OPI supplied me with the OPI Matte Top Coat for this post.

I consider myself to be a creative person. I’ve long been a creative artist – I have been painting on canvas since I was 8 years old, and had my own jewelry shop for a while, too. When it comes to my hair and nails, though, I lack imagination. I look on Pinterest, I see all kinds of great ideas for putting together unique nail polish looks, but do I actually attempt to follow the examples myself? I think you know the answer to that question.

So, despite now owning almost 20 shades of nail polish, I more or less just put nail polish on my nails and call it a day. I used to get more creative with my DIY manicures when I was in high school, but then, I did have a lot more time to spend on such things.

When looking for a quick way to change a nail polish look, I tried out OPI Matte Top Coat. I usually just leave my nail polish shiny, using a clear top coat. But matte? I had no idea what to expect. The Matte Top Coat went on smoothly and dried almost instantly.

Before and after

I think I’ll definitely be trying out some different patterns with this top coat – wouldn’t it be cool to combine a clear and a matte top coat in stripes, perhaps?

Do you use a top coat when you use nail polish? Do you just use a clear top coat, or have you ever tried a matte top coat?

I received the OPI Matte Top Coat in order to write this feature. It was fun trying out something new when it came to a DIY manicure.

Related Posts:

• OPI Liquid Sand Nail Polish – A Textured Nail Manicure

The post A Different Kind of Manicure — OPI Matte Top Coat appeared first on Being Tazim.

When you find something you love, it’s hard to think of life before it came along. For years, I have been wanting a stand-alone blender so that I could make my own smoothies. I used to buy smoothies for lunch when I worked downtown. A large smoothie is surprisingly filling! I loved the fresh flavour of fruit smoothies to keep me going throughout the day, but the cost really began to add up. I swear with the amount of smoothies I have made so far, with my new blender, it has already paid for itself.

When I was visiting my mom in Calgary, I made smoothies there with her blender. I got the chance to try out different flavours, using a variety of fruit. I especially liked the mango smoothies I made with strawberries, bananas and whatever other fruit was around. I’ve grown accustomed to making a smoothie every morning for breakfast, to go along with the toast or whatever else I am also eating first thing in the morning.

What are your favourite smoothies to make?

It’s almost summer now, and I’m really excited to try out different smoothies with local seasonal fruit. I know a lot of people enjoy vegetable smoothies, especially green smoothies. Maybe I need to work myself up to spinach smoothies – I tried one at my mom’s house and found that I didn’t care for the texture of it. I’d rather have spinach as a salad, really.

So, what’s in this smoothie that I have been making myself everyday?

It’s so easy, it doesn’t really feel like a recipe – Super Simple Strawberry Smoothie recipe:

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup pineapple juice (or apple or any mixed fruit juice)

1 frozen banana

EDIT: {{ One of my readers asked me about how to freeze the fruit I mentioned.

My quick freezing tips:

Strawberries: Wash strawberries and remove stems. towel dry the strawberries and either put them on a baking sheet in the freezer until frozen and transfer them to a freezer bag. Or be lazy like me and put them in the freezer bag and make sure it is laying flat (no strawberries overlapping).

Bananas: I’m sure that you could cut up bananas and freeze them – but I just put the whole, ripe, banana in the freezer. When I need to use one, I cut it in to 3 pieces and cut off the peel with a sharp knife. Be careful – you don’t want the banana slipping, and end up cutting yourself!

I should also mention that if you are going to use frozen fruit (which I recommend for better smoothie texture, plus the fact that you can freeze fruit that is bought on sale to use when it is out of season), you will want to use the “ice crush” feature on your blender, if you have one. Just pulse the “ice crush” feature for a few seconds and then liquify for the remaining time, until your smoothie is. . .smooth. }}

I like having a banana a day in my diet, but I know others may not like the strong banana flavour as much as I do. 1/2 a banana would work well. I like freezing bananas and strawberries, bought in bulk when they are on sale, because the smoothie gets really nice and frothy.

I’d love to hear about your favourite or go-to smoothie in the comments!

OR - if you have a smoothie recipe you think I should try, please leave me a link!

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The post Super Simple Strawberry Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Being Tazim.

While I still use my main wallet for many occasions, I prefer to put just a few essential cards and a bit of cash in my HuMn Carbon Fiber wallet for other times. The other day, I was lugging a bag full of heavy library books up the hill and really didn’t want to have to carry a purse with a full-sized wallet with me as well. I just grabbed my ID card and library card, this wallet and popped it in my pocket, making my way up to the library.

The problem with having large wallets is that there is a lot of room. That’s right. . .too much room for too much stuff! Every store on the planet pretty much has a loyalty card of some sort. Most of those places will let you use your phone number to get store points or whatever perks they normally offer – so you don’t really need to carry around all those cards!

This manly-looking Carbon Fiber wallet would make an excellent gift for Father’s Day. My dad likes to keep only a few cards and cash on hand at a time. He will never accept a store discount card, because he hates carrying them around. The Carbon Fiber HuMn Wallet 2 is classic-looking, simple, unexpected  and sleek – just like my dad.

You can customize these HuMn Wallet 2 products by having 2 (or 3) differently coloured shields, and also changing up the colour of the elastic strap. I, personally, like the colour of the carbon fiber wallet with the brown strap best. I do like the matte finish of this wallet, and the texture from the carbon fiber material. For something a little different, check out my post on the HuMn Mini Wallet, which I received not long ago. The Mini Wallet is so perfect for a running or a quick jog to the corner store. I like the shiny look of the shields, and that there are so many different combinations possible with HuMn wallets generally. Although I am recommending the HuMn Carbon Fiber Wallet 2 for dads, they really are very pretty and practical at the same time – great for men and women. The Carbon Fiber Wallet 2 is $140 for 2 shields and the elastic strap.

