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WIN a Natural Highlight Package (Value $50)


January 23, 2013

Fashion/Beauty

If you’re like me, you care about the products you use on your face, hair and body. After all, drop dead gorgeous shouldn’t kill you!

So, when my friends at Tints of Nature offered up a Natural Highlight Package for one lucky Cashmere Clutch reader to win, I couldn’t resist!

The best part? These gorgeous highlights are:
* free of ammonia, resorcinol, nonoxynol and parabens
* certified organic
* earth and animal friendly

And now that we’re dead in winter, there’s nothing that lift spirits like a beauty break and fresh highlights.

HOW TO ENTER:
-Subscribe to the Cashmere Clutch e-newsletter here >>>>> http://eepurl.com/tArTj (you must be an e-newsletter subscriber to be eligible)
-Leave a comment on this blog post on your #1 winter beauty survival tip

WHAT YOU CAN WIN:
2 Permanent Blonde Ammonia-Free Hair Colour Kits
1 Highlighter kit from Tints of Nature

HOW THE WINNER IS SELECTED:
-randomly by random.org

LEGAL MUMBE JUMBO:
- must be 18 years to enter
- not valid where prohibited by law
- your chances of winning depend on the number of valid entries

Good Luck!


       
 

Is this your chance?


January 16, 2013

Money, Work Life

So far 2013 has turned out to be a pretty amazing year so far. It started out with an Easy to Follow New Years cleanse that has left me lighter, brighter and sleeping so much better. I’m still essentially doing the cleanse, I guess you would say it has become a part of my lifestyle. I’m so excited to not look tired everyday, and if I didn’t do this cleanse I would have realized this.

Then, I had lots of personal realizations about my life, my dreams, and I set myself a totally outrageous goal – I want to be a recognized media personality for small business marketing by 2017. There, I’ve proclaimed my intentions! I am so excited to step up, step out and make this dream a reality!

What about you – what’s your “big dream”?

If starting your own successful business, or elevating your current “hobby” in a profitable business, is one of them I’ve got a real treat for you.

My mentor, Ali Brown, is hosting a free 4 hour session where she’s going to show you what you need to do to start your own business, or finally turn a profit on your hobby.

You see, like me, Ali was working in a corporate job, and she just wasn’t finding it fulfilling. Sure, it paid well, and she got to work on cool projects….but there was something missing… One day she met a freelancer who came into the office worked on some projects, got paid extremely well, and then he’d be done his project and he’d take his family on long vacations. And it got Ali wondering…why can’t I do that? The cool thing is, there’s actually no reason why you can’t do it!

If you dream of more freedom in your life, determining for yourself what your income will be (instead of a grumpy boss who never wants to give you a promotion), and being able to live flexibly; whether that frees up time for travel, more time with family, or just a different lifestyle…this is your chance.

Here’s the link to join this free session: http://bit.ly/UROkwV

Ali has helped thousands of women transform their lives and their businesses. She’s helped people start businesses that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and some that bring in millions a year. And if you’re thinking that’s something you want for you life, I’m thinking 2013 is your year!

Here are some details to consider:
- today at 5pm EST (Wednesday, January 16th, 2013)
- it’s free (i.e. you have nothing to lose)
- Ali has built her own million dollar business so you are learning from someone who knows how to do this, and what you need to avoid (man, I wished I’d learned this at the start of my business!)
- for women only (that means no boring and ego-y guys that dominate the program talking about how awesome they are, or going bananas talking only about numbers, charts and graphs…yawn. Thankfully it’s not like that!)
- for people wanting to start a business, if you have a business and want to make it bigger/more profitable, or if you’re an experienced entrepreneur that has hit the income ceiling that happens around $150,000.00 and want to break through into the millions

Here’s the link where you can sign up: http://bit.ly/UROkwV

If you’re wondering why you’re getting this invitation let me be honest – starting my own business was the best decision I’ve made in my life. It has been totally transformational. I have freedom over my time, a great income, and I’m totally in control of how I live, what I do, and when and how hard I work. I love being in control!

I also love seeing other women achieve this freedom in their life. It’s truly unmatched in terms of *gifts* you can give yourself. So I share this invitation with you in case you’re the kind of girl that have always wanted to do something for yourself, but weren’t sure how to go about it.

