Fifteen Favourites for Summer

Five favourite casual outfits for summer

Peep toe shoes from Jean’s eco boutique Drizzle and Shine

Five favourite summer tops

Top from Jean’s eco boutique Drizzle and Shine

Mesh top from Jodie

Five favourite summer dresses

Thank you Terri for featuring me in Dress of the Week

Red dress from my dear cousin Marion

Looking back, it was a warm and fashionable summer filled with happy days of sunshine and flowers!

As usual, summer is too short to wear all my summer clothes.

Goodbye Summer! I miss you already and can’t wait till I see you again!

 

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Turquoise and White for the Beach

It rained the last time we went to the lake earlier this month, so we decided to go again on a sunny day. Turquoise and white is cool for the beach. I wore my daisy sunglasses that I found at a thrift shop recently!

Wiggins wanted to go to the beach and wore his little red and white striped bathing suit. Wiggins was born in Germany in the Steiff factory. He travelled to Florida where he became famous and was featured in a Teddy Bear magazine. Then he was off to Seattle to spend some time with Jean before immigrating to Canada. Now he lives with me.

An elderly gentleman on the beach asked if he was Paddington. Wiggins was flattered because Paddington is one of his favourite movie stars, a real celebrity in bear circles.

Here’s Dempster sunbathing on his favourite ladybug beach towel. He was too shy to go bear naked and he doesn’t have a bathing suit. However, he did enjoy soaking up some sunshine and didn’t forget his sunscreen. Dempster is Canadian, born right here in Ontario in the workshop of Lorraine Chien, teddy bear artist. Her creations are lovable and I have been to her home several times to adopt new bears.

Both bears are excited to be in my blog and are hoping for some likes and nice comments. 🙂

Walking along the beach at sunset is refreshing for the soul and rejuvenating for the body!

 

The Big Yellow House

I pass by this 19th century Victorian house on my way to work every Tuesday and Thursday. So when I saw the FOR SALE sign, naturally, I was intrigued and wanted to see what it looked like inside. It’s the sort of house you imagine stepping back in time and entertaining your guests with a garden party on a hot summer afternoon, serving lemonade and fancy little sandwiches. My mom used to live right around the corner.

The Garden Party

A spacious back yard with a patio and hot tub, something you wouldn’t have seen a hundred years ago.

back porch

Welcome and take a peek inside this gorgeous home.

It’s been beautifully renovated and updated, yet they have kept the charm of the time period. The owners have exquisite taste and I absolutely love this house!

Come on upstairs …

One more flight up to a huge fantastic master bedroom.

Unfortunately, the cellar is like a dungeon which is typical in most of these century-old houses, something I don’t like at all.

OPEN HOUSE Sunday!

Drop by if you’re in the area.

310 Queen Street, Cambridge, Ontario

❤ carmen

 

In the Mood for Mauve

Nostalgia has a big influence on why I’m drawn to certain clothes. My bedroom was mauve when I was a teenager. I had a bedspread with mauve roses. Mauve, lavender, lilac, violet–these pale shades of purple bring back happy memories of my younger years. That’s why I fell in love with this tunic.

It’s a high-low style with a chiffon yolk and hem to give it a layered look. I paired it with my mauve and dusty rose floral jeans. I’ve had these mauve flats for over  10 years, comfortable and perfect for a stroll in the park.

Rockway Gardens

Rockway Gardens is an amazing park in the heart of our city, managed by the Kitchener Horticultural Society. There are so many picture-perfect backdrops for photoshoots. People take photos for various occasions: everything from weddings to photos with their dogs.

I’ve lived in Kitchener since 1979 and I’ve been blogging for almost seven years, yet this is the first time we’ve gone there for a photoshoot! I had to wait my turn at the pedestrian bridge while someone had a professional photographer take pictures of their dog.

There’s so much more to see, so we’ll go back again soon to enjoy the ambience of this beautiful park!

Colours affect our mood and mauve is one of those tranquil shades that makes me feel happy.

Wishing you a happy day! 

