Friday, November 29, 2013

Fabulous Friday: Advent Calendar

Happy Fabulous Friday everyone!

Did you have a good week? TGIF? It's December 1st on Sunday!!! I know, crazy eh? Yup, crazy. That means the Advent calendars start on Sunday and the countdown to Christmas begins. My kids love the chocolate calendars. I know why they love them, because they get to eat the chocolate out of them after they finish their breakfast.

In kid world, having chocolate at breakfast time = TOTALLY.MAKES.THEIR.DAY!
 
 
Last year, I made up these little baggies in a basket filled with little items. This year, I took those baggies and made this...
 

I went down into Mr. Fix-It's workroom and found a long piece of MDF. Now, after spraying it...I wouldn't recommend using MDF because it doesn't hold the spray well (you can see in this pic. I had to spray it a few times to get solid coverage!). A good 'ole piece of actual wood likely would work way better! I rarely venture into Mr. Fix-It's work room. It's in our creepy basement, dingy and a total mess. I totally exposed you Mr. Fix-It!
 
 

Then I got out my hammer, nails, level and pencil and measured out 24 markers for holes. This is usually where Mr. Fix-It steps in, but he was at work so mama had to do it! Hammer those babies in...


I hung my 24 little baggies around the nail with a small knot and whipped out these for the numbers...

I bought the bags last year online at The Creative Bag, and picked up these cute little gift tags and marker at my good 'ole friend Michael's.

A little number love...

Tie the numbers on top of the bags and fill your bags with little goodies for each day. Cute eh? My boys are really excited!

Next week I'll give you some ideas for little gifts in your Advent calendars but starting on Sunday, why not put an ornament in there or a few candy canes for a little treat.

Stay tuned for next week. Lots going on. I have a great giveaway, a fun blogger round-up for the holidays (you won't want to miss it) and other fun stuff.

Have a fresh.fabulous.sophisticated weekend.

Keep it Beautiful



This post has been linked with:
www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com
                                                                                http://tatertotsandjello.com/
 

Thursday, November 28, 2013

The Winner of the TEGU BLOCKS is...

 
The contest is over and the winner has won this 24 piece set of Tegu Blocks ($64.95) from MASTERMIND TOYS!!
 
LUCY FALASTEIN!!
 
Lucy wrote that her favoutie present was her iPad from her hubby. My dad gave me one last Christmas and it literally has changed my life and allowed me to connect with you all better. It's not as sentimental as remembering the Barbie Dream House that I got as a little girl but it's allowed me to expand Keep it Beautiful and connect with you better. So I get that it's one of her fav presents! Congratulations Lucy!
 
I have more giveaways coming so make sure to enter to win! You can also head over to The Ottawa Mommy Club and enter to win these awesome gifts that I've reviewed!
 
 
Thanks again to MasterMind Toys for the Tegu Blocks. Head over to their website to check out all their cool toys for the holidays and you can follow them on Twitter.
 
Keep it Beautiful.




Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Wednesday Yummies: A Snowy Day Dinner

So, this is what people's backyards looked like in Ottawa today!!
Beauty!

It's our first storm of the season and the kids were super excited this morning! As for dinner tonight? Who wouldn't want to dive into this delicious looking dish? My mum made this recipe last week and she said it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

Beef Stew from High Protein Foods
What You Need:

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 lb cubed beef stew meat (1 1/4")
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz beer (pale lager)
3 1/2 c beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
8 new potatoes (1 1/2"-2" diameter), quartered
4 carrots, sliced diagonally
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Crusty bread (optional)

What You Do:
1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef. Working in 2 batches, brown meat on all sides, 6 minutes. Remove to plate.

2. Add onion to pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. Pour in beer. Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, sugar, paprika, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste.

4. Return beef to pot. Simmer until meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

5. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Simmer until vegetables are tender and meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

6. Remove 1 cup of liquid from pot and slowly whisk in flour. Stir back into pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 10 minutes. Season. Sprinkle with parsley (if using). Serve with bread, if desired.

I'm sorry this post is late today. All this snow seemed to make everything take longer today! You might not have time to make this today but for sure this weekend, turn up the heat, pour a glass of vino and make you and your family this cozy warm stew.  Wouldn't a fresh.fabulous.sophisticated apple crisp go deliciously well with it too? Yum.

Keep it Beautiful.



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Citrus Silver Jewellry & Glup Babe Products Holiday Giveaway @ Ottawa Mommy Club

Hi everyone,

I reviewed some fabulous jewelry and baby products over at the Ottawa Mommy Club! You should head over there for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Citrus Silver Jewelry. You can click here.

 and a chance to win this adorable and functional baby towel by Glup-Bebe.  Just click here

I've tried both products and really loved them both. Both make a great gift!