If I had to give my top 3 reasons why I love working with this mentor here it is:
1. I’ve put some of her advice into action and made about $20,000 more because of it
2. She’s nice and fun! That may seem like a silly reason, but I want to have guidance from someone who makes me feel good, who laughs, and who genuinely cares that I’m successful. I don’t want to learn from some super boring numbers guy that is going to give me advice that is not “girl friendly” or tries to push me to be or do something that just doesn’t feel like “me”.
3. Surrounding myself with other successful entrepreneurs is incredibly fulfilling. I love having a network of women that I can ask questions to, get support from, and learn from, and they’re all really nice, fun, fashionable and cool people!

I hope you’ll join me at this free training – it’s made a big difference in my life and it can in yours too. Here’s the link again: http://bit.ly/UROkwV

xo
Ingrid


       
 

Roasted Icewine Marshmellows Anyone?


January 11, 2013

Travel

The Icewine festival is in full swing in Niagara on the Lake, and this week I’ll be at Peller Estates roasting icewine marshmellows. Yummy! Since I just finished my cleanse, it seems like the perfect time for a reward like fire roasted icewine marshmellows!

If you’re interested in this event here’s what you need to know.

Important Details:

Location: Peller Estates Winery, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
Dates: January 12,13,19 & 20th
Cost: $10 per person, $5 for Wine Club members
Reservations: Can be made here

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Update: 7 Day Cleanse Results


January 7, 2013

Wellbeing

At the risk of sounding like a wacko, I have to confess this 7 Day Cleanse has changed my life.

When I started the Easy to follow New Years Cleanse I thought it would be a cool way to start the New Year…maybe I would lose a little weight, maybe I would feel a bit better, something like that.

Instead, it’s changed my life.

I’ve lost 5lbs, have loads of energy, I feel very positive and optimistic (can diet change your outlook on life?), and most importantly I’ve slept better than I have in years.

I realized with this cleanse that I have been having bad, restless sleep for years, and years. Every morning I would wake up and feel like a corpse until I had a huge cup of coffee. And then I would be so dehydrated all day, and feel like I could take a long nap at any time of the day from being so exhausted. I would also have big dark circles under my eyes, and always have red tired eyes.

Not exactly glamourous. But I had become so used to it, that it was my new normal. I’d just started to accept it.

Not anymore, my friends…not anymore.

Since this cleanse has been so successful for me, I’m actually going to make 2013 my fittest year yet. My personal theme for this year is ‘nurture’, and a great diet is a big part of that.

So, I’m going to stretch this cleanse out, and make it a year long program.

Here’s the basic plan:

fruit shake for breakfast

A mix of berries, fruits, 1 cup of milk & about 10 almonds. I have one large glass, which is the equivalent of 2 cups of shake. I mix it so there are still fruit chunks in the cup so I eat it with a spoon. With the nuts it has a great texture, and it’s really filling.

healthy light lunch

Here are some meal ideas:
- A spinach salad with chickpeas, and avocados with a vinaigrette dressing
- A mixed green salad with tuna and red peppers. For dressing I make an olive oil vinaigrette with good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
- If I really want to be filled up for lunch I’ll have brown rice which I’ll mix with finely chopped cilantro, parsley and green onions. Then I’ll add in about 2 tablespoons of high quality olive oil, salt and pepper and mix it well.
- Depending on my hunger I may have half a chicken breast that I cooked in coconut water with salt and pepper.
- I also like to occasionally add in about 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese. It’s really high in protein, low in fat and has calcium. It always makes me feel great, and gives me energy for hours.
- Grilled salmon is also a good addition to any salad or rice combination

healthy light dinner

I try and have a light dinner so I never go to bed feeling full, which really interferes with my sleep.

Here are some meal ideas:
- A green salad loaded with vegetables and lightly sprinkled balsamic vinaigrette
- A chickpea salad with cucumbers, red peppers, green onions and a red cider vinaigrette dressing
- Homemade butternut squash soup

PLUS: Every Sunday my little family has an Argentinean barbecue, where we’ll have barbecued flank steak, chimichurri, grilled vegetables, salads etc. This is my one big red meat meal for the week.

