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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Have you entered our awesome giveaway yet?

May is Mental Health Awareness month and what better way to open this often not talked about subject is to talk about it! I have teamed up with the gorgeous Instagram blogger Shayna @fashionbeforefunction to tell our stories and to share a sweet giveaway as well. You can head here to read our stories.

One lucky winner is going to walk away with a: 

Graphic tee – Size Medium
$20 Starbucks Gift Card
Orange Sunglasses
Green Statement Necklace
NYX Lip Cream
This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only and will end at 11:59pm MST on Wednesday June 14th, 2017. Head to both of our accounts on Instagram @fashionbeforefunction and @clothesbutnotquite for more entries! Enter here. Good luck!

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Tuesday's OOTW - Let's Taco Bout Stripes.

The following was my Cinco De Mayo outfit. You can see why I choose it as it is super colourful and it makes me want to party and eat lots of tacos. Stripes are a big trend this spring and summer, even rainbow ones, so I was super excited to find this skirt on Ebay for under $20. And it has pockets which is great for when you need to do a photo shoot and your nails look really bad. Unfortunately it is no longer on eBay but I found a similar one to buy if you’re interested. And I love my earrings. I got these turquoise ones from H&M for $1, but since then I have bought them in green and white. They are surprisingly light weight. I have the link where you can get your own in lots of different colours. 

Would you rock a rainbow striped skirt? Let me know in the comments below?

Earrings: H&M (Similar) // Blouse: Giant Tiger (Similar) // Skirt: eBay (Similar) // Shoes: Reitmans (Similar)

 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Friday's Faux Paw

I thought I’d give the ladies a break again this week and bring up another faux paw men are guilty of. Some men wear ties often, but many don’t know how to properly wear one. I am lucky not to have to wear one, however I know how a tie should be worn. The faux paws I see are wearing the tie too short and having it hit at your navel or wearing it too long and having it hit near your pelvis. When you wear the tie too short, you look like it shrunk in the wash. When you wear it too long, it looks like you have a second appendage “down there”. Indeed both ways look ridiculous! “As a general rule for all tie knots, the widest part of your tie should hang roughly at the same height as the upper edge of your leather belt, with the tie’s tip extending slightly below it.” according to Tie A Tie and everything else I have read. I won’t even get into the sloppy tie knots I have seen and there is absolutely no excuse for this. Do yourselves a favour men and check out the aforementioned website if you need help. If you don’t learn to tie one on properly then you get this rating:

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Best Chili Recipe EVER!!

Okay. You’re probably asking yourself “What the *insert expletive* is Joelle doing? Is she actually going to share a chili recipe on her fashion/beauty blog?!?!” Well in short, the answer is “Yes.” Yes I am going to share the BEST chili recipe on my blog. I’m freezing right now and wish I had said chili hugging it to my chest – in a bowl of course. And this post will save you a heck of a lot of time searching the internet looking for the best chili like I did for a few years.

When You Eat This You Won’t Be “Chili” Recipe

First make the seasoning mix:

4 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
2 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 1/2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Then make the chili:

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Beef or Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken or Tofu Fake Beef
1 Tablespoon Minced Onion
1 28 oz Can Of Diced Tomatoes
1 15 oz Can Of Tomato Sauce
1 Can of Navy Beans
1 Can Of Kidney Beans
1 Can Of Mushrooms
2 Stalks Of Diced Celery

Directions:

Mix together seasoning mix. You will only need 5 Teaspoons for this recipe so get a small container and store the rest for later.

In a skillet cook ground beef or whatever you’re using until no longer pink. Drain. Add onion, celery, and 3 Teaspoons of seasoning mix. In your Crock Pot (or pot on your stove top) add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, mushrooms, and two more Teaspoons of seasoning mix. Add meat, onion, and celery to the Crock Pot (or pot on your stove top). Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours in your Crock Pot. Or bring to boil on your stove top then reduce to min allowing it to simmer for 4 hours.

You’re welcome.

Let me know if it was tasty in the comments below.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Giveaway To Promote Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness month and what better way to open this often not talked about subject is to talk about it! I have teamed up with the gorgeous Instagram blogger Shayna @fashionbeforefunction to tell our stories and to share a sweet giveaway as well. One in five adults will be affected by mental health issues so if you are suffering you are not alone in your struggle. This is a health issue that is very near to my heart as I suffered from mental illness for 15 years and had very bad postpartum anxiety after my son as born.

