Foodie Feature!

Hello there!

As a kid, my first introduction to reading was...different to say the least. My mother had a collection of cookbooks that was about the size of me (at the time) that she never used! So my little tiny self went through all those books, looking for the yummiest things. As I got older, I actually started to read the recipes instead of just drooling over the pictures (and wondering why I couldn't have only chocolate cake for every meal...I mean, it sounds perfect to me...right?) 

I started really getting into cooking and baking around the end of grade eleven. I enjoyed the process of gathering ingredients, mixing, and achieving my well deserved result-delicious things! Around this time I also started watching a certain Canadian chef on TV-Bob Blumer

I got to meet my favourite chef earlier this year at a Food and Wine show-he gives the best hugs! 

I guess this cooking thing became a hobby of mine over time, because I'm still crazy about it! I've always wanted to go to culinary school but took music as my 'safe' option.  Instead, I watch the Food Network like it's my job, create disasters (and miracles) in the kitchen and treat my friends as guinea pigs to my latest concoctions. I knew my fiancé was the One when he bought me a cookbook for our first Valentine's day together. So much more useful than flowers! 

Over the past couple of years, I've amassed my own small collection of cookbooks that I've read a million times, and tried recipes out of. The newest addition to the collection is this beauty-generations eats by Amy Rosen.

New books make me happy

It effortlessly combines catchy titles, yummy recipes, and movie recommendations as an accompaniment! I perused this book at a thrift store today and quickly realized that it was a never-used copy . When I took it to the cash register, I had sticker shock-instead of being the dollar it was marked as, it was fifty cents!! There was a flash sale, with all cookbooks being half off. So much excitement! 

I want to introduce a new feature to my blog-Foodie Features! Once a week (well, I'll try) I will feature a recipe from one of my many cookbooks, complete with photos and a recipe. This blog started off as a food blog, and I haven't posted much of that lately.

Sarina 

#ThriftStyleThursday-Delightfully Dainty

Hello there!

This week's theme is delightfully dainty. When i think of dainty, I think of teeny weeny things, like rings and small patterns. 

This week I'll be featuring one of my favourite patterned items

Indian suit- free, birthday present, earrings- $5, Ardene

The pattern on the top and pants of this suit scream dainty to me. Even though the colours seem to take up most of the suit, if you look carefully you can see quite dainty little patterns.

What do you think? Does this seem dainty to you?

As always, visit the delightful dainty divas to see how they styled this weeks Dainty theme!

❇ Aligator Toe ❇ Being Zhenya ❇ Bethie the Boo ❇ Buttons and Birdcages  ❇ Confessions of a Refashionista ❇ Eclecticity ❇ Erika’s Style Diary ❇ Lipstick and Yarn ❇ Muddy Flowers ❇ Rachel’s Lookbook ❇ Sandpaper Kisses ❇ Sincerely Miss J ❇ Sistas From Cali ❇Slight Impression ❇Snippets with Alex ❇ Spoolish ❇That Cheap Bitch ❇ The Two Cent Chick ❇

Wedding prep and my Something Blue

Hey there!

Ever since I got engaged, my fiancé and I have figured out a ton of wedding stuff. It's only been a month but we have our chapel, venue, caterer, and photographer. Being a thrifty gal, I wanted to keep the costs down as much as I could. 

One thing I didn't waver on were my brand new wedding shoes! I always knew I wanted Fluevogs for my wedding, ever since a friend introduced me to te brand. The only problem is...their shoes START at $200 and go up from there. What's a girl on a budget to do? Go hunting of course! There a ton of places I 'Vogs for cheaper. There's the Fluemarket, Amazon.com, eBay and even kijiji.ca! 

I ended up finding the *perfect* pair of shoes. Blue pebbled leather, pointy toe, 3 inch heel. Did I also mention they're the comfiest shoes I've ever worn?! 

Best purchase ever.  

I can't wait to rock these down the aisle!

What are your favourite shoes?

-Sarina

#ThriftStyleThursday-Fabulous Florals

Hello!

This week is a bit of a rushed post, because I completely forgot...(oops) 

But I did have a dress in mind! 

This week I wanted to use my fabulous floral dress that I got at a thrift store back in London. 

Asos dress-from Talize, $12

(sorry for the terrible photo this week, using my phone)

It's one of the most flattering pieces I own! It's a fit and flare, so it highlights the best parts of me! 

Don't forget to check out my other thrifty gals!

