It's Been Awhile

I've been away for some time, life happens :) But, I'm back and just wanted to fill everyone in on what's been going on. I'm now 19 years old and almost finished university, it's pretty nerve wrecking. Just an aside, I think it's crazy that we're supposed to want to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives by the time we're 21. C'est la vie!

I'm planning on doing more frequent posts and you could check out my YouTube channel. Here's a link for my cover of Adele's Hello https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5mWQZVvx8A . I've always had a love for music and have been singing and playing the piano for 13 years. I don't know what's gotten into me but I just feel inspired to write more and be more outgoing and not be afraid to go after what I want. There are too many bad things that are going on the world and, too many people who don't have the opportunities that I've been given. I might as well make the best of what I've got, I have nothing to lose really. My mother always told me "the worst anyone could ever say is "no" but atleast you tried".


That's all I have for now but, I'll be back :)

xx
Amanda

13 Day Countdown

Christmas is fast approaching and I know there are some of you that are scrambling to find that perfect gift for your loved ones or making sure that Christmas dinner is as extravagant as it was last year. But Christmas is about being with the ones you love and enjoying the time spent together. Also, the holidays can be quite  pricey but here are a few tips for staying on budget for the upcoming holidays.

To get some extra cash for those gifts that you really want to buy your family, or even splurging on something for yourself, think about picking up some extra shifts at work. There are also the odd jobs that you can find, like shovelling your neighbours driveway for $15 or $20. I know there are also focus groups that you can easily find on google. Actually, last year my friend worked at a gift wrapping place in the mall on the weekends to make extra cash and she said it was a fun job. Buying expensive gifts for family is perfectly fine, but for people at work a simple box of chocolate or even those mini lotions and body washes that you can get at Bath and Body Works are great.

Now on to  preparing that Christmas dinner that takes forever to prepare. Dinner at my house is always hectic, but I noticed that there is always more food than any of us can finish even after everyone has taken home leftovers. I suggested this year that we try to cut back on the amount of food that we cook and besides who wants all of that good food to go to waste.

Lastly, don't you ever wonder how some people get their gift wrapping to look so good that you don't even want to open the gift? There's a link for a video that I found extremely helpful when I first started wrapping gifts.  Once you get the feel of how to wrap a gift, you can start snazzing it up by adding pleats to the wrapping paper and a cute bow. And if these gift wrapping tips don't work for you, you can always buy decorated gift boxes at the dollar store :) as a quick and easy way to get the wrapping out of the way.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Hey everyone,

It's that time of year again…not christmas but it's fast approaching. So today I just wanted to talk about beauty, specifically skin care. As it's starting to get colder outside, the drier our skin gets. And it's really important to make sure that you are drinking a lot of water and moisturizing you're skin daily to keep it hydrated and make sure that your face doesn't get flaky and tight.

For people with oily skin, I recommend something like Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel which doesn't dry out the skin.  When we use moisturizers that tend to dry out the skin, especially people who have oily skin, it causes the skin to produce more oil to counteract the oil that was lost. Thus, you want to make sure that the moisturizer used doesn't make your face greasy or too dry, there has to be a perfect balance.

The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel  can be bought off of Sephora websites and in-store for ~$30-$35

For those with dry skin, something that keeps the skin hydrated and prevents it from getting flaky is best. But, you also want to make sure that the product does not feel greasy. Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer is really good, it goes on very lightly and hydrates the skin very well.

This is a product that I have used in the past and it's really good. This product can be found in a drugstore or Walmart. They typically cost around ~$9 or $10 CAD depending on where you buy it.

For people with sensitive skin, try using something that doesn't have too many chemicals that can irritate the skin further and cause redness. Something like Avene moisturizer is really good for people with sensitive skin as it doesn't contain any preservatives and is all natural, but it can be used by all skin types.

Avene products can be found in most drugstores where they're about ~$26 USD or $24 CAD. Or you could also buy them off of amazon or Ebay where they're a little bit cheaper.

I hoped this was good advice for those of you who're hesitant or undecided about the types of products that you should use, let me know if you have any requests for my next upload.

Have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all those whose thanksgiving is today!
Today is a day about being thankful for we have because there are people out there who are less fortunate than we are. Whenever i'm in a bad situation, I question why me? But you know what? Things can be a lot worse than they are, so there is a lot to smile and be thankful for. So, the next time you feel really down just remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you will get there. It may take some time but you can do, and just know that someone cares about you. Any who, enough of the mushy stuff. Have a wonderful thanksgiving everyone!

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Hump Day! It's finally the middle of the week which means it's almost the weekend, yes!  I hope everyone's week has been going as smoothly as possible with little to no hassle, I know mine has. I know I haven't written anything in quite some time. I've been so caught up in getting ready for school that I haven't really had time to do much other than read my textbooks.
Anywho, this week TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) is happening in Toronto and I'm thinking about buying ticket to go see August: Osage County. It has an amazing cast that consists of Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Sam Shephard and Juliette Lewis. I also want to go see Blood Ties, with Clive Owen and Mila Kunis, or 12 Years a Slave looks really good as well. I'll keep you all posted. Have a great rest of the week!

Good afternoon & Happy Labour Day! It's that time of year again, kids are heading back to school tomorrow and summer will officially be over. For the freshman university students, frosh week is this week. They close one door to open another, and so another 4 year journey begins. I find myself in this boat as I prepare for university; I can already feel the first day butterflies in my stomach. I'm ready for a new experience and all the world has to offer.

Cute and Elegant