September Fashion Round Up

Here are my favourite looks from September. It was a month that slowly transitioned us into the cooler temperatures. It was a month of big transitions for our family as we all adjusted to Luke starting school. It was a month of change and growth for all of us. I am thankful for what we got from this past September but I am feeling so relieved to jump into October. I love Thanksgiving, the weather has everything feeling cozy and I feel like I have found my footing in our current season. What I am really trying to work on is bringing a little weekend vibe into every single day and not worrying about stuff so much. I am chilling out with the cooler temps. I have linked some of the key fashion items I am wearing in these pictures if your interested in shopping any of them for yourself.

I love you guys and I love chatting with you on Instagram. How are you feeling about October, what are you looking forward to this month, whats on your mind when it comes to fashion, just let me know whats up.
xoxo
Audrey

Muscle Tank 
Distressed Jeans

High Waisted Jeans

T-shirt

Denim Jacket

High Waisted Jeans
T-shirt
Cardigan 

Camo Jeans
Plaid Top
Cardigan

Jean Jacket

Distressed Jeans

Black Distressed Jeans

Sweatshirt

Sweatshirt
Dress

Fuzzy Sweater
High Waisted Jeans

High Waisted Black Jeans
Mustard Top

The Plaid Shirt | Classic Style | American Eagle

The plaid shirt has a vast history, especially a plaid flannel shirt which was first manufactured in the 1850's. It was not until the 1940's when women adopted the style for themselves by actually first borrowing them from men. Depending on your age and who you have seen wearing plaid shirts as you grew up, this style may bring back memories of specific phases in your life.

Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video made grunge the next big style in the early 1990's. I remember back to school shopping when I was around 10, buying boys wide leg jeans because the girls section did not have the exact style I was going for and pairing it with a t-shirt and plaid shirt tied around my waist.

Now plaid shirts are a wardrobe stable and we ladies don't have to borrow the styles from the men, we can find them tailored to our shape and in a variety of colours. I have gone through a few plaid shirts over the last 10 years but I am always drawn to a pattern that has a significant amount of red in it. I love the classic look of the red plaid shirt. I love that I can dress it up and create a nostalgic holiday vibe or pair it with jeans and a t-shirt for an all Canadian everyday look.

When did you first wear a plaid shirt? What memories does this style bring back for you? How do you wear your plaid shirt today?

My entire outfit was shopped at American Eagle in the Lambton Mall. This store has an amazingly helpful and educated staff that is passionate about helping you find fashion that makes you feel great!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Audrey

Reference website, Glamour.

Amazon Fashion / Fuzzy Sweater

I ordered this sweater off Amazon three weeks ago. This is the first fashion item I have ordered from Amazon and I was a little skeptical about my purchase because the price was so great ($20) and my order stated I would receive my package Oct 15 - Nov 15. I was pleasantly surprised to get the shipping notification last Friday and receive my sweater yesterday. Today was the perfect cool morning for this fuzzy sweater. Its super cozy, the pockets keep your hands warm and I love its laid back vibe. It is a warm sweater but I would not say the quality of the fabric is the best. The sweaters that are similar that I was looking at around the $75 mark definitely have a more sturdy make to them but I am happy with this inexpensive dupe. This Amazon fashion purchase is a win for me, so much so I am considering getting the cream one too. 

Shop this $20 fuzzy sweater here. 

If you liked this post, you may also like my "2018 Fall Shopping List" post here.

Mindful Beauty Review

I have had the pleasure of experiencing a handful of products from Mindful Beauty over the last few months. The first thing I loved about using these skin care products, is their fragrance. Each product has the ingredients printed on the front of the label so I know exactly what I am smelling, I didn't have to look far to know its a natural fragrance. When I am using my Mindful Beauty  skincare routine, it transforms my bathroom into a spa. I love wearing makeup almost everyday but I really love cleansing my skin. The cleanser leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean and the soothing facial mist is refreshing and rejuvenating.

I love that the products are made to order. You know your ingredients are fresh and the product has not been stored for a significant amount of time. I bath often with Elizabeth so we enjoyed a Mindful Beauty Bath Bomb together. It felt good knowing the products I use, I can share with my children on their delicate skin. I have tried a variety of natural skincare and it often falls short for me not performing the way I want it too. I am particularly impressed with the cleanser and how well it draws out impurities and how well the scrub works at renewing the skin on my face and body. The scrub is actually quite powerful and the first time I used it, I applied it with a bit too much pressure. Not needed as the scrub does the work for you.

The creator of Mindful Beauty is a Canadian, beauty loving, momma and I just love that she is creating safe skincare for all the other moms trying to stay fresh while keeping their homes safe! You can shop Mindful Beauty in their Etsy Shop here. 

The First Day Of Fall

Thank you so much to Loulou & Bee for partnering with me on this adventure post and providing me and my littles with the coziest, cutest tops! Loulou & Bee offers trendy and practical essentials for babies, toddlers and moms. Shop this locally owned boutique online here.

We celebrated the first day of fall with an apple picking adventure at Zekvelds. The orchard/farm was buzzing like a bee hive. The crisp weather had everyone in the autumn spirit, ready to enjoy all the new season has to offer.

