• Home
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Links
  • About
  • Guest Blogger
  • Contact

Tricia's Musings

Random Thoughts about life in general, living in the big city of Toronto

  • Home and Lifestyle
  • Recreation
  • Health Fitness and Beauty
  • Entertainment
  • Web and Technology


You are here: Home / Archives for Shopping

Mother’s Day Cookies

March 28, 2013 by Trish

Image by Gourmet Cookie BouquetsMother’s Day, a wonderful day to celebrate the important moms in your life – and a great excuse to get into the kitchen and whip up some magic.  If you look forward to holidays just so you can experiment with new recipes, techniques, and supplies, you’re not alone!  We all love cookies, and special occasions are tailor-made for those who love to make them.  This Mother’s Day, give the special mom in your life a sweet treat that shows her how much you care.

Basic Cookie, Spectacular Results

If Mom enjoys gardening and the great outdoors, create a garden cookie bouquet.  You can purchase sets of garden cookie cutters, or you can make do with what you already have.  Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe (chilling the dough before and after shaping will help the cookies keep their shape) and roll your dough about ½ again as thick as normal.

Cut your garden shapes; butterflies, flowers, ladybugs, watering cans, and seed packages are all cute ideas (and you can make ladybugs with regular circle cutters and seed packages with a square cutter or butter knife).  Insert wooden skewers or craft sticks into the bottom of the cookies and bake.  The thicker cookies will take a little longer to bake so keep your eyes on them to prevent burning.

When the cookies are cooled, use icing, decorating tips, colored sugars, edible markers, and candy bits to decorate in bright, summery colors. If the cookies are not going to be eaten right away, you can wrap each one with plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon.  Place a piece of Styrofoam or florists’ foam in an unused plant pot or galvanized pail and insert the skewers. Cover the foam with tissue paper, and voila, a gorgeous, delicious cookie bouquet.

A New Arrangement

If your recipient really loves chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, or another variety that doesn’t lend itself to being skewered, think about different ways you can present your cookie gift to her.

  • A gift basket starring cookies.  You can fill in your container with teas, coffees, fruit, and other goodies.
  • Get treat bags and wrap each cookie individually. You can then write a sweet message on each.  This is great if you have children who want to make a special mom a treat.
  • Use a fun container. Try a galvanized pail, a giant coffee mug, an elegant glass canister, a recipe box she can reuse, or give her cookie mix in a jar.

But you can also use cookies as the container.  Why not make cookie bowls and fill them with a little baggie full of ice cream sundae accoutrements like sprinkles or sanding sugar or serve mom dessert in one of these fun bowls?  You simply make your dough, flip over a muffin pan and form the dough over the cups. Bake and you have an edible bowl!

It’s the thought that counts, so be sure to put a little extra thought and care into your Mother’s Day cookies!

Attached Images:
  •  License: Image author owned




Filed Under: Family, Featured, Gifts, Home and Lifestyle Tagged With: cookie, gift basket, Mother's Day Cookies, Recipes, shapes, sugar cookie, supplies, techniques

5 Ultimate Ways To Break In New Shoes

March 26, 2013 by Trish

Leather shoesWe’ve all been in those shoes – you know, the ones that absolutely destroy your feet to a point where you can’t even wear them past the breaking-in stage. Yeah, those. The ones we usually spend obscene amounts of money on just to have them never quite fully break in and rip apart our poor little footsies in the process.

Before you give up on those bad boys (and trust me, I know how tempting it is to give up on them and just adore them from afar in your shoe closet), try some more creative ways of breaking them in without completely totaling your feet. Don’t worry – here are 5 ultimate tips to help you in your process.

Stretch ’em Out, Moleskin Style

Many of the problems associated with new shoes come in the form of tightness and pinching in super uncomfortable areas that make your feet ache all day long. You may have heard the trick of putting a piece of moleskin over the part of your foot that’s being pinched, but this tip takes it one step further.

Place the moleskin on your foot where it is being pinched, then soak your foot in water, with the moleskin on (the sticky stuff on moleskin is pretty waterproof). Once your foot is dry, slip it into the shoe that’s causing the pain and wear the shoe around for a bit. Since the moleskin has been soaked in water, it’s expanded, and can therefore help expand the exact parts of the shoe that are pinching in the first place.

It’s an easier way to stretch out just the right areas of the shoes that are hurting you without having to resort to your big-foot friend wearing the shoes around for you to stretch them out on your behalf (talk about a ruined pair of shoes!).

Drown ’em

Water isn’t exactly the best thing you can put a new pair of leather shoes into contact with, but, when used properly, it can really help to stretch out your shoes in just the right way.

First, make sure you thoroughly waterproof a new pair of leather shoes with some sort of waterproofing agent or spray. Once you’re sure the agent is dry and the shoes are waterproof, just dunk them into a big pot of water and hold them down for about 2 minutes.

