Showing posts with label feel good. Show all posts
Showing posts with label feel good. Show all posts

Saturday, July 24, 2010

chill.


this charming girl... part 18

...is cooling off!

18. ~ a popsicle (UK translation - an ice lolly!)

with all this hot, sticky weather ~ nothing beats a chilled, refreshing treat to cool off.
your skin is no exception ~ it will ♥ you for treating it to a soothing & moisturizing lotion or body butter like soapstar's aloe vera, cucumber & peppermint body butter 'aloe, aloe' whipped up from fresh, natural ingredients with shea & vitamin e. (pictured above)

after whipping up a fresh batch the other day, I was inspired to curate this cool treasury in gorgeous, summery greens ~ if only you could scratch the screen & sniff the refreshing scents of aloe, cucumber, peppermint & lime!

take a closer peek at http://www.etsy.com/cooling-off



if you need to chill out even more ~ check out  'aloe, aloe' cold process soap too. 
perfect for sun worshipers & skin exposed to the elements..


the 'aloe' aloe' range was inspired by the feel good & sensational summer sandcastle festival on victoria beach, cobourg, ontario. 







this year's sandcastle festival takes place on July 31st & August 1st.


join in the summer fun, then chill out. ♥




Monday, June 21, 2010

this charming girl...episode 15

paris ~ la ville de l'amour ♥

15. ~ the eiffel tower

the iconic symbol of the city of love.
the breath-taking views from this beautiful & intricate lattice of ironwork, somehow perfectly encapsulate the dizzying, light-headed joy of a new romance...
my very own tiny 'tour eiffel' holds so many dear memories of a family trip to the historic & very fabulous French capital city.




memories of Parisian 'se sentir bien' neighbourhoods which inspired this beautifully romantic & luxurious handmade soap ...

rose water, sparkling blush champagne and pink grapefruit luxe soap adorned with a tiny rosebud & glistening Himalayan pink salts


...and Etsy rose-tinted treasury, Paris ~ la ville d'amour





so, throw on a soft cashmere scarf, pop on some cute kitten heels & grab your rose tinted sunglasses ~ here's a mini trip of the Parisian style & must-sees that inspired the treasury & the soap...




a perfect marriage of the 12th century Louvre Palace & modern glass pyramid house, an astounding collection of art & archeological finds including ~



an ancient Greek sculpture believed to depict Aphrodite, the goddess of love & beauty. 



arguably, the most famous painting in the world, Renaissance turned Hollywood star thanks to Dan Brown's classic novel / movie - along with that enigmatic smile...





this imposing monument to honour those that fought for France and resting place of the unknown soldier, is at the west end of the wonderful  Champs-Élysées, and at the centre of the infamous Place Charles de Gaulle ~ the meeting place of 12 avenues & a traffic junction best not approached by the faint-hearted! the fast & furiously fearless french drivers produce a cacophony of honking car horns! ooh la, la!


Notre Dame cathedral

thankfully, this beautiful example of French Gothic architecture and Roman Catholic place of worship was fully restored after it's desecration during the French Revolution in the 1790s.

there is a small sculpture on the cathedrals' exterior, of a fictional former lodger,  physically deformed but kind-hearted bell-ringer Quasimodo from Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame.




bold & brightly coloured hi-tech architecture housing Europe's largest modern art museum.


the world's most visited cemetry ~ serenely beautiful resting place of Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Bizet, Moliere & Jim Morrison (the Doors) amongst many other esteemed painters, poets, writers, actors & statesman.


 the mesmerizing, white church at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city ~ offers spectacular views from it's hauntingly romantic domes.

the infamous cabaret, spiritual home of the 'can-can' in the bustling heart of the red-light district.





notable past performers include Josephine Baker, Liza Minelli, Elton John & Frank Sinatra to name but a few!

wondering the best way to travel around all these wonderful locations?


1906 Steel Engraved Map Of Paris ~ picture courtesy of Veronica at Surrender Dorothy.
check out her amazing Etsy shop ~ full of seriously cool vintage & supplies.


the paris metro of course,




with it's fabulous stations,  
full of their signature art nouveau architecture,



and weird & wonderful surprises!


but if you feel it's all just too much, and the city's a blur...

relax & unwind à la française, by joining the café culture at one of the quintessential pavement cafés - the best seat in the house when it comes to watching all Parisian life go by - from the effortlessly stylish to the mal logés, from the frantic & expressive to the frowning intellectuals, lost in deep thought, philosophy & a сafetière à piston.


La Vie En Rose © Marisa Allegra Williams
see more of Marisa's outstanding work at her Etsy shop, risamay ~ a wonderful treasure trove of travel photography.




of course, you cannot leave Paris until you experience  the eiffel tower at night ~ a beacon of glistening gold, bringing a warm glow to lovers & loved ones everywhere.




pour inhaler Paris conserve l'âme
to inhale Paris preserves the soul 


rien ne se peut comparer à Paris 
nothing can compare to Paris 


♥







Monday, May 24, 2010

we ARE amused...

Happy Victoria Day!

the beautiful young Queen Victoria

birthday greetings...from one Victoria to another!
I'm proud to share my name with such an iconic Royal Lady, Queen Victoria ~ and what better place to celebrate Victoria Day, than in my hometown of Cobourg, Ontario's Feel Good town 

which boasts the stunning Victoria Beach...