I am so glad I get to experience all four seasons! The change of each season is so energizing as we get to enjoy the food, activities and fashion that the new temperatures bring.

I know I have been apple picking before but I don't really remember it so we are going to call today a first for all of us. The orchard was so beautiful! Looking at a branch heavy with ripe apples literally made my mouth water and made me think, "wow I am so glad to call this little corner of the world my home". We have so much to explore in our backyard and seeing it through the eyes of my children is a huge gift, this is how the world is meant to be seen.

Luke raced from tree to tree "mom help me find some low ones", "mom lift me up". Lizzy helped pick a few and then she just started to eat an apple, stopping periodically to ask me to help her remove some of the skin. The rows of fruit trees were inviting and I kinda just wanted to set up camp there for the day but Elizabeth was not going to let us forget the horse we saw on the way out to the apples. Once our bags were full, we headed back towards the store and spent time walking around the rest of the grounds checking out the chickens, pigs and horse. They had a little barn shed set up pretty with autumn decorations and Luke loved leaping across the hay. My heart is exploding with love and gratitude after today, it was the perfect way to kick off the fall season!

I  have the great pleasure of mommin all day every day. Some days like today are adventure days and some days are hang around the house laundry days. No matter the day, I am so grateful to God to be mommin. I can only mom the way I do because of my husband though, so while he worked hard today we got to play. My mommin skills are only what they are because of who he is. As Tyler always says "teamwork makes dream work" and man, this mommin work is a dream!

Happy Autumn!
xoxo
Audrey

Shop My Sweatshirt Here

Shop The Kids T-shirts Here 

15 Minute Everyday Makeup

I don't feel like I need makeup on to leave the house but I do enjoy wearing it and I love the process of getting ready in the morning. In this makeup tutorial, I take you through my current everyday makeup routine. This look takes me about 15 minutes to complete. The focus is on skin, foundation products are my favourite and the eyes are super simple. I have key makeup pieces in my makeup bag which is what I get ready with each morning. This is a time saver as I am not searching through all of my makeup each day to find what I need. When I try something new, I switch the products out in my makeup bag so the products don't get out of control.

Here is what I am using and doing right now to create a quick, polished, everyday look. Thanks for watching!

I have linked the products I used below, if you want to check any of them out for yourself.

Smashbox Primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear 

Urban Decay All Nighter

Tarte Shape Tape 

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Contour Highlight Palette 

Benefit Ka-Brow

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette 

Makeup Forever XL Eyeliner 

L'oreal Voluminous Mascara 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick 

MAC Fix+

A Mother's Gut

Every mother's heart is different to match the love for her unique children. I believe every mother is the perfect mother for her child. We as mothers truly know what is best for our individual children. We boldly make choices on their behalf through sleepless nights, prayer, discussions with our own mothers and council from friends, but we have the final say. We are all doing our best. No matter the differing styles, we are all trying our best everyday.

So why are we afraid when someone does something different than we do? I think its rooted in that .5% of our gut that is still not sure if our own choices are right. If someone is doing something differently, maybe there is a different way for me to do something. This shouldn't scare us, this should inspire us and if not, we should just continue moving in our own direction.

Motherhood is a team sport. I certainly can't do this job without the support of many.

I was really wrestling with some mixed up motherhood feelings recently. I had shared some of my thoughts and emotions with friends about my conflict and each conversation left me feeling unresolved and somewhat isolated as people offered advice that didn't relate to me specifically. Finally I found solace when a mother simply said "trust your gut". She may not have agreed with my thought process, she may not choose to mother my way but she knew, that my gut instinct, even if it was different from hers, was the right direction for my child.

Trust your gut! My gut may tell me to do something different than your gut but I guarantee, no matter our differences, our guts and hearts are in the right place when it comes to mothering. Its ok if I do things different than you do because my kids are different than yours and likewise. We all have the same end game in mind, to raise happy, healthy, people who are kind and will make our world a better place. So lets support each other in this amazing work we are called to do. The support of others will help us to make more bold, gut trusting moves and our kids and world will be better for it.

xoxo
Audrey

Mix It Up | Style By HAL

I love pairing soft pretty fashion pieces with items that are more tough. I have had a vision of creating this kind of look with this tutu from Lace & Charm  since I got it last winter. I am having a lot of fun these days mixing it up, fashion is supposed to be fun right! I take myself too seriously sometimes, getting creative with my outfits helps me to loosen up and laugh at myself. Dressing is truly a passion for me and when a vision comes together like it did for this outfit, it makes me excited.

I put this outfit together specifically for these pictures but I would wear this if I was going to a concert or birthday party depending on the location, it would be for a special event that was not too formal. Fashion and photos are kind of becoming an art for me too, all of my socials are a creative outlet and I love how my blog can evolve with me as I grow and change.

With any outfit, I think there needs to be some sort of balance. I normally think of this in terms of weight. Like the skirt is lightweight and the boots and belt are heavy. The shirt is light but the graphics are heavy and grungy and the hat is heavy too. The scrunchy, thats just fun and practical.

