Bad Makeup? Part I

Hello Lovelies!!

On my journey to becoming a more conscious consumer, one of the areas I wanted to clean up my act in was cosmetics...another product I use on a regular basis.

I am a makeup junkie!! So now that I want to be more conscious of what I am purchasing and from whom, I looked into which make up companies are getting ranked as good, bad and downright ugly by organizations such as betterworldshopper.org and PETA.

Betterworldshopper.org looks at issues such as Human Rights, Environment, Animal Protection, Community Involvement and Social Justice; and ranks companies based on where they stand on these issues. Then they came up with report cards to inform consumers on how these companies fare on issues that affect us all.

So, that brings us to the ugliest of the ugly...The companies with a grade of F for FAIL!!!

Drum roll please....

MAX FACTOR    OLAY    and   COVERGIRL  

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/77898268528549153/

As a teenager, my favourite cosmetics were from Covergirl...I am sad that they have received a failing grade as they are so affordable for young ladies (I will be researching low-priced cosmetics companies and how they rank with betterworldshopper and PETA soon (you may find them on this list, but some new ones may not be listed).

There you have it!! I am hoping you found this informative enough to look further into the causes near and dear to your heart. Have a great weekend and see you next Saturday!!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

HOT HOT HOT!!

Hello Lovelies!!!

How was your July long weekend? Whether you were celebrating Canada's Birthday or Independence Day in the US, I hope you had a good time!!

Kelowna was Hot!! Average temps hit around 34 degrees celsius!

Although it was so hot, we didn't get any beach time due to the flood they had in June. The city is still cleaning up the creeks and the lake and beaches, so there was no where to "camp out".

As promised, here is what I packed:

I took two bikinis, a cute wrap (to be worn with the bikinis), four tank tops, two pairs of shorts and a little sundress.

The bikinis I could mix and match with each other as well; two of the tank tops were packed for Canada's Birthday (July 1, for our American friends); a fancier tank top (cream) and a basic tank top (teal); a long (black)and shorter (navy) pair of shorts; and finally, a cute little sundress which was nice and cool.

I wore everything but the bikinis, due to the aforementioned flood. Besides that, I think it was a successful packing job.

Do you plan what you pack for a getaway? Or are you more spontaneous?

Have a great weekend and see you next Saturday!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Hello Summer!!!

Hello Lovelies!!


Summer has begun!!

I can't wait to hit the pool on our trip to Kelowna next Weekend!!

As I will be out of town, there will not be a regular blog post but I will post some pics on Bloglovin, Instagram (njfranks), Facebook (NJ Franks) and Twitter (@NancijeanFranks)...

Last week in my confessional post, I mentioned that I wanted to become a more conscious consumer. Well one of the first steps I took was with products that most of us gals have to use every month...you guessed it...feminine hygiene products.

(Photo courtesy of 10000+ Wallpapers App)

I found a natural, cotton tampons and pads with no added chemicals like chlorine and dyes from Well.ca, although if you reside elsewhere, just google the name of the product and you will find out where to get them.




I figured, if I was going to start this journey, I may as well start with a product I use all the time and is easy to find!

As mentioned...I am off to Kelowna, BC next weekend. so I will only post small teasers while I am there, but next week I will post what I packed, how what I packed worked out as well as some pics of our activities!

See you in July!! Love and Hugs!!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

And...I'm back!!

Hello Lovelies!!

I missed you!! I wrote a Canadian Securities Course national exam on Tuesday so I had to devote my past weekend to studying...which paid off because...I passed!!!

Now back to more fun stuff!!

Well...except that I have to make a confession...I have been shopping like crazy lately and that definitely puts a damper on my plans to downsize my stuff...what am I doing?!!! I don't know what this urge to shop has come from...could it be fear of the unknown...not knowing if I will have a permanent position from this contract I am working? Makes sense. It's not like I am the bread winner in the family (Thank Goodness!!). At the same time, now that I am flush with cash, I want to get all I can right now!! 