Check out HuMn wallets online: twitter, Facebook, website.

I received the above mentioned wallet in order to write this feature. All opinions are 100% my own.

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The post A Wallet for all Occasions – HuMn Carbon Fiber Wallet #FathersDay appeared first on Being Tazim.

This textured nail manicure post featuring OPI Liquid Sand is brought to you by OPI.

Matte or shiny. I thought those were the only 2 finishes available, and an easy choice when it came to nail polishes. I hadn’t even considered texture on nails before. OPI’s Bond Girls Liquid Sand collection comes in 6 shades, and I had the pleasure of trying out the 3 below:

From left to right: Solitaire, Honey Ryder, Tiffany Case

This gritty, sandy nail polish from OPI has great consistency, and doesn’t require a topcoat (which would only defeat the purpose of the textured lacquer).

One of my favourite shades is Solitaire, which is white with white sparkles.

I plan on getting more creative with these OPI Liquid Sand colours over the summer. I think it would be fun to have a solid colour with a touch of this textured nail polish just on the tips, or painted in a diagonal line.

I’ve never had nail polish as vibrantly coloured as this before, but I really like it. What do you think of Tiffany Case?

I used 2 coats of OPI Textured Sand on my nails, which covered very well. I was surprised by how quickly it dried and by how long the polish lasted on my nails. To remove it, be sure to let the nail polish remover soak in for 30 seconds or so, like you might with other glittery polishes.

These six new shades will be available beginning May 2013 at a variety of salons. They sell for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer. I was provided with the 3 polishes mentioned above, for this feature.

Related Posts:

• A Different Kind of Manicure — OPI Matte Top Coat
• Do-it-Yourself Spring Manicure Ideas #CBias

The post OPI Liquid Sand Nail Polish – A Textured Nail Manicure appeared first on Being Tazim.

I love to flip through books and looking at online sites for ideas on craft projects that I can work on. More than I love that, I love taking classes and learning by doing. I really enjoy learning new techniques and trying out crafts to see if I’d enjoy pursuing them further.

Craftsy is an online craft course site that offers videos and tutorials, so you don’t need to leave the home or hire a babysitter or anything in order to learn something new.

The next 2 free Craftsy mini-courses I’m going to take are:
1. Sewing Machine 911: Give your sewing machine some TLC with the help of this free course. Learn to clean and maintain your sewing machine with tips and tricks taught in this class
2. The Hand-Painted Cake: Elevate your cake with Erin Schaefgen’s freehand painting techniques. Create beautiful and edible works of art with Erin’s tips and tricks.

Check out all of the other free Craftsy mini-courses by clicking here.

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The post Learning New Crafting Techniques with Free Craftsy Mini Courses appeared first on Being Tazim.

This post on stylish summer eyeglasses and sunglasses brought to you by Clearly Contacts.

You will have a chance to enter to win a pair of Derek Cardigan stylish summer specs at the end of this post. Giveaway open to Canada only.

Glasses are a part of my wardrobe, which is why I own 10 pairs. While I’m not one for splurging on things like clothing, shoes or handbags, I do like to add new pairs of glasses to my collection regularly. I feel like I can justify it, since I wear glasses all the time – they’re a necessity and practical. . .at least that’s how I justify it to myself. I don’t know how I used to only have one pair to wear everyday, when I was younger. My glasses collection is made affordable because I discovered Clearly Contacts a few years ago.

I never thought of myself as a trendy person, but here I am embracing a stylish summer trend. I recently added another pair of glasses to my collection:

These Derek Cardigan glasses are styled in one of the summer trends  - round frames:

These vintage-inspired specs are going to be really popular this summer! I already have my eye on a few new styles.

You can’t have summer without sunglasses! Vancouver is normally a very grey, dark city – at least for part of the year. In summer, though, everyone is outside enjoying the beaches and parks. I only have 2 pairs of sunglasses so far, but these new frames below are really appealing to me, especially those cat eye frames:

As the weather gets warmer, I feel like adding more colour to my wardrobe. I have a few pairs of coloured frames, which I love to bring out in summertime.

Those turquoise frames by Rough Justice are stylish, no? Or maybe I should choose the Guess glasses?

Now is your chance to win a pair of Derek Cardigan stylish summer eyeglasses from Clearly Contacts! This giveaway is open to Canada only. 

This is the pair of vintage-style Derek Cardigan glasses you can enter to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The post Stylish Summer Specs from Clearly Contacts #Giveaway Canada Only $99 ARV 05/27 appeared first on Being Tazim.

On a wall in my mom’s room is a section where my previous greeting cards and pictures are displayed. Flowers are great for an occasional, spontaneous gift, or something to go along with another – more personalized gift – but there are better gifts to give for mother’s day. I know that my mom really cherishes the personalized gifts that I give her.

This year, I created a photo book of all my favourite memories of times spent with my mom over the years. Normally, putting together photo books take me hours to do, but I tried out the new Mosaic app on my iPad, and my photo book was ready to be ordered in minutes. 

Download the Mosaic app, choose 20 pictures, and create your Mosaic book. It’s as easy as that to create a personalized photo book. The Mosaic book arrived at my mom’s house and she loved flipping through it, looking at old photos of she and  I together, all in one place.