 

Twice as Nice: shawls in beach colours

I bought these shawls in two colours. One is sandy beige that I wore over black and added turquoise jewellery.

This sea-breeze blue one worn over white makes a totally different look. My tank top has fake pearls, so I went a little crazy and added more pearl jewellery.

Both colours remind me of the beach.

We made a last minute decision to go to the beach on a sizzling hot afternoon this week, only to arrive when it started to rain. It was too windy and drizzly for photos on the beach.

Every time we go to Port Dover I get sidetracked with a little shopping, in fact, the necklace I’m wearing with the beige shawl is from Grand Trunk Station purchased last time we were in Port Dover. Grand Trunk Station has lovely beach decor for a lake house, cottage and home.

Happy Friday!

Thanks for stopping by!

❤ carmen

 

White Bell Sleeve Cardigan and a Pop of Orange

I’m feeling the same joy as when peplum made its debut on the fashion scene–bell sleeves are so feminine and I’ve bought several tops this summer including this lovely white cardigan.

Shopping malls and restaurants always have air-conditioning, so it’s a perfect summer cardigan. Evenings can get cool, especially now that it’s September.

I’ve added a pop of orange, a top I bought several years ago and I always wear it with white. I never wore orange before I started blogging, but since then I’ve got quite a few things in various shades from peachy-pink, salmon and coral to vibrant tangerine, pumpkin and burnt orange.

My collection started when I saw this bell-sleeve dress at Jean’s eco boutique DRIZZLE and SHINE.

Have a lovely Labour Day weekend!

Happy September dear friends!

❤ click the photo and see what happens ❤

❤ carmen

Whistle River: Shenandoah Tapestry Jacket

You’ll notice a new widget on my sidebar. I’m so pleased to be an affiliate of Whistle River Trading Company, quality women’s apparel made in Guatemala.

This beautiful tapestry jacket is lightweight and machine washable. I fell in love with the wildflowers and it’s the perfect little jacket to add elegance to jeans. It’s a classic style and very comfortable. The quality of the fabric and workmanship is superb!

Whistle River Trading is an ethical company

“We believe in Quality. We take pride in everything we do. Starting with only the finest materials, we work with our family of skilled artisans to bring you our very best products and our very best service. Every day.”

“We believe in Integrity.  We always strive to do what’s right. We honor our commitments and stand behind our products. If you’re not completely satisfied, you can easily return your order for a full refund or exchange.”

“We believe in Loyalty. To people and their families, not quarterly profit. We provide a safe and pleasant working environment, we pay competitive wages, and we believe that everyone should be treated with respect.”

We had a rainy day this weekend and things cooled off enough to wear this lightweight jacket. It will be great for layering in the fall, I’ll able to wear a sweater underneath. With autumn approaching, flowers will fade as leaves fall, but these pretty wildflowers will never wilt. And after the long cold winter, this floral jacket will be perfect for springtime!

“Our company was founded in 1996 by a second-generation veteran of the apparel industry, with our headquarters and fulfillment center in the small town of Moundville, Alabama. Each of our products is crafted in our own factory in Guatemala by our team of experienced artisans, who have spent years developing and honing their skills.”

“We Make Shopping Easy – so give us a try!”

“Everything ships for FREE, every day!  Don’t love it?  Send it back for FREE and get a 100% Refund!”

Happy shopping!

❤ carmen

Linkup: VISIBLE MONDAY TURNING HEADS TUESDAY

Road Trip: Elora

Since we are not going away for our holidays this summer, that means we’ve been doing road trips and this time we took a country drive to the charming little town of Elora. It’s a tourist town with a river view.

We usually park before we get into town and then walk across the bridge. We often take our grandchildren as we did this time.

I bought a new rug for our entrance way (made in Belgium).

It’s always a delight at this time of year with flowers everywhere. Glad I decided to wear my maxi floral wrap dress. It’s cooler than wearing pants or capris. The wonderful thing about dresses is that you don’t have to find something that matches, just add accessories and shoes and you’re good to go.

If the shoe fits!