All of my needs would be covered if I did not have this contract, so there is no issue there. The kicker is, I had a goal at the beginning of the year to get rid of stuff so that we don't have to rent a storage unit...and I am busting that goal wide open by shopping like a mad woman!! I need to step back and get my BIG GIRL PANTIES on and start back on that goal...

Mission Downsize My Stuff is back on!!!

And while I am at it...Mission Downsize My Body is too!!

I will see you next week for my journey into becoming a conscious consumer, rather than what I have been, a practically unconscious one!!

Have a great week, and remember I am always your friend!!

NJ 😘 💖

Hey June!!!

Hello Lovelies!!

I have missed you! I have been busy getting things together for this post and have forgotten to post teasers, lol!! Well not completely...I did post two.

So here we are in June...the month that summer starts!! I don't know about you, but I am super excited!!

Home

Well it's kind of a different Home post today...June Wallpapers for my iPhone and iMac...which are in my home.

 Roses were in the City Park in Kelowna, British Columbia

This image is from 10,000+ Wallpapers App

The Roses are on my iMac Desktop and my iPhone home screen. The Calendar is on my iPhone lock screen

Fashion

What I wore to an interview:

Black and brown striped knit suit, beige blouse, leopard scarf and black pointy-toed pumps. I kept all but the beige blouse...I like the cream one better.

I don't have a Food/Drink post this week. I know, I know...slacker!!

Favourite Things

Last week I showed my new Kate Spade tote that Hubster got for me (Love it!!).

This week, it is these adorable monkey studs from Kate Spade...I love monkeys and I adore Kate Spade, so what could be better!!

Rambling Roses Monkey Stud earrings from Kate Spade NY

Inspiration

Thank you Kim Bayne and The Wellness Universe!!

You are!! and Don't let anyone tell you any different...not even YOURSELF!!!
I love you all!! Without you, this blog would be me talking to myself...which I do already, lol!!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Last Weekend of May?!!!!

Hello Lovies!!!

Wow!! I can't believe this is the last weekend of May already!! Where has the time gone?

Home

Front Foyer Part 2

Here is the Hemnes shoe cabinet, and it has cleared all the shoe clutter quite nicely!!

Fashion

Although I like the idea of this look, I am not happy with how short this sweater is.

Verdict: Kept the skirt and blouse, but donated the sweater.

Food/Drink

New Recipe Part 2

The Asparagus and Pea Pancakes were DELICIOUS!!! These pancakes have more of a savoury flavour which I felt would be better for either a late brunch or dinner, rather than breakfast, which is what they are listed as in the cookbook. The sauce called for fat-free greek yogurt but I used low-fat sour cream instead which would probably add 1 Smart Point™ to the recipe for a total of 8 Smart
Points™rather than 7.

I served them with turkey sausages for a great savoury side! 

Favourite Things

My new obsession: Kate Spade.

Hubby got me this Kate Spade tote bag as a gift...Thanks Honey!!

Inspiration

Is it selfish to help yourself before helping others? 

Many people were raised to believe that helping yourself before others is selfish. However, according to the Oxygen Mask Theory, if you are in a plane and the oxygen masks come down due to loss of pressure, you are directed to put your oxygen mask on first before helping even your children. The premise behind this is that if you give your children oxygen first and you die of asphyxiation, your children will be without a parent. What good does that do? 

Before you can help others, you need the energy to be able to be of assistance...you need to care for yourself in order to be of help to others...NOT the other way around. 

Have a great week and see you in June!!

Remember, I am always your friend,

NJ 😘

Pampering, a recipe and a shoe cabinet, oh my!!

Hello Lovelies!!

A recipe to try, a messy foyer and leopard print are just a few of the things covered this week!

Home

Front Foyer Part 1

Right now we have two shoe racks in the foyer as well as on in the coat closet: Clutter anyone?

To remedy this, we will be buying a Hemnes shoe cabinet (come back to see it in part 2).

Fashion

Classic Print.

I love me some leopard print...it is classic, sassy and sophisticated all at once!! However, you can have too much leopard on at once...as in this scarf. I love me a scarf (actually I am addicted to them), but this one is itchy as it has weird threads to create texture.

