Updating your Existing Wardrobe with a Faux Fur Collar

Adding Style with a Fur Collar
 

 

Adding Style with a Fur Collar

 

 

Adding Style with a Fur Collar

 

 

Adding Style with a Fur Collar

 

 

Adding Style with a Fur Collar

 

 

Adding Style with a Fur Collar

Long Faux Fur Collar – Dynamite | Faux Leather Zippered Moto Jacket – Forever 21 | Heels – Charlotte Russe {similar} | Floral Dress – Forever 21 {similar}

 

 

There are so many jackets and sweaters with faux fur collars on the racks right now, but dressing up some of your existing outfits with an add-on fur collar is a really fun way to update your wardobe and save lots of cash in the meantime! To me saving money means more shopping money down the road, so really it’s a win-win.

This faux fur collar is from Dynamite, and I love that it’s so long and warm.

Fur always seems so luxurious – I felt like I was playing dress-up with this collar. I can’t wait to wear it with a white sweater to add some interest to a more simple piece.

I’m so used to wearing scarves to accessorize my outfits, so it was nice to switch it up with faux fur.

Fur collars are one of my favourite winter trends. What are some of the winter trends you are excited for right now?

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?

 

 

What the heck is Pilates Reformer? I myself had absolutely no idea until I signed up for a class at my gym and gave it a try. The equipment always scared me, and I really had no idea what the class would involve, or if I could survive it! The equipment absolutely looks intimidating, but once I tried a class out I not only loved it, but I didn’t think the equipment was all that scary any more. It was actually pretty fun!

Pilates Reformer is much more dynamic then mat based Pilates because of the use of the Pilates Reformer machine. The machine adds resistance with use of the springs on the machine. Mat based Pilates also mostly focuses on core strength, while Pilates Reformer works the entire body with a repertoire of exercises that are more varied.

In my first class I started with the Pilates Cadillac machine. This machine definitely required two people to operate! So many working pieces helped me stretch and warm up. At one point I felt like I was hanging on a trapeze. It was fun apparatus to warm up with!
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?

 

 

From there I moved to the metal Pilates Reformer machine. Both the metal one and wood one had a tower attached so additional exercises could be done. On the metal reformer machine we did some really fun exercises where I would lay down and push myself off! The resistance made it difficult, but it was a really fun exercise.

 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?

 

 

The wood Pilates Reformer machine was very similar, but the exercises seemed more intense. Weights were added for resistance, and balancing was difficult and required lots of concentration. Switching from machine to machine really mixed things up and kept my adrenalin pumping.
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?
 

 

What the Heck is Pilates Reformer and Why Should You Try It?

 

 

I found that the Pilates Reformer class made me focus on my control and form in my exercises. With the machine you just can’t cheat. The technique has to be right on because the machine forces you to follow the rules of the exercise.

In a Pilates Reformer class the instructor assists those in the class with making the adjustments on your machine. The machines may look scary at first, but then after a few exercises it’s easy to become familiar with how it works.

Overall I loved the Pilates Reformer class. My first session was one-on-one so it was an intense hour workout. I was very sore the next day because I used muscles I didn’t even know I had. I highly recommend giving it a try!

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Favourites From The Mackage Spring 2016 Collection at World MasterCard Fashion Week

SS16 Mackage 2

 

 
SS16 Mackage 8

 

 

SS16 Mackage 1
 

 

 

 
SS16 Mackage 3
 

 
ss16 Mackage 7

 

 

SS16 Mackage 9

 

 
SS 16 Mackage 4
 

 

SS16 Mackage
 

 

Usually I like to see a few shows at World MasterCard Fashion week each season because I love to see what’s coming soon in the world of fashion in terms of trends, but this year I had to choose one show because of time constraints. Can I just tell you how much a toddler cramps my social life? I thought about making my son my plus one and bringing him to a few shows (North West get’s to sit front row, right?), but I instead opted to choose one show that I really wanted to see.

Mackage creates outerwear that dreams are made of, so it was a no-brainer that I would see this show and their Spring 2016 collection. Did you check out my outfit for Fashion Week here yet?

Oh, how I love a good jacket! A great jacket can often BE the outfit instead of a layer on top of it, and if anyone can make a fabulous jacket it’s Mackage.

These are shots of a few of my favourite pieces. Please note I lead with my absolute favourite jacket of the night – a leather turquoise number that needs to get into my closet. Nothing says spring and “Hello, I’ve arrived to the party!” like a fabulous turquoise leather jacket!

