Love Token 56 - I "Pink" I love You

On Saturday I went to get my hair trimmed and re-coloured, the wait ended up being half n hour past my appt time, so I was offered a free manicure, from one of my all time favourite girls to give manicures (she does an amazing job!).

I was in a pastel/neutral mood... I have been rocking the brights and wine colours for a couple years now and by golly I wanted to change it up.

The final selection....

I Pink I Love You from the OPI collection

This colour is an amazing pink neutral and I still cannot stop looking at my hands, I even made a detour yesterday to go and buy this colour.

For those who know me, I have always been obsessed with doing my nails - so finding a new nailpolish colour that I really love is quite the statement.

This little purchase was my love token for the day and I love it!!!

If you haven't had the chance to check out the pastel collection of OPI - go to their website http://www.opi.com/ and have some fun with the colour options.

xo

M

On Top of the World

What a great picture - hopefully everyone is having a wonderful day and is on top of their own world's

xo

M

Love Token 55 - Nono's embrace

I have a confession...

I love carnations...

Somewhere down the line there became this mentality that carnations are the lesser flower, the "cheap" flower, the funeral parlor flower - but to me they are quite the opposite. 

I love their smell, I love how they can fill up a vase quite beautifully and give a full rounded look and I love the memories they give me...

When I was a child, every weekend I would go stay with my maternal grandparents (otherwise known as Nono & Nana). 

My Nono was hilarious, even though we were separated by language, the essence of love and the vast capacity that gestures and expression can bring is what created our relationship. 

My relationship with my Nono was laughter - we would sit at his kitchen table for hours and just giggle, to me it was amazing. 

My Nono was an amazing gentleman who came from Italy and was the most charming sweet man (with a prankster side to him) that came out in a pure and genuine manner. 

No matter what, before I left my grandparents house, my Nono would be sure to break off a carnation from his garden (usually red ones) and give me one as a parting gift. 

It was a gesture I took for granted as a child but now every time I walk by carnations, I think of him - his spirit lives through that flower and those memories. 

Today the weather was pretty good for March, on my way home I wanted to check out what flowers were on sale at Loblaws. 

I had quite the choice from gerber daisies to roses that were on sale 3 for $25, but I was drawn to the carnations, I bought 3 bundles in cream, white and yellow. 

I came home and covered my house in carnations and I was overflowed with happy memories and emotion. 

Today I am embraced by the love my Nono gave to me during his lifetime and I have surrounded myself in his weekly love token to me throughout my childhood once again.

xo

M

Just Cuz...

Love Token 54 - Be Present

O

M

G

It has been 17 days since my last post - that is just plain awful. This blog is supposed to embrace self-awareness - and I got lost in the fast paced lane of life.

I have been a busy bee, with work, social life and hobbies - that in the last 2 weeks I have been kinda running on auto-pilot where the days and the details of them become a blur.

So my love token today - Be Present - embrace "mindfulness"

Mindfulness plays a central role in the teaching of Buddist meditation - described as "calm awareness of one's body functions, feelings, content of consciousness, or consciousness itself"

While I do not have the patience "yet" to practice daily meditation, I can appreciate this concept - and get back into this moment, today...

So here is to mindfulness, to being present to embracing "now"

xo

M