Fall Fashion Wardrobe Staples

Hello lovelies,

If you have been following my blog for a while, than you will know that Fall is my absolute favourite season and time of year. Not only am I a sucker for Pumpkin Spice lattes (call me basic), but I love the cool crisp air and of course Fall fashion! If I could wear scarves, booties and sweaters all year long, while sipping on Pumpkin Spice, I would be an even happier momma then I already am.

Speaking of Fall fashion, becoming a mom has made me focus more on investing in my wardrobe. Instead of spending money on trendy styles that only last for a season, I have started to invest in staples that will last and spending less or not even bothering when it comes to fast fashion items.

Follow below for my mom style tips on pieces worth the investment!
(Giveaway near the end of the post!!!)

A Wool Jacket/Coat

Every woman needs a wool jacket. Stick to a classic colour that you will wear year after year and not get sick of.
Beige/Black/Grey

I have a few wool jackets that I have acquired through out the years. One is a classic belted military style in black, another I call my “Gossip Girl” jacket, as it is plaid and super preppy. The final style is more of a statement jacket, but still classic and goes with everything!

(similar here)

(similar here)

A Leather Jacket 

Faux or real, invest in quality. A classic moto style will ensure that your jacket will never go out of style and trust me when I say you will wear it with everything!

(similar here)

I have had mine for roughly 6 years and purchased it from Dynamite. It was not an expensive item however, it has definitely stood the stand of time thus far.

A Suede Bootie

Suede booties go with everything and can be worn with your favourite jeans, as well as with a cute skirt or dress. Just as with a wool jacket, stick to a neutral colour like beige, brown or black.

(similar here)

I purchased mine from Winners almost 8 years ago from the brand Rampage and the suede is still in amazing condition.

A Leather Belt

Belts should never be purchased just with the intent to keep your pants from falling down. A belt provides a clean polished statement to any outfit. Yes, still wear your belt with your favourite jean or trouser, but for the purpose of adding detail rather than for a poor fitted bottom.
A classic leather belt can also be used in place of a tie on a jacket and also to cinch in a loose sweater dress.
I recently purchased mine from Coach.

(same jacket from Vince here)

Faux Fur Vest

I love my faux fur vest, not only does it keep me warm, but it also adds a touch of glam to any outfit I pair it with. I like to wear mine with a loose jogger and my leather jacket It also looks great styled with a bootie and a dress for Fall.

(similar here)

I actually got mine on sale a few years ago from Dynamite and I am really impressed with the quality. It has not shed at all and still looks brand new!

A Classic Timepiece

Ever since becoming a mom I have realized more and more how fast time passes. Being able to manage and maximize my time is essential to my everyday life and ensuring that I am fully present with my kids and husband. Having a beautiful and unique watch that goes with every outfit is a must have for me and my Walnut wood & vintage rose Cassia watch from JORD is just that!
JORD watches are elegantly made with natural woods from around the world and a stunning sapphire domed face. Each piece is carefully designed to last and become an item that you will always cherish.

*GIVEAWAY*
In collaboration with this post, JORD is giving all of my readers and followers the chance to win a $100 gift certificate so, you can select a beautiful and classic wood watch for yourself or as a gift for someone special, just in time for the holiday season. All of their pieces can also be engraved, making them that much more special when gifted.

In order to enter click on the link here, fill out your name & email and select your favourite watch. All entrants will also receive a 10% off coupon code as a thank you for entering!!


Wooden Wrist Watch




What are your Fall staples that you have invested in? Comment below and share where you have purchased them from!


Follow me on Instagram for daily updates, outfits and future giveaways!!!


Until next time...

xoxo
annpaige

Online Invitations | Paperless Post | Review

Hello lovelies,

When it comes to planning an event one of my favourite components is creating beautiful and memorable invitations to send to all of the guests. The world of invites has changed so much over the years and it has become easier to send invitations as well as thank you cards online vs hand writing and mailing. In a digital world, being able to rsvp and get directions for an event via the click of a button makes life a whole lot more simple.

For the past almost two years I have been creating all of my invitations and thank you cards with Paperless Post. Paperless Post has hundreds of atyles to choose from including cards with artwork from some of my favourite designers including Oscar de la Renta, as well as Kate Spade. Using their online app to organize RSVP’s, view the guest list and also send messages has made event planning a breeze!

Most recently I used Paperless Post to send out invitations for my wedding, as well as the twins baptism. Everyone loved the cards and as mwntioned above, it made organizing my guest list a life saver, vs having to do it manually. There are so many categories to choose from that no matter what type of event you are planning, you can be sure to find the perfect design and card with Paperless Post.

