sparkleshinylove

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

sparkleshinylove Mother's Day Gift Guide
 

 

Mother’s Day is on Sunday!

Did that surprise you? If it did this list may have come at the perfect time for you!

I have complied a roundup of my favourite Mother’s Day gift ideas that I know most mother’s would love to receive.

Moming (spellcheck did not like that new word I made up) is hard work, and mom’s everywhere deserve rest, relaxation, and a little pampering.

My roundup is full of things that would pamper your own mother, or even yourself! Pass this guide along to your hubby if he seems a little clueless on what to buy you!

 

 

1. This yellow Kate Spade Handbag is perfect for spring with adorable daisy cut-outs, and would brighten up any outfit.
 

 
2. Nothing smells better than this LoveFresh Vanilla Hand and Body Lotion! I love my visits to spas in Toronto that carry it such as HMP because I slather this lotion on!
 

 
3. This Tory Burch Ice Cream key chain is the cutest, and when they have cute key chains at Tory Burch they never last so you need to grab it asap.
 

 
4. This set of 3 hand creams from L’OCCITANE not only smell lovely, but I keep one in my purse because it does such an amazing job of hydrating. Plus the containers have a super tight lid on them so you know they won’t spill all over your bag!
 

 
5. Tiffany is the best way to celebrate anything really, and this lovely “Mom” charm is perfect for Mother’s Day. You may need to pick up a bracelet or necklace to go with it though!
 

 
6. The BLOOMING Mother’s Day Gift Box from Tonic Blooms not only includes one of their signature arrangements, but also a bracelet, hand cream, a soy candle, chocolate from CXBO, honey from Beekeepers Naturals, and tea from The Honest Leaf. I was received a Tonic Blooms arrangement once, and it was so gorgeous that even that would be enough, but the BLOOMING box is perfect for spoiling mom.
 

 
7. Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle is everything. I wear it every day, and if you haven’t had a chance to smell this scent then you must, and then buy it for youself, and maybe your mother as well!
 

 
8. These Tory Burch Espadrilles are in a classic style and pattern, and would look great with everything your mother has in her wardrobe.
 

 
9. This la VIE en Rose PJ set has the perfect floral pants included, and a cute saying that a mom would appreciate.
 

 
10. Peony season is just starting, and this hand cream from IIIume has the prettiest scent and packaging!
 

 
11. Finally this Best Mom Ever Floral Cup is probably the prettiest travel cup I have ever seen!
 

 
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone, and I hope my gift guide helped you out if you were stuck for gift idea’s this year!

 

 

Xoxo Mandy

 

 

Win a SodaStream SOURCE for Yourself and Your Mother in my #BubblesofWisdom Contest!

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 If you are looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the woman who either has everything or deserves something special, I may just have the perfect giveaway for you!

I’m recently gave my own Mother a SodaStream SOURCE Machine, and she was pretty excited about it for a few reasons.

First of all, it matched her kitchen perfectly! It fit right in as a sleek new appliance, and looked great with her decor. I will have a follow-up post showing you exactly how it looked in her kitchen soon.

I also have a SodaStream SOURCE in my own kitchen, and my Mother and I both agreed that it was so easy for us to use as well.

All you need to do is snap the carbonating bottle right into the machine, choose a flavour to add if you wish, and then choose how carbonated you would like the water based on the LED indicator. That’s it – done in seconds!
 

 
SodaStream Source Giveaway

 

 

So far both my Mother and I have been really been happy with our SodaStream SOURCE Machines. So happy that we are teaming up to give away one SodaStream SOURCE machine to a lucky reader, and a SECOND machine for them to give to their own Mother as well!

You can enter the contest via the Rafflecopter widget below. This contest ends on May 4th, 2016, and is open to Canadian residents only. Good luck to everyone who enters!

Right now SodaStream has Mother’s all over the world sharing their own heartfelt wisdom using the hashtag #BubblesofWisdom. Soon I will be sharing my own mother’s #BubblesofWisdom as well with you as we give away these two SOURCE machines to the winner of this contest.

