What I Wore : Pink Tartan launches at The Shopping Channel + A Giveaway

Huge fashionista news on this Friday!
My favourite Canadian designer {to say I am obsessed with her is an understatement}, Kimberley Newport-Mimran, is launching a curated selection of items from her line, Pink Tartan, at The Shopping Channel this Sunday. 
I can hardly stand it!
Pink Tartan has long been a brand that embodies a sexy is "what you don't see" attitude and this collection is no exception.

Wearable and washable {yes it's true!} items that have both a superb, modern design aesthetic and are incredibly well made.

What Ava Wore : The Pinafore + An Update

The time has finally come for a name change.

I'll admit it. I was putting it off. 

You see, my "baby" is not a baby anymore so it just didn't seem right to keep calling this feature "what that baby wore". 

So from today forward, I introduce you to "What Ava Wore".

What I Wore : Casual Navy

A casually simple outfit today.

Perfect for school drop off. errand running. nursing a sick husband.

This look called for a comfortable bootie and a vest that's perfect for quick jaunts in and out of the car. 

A pretty necklace, this one via Uncommon Goods, is all it needed.

Inside the Fashion Blogger's Closet

If you follow more than a few fashion blog's, you might see that often times, they get it so right.

Certain items become not just popular, but often coveted and sometimes, on rare occasions? Sold out. 

Recently, myself and a fellow Toronto based blogger, Jane from Toronto Shopaholic, were chatting at Toronto Fashion Week about this very thing and how crazy it is. 

It truly amazes me almost daily how strong the influence of a fashion blogger can be.

Celebrating 4 : A Frozen Birthday Party

What I Wore : World Mastercard Fashion Week Day 3

I was really excited about Day 3's set of shows.

From Gsus Sindustries, to Pink Tartan {my very favourite Canadian line!}, into Joe Fresh and ending with Mackage. 

Though I fully intended on staying through all of them, I called it an evening after Mr. Mimran's {aka, Joe Fresh} stellar presentation although I have since seen some images from the final show and it looked incredible. As expected. 

Here are my favourite looks from each:

Gsus Sindustries {image credit}

Designers : Jan Schrijver and Angelique Berkhout {image credit}

My Little Birthday Girl Group Giveaway

Remember last year when Christina and I celebrated our girl's joint March birthday celebrations with a fun group giveaway?

Well, we've done it again.

And this time, it's bigger + better with over $350 in prizing from our 14 fabulous sponsors. 

Lots of goodies for babe and mama.

One winner takes all! 

What I Wore : World Mastercard Fashion Week Day 1

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Otherwise known as Fashion Week in Toronto. 

I'm excited to be attending a number of shows this year, a few of which were held this past Monday evening. 

Line Knitwear, a brand I've loved for a long time and Beaufille, a beautiful collection designed by sister duo Chloe and Parris Gordon. 

Although so different in their aesthetic, both shows were lovely and very wearable. 

Speaking of wearable, here is what I wore.  

This is 40 : Lisa from Peridot Skys

As I sat down to prepare this week's feature, I began to think about when exactly I "met" Lisa through the blogging world. And how exactly.

It's funny.

Sometimes, it can be a link up that brings two bloggers together, a giveaway that you just have to enter {and all of Lisa's fall into this category} or a similiarity between the two of you that just can't be ignored.

I think the latter is how our friendship came to be.

I think know that we would be fast friends IRL. 

And very, very dangerous shopping partners. 

Welcome Lisa from Peridot Skys. 

Home Tour : Living Room featuring Kleenex Everyday Essentials

As promised, I am finally getting around to completing the rest of my home tour.
See previous entries here {one // two // three // four // five}
In my own defense, we have been semi-renovating and redecorating which is always time consuming. 
Deciding on pieces, ensuring they work with what you already have in place and don't want to change can always be a challenge. 
This room alongside many others is still a work in progress but the new furniture is officially in and we couldn't be more excited! 
The upholstery fabrics you see are both custom, meaning we never got to see them on an actual piece before. Always scary, especially when you are adding design elements {in this case, the crystal buttons} that were not on the piece before.
I'm sincerely thrilled with how they both turned out and although I wasn't sure how my existing curtains would work with the color scheme, I'm actually very pleased. 

Did you notice the super fun Kleenex® Expressions tissue box?
I chose to incorporate the fun lime green as it fit so well with the subtle green in the throw pillows and armchair. 
I love the fact that guests have this often forgotten necessity at their disposable, but that it doesn't interfere with the overall design aesthetic at all. 

The Kleenex brand will celebrate 90 years in 2014 and plans to celebrate in Style with these newly designed Kleenex® Expressions Tissues - All the softness you expect from Kleenex® tissues with unique box designs to help decorate any room. In stores March 17th.

