Mood Board For Fall/Winter

No outfit post today, guys! The past several days have been hella busy... I'm currently booked out for the next 3 weeks with photography gigs, and sooo, my own blog photos have fallen to the wayside. Sometimes you just can't do it all, which quite frankly, turns me into all kinds of whiny... but yes, balance, I'm slowly learning! Today, I'm sharing my fall/winter mood board. Who else loves them?! Whether I'm working with a client for design, photography or a re-brand they're the perfect jumping off point for creative inspiration!

image source: pinterest, instagram & camille styles

As you can see, my inspiration for this season is all about blacks, deliciously rich colours and a slightly more somber mood. When it comes to finding new inspiration? I'm like a moth to a flame... absolutely love finding new aesthetics to sink my teeth into. Also, a good excuse to go shopping! ;) Happy Tuesday, beauties! xo

Weekly Wrap Up

What a wonderful and busy week it's been. I've been working on a few new projects, and loving it! How about a little update? Several months ago I started consulting for a few start up businesses. I typically do a review of their branding, blog strategy and social media campaign. Most recently, I started managing social media for an eco-luxury PR company. What fun, right?! On top of my blogging experience, I also have a degree in business, so this is absolutely feeling like a great fit. I'm excited to continue growing in this venture and eventually offer my services online too!

Photos from our week: 1) Our little Sunshine, love this tranquil portrait, especially because she's usually on the move! 2) Complete and utter splendor. We stared at the sky until the sun went down! 3) My new obsession, making prints and adorable graphics. 4) New pillows for the living room!

Mixing it up today and sharing my favourite "By The Shore" posts:

♥ Working from home and a how to guide on staying inspired!
♥ Sharing my everyday make-up routine!
♥ Aw, haha, our first vlog. And pumpkin... breaks my heart he's no longer with us!
♥ My most asked blog question? My hair! I spill all in this post! ;)
♥ One of my fave outfit posts. Can't wait to wear this again for fall/winter, so cute, right?!

Inspired by: Growth, and keeping myself challenged. I just recently started taking a course on personal & business branding. Can't wait to share more with you!

On the horizon: Next week, I'm kicking off a fun new series on the blog. Tips on how to blog effectively, build your audience, create engaged content and work with sponsors. I'll also be following up each session with a vlog... where I'll be answering all your questions. Cant wait! 

Favourite i-phone apps for photo editing

Hello, my lovelies what an amazingly busy and wonderful week it's been. I can't wait to share more with you in tomorrows "weekly wrap up" post! As for today? I'm chatting about my favourite photo editing apps. I currently have the iphone 5s and tend to upgrade every two years. I love using my iphone for photos, my business and personal life. In fact, I'm probably on it a little too often. Anyone else check their instagram like 20 x a day, oh dear! ;) If you have a few favourites of your own let me know in the comments section, or if you have a question about any of the apps... let me know via the comments or shoot me a quick tweet!



Pic Tap Go // A constant go-to for me! I already use Rad Lab for my blog photos and love using the same filters on my iphone photos as well. The layout is beautiful, intuitive and the app gives you a full size preview of your filters in action, plus layering other effects is a breeze. You can also save your recipes for future use and the app automatically stores your most used filters in a "my style" tab - love it!! Some of my favourite filters include: bright-side, crispity, flare up, sugar rush and fade to grey. For black and white? I love using powder!

VSCO Cam // This was my go-to app prior to discovering Pic Tap Go. I still love using this one though. Their filters give photos an instant editorial/very Kinfolk friendly look and the app has a thriving community for artists and photographers.

Afterlight // I often pull my iphone photos through afterlight for quick tweaks. I love using this app for brightening, sharpening and adding a little colour saturation to my photos. I also love their light leak and texture filters! So, gorgeous. You can see a recent example here!

Over // In a word? Awesome! This app allows you to apply designer like texts, sayings and graphics to your photos. Just check out their instagram feed - you'll be hooked!