I was a very sensitive child born into a chaotic family. My Father was an alcoholic and my Mother struggled with mental health issues. I had no confidence and didn’t love myself. I was nerdy, shy, and was teased all the time by other kids at school. I remember coming home crying just about every single day. Having very few friends and no one to talk to was very hard. I always had ear infections, strep throat, tonsillitis, lung infections, mono, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma problems, throat infections, Epstein Barr, staph infections, parasites, cytomegalovirus, or just weird neurological symptoms that made no sense whatsoever. In my teen years I struggled with crippling PMS and menstrual cycles with pain so bad morphine only put a dent in it. And that’s around the time my depression started. I also suffered from debilitating migraines and had Seasonal Affective Disorder.

As I got older, it seemed that every time I got sick with something, my depression flared up. I missed a lot of school – the worst of it in high school. I missed half of grade nine, and half of grade twelve. After high school things began to deteriorate further. I was hospitalized for depression six times between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-three. One time I was locked up for six months. Two of the times I had tried to take my own life because living seemed a torturous, pure hell. The first time I tried, I just had my stomach pumped. However the second time was way more serious and my parents were told I was going to die. I am so thankful everyday that not only did I live, I survived with no damage. Praise God indeed.

Through homeopathic medicine, seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist, light therapy, diet, essential oils, chiropractic, exercise, getting enough sleep, and relaxing I have been symptom free for almost two years! I am here to say that there is hope and help. Please research and talk to trained professionals, family, and friends if you are suffering from mental health issues. You are beautiful, perfect, and loved. When God created you, He didn’t make a mistake. And if you want to ever talk to me, send me a message. I’m here for you!

I’m totally honoured to have Shayna as my guest blogger to tell her story about her struggles with mental illness. Here’s her story in her own words:

I’ve been dealing with severe anxiety & chronic pain for almost all of my life and I still do. As a child I was sick a lot and missed a ton of school. They thought I had ADHD but it turned out it was just anxiety. And we were told by my doctor that the excruciating leg pain was just because I was still growing. Well I’m 34 and it hasn’t gone away so I guess they had that wrong too. So both the pain and anxiety diminished a bit but it wasn’t until I was an adult (around age 22-28) where it came back and was the worst it’s ever been. There was a time where my anxiety was so debilitating that I would literally pass out in a puddle of my own sweat from awful panic attacks. These attacks happened daily and made life very hard. They affected me in all the areas of my life. I didn’t want to leave the house and was living my life in fear and constant panic. I also suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder (might have been misdiagnosed back then in my opinion) and I also suffer from depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

I’ve been dealing with depression on and off for about ten years now. I’m grateful my depression is no way near as dark as it once was. I also suffer with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which usually goes hand in hand with depression/anxiety, luckily I have been seeing improvements on my health since I am using a CBD vape as a treatment. I’ve experienced so many dark days in my life, especially in the past. At one point the physical and emotional pain became so terrorizing, agonizing, and more than I knew how to handle so I ended up attempting suicide a few times. I had lost all hope and was in such heart wrenching agony, pain, and fear and of course I was not in my right frame of mind. Each time I did this, I was so lucky to have lived. I was in and out of the hospital quite a bit over a four year period. Because I had my parents support me, the doctors felt I was safe enough in my own home under their watch and care.

In 2006 I witnessed a horrific accident which still haunts me to this day but I’ve come a long way since then. I’ve also had other traumatic events that also contributed to my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but I’m not going to get into them all. I just wanted to share a small glimpse of what I’ve dealt with and what I am still dealing with today. Thankfully, I’ve come a long way and I’ve learned many new coping skills to deal with both my mental illnesses and my severe chronic pain. I spent years taking Cognitive Behavioral Therapy courses, mindfulness, meditation and I have had a lot of counselling (still go). I’m still always trying to find new, natural ways to live my best life. I still have bad days and flare ups but I now know that I am strong enough to get through this. I’m so grateful to be alive and to be surrounded by so much love, compassion, kindness & support. 