I hope this post encourages you to play around with some items in your wardrobe!

Love You!
Audrey

Get the look, shop the links below.

Find The Skirt Here (on sale)
Biker T-shirt 
Blundstones

Girls Night Out Makeup Tutorial | Urban Decay Born To Run Palette

Shop My Favourite Products From This Look With The Links Below

Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette http://shopstyle.it/l/QDcC

Makeup Forever Aqua XL Eyeliner http://shopstyle.it/l/QDbz

Stila Liquid Lipstick in Patina http://shopstyle.it/l/Rp2t

MAC Gingerly Blush http://shopstyle.it/l/Rp2Y

God Talks To Me

It might sound crazy for me to tell you I made a certain decision because God told me to. I have made many decisions over the last four years because of the voice of God and His direction in my life. 

Have you ever thought about telling your dad something and considering how he would react? You grew up with your dad, you know the sound of his voice, the basis for how he makes decisions and you can probably guess how he will react to something you might ask him, even before you start the conversation, because you know him.

When we read the Bible, we get to know our Heavenly Father. The best part, He wants to have a relationship with us even more than our loving earthly father. He wants to be a part of every area of our lives, He wants to guide us, celebrate our wins with us and help us up, when we fall down.

Reading the Bible helps us all to know GOD, our Heavenly Father. His character is revealed in so many biblical stories. I use to think about studying the Bible as a way to just learn about how I should live my life, but we can learn so much about who God is which allows us to know His voice and trust His guidance. Being in His word positions us to hear from Him in response to our prayers and daily questions. There are so many things we will never fully understand until we meet Him face to face, kinda like how children don’t understand their parents discipline until they have to discipline their own children. Being in His presence and studying the Bible will at least bring us comfort in the times we don't have the answers and simply have to wait until we meet God face to face one day. 

I have grown to love reading the Bible, if you would have told me I would be writing this, I would not have believed you. I love reading the Bible everyday and feel its power. I need the renewing and refreshing it offers my mind and soul every morning. Our world is very contradictory to the Bible and some days it can be a minute by minute battle to make the right choices and to try and be a living light in this dark place. Being in the word at the outset of each new day helps me to step into the armour of God. 

I put this little video below together to offer some of my Bible study tips because honestly guys, wherever you are at in your life, if you feel like you need to hit refresh in any area, reading the Bible is the most transformative thing I have ever done. It has positively impacted every aspect of my life. God is so awesome for calling me to places where I have no idea what is next. Following God is the wildest adventure I have ever been on and the Bible is like the handbook. I get bucked off frequently but its part of the ride and the adventure is leading to eternity so its always worth getting back on, trying again and cracking open my Bible to start a new day.

Please comment with any of your Bible Study tips and resources.

Bible study apps I use and love

First 5

YouVersion Bible

St. Tropez Tanning Essentials Review

I was so grateful to receive a PR package of St. Tropez Tanning Essentials to try and share. I have not done a ton of self tanning in the last few years but these products have dramatically changed my at home beauty routine to always include a healthy dose of tanning. After one application my tan was extremely noticeable in a good way, it really gives you the look of a real vacation tan. I used the mousse first and one thing I noticed right away was the green undertone of the product. Green is what we want in our self tanners as it ensures we will not look like oranges.  I used the mitt that had been provided and applied the mousse like I would apply body lotion, rubbing it in. I waited a few minutes, put my PJ's on and went to bed. Does anyone else feel extra excited for the morning when they know they will be waking up to a fresh tan? After just one application I was getting tons of compliments on my tan.

I currently apply the mousse about once a week. I exfoliate my skin with a loofa every night in the shower, I do an extra good job on the nights I am going to be applying my self tanner. I like to use the mist in between my weekly mousse applications for days when I will be taking photos or have a special event, to amplify my tan quickly and easily. I apply the face primer daily before applying my foundation to help my face match the rest of my body. I exfoliate and mask my face regularly and lose that tan quickly so the daily primer is a genius product.

I love that these products are easy to apply and give excellent beautiful results. Once and awhile I do notice a little colour coming off on my bras but other than that, there is not much product transfer in my experience. These are a higher price beauty item but they last a long time and the quality is great! I am hoping to stay bronzed all through the winter this year!

Have you guys tried these products? What are your thoughts? If not, check them out at the links below.

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mist 

St. Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Face Primer

Urban Decay Born To Run Palette | Makeup Tutorial

I have been having fun creating lots of looks with the Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette over the last few weeks. I have shared some of the different looks I have created below. In the video below, I am creating a soft, blended purple eye look. I barely edited this video, I thought it would be cool for you guys to see how much I blend each colour for a soft everyday look. Sometimes when I edit a makeup tutorial I just give a quick shot of where to apply each colour and then move on to the next step. This look is a quick look that is easy to create any day of the week. Thanks for watching and I hope you guys like it.

If you are interested in checking out some of the products I used, for yourself, I have linked them below.

Urban Decay Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette 

Makeup Forever Aqua XL Eye Pencil

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara