Last Summer

While summer may already be here I'm still getting excited for all the patios, sun-soaking, picnics and outdoor fun that will be had. Here are some photos I took last summer:

Many days were spent lounging with the parents in Ottawa.

Enjoying the Air Show.

My loves.

 Sights around Toronto. 

Some wonderful summer meals were enjoyed.

Visiting the water park with Bella was a daily occurrence.
Not only was it perfect to cool off but it was pretty amusing too.

And it wouldn't have been complete without some celebrations. 

{Photos © Laura Clarke Photography}

A Transition

It's been officially two years since I started this blog as "Style Woes". After not even a year,  I stopped posting. The blog had turned itself into work instead of fun and I felt stressed that I didn't have any new ideas or content so I gradually faded it out. I decided to start it up again, but this time with a different approach that I know will continue to be fun at all times. This time I'll be focusing more on my passion for photography whether it be everyday moments, travel sights or significant celebrations. I've recently started my own personal transition leaving my job and taking a leap into something new so what better timing to start this up again. Please bare with me through the transition though, there's many posts that I had posted in the past which had photos and stories I loved so I'll be keeping those and continuing from here.

I hope you enjoy the photos, cheers!

{Photo © Laura Clarke Photography}

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Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! While I'm not one to get caught up in the "Hallmark" hype surrounding Valentine's Day, I do appreciate today as a day to show those around you that you love them and care about them. Whether it's your best friend, your parents, your siblings, or your coworkers, today is a great day to share the love. Here's some 'lovely' touches I've brought to the day.

Heart-shaped sugar cookies I made last night (recipe here). I love the look of them and they taste delicious but that dough put up a fight with me and I was up very late rolling it out.

Light pink nail polish with an added bright touch. 

{Photos © Laura Clarke Photography}

Birthday Wishes

Happy 30th Birthday to my sister. It's a big year, it's a big number, it's 20 more years until 50! While I may think 30 is a scary reality, my sister is ever so cool, knowing that she's young at heart and always will be. To her I say: thank you for being my big sister, for protecting me when I was little, for teaching me, for all the hand-me-downs, for being a great listener, for never taking things too seriously, for always striving for the best, for being tough on me (in a good way), for introducing me to skinny vanilla lattes, for always making me laugh, and for taking the old-age hit before me.

And this little sister is always looking up to you. Love you and your crazy self.

The End of 2011

Farewell 2011! I can't believe how fast the time went by but I'm so grateful for such an amazing year that I had. Just thinking of all the memories makes me giddy with excitement for what's to come in 2012. Do you make new year's resolutions? I love the idea of them to reflect on the things I want to change (or need to change) and then work to make them happen. But I tend to enjoy doing things instead of changing things, like crossing things off my bucket list. I decided to take a stab at some resolutions anyways so here it goes:

-  Find a balance: Being smart with money yet still having fun is a big thing for this year. I'm at an age where the spending opportunities are endless with weddings, traveling, or investing so balancing spending and saving is at the top of my list.

- Do more for me: Pretty straight forward but I'd like to make sure I do things that I love. I want to paint more, be active, continue with the blog, and learn to say no and not feel guilty about it.

- Step out of my comfort zone: I tend to be very comfortable with many things in my life and because of that I don't really step out of that. This year I already started to try new things that weren't necessarily 'comfortable' but would enhance my life. So whether it be running a half marathon (I'm not a runner at all), baking or meeting new people, I'm going to try it.

Some beautiful moments from 2011:

Cheers to 2011!

{Photos © Laura Clarke Photography}  

Keeping Traditions

Traditions are what I live for during the holidays. I get nostalgic and giddy just thinking about them. My family has been doing some of the same things since I was little and then there's some that were added in once my sister and I were older. I love the idea of keeping traditions going strong but I also love creating new ones. My boyfriend and I will be celebrating our second Christmas together in our place and I'm so excited to keep the traditions going. Some of the things I'm looking forward to most:

- My mom and I blasting the holiday tunes, dragging the boxes and boxes of ornaments from the basement, and spending a day decorating the tree.
- A night of cocktails and building the best gingerbread house ever!
- Champagne, ice cold shrimp, blueberry teas and gathering around the fireplace on Christmas Eve.
- My dad always leaves his shopping and wrapping to the very last second so I spend Christmas Eve being his little elf wrapping all the gifts (even the ones from "Santa").
- Waking up super early on Christmas day and running downstairs to check out the loot before anyone else is awake.
- Toasting mimosas, warm cinnamon bread, and listening to classic Christmas carols while my family opens our stockings.
- Opening gifts one at a time, we're a family that takes our time opening gifts and it's all about the giving and seeing each reaction.
- Once the family time is done it's time to head on over to my BFF's to visit her family and see all her loot. Then we go back to my parent's place so she can visit my family.
- Endless hours of cuddling with dogs in front of the fireplace.
- An extended Christmas for my b/f and I to open each other's gifts and stockings.

Have a wonderful holiday!

{Photos © Laura Clarke Photography - shot with my Canon G9}