The first page of the photo book is a shuffled arrangement of the photos within. I love how the hard cover of the book has cut-outs so that you can see the little pictures on the first page.

It’s easy to choose a Mosaic book as a mother’s day gift – you get 20 photos printed for only $20, in a lovely hard cover book.

To go along with the Mosaic photo book, I created a customized Mixbook Mother’s Day card. These greeting cards (available for a variety of occasions) start as low as .85!

A sample Mother’s Day card from the Mixbook website.

I received the above mentioned Mosaic photo book, as well as a Mixbook Mother’s Day card. Get your personalized memory books from Mosaic.

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The post Personalized Memory Books for Mother’s Day with Mosaic and Mixbook appeared first on Being Tazim.

It’s all out in front of you — gorgeous pictures and enough information to get you interested, so you can read a more specialized book on the subject you’re interested in. These are just some of the reasons why I love the lovely reference books from DK Canada.

The Smithsonian Natural History book is a massive reference or coffee-table book that is perfect for children to use to identify plants, animals, minerals and more. This is just the type of book i would have spent hours pouring over as a child/teenager, and I’m sure I’ll be referencing it quite a bit over the years. Back when I had cable TV, I often watched nature shows, regularly wondering what the different animals were. Does that happen to you, too?

This is one of those books that you’ll want to keep on hand so that you can easily reference it for those times when you just need to know if that primate you see on TV is an old or new world monkey.

A landmark in reference publishing and overseen and authenticated by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, Natural History presents an unrivalled visual survey of Earth’s natural history. Giving a clear overview of the classification of our natural world-over 6,000 species-Natural History looks at every kingdom of life, from bacteria, minerals, and rocks to fossils to plants and animals.

DK Canada put together a great collection (boutique) on their website for Earth Month, called Earthly Pleasures, which is still up and a great source for finding earth-friendly books on a variety of subjects.

Check out this book and others in the DK Earthly Pleasures boutique now, for 30% off. Sale is only for a limited time only.

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The post Visual Learning with Smithsonian Natural History Book appeared first on Being Tazim.

Like every other amazing DK Canada reference book I own, Rainforest is loaded with amazing photography, great details and a unique visual way to portray information.

If I had children, I’d want to home school them and use DK Canada books as references for their school work on a variety of subjects. The educational books from DK Canada are actually a lot of fun to look through! Even the ones specifically targeted to children are interesting enough to keep adults both entertained and engaged.

I’ve never been to a rainforest – unless you count the Vancouver area, since it rains so much. I love so many elements that are found in rainforests – most particularly the colourful flowers and flowering plants. I have long been fascinated with everything there is to see there. It is generally pretty expensive to go to visit rainforests, since most of them are located quite far away, but I’ve delighted in the fact that I can virtually visit them by delving in to my DK Canada Rainforest book.

Okay, now I have my visually wonderful Rainforest book, I just need a little waterfall, and lots of plants — and my apartment will feel like a tropical rainforest in no time. Oh, and maybe one of those digital downloads with sounds of monkeys and birds, too. This is my kind of staycation!

The above is just one of hundreds of impressive pictures available in the Rainforest book from DK Canada. You can find it and other similar books for your reference collection in the DK Earthly Pleasures boutique. I received my Rainforest book from DK Canada in order to conduct this feature.

Related Posts:

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The post A Virtual Trip to the Rainforest, Courtesy of DK Canada appeared first on Being Tazim.

I’ve been watching a lot more TV shows lately — not all are gripping enough to keep me interested for very long, though.

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries has everything you’d expect from a great period murder mystery show: A stylish, strong-willed  woman, a gold pistol, lots of fashionably-dressed people and. . .a handsome police inspector.

The Australian TV series just released its first season on Blu-ray and DVD, in celebration of its second season coming out. 

The ever stylish “lady detective,” the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), is a sly sleuth and thoroughly modern woman of the late 1920s operating in a mostly male-dominated detective world. Based on the popular detective novels by Kerry Greenwood and filmed on location in Melbourne, the gorgeously costumed and evocatively shot mystery series has stellar production values and a quickly growing fan base.

 

Although I don’t really want to have been around during that era, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the 1920s. I just love the fashion and glamour – and the changing roles for women. Phryne Fisher is a progressive woman who solves cases in the most clever and unusual ways, at times.

Unlike her male counter-parts, Miss Fisher has a certain way of getting answers, if you know what I mean. Of course, she is very persuasive, but she also has a way of recruiting people who will help her with her cases.

I wrote about Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries here – related to the decor on the TV set.

About this set:

13 episodes, approx. 706 min., plus bonus - SDH subtitles

Blu-ray 3-Disc Set (SRP: $59.99)/DVD 4-Disc Set (SRP: $59.99) You can purchase the DVD or Blu-ray sets from Acorn.

I received the above-mentioned Blu-ray set in exchange for this feature.

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The post Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries appeared first on Being Tazim.

I love to write. That should be pretty obvious, since I regularly update this blog, and my other one. But, what I mean is, I love to write with a pen on paper. I like to feel the weight of a good pen in my hand as I write letters to friends around the world. Since I often write letters so long and so frequently that my hand cramps up with most pens, I turn to the comfortable Parker IM pen.

It’s not just letters that I like to write, but to-do lists and notes, too. With all the technology out there for organizing notes, I still prefer to put pen to paper — it somehow makes me remember what I’m writing more, and holds me more accountable to entries on my list. I know that my mom feels that same way — she is constantly writing things down on paper to remind herself to do things.