ABM // I'm sure most of you already know/use this one. But I love "A Beautiful Mess" and I love their app. Adding doodles is such a fun way to give your photos a personal and whimsical feel... you can see a few of my examples here & here! 

Daily Wears | Cats & Hats

Hello! Happy to be back, well and alive. Plus, hopefully done with my flu. Today, I'm excitedly teaming up with Elana Carello and featuring one of her adorable sweaters. If you follow me on instagram then you know I'm a huge cat lover and this sweater had my name written all over it. If you're curious about the fit... I'm 5' 9" and the sweater hits just at the top of my hip bone, has a great hi-low detail and is made of 100% cotton. So, it's super comfy & cozy. How would you style this fun and whimsical sweater?!... 

 Hat: H&M (similar), Sweater: c/o Elana Carello, Jeans: Zara (similar), Bracelet: XO Veronika, Boots: Aldo Shoes (similar)

I can't wait to re-style mine with a tutu & heels, or a pair of leather leggings and moc booties for a casual night out with friends! Adorable, right?! Be sure to peek at Elana's shop... I'm also equally enamoured with the mittens and vintage wallpaper sweater - so darling! Because really, a gal can never have too many adorable sweaters! ;)

A Few Favourites...

Excited to be bringing my wishlist posts back, there's certainly no shortage of pretty things to drool over! Aside from that, what a week guys, I've been on antibiotics and bed rest. I had a cold, which turned into a sinus infection and then the infection quickly spread throughout my face and I had several serious complications as a result. Yeah, when delirium sets in... you know things are not looking favourable. Oh man! I'm definitley on the mend, but it's slow, hence the lack of outfit photos. Hope to be on my feet soon though!

1. Candle 2. Print 3. Mug 4. Gold Scallop Pillow 5. Statement Necklace 6. Day Planner 7. Heels 8. Pouf 9. Mexican Blanket Pillow

A Beautiful Life | High End Home On Any Budget

Hello, it's so great to be back after a wonderful long weekend spent with family & friends, we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving and it was awesome! Today, I'm sharing my second installment of "A Beautiful Life" and writing on how to create a high end look for your home without breaking the bank. We're currently in the process of updating ours and I have lots of fabulous and practical advice to share with you. For each category listed, you'll find inexpensive tips on how you can do it for less!



Clean and happy home // Prior to starting a decorating project... I love giving our home a fresh coat of paint, shampooing the carpets, cleaning our upholsteries and re-sealing our kitchen floor grout + back-splash if need be. We typically do this every couple of years, and for us, it's definitley worth the extra money. Even when we were renting we replaced the kitchen lino, added new kitchen cabinet knobs, repainted and added our own drapery. It makes all the difference!

Paint old furniture // This is a tried and true favourite! There's nothing like painting an out of date dresser a gorgeous creamy white and adding gold or brass hardware. I'm always amazed at the result! For my projects? I use Benjamin Moore paint and Restoration Hardware knobs. My favourite is their traditional violet glass knob. Perfect for a bedroom or vintage armoire. Plus, talk about affordable!

Wallpaper // Adding gorgeous wallpaper to a feature wall gives instant appeal and definitley lends a more high end look. We're hoping to add a wallpapered wall to either our dining room, or around the fireplace. However to keep costs down we'll be choosing a stencil instead of going with traditional wallpaper. The plan is to paint our room white and then add a sheer metallic grey damask stencil to our feature wall. I can't wait, I've seen it done and it looks amazing!

Pillows // We just bought all new pillows for our couch and I love them. They add instant luxury and coziness. However, they can also get ridiculously expensive, our trick? We bought several neutral ones from Ikea and then added two high end pillows for a final touch of pizazz. Totally worked and we saved money as a result. Fab, right?! 

Frames // I love scouring flee markets for gorgeous frames and then either painting them white, or covering them with a silver or gold leaf treatment. So easy and it looks like you spent a ton of money on fancy, schmancy mirrors!

