There is nothing better than a Christmas inspired theme park for the holiday obsessed. For many years, I have wanted to re-visit Santa's Village, a theme park that I visited once as a child. During the recent cottage getaway, my husband, brother, and I drove the extra hour and a half out to the Christmas wonderland. Here are some of the highlights of that experience.
"It's tiiiiiiiiime!" Well...sort of. Christmas in July has arrived once again. For the holiday obsessed, like me, this is no better way to beat the summer heat than by thinking about the most wonderful time of the year. I am not the only one dreaming of a white Christmas (in July). Hallmark has been focused on seasonal programming throughout the month, with a new Christmas movie premiering each week. In the past, there have been posts on the creation of beauty is art. dedicated to mini hauls and tag questions as well as posts about random holiday movies. This time around? The focus is on the 24 Christmas Movie Collection from Nicely Entertainment. Back in December, I found two sets from the same company and was thrilled to add them to my always expanding Christmas movie collection. I have been making my way through both sets throughout the year, treating myself to a new-to-me Christmas movie as needed. To celebrate this Christmas in July, here are the standouts.
How will you celebrate St. Patrick's Day tomorrow? Will you wear green? Will you enjoy a drink and a nice meal with friends? However you choose to recognize the day, here is hoping it will be a positive experience from start to finish. In truth, I have a soft spot for this holiday because my husband and I met on St. Patrick's Day many years back. Each year, there are themed decorations in our home and there is at least some acknowledgement of the day. Tomorrow, I will be wearing a sweatshirt with four leaf clovers all over it and will do something fun and festive with my makeup. In the last week or so, I have painted my nails a bright festive green and have been reading "Irish Parade Murder" by Leslie Meier. I even watched some St. Patrick's Day themed cartoons on YouTube. Life can be stressful and overwhelming, especially with the world the way it is right now, so creating holiday magic has felt more important than usual. On that note, here is a bold makeup look with lots and lots of green.
It is time to finish off a week of holiday highlights with another advent calendar review. This one is from Revolution and the calendar included 24 different beauty products. This was a fun and unexpected find at Winners for $30 CDN. Ready to take a peek inside? Keep reading for a look at all of the products inside the advent calendar, some mini reviews, and favourites.
The first week of the new year is over already. It is hard to believe, but time seems to move faster these days. Though there is no denying the arrival of January, there is a part of me that is still lingering behind in December. The holiday season had some highs and lows...and I am trying to hold onto the highs as much as possible. That is the reason for this holiday highlights posts. It seemed appropriate to share a few seasonal photos, makeup looks, and talk about the more memorable moments.
A new year has arrived. Thank goodness! 2025 was a difficult year for myself and a lot of other people that I know...so it is nice to leave that year behind and cross my fingers for a fresh start. I came across this quote the other day, "There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind," and I sincerely hope that is true. We all deserve health, happiness, peace, and love. Though it is unknown what 2026 has in store, right now, we can look at this blank page with a renewed sense of optimism.
Each year, it seems there is a different colour trend that takes over the holiday season. Frosty winter whites and blues, pastel candy colours, and sometimes, even silver and gold. However, it is nice to stick to the classics. Red and green are commonly associated with this time of year. Traditionally, these colours were tied to winter solstice traditions, with red holly berries and green leaves, but these colours have also been known to represent blood and eternal life. Whatever the reason...red and green are easily the most recognizable Christmas colours. That is the reason this holiday themed #FOTD focuses on both.
What is it about holiday specials? Each one manages to make life feel extra beautiful. I suppose it comes down to this: the world is often stressful, frustrating, and unfair, but in Christmas movies and television specials, there is hope. Things get better. People grow. Circumstances change. Dreams are realized. Prayers are answered. It feels nice to escape to a magical dream world every now and then. Though there are many beloved Christmas movies and television specials out there, this post is focused on some obscure Christmas cartoons that have been high on my list of loves this year. If you are looking for something different that is sure to make your season bright, consider one of these hidden gems. You just might find a new favourite.
There is something special about seasonal scents. Truth be told, fall and winter have become my favourite times of year for a whole lot of reasons....including the various holidays. When out and about, there was this Spooky Aroma Oils set that caught my eye at Winners. It was not something that I planned on purchasing, but after looking at the different essential oil blends, the Halloween themed scents seemed like an ideal addition. I love candles, wall plug-ins, essential oils, room sprays, perfumes, and well, all things scented. It just makes the home feel extra special. Ready to find out what was included in the Spooky Aroma Oils set from DW Home? Here is everything you need to know about this seasonal essential oil release.
Happy Thanksgiving! Depending on where you are located in the world, this post will either be right on time, early, or totally irrelevant...but here is hoping that you will take a little time to be grateful today anyway. 2025 has been a difficult year, and at times, it has been hard to see the light. That is the reason that I have decided to create a little Thanksgiving post here on the creation of beauty is art. It is important to remember all that I have and all there is to look forward to. Here are some Thanksgiving themed movies and specials that are making me smile and five random things that I am grateful for this year.
If left alone in a Spirit Halloween store for too long, my bill could easily be hundreds and hundreds of dollars. There is so much to see and enjoy! I love Halloween decorations, themed clothes, and many beloved seasonal franchises. This is why my husband is normally present when I make my annual visit. He is able to remind me that our home only has so much room available. Even though there were a million other items that I would have loved to take home (like Halloween themed blankets, Hocus Pocus home decor items, and everything Trick 'r Treat), three items were deemed essential seasonal additions.
I love holidays and loathe summer. Perhaps that is the reason the Summerween trend has been making me smile lately. It adds a little bit of what I love (holidays and spooky season) into something that I do not (scorching temperatures and mosquitos). Originally from the animated series, Gravity Falls, Summerween has become a summer trend for all. It is essentially a summer version of Halloween. Think skeleton inflatables in the swimming pool, carving a "Jack-O-Melon" instead of a Jack-O-Lantern, and chilled pumpkin flavoured beverages. Keep reading to find out how I have been enjoying this fun twist on a fall holiday.
Over the years, many Christmas themed movies have been highlighted on the creation of beauty is art. My collection grows and I continue to watch these movies, cartoons, and holiday specials over and over throughout the year. Lately, I have been giving extra thought to why these movies mean so much to me. The world is often cruel, dark, and selfish. It is a place where people lie, cheat, steal, and harm. In Christmas movies, selfish people become generous and giving. Liars become honest. Harmful people learn to be better and make amends for their past actions. The world is so rarely like this...so when I watch a Christmas movie, it is the ultimate escape from the way things tend to be. I can pretend for a little while that good wins out, that kindness matters, and that miracles happen. On that note, to celebrate Christmas In July this year, it seemed right to focus on some new-to-me holiday movie reviews. My husband found all sorts of discounted Christmas movies for sale and asked me a very dangerous question: Do you want any? Of course, the answer was yes. Keep reading for all sorts of mini movie reviews.
Christmas In July is officially celebrated on July 25th, but thanks to an unexpected holiday release from Bath & Body Works, there are going to be two Christmas In July posts this year on the creation of beauty is art. My husband and I were out running errands a few weeks back and saw that Bath & Body Works was having a semi-annual sale. I love Bath & Body Works products (everything smells so good) but normally stock up in the fall and winter because the seasonal scents are my preference. We decided to walk through just to browse...but then found there were all sorts of Christmas In July themed items available.
