5 Date Night Ideas during COVID/ Global Pandemic

Well guys,

 Let’s get right to it. COVID-19 killed romance. 

If you know me, you’d know I can be irritatingly dramatic, so …maybe romance isn’t actually dead, but COVID-19 definitely infringed on some date night adventures for me. So, finding something to do indoors has been a pretty important task to tackle.

Don’t let COVID-19 be an excuse for lack of one-on-one time, it can definitely be done.

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  1. Netflix (or another streaming device) or a Movie/TV show of your choice.

Set aside time for a movie or television show you will both enjoy. Set it up somewhere with popcorn and drinks. Layout a blanket on the living room floor and enjoy something as simple as a movie. 

Now, this next point is important, make sure you actually set aside time to partake in the activity. Set aside, sleep, cellphones and social media and just focus on that time with your partner. COVID has placed stress on everybody so the deliberate act of dedicating your time and attention will certainly be appreciated.

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  1. Go for a Drive

It isn’t always hard to be entertained, there are occasions where my fiance and I will drive around and look at houses, admire their gates and lawns, come up with ideas on what our dream home will look like. To be honest, I always have a great time doing this, there’s always an opportunity for laughs, plus what woman doesn’t love designing her dream home in her head!

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  1. Plane watching

Ok, now hear me out.

I don’t particularly have an interest in planes. They go up, they come down, I arrive in a tropical paradise and I never think about them again.  But if you have a partner who has a LOVE for aviation, that this is something you both will enjoy. 

My partner loves planes, every plane that goes by he has an instant fascination with it… I personally don’t get it, but it makes me smile to hear his interests and be able to talk about something he enjoys. Aviation also relates to his career, so we are able to spend time together, eat some drive-through burgers and talk about something that makes him happy, which in turn makes me happy! 

**If you have small children like we do, take them along with you and make it a family outing! 

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  1. Hotel dates

Depending on your Province/state restrictions you may not be able to do this, but if permitted you may have a weekend getaway! Be romantic about it, make swans out of towels, have a picnic set up on the floor, or place love notes on the mirrors! Be INCREDIBLY corny… I mean you’ve got nothing else to do and nowhere else to go anyway! Let Pinterest be your guide if you fall short on ideas. Also bring Lysol,Pinesol, Detol…whatever cleaning supplies you like, be sure to bring, if nothing else it may just ease your mind. Also, I like to bring my own blanket whenever I visit a hotel (Pre Pandemic as well) So if you are like me, feel free to bring your own bedding too!

This is always a hit (COVID or Not) and it goes a long way to show appreciation …. **Also, if you’re in the doghouse with your spouse, this might just get you out of it! lol**

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5)Game Night

There are rare instances where I can be competitive, you can always have a good time playing a game of dominos, poker (strip optional), or even a drinking game can always end up being a fun time! Drink responsibly, don’t get sloppy…there is nothing romantic about cleaning up puke!

All in all, remember that physically being there doesn’t always equate to actively participating. If you put your mind to spending time and actively engaging with your significant other, you will find joy in anything you do.

What have you been doing to salvage romance during these times?

Comment below!

Until next time,

Allyson@stillsofhue

Lavender Lavender Lavender

I’ve always loved the smell of lavender and knew that lavender heard of its healing properties. I mean, after all, it is an essential oil so it must be good right. Essential oils are oils extracted from plants through a distillation process with steam or cold pressing of the roots, flowers, bark, or seeds. It nature’s gift to us in the form of an oil. These oils are highly concentrated and are usually diluted with other carrier oils. 

But it was not until about 2 years ago when I decided to actually start looking into be benefits of lavender oil and its amazing properties is when I truly fell in love. For those of you who are not familiar with lavender, you might be asking does lavender smell good or what can it be used for. Well, I’m here to shed a bit of light on this beautiful plant and hopefully you learn a thing or two. 

Lavender for skin and hair

  • Lavender oil naturally kills bacteria so it is great for treating acne, unclogging pores, and reducing inflammation. It also helps to reduce the discoloration that you might have from past breakouts and hyperpigmentation. Lavender is also great for treating dry itchy skin, which is common for people with eczema. Some people even use Lavender to treat wrinkles caused by free radicals. Free radicals are naturally formed in the body to fight different infections but it can also cause premature aging and wrinkles if there is too much. Lavender is naturally full of antioxidants and antibacterial properties, which reduces the amount of damage that free radicals did to the body. These antibacterial properties can be used to stimulate new hair growth, clean your scalp. 
  • When using topically should be diluted with a carrier oil to prevent skin irritation. Some carrier oils that I love are coconut oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil. After taking a shower I apply my DIY face oil, which is a mixture of black cumin seed oil, a few drops of lavender oil, a few drops of tea tree oil, and jojoba oil. This gets absorbed into my skin and my skin feels moisturized and happy. You can also add in a few drops of lavender oil to your favorite lotion or use it with one carrier oil for your body to keep things simple. Adding lavender to and Epsom salt foot soak is super relaxing and your food comes out feeling smooth fresh and smelling great

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Lavender aromatherapy

  • People like myself associate lavender with calmness and a sense of wellness. Studies show that lavender helps to reduce stress and anxiety
  • To use Lavender oil as a form of aromatherapy you can add a few drops of oil into a diffuser if you have one. Let the diffuser do its magic and distribute the oil into the air, the room will soon be filled with the beautiful scent of lavender and you can enjoy the calm that it brings. I recently got an organic soy candle with lavender in it from NEOB, which is located in St Catherines, Ontario. This is currently my favorite way to enjoy the lavender smell before bed or after a stressful day. You can even add a few drops in a spray bottle and spray it in your closet, in the air, or lightly on your pillow or bed sheets. If you take baths feel free to add some lavender to the water as you soak.

Lavender in food and drinks

  • Lavender can be taken orally by adding the buds of the plat to different dishes such as deserts or you can steep the buds in hot water to create a herbal tea. Lavender tea can help to support your digestive system, improve your sleep, detoxify your body, and reduce inflammation. To ensure that you are getting the best quality is best to look for organic lavender. Organic lavender is grown without GMOs and pesticides and other chemicals that can be harmful t your body. 

Lavender can be used topically, orally, and breathe in through aromatherapy. There are so many amazing benefits to lavender oil and buds. Please note it is recommending to do a patch test if you are using lavender topically to see if you may have an allergic reaction. If you are allergic discontinue use. Consult your doctor before consuming lavender orally.

Let us know your favorite way to use lavender in the comments below.

-Joelle@stillsofhuehue

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Best online Clothing stores for Women in 2021

Hi guys,

If you are like me, an avid online shopper then I’m certain you have collected some favourite places to shop for all your fashion needs! I am not the type of person to shop for outrageously expensive things, I’m a firm believer in the ‘low to high’ sorting option that most websites offer to build my ultimate wish list on a budget! 

Below are some great places to shop online if you are on a budget but looking for fashionable items.

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https://ca.boohoo.com/

Boohoo is usually my first choice. Being a Canadian shopper paying duties and taxes on international shipments can be an expensive pain in the butt, but Boohoo pays those fees for you, so you never have to pay customs fees with them! For this reason, I have ranked them #1 on my list of go-to fashion spots. Bear in mind most of their clothing start at a US size 4 and up, they also have a plus-size category as well. If you are a US size 2 or below, there is a small variety of clothing that you may find. They also have very cute accessories and shoes!

Be sure to check them out.

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lulus.com

Lulus is another top contender for me, it is a UK based website that ships internationally. I love their selection of clothing, and they NEVER skimp on quality. Their price range is a bit more $$ than some of the others mentioned in this list, but their products never disappoint. Most items have numerous reviews that you can read through, and their shoe collection is simply beautiful. (We will have an unboxing of some shoes I purchased from their black Friday sale, all of which were under $15!). They frequently have sales or promotional codes available as well. This is my go-to for wedding guests, or special occasion dresses as they are always classy and tastefully made dresses.

Check them out!

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https://www.missguidedus.com/

I have a drawer full of bikinis and swimwear from Missguided. I find their items so cute and trendy. They are very fashion-focused and promote body positivity on their Instagram and website, you will find the models are not airbrushed and I enjoy seeing that realness from a company. They ALWAYS have some sort of promo codes available and there is never a lack of product. Their prices are very affordable as well.