The Parker IM pen is so smooth to write with, and I love the weighty-ness of it. This pen makes me feel like everything I write is important. Your mom is important too, right? Well, wouldn’t she love to have one of these lovely metallic pink Parker IM pens?

Valued at $50 (ARV), this Parker IM pen will make you want to write more often – letters, notes, to-do lists even.

A sweet note from Felix Doolittle, and my lovely metallic pink Parker IM pen. 

You can find the Parker IM pen, and other Parker pens at specialty stores as well as Staples. Parker pens range in price from $32 to $80.

If you want to win one of the above mentioned Parker IM pens, enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The post Writing in Style: Parker IM Pen Giveaway Canada Only Ends May 10 appeared first on Being Tazim.

This post brought to you by Royal Building Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m big on renovating and re-decorating over moving or completely gutting a home. A few cosmetic changes can really, completely change the way the exterior of a home looks. When it comes to the way your home looks and feels, that first impression is so key. 

Unlike interior changes, renovating the exterior of your home is difficult to envision. I recently checked out the Virtual Remodeler from Royal Building Products to see how my mom’s house would look with a few exterior changes made. I uploaded a picture of the outside of my mom’s home to see how it could look as a newly remodelled home. One thing that I wanted to visualize was vinyl siding. After I uploaded the picture, I clicked on vinyl siding and saw the different choices available. Each choice changes the overall look and style of the exterior.

Other options to check out with the Virtual Remodeler include windows and patio doors. It’s difficult to get to my mom’s backyard from the family room, and I think that a patio door would really help solve that issue — and make people want to use the backyard more often.

I love to be able to see how each different exterior change will change the overall look of my mom’s home using the Virtual Remodeler. It was a good way to show my mom (who lives in a different city) some options for renovation. She’s also looking to change out the existing windows to allow more light to enter the home, so I directed my mom to other products from Royal Building Products as well. If you’re thinking about renovating your home, I would recommend checking out the website and uploading an image of the outside of your home. I had a lot of fun playing around with the tool, changing the look of the home entirely each time.

Related Posts:

The post Visualizing your Remodelled Home with the New Virtual Remodeler appeared first on Being Tazim.

Instead of adding more stuff to your home, spring clean your place with eco-friendly ingredients you already have, and put together eco-friendly DIY crafts instead of purchasing store-bought presents.

I’ve put together this list of resources to help you have a great eco-friendly spring. With all the rain (and snow) that many people are experiencing in their areas, people are staying inside – get crafting with with these projects. 

A few of my blogger friends have posted some great articles that will help you clean in a more eco-friendly way. They’ve also sent me some fun and inexpensive (not to mention easy) DIY craft posts. These posts are perfect for gift-giving ideas.

I love this list, because the products are ones you likely already have lying around the house! How to Clean Naturally with these 7 products - Confessions of an Over-Worked Mom. Ellen also wrote a thorough post on How to Clean Your Fridge Naturally.

After you use baking soda to clean your fridge, use it in many other ways around your home, with these 10 Uses for Baking Soda Besides Baking and tips on making Homemade Stove Top Cleaner from Farmer’s Wife Rambles.

For more ways to clean your home with products you have around the home, check out the list of 6 DIY Ec-Friendly Cleaning Recipes from Newlywed Survival.

April showers bring May flowers. . .pick some, and whip up this fun Upcycled Flower Vase from Nap Time is My Time.

Spring cleaning is also about organizing. One area where I always have trouble keeping organized is with my jewelry. Cecile has a tutorial on her blog (The Shopping Duck) to Organize Jewelry.

Dealin’ and Dishin’ came up with a great tutorial for making your own Cleaning Wipes – for so much less than store-bought!

 Do you have a spring cleaning to-do list or a list of DIY crafts that you want to try out this spring?

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The post Eco-Friendly DIY Crafts & Cleaning Solutions Round-Up appeared first on Being Tazim.

Both pictures from Litographs.

This post powered by BrandBacker. All opinions are entirely my own.

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The post Litographs – Great Books on Posters and T-Shirts appeared first on Being Tazim.

One of my favourite things to eat in spring and summer is asparagus. I look forward to the warmer months and buy asparagus weekly.

Look for thin asparagus, which will be the most tasty when cooked. If you have farmer’s markets near you, buy asparagus there and use it within a day or two. To keep it fresh, put the stems in a few inches of water, inside a glass. Place the glass on the counter (not in fridge) and cover loosely with a plastic bag. 

I especially love to eat asparagus with a ginger/garlic/soy sauce combination, as it is so simple to prepare and just tastes so fresh. This can be eaten as a side to a larger meal, as an appetizer or a meal in itself. Sometimes, like in the picture above, I add deep fried tofu puffs, which you can find at many Asian grocery stores. This ginger garlic asparagus recipe is vegan, and if you want to make it gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce.

Dining alone  - if you’re single or simply dining alone, this meal is great because you can cook up half a bundle of asparagus and it will be enough for one serving. I don’t tend to make a double batch of this meal to have leftovers to re-heat, but you could. I think it tastes extra-good when fresh, and since it doesn’t take long to put together, it’s not much of an issue to do so two nights in a row.

Optional adjustments – if you’d prefer to use meat instead of tofu, or if you’d like to add some other vegetables, simply set the asparagus aside and add again once other items are cooked.