Curtains // They can get so expensive, especially if you're looking for something luxurious and that will create a statement. We currently have very simple ones from Ikea, in white, and we're planning on doing a dip dye treatment to give them a more custom look. From what I can tell, the treatment looks ridiculously easy and I know it will add the perfect amount of drama to our living room!

Art // I love framing beautiful fabrics, typography, black & white photos, vintage postcards or even old handwritten letters. Skies the limit, you definitley don't have to spend a ton of money to create a gallery wall in your home. My favourite trick? Is to mix frames & mediums, here's an example of a wall I love!

Investment piece // When it came to choosing our furniture we went for a good mix of high & low. I believe, every room needs at least one great investment piece as it instantly elevates the look of the entire space. For us, that meant a high end coffee table and a designer sofa (ours is a dark greyish colour). Both of these items do so much to give our home a more high end feel.

Can you tell I'm really home obsessed lately? We've really been getting into it over here! But how can you not? It's so much fun! I'll see you a little later this week for a favourites/wishlist type post. Otherwise, I'm taking it easy and currently on antibiotics, ugh, my cold turned into a terrible infection with some very scary complications. So lots of rest for me!! xo

Travel: Cee of Coco & Vera, Top 5 Paris Museums

Hello, today I'm excited to be welcoming Cee back to the blog and happy to know you're all enjoying her travel posts. We still have a few more up our sleeve and I can't wait to share the rest of them with you. Then... I'll be moving on to a really fun reader feature which I'll run each month - so stay tuned! As for today's post? It has got to be one of my absolute favourites... growing up in Europe meant touring art galleries constantly with my mom and to this day I'm a huge lover of art. Can I name drop? My parents recently gifted me with two original Renoir etchings and they are the pride and joy of my home. I still pinch myself constantly! Okay, onto the post...


Musee Carnavalet: housed in two hotel particulars (read: big old houses) joined together, the museum of Paris history is a veritable treasure trove of unusual and quirky pieces, from an ancient boat used by very early residents of the region to navigate the Seine to revolutionary banners with spelling errors and bedroom furnishings of famous authors. In a city full of pristine museums housing famous works of art, Carnavalet is down to earth and easygoing.


Musee d'Orsay: after a brief stint as a train station, the Musee d'Orsay was shut down and, by the 1970s, set to be demolished. Saved from destruction by a visionary minister of cultural affairs, it reopened in 1986 as the home modern French art. The majority of the pieces date from the impressionist and post-impressionist period, so if you've dreamed of Degas' ballerinas or of Van Gogh visionary work with colour, this is the museum to visit. The architecture of the space is equally stunning, a combination of French Victorian and modern simplicity that blends with surprising ease. Don't miss sneaking a peak across the river through the station's clock, which also serves as a window onto the city.


Musee du Louvre: there are overrated tourist attractions. There are places that pop up in every guidebook but make you wonder why when you visit yourself. And then there is the Louvre. The former French royal palace is home to what is arguably the most impressive and extensive collection of art in the world. There are must-see pieces like the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa - you won't even need a map to find them, just follow the crowd! - but there are also many quiet, unexplored corners full of hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered.


Musee Rodin: paul-Auguste Rodin so loved his home and garden in Paris' 7th arrondissement that he didn't want to change a thing about it... Even after his death. Rodin bequeathed his home and all of the sculptures in it to the city of Paris in his will, on the condition it would be used as a permanent museum dedicated to his work. Paris has done exactly that, and although I wasn't there when Rodin lived in the hotel Biron, I can certainly say that it is spectacular today. The long, ambling rose garden is a particularly lovely place to spend a summer evening.


Musee de l'Orangerie: this small museum has a big claim to fame - it is home to one of the largest collections of Claude Monet's Les Nympheas - of water lilies - paintings in the world. On solitary display in bright white oval-shaped rooms, the impressionist masterpieces are even more breathtaking because their stark environment allows them to be the centre of focus.

