Sunday, November 28, 2010

Le premier macaron

I am just so proud of myself right now!  I achieved these:






Macarons! 

They're not perfect, but after everything I've read about all the things that can go wrong - I'm pretty pleased with my first results.  They have feet, didn't crack, didn't brown too much and they're pretty darn tasty!

Pictured above are all the varieties I decided to try.  I stuck to the basic recipe for the shells since it was my first time, but I had some fun with the fillings. 

I left one plain and filled it with a cappuccino buttercream filling.  Then there's a peanut butter-chocolate one, drizzled in a peanut butter glaze.  A few chocolate-filled ones, topped with either a chocolate drizzle or Skor pieces.  And, my favourite, a filling of chocolate ganache & butterscotch topped with Skor pieces and drizzled with caramel.  So decadent!
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Saturday, November 27, 2010

The Glitter Wars

Night

Night by the_polyvorina

Whoa.  It is like 4 AM and I've just finished glitter Christmas crafts. 

There is glitter everywhere.

It looks like the battlefield of a very sad war between the Care Bears and My Little Pony.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The End

End

End by the_polyvorina

Well, another semester done!  I had my one and only final for this session today and I think it went well.  Hard to believe I only have 6 classes left and then I graduate.  Mind you, the way the classes are organized, it'll still take me about a year and a half.  But for now, I'm on vacation 'til January! 

Also, a quick follow-up to yesterday's review of the Sephora brand nail polish - it does have some staying power!  I'm tough on my hands so even the best polish chips off within a day or two.  But this stuff?  Still completely coating my nails right to the tips - and I've scrubbed dishes, washed a bathtub and baked a pie* since applying it (*not in that order!).  Not too shabby for $1 nail polish!

Now off to relax and celebrate the end-of-my-semester with a glass of wine.  Cheers!
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Knock at the Door

Knock Knock

Knock Knock by the_polyvorina

Finally!  Sephora order in hand!

I got my 14 bottles of nail polish.  I'm trying out the Sephora brand.  So far I like that the bottles are bigger than I thought - they're described as "travel-ready" so I was expecting tiny little things.  They're minis, but not too mini (0.16 fl. oz.).

The polish itself isn't great though.  But I am spoiled with OPI - now that is a nail polish!  The Sephora one does dry quickly, but takes at least 2-3 coats.  It's very sheer, even the darker colours.  But I bought them for $1 a bottle so I'm not really complaining.  The special is still on right now, but there are fewer colour choices left.

What I like best about ordering from Sephora is the samples!  Anyone else like this?  I love what I ordered, but I tend to stick to tried and true things (this whole nail polish adventure being an exception).  Getting samples gives me a chance to try the stuff I'm skeptical about.

And, oh em gee, is there stuff to try in this order!  I ordered in time to take advantage of a promo code and got 12 samples in addition to the usual 3.  Picture me twirling about, clutching little metallic pouches and tiny tubes of perfume, squealing with glee.  True story.

I won't list them all, but I'm anxious to try the primers (Bare Escentuals & Sephora - I've been a big fan of Smashbox so far) and all the moisturizers.  I've yet to find a moisturizer I like so maybe one of the 5 samples of that will be the one.

So, anyone else get excited about samples too?  Have you ever discovered a product you now regularly use because of a sample?  Know of any other great sample-giving stores?  Come on!  Help a girl get her fix!
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Saturday, November 20, 2010

Damn You and Your Lies!

Here Kitty, Kitty

Here Kitty, Kitty by the_polyvorina

My Sephora order did not arrive yesterday as planned.  Stupid post office lying to me.  *shake my fist*

And here I thought my karma would be great since I saved a kitty (a friend needed to get rid of hers so I found it a home with my momma), but apparently that one good deed doesn't balance my day-to-day activities of kicking sick puppies or pushing old ladies down the stairs.  Go figure.

And on top of it, it's the weekend so the order won't even get here before Monday!  At least I'm keeping busy - tonight we have a big family dinner for the Mister's grandfather's 80th birthday and tomorrow I've got a day of Christmas crafts lined up to get started on.

'Til Monday!

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Thursday, November 18, 2010

From me to me

Beauty Rules

Beauty Rules by the_polyvorina

Can't wait til tomorrow!  First, it's Friday, so yay!  Second, I should be receiving a Sephora order!  And that's always fun! 