Ginger Garlic Asparagus

Print recipe

Serves	1 - 2
Prep time	10 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	25 minutes
Dietary	Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Misc	Serve Hot
Region	Asian

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 " ginger
• soy sauce
• sesame oil

Directions

Step 1

Steam asparagus in about a cup of water, until it's dark green and tender

Step 2

Remove asparagus and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sesame oil

Step 3

Add chopped ginger and garlic

Step 4

Cook until transparent and add asparagus back

Step 5

Add a splash of soy sauce

Step 6

Tofu or other protein is optional

Related Posts:

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The post Ginger Garlic Asparagus Recipe appeared first on Being Tazim.

I’ve hinted about it before, saying that a 2nd blog was in the works. Well, April 1st, I took the plunge — and Love Snap Make emerged!

Because I’m concentrating on home décor and DIY projects on Love Snap Make, you will be seeing less of that here, unless it doesn’t fit on my other blog. For Being Tazim, I’ll be shifting more toward crafty DIY projects, recipes, and a variety of lifestyle topics.

Things are a bit quiet over at Love Snap Make – I have posted a few posts already, though – and would love to have you check them out. My latest post over there is a quick sneak peek home tour, where I talk about this awesome dresser I got for free:

I’ll be fixing up that dresser and showcasing how I did so. I have a few other projects lined up as well, in addition to smaller DIY accessory projects. 

I’m using the Genesis framework from Studiopress here and on my other blog. The theme for Love Snap Make is called Decor8ted. I really like the look of it so far, and how simple/clean it is. I feel like you can really see the large pictures clearly.

I really like the overall look of Love Snap Make so far – but soon I’ll have a proper header/logo. What do you think of the overall look? I would love to hear your thoughts!

There is a tiny affiliate link in this post, which helps me pay for my blogs. 

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The post Introducing My New Project: Love Snap Make Blog appeared first on Being Tazim.

University was not an easy thing for me to get through. I spent way too many years working on my degree to not celebrate every moment of my graduation. My mom and brother came out to visit to celebrate with me. We all took so many pictures during those days that I wanted to capture the memories in a book that I could look back on for years.

I put together a photo book for my mom so that she could remember the special occasion. If you want to remember the past school year or a graduation, a Blurb School Book is a great way to do so. The best part about Blurb School Books is they are easy to create and a great fundraising tool for your school or class… Use the code MYSCHOOLBOOK to receive your 15% discount on Blurb School and Yearbooks until 5/31/2013.

There are affiliate links in this post, but I do not share anything on my blog unless I completely stand behind it. 

Related Posts:

• Visual Learning with Smithsonian Natural History Book
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The post Celebrating Graduation appeared first on Being Tazim.

This post brought to you by Insurance Hunter. All opinions are 100% mine.

Gorgeous spring weather and an increase in the amount of hours of sunshine makes me want to spend more time outside and less inside. Even as I do plan on being out of the house more often soon, I love to come home in the evenings and relax. It's not very restful to come home to a messy or disorganized home, though. 

I'm motivated to get my spring cleaning done so I can relax during the time I am at home – and not have to think about it when I'm outside enjoying myself. Where do I start, though? I recently got some great ideas from a blog post written by Insurance Hunter, which I would recommend checking out for some tips and ideas. Tips for getting your spring cleaning chores organized include starting with a to-do list. I don't know about you, but I feel more motivated when I know I can check something off a list! 

Apart from starting to-do list, prioritizing the most important things first, my favourite tip is to reward yourself. You can really get extra-motivated knowing that there's a special reward available when you finish your spring cleaning to-do list! What your reward is, is up to you – whatever will keep you motivated. For me, I would reward myself with a bit of creative fun. After my apartment has been spring-cleaned I want to add new paintings or drawings to my walls. 

If searching for the best auto insurance quotes is on your to-do list, be sure to check out Insurance Hunter. 

What is the number one thing on your spring cleaning to-do list?

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I’d driven past it many times before, not sure exactly what the giant structure jutting out from the side of the mountain was. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a a mine – no longer operational – turned in to a museum. Most people who drive the Sea-to-Sky Highway north from Vancouver are heading to Whistler.

Greg and I took a trip up to the Britannia Mine Museum on a lovely, sunny afternoon. We spent a good 2 hours exploring the museum and went to Squamish for lunch at our favourite café there. 

Britannia Beach looks pretty quiet and sleepy these days, but having watched the short video inside the museum, I know things used to be very different. Back before there was a highway, workers and family members travelled to Britannia Beach via a large boat. Thousands of people lived up on the mountain and also in the townsite near the water.

Here are a couple of historical pictures, courtesy of the Britannia Mine Museum, to give you some idea. You can see the ferry in the first picture.

Though the most obvious structure to visit is the white building (the mill), you can see in the picture above, there are so many other buildings to spend time in.

The Britannia Mine Museum has worked hard to make the museum experience fun for people of all ages – even young children. There’s a play area, plus a place for children to pan for gold. I think children would enjoy many other areas of the museum, too – as there is a lot to see walking around, and not just things behind glass to read descriptions of.

The above picture is from an exhibit, but it does give you some idea of what the mines look like.

One of my favourite parts of the experience was looking at historic equipment. The other was riding the mining train to go inside one of the mining tunnels. A little loud at points, when the tour guide demonstrated different techniques used in mining, overall it really gave me a sense of the way the miners worked in such dark quarters, deep underground.

Gold panning station

Recommended for: history buffs, children, elderly – apart from some stairs to climb to go on the mine tour, it is fairly easy to walk around.