I’m also grateful to have met Joelle. When I first met Joelle through Instagram and heard Joelle’s story it was like hearing my own. We both had gone through a lot of the same things so I felt an instant connection to her and really felt supported and understood without judgement. I admire her strength and honesty for sharing such personal details with a women she doesn’t know very well who live across the country from her. She really has inspired me to be brave and vulnerable enough to tell my story and to not feel guilt or shame. Another thing about Joelle is that she has overcome so much of her health and mental health issues so that truly gives me hope that I’ll get there one day too. I definitely treasure our friendship and she knows I’m here for her if she needs me. 

So that’s my story for now. I’m glad we got a chance to share our stories and hopefully spread awareness with our giveaway.

My advice would be to not suffer in silence and to just live in the moment. Remind yourself that this will pass and you’re so much stronger than you’ll ever truly know. If you think you are dealing with more than you can handle or suspect you’re suffering from a mental illness then ask for help! You are not alone in this battle and you will make it through, no matter what! I love that quote that says “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end”. 

Thank you so much Shayna for sharing your story! You are pretty darn amazing yourself! 😀

If anyone has questions for Shayna, please ask in the comments below.

So now for our giveaway! One lucky winner is going to walk away with a: 

Graphic tee – Size Medium
$20 Starbucks Gift Card
Orange Sunglasses
Green Statement Necklace
NYX Lip Cream
This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only and will end at 11:59pm MST on Wednesday June 14th, 2017. Head to both of our accounts on Instagram @fashionbeforefunction and @clothesbutnotquite for more entries! Enter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Tuesday's OOTW - Shoe Betcha!

An outfit built around my shoes? YES!!! I madly loved these shoes when I first saw them on fashion blogs, but I didn’t love the price! Then I went on eBay and found them for $40 CDN and I was super happy. They are actually surprisingly comfortable. I just might have to get a green pair too. I bought my romper from Old Navy last year, so I tried to find something similar for you to buy. It is so pretty and is feeding the crush I have on all things pink these days. The only problem I have with rompers is that it is such a pain to go to the washroom. I have such broad shoulders and a big bust that I struggle getting them on and off. But yay for one piece dressing because it’s so easy to find something to wear. Do you like rompers and jumpsuits? Let me know in the comments below.

Hat: eBay // Sunglasses: Coach // Earrings: AliExpress (Similar) Necklace: Gift From My Friend (Similar) // Romper: Old Navy (Similar) // Shoes: eBay

Monday, May 22, 2017

Friday, May 19, 2017

Friday's Faux Paw

While perusing the internet this week I came across the absolute worst crime of fashion I have ever seen. It is being called the romphim – a romper for men. I literally spit out my dog food. Who in their right mind thought up this gem? Aparently these guys who swear that they were not drunk at the time. I mean come on. Is the world of fashion this desperate to unleash the horror of seeing a grown man in a one-piece short and shirt combo? And putting flowers on some of them? You might as well take your man to the “special place” I was taken to and have him come home missing two things. (I still haven’t forgiven Joelle for doing that to me.) Anyhow if you are a man, please do not buy yourself a romphim and better yet do not allow your woman to make you wear one. Otherwise I wholeheartedly give you this rating:

Thursday, May 18, 2017

It Is Well With My Soul

It sure has been a rough few weeks. First my mother-in-law suffered a heart attack then passed away. Tim failed his treadmill stress test and had to get an angiogram (the test where they shoot dye through you to see if you have a blockage in your heart) three days after his mom’s funeral. He indeed had a 90% blockage so he was immediately taken in for surgery – an angioplasty – where they put a balloon in his artery so they could put in a large stent.

Needless to say all of this kinda stressed me out. The good news is that Tim is doing great. So great in fact that when he had he last EKG before being released from the hospital, the tech said this was the first time she had never seen damage after an angioplasty. Tim is as good as new! Thanks be to God!

Now many people have asked me how I was doing through all of this and I always said, “Stressed, but fine.” I now realize I was in shock. It has taken a couple of weeks to sort out how I feel. I really felt alone. I am a devout Catholic, and try my best to trust in God, but I also know that previously in my life when things would start to go great for me, then crap would hit the fan. I thought it would just be my luck to be happily married for eight years, then for God to take Tim away. I freaked out every moment I was awake.

