The Weekly Roundup: Michael Kors Crossbody Bag and H & M Makeup Haul

Can you believe that the Labour Day long weekend is approaching?  Where did the Summer go?  The city is amok with students and their helicopter parents.  This Summer has been a roller coaster whirlwind for me with a lot of personal highs and lows.  Hopefully more peaceful days are ahead.  I just had some family members come in to town for a visit.  They were so kind as to give me my first Michael Kors bag.

I love the neutral tan that can transition effortlessly from Summer to Fall.  It is a very convenient crossbody with a strap that is a mix of gold chain and leather.

There aren't that many big summer sales left but I did score a nice H & M makeup haul.  It is H & M so their prices are already easy on the wallet but the sale prices will you have scooping up makeup by the handful.

I have always wanted to try invisible powder so one of these came home with me.  To date, I have been sceptical about invisible powder being truly invisible.  However, I can attest that applied with a light deft hand, you will not end up looking like Casper the Friendly Ghost.  I think I must have bought five tubes of the concealer.  I use it daily but there is only a tiny 2.2 ml in there which gets used up very, very quickly.  The $9.99 regular price may seem affordable but if you are having to replace it every couple of weeks, the cost can quickly mount.  However, at the sale price of $2.99, it gets the green light from me.

I am always on the hunt for pretty gifts that I can stockpile to give away.  This makeup palette has a great mix of matte and glittery shades that are perfect for Fall.  I haven't used a powder compact foundation in years but wanted to try out H & M's version ($5.99 on sale).  The gel nail polish in Bordeaux is a great Fall colour ($2.99 on sale).  

Can you believe that the next Weekly Roundup will be in September?

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Personalizing Your Home With A Custom Canvas Print: Canvas Factory Review and Giveaway

In 2018, I lost my beloved furbaby, Peter.  His birthday is in August and if he had lived, he would be turning 13.  I really wanted to find some way to commemorate him so when Canvas Factory reached out to me, I was thrilled.  Canvas Factory is an online site where you can upload a favourite photo and have it transformed into a canvas print, ready to hang up in your home.  I took my time sifting through countless photos of Peter to choose the one that really captured the essence of his personality.  After I had made my choice, I went to Canvas Factory’s website.  Their website is incredibly user friendly and walks you through each step of creating your own custom canvas print.

1. Size – You can choose your dimensions from a wide variety of shapes and sizes. I selected a 50 cm x 40 cm (20″ x 16″) print.
2. Select Photo – I uploaded the photo I wanted to use to their site. I was able to adjust the photo to have the image where I wanted it on the canvas.
3. Wrap Style – You can choose how the edge of the canvas border will look. You can have the image wrap around the edge of the border (Gallery Wrap), mirror the image (Mirror Wrap), or choose a colour that complements the image on the edges (Colour Wrap). I chose white on the edges as the main background colour of my photo is white.
4. Effect – You are able to change the look of the image for your print. You also have the option to add text to make your print extra special. I chose not to add text as Peter is lying on a book with its spine facing outwards.  I felt that any more text would have made the print look too busy.
5. Checkout – I made arrangements to have my canvas print shipped to my door. I also received my invoice via email that notified me that my canvas had been produced and had been shipped.  I received a final email to tell me that the print had been delivered.  Yay!
6. Delivery- This took approximately 10 business days from the time I placed my order.

As I was waiting for my print to arrive, I was filled with excitement and oddly, trepidation.  Peter was a huge part of my life for years and his passing left an indescribable void of pain and loss.  I wanted to celebrate his life in a meaningful way.   I need not have worried.  The parcel arrived securely packaged in a sturdy cardboard box.  When I pulled out the print, I saw that it was shrink wrapped in plastic with cardboard corners.

I cannot describe the rush of happiness I felt, gazing upon my canvas print.  The quality is excellent.  I was worried that the photo would look grainy and out of focus when enlarged but the fine details of the photo are still present.  The texture of the canvas actually gives his fur a very lifelike quality.

I hung the print above a dresser that sits in a corner of my bedroom.  Now, every morning Peter's handsome face greets me as I get ready to start my day.
Having a photo that is special to you transformed into a canvas print is a wonderful way to add art to your home that is significant and personal.

Whether it is to capture a special event like a wedding or graduation, remember a significant time in your life or just to express your artistic talents, hanging up a canvas print is a marvelous way to personalize your home.

CANVAS FACTORY GIVEAWAY

And now for the Giveaway!  Canvas Factory has generously offered a custom canvas print to a L’Heure Bleue At Home reader.  The winner of the giveaway will be given a special code so that they can redeem a 50 cm x 40 cm (20″ x 16″) print OR a 45 cm x 30 cm (18″ x 12″) print.

Make sure you are a subscriber and leave a comment telling me where in your home you would hang your Canvas Factory print.

The giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canadian residents and ends at 11:59 EDT on August 19, 2019.  Good luck!

Rules: Open to Canadian and US residents 18 +. You have 48 hours to reply by email once you are notified as the winner. If you don’t, we will draw another entry. Void where prohibited by law. Prize is non-transferable. No substitution or cash equivalent of prizes is permitted.  L’Heure Bleue At Home is not responsible for prize fulfillment and for the delivery/shipment of the prize(s) mentioned above.  One entry per person.  GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Christopher M was the winner in the Giveaway.  Keep reading for more fantastic Giveaways in the near future!
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Linking up with DIY by Design and Between Naps on the Porch.

July Monthly Favourites Kate Spade and Sodastream

Now that Summer is at its sweltering height, I am obsessed with cold drinks.  I received a Sodastream for Christmas.  At the time, I was slightly less than enchanted.  My first thought was "Oh no, another appliance!" I have done a complete 180 and I am obsessed with it.  There is nothing better than a cold fizzy drink in Summer.  What is even better is knowing that I don't have to keep running to the grocery stores because I have an endless supply at home.  As it was a gift, I don't know where it was purchased from but I know Bed Bath and Beyond has them.

We used to buy multiple bottles of fizzy water every week and switching to a Sodastream has saved us a significant amount.  As well, it helps the environment as well as we don't have to worry about recycling all those empty bottles.  You can buy all sorts of syrups to flavour the water but I prefer it plain.  I think I may have to buy a couple more spare bottles as I go through the single bottle that comes with the Sodastream quite quickly.

Next up is my gorgeous Kate Spade crossbody bag.  It was a gift from family.  I had requested a crossbody bag as my shoulders were not taking kindly to having a heavy weight constantly dangling off one side. I was beginning to list to one side like a drunken sailor. However, I wanted one that looked stylish as many crossbody bags tend to have a more casual vibe.  First of all, the packaging that it came in was so pretty.  It was ordered from the Kate Spade website and delivered to Canada.  Delivery time was approximately 2 weeks.

The tissue paper features the "spade" symbol in a repeating four leaf clover design.

I love my bag.  It isn't overly large which keeps me from overstuffing it.  I keep the essentials in it like my wallet and phone. There is one inner zipped side pocket.  The adjustable strap is excellent quality. Oftentimes, the crossbody strap that comes with a bag is just an afterthought but this one has pretty, matching goldtone hardware and the strap itself is made of sturdy woven nylon.

I was surprised that it didn't come with a dustbag as my Kate Spade satchel came with one.  Maybe nylon Kate Spade bags don't come with one?  Anyway, I love it.  It feels so comfortable to wear but still looks very stylish.

Do you have a Sodastream (or something equivalent)?  Have you tried any of the flavouring syrups?  If yes, which one is your favourite?

Make sure you are subscribed and keep your eyes on this space as there is an AMAZING GIVEAWAY coming up soon!

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