Happy event planning everyone and I hope that you found this post helpful!

xoxo
annpaige

Beauty Favourites

Hello lovelies,

The saying "beauty is skin deep", definitely speaks true to me! Despite having just had twins and the fact that I am a house rat, I still want to take care of my hair and skin. Being able to pamper myself as being a busy mom of three, is a priority that I sure as heck take advantage of! With that being said this post is all about my current beauty and hair favourites!

Skincare:

Talking about skin deep, I love my charcoal mask (not pictured) and rose water toner.
The charcoal mask is gentle on the skin and is not like those peel off masks that everyone was using last year. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean and it doesn’t hurt when you have to take it off!

I use the rose water toning spray after my mask and I must say that I LOVE the smell. Because, it is infused with rose water it helps get rid of redness and it also leaves my skin feeling refreshed without leaving a sticky residue.

Makeup:

My fav eye shadow palette of all time that I use almost everyday is my Urban Decay Naked2 palette. It has the perfect neutrals for any eye colour and I shouldn’t say this, but I have had it for YEARS and the pots have yet to diminish!

My favourite blush of the moment is the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Risque. The shade matches my skintone both with and without a tan, allowing me to use it all year long. It also blends out really nicely and you can use to create a soft subtle amount of colour for minimal makeup days or build on it when you want a “full face”.


My secret weapon for glowing skin is... are you ready for it....??? Organic virgin coconut oil. I use coconut oil for so many beauty purposes! I use it to remove my mascara vs a wipe to prevent my lashes from being pulled out of my eyelids. I also use it to remove my makeup when I run out of makeup remover. Coconut oil is also a great natural moisturizer for the skin. Another way that I use it is under my eyes to help prevent wrinkles and diminish my dark circles.
When picking a coconut oil to use on your face and/or body, ensure that it is organic and virgin. You don’t want it to have any preservatives or added ingredients.

Hair Products:

I have been using the got2be smooth smooth operator on my hair for years! I love this product for getting rid of frizz and it is also a heat protectant. I use it on towel dried hair and either let it sit or blow dry my hair. If I am blow drying my hair, I will also add it to my ends once my hair is dried and before styling.

Garnier dry oil is another product that I have been using for a couple of years. After the shower, and when my hair is towel dried I apply a very small amount to my ends to help prevent breakage. You do not need a lot of this product, as too much will weigh your hair down and also make it feel greasy.

Nails:

I recently started using the Quo sponge nail polish remover and I will never go back to using a regular bottle! The sponge makes it so convenient and easy to use and I never have to worry about pouring out too much or spilling it, which is amazing. It works fast and I have had it for four months now and it has still yet to dry out. Highly recommend!!!

For top coat I have been using the Essie Gel top coat and it keeps my polish on for up two weeks, which has never happened with any other top coats that I have used.


What are some of your favourite beauty products? Is there anything you think I must try? Comment below I would love to hear from you!

As always, thank you for reading and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram if you aren’t already. Also, click on the subscribe button on the top right of this post to be notified every time a new blog is published!

xoxo
annpaige

What’s in my hospital bag - Second time around

Hello lovelies,

This post is a little overdue, as I just recently delivered my babies!!! My boy/girl twins were born at 37 weeks on February 23rd and they are doing amazing! Both are healthy and we couldn’t be happier.

Packing a hospital can be daunting when you have never been through a pregnancy before, as you don’t want to over pack, nor under pack. I definitely am a slight over packer, because having twins I wanted to be prepared for an extra stay if I ended up needing a c-section or if my babies needed time in the NICU. Neither happened, however it is better to be over prepared then under.

The bag I choose to use is the Weekender bag from Poppy & Peonies. It is a great sized bag with so many pockets and the print is super cute for Spring. The bag has two handle straps, as well as a shoulder strap, making it great for a diaper bag, or a weekend away bag. It also has mesh pockets on the inside and two water bottle pockets on the outside. I highly recommend this bag for anyone wanting a bag to use as a carry on, diaper bag, or a hospital bag!

This time around I tried not to pack too much, as the first time I packed way too much - mind you I was in and out of the hospital a lot with my first. I wanted to narrow down on the essentials I knew I would need, but also over pack just slightly in case I needed a c-section and ended up staying longer.