I bought these cute pink sandals online (my first time buying footwear online). I always need to try on shoes to see how they fit and feel because I don’t always wear the same size, depending on the manufacturer. These are non-leather with little zippers at the back and very comfortable. I walked all afternoon without any pain.

Hope you’re enjoying the summer of 2018, only 4 months till Christmas!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Weekend Getaway: Beach Style

Sauble Beach

The west coast of Southern Ontario is dotted with beach towns all along Lake Huron. Summer is the best time for taking a road trip to Sauble Beach. It’s not only one of the most popular beaches in Canada, but also one of the longest fresh water beaches in the world–7 miles long (11 km).

You can’t miss the giant welcome sign which looks like a huge gateway to a panoramic view of this spectacular lake.

For a nautical look I wore skinny sailor stripes with bell sleeves and red deck shoes which I’ve had since the ’80s (they belonged to my daughter when she was a teenager, I’ve inherited a few of her clothes/shoes/accessories). This silver starfish pendant and white deck pants complete my beach look.

Lake Huron is one of the Great Lakes, I’m sure most of you reading this would recognize the Great Lakes on a map, but have you ever been to any of them? These lakes look like an ocean. everyone is amazed at the size whenever we take visitors from Europe to one of our Great Lakes.

I bought cool cat-eye sunglasses in several colours (yes, there are shops!).

A random photoshoot on the way to Sauble Beach, looks like an abandoned restaurant and it felt like we were in a ghost town in the south west Arizona. Well, this is south west Ontario.

Southampton

After enjoying a beautiful sunset at Sauble Beach, we drove to Southampton and stayed there overnight. The next day we had breakfast in a quaint little bistro and went for a morning stroll along the beach. It was very peaceful and relaxing: blue skies and sun shining, literally a breath of fresh air! I love the sound of seagulls and waves crashing gently on the shore. The view of Lake Huron was magnificent as always.

Blue and white are my favourite colours to wear by the sea. I’m loving bell sleeves and this top is a soft shade of blue and matches the big blue sky. When I like a style, I tend to get several. I have 5 tops and a dress with bell sleeves.

Like all tourist towns, there are unique shops. I noticed a cute little boutique Bliss. The owner Jackie is retiring and had a fantastic sale, but that’s another story.

 

We continued our road trip along the coastal highway to Bayfield.

Bayfield

This rural small-town reminds me of Mayberry, the ficticious TV town from the 1960s.  We’ve enjoyed many day trips to this charming place over the years where time seems to stand still, everything’s the same, a curious feeling of déjà vu. And did I mention there are shops in every beach town? Some of the shops have changed, but the same nostalgic feeling remains.

There are many places to eat and we chose a vegan lunch on an outdoor back patio on a county-style picnic table, the setting was winsome and the falafels were delicious!

Then it was off to the beach to wade in the cool water of Lake Huron. This white cotton dress goes from shopping to the beach: a pretty summer dress, cool, comfortable and what I love about it is that I can wear it for any occasion.

 

I cherish these memories of warm summer days by the sea!

Have you been to a lake or ocean this summer?

❤ carmen

 

Linking up with VISIBLE MONDAY TURNING HEADS TUESDAY

A Clothing Exchange Party

My daughter Jean hosts and attends Clothing Exchange parties in Seattle. On her recent visit, she brought me this lamé jacket that she knew I’d like. Fits like a glove and I love it! It’s shiny and lightweight. This jacket is a very soft, pale shade of silvery gold and is neutral to wear with anything.

I’ve paired it with white for a sunshiny, summer look.

Clothing exchange parties, just like thrifting and second-hand shops, keeps clothes out of landfills. It’s a fun way to gather with friends and enjoy an afternoon together. I enjoyed my first clothing exchange party at Jean’s place in Seattle on one of my visits. Ladies brought jewellery, shoes, purses and accessories as well as clothes. It was so well organized. Whatever was left over was taken to a thrift shop.

Have you ever been to a clothing exchange?

❤ carmen

Linkups: SLOW FASHION WALK TURNING HEADS TUESDAY