Happy dance in full force. Couldn’t wait to explode!

Okay, we get it — she likes Fossil. Ya. Apparently I’m completely obsessed with this brand.

I don’t know whether or not I haven’t been noticing it before, or if it’s because a Fossil store opened up in our local mall, or that I had something to do with influencing people to shop at Fossil. But lately everyone has been coming to me with their new Fossil purchases when they buy something in store and I just have to photograph it.

Like my boss for instance. She picked up the Georgia watch, and the turn-lock leather strap — both in Coral. A new fun color for Winter.Fossil Georgia and Turnlock wrap

My boss even surprised her daughter (my other co-worker) with the new Marlow Bifold wallet. It’s so tiny, but a perfect size for someone who doesn’t want a large wallet, right? Fits a few card slots, has a coin zipped area and a place to store cash. Aimster, it looks good on ya, ladio. Amy-with-Fossil-Marlow-Bifold

I was in Toronto last Wednesday and took the entire day off to explore the city and hang out with my friends at MAKE UP FOR EVER, and Fossil. My happy dance was in full force and couldn’t wait to explode. Especially at Fossil.

I do not know how I spent a few hours inside their Canadian headquarters. Dangit! I forgot to take a photo of my favorite person there, Lori! Next time. Of course it was all thanks to her keeping me laughing, and the conversation flowing that the hours just flew by.

Get this. If I’m new to meeting you, I’m usually quiet and awkward and my brain flies a mile a minute trying to not have these awkward silences. But at Fossil I feel so natural and comfortable inside the office, with everyone! I don’t understand how I was there for hours but I was, and it was great fun. Speaking in Italian accents, posing with new purses, and meeting some new friendly faces. Too bad I don’t live in Toronto or I’d submit my resume in!

I did leave for an hour or so and came BACK to Fossil to have a look around the leathers. I felt so exclusive! This time, I was allowed to take photos and I snapped away. Of course, since these items aren’t officially launched yet, I cannot show you photos.  But I can show you some blurred out one’s from far away to give you a little visual of what it’s like inside.

Sneak peek sorta thing, so you too can feel part of the team. :) Blurred out until the items actually launch. Then I’ll do a separate post showing you my favorite pieces! Fossil-Headquarters

I forget if this (blurred out) wallet I’m holding is from the Spring or Fall 2013 collection. Hoping it’s Spring so I can show you sooner than later. Fossil-wallet

This is the real deal folks. Amazing right? Those green bins off to the right of the photo were filled up with even more Fossil products but they were being packed away since there was a trade show out in Edmonton. Fossil-in-Toronto

Well. Since I can’t show you what’s in store for Spring 2013, and Fall 2013 — I thought I’d showcase some of my favorite key items from what is out in store’s now, and online. I was speaking with one of the women in the show room and she mentioned that Fossil is going to stop making shoes. Or have, already. Either or, I’m sad because the giraffe shoes I had picked out will never be made agaiiiinnn.

Maddox-Novelty-FlatI wanted to buy them but now I noticed that they only have a size 6 left. Arg! 

Okay back to my favorites that are now available for purchase:

Fossil-winter-favorites

  1. Georgia Glitz Stainless Steel Watch ($135)
  2. Chain Wrist Wrap ($28)
  3. Minnie Flat ($79)
  4. Elephant Charm ($18)
  5. and my MOST FAVORITE: Explorer Flap Clutch ($60)

No this is not a sponsored post. I love Fossil, remember?

Continue Reading

A new addition to my watch collection

I feel so lucky to be able to have a blog where I can review products and brands I’m passionate and enthusiastic about. I mean, if you’re not convinced by a product or item’s value, your post won’t portray it either.

This is why I reach out to my favourite companies more than I let them come to me. Don’t be passive. If  you want to work on something, ask to work on it.  The worst someone can say is no. Also, stay positive. Sometimes all you need to get your foot in the door is a good attitude.

