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Sunday 30 June 2013

Weekly Roundup

I hope everyone's week went well! This week has been much better than the past few weeks. I don't have much to say, but I just want to remind you all if you haven't already done so, enter the Foxy Originals giveaway to win a free pair of earrings of your choice! Also, if you don't win, you aren't at a total loss, if you enter FOXYSUMMER15 at checkout you get a 15% discount at Foxy Originals

Here is the weekly roundup

TO EAT
Jesus has come back to Earth in the form of brownies. Check out this Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting recipe

TO WEAR
I'm not a huge tea drinker, but this adorable teapot dress makes me want to start drinking it!

TO LISTEN
I'm currently drinking a corona and lime so this song is totally relevant. 

TO DECORATE
This bookcase is a clever way to add a pop of colour to any room

TO SEE
The perfect place for me, I love nice people, dancing, and country.

TO CREATE
What a creative way to add a little more fun to your balloons! Check it out here

Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin since GFC is ending tomorrow!

Saturday 29 June 2013

5 Things I Struggle With As A Blogger...

When I began blogging in November I had so many ideas flowing through my crazy head. Blogging has been an amazing experience. I've met many wonderful bloggers, gained more knowledge than I ever thought I would about style, blogging, marketing, advertising, writing, photography, beauty etc., The blogging community is such an amazing community that I am so proud to be apart of. But, apart of me feels that I'm lagging behind in some skills other bloggers have. I'm my own worst critic, I want to be the best that I can be. I love to learn and I continue to learn about the blogging community as I go. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who lacks at these skills, but I know that every blogger has some skill they would like to learn more about and improve on. Here are some skills that I lack and will continue to work on. 

1. Photoshop/HTML/Coding and a bunch of other computer skills 
I spend a lot of time on the computer, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get my photos looking like half the bloggers out there. I also can't design an attractive blog layout if my life depended on it. These sorts of things are extremely handy while being a blogger, and it's something I lack, but I try to improve everyday.

2. Grammar
This is something I have struggled with for....like, ever. My mind is racing a million miles a second, so when I write, I write. I try and correct my grammar, but it's something that I'm just not the best at. I am my own worst critic, and I know that my grammar isn't at the place where other bloggers are. I find it even more embarrassing when I read foreign blogs who write their blogs in two languages and still have better English grammar than me. As long as my readers will forgive me for my bad grammar, I'll continue to blog.

3. Picture taking
As a fashion blogger I don't have as many outfit posts as I would like. There are a couple reasons for this. One: I'm the least photogenic person on the planet. I have straight teeth but I hate smiling in pictures with them. I have people tell me '0Mg SuMMeR YoU aRe Ph0T0GenIc" stop lying, I know I'm not and this is an issue I am trying to overcome because I'm not a huge selfie taking individual. I also tend to get people who take pictures of me who have no idea how to use a camera, so I just avoid it at all costs. I should probably invest in a tripod but I'm a FRUGAL blogger which means I try not to spend money as much as possible. 

4. Consistent Blogging
This is something I really cannot help. The past few months have been extremely busy and stressful. I love blogging, it's not something I like to put on hold. I have just been working my butt off in other endeavours in my life and so sometimes, my blogging falls behind but it's not because I don't want to blog, it's because I can't.

5. Answering comments
I used to answer every single comment that I got, but I realized that none of my readers actually read my responses. I read every comment I get and take it to heart, and really WANT to respond but I don't think they are actually going to read my responses. I like when they leave their blog links so I'm able to visit their blog and comment on a post. If you have a solution on how readers can read my responses let me know because I don't like ignoring comments!!! 

There you have it, I admitted to my blogging faults, something that takes a lot of courage to  share with the blogging community. I think that as a blogger, it's important to know what skills you lack in, and what skills you exceed in in order to grow as a blogger. Hopefully one day I'll become a blogging guru and can make a blog layout that trumps everyone else's, and my grammar will be so impeccable that I could start writing novels. What are some blogging skills you could improve on? 



Thursday 27 June 2013

Frugal Fashion Finds Friday: Scallop Scallop Scallop!