You see, Tim means so much to me. He came along when I was at my lowest and lifted me up. I was poor, unhealthy, depressed, and overwhelmed. He changed my entire life. His love made me bloom into the financially stable, healthier, happy, adventurous, business woman, wife, and mom that I am today. He literally saved my life in 2008 when his knowledge helped me when doctors sent me home to die. He believed in me so much, I ended up believing in myself. And to think I could lose all of that in an instant was too much to bear.

My only recourse was to lean on the Lord and to trust Him. This was extremely hard as I thought He might want to take Tim away from me. The thought of not having more kids and having to raise James by myself was so scary! But I prayed lots, put on tons of dōTERRA Balance, tried to get sleep, talked to friends and soon everyone was praying for him. He actually became somewhat of a star on my Instagram Stories. And when things worked out, everyone was so happy for him. And for us. 

But what did I learn from all of this? People wanted to be there for me, I just needed to let them in. And I shouldn’t catastrophize things. I went from Tim’s getting surgery to me raising James by myself in just a few moments. That way of thinking certainly did not help my mood. And as grim as this sounds, both Tim and I need to get things together so if one of us does die someday, the one left won’t have to do much planning for a funeral etc. And most importantly that God is good. He listened to my prayers and was there for me. And eventually I knew that even if Tim did die, God would still be there for me. I kept remembering this line, “Whatever my lot You have taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.” (from the hymn It Is Well With My Soul). This gave me so much peace to know that things might not turn out the way I want but with God things would be okay.

So as I go now to make some supper, I just want to thank everyone for the prayers, well wishes, good vibes, and most of all for the love during these past weeks. Our family truly appreciated it! xoxoxo

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Tuesday's OOTW - Pretty In Pink!

I never thought I’d ever be using that title on one of my posts. You see, up until a couple of months ago I hated pink. Then blush pink was everywhere and I fell in love. This lovely coat was the first thing I bought, and since then I have bought shoes, more shoes, a t-shirt, pants, and well you can just say I’m outta control! 

These embroidered jeans are one of my favourite wardrobe pieces. I saw them online at Nordstrom’s for $175. When I saw the exact same ones on eBay for $40, I snapped them up. Embroidery is so hot right now that I’m sure you need a pair too. Photos simply don’t do them justice. So what have you added to your wardrobe lately? Let me know in the comments below!

Sunglasses: Coach // Earrings: H&M // Coat: Old Navy (Similar) // Shirt: Reitmans (Similar) // Jeans: eBay // Shoes: Reimans (Similar)

Friday, May 12, 2017

Friday's Faux Paw

I feel this faux paw should be obvious, but I will lower myself just this once to discuss it and then never again. Crocs (or the cheaper brand Dawgs – the name sickens me) are simply awful. Check out the photo of George Bush if you have any doubts. They have no redeemable qualities. I mean plastic shoes? It worries me that a real person invented plastic shoes for adults to wear. I’m actually scared to meet this person. Yes but they are oh so comfortable. But so are sneakers and higher brand name shoes such as Naturalizer, Rockport etc. I’ve heard that they are durable, but so are real shoes. Every time I see someone older than three wearing these I want to test the shoe’s durability by removing them and throwing them at the wearer’s head. Please leave the Crocs where they belong – in the wild or the zoo.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Ole Originals - A Tale Of Two Cities

This is a sponsored post.

Chandler Herbut felt there was a void in the t-shirt industry and saw this as an opportunity to create something better. After graduating from business school, he moved from Edmonton to Vancouver landing a job at a graphic design company. Chandler realized he would rather work for himself and started Make It Craft Fair with his sister and developed Ole Originals in 2008. The company is named after Chandler’s middle name which is pronounced “Olee”. “Ole” is short for “Olof” which was the name of his Grandpa from Sweden. Before he created Ole he found it very difficult to find shirts that were tastefully designed, nicely fitted and of good quality. All of their tees are limited editions with a retro look and soft feel. Their graphics are meticulously designed and silk-screened by hand in beautiful Vancouver BC, Canada! Their graphics are inspired by travel, culture, wild life, and the places they love.

I had the privilege of stumbling across this awesome company on Instagram. I loved their shirts so much, I approached Ole Originals for a collaboration. I was ecstatic when they said they’d be sending me an Alberta shirt and even more thrilled when they asked me what other shirt I’d like! 