The setting of the mine museum is stunning, located between Vancouver and Squamish, the quick trip to the Britannia Mine Museum is perfect for a quick city escape.

For current hours and admission rates, see the Britannia Mine Museum website.

Britannia Mine Museum is social!

Facebook | Twitter

I was not compensated for this post, however I received passes to the museum in order to assist me with this feature.

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The post Brittania Mine Museum: Vancouver Excursions appeared first on Being Tazim.

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of having a vintage style wedding. Yes, I was one of those girls who used to plan out the perfect wedding. More than anything else, I just wanted to have a gorgeous period-style wedding. The exact period of time has changed over the years — I used to dream of having a Gone with the Wind theme, with giant hoop skirts and the whole over-the-top look, but lately, my dreams have turned to more subtle themes.

 The book Style Me Vintage: Weddings is one of many written by the author of the UK’s top wedding blog: Love My Dress. There are so many inspirational pictures, DIY projects and resources available on that blog. If you’re planning a wedding or like to daydream about what a vintage wedding could look like, check out the blog, and the book for tons of inspiration.

I took the quiz inside the Style Me Vintage: Weddings book to see what era of bride I would be and what type of wedding would most suit me. Though my answers were a bit all over the place, most of them were leaning toward a 1930s wedding. I’ve put together this mood board for a 1930s wedding:

1. Hinuma on Etsy

2. Dear Golden on Etsy

3. Once Wed blog

4. Antique Rings

5. My Hands Made It

More than just a book on vintage fashion, Style Me Vintage: Weddings shows you how to get the whole package –  hair, makeup, fashion and décor for the overall vintage theme. I love the inspiration pages for each era, which show pictures of real weddings.

I do love this Edwardian dress, and the look of the era, too:

Winner: Stephy

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The post Vintage Wedding Inspired by Style Me Vintage appeared first on Being Tazim.

The (intermittent) sunny skies, along with changes in my living arrangements, have motivated me to do a massive spring cleaning in my apartment. It feels so great to freshen up my space after the long, dark fall/winter. I’ve taken care of quite a few things already, but I still have several (more time-consuming) things on my spring cleaning list.

What I’ve done so far:

• put up curtains in my dining room and bedroom
• organized my bookshelves
• set-up my photo booth and lights
• hung pictures on my walls
• organized my linen closet
• washed sofa cover, bed spread and duvet
• cleaned all window sills and radiators

Still on my spring cleaning list:

• paint the tops of the two tables I’m using as desks
• put up curtains in my living room
• organize and clean my spice drawer
• organize my art and craft supplies
• steam-clean bathroom and kitchen floors 

What’s on your to-do list this week? 

Do you have a standard spring cleaning list that you use each year?

I’m linking up with Tales from the Nursery and I Need a Playdate this week. Check out Darcy’s post for other prompts, if you’d like to join in.

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Are you a Sex and the City (SATC) mega-fan, like I am? did you love all the fashion from the series? The spin-off show The Carrie Diaries takes viewers back to the 1980s and Carrie Bradshaw’s teenage years. Have you been watching The Carrie Diaries? 

I was born in 1980, so I really grew up in the 90s, but I don’t remember the 80s looking quite so good as it does in this show! One of my favourite online stores to look for dresses, tops, skirts and pretty shoes is ModCloth.

In the season finale of The Carrie Diaries there were some gorgeous vintage-inspired pieces from ModCloth, which Carrie Bradshaw wore. You can take a look at the season finale here.

The first piece she wears is the Tilt-A-Twirl Dress from ModCloth. Next Carrie wears the Music in Me Skirt in Mix Tape from ModCloth. Finally Carrie can be seen in the Cool With Me Top in Citrus from ModCloth. 

There are affiliate links contained in this post. I make a small amount of money, if you click on the links and make a purchase. I only post about things I genuinely believe in and think you’ll enjoy.

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Even a single woman like myself needs to learn how to do certain things around the home, since I’ll have to do so on my own. My best mal friend could come over to help, though – since he knows how to do these “manly” things. He is definitely a very hands-on handy person. My brother, on the other hand, is really not a very handy person. He’s the kind of man that prefers reading books on how to be more like James Bond when he is sitting at home. 

How many of these 5 tasks do you know how to do?

I have had to assist with changing a tire, once – because my best friend and I somehow disintegrated the tire on my car, while camping! It was pretty scary, but now I know what to do for next time. Luckily, my car has a hidden bin area where all the necessary things can be kept. 

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The post 5 Essential Manly Man Handy Man Tasks appeared first on Being Tazim.

This delicious and quick-to-prepare potato dish is so versatile. This recipe for garlic curry potatoes uses one of my favourite products – Patak’s Curry Paste, which is a large range of different curry pastes with varying ‘heat’, so mild to extra hot, there is something for everyone. What I love about the curry pastes is that they have so many spices added in that I don’t have individually. It’s really easy to whip up a batch of these potatoes with just a few ingredients.

I don’t know about you, but I am a huge potato fiend! Anytime of the year, I find myself craving these yummy vegetables. 

This recipe is great to put together ahead of time for a get-together, Sunday brunch, an appetizer or just a flavourful snack. 