The top I kept but I donated the scarf. 

Food/Drink

New Recipe Part 1

Recipe from Weight Watchers™ Year Round Fresh cookbook.

I can't wait to try these savoury pancakes!! Come back next week for my review of the recipe

Favourite Things

I just got this personalized bracelet from Stella & Dot.

You can personalize it yourself many different ways.

Inspiration

Self-care is not always encouraged while growing up, but it is becoming an important way to advocate for your own mental health. It can come in many ways such as a day at the spa or from doing yoga to relax your mind and pamper yourself!!

See you next week and remember...

I am always your friend.

NJ 😘

(Almost) All About Books!

Hello Lovelies!!

How was your week? I have been getting over this cold, finally!!

Home

I am currently reading this design book:

It is a little more "Shabby Chic" than I like, but its message of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is right up my alley! I am trying to keep my consumption to a minimum, and this book has some great ideas for reusing pieces from around the house.

Fashion

Culottes, although comfortable, are too short for my short-waisted-pear body type. They make my legs look even shorter than they actually are...

However, they are great to workout in, so they have been relegated to my workout wardrobe.

Food and Drink

This week I wanted to showcase a recipe book from Weight Watchers that focuses on recipes that incorporate what foods are in season!!

I will show which recipe we start with next week.

Favourite Things

This week, my favourite thing is "The Power of Now" by Ekharte Tolle.

This book changed my life!!

I used to be so worried about the future, on top of fretting about the past. This book changed the way I thought about living. I learned that the only time I can control is NOW, and the only thing I can control is how I react to events and people in my life...but not the events or people themselves!

Inspiration

Panache Desai is one of my favourite inspirational speakers. I follow him on Facebook, and I hope to someday attend one of his talks live.

This quote is about those things we work so hard to fight or keep secret about ourselves. I have learned that the more I fight my demons, the harder they try to show themselves, and in the worst possible way and time. Do not fight or resist your thoughts or feelings...let them out into the light (in a safe place) and let them flow...you will find that they aren't as bad as you originally thought. By fighting them, they seem a lot worse than they actually are.


Thank you for visiting, and remember I am...

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

New Month, new beginnings!!

Hello Lovelies!!!

Okay we are fully into the beginning of May and a new blogging strategy!!

So lets get started!!!

Home

So I am currently working on organizing and decluttering my home. I started with an area that is constatntly an issue...my bedside dresser.

It is a pitstop for reading, relaxing, etc. However, it is often far from relaxing as it is also a pitstop for clutter.

Ideally, I want an area for reading and winding down before bed, whilst telling a story of who I am, as well as what I dream about for the future.

(Image courtesy of Pinterest)

I just need to add some framed photos and pictures and maybe some floral accents...

Fashion

The Great Closet Purge (Image #2)

So...the top, although nice, is not very comfortable and does not hit at a good spot on my hips. I do not like the top enough to hem it a half-inch.

Verdict: Donate

The skirt flows nicely from my hips and I love the de-contructed style of the exposed-seam texture. It gives the skirt visual interest that it wouldn't have otherwise.

Verdict: Keep

Food & Drink

Making a side dish the main event!!

I took a package of Knorr Sidekicks® Garlic Alfredo Spaghetti and added sautéed minced garlic, red and yellow peppers and yellow onions.

A dash of Parmesan cheese and Voilà!! A simple and easy way to take a literal Sidekick® to a main
entrée.

Favourite Thing

As you have already seen, I am thoroughly addicted to wooden watches!! I order them online from TreeHut.co (I do not do affiliate marketing).

My latest acqusition is this week's favourite thing!!

Inspiration

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

Happiness is often thought of an elusive goal, that never seems to be reached no matter how many goals we set and meet: "If I lose 50 pounds I will be happy." I once thought that losing weight was my journey towards being happy...but as it turned out, I looked great, and was miserable!! All I could think about was how many calories food I ate was..all the time!!