To shop the brand, or at least get ready to shop the spring 2016 collection when it arrives, visit Mackage.com. Photos courtesy of George Pimentel.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I’m Wearing to World MasterCard Fashion Week

My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW

 

 

My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 

My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW
 

 
My Final #STC Trendspotter Outfit + What I'm Wearing to WMCFW

 

 

Dress – H&M | Collared Long Line Overcoat – Forever 21 | Cutch – Chanel | Shoes – Zaful (similar)

 

 

I’ve been invited to the Mackage show at World MasterCard Fashion Week this Wednesday in Toronto, and luckily enough I picked up the perfect outfit to wear at Scarborough Town Centre with my #STCTrendspotter shopping spree!

I had this outfit in mind for something fun, and Fashion Week seems like the perfect spot to wear it.

I had been looking everywhere for a great long jacket to wear this winter, but I’d had a hard time finding the right one. This one I’m wearing from Forever 21 is slim-lined so I don’t look like I’m wearing a bathrobe which is key when getting dressed for Fashion Week! Really though, I love the colour, the shape, and it just feels luxurious wearing something so long – it’s like having a cape on!

At $85.90 this coat was a bit more expensive than the prices you normally see at Forever 21, but it was well worth it.

My dress is from H&M, and I mostly bought it because it matched the deep green of the jacket. It was also a great price at $34.99, and I love the combo of the jacket and dress together.

I paired the outfit with my Chanel clutch and favourite pair of lace up heels.

I love this outfit, and I’m looking forward to wearing it at Fashion Week!

To learn more about store openings, events and details on the Scarborough Town Centre, visit www.scarboroughtowncentre.com.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 
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This weekend I was on mom duty, tasked with bringing Halloween-themed treats to a toddler party. I have to admit, I didn’t come up with these recipes on my own, but I did a few things to make them my own due to mishaps, missing ingredients and other issues related to the fact that I was facing a lot of time constraints.

I used to be a pretty avid baker, but lately I’ve toned things down based on the addition of my son. Lately I’ve visited more bakeries in exchange for actually baking myself.

These three Halloween treats were super easy to make, and cost next to nothing to create!

First up were these Rice Krispy Pumpkins. To make them, I just needed to follow the famous Rice Krispie Treats recipe, and I needed a package of Tootsie Rolls and food colouring.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats
 

 

Here was my ingredient list:

3 tablespoons butter
4 cups of Miniature Marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal
Red and Yellow Food Colouring
Tootsie Rolls

In large saucepan I melted butter over low heat, and added the marshmallows. I stirred until they were completely melted, and then I added the food colouring. It took a few drops of the red and yellow food colouring before I got the orange I was looking for.

I then added the Rice Krispies cereal and mixed. I let it all cool down a bit until I could pick it up in my hands, and I started moulding little pumkpins. I added a Tootsie Roll to the top of each pumpkin (I cut all of them in half to make the stems), and voila! A really cute treat that I could store in an airtight container until the next day when they were ready to eat.

Next up were the Oreo Mummies. These were adorable! I found a few recipes on how to make them, but basically after a few rough tries, I came up with the best way that worked for me.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Here was my ingredient list:

2 bags of Wilton White Chocolate Melts
Vegetable Oil
Lollipop Sticks
1 Bag of Oreo Cookies
Icing
Wilton Candy Eyeballs

I bought two bags of the Wilton White Chocolate Melts, and melted them in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of boiling water. I placed a piece of wax paper on a pan, and twisted the tops off of my Oreo cookies.

I placed the stick inside the cookie, and put some icing on top of the stick to act like glue to keep the cookies together. An alternative to this would be buying double stuffed Oreo’s, but I couldn’t find them at the grocery store.

I placed the cookies on sticks in the freezer for 5 minutes so the sticks would hold.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 
Next up was dipping them in chocolate. I found the best method was to add vegetable oil to the chocolate so it would be a bit more runny. The chocolate always seemed too heavy for the cookie, so I used a large spoon and poured it on the cookie. I then placed it back on the wax paper to dry.

I next placed the eyes in the chocolate so they would dry in place. I put the half-finished mummies in the fridge for two hours.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Next I used my icing to drop lines all over the cookies to make them look like mummies. You could also do this with chocolate, but I really like icing!

That was it! I kept them in the fridge until they were ready to be served.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats

 

 

Finally, my mummy juice boxes – by far the easiest part of this trio. I pulled the straws off of the juice boxes, wrapped the boxes in masking tape, and added eyes to each box and I was done! It was embarrassingly easy, but the kids really liked them.

 

 

Easy Halloween Party Treats
 

 

If you have any great links to other fun kids Halloween treats, please leave them in the comments below so I can try them out as well!

 

 

Mandy Furnis