I'm currently obsessing over scallops right now (not potatoes even though those are delicious). I know many bloggers are loving the scallop trend currently, and I'm here to show you how you can grab the perfect scallop item for your closet! My favourite scalloped(?) item I own is from Tobi which is online  for $57 which may be a little pricey for my frugal readers, but your first purchase is 50% off! (Seriously though how do I plural scallop clothing without making it sound like scalloped potatoes?) Here are some of my favourite scalloped pieces under $50.




Wednesday 26 June 2013

{GIVEAWAY} What I'm Wearing Wednesday: Foxy Originals Jewelry


 What I'm Wearing: Necklace c/o: Foxy Originals, Earrings c/o: Foxy Originals, Dress: Threadsence, Bag: Nastygal (similar), Shoes (old): Ardenes

I'm so excited to share with all you frugal females a Canadian-based jewelry store that I have recently collaborated with that sells affordable and adorable accessories. Canadian designers and owners Jennifer Ger and Suzie Chemel founded Foxy Originals on the commitment to make jewelry that makes women look fabulous without having to empty their pockets. 

 When Stephanie from Foxy Originals contacted me I was thrilled! I was lucky enough to choose two items of my choice and I was beyond satisfied. I had been looking for a dreamcatcher necklace for some time now, and this one was perfect, it is by far my new favourite necklace that I own. The tribal trend is really in right now, and I'm obsessed with these earrings that I have. The colour, the shape, the style and not to mention how they didn't give my ears that crusty gross feeling after I take my earrings out that most earrings do. A few of my other favourites that Foxy Originals have in stock are thisthis and this. Oh and did I mention that this wonderful shop ships internationally!?

GIVEAWAY
The wonderful people at Foxy Originals are sending a pair of earrings of your choice to a reader on Oh Summer Candy! I will announce the winner next Wednesday on July 3th. This giveaway is open to everyone because Foxy Originals ships internationally.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


SPECIAL OFFER
Foxy Originals are also offering Oh Summer Candy reader's an exclusive discount on their website! Just enter FOXYSUMMER15 at checkout for 15% off until July 30, 2013. Thank you ladies! 


Tuesday 25 June 2013

Trapped in a Flood

If you read yesterday's post, you would know that I was affected by the Alberta Flooding. It's like nothing I have ever seen before. Although I was stuck in Lake Louise, Lake Louise is definitely not the worst place to be stranded. Lake Louise seemed to be fine but surrounding areas were a mess. Here are a few pictures Paul and I took on our mandatory vacation. 

It all started with a nice visit in Banff with friends. My friend Kailey (right) left Banff that night to make it to work the following morning, little did she know she would be out of a job that morning. The entire golf course she worked at in Kananakis, Alberta was destroyed by the flooding. She was stranded for five days without food, power, cell reception or water. The military had to build a temporary bridge for the people to leave.

This is a picture of some flooding on the highway from Banff to Lake Louise. The highway was closed the majority of the day on Thursday but opened up on Thursday night. It closed again as soon as Paul and I arrived in Lake Louise later that evening. 

Eager to make it to work the following day (since I took a week off after the passing of my Grandma) we were welcomed with another closed off highway to Jasper. There were multiple mudslides on the highway and we were stuck in Lake Louise for an additional three nights until they cleaned up the mudslides. 

Everyday we would check this board at least ten times hoping for the highway to be open. 





If we were going to be stranded we had to eat! The Chateau Lake Louise was actually running low on food because they couldn't receive any food deliveries. Paul and I were very lucky to be where we were, we felt guilty for how beautiful Lake Louise was while everyone surrounding us was suffering.

They upgraded our room the second night and we got two views. Look at this view! I couldn't believe how we were going from literally something that looked like an apocalypse to this. 
 We were able to go on a canoe ride. The water is absolutely stunning. PS don't canoe with Paul, he doesn't listen to you if you are the steerer. 


 Paul made me hike an entire mountain in a dress and flats. A four hour hike up without water, sunscreen or my puffer. I almost slipped down the mountain a few times, and almost fainted.. But I was definitely the best dressed at the top of the mountain. 

Although Paul and I missed a few days at work, we didn't suffer even a fraction as some of the Albertans we know. I would like to send my condolences to the people deeply affected from the floodings and I hope everything will get back to normal as soon as possible. It's just absolutely crazy how you could be in a beautiful village and everything surrounding you is destroyed.