Keep it Beautiful.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Shoppers Drug Mart - Fabuloso Gift Ideas!


Have you started to think about shopping for the holidays? Have you seen any commercials yet featuring the big man in red? The holidays are on their way and shopping for gifts sometimes make me feel like this...


Well, have you thought of heading to Shoppers Drug Mart to find those fab presents? Not only can you pick up toothpaste and Tylenol...you can find fabuloso presents!!! You may have received their "Give Beauty" book in your mailbox filled with so many gifts,  makeup, and fragrances to make that holiday shopping list smaller and smaller!

They have tons of promotions happening now and throughout the holidays.!

I love shopping at Shoppers Drug Mart for Mr. Fix-It! His stocking is always filled with mucho toiletries, but this year he will also be getting this for sure...





The AXE Men's Phoenix Toiletry Bag with:
- Shampoo (355ml)
- Shower Gel (473ml)
- Anti-Perspirant (76g)
- Body Spray (113g)









Mr. Fix-It is a huge fan of Axe products and thanks to Shoppers Drug Mart's fabuloso gift set, Mr. Fix-It will smell amazing and I won't have to walk around like this...

My hopefully-soon-to-be-sister-in-law (If my brother will ever get that sparkly on her finger!) would love this. She has lushes lashes that go on for days...



Eye Studio Sampler:
- 6 deluxe mini mascaras
- deluxe eye makeup remover
and the certificate for the complimentary full-size product of your choice. LOVE THIS PART!










And ooh-la-la...me love this GOSH Nail Set. You could split them up and add them into different stockings or wrap these five "OH MY" nail lacquers under the tree for that girly girl in your life! I love those sparkles!
How cute is this Play-Doh candy cane set? What kid doesn't love Play-Doh and what kid wouldn't love all these little Play-Doh containers in the shape of a candy cane?
There are tons of gift ideas at Shoppers Drug Mart so get in there! Do you have Optimum Points? I heart collecting them! You know what I've done before...it's a secret...I've saved up my Optimum Points before to use during the holiday season for gifts. Great idea right?

I also love that the stores are open late, so close to home, always have in-store sales and promotions and have great gift sets exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart.

and...

CONTEST ALERT!

Shoppers Drug Mart is launching a Facebook contest on December 2nd that will include:
- an Advent Calendar that will reveal a new product every day
- multiple prizes will be given away over the course of 12 days.
Be sure to like them in order to stay up to date on the contest details and join in on the conversation on Twitter with #GiftsMadeEasy

Also...select beauty products will have a free gift with purchase...AMAZING!

So go into your local Shoppers Drug Mart or click on http://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/holiday and make your holiday shopping easy peasy and stress free! You can also follow on their Facebook page for great ideas and deals!

Keep it Beautiful.



 
 
 
Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post. All views and opinions are my own.

Get your Holiday Cards in the Mail! Minted Cards are Here!

Hey everyone,

Did you have a good weekend? My older son and I went to see the Polar Express in the theatre...a great way to kick off the Christmas season. I just love that movie. It snowed here in Ottawa which was lovely, we did some Christmas decorating and chilled. It's nice to have relaxing weekends like that before Christmas plans get busy!!

Speaking of busy, it's that time again...your mailbox will soon be filling up with holiday cards from your family and friends wishing you a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. If you haven't sat down and filled out your cards, don't look any further. These cards from Minted are gorg!

Grab a pic of your family, your kids, your dog...whoever you want to show off to your family and friends and order these fresh.fabulous.sophisticated cards.

How adorable is this card? I love the red with the black and white...

How about a little chalkboard love...

So this card...really cute! Not only is it a holiday card but it's an ornament that will hang on your family and friend's tree. Love it!

So cute...



The paper is beauty, there are tons of options and I can't wait to get mine in the mail! Thank you Minted!!

Keep it Beautiful.






*Disclaimer: Yup, Minted sent me these cards and they're gorgeous, that's why I wanted you to share in the love. All opinions are honest and my own.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Fabulous Friday: Christmas Monogram Wreath DIY!

Happy Fabulous Friday everyone!

Do you feel like it's early to haul out your holiday bins and turn on the Christmas lights? If you've been in any mall since November 1st you'll see that Christmas is upon us!! I'm really starting to feel the Christmas spirit and like retail, the blogging world has been talking Christmas since the summer. Yup!

So, to kick start my holiday décor I wanted to make up an oh-so-fabulous wreath.
Enter in a DIY!