Here are the changes I’m making as a result of this cleanse:- no caffeine
- very little bread/pasta etc
- very little alcohol (maybe 1 or 2 glasses to celebrate something)
- no eating after 6pm
- no snacking
- drink at least 1.5 L of water a day ( I use the measuring cup that goes under my hand held blender since it’s easy for me to know I need to drink 2 of those every day to get enough water)
- no sweeteners/sugar
- no fried foods

My goal for this new way of eating and living is that I’m going to have lean body, lots of energy, feel refreshed and have clear & healthy skin. If you want to join me on this year long journey I’d love to have you along. Make sure you sign up for the newsletter below, where I’ll be sharing updates, meal ideas and news of my progress.


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Looking ahead to 2013


January 4, 2013

Simple Things

2013 is a year that I’m very excited about.

Now that all the craziness of 2012 is behind me, I’m looking forward to all that 2013 promises to have in store.

Here’s what’s got me excited:

- In March I’m going to LA – and planning a hiking trip with a girlfriend from high school. I’m going for a work conference (it’s actually with Ali Brown, my business mentor that I mentioned last year), and I’m mixing business with pleasure before the conference. I’m so excited to see my long-time friend, and to escape the chilly Ontario winter!

- In April we’re finally getting our condo in Liberty Village, Toronto. We bought it pre-construction in 2009, and after 1.5 years delay it’s finally ready! Our unit has appreciated in value a lot, so it’s been a fantastic investment so far, but Holy Moses it’s been a long wait! I can’t wait to be back downtown, and I guess patience gets rewarded since my husband’s office recently moved 2 streets away from our new condo, so he’ll be home at a decent hour again (yay!)

- In late May/early June my family’s planning a trip to Greece. I can’t wait for this. Ever since seeing the movie Mamma Mia I’ve been having dreams of being on a Greek island, eating delicious food, and getting lost in the beauty of the landscape.

- In August I’m hoping to take a weeklong vacation with my family and my brother’s family somewhere in the West Coast of Canada or US. Last year they came for a week to our place in Niagara on the Lake, and it was an excellent visit. We went to the beach, had barbecues, drank great wines, played for hours, and really enjoyed having our two families together. This year I’m hoping we’ll be able to do it again, with us going closer to BC this time. (I’m rooting for California!)


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An Easy to Follow New Years Cleanse


January 3, 2013

Wellbeing

At the end of the holiday season I was feeling extremely bloated. I was eating without being hungry, and I was drinking enough for a group of 20 year olds during Spring Break. While that was fun…it didn’t feel so awesome, and it didn’t look so good on me. On December 27th after having friends over for drinks, and really struggling to button up my jeans I decided to start a cleanse on January 1st.

I found a cleanse that seemed pretty interesting through Gweneth Paltrow’s blog Goop, but I wasn’t going to pay $425 for a box of vitamins and shakes, so I decided to tweak the plan slightly.

It’s based on Dr. Junger’s book, Clean, (which I ordered online in time for a January 1st delivery) but without all the dietary supplements, and yucky tasting shakes. Let’s call it the Cashmere Clutch Cleanse.

Here’s the lowdown of the Cashmere Clutch Cleanse:

What you can’t eat: Essentially you cut out all processed foods, and foods that you would have sensitivities with including booze, caffeine, wheat and dairy.

The daily meal plan:

Breakfast: a 2 cup fresh fruit shake. I’m putting in blueberries, mangoes, almonds and brown rice milk – and play around with this fruits I’m using.

Lunch: a healthy lunch of greens, protein and some starchy stuff. Today I had half a chicken breast, a spinach salad with a light balsamic dressing, and 1 cup of quinoa with fresh cilantro, parsley and green onions.

Dinner: a 2 cup fresh fruit shake. I can either have the same thing as the morning if I made enough, or mix it up with some different fruits.

Results so far: I’m feeling much better, my pants are feeling looser already, and I’m sleeping incredibly well! I’ve also lost 2lbs so far…hopefully I’ll be down 5 by the end of the week.


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HAPPY NEW YEAR!