I live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada so the Explore Alberta T-shirt was going to be perfect. Because I was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, and love the colour green, my second choice was a no brainer. 

So first up I created an edgy urban look for my Alberta t-shirt. I live about three hours from the nearest mountains so my husband came up with the idea of shooting at the Muttart Garden Pyramids.

Sunglasses: Private Sale // Shirt: c/o Ole Originals // Jeans: eBay // Bag: eBay (Similar) // Shoes: Reitmans (Similar)

For the Saskatchewan T-shirt I created a rural look. This was not a stretch for me as I’m actually very comfortable on a farm and prefer it to city life. Growing up I spent many a day on my Grandparent’s farm in good old Saskatchewan. So the Millcreek Nursery was a perfect place to shoot this look. Thanks, guys!

Hat: // Gift From My Dad // Shirt: c/o Ole Originals // Scarf: Thrifted // Jeans: Thrifted // Rubber Boots: eBay

You can also follow Ole Originals on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest

This is a sponsored post, however all opinions are my own.

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Tuesdays OOTW - 20's Flapper Hooker

Thanks so much for all your well-wishes and prayers. My husband Tim is home from surgery after having a stent put in one of his heart arteries. We are so blessed to have caught this before any damage or a major heart attack occurred. 

Are you confused as to my post title? That is what Tim proclaimed when I asked him what he thought of my dress. My fashionable friends on Instagram disagree with his fashion assessment. I do as well as ruffles and yellow are both in style for spring and summer. I thought that adding some hot pink accessories would be an interesting contrast. And I’m using a make up bag as a clutch. What trend are you most excited for this spring and summer?

Sunglasses: Coach // Earrings: Old Navy (Similar)  // Cuff: eBay (Similar) // Dress: H&M (Similar) (Similar) // Belt: eBay // Shoes: David’s Bridal (Similar)

Thursday, May 04, 2017

A Little Leafy - Punny Creativity To Brighten Your Day!

This is a sponsored post.

I immediately fell in love with A Little Leafy when I saw Stef’s mug designs on Instagram. I bought a bunch of her mugs for Christmas presents and everyone loved them. Her designs are not only adorable, but quite often there is some sort of pun involved like this:

Or this:

She doesn’t just sell mugs but also sells cards, gift tags, invitations, printable wall art, cell phone cases, travel mugs, tote bags, pillows, leggings, tank tops, and t-shirts. She also does beautiful custom designs. I asked Stef if she’d like to do a collaboration with me and she said “yes”! I was so excited because I had a great idea for a custom t-shirt. She liked the idea and made me one! It definitely depicts the financial struggles us bloggers deal with. So, what do you think?

Sunglasses: Amazon // Earrings: H&M (Similar) // Cuff: eBay // T-shirt: c/o A Little Leafy // Skirt: Peter Pilotto (Similar) // Shoes: Reitmans (Similar)

Haha! I’m so punny.

So here’s a gift for you guys. Head on over to A Little Leafy and use code JOELLE15 at checkout to get 15% off of anything your heart desires including my wickedly awesome t-shirt! ‘Cause you don’t want to miss out on the pun! 😉

This is a sponsored post, however all opinions are my own.

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Who won our Lipsense giveaway?

So who won our giveaway for a Lipsense Kit worth $55? That would be:

Andrew Colton!!

Congrats! He won it for his wife Amanda by following Amber on Facebook!

Thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for more great giveaways in the next few weeks!

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Tuesday's OOTW - Minty Fresh

I love Chinese food at our favourite restaurant Good Buddy’s. I also love letting someone watch James so Tim and I can go to said Chinese food restaurant by ourselves. Being that I was dressed up for our date night it seemed like a great time to take some photos. So I did. I am still loving my Kendra Not earrings (they look like Kendra Scott earrings but they are not) and try to wear them every chance I get. I also love my stretchy dark denim jeans I scored at Old Navy for $15. They are great to wear when you want to eat tons of Chinese food. Black pepper beef here I come!

Earrings: eBay // Blouse: Walmart (Similar) // Jeans: Old Navy (Similar) // Shoes: Call it Spring (Similar)