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https://www.fashionnova.com/

If you’ve never heard of Fashion Nova, you’ve been living under a rock! It has reigned supreme in the online fashion world and is supported by celebrities such as Cardi B & Kylie Jenner. My Vacation in Cuba was fashion Nova all the way, their bikinis and Cover-ups are so trendy. They also have a Luxe collection which has a great selection of Gowns. I know some brides who were on a budget and opted for a small gathering, they purchased their gowns from Fashion Nova. SO take a look at their Luxe collection if you are a bride on a budget, or simply looking for a second dress to change into

Go take a look!

Now, I will be honest I’ve never personally ordered from SHEIN myself, but with the abundance of cute tops, pants, and work wear my colleagues come into the office with, I don’t know why I have never ordered before! I’ve stalked their website on numerous occasions and have filled my cart with items that I never found on any other site. Plus their prices are GREAT. I am going to place an order within the next few weeks and follow up with my personal experience with them.

If you have given them a try let me know what your experience was like!

COVID-19 left us stuck inside, but we can still look cute indoors!!

Let us know your experience with online shopping during COVID-19 below!

Until next time.

Allyson @stillsofhue

Body Image and Self love

Let’s talk about our bodies for a second. I know we’ve all had moments where we look into the mirror and wished we had a ‘little more here’ and a ‘little less there’, But let’s talk about why we decide to scrutinize our bodies in the first place.

         I’ve come to the realization that for me, women have always been my worst critics. I’ve always been on the receiving end of their opinions on what a woman’s body should look like and mine never seemed to fit within their narrative. I’ve always been slim, with a high metabolism and it came to a point where I began to look at myself as being less than because of it.

I guess it’s true what they say..humans always lean towards the negative. 

The fact that shaming women based on their bodies is a whole different ball game for skinny women. There is no recourse for someone pointing out your body frame in a conference meeting at work, it isn’t unacceptable for someone to tell you that “you need to eat a burger” while in a public setting, and the most infuriating comment made is when someone blatantly asks if your anorexic or suffer from an eating disorder. In the past my response was usually to smile and correct them politely, trying my best to deflect and somehow change the topic (I hate being the center of attention) but I began to see that if I didn’t nip this in the bud, their behaviour would continue to be acceptable and that I would have to bear the burden of accepting that.

There were way too many situations where I looked at campaigns that advertised “real women” while actively overlooking their smaller models. I mean how can you scream ‘body acceptance for all’ and not include all bodies? It started to become ridiculous and extremely agitating. I was actively rolling my eyes at every compliment I’d received from the man in my life because I was so caught up in trying to prove myself to the outside world, by eating an insane amount of food until I felt sick. I got to a point where I had enough of trying to please the outside world. If there wasn’t going to be a cause that actively included me, I’d have to create my own.

So, I actively began to look at my body differently, I began to appreciate all that my body has done for me.  Every instance of being told that my body wasn’t “womanly enough” became so strange to me, because I began to appreciate that my body had done everything in its own perfect way, and that was ‘womanly’ enough for me. 

I began to tell myself that  I am a woman, I’m a beautiful, thriving, young woman whose every curve (albeit small) is a curve worthy of love and admiration. I began to appreciate all that my body had endured. 

What drastically aided in the appreciation of my body was my journey through motherhood. The process of growing, stretching, giving birth to human life is something that my body endured. This body of mine allowed me to carry and give life to something so beautiful, it allowed me to recover from the physical exhaustion of childbirth and the mental toll it took on me. So, when I look at my body,I no longer cling to every word of ridicule and judgement I’ve heard from others, I’ll remember that this body has carried me through my darkest hours and has given me a perfect gift.

I hope we all can take a moment to appreciate our bodies. It isn’t always easy, and the ridicule is often hard to take. But be proud of your body, remember that you were created with no mistakes. It won’t always be easy to appreciate all that you are and It’s ok to have an off day. It’s also ok to want to lead a healthier path as well, whether that leads you to a smaller or a bigger version of yourself.  It’s ok to want to better yourself and your self-image but never let another make you feel like you aren’t worthy.

Remember you are beautiful, in any form.

Love always,

Allyson@stillsofhue

Share your experiences and how you overcame it below

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