...Victoria Park, abloom with Spring colours,

and this historic leading lady...


Victoria Hall ~ this beautiful grand landmark celebrates it's 150th anniversary this year with a fabulous Grand Ball in it's majestic Concert Hall, in honour of the Grand Ball with which Albert  (Prince of Wales) opened the Hall back in 1860. Find out more on the brilliant Oh, Canada! blog.

Victoria Hall is also the 'feel good' inspiration behind my
deliciously dark & minty handmade soap

"This historic leading lady captures the classic combination of rich dark chocolate and cool, crisp peppermint aromas.



Featuring fairtrade organic cocoa and peppermint essential oil.
A right royal performance...encore!"



Mmmm, I don't know about you, but I might have to celebrate with some heavenly mint chocolate!

Happy Vicky Day indeed ♥





Friday, May 21, 2010

this charming girl...episode 13

happy birthday, Buddha ♥


Buddha's birthday is celebrated today ~ in all east Asian countries, except Japan. It is held on the 8th day of the 4th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, and  is an official holiday in Hong Kong, Macau, and South Korea. The date varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar.

13. ~ a golden sitting Buddha.

he is my own little personal gentle reminder to remain positive, peaceful  & treat others with love & respect. Buddhists value above all else having compassion for others and causing them no harm. A fundament of compassion is ridding oneself of anger, greed, hatred and other negative emotions, for in the presence of those it is impossible to feel loving kindness.


...and while you celebrate Buddha's special day,  why not consider  balancing the body and mind using an ancient Eastern wellness belief based on seven energy centers (Chakras) that govern all your organs and work together as one system, yet independently. 
there are many different ways to charge our chakra centers such as meditation, yoga, sunlight & food... but my favourite way by far involves bracelets or thumblets created from crystals & gemstones.


gemstones and minerals are energy forms. crystals contain a similar crystalline structure as the human body, they amplify energy ~ wearing gemstone jewelry or placing gemstones and minerals in your environment is a simple way to absorb the stone or mineral’s healing vibrations.
the beautiful thumblets above are the work of the very talented Dee-Ann from Dee's Adornments ~ they are made from the perfect stones to focus your energy & balance your chakras.

Dee-Ann explains ..." For those who work on balancing their chakra, it can help to have stones that resonate with that chakra to focus on and through. While meditating or doing other work with your first chakra, drape this band of garnets around your thumb. The weight and cool feeling of the gemstones against your skin will help you to focus, and the garnets are associated with the first chakra to help you ground yourself."


check out Dee's Adornments  etsy shop to see her full range of  7 stunning thumblets, each made with great love, care & attention, and the right stone / colour for focusing positive energy flow through each of the 7 centers.




when you visit, you'll also find exquisite, unique handmade jewelry pieces, like this wonderful turquoise & silver flower charm / pendant.

simply gorgeous ♥




peace, love & harmony to you all. ☺


photos of giant Buddha, Lantau Island, Hong Kong ©2007 Tim Darbyshire Photography








Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mum's the word ♥

happy mothers day


I'm incredibly lucky really as I get to celebrate Mother' s Day twice!
Today, here in my new home - Canada & back in March, which is when England (my birthplace) celebrates Mums everywhere. ♥


enjoy the day and if you have a moment please
visit the link below to read my tribute to my late Mum, in an earlier post. she was the best. ♥






'butterfly island' lavender & lilac handmade soap
with eco donation by soapstar. 

Friday, May 7, 2010

this charming girl...episode 12

put the kettle on...


(for a perfect brew.... )    12. ~ a mug of tea

it's part of my English heritage that'll never change - nothing beats a refreshing cuppa tea.
I drink tea of all kinds ~ Earl Grey, green tea, iced tea, fruity herbal combinations like raspberry & echinacea and good old, well brewed (that's 'steeped' in Canadian) English favourites like Yorkshire Tea, Tetley & PG Tips.


I don't care if it's brewed from fine, aromatic tea leaves in a traditional tea pot and served in a fine china cup & saucer, or from a everyday tea bag in a mug. I ♥ tea.




my daily morning fix even inspired me to create this Etsy tea treasury celebrating this beautiful beverage.

I'm obviously not alone in my adoration, the complimentary clicks & comments kept the treasury 'tae pot' SO hot,  it was featured on the Front page, Yay! ♥

however - there is another, slightly strange reason why  I am so fond of one particular tea bag brand... 

you may have noticed him earlier, Monkey.
he's one half of the legendary small screen double act that is 
Monkey & Al in the PG Tips TV ads.


we met him in a box of tea bags in an English supermarket, adopted him into our family.
when we moved to Canada, he bid farewell to his British friends and travelled with us.



he quickly settled into life in Ontario, he loved the warm summers and found his beloved PG Tips in the local grocery store.



he sometimes misses Al, but keeps in touch via facebook, and every so often he re-lives  their greatest moments on  YouTube, with misty eyes and a wry smile. ☺ 





go take a peek for yourself at a couple of their award winning classic performances....





...then raise a mug, to Monkey, Al & the perfect brew!