Madras is one of the flavours you can get. I also like the Hot curry paste – if you like really spicy food! What do you think? Will you try this garlic curry potatoes recipe?

curry potatoes

Print recipe

Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes or small bag of new potatoes
• 1 head garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 lemon (squeezed)
• 3 tablespoons Patak's Curry Paste (or similar)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 1 chilli pepper
• leaf cilantro (as much or as little as you want)

Directions

Step 1

Boil potatoes for 5 to 8 minutes

Step 2

Chop potatoes and add to mixing bowl

Step 3

Add all ingredients to the potatoes and mix well

Step 4

Lightly oil an oven-safe casserole dish or similar

Step 5

Add potato mixture to dish and bake at 375 for 20 minutes

Step 6

Turn potatoes and increase temperature to 425 for additional 20 minutes or until desired crispness has been achieved

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The post Vegan Garlic Curry Potatoes Recipe appeared first on Being Tazim.

Shower screens are a wonderful design solution for your bathroom. They look much more sleek and elegant than traditional curtains, they don’t rot, smell, or drip, they are easy to clean and beautiful glass shower screens do a great job of opening up the space in your bathroom as they leave the space open rather than closing it off like an opaque curtain would. If you are building or remodelling a bathroom consider alternatives for your shower or bath stall by looking at different screens and frames.

Glass is great material to use in your bathroom because of its resistance to water. Glass and water work very well together as design elements too. There is no standard conception of what a shower stall should look like, so you can start your design from scratch, shower walls and curtains are very versatile. If you have attractive tiling in your bathroom you can match or contrast your shower structure to the look that they give.

If your bathroom is small or narrow, however, you might not have the space you need for a swinging door, so you could look into a sliding door, or directing your shower head in a direction so that the stream points toward the drain and eliminates the need to cut your shower off from the rest of the room. For more ideas and images of shower and bath design, visit Frameless Impressions.

Post brought to you by Frameless Impressions.

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The post Finding the Best Shower Stall for your Bathroom appeared first on Being Tazim.

Brought to you by The Language of Luxe.

Though I consider myself a thrifty person, I do love to daydream of luxurious spaces. There are always ways to experience a little bit of luxury, though. I save up my travel points in order to stay in high star hotels when I travel, which is always fun and relaxing.

Asia-based architecture and design firm AB Concept has been in the luxury business for over 10 years.  Cofounders Ed Ng and Terence Ngan have compiled their projects into one collection, The Language of Luxe.

The stunning, deluxe-sized book has 300 pages of gorgeous photos, quotes and drawings. It’s really easy to visualize the finished look of the space with drawings like this:

“The meaning of luxury has been debated in recent years, but to us, the central truths in the context of design remain the same. This book is both an expression of work and a statement about the timelessness and relevance of luxury today,” said Ed Ng.

About AB Concept (www.abconcept.net) – Founded over a decade ago, AB Concept has confirmed its position as one of the world’s most innovative architecture and design firms. The company’s founding directors, interior designer Ed Ng and architect Terence Ngan, imbue each project with an unforced elegance and simple sophistication. In 2011, AB Concept earned top honors at the prestigious International Hotel and Property Awards and the coveted Annual Gold Key Awards for the groundbreaking design of the W Retreat and Spa Bali – Seminyak.

Check out that stunning view! The view alone makes me think of luxury!

The Language of Luxe (Amazon) is available online and in bookstores worldwide. I was provided with the above-mentioned book in order to write this feature. 

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The post The Language of Luxe appeared first on Being Tazim.

I think this is such a gorgeous picture of Lake Louise. Wouldn’t it make an amazing cover for a photo book? I just love how bright and sunny it was that day, back in spring of 2012. What type of photo book would you put together? What cover would you use to showcase your memories? 

I’ve shared how much I love Blurb books, and capturing memories in photo-book-form. If you haven’t made a photo book yet, use the code APRIL15 for a 15% discount.

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The post The Cover of my Photo Book appeared first on Being Tazim.

This post brought to you by Inter-Varsity Summer Camps.

March break has just ended, and there’s still a while yet to go before summer holidays begin. It was around this time of year, when I was younger, that I started looking forward to all the fun things that I wanted to do over the summer months. Rather than sitting inside and wasting away the beautiful months, I felt lucky to be able to go to summer camps, where I could learn how to do new things, make new friends and enjoy the lovely weather.

How did you usually spend summer breaks? 

For my own children, I would want to be able to sign them up for as many outdoor activities as possible, because you never know what you’re going to end up being interested in. Individual classes and activities can be hard to co-ordinate, so a summer camp that offers sailing, swimming, horseback riding and more is so appealing. Of course, it’s not all about fun and exciting activities, Inter-Varsity Summer Camps have a daily schedule designed to provide children with new skills, opportunities and experiences, so that they can learn, grow, and develop through their time at the camps. Investing in your child’s future through Inter-Varsity Summer Camps is so important, and they’re a great way to spend summer break.

Located in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, Inter-Varsity Summer Camps are Christian summer camps for children aged five to 17.  See for yourself what the camps can offer, and register: If you’d like a chance to enter to win a week at camp and an iPad Mini, enter here.

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The post Inter-Varsity Summer Camps — Activities and Adventures appeared first on Being Tazim.

I like making this creamy dressing during spring and summer, when you can easily get local lettuce, cucumbers and carrots. It works well as a salad dressing, but also as a vegetable dip. I’ve actually used it to drizzle over baked tofu a few times, too. This recipe is really easy to put together, and can be kept for 2 or 3 days.