After you pull them out of the water, put a pair of heavy white socks on your feet, and put on your wet shoes. Just walk around in them for a bit until they dry, and the water will help mold the leather to the exact size and shape of your foot. Voila – a custom-fitted pair of shoes!

Freeze ’em

Freezing your shoes is another method to help stretch out painful areas of the shoes that are a bit too tight and pinching on your skin. All you need is a small Ziplock bag for each shoe you’re working to stretch. Fill each bag about 1/4 of the way with water.

Seal the bag, then stuff the water-filled end into the part of the shoe that you’re hoping to stretch. Then, throw the shoes in the freezer. Wait until all of the water in the bag is fully frozen, then pull the shoes out of the freezer. Let the ice thaw completely on a counter top or table while it’s still stuffed into the shoe.

Dry off the shoes (they should only be slightly wet, not soaking – if they’re soaking, your bag probably popped a hole at some point during the freezing process) with a paper towel. Then, try them on. Rumor has it this method can help you stretch a too-small pair of shoes by 1/2 or up to a full size!

Blow Dry ’em

One of the fastest methods for breaking in a new pair of shoes can be to take a hair dryer to them much like you would to your hair while it’s wet. Cover your feet with a few pairs of socks (as many as you can manage to stuff into the shoes themselves), then take your hair dryer to the spots of the shoes that are too tight.

While you’re blasting the heat at the sore spots, wiggle your feet around as much as you can. Use the heat long enough to heat the actual material of the shoe, then turn the hair dryer off. Walk around in the shoes while they cool if you can manage the pain (the socks should help ease it a bit).

Again, wearing them as they cool can help mold the material to fit the exact size and shape of your foot for a much more custom fit that won’t hurt your footsies!

Feed ’em Some Starch

Believe it or not, potatoes can be a great tool to help you in stretching out your shoes quickly and efficiently. Peel a potato, stuff it into your shoe where you’re hoping to stretch it out, leave it overnight, then remove in the morning!

There’s something about the wetness and the starch in a peeled potato that, when absorbed into the material of your new shoes, can help it stretch out gradually. Then, with the size of the potato in the shoes, the material stretches to accommodate the bulk.

Surprisingly enough, banana peels are rumored to work in a similar way, so don’t be afraid to just stuff some food in the parts of your shoes that are too tight! It sounds a little weird, but if it works, it’s worth a try, right?

Attached Images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Filed Under: Featured, Health Fitness and Beauty, Shopping Tagged With: blow dry, break in, Freeze, Moleskin, new shoes, pinching, Starch, stretch, waterproofing

Gifts For Recent Graduates

March 20, 2013 by Trish

gifts

As everybody knows, the economic climate is making it very tough to find a job. This is especially true for those who are leaving education and attempting to embark on a career without any sort of work experience to fall back on, as many employers are likely to prefer those with a little more practical knowledge. If you know somebody who’s just about to embark upon the next stage of their life and enter the workforce, read on to find a gift idea that will suit them.

For Guys – A Good Tie

This is an item which is absolutely essential for anybody who is staring down the barrel of a dozen interviews, and one which many graduates could conceivably lack. Unless their college or family is in the habit of holding formal events, many young men will not have a decent tie to call their own, instead relying on whatever tired-looking rag that their Dad would trust them with. Try to get something which is silk and will go well with shirts of various colors. Bonus points if you also teach them to tie a half-Windsor knot!

A Cookbook

Chances are that your graduate went straight to college from home, where most (if not all) of their meals were prepared by Mom and Dad. Many students take advantage of meal plans offered by their school’s cafeteria, and if not, they probably order a whole lot of pizza. A decent cookbook can provide hundreds of recipes to suit virtually every taste and budget. A great example is How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman. This very popular publication boasts instruction on 2000 meals – that should be enough for anybody to survive on!

An E-Reader

Anybody who’s ever been to college knows that there’s a whole lot of reading involved. So much so that a recent graduate can be put off the activity for a quite a while after they receive their diploma! Make sure that they have one fewer excuse to rot their brain in front of the TV with this gift idea. E-readers are now available for well under $100 and enable the user to store many books without having to lug around a load of paperbacks wherever they go. You could also give them a gift card that will allow them to make their first online literary purchase.

A Blu-Ray Player

When your graduate moves into their first post-college apartment and gets a job, it’s pretty likely that they’ll be keen to move past the student phase of their life. With a 9am start each day, they won’t be hitting the bars and hosting house parties anywhere near as often, and will have to adjust to a quieter lifestyle. Unfortunately, their starting salary probably won’t fund all the things that they could use to entertain themselves, so why not help out by picking up a Blu-Ray player? This should help keep them distracted on a boring Wednesday night.

photo by:

Filed Under: Featured, Gifts, Shopping Tagged With: Blu-Ray Player, college, Cookbook, E-Reader, Gift Idea, Gifts, Good Tie, Guys, Recent Graduates

Geekchic, Smart Is The New Sexy

March 7, 2013 by Trish

Can a Geek be Chic?

