Northward Bound

We're coming up on the Civic Holiday weekend here in Canada. And for the past many years this has been a weekend where my family (my parents, my sisters and I and our respective families) head up north to our family cottage to get a little silly and crazy and have a general good time. Unfortunately this year our youngest sister won't be able to join us but we're still looking forward to a great weekend of swimming, sunning, bonfires, games and cottage dance parties.

There's just something about the cottage. I spent most of every summer growing up there. I got engaged and married there. I've spent countless birthdays, family celebrations, corn roasts, boat rallies and Canada Days up there. I would live there if I could...

I often joke that if it weren't for the fact that I'm so obviously addicted to things like social media, digital photography and my e-reader that I should have been born in a different century. I love to do things like knit and crochet, sew, and I put up tonnes of homemade pickles and jams each year. And there's something about being up north, where our cell phones don't work and there's no Internet that just.... refreshes my soul. I usually bring my guitar and my yoga mat. And I spend a lot more time sitting, drinking tea and talking to my family members - live and in person than I normally do. Getting up early to go and do yoga on the dock as the sun burns the fog off the water, drinking tea in Adirondack chairs, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over a bonfire, and singing silly songs with my Dad and my kids while I play my guitar... those are the things that have real, honest, value in my life.

I look at this weekend away as a kind of retreat. I will miss you bloggies - but I will return to my normal, electronically filled life far too soon - but for now - I'm packing up and heading northward bound. One of the places my heart calls home.

Hope you're having a peace and rest-filled weekend too!
Talk soon.
Tea.

What Mama Wears: Chambray and Chiffon

Sometimes I love combining two seemingly unrelated fabrics. I wore this outfit to a church service, the chambray is light and comfortable and I decided to pair it with this knife pleated chiffon skirt. This outfit was easy to wear and fun.

Mama's Wardrobe Wishlist

Confession time: I'm kind of a cheapskate.

Well, to be fair, I'm willing to spend cash on things if I think they're a good deal, truly, but most of the time, paying full price for something just makes me a little crazy. I love shopping at second hand stores, discount department stores, clearance racks often call my name... usually I end up buying something from "V-V boutique" (aka Value Village) and refashioning it into something similar to what I'm longing for in stores.

To that end, I am a prolific window shopper... and thanks to the internet, when I say window, I mean windows... I love looking through clothing websites, copying pics of items that I like and then looking for things to re-create at home for a fraction of the price. Yay cheapskates!

So I thought I'd share my current wardrobe wishlist with you, and tell you why I'm looking for these items.

Let's Talk, Shall we?

For Canadians - today is one day a year that we all know what the phrase "Let's Talk" is about. Bell, the phone company, has decided that on February 12 they will be donating money towards mental health awareness, research and care for every text or long distance call sent on their network, as well as every tweet with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk. It's the one day of the year that I'm sorry I'm not with Bell as my cell provider because I'd be texting the HE-double hockey sticks out of their network today.

I've heard over and over again that the #1 lie everyone tells is this: "I'm fine." and I honestly believe that's true. So often we smile, lie and move on because we either don't believe that anyone else wants to know our issues or problems, or that they don't really care. Maybe that's true in some cases, but let's stop lying to each other and especially to ourselves.

What Mama Wears: Creature Comforts

Sometimes you have a day when you just want to surround yourself with creature comforts. For me, those things are: tea, baked goods, and every now and again I have a day where I need to wear something that's comforting in more ways than just warmth and ease of wearing.

What Mama Wears: Tea Party

I was invited a tea-party at my best friend's neighbour's house recently. First of all - obviously I couldn't pass up a tea-party! I mean, who would I be?!  Secondly - I got to find out about a great, Canadian loose-leaf tea company based in Hamilton called Steeped Teas.*

The consultant who gave the presentation was super-friendly and she had lots of great teas, including my all-time favourite tea blend: Monk's Blend. It's a black tea with vanilla and grenadine flavours - fabulous! And since Teaopia got bought out by Teavana (and they stopped carrying Monk's Blend and stopped actually educating their staff about tea - more about THAT in another post) and I've been more than disappointed in them lately, I was psyched to find out about another tea company that was Canadian!