What is tahini, and where do I find it? Tahini (amazon link) is sesame-seed paste, which can be used in hummus or baba ghanoush, amongst other things. It is delicious when used in falafels. Here, I’ve used it to create a creamy dressing/dip. This dressing is really fresh-tasting, so I tend to make it in the warmer months of the year. I like to serve it at BBQs, small gatherings, and spring parties. It’s a nice alternative to ranch dressing, or other store-bought salad dressing. Tahini can be found at Middle Eastern markets, grocery stores or online, at places like Amazon. Learn more about Tahini.

 I hope you like this vegan lemon tahini dressing recipe!

Vegan Lemon-Tahini Dressing/Dip

Print recipe

• Print with main photo
• Print text only

Serves	6
Prep time	5 minutes
Dietary	Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Salad, Snack, Starter
Misc	Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party

This super-simple vegan recipe makes a creamy garlic-lemon-tahini dressing/dip.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 lemon (squeezed)
• pinch salt (to taste)
• 1/4 cup warm water

Note

This super-simple vegan recipe makes a creamy garlic-lemon-tahini dressing/dip.

Directions

Step 1

In a food processor, add garlic and grind

Step 2

Spoon-in 3 T of tahini

Step 3

Add 1/2 lemon

Step 4

Mix together

Step 5

Add salt to taste

Step 6

Add water a little at a time - you can make this as thick or thin as you'd like

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The post Vegan Lemon-Tahini Dressing Dip Recipe appeared first on Being Tazim.

Last week, IKEA’s Facebook page asked its readers to submit their kitchen design questions. The questions were posed to IKEA kitchen designer and stylist Janine Love. I excitedly chimed in, and I’m happy to see that amongst the many questions, one of mine made it to the top 10 list, and that Janine Love answered it. Though I’m single and live alone, I do still cook often. I don’t like packaged food, and find eating out expensive, so I end up cooking my own meals every day for lunch and dinner. My little apartment-sized kitchen is well-used, and, because of the size, I need to make sure it’s organized smartly. I got some great ideas from Janine Love’s answers to the top 10 IKEA kitchen design questions.

Where do you start?

Before Pinterest, I used to collect decorating ideas in a binder or notebook. I know some people clipped things from magazines on a cork-board. Here’s one of my Pinterest boards, for you to take a look at: Kitchen Ideas and Inspiration.

Do you have a kitchen inspiration pin board, or another place where you store your ideas?

Another great exercise is to start playing with layout and design using the IKEA online
planner. It’s a very easy tool to use, allowing you to visualize 3 dimensionally your new
kitchen space. You can also easily change the cabinet style and colour with the click of
a few buttons.

What cupboard style is timeless?

Cupboards are one thing that doesn’t get replaced often. I would recommend going for quality and not choosing something too trendy.

I like to use a Shaker style door, such as ÄDEL – it’s transitional and can be used in
many different styles of homes. It also has a chameleon-like quality that allows it to
take on both a modern or traditional look depending on what it is paired with. For
example, in this image I used ÄDEL medium brown with open shelves and classic
white subway tile. The combination of classic materials and finishes helps to create a
traditional bistro style kitchen.

How do you maximize counter space and cut down on the clutter?

I like to utilize wall space, when it comes to keeping things off countertops. IKEA has several great systems for hanging things on rails or hooks on the wall. I find this is especially helpful when living in an apartment, as there are never very many drawers available. You can hang things like pots and pans, utensils (spatulas, whisks, etc), or even drying racks.

My number 1 mantra for preventing counter clutter is “A place for everything and
everything in its place!” I know this is easier to say than to do, but if everything has
a designated home, then it is more likely to be put away.

Where should dishwashers be placed?

Dishwashers are best placed directly beside the main kitchen sink for easy loading and
unloading. Depending on your personal preferences, either right or left side works well.

Tips for an inexpensive refresh?

1. Changing the knobs on your kitchen
cabinetry

2. Upgrade your lighting. Create a new
focal point by replacing an existing
pendant lamp with a dynamic, show
stopping fixture.

3. Paint is your best friend. Refreshing
a room with paint not only maintains a
space, it offers an opportunity to inject
an “of the moment” colour.

 How best to design galley-style kitchens?

I’ve had galley-style kitchens in many of my apartments over the years. One thing that I’ve done, that has seemed to help, is removing the cabinets from the cupboard doors.

Keep things looking light and spacious by considering the use of light coloured upper
cabinets, simple clean hardware and good task lighting.

How do you create the best layout for the 3 most important areas?

The “Working triangle” consists of a logical ergonomic arrangement of these 3
areas to make kitchen work easier and more efficient. If the 3 work areas are too close
to each other, multiple people working in the space can get in each other’s way. Too
far away and your work becomes time-consuming.

What are the best corner cabinets solutions?

Corners are tricky business and it’s important to maximize their storage potential.
Luckily IKEA offers 2 corner solutions for both base and upper cabinets. For base
cabinets, a classic Lazy Susan insert allows small appliances, mixing bowls and
baking supplies to be housed efficiently. Corner cabinets for uppers utilize of an
internal carousel making a perfect solution for smaller stacked items.

How do you create a breakfast nook in a small space?

One of the best ways to create a breakfast nook in a smaller space is to select a small
café table and chairs. A small round table won’t take up much space, and will enable
2 people to sit quite comfortably

Best storage and counter space solutions for small kitchens

1. Go with deep storage. Pullout pantries ensure nothing gets lost to the back of
the cabinets.
2. Utilize as many interior fittings as possible to make cabinet spaces work as
efficiently as possible.
3. Maximize little used areas for storage. Look for non-traditional spaces to stash
less-used items. A flip up cupboard above a fridge offers purpose built storage for trays.

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