For more information on SodaStream, visit them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on their website.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Xoxo Mandy

 

 

Keeping My Blonde in Check with the Dessange California Blonde Collection

Dessange California Blonde Colleftion
 

 

I’m a natural brunette, but somehow I always end up a blonde after an appointment with my stylist! I just can’t seem to help going for a brighter, bolder shade of blonde each time I sit down in that chair.

Keeping my hair healthy with all of my daily processing plus consistent colour appointments means I need a little more TLC on my strands then most people.

I’ve spent a couple weeks using the Dessange California Blonde Collection, and it turns out it was meant for a faux-blonde gal like myself!

The collection is for colour-treated blonde hair such as mine, and after using all of these products I learned that my hair was in need of some repair.

I started out with the California Blonde Illuminating Shampoo and Conditioner. It was a great start because my hair felt so smooth right after washing it, and after my initial rough blow dry my hair was squeaky clean and shiny.

All of these amazing products arrived at the perfect time as I was getting close to my next hair appointment because my regularly scheduled hair issue was coming to a head (literally) – my colour was looking mighty brassy!

In my opinion the coolest product in the Dessange California Blonde collection is the California Blond Colour Correcting Crème.

Anyone who colours their hair blonde knows exactly what I’m talking about – suddenly one day you wake up, look in the mirror and see dull, yellowish shade of blonde that you did not sign off on.

This correcting crème was incredible! I wish I had of known about it ages ago because the blue pigments in the crème neutralized all of the brassiness and made my hair colour look salon fresh again. This stuff is a must-have for any faux-blonde gals like myself.

 

 
Keeping my blonde in check with the Dessange California blonde range

 

 
Being on a the go for what seems like every moment of my life (really, doesn’t it sometimes feel like you don’t have a second to get anything done?) means that I have a special love for products that allow me to go on with my day while they work their magic.

Thankfully the Dessange California Blonde Illuminating Elixir was a spray-and-go application that I could use when I was done getting my hair ready in the morning.

It’s a leave-in gel treatment which added some much needed shine to my hair, and made my blonde look that much fresher. It also seals in the surface of the hair cuticle to work it’s magic and create the illusion of fabulous, glossy blonde hair.

I don’t mind spraying anything on my hair in the morning that takes so little time to make a big difference in my hair’s overall look.

 

 
Keeping My Blonde in Check with the Dessange California Blonde Collection

 

 

To say I was impressed with the Dessange California Blond Collection would be an understatement. Sometimes you don’t know how big your problem is until products come along to solve them. I’m loving how my colour is looking right now, and I think I could almost pass as a real-life actual blonde!

 

 
Keeping My Blonde in Check with the Dessange California Blonde Collection

 

 

For more details on this line, visit the Dessange website here.

 

 

These products were provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own!

 

 

Xoxo Mandy

 

 

Off-The-Shoulder Shirt Dress

Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 
Off The Shoulder Shirt Dress
 

 

Dress – Zara | Shoes – Call it Spring | Clutch – Chanel

 

 

One of my favourite trends that is still sticking around this spring and summer is the off-the-shoulder look. This dress is perfect to transition into spring with because it has long sleeves, and can be worn on a warmer day with sandals instead of these booties.

I have to admit, it was a pretty chilly day in April when I wore this look for the blog! I’m looking forward to wearing this look in much warmer temperatures with a pair of gladiator sandals.

I’ve linked to the exact dress I’m wearing above and here, and I have linked to some similar styles below as well.

This dress reminds me of men’s collared dress shirt with a twist, and I keep seeing this great shade of blue everywhere I shop lately. I love how fresh and spring-like this shade of blue is.

I have been wearing these nude booties so much over the last couple months because they literally go with everything. They were definitely a great buy.

Overall this easy look is exactly what I plan on wearing over the next few months as we move into warmer weather.

Have a great week!

 

 

Xoxo Mandy

 

Our Girls Night at the Trump Hotel + Enter to Win Your Own Stay!