Tink : Geek ChicWho would have guessed that there would come a time where the library girl is the most fashionable? Television shows and movies have a way of influencing the individual as well as inspire designers and stylists alike. What used to be items that were worn for pure necessity and comfort have now become must-have trendy pieces. Think in the lines of thick frame glasses, backpack handbags, Peter Pan collar shirts and shift dresses.

To understand the overall fashion trend that is Geek Chic let us take a look at some of the Geek chic Icons:

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel can almost be seen as the poster child of Geek Chic. She pulls of the thick rimmed glasses and adds a personal geeky touch to her pedicure whenever the occasion allows it. Deschanel started this nail art trend with her little ‘bow tie’ nail polish on the red carpet.

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake pulls off the geeky guy style down to the T. His off screen style is not far from what he wore in the movie ‘Bad Teacher’. Apart from the obvious glasses and sunglasses he is sometimes seen wearing.  JT also likes to experiment with printed suits and bow ties.  Jessica Biel’s beau really knows how to look smart, and be smart all in one take.

Alexa Chung

Socialite Alexa Chung has the added attitude that goes with this geek style. These individuals aren’t over the top and come across rather shy. Alexa will always stay true to her simplistic nerdy style and her chopped fringe haircut further adds to this look.

Key Items to Get Your Smart On

The Eyewear

The most obvious item for looking smart is the thick rimmed black glasses. Even people that don’t need glasses are wearing clear frames in order to pull off the same look. These glasses really frame your face and the comical size will add to the excess of nerdiness. The stranger the outfit the more ‘unique’ you will appear.

The Accessories

Anything relating to technology, old school movies or even academics can be added to your list of geeky accessories. Bows don’t just need to be attached to ties but they can make an appearance on hair bands, belts, armbands, earring and even rings. Moustache accessories and statement pendants are also a bit hit.

When it comes to earring and pendant necklaces these items will be the key of your entire outfit. Earrings symbols such as hearts, Mario plants, and bows can be spotted on a geek chic fashionista.

The Shoes

Pumps seem to be popular with this style as well as your basic sneakers. These sneakers are now available in a variety of pretty colors that can suit your style and wardrobe. The classic ‘school shoe’ can also be worn with high waist skirts and shift dresses in addition to your nerdy ensemble.

Just because you are trying the geek style look does not mean you have to kiss your heels goodbye. Pump heels or T-bar heels can help you walk a mile in this style.

The Clothes

You will find that the geek chic clothes will be a combination of nerdy and girly, so don’t be surprised to see some bling and shimmer added to pastel colors and neutral items.

Memes are taking over the internet and it’s only natural that the intelligent humor would be synonymous with the geek style. Printed t-shirts is very common, and the smarter the phrase the better the craze.

Cardigans also form a big part of the nerdy look, some choose to wear fitted jerseys and others prefer the boy jersey baggy look.  These cardigans and pullover can be neutral, pastel or even printed with something corny like hearts or cats. The geek style clothes come down to personal preference and most importantly individual interests.

The polka dot print has become timeless and combining a sheer Peter Pan collar polka dot shirt with boyfriend jeans or playful skirts will bring out the nerd in you. Checkered print shirts, skirts and shorts are also a big hit with girly geek style.

These are just a few must have items to include in your geek chic fashion ensemble. The most important thing to remember is that you outfit should send a message while still remaining true to your personality. If you don’t want to take the risk by going all out; start by adding accessories and subtle items to your outfit.

 

photo by:

Filed Under: Fashion, Featured, Shopping Tagged With: accessories, backpack handbags, bow tie, Chic, clothes, designers, Eyewear, fashionable, Geek, Geekchic, influencing, Justin Timberlake, nerdy, New Sexy, shoes, stylists, thick frame glasses, Zooey Deschanel

The Ideal Pair Of Shoes For Holiday Festivities

January 7, 2013 by Trish

My daily existence often feels like an 18-hour sprint, so I opt for shoes that comfortable and functional. I hope for stylish, but comfort always wins out when I am confronted with the chaos of my days. Therefore, a special pair of sexy shoes is a necessity when the holiday party season arrives. Although I may bargain hunt or reuse wardrobe elements to create fashionable outfits for the wide range of holiday get-togethers, I do splurge a bit on festive, fashionable footwear that can accessorize any of my holiday looks. This holiday season’s elegant shoe choice is Zara’s black pumps with metallic platform.