I wouldn't say I'm a true crafter. Actually, I know I'm not. My Aunt Barb can whip up the most gorgeous blanket or sew a teddy bear in her sleep. I love a good challenging DIY but enjoy a relatively simple craft. So if you are looking for a wreath that requires little materials, little detail, little time and a whole lot of fabulous...this Christmas wreath is for you!!
Have you noticed that monogram wreaths are HOT! HOT! this season? I heart them and wanted one on my door. Here's some pretty ones I've seen...
Etsy
Etsy


Fynes Designs

Here's What You Need:


- Wreath (I bought mine at Target for $8.00!)

- Ribbon (Michael's...and it happened to be 70% off that day..score!)

- Letter (Michael's...$6.99)

- Spray paint (Mr.Fix-It's workroom)

- Scissors (the junk drawer)

TOTAL = under $20!




Here's What You Do:

1. Loosely, wrap your ribbon around your wreath.  How simple was that?  Normally, I go with a little bling on the door (check out last year's) but this year this traditional style ribbon said "take me home".
2. Spray both sides of your letter. I went with Christmas red.

3. Once my letter was dry I just took a piece of my ribbon and wrapped it around the top part of the "R".


4. I then tied the ribbon in a knot to the wreath. If, for example, your letter was a "M"...you could either wrap a piece of ribbon to the two top points of the "M" and then attach to the wreath or you could hot glue gun the ribbon to the back of the top points and then tie around the wreath.

5. Now for the bow to hide your knots. Okay, so this is where my crafting abilities fail me. If you are fabulous at bows then this is where you could have a beauty bow with loop-da-loops. I literally used my shoe-tying skills ;) and tied a traditional bow.

How do you tie that bow on? If you have wire, go ahead and use it. Or, I just cut a tiny piece of ribbon and tied the bow to the wreath.

That's it! With only a few materials, no sew and no glue if you don't want to use it...you can have a fresh.fabulous.sophisticated monogrammed holiday wreath!




Have a great weekend! Next week I'll have a fun Advent Calendar idea for you, maybe some holiday mantle love and don't forget to add your comments to my post on the Tegu Blocks for a chance to win them!

Keep it Beautiful.
@keepitbeautifu1



Linked with:
http://www.itallstartedwithpaint.com
http://www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com
                                                                                http://www.madeinaday.com
                                                                                http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/
                                                                                http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.ca/
                                                                                http://www.tatertotsandjello.com




Thursday, November 21, 2013

HOT! HOT! HOT! Wheels!! Ottawa Mommy Club GIVEAWAY!

Need a cool toy for your kiddies this Christmas? Check out my review on the Ottawa Mommy Club of this fabulous toy that landed on our doorstep!


YOU CAN ALSO WIN THIS CAR-CRASHING-FAST-CAR-RACING TOY BY VISITING THE OTTAWA MOMMY CLUB!

Keep it Beautiful.



Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Tegu Blocks Rock! AND GIVEAWAY!!

It was a cold, wet day when I was home with all three kids.  My oldest was sick with the tummy bug and the kids...and mummy, were going a wee bit stir crazy inside the house. Until...the mail carrier rang the doorbell with these blocks from Mastermind Toys!

Have you heard of them? They're called Tegu Blocks. They're magnetic, naturally dyed, handcrafted in Honduras and are AMAZING!

We play and build with a lot of blocks in our house.  When a new set of blocks arrived at the door, the boys were super excited!  Not only can you build cool structures with these blocks but they are magnetized so you can make super cool things at all different angles.

My son told me this was a hotdog roaster for the cottage ;)

 
Both my five year old and two year old loved the blocks.  It was amazing to see the creations they made. The larger box has 24 blocks ($64.95) and the smaller box has 14 blocks ($34.95). I felt like having both size boxes was the perfect amount of blocks and they don't take up a ton of space. They fit perfectly in a toy bin.

If you have kids that love blocks, I guarantee you these will be a hit in your house. A fresh.fabulous.sophisticated Christmas gift!! Head over to Mastermind Toys to check out these blocks and their awesome toys!!

AND...DO YOU WANT TO WIN A 24 PIECE SET ($64.95) OF THESE AWESOME TEGU BLOCKS FROM MASTERMIND?
 
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
- Like Mastermind Toys' Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @MastermindToys 
AND
leave a comment below telling me what your favourite Christmas present ever was.
*Contest closes Wednesday November 27th, 2013

Good Luck!

Keep it Beautiful.






**DISCLAIMER: Yes, MasterMind Toys sent me these blocks but the opinions are all mine. I would only speak the truth to you and these are seriously awesome blocks!**






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