Happy Birthday, Mom!

You’re beautiful! You’re amazing! You’re loved so much!

♥ Happy Birthday!

Spring Color Palette Inspiration: Tiffany Blue or Geranium?

Spring is always about rejuvenating your style and letting go of the boring colors that we wear during the drab winter months! It’s all about taking risks with colors and prints by really pushing your style limits to a place where you feel the most confident and beautiful. Trends come and go, and yes, they are a great way to give you style ideas, but you don’t have to adopt every new trend to be in style. Style should always be a reflection of you and not the latest fad. Embrace whatever trends and colors you feel empowers your fashion persona and work it

Here are a few of my favourite spring colour themes that I can’t wait to add to my spring wardrobe:

{Images Compliments Of: We Connect Fashion}

Happy Monday + A Little Piece of Heaven: Strawberry Brie Muffin

I hope you had a spectacular Easter weekend! My weekend was filled with amazing meals, sweet quality time with the people I love, and indulgent bites of chocolate!

For all the foodie lovers out there, I absolutely had to share what I ate for breakfast the other day while I was slaving over my laptop {for yet another report that’s due this week}: A Strawberry Brie Muffin, compliments of School Bakery & Café! What?! You heard me!

The muffin was enrobed in small morsels of strawberry and brie (I don’t know who thought of this, but c’mon seriously!). It was a harmonious and indulgent mélange of sweet and savoury and was a perfect match to my creamy latté. It was the only thing that got me through my 4 hour study session with a smile on my face.

Heavenly indulgences like this are worth every bite

Happy Monday!

Spring Style Inspiration: Peplum

Peplum is back as the flattering new trend taking over the 2012 spring season {it first made an appearance back in the 40′s and 50′s when Christian Dior introduced it to the fashion world}! There’s something undeniably glamorous and demure about the peplum style, especially how it adds sophisticated, yet sensual flair to a woman’s silhouette by cinching in the waist and perfectly accentuating the hips {warning: this look may draw in feelings of envy! }

Stilettos and simple rose gold accessories is all you need to complete this look for the ideal spring themed power suit! Love it!

 Cushnie et Ochs; Marc by Marc Jacobs; Jason Wu; Giambattista Valli

{Image Compliments Of: Style.com}

Spring Entertaining Inspiration: Rose Bud Ice Cubes

Hello! Spring is in full swing and it’s time to get excited about hosting dinner soirées and al fresco dining on your patio/balcony/backyard. Hollywood Girls Night’s {a new show on TV Guide} Ali Landry {love her!} presents a chic and pretty entertaining idea perfect for any spring event {even if it’s just a romantic dinner for two on your tiny balcony }. Channel your inner domestic diva by trying this out at your next entertaining event!

Love is always in the details!

Lazy Sunday!

I hope you had a luxuriously languid weekend!

Finally, I am getting over a sinus infection that has plagued me for the past week. Today, I finally got my taste buds back, so I decided to reconnect with what I’ve been missing this past week and indulged in the most luxurious Dufflet Devils Raspberry Cupcake {yum!}. Let me also mention that my morning started with a trip to Pusateri’s with a stop to The Bagel House where I had the most heavenly Montreal style bagel for breakfast {sorry NYC, but these bagels rock!}. Let’s just say, my foodie heart and palate were both very pleased!

Today, was all about manifesto writing, sun-drenched musings on the patio, an energizing power walk, and an exciting chance {finally!} to read Gail Simmons’ new book, all while basking in the spring sunshine. It was a lovely Sunday, and the perfect way to rejuvenate for what’s sure to be another exciting week of events. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Fitness Inspiration: Tracy Anderson’s Mini-Trampoline Workout

Happy Friday!

Honestly, who said working out can’t be fun? This new workout DVD from the lovely Tracy Anderson makes me nostalgic for the days when I was a kid bouncing around on my aunt’s trampoline in her backyard {fun times!}. Come to think of it, it was a great cardio workout! I love Tracy’s enviable and infectious attitude towards getting fit, but I really love her innovative style to staying sleek and sexy!