Crafted from 100 percent goat leather, these black pumps are sleek and elegant, but the 5 ½ inch heels also make them sexy and graceful. The gold metallic platform shines and shimmers, and the gold chain detail between the leather and the metallic platform is stunning and distinctive. The ideal marriage of basic black and beautiful bling makes these pumps fashionable and easy to pair with a number of holiday looks.

Formal Attire

My new Zara pumps are the perfect pairing with this winter’s luxurious fabric trends, such as leather, fur, and velvet. For the most formal affair of the holiday season, Victorian-inspired velvet is elegant and warm: a black or emerald green velvet floor-length maxi skirt topped with a white silk pleated top and a pashmina wrap or a lacy camisole and a tuxedo jacket. Trimmed with gold jewelry and the pumps’ gold platforms peeking out from under the skirt, this ensemble is sophisticated and chic, and the pieces are versatile in any wardrobe.

Upscale Evening Wear

For a gathering where a black tie is a bit too more formality, choose the perfect little black dress as the foundation. Jackets are ideal layering pieces, and this season’s runways are filled with jacket options. Choose military-inspired, quilted, velvet, sequined bolero, studded leather, denim, or faux fur in any color of the rainbow. If you are not in the market for a new jacket, scour the closet for something that can be upcycled. For example, my favorite layering jacket this season was pulled out of the back of my husband’s closet. After a trip to the tailor’s for a few alterations and a visit to the dry cleaner’s for a bit of freshening up, this velvet plum 3-button is a soft and luxurious addition to my holiday wear.

By rolling the sleeves once or twice, the white and purple paisley print becomes an accent and my look is a little less formal. After I slip on my black Zara pumps and don black and purple jewelry with gold embellishments, all the elements of this ensemble come together stylishly.

Informal Gatherings

Most of the holiday celebrations this season will be less formal, but I am not going to give up my chic shoes. These pumps pair well with denim, dressing up a pair of dark-wash jeggings or skinny jeans. With a bright cranberry or crimson sweater or silk tunic and some vintage pearl jewelry, the Zara pumps add a touch of sophistication to my look. Likewise, these pumps provide a shapely lift when I slip on a pair of flared denim trousers and a button-down blouse, a look that can take me from my day at work to an evening holiday celebration with friends.

Whatever your social calendar holds this holiday season and beyond, a great pair of pumps can elevate your fashion choices. Treat yourself — Happy holidays!!

Abigail Hess is a fashion consultant, a mother of four, and a writer for Uncomfortable Foot.  She loves following the latest fashion trends and shopping for great deals at local retailers.

Filed Under: Fashion, Shopping Tagged With: accessorize, attire, comfortable, evening wear, fashionable, footwear, formal, functional, heels, holiday festivities, ideal, leather, pumps, shoes, spikes

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 107
  • Next Page »

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Categories

Sites of Interest

Useful Links

Eavestrough Cleaning Toronto

Shopping

Gifts, Gadgets,
Books and More!

Recent Posts

  • Is your home well insulated or do you have energy leaks?
  • Pet Safety Tips
  • Top 10 Most Fundamental Yoga Poses For Beginners
  • Will My Interior Décor Stand The Test Of Time?
  • Outdoor Furniture- Spicing Up Your Backyard
  • Ensuring You Have A Good Experience Staying At Hotels With Children
  • Mother’s Day Cookies

Recent Comments

  • Bill on Top 10 Most Fundamental Yoga Poses For Beginners
  • [bonus]old school new body-f4x workout on Why does my husband always bring home the wrong stuff?
  • Rodhe Stevens on 5 Little Known Secrets To Finding Cheap (But Durable) Furniture
  • Julia Carlson on How To Install A Mosaic Tile Kitchen Backsplash
  • Humane Raccoon Deterrent Idea on Helped save a baby raccoon last night

Subscribe


Subscribe to our RSS Feed It's FREE!

Subscribe to Tricia's Musings by Email It's FREE!


Follow me on TWITTER

Find us on Google +



Find us on Facebook



I have two mottos-
1. Live life to the fullest; and
2. Don't have any regrets.

Get More Traffic

Visitors since 2006

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Search this site

Tags

blog blogs camera Canada Chris computer crohns dinner dog Family flower flowers Food friends funny garden Gardening Green Thumb Sunday Health and Fitness Health Fitness and Beauty holiday home Home and Lifestyle house husband IBD Inflammatory bowel disease Internet Music neighbors pain photo photos plants puppy Shopping sick sleep spring Toronto TV Video visit website Wordless Wednesday

Blogs I Visit

  • Table For Five
  • Ah Ok Lah
  • LifeCruiser
  • Say No to Crack
  • Organic Gardening Tips

Copyright © 2026 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in