Guess what today is? It is my 10-year Blogaversary! That means I have been doing this for a whole decade. I find this remarkable because I never thought about doing this long term or not. 

I started blogging ten years ago today because I was a bit lonely, my husband worked nights and it was just me and our then dog Monty hanging around at nights. I also still loved makeup after taking Makeup Aritisty but didn't practise the trade at all. I figured it would give me an outlet to express my passion and give me something to do. Win-Win.

me at a Deciem store opening event in 2017.

What I gained is something I never expected, friends! At first in 2009-2010 I started making friends on twitter (remember when twitter was an active fun place for bloggers?), then later in Toronto Beauty Blogger brunches, which were so much fun and now through so many outlets.  In addition to having a richer social life and giving me something to do, I have gotten to the opportunity to attend lots of fun an unique events. From a Spa day at my home to TIFF red carpet events and getting my hair or makeup done or even going to star-studded events, it all has been a blast.

Ande and me at an Olay event

I remember being so excited about Mac's Style Black collection I needed to get stuff, and I did,, but why and what was I going to do with it? So Batting a Lash was born. Later I changed it to Beauty Vixen, which fit because I wanted to start going by Oliver-Fox for blogging and I just love foxes. I even convinced my makeup school buddy Melissa to start blogging. 

I've gained and lost a lot in this decade too. I lost my beloved cat Shine in 2011, then my papillon Monty in 2014 at the age of just 5. At the same time I delt with my father's cancer diagnosis and eventual passing. I also went from being no one's aunt to having four nieces and several nephews and a niece on my husband's side. I opened my home up to Sterling our rescue cat and Bradley our new papillon. It is amazing how much can change in so little time.

Bradley and Me at the International Auto show thanks to VW.

I have seen so many of my friends quit blogging over the years, so the fact that I am still blogging amazes me. None of this would have happened without you, so thank you for following me and supporting me this last decade.
Feel free to check out my first post right here. Cheers!

Me at the L'oreal TIFF Gold Party in 2016

We all have favourite movies, even more during the holiday season. My seasonal favourites are a bit unorthodox, but still they are my families tradition. Today I am going to share with you my childhood, adult and all time must watch movies. Hope you like them.

Childhood Favourites:

Watching these movies as a child somehow became a tradition that I looked forward to every year and now that I am an adult I feel the season just isn't complete without them

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966):
Maybe its the Boris Karloff, maybe its the Chuck Jones animation, or just the Grinch's heart growing 3 sizes that day, but darn it I love this movie. It is also a quick watch at about 25 minutes in length you can easily watch it without getting too board.

Now many people are going to ask me how I like the Ron Howard version, I don't, it just doesn't compare to the classic in my eyes.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983):
One fond childhood memory of mine was watching the Wonderful World Of Disney every Sunday night. This of course meant the annual holiday special featuring Mickey's Christmas Carol, Goofy Teaching you how to ski and Chip and Dale's tree being cut down to be Plutos' Christmas Tree.  Sadly only Mickey's Christmas Carol still airs on every year (it has aired every year since 1985 on CBC).  I happen to have two Disney Holiday DVDs as well as the complete Donald and Goofy collections, so I can easily watch whenever I want, but usually just Christmas Carol.

This is a cute re-imagining of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but with Mickey, Goofy, Donald and of course Scrooge McDuck. It's cute and lighthearted and only lasts about 26 minutes.

Honorable Mentions: Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman and A Christmas Story

Adult Favorites:

These are the films I didn't fall in love with as a child, but rather as an adult. Some weren't around when I was a kid, others were and I just kind of missed out.. They all are good family ones, some with some adult humor in them too.

ELF (2003):
Since ELF only came out when I was already 23, it isn't a childhood favourite of mine, but it is still a favourite none the less.

The adorable story of a human child raised in the north pole who truly believes he is an elf, despite his size and lack of elf talents. When buddy learns in his 30's that he is in fact a human, he does in search of his father in New York City. Of course the cutler shock of the real world mixed with his innocence as well as his dad who is on the naughty list equals laughs all around.

