I've Joined the Revelo-tion!

Hi everyone!

So after a much needed break and a nice visit from my beautiful friend Hollie, I am starting to ease my way back into blogging. It's been harder than we expected to settle into life in Canada and we are still working on a few things, as well as planning our wedding, but it's coming together slowly.

 I posted a while back on my Instagram about my new bike that has literally made my life so much better and more exciting. I work from home so don't have any kind of transit pass, and Toronto transit is pretty expensive, so when I had the opportunity to get an electric bike, I jumped on it straight away.   I chose a Revelo Electric Flex bike for a couple of reasons, but mainly because it folds so I never have to lock up outside and worry about it, it can fit off to the side and out of the way. Toronto is notorious for being a haven for bike thieves so I never feel good about leaving my bike anywhere. I have used it to go everywhere and its made things so much easier but also super fun. I can only compare the rush of the open road to go-carting- it's actually so fun!

It has a battery that takes me 30km going upwards of 28km per hour so it's a quick little thing!

Today, when we went out to take photos, we took it into the park and it was great zipping around on the grass too. On the road, I don't have to worry about going too slow as I kept up with everyone in the bike lanes too.

I'm getting some extras added to it soon, like a phone holder so I can use my maps or listen to music, and a carrier for the back so I can pick up groceries or run other errands and throw them all in the back. It's nice that it doesn't cost me to run it and I can easily pull the battery out and bring it inside to charge it.

Here I can be seen having light evening chitter chatter with out neighbour's cat Gloria, she's a charmer, unless she is visiting our window and terrorizing Bettie, then she's not.

I'm going to keep updating you on my new bike because I love it and it's making my life just way more exciting and convenient but also I am getting some exciting goodies for it like I mentioned above. The coolest thing about Revelo is that when you buy a bike, you become an ambassador, meaning that if someone buys one with your code, you then make money and they save money. So if you are considering an e-bike, check out Revelo. If you decide to buy, put my name, KATIE, in the code box and you will save $200 bucks!

Check out Revelo in all these cool spots:

Website

Youtube - there are cool videos!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

I'd love to know if you have ridden an E-Bike or if you have questions, stick them below! I am an open bike, I mean book. I had never ridden an e-bike before this so I am genuinely new at this and really loving it.

If you are curious about what I am wearing, check out the shop this post at the bottom of the post.

See you all soon!

Celebrating National Pet Month - Bettie is back home!

Hello everyone,
So I am slowly making my way back to blogging, even though things still feel like they are settling in. I am feeling inspired by seeing so many lovely bloggers, posting so many gorgeous posts with Spring styles and fun things going on. I am still missing London a lot but I am starting to see all the exciting things that I can tell you about in Toronto, so I'm looking forward to that!
I wanted to tell you a bit about something that has really made our new house a home, with the arrival of our lovely cat, Bettie. Bettie flew to Canada with us in December but went to live with my very kind brother, Andrew, as my parent's house, is not cat friendly, what with a very excited dog and a chinchilla. So apart from visits to Andrew's house, we haven't been able to see Bettie as much as we would like and were really looking forward to having her home.

When I was contacted by Ocean Loans about April being National Pet Month, and how they would like to let me treat Bettie to a few nice things to celebrate, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get her some lovely new things to set up in our new home.

We went out and bought her a new set of dishes, ones that are raised up to help with her breathing condition, along with a couple of toys, a new brush and delicious treats. She was also treated to a new little box and matt, but I felt that I could probably forgo the photo of that for obvious reasons.
On her first night, Bettie sat on the couch, explored and smelled most corners of the apartment and generally settled in quite well. Since then, She has spent her days lying on the bed in the sun, chasing her toys and cuddling on the sofa with us at night. It feels like she is home and happy as a clam.
So, did you do something for your furry friends this month?

Life Update - Canada!

Hi everyone!

So it's been a while but I have so much to tell you about! Since moving to Canada in early December, I feel like my life has been turned around and upside down. It's funny how nearly 6 years away makes you forget how some of the simplest things work. I had completely forgotten how little daily things are different in Canada, compared to France and the UK, like how I can't shop online with my debit card, or withdraw money from any ATM I want without being penalized, or use contactless payment everywhere. On the plus side, it's much easier to j-walk, as people seem less inclined to run you down here than in London, and there is definitely more sun, even though it's chillier.

Anyways, I didn't stop by to give you a list of random and odd difference of two of my favourite cities, but instead to tell you about what's going on.

Winter is finally clearing off and it's starting to feel more like Spring everyday. I can happily deal with the cold if it means there are blue skies and sun - that warm sun on my back is something I missed when away. I have been working from home since January, which has been nice and allowed me to find a place for Steven and I to live. 

We found a Tardis in Toronto... who knew?!

We are moving to one of our favourite areas in Toronto, called Little Italy.  It feels like a little town in the middle of the city, full of great restaurants and little independent shops, but still very close to necessities and transit. Our new place has room for our little kitty, Bettie, who travelled all the way from the UK with us and is currently staying with my brother until we move next week. We can't wait to have her back.