❇ Aligator Toe ❇ Being Zhenya ❇ Bethie the Boo ❇ Buttons and Birdcages  ❇ Confessions of a Refashionista ❇ Eclecticity ❇ Erika’s Style Diary ❇ Lipstick and Yarn ❇ Muddy Flowers ❇ Rachel’s Lookbook ❇ Sandpaper Kisses ❇ Sincerely Miss J ❇ Sistas From Cali ❇Slight Impression ❇Snippets with Alex ❇ Spoolish ❇That Cheap Bitch ❇ The Two Cent Chick ❇

Thrift Store Haul- Value Village and a Garage Sale!

The best deals are in the most unexpected places, and after the past couple weeks I am a firm believer in that. 

The weekend I had my vacation, my fiancé and I went to our first stop-Value Village! I'm always drawn to the books and begin the hunt for awesome quality kids books. This trip was a good one for books! 

I was ecstatic to find 'Where the Wild Things Are' and 'Scaredy Squirrel' for a buck each! The rest of the books are just fun little finds. 

The best deal on this trip was the community garage sale I went to about 20 min from where I was staying. I wish I had taken a photo of just how huge this place was, and how flawlessly organized each section was. Christmas, books, kitchenwares, electronics, even a section of brand new stuff from a drugstore that had moved! I had I resist from buying everything! All the mugs, teapots, kitchen gadgets and CD's! I took this as an opportunity to buy a couple things for my future home. 

Guess what this entire box cost me? 

$15!!! One of the best deals I've ever gotten! 

I already finished both chapter books, and I'm in love with the Goody spin pins.

What are some of your best garage sale finds?

Sarina

Huge news!

Hello hello hello!

I just got home, and this is not going to be a #thriftstylethursday post.

Instead, this post is going to be about something big that happened this weekend.

I'M ENGAGED!

I went up north to visit my boyfriend this weekend. Unbeknownst to me, he wasn't planning on being my boyfriend for very long. The day after I traveled up, we went on a canoe ride and he proposed to me.


In case you're wondering, I said yes!


We drove back down south, and made a detour to visit his grandparents and a friend of mine, where we did an impromptu photoshoot! My friend didn't actually know we were engaged until the beginning of the photoshoot. I'm sneaky like that ;)

My friend's reaction when she found out

The ring

Until next week,

Sarina

#ThriftStyleThursday- Dapper Toppers (Hats)

Hello there!

This week's #thriftstylethursday was a hard one for me-hats. As someone with a ridiculously thick mane of hair, it was always hard to brush and tame. As a child, my mother's way of 'taming' it was to just chop it off...I had a bowl cut for several years. As I grew older, the sheer amount of hair I had frustrated me so I usually kept it in one of two hairstyles- a bun or a ponytail.

Having to wear hats in the winter or summer gave me one of two options- leave my wild mane open so I could properly wear a hat or get a stretchy hat that would fit over a gigantic bun/ponytail but ultimately completely ruin any attempt at hair.

You've got to be kidding me. (This is pretty much what my hair looked like)

I also don't think that hats suit me very much. As strange as this will sound, I don't think I have a head shaped for hats.
Though I don't wear hats that often, I do have a soft spot in my heart for a few of them. Floppy sunhats, fedoras and cowboys are my favourites, and thought I haven't found the ideal ones for me yet, I'm holding onto hope that one day I will!

In the meanwhile, I decided to go semi-country for this week's theme, because one hat that I have and love is my trusted straw cowboy hat. And what goes better with country than the Canadian tuxedo, denim on denim, with both pieces fully thrifted? To accessorize, I kept it simple with a leather ring I picked up on vacation, a beautiful turquoise necklace, and a swipe of red lipstick!

And a closer look at the necklace and ring..

[Hat- gift from parents] [Leather ring, bought in Spain- $5] [Necklace-gift from parents]

[Shirt-Joe Fresh, thrifted from Talize- $2.50] [Jeans- Forever 21, thrifted from local thrift store- $2.50]

[Lipstick, Mac- Brave Red]

As a bonus, I also thought I'd use the excuse of a hat to showcase how long my mane is. Models, be jealous- that luscious thick head of hair is allll natural!

[Straw hat-gift from parents] 

Take a minute to look at the dapper toppers these lovelies wore this week!


❇ Aligator Toe ❇ Being Zhenya ❇ Bethie the Boo ❇ Buttons and Birdcages  ❇ Confessions of a Refashionista ❇ Eclecticity ❇ Erika’s Style Diary ❇ Lipstick and Yarn ❇ Muddy Flowers ❇ Rachel’s Lookbook ❇ Sandpaper Kisses ❇ Sincerely Miss J ❇ Sistas From Cali ❇Slight Impression ❇Snippets with Alex ❇ Spoolish ❇That Cheap Bitch ❇ The Two Cent Chick ❇