Thanks so much for reading guys and thank you, Cee! Plus Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends. I can't wait to stuff myself all weekend long. Haha, boho top & stretchy leggings here I come! ;)

Home Inspiration | White & Pops Of Colour

Thanks for all the health well wishes, guys!! I'm mostly back on my feet but still taking it pretty easy. Let's hope that's done soon though because it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and I definitley don't want to miss out! Today, I'm excited to be sharing this beautiful space with you (hello, dream home!) which was designed by Monika Hibbs for York Homes in Langley. Martin & I are toying with the idea of painting our space all white, adding wide plank hardwood and pops of colour - this space is perfect inspiration! I'm especially fond of the light furniture paired with the dark floors and that fantastic gallery wall. Swooning!


If you've done a home tour on your blog recently, please leave a link. I'd love to take a peek! xo

Daily Wears | Almost Fall

As the title suggests, it's almost fall in our neck of the woods. Most days are deliciously warm and we still have a ton of green everywhere. A delayed fall? If it means a shorter winter... I'll take it! I wore this easy & simple look over the weekend (ha, aren't they all?!) to grab some soup with my honey and run a few quick errands. Things have been pretty quiet over here, I'm fighting off a stomach bug at the moment and just can't seem to shake it. No fun! Have you heard of something go around? Oh man, I'm so ready to be done with it!

Glasses: c/o Sunglass Warehouse, Scarf: c/o 9th & Elm, Top: Forever 21, Skinnies: Zara (similar), Bag: Stella & Dot, Booties: Aldo Shoes (similar)

Also, a big thank you to Sunglass Warehouse for letting me pick out some fabulous new specs. If you haven't visited their site before, please do! Their price point is fantastic and I'm very happy with both my reading glasses and sunglasses that I ordered. On that note, wishing you a beautiful Monday friends! xo

Weekly Wrap Up

Yay Friday!! It's been a bit of a crazy week over here... I worked with two custom design clients, one was for a wedding blog and the other for a new online shop, did a ton of consulting work and worked on engagement + couple photos. And of course, the blog! Not even sure how the heck I fit it all in. So yes, Friday, let's do this!!

Photos from our week: 1) I'm updating our gallery wall. So, a stop at Chapters Indingo was a must. 2) New pj's and a cup of coffee make any day better 3) Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals 4) Sunshine and her new rainbow coloured mice. Aw!!!

Favourites from around the web:

♥ I'm currently obsessed with this gold scalloped pillow from Caitlin Wilson. I want one, or two in every room!!
♥ LOVE how Monika Hibbs styled York Homes for a recent event. Ha, packing!
♥ I'm looking for a black tote to bring to client meetings and this one is perfect. Plus hello polka dots!
♥ Love this beautiful vase... kind of organic glam. Right?!
♥ Once my temporary hair color washes out. I'm going to do this, because why the heck not!

Inspired by: A can do attitude. These days, if I dream it than I want to do it!

On the horizon: Working on our home. I have several ideas for DIY projects and I can't wait to give our place a little spruce up. I love fashion, but more & more, I'm becoming a home decor junkie!! xo

Home Tour | Part 2... Our Dining Nook

I'm back with part two of our home tour. Yay! I love putting these posts together + taking photos of our space... even if interior photography isn't really my strong suit - I love it all the same! And speaking of love? I'm pretty in love with our dining nook, we decided to paint it a lovely brick red a few years ago and we haven't stopped oogling over it since. It's warm, inviting and looks great against our beige walls and dark chocolate hued kitchen. One day, I'd love an all white home, perhaps for our next place we'll choose an all white canvas. But in the meantime, colour it is! ;)

We're excitedly working on several updates for our home this year... adding hardwood floors, a new gallery wall, area rug, drapes and gorgeous custom throw pillows. Once we're all done, I hope to have our home professionally photographed. But in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed these! And did ya notice Scout in the last shot?! Ha, photo bomb! xo

PS - You can peek at part one of our home tour, here. I photographed our patio a few weeks back!