Flour Power

Oh, how I love KitchenAid Stand Mixers. I rarely bake, but given an instruction manual and a couple kick ass recipes I'm sure I'll learn to make use of one. KitchenAid mixers are symbolic of a healthy kitchen, and I can't help but imagine myself covered in flour, baking up a storm in some gorgeous country kitchen. What presence they have seen here in store at Sears. I want one in every colour!

J xx

Hamper Happy

I'd be happy to leave laundry laying around for days so long as it was hanging out of this perfect French Wire Hamper from Pottery Barn.  This basket is so lovely it deserves to be displayed out in the open which is especially ideal for apartment living where there is often little room to store and hide away unsightly furnishings. Love!

J xx

Dragon Tattoo Girl

Steig Larsson's Millennium Trilogy is brilliant fiction and you are seriously amiss if you've chosen to ignore the hype surrounding these novels. The characters are so well written, the strength of their resolve is near tangible. The series' heart Lisbeth Salander is mad at the world (with good reason) and expresses her anger violently (with good reason) and has a style sense to match. If my girl Salander wasn't a fictional character, I'd call her up and commend her on her honest duds and recommend she try these on for size.

J xx

Clockwise: (1) Old Navy, Fall 2010 Motorcycle Jacket (2) Treesje, Jet Crimson Bag (3) Frye, Rogan Engineer Studded Boot (4) See by Chloé, Low Rise Skinny Jeans

Blue Kitchen

Image: Cococozy

First came the pink kitchen, now comes the blue kitchen. Blue is my favorite color. But would I have chosen blue cabinets for my dream kitchen? Nope. Until now. This shade of blue is so rich set against the walnut-stained hardwood flooring. The glossy cabinet finish adds polish and catches the light to brighten up the space. This kitchen feels warmly sophisticated and I love it!

J xx

Gals & Garbs

There's The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City, but for me there is more importantly, Stealing Beauty and Love Story.  The fashion in these movies epitomized my romantic ideals and shaped my style aspirations.   I am so taken with Liv Tyler and Ali MacGraw and their cinematic 'je ne sais quoi' that my subconscious self has directed my style choices accordingly.  I don't mind following trends, but I will never veer too far from home base.  On the spectrum of style, this is exactly where I want to be.

J xx

Pink Kitchen

Image: Casasugar

Never in a million years did I think I would love a kitchen with pink cupboards but this really works!  The single bottom row of pink cupboards creates a streamline effect and becomes the focal point of this modest country kitchen. The contrasting dark-stained shelves for plates and jars make it acceptable to showcase the cupboards so distinctly. I absolutely love this!

J xx

Baby Cocoon

I love Baby Barolo's Sleeping Cocoon.  This real goose down sleeping bag is suitable from birth to approximately 4 months and can be used in the crib, carriage or for bringing baby home from the hospital.  How precious and cozy!

J xx

Easy Breezy

Image (girls): The Singular

It's 40 degrees, blistering hot and humid and I am in no condition to be wearing clothing.  However, since I'm a law abiding citizen I've decided against public nudity.  To avoid profuse perspiration while out in the summer heat, I have two tips:

            (1) forgo heavy or thick leather shoulder bags

            (2) avoid flip flops and that make you work to stay in them

Opt for sporting a cotton or canvas tote that you can barely feel hanging on your shoulder and super lightweight Bensimon walking shoes.  As Joanna from Cup of Jo charmingly noted, "Bensimon shoes are the French girl's converse"; except they are made to look and feel worn in for easy comfort. These tips make a difference and help keep you cooler when the weather is anything but.

J xx

LA Times Lovely

After seeing the latest cover of LA Times Magazine, I am certain that jewel tones rock, red hair is fierce and Christina Hendricks is stunning! I can't wait for the fourth season of Mad Men, if only to see Joan in action. And then there's Don Draper...

J xx

Where Troubles Melt...

Image: Everything Fabulous

Ah, the joys of summer leisure.  Take me here and I will let my mind wander and contemplate the vast unknown before me.  I will hope for the best and imagine a place where troubles melt like lemon drops, somewhere over the rainbow and into the sprawling hills of Tuscany.

J xx

Hair Happy

I'm not blessed with wash and go hair, so over the years I've learned simple ways to keep my hair healthy and under control using little product.  And you might say I'm hard to please when it comes to hair treatment and styling products, so it's always a surprise when I try products that are as good as these two:  Moroccanoil® Oil Treatment and Chi Infra Texture Hair Spray.  Moroccanoil® firstly, smells like absolute heaven, secondly and more importantly its ultra-light formula restores shine and conditions hair leaving a healthy 'non-greasy' glow.  Infra Texture hair spray is lightweight and 'non-crunchy' yet maintains your style and promotes movement by its unique texturizing formula. Not sold yet? Trust me and try them. I'm happy to say I told you so.

J xx

Canadian Tuxedo

Images: Vogue

Happy Canada Day!  In honor of my fine country I'm showing off part of our fashion heritage: the Canadian tuxedo.  Denim on denim is not easy to pull off, but these Vogue getups show how it's possible to look fabulous while wearing head to toe denim.  My Canada Day celebration includes a party with a Canadian tuxedo dress code, and like Vogue, I've added neon accessories to my outfit.  Hey - if I'm going to wear denim galore I may as well do my country proud, do it right and do it Vogue.

J xx