{Tracy Anderson Mini-Trampoline Workout}

I wish I had the space to entertain the idea of fitting a mini-trampoline in my condo, but we all know that’s not going to happen Please make me jealous by trying out Tracy’s new mini-trampoline {a.k.a reformer} and workout DVD, and let me know how you enjoy it!

Springing Forward: Back On Track {Sort Of!}

Hello, lovely blog world!

It’s been a while since we connected, and I have to say that the pretty spring weather and the promise of musings related to all things glamorous lured me back in {think pink peonies and spring themed cupcakes!}.

As I’ve always preached, life is often a chaotic and exciting journey of amazing experiences, but it’s ultimately how you learn and grow from those experiences that matter the most. Life often takes us away from our true passions, but somehow we always find our way back Do your best to make time for your passions—that’s my dose of wisdom for you today!

So, my husband’s knee surgery was a success, and now we are trying to get back to a normal routine. The big move is around the corner, but not before my next Master’s course, which started on Monday. Right now, I’m overwhelmed with tweets, RSS feeds, and Google Reader, but still really excited about this new learning opportunity {Course=Technology and Interaction}. I’m looking forward to gaining a lot of savvy and practical knowledge related to online communication {there’s always room to grow!}.

*Check out the course overview:

Focuses on identifying, gathering, analyzing, and reporting relevant information using tools like aggregators, Real Simple Syndication (RSS), social news, tagging engines, post-ranking, and bookmarking services. Explores issues related to the organization of information online. Examines the practices of aggregating, curating, and using social means to filter information on grounds of relevance or credibility. Addresses how online communication continues to develop, how people organize in online environments to communicate, and how organizations identify, sort, and filter information consistent with the technical systems that support communication.

Although, I’ve been ignoring my curator duties lately for Peonies & Cupcakes, I’ve still been secretly lusting over a few lovely things that recently caught my fashion/foodie ♥.

Here’s my dose of spring inspiration:

Pink Flamingo Tea {Spring Collection Available at David’s Tea}; Butter London Nail Lacquer {Available at Holt Renfrew}; Giada’s Daily Bite {New iPhone & iPad Application}; Holt Renfrew Women’s Spring Guide 2012

Have a beautiful spring day!

{Image 1 Compliments Of: Pinterest}

Small Spaces = Pretty Places

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a positively beautiful first week in March!

I won’t bore you with the details of my insanely crazy week, but the condo is now sold {after 4 days on the market}, my last paper for this course is well under way {and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel}, we are preparing for my husband’s surgery {poor baby!}, I am starting to pack and organize for our move in April, and shamefully, I have had no time to make any new recipes

Luckily, spring is in the air, and one of the most exciting things about moving into our new place will be getting my very own closet! This past year and a half has certainly proved to be a space challenge, and especially for someone who adores pretty dresses and shoes as much as I do! Fortunately, I’ve learned to compromise {the secret to a happy marriage }, but not without learning a few things along the way:

Invest in felt-lined hangers that are slim and help save space * Change out your clothes every season {and send them to your mom’s spacious closet until you need them again} * Add a wicker basket to the bottom of the closet to preserve your casual/workout outfits that don’t require hangers * Add/build-in shelving {if you can!} * Secretly steal some extra space from your hubby

If I’ve learned anything during my stay in our pretty and petite condo, it is truly that less is actually more! I am going to miss the small space, and as frustrating as it was to get adjusted to sharing a closet, you always make it work! Now, my closet is actually filled with all the clothes I love to wear instead of clothing that I really don’t wear that just takes up space.

Small spaces = pretty places!

And The Fashion Oscar Goes To…

 Jennifer Lopez!

I was waiting for the moment on the red carpet when someone would take my breath away with their perfectly glamorous Oscar outfit, and Jennifer Lopez did it for me {love her!!!}! She was absolutely captivating in a plunging Art Deco-style Zuhair Murad gown, a mirrored Salvatore Ferragamo clutch, Jimmy Choo sandals, and the most glamorous and elegant makeup to tie it all together in a pretty and embellished Oscar bow!

Simply stunning!

 {Image Compliments Of: Red Carpet Fashion Awards}