I ordered a dozen or so nail polishes and a perfum set.  I love getting stuff in the mail, even when I'm expecting it.  It always feels like a present.  And this order is coming with a free clutch stuffed with samples.  I'm more excited than those kids in the Disney World commercials. 

How will I ever sleep?! 
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Presenting

Presentation

Presentation by the_polyvorina

Long day today.  I had a term paper due on one book, which obviously I waited til Monday to start (hey, I consider that a success - I started before last night!) and a long presentation to give on two other ones.

All in 19th century French.

That was fun.

I always try to wear navy blue when I present for some reason.  I don't know why (you know me and my weird colour associations...  though this one probably has something to do with navy blue and authority), navy just screams presentation to me.  Luckily I did not scream presentation at anyone, but managed to get through the whole thing coherently and at a reasonable level of volume.  ;)

I think I'm going to start posting pictures of my actual outfits soon.  I had so many big plans for this blog - I had a whole design in mind, tons of personal touches.  I wanted to post how-tos and in-depth event plans.  Our whole apartment make-over was going to be featured too.  But I just don't take pictures of things.  I get into the work, get it done and then I think "a before pic would've been nice, sigh."  Same for my outfits, I always end up in my PJ pants or sweats before I think to take a picture.  Or I play all day on polyvore and just don't work on my blog at all.

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Monday, November 15, 2010

Cognac

Cognac

Cognac by the_polyvorina

My favourite aspect of fall fashion has always been the colours.  Sure, every year it's the same ones: brown, red, blue, purple, black, gray...  but the shades are always different and right now I am loving this cognac shade of brown that has taken the fashion world by storm!  It's so rich and colourful somehow, yet still dark enough for fall without being drab.  My must-have item in cognac brown?  Shoes!  Or, better yet, flat knee-high boots.  And a purse.  And the gloves!  Maybe a cute, short leather coat.  And I think it'd make a fantastic looking lipstick colour too...  And, and, and...

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Friday, November 12, 2010

We Like to Party. We Like. We Like to... Attend Showers

We Like. We Like to Party.
We Like. We Like to Party. by the_polyvorina


It's le weekend again!  We're attending a big party on Saturday night for my future sister-in-law's birthday.  But earlier that day, a baby shower!
Tea Party Baby Shower
Tea Party Baby Shower by the_polyvorina

Unlike a lot of people, I actually like showers.  And I would love to throw one! 

Wouldn't a tea party theme be cute for a shower?  Baby or bridal really.  Tea, scones and finger sandwiches are perfect for daytime.  Serve it all on white platters with fun coloured or patterned teacups.  You could even use cups and teapots as vases for flowers or serving dishes for candy.  Send people home with tea, teacups, or even homemade dry scone mix as favours. 

I'm really so-so on the games at showers.  Some have been great, like one maid of honour who videotaped the groom answering questions and showed them after the bride tried to guess his answers first.  Hilarious!  Others, like the 'what's-in-your-purse' game, I'm not a fan of.  I don't need to be pulling out my most personal items in front of strangers, many of them elderly and all proper-like.  Not hilarious.

Anyone else out there like showers?  Which games have you liked or hated?  Played any original ones?  I love getting new ideas!

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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Lucky Girl

Lucky Me

Lucky Me by the_polyvorina

Well, for all my complaining yesterday, the day actually turned out pretty good.  My luck was excellent!  Not long after posting, just as I was gathering my things to leave the house, the Mister came home on his morning break to pick something up and gave me a ride to the metro.  I have never loved him more!  The coldest (thus worst) part of my day is walking from my place to the bus terminal.

I was instantly in a better mood.

Then my class went by super quick, even ending a little early.  I got a seat on the metro and bus home.  I got home and had three magazines in my mailbox - perfect for the girl who likes to do nothing but veg after class.  One of them was even a complimentary copy of Elle Canada offered by *Yves Rocher, which I loved - I think I'll be getting a subscription shortly.

*Yves Rocher is a natural beauty products store I sometimes order from to satisfy my addiction to products that smell like food (coconut, vanilla, strawberry, peach, etc.) with their Plaisirs Nature line.  They are really customer-friendly and offer tons of free gifts-with-purchase, check them out!*

The Mister got home pretty early and we spent some time lounging around, eating a lazy supper and watching TV.

Life is beautiful!  And I am one lucky girl.
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Call me now!

Seeing Red

Seeing Red by the_polyvorina

Remember those old late-night commercials with the pay-per-call psychic Miss Cleo?