Jon Favreau directs this one and Will Ferrell and James Caan star.
It's a Muppet's Very Merry Christmas  Movie (2002):
This is once again a kids movie that came out when I was adult. I love the Muppet's, a childhood favourite. While I loved a tv special that aired for many years in the 80's and 90's it no longer play, so this is as close as I can get to it.

It is once again Dickens' Christmas Carol, this time with Kermit and the gang. It also has a pile of early 2000s pop culture references that are both really dated and hilarious in retrospect.  An example is their Christmas production at the theatre is Moulin Rouge themed and there's a lot of talk about malls being popular. Still I love it. 

Scrooged (1988)
I never seemed to have really watched this one as a child, but it turns out it is a favourite of my husband. We watch it every year now and I must say that darn that Bill Murray is a funny guy,

Basically it a comedy with a bit of slapstick retelling modern version Dickens' Christmas Carol.

Honorable mentions: Christmas Vacation and The Santa Clause

Unorthodox Traditions:
The title here should say it all, when people hear these titles they don't think of Christmas, but we here do. These aren't for kids either.

Bad Santa (2003)
It is hard to believe that this came out at the same time as ELF. The hubby and a bunch of other relatives find this film to be crazy funny. I will say while I only thought it was OK at first, it really has grown on me over the years.

Generally the hubby will turn this on at some point Christmas evening once were all full of turkey and maybe a little tipsy.

If you like your humor crude you're probably going to like this one.

Die Hard (1988):
I can't believe I went so long without ever watching this, I think I was 29 before I ever saw it. The hubby was up late watching it on tv and I asked why was it on at Christmas. I quickly learned it takes place on Christmas Eve. I was sold. Ever since then we watch it on Christmas Eve. I also yell when I see it on TV during the rest of the year, "IT NOT CHRISTMAS YET".

This is the first of 5 movies in the franchise, it features a John, a NYC cop visiting his estranged wife in LA on Christmas Eve. Of course there happens to be a crazy amount of bonds in a safe and a bunch of criminals take over the building. John of course has to save the day.
It features Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman as the mains in it.

Super fun bonus time, I found an authorized colouring book for the movie, me and Melissa from Melissa's Musings are going have a fun night of colouring and watching this movie.

Trading Places (1983):
This one takes place between Christmas and New Years, so we tend to watch it on Christmas Day or New Years Eve, but we always watch it.

This one is a great '80's comedy about a Louie, a commodities trader and Billy Ray, a con man have their fortunes switched when Louie's bosses make a bet about what would happen if the one was destitute an the other wealthy. Nothing really goes as planed and a lot of comedy occurs.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy star in this film.

Honorable mentions: Gremlins, Die Hard 2 and Lethal Weapon

That is enough bad movie summaries from me, I hope you liked it. The key thing here is these are my and my family's traditions when it comes to Holiday Films.

You may be wondering 'where have you been ?'. The truth is, I wish there was a quick and easy answer, but there isn't.

I've been through a lot in the last few months, heck 2.5 years, but now its time for me to get back to things as they once were. Well that is what I would like to think, the thing is, nothing will ever be the same in my life.

So without making everyone too awkward or sad, I am going to attempt to give you a very breif synopis of my life over the last 2.5 years and give you a glimps into why I have not been a constistant (or even real ) blogger for the last little while.


In 2013 my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer. This spring and summer his battle reached a tipping point and cancer won.

This is why when my beloved Monty (the dog I loved so much) died in January 2014 of a liver infection at age 5, I had to just move on, even though my heart broke. It truly wasn't something I expected to happen to my young pup, my best friend, the person (I know he wasn't a person) I leaned on the most in life, not like that. But when your father is fighting for his life you have to just be strong for everyone else and not focus on that, you have to focus on who is still with you and how you can help them.

I have spent much of the last few months with him, moving, and then recovering from the horrendous loss of my father. I'm not sure if I will ever really recover.

I haven't been able to blog because I really couldn't even string a sentence together, none the less sit down and write something. Also with the move I really have no clue where anything is.

Now that all is said and done, and I am partially settled into my new place (there is so much to do, it is overwhelming, but most things today overwhelm me), I hope to maybe be able to start blogging again.

Thanks for waiting it out with me, I hope you all stick with me as I start to blog again.