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One of my favourite things to do is to have a girls night out!

During Toronto Fashion Week I teamed up with a group of lovely girlfriends for an amazing girls night out that was so much fun. Home base for our girls night out was the Trump International Hotel in Toronto, and it was incredible.

Before we even arrived at the hotel, the hotel was taking steps to make sure our stay was a memorable one.

The Trump Attaché™ team ensures that prior to a guests arrival they determine your personal preferences so you feel like you are walking into an experience aimed at making you the centre of attention.

They handle everything from arranging the use of house cars, to personal shopping, to even nanny services or pet walking! They even look up your social media handles to get an idea of your preferences.

Actually quite a few things were waiting for us upon arrival. We pulled into the hotel and the valet team unloaded our bags (you wouldn’t believe how many a girl needs for one night at a hotel!) and were met by the front desk staff for the quickest check-in the history of hotel check-in’s (I’m not sure what the actual record is on that, but I’m assuming they had it beat).
 

 
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We walked to our suite and found that the second room for our group was not only next door, but it had an adjoining hallway where we could close the door for privacy. We felt like we had our own private wing!

Walking into the room was almost overwhelming. The decor was stunning, and we couldn’t wait to unpack and enjoy our home away from home for the night.

 

 

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What really surprised us were the amazing goodies waiting for us in our room. We were spoiled with champagne, strawberries, chocolate, Macarons, and boxes full of little treats. The Trump Attaché™ team really outdid themselves!

 

 

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Our hostess-with-the-mostess Renee also treated us with some fabulous Plum Pretty Sugar robes which I love and have been wearing over and over (you have probably already seen it pop up in a post or two on the blog!), and some goodies from Blossom Lounge. It included the BEST smelling candle ever from Coal and Canary called Crimped Hair and Truth or Dare, and the cutest nail polish from Trust Fund Beauty (my mauve colour is called “Why You Mad Tho?”), among other amazing goodies.
 

 

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After catching up over champagne and treats we got dressed for our night out, and headed downstairs to The Calvin Bar. We found a cozy seat in the corner and noshed on truffle parmesan fries, spring rolls, catfish tacos, and mini corndogs covered with lobster which were INCREDIBLE! The Calvin Bar was a really fun spot to have drinks, eat amazing food, and it was hard to leave because it had a really fun atmosphere.
 

 

TheCalvinBarTrumpTorontoReview
 

 

Next we were off to the Rudsak show at Toronto Fashion Week which wasn’t far away at all, so our decision to stay at the Trump Hotel was a good one because it was so convenient.
 

 
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Once we returned to the hotel the first thing we did was kick of our heels and put on our comfy hotel slippers and robes for more drinks, snacks, and a lot of chatting. Our suite was the perfect size for our group to hang out in.
 

 

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The next morning we were excited to wake up and have a yummy breakfast which we ordered through room service. Yes, it was as good as it looks!
 

 

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We lounged around a bit longer in our suite in our Plum Pretty Sugar robes (how adorable are these?) before we ended our stay.
 

 

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Checking out was the hardest thing to do during our stay. Unfortunately for us it was just as quick to check out as it was to check in. We truly didn’t want to leave.

The experience was so lovely. We felt so pampered from the moment we walked in the doors. Every aspect of our stay was perfect – I couldn’t complain about a thing. Our phone calls to the front desk were answered immediately, we didn’t carry our bags for a moment because the staff already had them in their hands, and we really felt special during our stay.

We had the BEST girls night at the Trump Toronto. They really know how to throw an amazing girls night out. I cannot wait to go back to this incredible hotel to have another amazing night like this one!

 

 

Finally, the big contest! This is your chance to have your own night at the Trump International Hotel in Toronto!

Our girls night group of bloggers have teamed up with the Trump Hotel to give away a One Night Stay in a Deluxe One-Bedroom Suite for Two!

You can enter below for your chance to win. Good luck to everyone who enters! For more details on the Trump International Hotel in Toronto, visit their website here!

 

 

 

 

Xoxo Mandy