Ironically I am above the weight I was when I first set out on my weight loss goals, and yet I am a much happier person. Why you ask? I have learned that Happiness isn't a thing to be attained, but a choice to be made!! It is a A CHOICE YOU  CAN MAKE EACH AND EVERY DAY!!!!


Okay lovelies...let me know how you like the new weekly blog post (and daily teaser posts 😉)

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Hello May!!

Hello Lovelies!!

I have been a bad blogger!!  I don't know about you, but April has kicked my ass!!!

Between the winter-like weather here in Alberta, to stressful days at work to getting not just one flu, but two!! Lucky Me!!

Add to that, my mom fell and broke her leg...and so we went to the hospital to visit her, and that is where I got flu #1. Hubby got sick as well and that is where I got flu #2!! I am still sick as a dog, but life goes on!!

So, needless to say, I am sooooooo ready to say hello to May!!

(Image courtesy of 10,000+ Wallpapers App)

And with the new month, comes a new blogging strategy...I am going to do a weekly blog showcasing topics such as: Home, Fashion, Food and Drink, Inspirational things, and finally, my Favourite Things, both new and old.

Right now I am working on two projects in respect to decluttering: my closet which falls into the Fashion category (The Great Closet Purge), and the rest of my home which falls into home care and decorating.

Food and Drink will cover anything from food and drink recipes to great places to eat and hang out with my besties!!

Favourite Things will encompass anything and everything that I love!!

To end each week and start a new one, will be inspirational images and messages.

Through the week I will do quick posts of what will be coming up in the next week.

Okay Lovelies, there you have it...I hope you will come along with me on this new journey!!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

The Great Closet Purge Post #1

Hello Lovelies!!

So did you check out the Adore Your Wardrobe Website? We are on lesson #8: Create a Closet You Adore. Well, with all the clothes I have in my closet this will be a looooooong process!! I thought to myself..."Hey why don't you turn that into a blog series?"

So "The Great Closet Purge" series is born and starting with this post!

The skirt is from Old Navy. The stripes add width to my hips which I do NOT need. What was I thinking??? I like the colours, but horizontal stripes on my bottom half...not a good idea!

Verdict: Donate

The shirt is from Fairweather. It is cream and perfect for me because I am warm. It is light and comfortable. It is totally casual and great as a light layer in summer.

Verdict: Keep

What do you think?

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Saturday Musings

Hello Lovelies!!

Wow! Here it is Easter and we are already halfway through April!!

Do you celebrate this holiday?

Now that I am an adult, I really don't celebrate beyond going for dinner. I am not a religious person and besides Christmas, I do not observe other religious holidays. When it comes to Good Friday and Easter, I have conflicting feelings. I will leave it at that as I was not intending to do a post about neither Easter nor Religion.

Decluttering:

I have picked up a book about decluttering and organizing that has a lot of great ideas and has given my project of letting go a renewed purpose.

I am still going to let go of things everyday for the most part, but not posting it everyday.

Adore Your wardrobe:

I left off just before Lesson #6: Rule of Four.

Kelly Snyder gives an introduction to the Rule of Four on her website Adore Your Wardrobe.

Please check it out, it is quite enlightening even if you don't purchase her course (although totally worth the price, I thought anyway).

Inspiration:

(Image courtesy of Real Simple and Google Images)

"The way to learn whether a person is trustworthy is to trust him." -Earnest Hemingway

The Law of Attraction states that whatever you focus your attention to will be magnified. In other words, if you find it hard to trust others, the Universe will put untrustworthy people in your path.

Trust first, then you can decide later if it was warranted. However, if you go through life with an untrusting heart and mind, you will receive situations in your life that will fulfill that prophecy. If you trust first, the Universe will place trustworthy people in your life more than untrustworthy ones.


Have a great weekend and remember, I am always your friend!!

NJ 😘

Wholly Smokes!!

Ugh!! it has been a while...so sorry!!

Life has been a little hectic between working and studying for my Canadian Securities course (exam this Wednesday), AND doing the Adore Your Wardrobe coarse as well!!

Phew!! I am so glad April hasn't flown by too!!