Monday 24 June 2013

Music Monday: Flooding WIth Memories

Hey everyone! I've been absent for the past week because I have been stranded in Alberta without a computer. If you aren't an Alberta resident, you may be unaware of the major flooding that has happened here. On Wednesday night, Paul and I decided to go to Banff for a night to visit some friends, little did we know we would be stuck in a storm that hit southern Alberta. I have never seen something so terrifying in my life, it literally looked like an apocalypse. We were stuck in Banff until the highway opened. While driving on the ghost highway there was flooding everywhere, and where I was didn't even get hit half as bad as Canmore, Bow Valley and Calgary. When we were on our way back to Jasper, we were trapped in Lake Lousie because of the multiple mudslides that were happening on the highway in Jasper. We were stuck (not the worst place to be trapped) in Lake Louise for three nights. A close friend of mine lost her job to the flooding, and had to go days without food, power and water. It's something I have never seen before. Tomorrow I'll upload some pictures of Paul and I's forced vacation. I didn't take many pictures of the flooding since I wasn't able to get any good shots, but if you have time make sure to go on YouTube and Google and look at some videos and pictures of the Alberta Flooding. 

You can make donations to the Canadian Red Cross here

The only good thing to come out of this flooding was this song by The Noisy Locomotive. They are a four man band who wrote a song on behalf of the Alberta Flooding. It's an awesome tune, give it a listen.


Lyrics:
"Rock you in your cradle
In your carriage ride
Don't you worry baby
I'll keep you nice and dry

Cougar creek's gone flooded
The town is high and dry
Got a bottle of whiskey babe
I think we'll be alright

Rain will keep on comin'
Rocks will pile high
We're buried to our knees
But we'll stay here til' we die"


Monday 17 June 2013

Music Monday With Guest Blogger: Sometimes Z Takes Pictures


Hey all! I'm Z from Sometimes Z Takes Pictures and I got lucky enough to guest post today! I'm a bit of a music nerd, usually leaning toward the "pop punk" side of things. I figured since I'm posting on OhSummerCandy, I might as well make a "summer playlist" to go along with everything. On here are a few classics (Mcfly, Fall Out Boy) along with modern classics (Major League, The Wonder Years), as well as a couple that are pretty new to me (Junior Doctor, Stereo Skyline). The summer months are the only time I let myself listen to music sweet enough to rot my teeth, so I might as well share. Kick back with a glass of lemonade and enjoy! 

(If you want to check out more of my music posts, you can look through my Tunesday feature or my recent how-to on concert safety.)



Thanks for guest posting on Oh Summer Candy today Z! You can read Z's blog here and make sure to like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter

Sunday 16 June 2013

Weekly Roundup

This week is probably one of the worst weeks I have had in my life. It all started out with a bad day at work, followed by a hike where I tripped and hit my head on a rock and ended with the passing of my Grandmother. If you read my post below, you can see how much I truly loved my Grandmother. It breaks my heart that I am not able to be with my family right now since I couldn't afford a flight home. Fortunately, I will be with them in a month and I am counting down the days until I am reunited with my family during this difficult time. The past week was rough, I barely left my bed, but once I was convinced to get out of my funk and get outside, things started to get a little better. Although I do have my moments of sadness, I keep reminding myself that she passed away peacefully and she is in a better place with Grampa now. I love and miss you Grandma.

TO EAT
If you don't love pizza something is seriously wrong with you. I'm looking forward to trying this Cauliflower Crust Pizza recipe. 

TO WEAR
I have been looking for a shirt with this Mean Girls inspired quote for ages

TO LISTEN
Candle In the Wind by Elton John was the chosen song for my Grandma's funeral. Also famously used for Princess Diana's funeral. 

TO DECORATE
Everything about this room is incredible. From the female portraits, to the green tufted couch. Gimme.

TO SEE
I'd love to find a place like this where I live. 

TO CREATE
This simple DIY comes with inspiring results.