I know I’ve stated before that you should let companies find you and have a ton of patience. Well, sometimes you do have to work for it, as it won’t always fall into your lap at the perfect time. For instance, I’m still in awe that I get to work with Fossil Canada, and since that took a lot of persistence, I did get my foot in the door and established a wonderful relationship (both professional and personal) with the women there. Everything takes time and effort. It’s all a process on how well you connect and interact with various people.

I didn’t realize I was such a huge fan of watches until I started noticing the growing collection on my dresser. This watch I received from The Watch Co, is no different. In fact, in 2012 Fossil purchased Skagen and some of its partners. Let’s sing it: “It’s a small world, after all.“Guess I have a love for all things Fossil related. Fossil watches still ranks #1 to me though :)

Skagen-watch-box-002

A new addition to my watch collection. The Skagen ceramic. skagen-ceramic-watch-in-box

I research my watches to an abnormal amount of time before deciding on a final product.  I saw the ceramic Skagen watches for the first time on a popular blog a number of years ago, and it just always stuck out to me. At the time being a newly hired designer at a job, it was out of my price range at $225. However now that I think of it, it’s quite an affordable watch

When I contacted The Watch Co for my second review I knew exactly what to pick out. Initially I went for the same style Skagen watch but in black. Unfortunately it was out of stock. Even after receiving the crisp white watch, I contemplated just buying the black one until my Boyfriend (and I quote) “You have a nice white one now.  No need to get carried away.  :)”. True enough. Having two white watches (Fossil Stella, and Skagen ceramic) and then two more black one’s (I have a Fossil Stella in black) would be getting a little carried away. You can see my watch collection here.

Skagen-watch-boxThe box that the Skagen watch came in was well designed and packaged. As a Graphic Designer, I can appreciate the thought process that comes into creating a showcase to present the product. The watch itself was settled into a plush leather pillow which was perfectly secure in the box.

Skagen-007I love larger watch faces on my small wrists. The ceramic band makes wearing it carefree and luxurious, and it won’t break the bank like some of the more expensive versions (Michele, Rado, or Armani to name a few).

The Skagen, I want to say is a more sophisticated version of the Fossil Stella I own. While the Fossil watch is fun and playful, the Skagen has an up scale design with a low profile, as it doesn’t lift off the wrist very high. I didn’t notice that it was on and I kept having to check my wrist to see if it was still there. I ended up having 6 links removed from the watch in order to have the perfect fit on my toddler sized wrist. Skagen-Instagram4

Ceramic material is used in all sorts of ways, these days. That’s not to say that your ceramic watch is going to be completely durable. Some of the materials used in ceramic watches are brittle. You can certainly wear it on a daily basis, but you need to exercise caution. The watch can shatter or crack if hit against a hard surface. The links are replaceable, so it’s not the end of the world if one gets damaged.

This is the first ceramic watch I’ve owned. Now, there’s pro’s and con’s to owning ceramic watches which I didn’t realize until the woman at the watch repair shop removing the links, mentioned to me.

  1. Do not put your watch on your wrist with tiled floors below you. If you’re clumsy like me, and drop the watch it will shatter.
  2. Ceramic is highly scratch resistant. Great if you plan on wearing it on a daily basis.
  3. Ceramic is incredibly shiny and very durable. Yes, ceramic jewellery is very long lasting.
  4. Although ceramic is strong and scratch-resistant, it can chip. So store it on its own in your jewellery box or watch box.

Do you wear a watch on a daily basis? I don’t always, but most days I do.

What is your favourite accessory? Mine are watches and bracelets!

Have you seen my how to style/care for watches post?

Or how about my watch collection.

I did receive this watch in exchange for posting a review of The Watch Co. on my website. While the product was free of charge, the opinions, as always are 100% my own.

Continue Reading

Adventures in Double Trouble Town

Chocolate chip cookies, mermaid hair flips, nail painting, pizza and dancing. That’s what our girls night in looked like.

When my co-worker Julie and I get together, it’s not uncommon that we get titled as Double Trouble by our peers. Though, it was pretty tame when we had our girls night in at her house last night.