Everything that I packed in my bag:
- Nursing bras: The ballet and The original nursing bra both from Bravado. I wanted soft bras, as you never know how quickly your milk will come in and how swollen you will be. The original nursing bra is my absolute favourite at the moment, as it has clips for easy access and it is made of cotton making it super comfortable.
- Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, deodorant. Trust me when I say you will need it all, as you will for sure want to take a shower after birth!
- Nasal spray, as my nose gets stuffy very easily and hospital rooms are always really dry.
- Tissue for both my nose and eyes!
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
- Slippers and fuzzy grip socks
- Nipple fix nipple cream from Matraea: in case babies have a hard time latching and I get any scabs while nursing
- Nursing Tea from Matraea and an infuser to have right after delivery
- Super Maxi pads. Although the hospital does provide pads, the nurse I had with my first was very stingy and I wanted to ensure that I had enough just in case.
- Breast Pump - With my first I wasn’t able to nurse right away because my daughter needed time in the NICU and I wasn’t prepared when the nurses told me to start pumping. I highly recommend a double pump, as it saves so much time and helps to increase your milk supply faster than a single or a hand pump. The double pump from Lansinoh is amazing and super easy to use. I love that it has a timer and you can adjust both the suction and cycles.
- Going home outfit: Long nursing tee from Ripe Maternity, button up flannel from Old Navy, loose joggers from Lolë and a button up sweater from Lolë  as well.
- Two shirts for my fiancé for if he wants to change in the middle of the night or if his shirt gets dirty while helping me care for our babies.

I hope that this post helps anyone who is unsure of what to pack in their bag or is just starting to getting ready to pack their hospital bag.

For other experienced mamas, what did you include in your hospital bag?

As always thank you for your reading and be sure to follow me on Instagram for more frequent updates on both me and my littles, as well as a sneak peak into my everyday life!!!

xoxo
annpaige

Supporting a New Mom

Hello lovelies,

First and foremost, I would like to introduce our newest bundles of joy to the world, Adaliina & Antonio. Both babies were born perfectly healthy and have been home with us for just over a week now.

If requested I can do a separate blog post about my delivery story. I will also have my hospital bag post coming up next, so stay tuned for that very soon!

Now on to the post.

As a second (and third) time mom now, there are many things from my first experience that helped me out a lot and there are others that I was either to shy to ask for, or I thought I was alone in my thoughts for wanting them. With that said, I recently wrote a post for work on How to Support the New Mom in your life and I wanted to share it on here as well, hoping to help other new moms and parents, or those who know someone who is expecting or has just recently had a new baby. It’s okay to feel excited and eager to want to see the new baby, but don’t just show up empty handed (physically and/or metaphorically).

If you are going to be visiting a new mom or new parents, here are 10 things that you can do to show your support and help make their life easier, while they are caring for their newborn.

• Bring food - Being a new parent does not allow for a lot of cooking time. With feedings every 2-3 hours, constant diaper changes, and trying to stay sane, a full meal is one of the last things on a new mom’s mind. Bringing a hot meal or even a frozen meal that can be reheated is a great way to ensure mom and dad still eat. 

• Offer to help clean - Taking care of a new baby can be a pretty messy job and the house isn't going to clean itself. Offering to lend an hour or two of your time to help wash dishes, put in a load of laundry or even vacuum, gives a new mum a well deserved break. 

• Be mindful - When visiting a newborn baby, be mindful by washing your hands before you touch the baby and if you are a smoker, not smoking before you visit the baby. 

• Offer to run errands - Does she need diapers or wipes? Does she need to pick up any prescriptions at the drugstore? Offer to pick them up for her. Also, if you are in the neighborhood, a quick text to see if she needs anything is always appreciated.

• Respect her choices - Finding a balance between all of the advice that a new mom has received can be challenging. If mom has decided to exclusively breastfeed, don't get upset that you cannot bottle feed the baby. Also, never mention babies sleeping habits. It takes time for mom and dad to find their groove and also to understand their new baby. Mom does not need to hear what the latest sleep pattern technique is, or that the baby needs a bottle so they don't get too attached. Let them figure it out and only give advice when asked.

• Watch the baby - Offering to watch the baby for even 30 minutes is heaven to a new mom. She can use this time to feel like a human again by taking a quick shower and freshening up.   Or she might want to spend the time with an older sibling, who might appreciate a little special mom time of their own. 

• Call first - Visits are always welcome and appreciated, but call first. Mom may have other visitors, or may not be up to seeing anyone at the moment, so always be sure to call before arriving unannounced.

• Bring something for mom (or dad) - Late night feedings can get pretty boring at times and a new magazine/book or movie are great little gifts to give to new parents to help them pass some time.

• Don't stay too long - If you are visiting, don’t expect to stay all day.  Everyone is eager to visit mom and baby, but remember that mom also needs some alone time with her husband and her new baby. Figuring out this whole parenting thing and new family dynamic is hard enough as it is, but throw in constant visitors and it gives mom and dad very little time to figure it out on their own.  Mom may also need time to pump or she may want to take a nap with baby. Look for cues that the visit is winding down. She really doesn’t want to have to ask you to leave. 

• Take the big kids off her hands - If mom and dad have older kids, offer to babysit or take them out of the house for an hour or two to give mom and dad some alone time with their new little bundle. Siblings need to be reassured that they are loved and special, and going out somewhere fun proves that there are benefits to being older, mobile and verbal.

Is there anything that helped you out or that you wish you had help with after having your baby? 

Comment below and let me know!!

xoxo
annpaige