In any case - what does Mama wear to a tea party with a lot of people she doesn't know? Well, it was a Saturday afternoon, so I felt safe wearing jeans, but I wanted to dress it up just a little bit. Add a really pretty lace inspired cardi, my fave white tee, and some fun accessories and I was ready to go!

Cardigan: Ricki's / T-shirt: Joe Fresh / Jeans: Reitman's / Belt: Giant Tiger / Necklace: Designs ...By Patricia / Earrings: Designs ...By Patricia

What Mama Wears: Dance Practice

For some of you it may be a surprise to hear that I am actually an avid dancer. I've taken quite a few classes over the years, and even took tap dance all the way through my first pregnancy (some of the fam jokes that that's why the big'un is so wild and crazy - I shook him up in utero too much), but I've actually been dancing with a liturgical dance group at my church for almost 11 years now. I love worship dance, it's one of my great passions - and while I'm certainly not a very graceful person in my everyday life (walk into walls much? yeesh!) I find I have some measure of grace when I'm dancing in praise that I don't have any other time. 

So how does a Mama go from running errands to making dinner to dance practice without multiple wardrobe changes? Jeggings! Okay okay, I actually HATE that word, but they're SO comfy and if you get a decent pair you can go out in public without feeling like you forgot to put a piece of clothing on. That said: I have a personal rule: Leggings are NOT pants. That means you do NOT wear leggings of any form without also wearing something that covers your rear end. I don't care if you're 16 and super-fit, 6 and super-cute or 60 and you don't care - just don't do it. Leggings are not pants.

What Mama Wears: Menswear inspired

There's something about menswear. I love a man in a suit. I always think the hubs looks especially dashing when he dons a shirt and tie, a nice jacket, shined up shoes. It's just... polished. Put-together.

I find that menswear and menswear styles inspire a bit of confidence, strength and assuredness. And those are all things I'm lacking lately - so why not inspire a bit in myself with my own wardrobe.

Now, I'm not talking about going all suit and tie here, though it has been done. But just adding a bit of menswear inspired style into my regular clothes is a quick and easy style change.

Vest: Ricki's (similar) / Collared shirt: Ricki's (similar)  / Jeans: Contrast / Necklace: Designs ...By Patricia / Earrings: old / Hair: rolled with hair sponge by Goody

What Mama Wears - one t-shirt, 3 ways

As a Mom, sometimes my most major concern for clothing is comfort, and then multi-wear potential. I LOVE a good piece that can be worn with many many different items. Obviously a classic white t-shirt is one of those items. Now, that said, I like something that tweaks the classic just a little bit. So when I found this shirt at Joe Fresh a couple of years ago - I should've bought 10 of them, because I never could have known how often this sweet little pintuck tee would find it's way into my wardrobe.


A Little Bit Country...

When I wore this outfit to church, a friend cheekily asked me if my horse was parked outside... So yeah, I can see how it's a little bit country, but it's still totally wearable. This great chiffon pleated skirt is the right length to wear with either boots or heels without looking uncomfortably short. Paired with my favourite white tee and a cute purple jacket makes this outfit church-worthy and comfortable to wear.

 

Skirt: Ricki's (similar) / Tee: Joe Fresh (similar) / Jacket: Ricki's (similar) / Boots: Famous Footwear / 

Necklace: Kohl's (similar)/ Watch: Caravelle (similar) / Bracelet: Designs ...By Patricia

Seeking Comfort

What comforts you?
Snuggly, comfy clothes?
Warm blankets?
Bad TV movies?

I think that during January and February, when we're all dealing a little bit with the lack of sunshine, having to pack away all the joy of Christmas, making some (sometimes unrealistic) new year's resolutions, going back to school or work after the holidays that we're all in need of a little comfort. I know I am.