Our first stop after we got off work was to the grocery store. We dropped into Loblaws/Zehrs to pick up some essentials for a fun night in. You know, things like nail polish and cranberry juice.zehrs

I shop at this location of Zehrs quite often and didn’t realize that the beauty section got an overhaul. A nail bar with polishes from Sally Hansen, Nicole by OPI, to Zehrs brand Joe Fresh polishes. There was even a fragrance  and mascara bar too. All with this one stream lined looked which was very Sephora-like, right? Nail-Bar-at-Zehrs

Julie stopped to smell the roses chocolate chip scented perfume.fragrance-bar-at-zehrs

Difficult decisions to make. Sparkle? Brights? Pastels? It took me a while to decide on a new nail polish color. picking-out-polishes

I ended up going with Barracuda by Sally Hansen which is a pure robin’s egg blue shade, and Jules picked up two other colors by Nicole by OPI and some Sally Hansen salon effects (stickers for your nails). All perfect for a spring manicure. Hey wishful thinking right? As I write this as it snows outside.

Since when did nail polishes at the grocery store have salon type prices? All those nail polishes and stickers we bought were $8.99-$9.99.Nail-polish-at-Zehrs

Time to pick up some mix for our beverages! That’s cranberry juice for me. Giggity giggity.cranberry-juice-at-zehrs

Oh, and a quick pit-stop at the lotto place for Jules. Here’s hoping you win the millions!Julie-shopping-at-Zehrs

We are all giggles, all the time. You’d think we haven’t seen each other in years. When in reality our offices are right across the hall from one another. At one point we had our cashier laughing so much too. So naturally we asked her to take our photo. Friends-at-Zehrs

Alright, time to use self-checkout. Clearly we like to document everything. I’m surprised no one asked us to stop snapping away. self-checkout-at-Zehrs

Julie’s husband requested that we head out to grab some beer on the way home, and we noticed these two men behind us who came in with a serious amount of empties to cash in. They weren’t sorted, and Julie gave them heck for it. The men asked us if we wanted the empties and we certainly didn’t decline to that. $14 worth of empties! Score.beer store

After our errands we immediately got started on our nails after we arrived to Julie’s house. At first I suggested doing Julie’s nails and vice versa, but since I’ve never painted any one elses nails before, I thought it was a recipe for disaster. I could picture nail polish just strewn right over her newly painted walls. We stuck to doing them ourselves.

Step 1. Remove polish, do not forget any fingers. removing-polish

Step 2. Pose for photos before getting our nails wet. Jules-and-I-kitchen

Step 3. Read instructions and apply. So far so good! The sticker pattern is called ‘Kitty Kitty’. Rawr. Sally-Hansen-nail-effects

Step 4. Paint the rest of our nails, and wait for pizza to arrive. nail-painting

I was indecisive and went with a nail sticker on one nail, and polka-dots on the other. Julie just had a polish party on her nails. Ever single one was different. our-nails

We chowed down on a few pieces of our delivered pizza and  sprinkled some Chia seeds on top for a bit of added goodness. Some nice pizza too. I’m still thinking about it today.eating-pizza

After supper, we headed to the basement where mermaid hair flips were put into action. This was sooo hard to photograph you guys. We took about 15 photos each, and started getting dizzy. mermaid-hair-flip

Ever play Dance Central on xbox or the wii? It has to be the most addicting, fun game I’ve played! You mimic the moves on the screen and get points towards new songs and new levels. PURE. AMAZING.dance-central

We spent the entire night there after, dancing to music from Amy Winehouse, The Beatles, Kenny Rogers to  Nirvana and Green Day.dancing-with-julie

Oh, and doing endless cartwheeels and catching Julie as she jumped into my arms. No big deal. Double trouble adventures, always guaranteed fun nights when you have us two around. catching-julie-mid-air

What are your plans for this weekend?

When’s the last time you had a Girls Night?

I even created a Google+ album of our evening last night.

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® #CBias #SocialFabric. All opinions are my own.

Continue Reading