehand, Victoria Secret’s Love my Body in Jasmine & Water Lily.

Not only am I unfamiliar with the ingredients in my VS lotion, I can’t even pronounce half of them. And while this has nothing to do with it being all natural, the Glitter Potion Supreme Lotion is nearly double the size and a fraction of the cost. The insanity!

Just skim the ingredients for both lotions and you’ll see what I mean {Be warned, blurry pictures that fail me as a photographer ahead}….

VS Love my Body Lotion Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, petrolatum, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, ceteareth 20, fragrance, diazolidinyl urea, carbomer, methylparaben, aloe leaf juice, benzyl alcohol, tocopheryl acetate, tetrasodium EDTA, sodium hydroxide, macadamia seed soil propyl paraben….{The list continues in this manner. How many can you define?}

Coconut Cream Pie Glitter Lotion Ingredients:

De-ionized water, grape seed oil, avocado oil, capric triglycerides, emulsifying wax NX, jojoba seed oil, shea butter, aloe leaf juice, stearic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, silk amino acids, vegetable glycerine, sorbitol, silicone, methyl cellulose, allantoin, phenoxyethanol and optiphen.

Not only do I recognize most of the ingredients, like shea butter and jojoba oil, the ingredient list is smaller. This is what I want when searching for skin care products. Skin is a delicate system, and I can’t imagine caring for it while slathering cetereath-20, tetra sodium EDTA and carbomer on it everyday.

A Sample

The shop owner also threw in a sample of her Lavender body wash, Lavenderology Shower Gel with exfoliating grains. Take a whiff and you’re in a field of lavender. The beauty of this product is, the smell intensifies as you use it. I hadn’t stumbled upon the last time I browsed her Etsy shop, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for it next time. Oh, yeah. There will be a next time.

~Live well!

Check out her blog it's great (she has an amazing reciepe for 2 ingredient creamer for your coffee! and she's nice too!!! Thanks Ria...