Friday 14 June 2013

An Ode to Grandma

Baths, England in 2011

On the morning of June 12, 2013 I received an unfortunate phone call from my brother that my Grandma had passed away. I was in absolute total shock - and so was the rest of my family. We all swore that Grandma Pam would of lived until at least 100 like her mother, my great-grandmother, Naomi did. The reason it was so shocking is because she wasn't sick, she wasn't in the hospital, she didn't show any signs of illness. Grandma would go to Tim Horton's to get her morning coffee, followed by a swim at the local swimming pool, go visit a family member or two, make homemade cards for one of the 23 grandchildren and great-grandchildren she had, and then cook herself the tastiest yorkshire puddings this side of the globe. Apparently she was having indigestion the day prior to her passing, but it was a huge shock and still is to my family and I. Thankfully, she passed away peacefully in her sleep, and I am absolutely grateful for that.

Niagara Falls, Canada 2010

I was Grandma's youngest grand daughter (not including the great-grandchildren). When I was a little girl I would spend most of my summer's at my Grandma's house. Every morning, we would go to Tim Horton's and I would have a sprinkled vanilla doughnut and a Sprite. I would get annoyed that all she would watch are soap operas when I would want to watch Much Music. For dinner, we would usually drive to Wendy's since I was such a picky eater and I wouldn't dare touch fish to my mouth. I also liked to spend time and use her computer (was and still am a computer addict) because the computer at my house was down, or wasn't working, or the internet was still dial-up. My Grandma before she passed had almost as many social networks as a thirteen year old girl. My Mother can barely text, yet my Grandmother is pinning on Pinterest. 

Myself, my Mother and my Grandmother

My grandmother had to of been the most family oriented woman I had ever met. With five children, five son/daughter in-laws, 10 grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren and the family we have still back in England, that woman wouldn't miss a single birthday, graduation, wedding, prom etc., She even woke up at 4 in the morning to see my flight departure to Alberta the previous year. She always hosted a Family Reunion in the summer and a Christmas Party in the winter every year. And for every card you received, you would know that it was handmade with love. 

My brother Dallas, Grandmother, Myself, my Father, my Mother at prom.

For my graduation present, I was blessed with a two-week trip to England with my Grandmother. We stayed in London for a week where we made trips to Baths and Stonehenge. We also visited Cambridge where I got to meet wonderful family members Heather and John, and got to tour the University. Followed by a trip to my Grandmother's hometown, Huddersfield, Yorkshire where we spent a week and had the opportunity to meet more family members Pauline and John and their sons Dean, Paul and their significant others and children, and my hilarious second-cousin (?) Denise  and her children Vicky and Paul and even more family members that I could go on and on about. I couldn't believe all the family members I had in England that I hadn't met yet!  We got to travel to Stratford, and a bunch of small towns. I couldn't believe the beauty of the England farmland. I fell in absolute love with England, and I wouldn't of wanted to spend it with anybody else other than Grandma Pam.

Denise, Pauline, Grandmother, and Myself

Me and Grandma in London, England. 

When I was younger, my Grandmother gave me the most amazing gift I have ever received for Christmas. She gave me her ring that she wore for forty years. I have worn it for the past eight years and I never take it off. I feel completely naked without this ring. I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world. I am so grateful that my Grandma gave me this ring and I will hold on to it dearly for the rest of my life. 


On behalf of the huge Degg family, we love you so much Grandma. Each and every single one of us misses you dearly. We were all blessed with such an incredible Mother and Grandmother. We know that you are in a better place with Grampa and we are just happy that you passed on the way that you did. You will always be in our hearts. RIP. Love, Summer. 


Sunday 9 June 2013

Sunday Weekly Round Up

Hi everyone. I hope everyone's weekend has been going well. I've been feeling a little homesick lately. I miss all my friends back at my University. I feel like I've tried to create friendships here in Jasper, but my work schedule conflicts with that. I work at 6 am - 2 pm everyday which means I can't go out and get hammered like the rest of the people do here. Last summer I was here I had a solid group of friends, I was hiking at least once a week, socializing everyday, barely staying in my room and this summer all I do is work, sleep, eat. Not to mention Paul and I work opposite schedules so I barely get to hangout with him either. I'm just really homesick. I absolutely love the mountains but it seems like the mountains are the only thing that is keeping my company lately. 

TO EAT
Low Calorie Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells I can feel my mouth watering already.

TO WEAR
This is the perfect maxi dress for summer: Top of the Byline Dress

TO LISTEN
Meditating always makes me feel better. 

TO DECORATE

TO SEE
Take me here NOW

TO CREATE
DIY Margarita Body Scrub. Just make sure you don't start licking yourself in public. 

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