"Call me now for your free tarot reading!"

Well, I woke up this morning (late) with a Jamaican voice in my head saying "Kill me now..."

Then I looked outside and it's sunny.  That can only mean one thing past the month of October.  That it's really cold out there.  The sunnier it is, the colder.

I didn't want to leave my bed and now I don't want to leave my house.

So "kill me now" so I can skip class and go back to sleep for, oh, say, 5 hours.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2010

7 p.m. on a Tuesday

Tuesday

Tuesday by the_polyvorina

It's only 7 p.m. on a Tuesday, so no one out there should be dressed like this.
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Friday, November 5, 2010

Busy Weekend Alert

Get-Together

Get-Together by the_polyvorina

Busy weekend alert! 

Tonight I'm hosting a girls' night at my place.  A few of us were getting together to make a diaper cake for a baby shower anyways, so we figured why not do it with a few bottles of wine in good company.  It was rather last minute so I'm not doing anything elaborate.  I'll just serve up some wine, some brie and a stuffed tomato recipe that's just been waiting for unsuspecting subjects to be tested on.

Tomorrow, we might be hitting the town!  It's been a while since we went out.  We almost did a couple of weeks ago, but the weather was yucky.  Now a friend's birthday is coming up, so we might do dinner and dancing or just stop by their place for a celebration at home.  Either way, it's a night out to me!

A Night on the Town

A Night on the Town by the_polyvorina

Happy weekend, girls!

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Thursday, November 4, 2010

A White Halloween?

The First Snow

The First Snow by the_polyvorina

I can't believe I forgot to mention this - we had our first snow!  I guess I'm so in denial about winter coming that I just chose to ignore that little fact, but yup, it snowed on the night before Halloween and quite a bit too.  But nothing stayed on the ground.  Still, looks like it's time to whip out my box-'o-winter-crap and throw on a tuque.  I effing hate tuques.

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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

November's House

I mentioned yesterday how much November makes me think of black and white colour schemes, or gray.  So, if I was rich and could re-decorate my house every month, this is what it would look like in November.
November's Bathroom

November's Bathroom by the_polyvorina

Alright, so the other bathroom I did in gray would be more appropriate for its gray-ness, but I hadn't anticipated this post so it's already been done.  Instead, this one's got a rainy November thing going on.  'Cause, uh, you know, it rains sometimes in November?

On another note, the Mister absolutely wants that shower curtain now.  And the great thing about Polyvore.com is that you can click on any item and see exactly where it's from with a link to the site.  So I quickly learned that this quirky curtain is from fredflare.com and that it's only $20.  Guess who's getting a new shower curtain?

November's Bedroom

November's Bedroom by the_polyvorina

Next, the bedroom.  November's bedroom would be dark.  But soft and cozy.  I actually considered doing our bedroom in gray and purple, but the Mister didn't picture it looking like this (which he doesn't hate) so he vetoed it.

November's Living Room

November's Living Room by the_polyvorina

Now, this is rather bright for a November living room, but those couches are gray so it counts!  It's so girly and pretty, if I was single this could actually be my living room.  And all year-round too, not just in November, I like it that much.
November's Kitchen

November's Kitchen by the_polyvorina

This is my pièce de résistance!  I have always wanted a kitchen in orange and gray.  I know, it's a strange mix when you first try to picture it.  But imagine it like above...  some gray brick instead of tile, a lot of stainless steel (which is convenient since stainless steel kitchen stuff is abundant), orange accessories, maybe a wall or two.  I just love it.

And there you have it, what my house would look like for the month of November if I was a rich, eccentric lady who re-decorated based on what month it is.
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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Walking on Sunshine

Walking on Sunshine

Walking on Sunshine by the_polyvorina

I'm not actually walking on sunshine, that would hurt.  I'm more just looking at it shining brightly outside while I do schoolwork.  Blah, schoolwork.  But wearing an argyle sweater gives me magical schoolwork powers.  Ok, so it just makes me feel more studious because of the media association of the argyle print with colleges.  Whatever.

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November Addams.

November

November by the_polyvorina

Well, November is here.  For as long as I can remember, I've associated November with black and white.  And gray.  Must be the dreary weather outside.  Makes me want to dress like Wednesday from the Addams family.  Actually, she should've been named November.

Ok, maybe not.  But I do need more long-sleeved dresses.
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