I look forward to sharing the rest of the main floor with you in the coming weeks. And, be sure to look out for more Kleenex® Expressions tissue goodness. Can't wait to show off all the pretty designs. 

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Kleenex via Glam Media Canada.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kleenex.

Make a Statement with readers.com

If you're like me, you like to have fun with changing up your look.

I rarely keep the same hair colour, style or cut for long. 

I love to experiment.

Enter the readers.com "Make A Statement" collection.

Readers in fun, bold patterns + styles meant to well, make a statement.

What Ava Wore : Puddle Jumping in Paul Frank

It might be because we haven't been able to spend more than 5 minutes outside for the last few months or maybe it's because the sun was finally shining.
It might have been the somewhat clear driveway or the promise of Spring in the air.
It might even be the requested Elsa braid that didn't last much longer than a few hours.
But likely? It was the rubber boots.
They brought out the happiest of puddle jumpers. 

What I Wore : Seeing Red

Spring is finally in the air. 

We still have an abundant amount of snow on the ground but it's slowly melting. Makes for great welly weather. And puddle jumping.

Still not so great for peep toe pumps. 

But that never stopped anyone. 

Personal Goal Setting

Last year, at the beginning of the year, I set a few goals for myself {read the entire post here} + for some reason, looked back on it a few weeks ago. 

I was saddened to see that really, I had not achieved much of what I had hoped to. 

Here is my original list:

Get to New York. Visit the 911 memorial.

Spend an extended vacation in Florida again.
Drink more water. 

Get Ava into a preschool program a few mornings a week.

Organize my photos. Back them up. Ditto our videos.

Eat healthier. Less sugar is my main goal starting with my morning coffee.
Set new goals for this little blog.
Take a photography course.
Practice yoga.
Say a final farewell to diet coke. 

source

This is 40 : Alison from Get Your Pretty On

Today's blogger just barely gets into the club having JUST turned 40 and is the youngest of the group. 
Alison and I discovered only this past year just how much we have in common. 
Both of us had longtime careers in the telecommunications industry {I'm sure we've crossed paths just never knew it}, are married with 3 children {both with 2 girls, 1 boy}  AND have a youngest daughter named Ava. 
Crazy non?
She is gorgeous as you will see below and just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the out. 
Love this gal.
Welcome Alison! 

Friday Fancies : Go Green

Oh, Spring.

I am dreaming of you.

Of coatless days.

Of melting snow.

Of green.

aviators / satchel / necklace / watch /  top / jeans / blazer / wellies

Dear Ava...You're Almost Four

 Dear Ava,

As we near your 4th birthday, {just over two more weeks!} I wanted to remind myself of all that makes you wonderful.
You are OBSESSED with Disney's Frozen right now and watch it on repeat whenever I let you. You sing Elsa's song by heart and do the actions alongside her. It is hilarious.
You don't know it yet but I found an Elsa doll! And the shoes. With the heel. And the lights. 
Oh yeah. Your mommy rocks. 
It took everything in me not to give them both to you the moment I found them.
I might be more excited than you.

You still have very long hair which you refuse to let me A. comb and B. put up in a ponytail. 
I let you watch this video earlier this week and we decided together that we will cut it and donate it if we can grow it long enough. Almost there! 
You are not sold on cutting Rapunzel's. And I don't blame you.
Sweet Ava, I don't know how you do it. Always entertaining yourself in what seems like a never-ending winter. 
You rarely complain. 
We do puzzles A LOT. Watch Frozen, A LOT. And go out, VERY LITTLE. 
Can Spring be far away??

What I Wore : My Boyfriend's Back

I've finally given in to the powers that be and decided that since Spring may never be coming, so I will just wear what I like. 

And then, it snowed. Again. 

sunglasses - RayBan | earrings - Shabby Apple | long sleeve t - Joe Fresh {U.S. here}
jacket - H + M {sold out // similiar} | jeans - The Gap | handbag - Aimee Kestenberg c/o The Shopping Channel
shoes - Lauren by Ralph Lauren

 Notice how it got progressively worse.So.Much.Fun.
Only not. 

This is 40 : Catherine from Not Dressed As Lamb

You are in a for a real treat today as I introduce you to one of my favourites from across the pond, Catherine from Not Dressed As Lamb.

Not only is she a stunner but she rocks the brogue shoe like nobody else. 

She refers to herself as an "unnatural redhead" but seriously, I don't think it could suit anyone better. Nor could I envision her in any shade but this one.

And also, her eyebrows? So fabulous, they have their own twitter account. 

Love. 

Welcome, Catherine!