In terms of blogging, I have felt a bit disconnected, as I rediscover the blogosphere for plus size fashion in Toronto. I am so glad that Nicolette Mason had her collection launch at Additionelle and Tess Holliday at Penningtons recently as it was great to see some familiar faces and meet lots of lovely new people that I have followed for a long time.

I promise that regular blogs are coming, but first, I need to get moved into our new place, where I can finally unpack all my belongings and see whats in my closet. Stay tuned for a couple of interior design posts while I plan for our adorable apartment - I love decorating!

I am really loving being able to see my family and friends who I have missed so much over the years and it feels good to be close by but it's also hard as I miss so many lovely people in the UK too. Although it's hard some days, I remind myself how lucky we are to have a home in two places and people that love us in both.

Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

The Lawn for a #PicnicAtTheTower

Hello everyone!

So today is a slightly different post as I want to tell you all about this lovely picnic that I attended on The Lawn at The Tower Hotel a couple of weeks ago. A big group of bloggers were invited to have an evening tea on The Lawn, which is a literal green space in front of the Tower Hotel that borders the Thames and looks on to Tower Bridge. It has a spectacular view and a lovely ambiance, with groovy music playing and fun "yard sized" games to play.

It really was beautiful to watch the sun set - look at that sky!

Hollie from PrettyBigButterflies and I went together and after one (or two) cheeky glasses of deliciously fruity Pimms, we headed straight for the mega Jenga where we played a heated game that went on for much longer than everyone expected.

Once we finally settled down, we enjoyed the view whilst testing out all the goodies in our picnic box. We had a selection of small sandwiches, fruit, Innocent juice and of course dessert! They had options for vegetarians and other types of foodies too!

The Lawn would be an amazing place to have a party after work or take friends who are visiting London or even to celebrate your birthday! It's in the heart of London and has some amazing views - not to mention you can sit and watch the sun go down whilst enjoying the outdoor bar and passing people.

Check out this lush lawn against my orange shoes!

Here Hollie and I are enjoying our delicious cocktails all in blue - we don't coordinate on purpose - it just happens.

The Tower hotel is part of the Guoman hotel group and is really a one of a kind spot to stay in London as there aren't many hotels around the same area and certainly none that can offer the views and proximity to sights like Tower Bridge and the Tower of London too! 

I had so much fun at the picnic and will definitely be heading back to the Lawn again soon!

The Tower St Katharine’s Way London E1W 1LD Phone: 0871 376 9036 / +44 845 305 8335

Smile Brighter with Smile Brilliant!

Hello!

So as I'm sure you have seen in most of my photos, I have a hard time not smiling and it's always with my mouth wide open. I have always been a big smiler and I think that the most lovely thing about grinning and baring your teeth is that it's really infectious and that it helps others feel happy in a little way too.

In middle school, I had a little help with my smile, when my teeth were straightened through the power of braces which I am very happy about. I have, however always had an issue with my teeth being a bit yellow, but had never really done anything about it. When I was approached by American based company Smile Brilliant to test out their at home whitening kit. It's the same caliber and precision of whitening as you would get at the dentist but for a fraction of the cost. 

My partner, Steven, mentioned, when I was telling him about taking on this review, that he also has struggled with yellow teeth and has tried store bought treatments in the past, but has never had a long lasting effect or felt like any were particularly good so we decided to do it together.

We were sent a kit in the post with trays and special dental puddy to create moldes of our teeth which we then sent back to Smile Brilliant. 

Within a couple of weeks, we were sent perfectly made trays that matched our teeth.

From there, it was a simple task of using the whitening solution in the tray and popping the tray in for the allotted time. It really was a simple task and something that anyone could do - no less effort than using something store bought like whitening strips, only a lot less messy.

Because the trays are fit to your teeth, it means they stay in place and you can get on with doing stuff as they work their magic. When you are done, you pop them out, rinse your mouth and the trays and store them in the handy little container that you can take with you anywhere.

The Results: I used my trays once and did notice a difference in the colour, even after one go, however it made my teeth very sensitive after, which I found uncomfortable. I have had somewhat sensitive teeth most of my life, so it may come partially from that, but for me, this was a downside. I spoke to Smile Brilliant about it and they were very helpful, and linked me to a couple of articles about what I was experiencing including Tooth Sensitivity,  whether whitening is harmful to enamel, and if I had anything to worry about in terms of risks.

For Steven, it was totally different. He was over the moon with his results. Not only was there a massive difference after one go, and even more as he continued to use the trays over a couple of weeks, but his teeth genuinely looked much better and most of the stains had faded or gone completely from his teeth. He didn't have any sensitivity at all and absolutely loves the system.