January 1, 2013

Money, Simple Things

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’m super excited about 2013…there’s so many great things on the horizon, and so many possibilities.

Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy and wealthy 2013!

xo
Ingrid


       
 

October Resolutions


October 1, 2012

Simple Things

I’ve been feeling like I really need to get my life back on track lately – and there’s no better way to do that than to make “mini resolutions” every month. I used to do this, and then I sort of let it slip away. Now I’m getting back to it, since it’s so easy to float through life and not really fill it with intentional things that I want for myself.

1. Take a long walk 2x/week – alone.

I love taking long walks. It’s time to reflect, digest and make exciting new plans for the future. There’s something that happens when I take long, long walks – I clear up all my problems, figure out what I want for the future, and get totally inspired for what’s next in my life. It doesn’t happen when I’m running, and it doesn’t happen for any other form of exercise. I’ve been a bit off track recently – and having just started getting out for my walks – and it shows in my life. Everything seemed overwhelming and I never took the time out and left the baby with my husband to go for a walk. It’s time I took my time, went for a walk, and got stuff figured out!

2. Book regular “maintenance”

Before I got pregnant I was in the middle of making a deal with a beauty place for a set amount of services on a monthly basis for a set price. It was a great deal, and would make sure that I actually went in for my services. Well, when I got pregnant I had to stop, since you’re not supposed to do anything that’s rough on your skin. Now it’s time to get back on track.

3. Have a girls night out.

I desperately need more girl time in my life. There’s no substitute. It’s just a part of who I am, and I need more fun, laughter, fancy dresses and silliness in my life.


       
 

3 Things People Never Tell You About Having a Baby


September 28, 2012

Money, Wellbeing

Having a baby is lovely – they are cute, they smell so good, they’re fun to play with, you can dress them in delicious clothes, and when they look at you, it melts your heart.

Now lets get real.

1. You don’t forget.

I have no idea why people say “when you see your little baby, you forget about labour”. WRONG! It fucking hurts, really, really, really badly. For me it was like having someone rip my body in half – and I had an epidural. If I could have been given morphine, tequila, and a joint I would have taken it.

2. It takes months to recover.

I was very lucky, and lost all my baby weight within a month after having my baby. But…my body hurt for months after. My shoulders were super stiff, my lower back was in agony, my joints were all tight and painful, and I felt like a senior citizen. I would lean over to clean up, weed the garden, or pick up the baby, and I would have a hard time getting up. When I got up, I was bent over reeling in pain for 2 minutes. It takes a major toll on your body, and I wasn’t expecting the four or five months of recovery time.

3. Your hair falls out. Lots of it.

Three to six months after you have a baby your hair will start falling out in shocking amounts. Every time I wash my hair I pull out a full hand full of hair. When I brush my hair clumps come out. I have to vaccuum and sweep almost every day to pick up all the strands that randomly fall out. Apparently when you’re pregnant none of your hair falls out. I didn’t notice, but now when I see pictures of myself before I can see it looks like I have a weave in my hair from it being so incredibly thick. One the baby comes out, your body lets go of all the hair it was holding on to – and you lose massive amounts of it. My hairdresser couldn’t believe what happened when she felt my hair last week.


       
 

Top 3 Emmy Dresses


September 24, 2012

Fashion/Beauty, Money

The Emmy’s were on last night, and although I didn’t watch them I am scouring all my favourite sites to find out what everyone was wearing. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t that excited by most of the outfits – with three exceptions.

#1 Leslie Mann in Naeem Khan

This dress actually hit the Worst Dressed list over at Perez Hilton, but I think they’re dead wrong. I love the crocheted top, with the bright yellow skirt, and the draping of the outfit. If I had a big fancy, schmancy event to go to, I’d love to wear something like this. So fun!

#2 Juliana Hough in Georges Hobeika Couture

I love this mermaid dress. It fits her perfectly, has lots of coverage and is still super sexy! I also love all the detailing and the colour. Not your typical dress, but I love, love, love it!

#3 Claire Danes in Lanvin

Figuring out what to wear when you’re pregnant is not easy – but Claire Danes does it so well! Not only is the draping on this dress gorgeous, but she made such a gutsy colour choice! It looks amazing.