Okay, so an update on the Adore Your Wardrobe course:

So I left off at undergarment shopping...turns out I have gone up a cup and band size! From 36B to a 38C cup (not gonna lie, kinda liking it!). I picked up a piece of shape-wear that smooths out my tummy, butt and leg area, but thinking of purchasing another one just to smooth out my upper body.

Lesson #4 was about finding the right pair of jeans for my body type, which I actually have to correct. I am a long-waisted pear, not a short-waisted one. It turns out that I do not have to shop for jeans (YAY!!)

Lesson #5 was finding the right length and neckline for my type. As it seems, I can wear all necklines, woohoo!! As for length, Kelly describes a Sweet Spot Range which is the lengths of garment that balance out your body. I determined mine to be about 22-24" (long-waisted body types want to wear tops that aren't too long as to make their legs look even shorter than they are).

So now you know what I have been up to these past few days!!

Hopefully I can jump back on here soon to let you know how Lesson #6 went.

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Hello lovelies!!

I know I have been MIA lately...been busy with work, workouts and the like.

How was March? Was it lucky for you?

For the most part, it was a good month. I got my new boots from Oliberte and Kamik (rain boots), another new wooden watch (I am addicted!!), and a cute new haircut.

Boyd Watch (Tree Hut)

But, I also dropped and cracked the heck out of my iPhone. In order not to cut myself I put packing tape over the glass until it gets fixed (thus the hazy quality of the selfie). Ah well, getting it fixed this weekend hopefully.

Have you heard of Adore Your Wardrobe? I am doing course 1 and so far it is pretty good...not into the "juicy" stuff yet. First lesson was taking our measurements, then lesson 2 was figuring out our body type...I was confirmed to be a pear. Lesson 3 is getting our foundation garments right...you younger girls may not have to worry about that sort of thing, lol!! So, in light of this lesson, I am getting fitted for a bra this weekend (while my phone gets fixed) to see if my size has changed at all. May get some Spanx body wear too, we'll see.

Anyhoo...Here's looking to April!! I don't know about you, but March has felt particularly long this year...oh well!!

Always your friend,

NJ 😘

My New Rain boots

Hello Lovelies!!

It has been wet and mucky here as of late and my poor Oliberte boots have gotten soaked!! I have to treat and reseal them due to the snow and slush that we have had.


On Thursday I ordered my new rain boots from Kamik (sold through Cabela's online).

They are the charcoal Olivia boots.


The cool thing is that they are made in Canada AND they are made from other rain boots that have been recycled!!

Sustainability rocks!!


Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Timberland's New Line

Hello Lovelies!!

Great news...Timberland has introduced a line of clothing, bags and shoes made from recycled plastic bottles!!

Sustainable clothing is becoming more and more mainstream...So awesome!!


Always your friend,

NJ 😘

Capsule Wardrobing

Hello Lovelies!!


As I have mentioned in a previous post, I am obsessed with Capsule Wardrobes.


I am currently working through my current load of clothes to get down to a year-round collection of about 100 pieces. Forty Summer plus 20 transitional pieces for Spring into Summer, and forty Winter pieces and the same transitional pieces for Fall into Winter (the only set that does not change throughout the year, is the transitional one).


Some creators of the capsule wardrobe concept use capsule wardrobes consisting of 33 items for 3 months (Project 333 introduced by Courtney Carver of Being More with Less). I have tried this concept myself, but I realized that it did not help me to find what I really liked and didn't like about my clothes/style.

                                                        (This picture is from Pinterest)

I decided to whittle down my wardrobe, albeit slowly as I wear the items and can therefore, see better what works and what doesn't work for me. These 100 items do not include lounge wear , underwear, or workout gear. It does include shoes/boots, winter gear, etc.


At this point it does not include jewelry or scarves...that is another project altogether!! However, I am working on reducing my scarf collection as I whittle down my clothing collection. It's a start!!


Do you have a capsule wardrobe, or is your closet splitting at the seams like mine?!!!


Always your friend,

NJ 😘