Thanks for listing,

Jill

The perfect fragrance can make our great rooms even greater. Glade^® Wax Melts Warmers fill even the largest rooms with fragrance with a stylish, electric table-top warming dish. Available in a wide variety of your favorite Glade^® scents, Glade^® Wax Melt cubes deliver up to 96 hours of fragrance per pack. -glade.com

wax melts packaging

I definitely like the melter. I like that it doesn't need a light bulb, and that the plate is removable for cleaning. Plus, I think it looks quite nice. I have heard (but I am not sure) that you can put a candle on it and use it as a candle warmer (all the scent of a candle but no dangerous flame).

melter without the dish

melter with dish

As for the wax, I really like the fall scent I chose, the apple and cinnamon make my place smell amazing and they seem to last a very long time. If the 96 hour claim is true is another story, any way the price is good and I can surly use other waxes in it if I do not end up loving them ( I personally love putting the last bits of candles into melters).

on my counter

If you saw my post "Pigment Nail Polish Mixing Trick" from a few years back you will pretty much see the same tip.

Take a powder foundation, mineral or otherwise, scoop some into an old empty gum pack. Then pour some clear polish into the same well. Mix with brush or a toothpick. Paint your nails. If needed pour more polish in. When done wipe brush down with nail polish remover then rubbing alcohol before retuning to bottle. You're all done!

By using your own foundation you know the colour will match your skin very well. It is also a way to use up any powders that don't 100% suit you, but then the polish might not too.

You can also do this with pigments and make any colour you like.

Hope you liked my tip!

So If you haven't heard by now, on July 1st Google Reader will be no more. This is devistating to me, but we all have to suck it up and move on.

To make sure you don't loose out on reading my blog or any other that you subscribe to this blog will give you some instructions on how to back up your Google Reader Feed and setting up an alternative source for reading your daily blog feeds.

This past week I've been trying to do more Instagram posts, so I thought I would share with you some of my pics.

Did you know that salt will never, ever, dissolve in oil?
So you're wondering what this has to do with anything?
BODY SCRUBS people, BODY SCRUBS!!!
So this past winter I picked up lots of goodies from New Directions and well, I ended up with leftovers.

One of those leftovers was their Coffee Blend Butter, while not a true body butter, it is quite similar. Basically it is a blend of pure soy butter and coffee essential oil and a few other ingredients to make an amazing smelling ingredient for making other products, such as body butter or lotions. I love the smell and the fact it is so thick so much but just have never used it.

photo from real simple.com

Well then I saw a comment on the product page saying how the person loved it in their body scrub recipe, then it hit me...this is what I can do with all my unused body butters.

I tend to have tons of body butters and just can never use them up as fast as their body wash counter parts and end up tossing quite a bit of them.

Coffee Blend Butter (photo from newdirectionsaromatics.ca) See how thick it is

So what did I do?

I went to my bulk store and got some salt. A mixture of kosher, coarse sea salt and some plain sea salt, I poured it into my coffee blend butter and mixed it up. I read that regular table salt or sea salt is the perfect texture for most skin types but I did like having the variety in my scrub. It cost me about 25 cents to buy all the salts.

If you are a fan of less thick butters you can mix in some oil, like coconut oil or sweet almond or olive oil, but I recommend just trying it out with your body butter first and adjust after.

This is definitely a moisturizing scrub, there was no need for lotion afterwards. It reminded me of the Lush Buffy bar and how it scrubs
(but with less grit) you but leaves you coated in a moisturizer afterwards.

So if you have too much body butter or lotion at home you might want to try this out.

Oh and one more thing, sugar doesn't dissolve in oil either...so yeah you can use different sugars if you wanted to.

Yep a tarantula...I kept clear but Rich had to take a pic.
 Another neat bug.
 The pyramid
 View from the top
 They were also Coati which are like racoons if you ask me. They were a lot more Coati at our resort than anything else...tons.
There were also iguanas and geckos and some cats at night. At the other resort we could visit there are monkeys in the trees and far more agouti.
The resort does a good job of keeping them out of the eating areas but people insist on feeding them which make the coati more determined (imagine if people actually feed racoons here what would happen).
Almost every day we had some cute towel animals for us
Plus we had a full bar that was restocked daily and part of the all inclusive package.
I had a great time and I hope you enjoyed my pictures.