Smile Brilliant is a great system if you want dentist style whitening but don't have the money to pay for the several trips to the dentist - it also means you can do it at your own pace and whiten for as long as you are comfortable. It still feels personal, as the tray fits your teeth and comes in a package just for you, so it's not like using something off the shelf at all.

If you want to know more or try Smile Brilliant yourself check out their website.

Best Teeth Whitening

Loving Your Feet with Evans & Scholl

Good morning everyone!

Can you believe it - two foot posts in a row! Actually, in a lot of ways, they compliment each other quite well so let me tell you about the most recent kit that I was to sent to review by Evans. I was contacted by Evans to see if I wanted to participate in a Summer footwear inspired collaboration with Scholl and I jumped at the chance.

Like I said in my previous post, I am always struggling to keep my feet looking good during the Summer months, so anything I can do at home is great. I was sent a Scholl 3-Step Perfect Feet kit and the most gorgeous pair of sandals that I chose from the Evans website and set to work to test everything out. 

I will be the first to admit that I have seen the Scholl diamond file on TV before and not been convinced and a bit skeptical of how well it would perform but I stand corrected, it actually really does work! 

The first step is to file your heels and anywhere else that may be dry, cracked, and difficult and it's really quite addictive. I would recommend doing it over a towel or straight in the bath tub for easy clean up as it leaves "dust" everywhere.

Once you have done that, you use the foot soak to soften and calm your feet. My feet felt lovely after the soak - it would be great after a long day standing up too, just to relax sore feet.

The last step is to cover them in the hydrating gel layer and your feet immediately look amazing!

I even plucked up the energy to paint my toes gold so it was a complete makeover and now all I want to do is go squidge my feet in the sand somewhere nice but alas the weather has gone chilly in London.

Once I was all set, I popped on my glorious new gold gem block heel sandals which I am wearing in a size 6 wide fit - and I would say that these are actually wide fit and true to size.

Thank you so much to Evans and Scholl for the lovely opportunity - my feet will be looking good for the rest of the Summer and beyond!

Nice Nails Baby!!

Good morning gorgeous readers!

So today I bring you a super fun review about a great spot in London to get your claws done! I am big fan of having my nails all done up pretty much always but sadly my feet often get neglected.

When I was contacted by Nice Nails Baby to go and test out their new Walking On Air pedicure, I jumped at the chance! As you probably know, I am currently just back from a holiday in Turkey, so having my toes prepped for the sun and sand before was definitely a must!

I went to the salon, located downstairs from the Electric Beach across from Clapham Junction station, where there is a tidy little salon full of treatment rooms and loads of neat magazine collages on the wall. I was ushered in to a cute little room with a bench high up so my feet were easily accessible for the esthetician. 

I had my feet soaked, scrubbed, grated, scrubbed again and then pampered with a mask and cream before my nails were tidied and painted a bold shade of red.

I often think the red makes me look more tanned – I’m pretty sure that’s not true but hey whatever makes me feel better!

My esthetician was lovely, and chatty and she made me feel totally at home. We chatted about music and work and lots more but it was so nice to just have a good chat.

I was totally taken by all the acrylic nail design examples that were around. I will definitely be back to get my claws done with some serious bling. I want bows and diamonds and everything else lavish and over the top, just because I can!

How lovely do my toes look? The bottoms of my feet were soft and smooth and ready for sandals!

Nice Nails Baby gets a great review in my book and I will share my claws when I get a chance to get back to Clapham and have them done up!

I’d love to know if you have been to Nice Nails Baby! They also do lots of other treatments like waxing so you can do a one-stop shop for all your beauty musts.

Find Nice Nails Baby on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube!

My Buddy Box

So thanks to the insane cost of London living, my handsome fiancé, Steven, and

I live in one room in a shared house in west London. We have a nice little place, but I must say that between my shopping and blogging bits, my side of the room is always a bit hectic. Recently, I received this big plastic box* MyBuddy Box and it's been a big help!

The idea is that you can fold it away and then pop it out whenever you need, like for a big shop, or going on a day out to the park with a picnic and toys or even just for general storage,

It’s really clever and the box, once opened up is really sturdy and reinforced so would be ideal for pretty much anything – even transporting things like plants in the back of your car. I know that sounds like a bit of silly suggestion coming from me, but back in Canada, that’s the kind of thing that we do.

Even something as simple as doing a big shop a couple of times a month, would be the ideal time to use a “My Buddy Box” – where we usually use big bags that are really tough to carry and end up crushing anything delicate – this could all be avoided and things could be tidily packed away and ready to be popped in the car. 

Since, I have my groceries delivered and currently have a tough time storing things in my room, as soon as I saw the box opened, I knew how I would use it.  For the last 6 months, my poor shoes have been in a toppling tower in two boxes, that have seen better days – and now, they all fit in this cute leopard print buddy box! Not only does that corner look so much nicer, but it also means that I have all my shoes in view and can grab what I need easily.

You can find My Buddy Box here and if you do get one snap a photo and share with me what you use it for!