My Summer in the Canadian Rockies

Hello everyone,

I apologize for not writing in a while but I have been extremely busy and the summer seems to have kind of gotten away from me. As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I have been in Alberta for the summer which means that I have had some pretty cool adventures and have taken quite a few pictures of all the lovely mountains that I'm surrounded by. Therefore, this blogpost is going to be a small compilation of my time here and just an opportunity to share some of my photos with you all.

I hope you enjoy looking at the mountains as much as I do!

                                             

                  



View of Mount Lawrence Grassi and Ha Ling Peak from my front yard
























A view of the Three Sisters from Silvertip

 



                Exploring Spray Lakes


















My cousin and I at Lake Louise

 

     Mount Lawrence Grassi and Ha Ling Peak

The view of the Three Sisters from behind my house

   My little cousin and I celebrating Canada Day in the Rockies

Fireworks infront of the Three Sisters for Canada Day

                       The Three Sisters again!

Mount Lawrence Grassi and Rundle Range

The famous Bow River which runs from the Rocky Mountains through the foothills of Alberta and all the way into the prairies of Saskatchewan. There it meets with the Oldman River and the 2 form the South Saskatchewan River which then continues and eventually runs into Hudson Bay.











I hope you all liked my pictures! Sorry if this post wasn't exactly your cup of tea, but I figured some of you might enjoy it. I will be back soon!


Until next time,
Emma J :) x

My New Obsession - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains!

Hello again everybody! I hope you've all been doing well and living exciting lives since I last wrote!

Today I just wanted to do a quick post confessing my new obsession to you all. I am addicted to the Revlon Balm Stains! I realize I am a little to the party with this because they seem to have been quite popular for a while now, but if you're like me and you are always a bit behind the current trends then this post is for you!

I decided to go out and buy these yesterday after watching countless beauty videos online (Zoella, Tanya, Louise, Fleur, etc.) and constantly hearing about how wonderful these lip products are! I am fairly lazy when it comes to my lips, meaning that I hate having to reapply my colour throughout the day or night, therefore I always tend to go with a fairly subtle tinted lip balm just so I can easily reapply it without a mirror and it always just looks decent even if it's starting to wear off. These lip products are absolute perfection! I seriously doubt that I will ever wear lipstick on a night out ever again. These actually do "stain" your lips and they last for such a long time! They are well pigmented and insanely easy to apply when you're in a rush, but they give the appearance of a classic lipstick look. On top of all that wonderfulness, they are also extremely hydrating which is important to me because I absolutely hate having dry lips or wearing lipsticks that suck all the hydration out of my lips.

Since yesterday I have purchased 4 of these and I am already planning on buying all the other colours as soon as humanly possible. I currently have the shades Adore (055), Sweetheart (025), Rendezvous (040), and Honey (001). I will include a couple of pictures below so you can see what they all look like.

In conclusion, I highly recommend that you all go out and purchase these lip products immediately if you haven't tried them already! I'm sure you won't regret it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I will talk to you all again soon!

Until next time,
Emma J :) x


PS. They are in the same order in both photos. It goes Adore, Sweetheart, Rendezvous, and then Honey. My personal favourite is Rendezvous because I am obsessed with orange <3

TMI Tag :)

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all doing well! Today I am going to do the TMI (too much information) tag for you guys. Hope you enjoy :)

1. What are you currently wearing?
- I am wearing my green army jacket from Joe Fresh, a white lace collared top from H&M, a maroon jumper with a black cross on the front from Garage overtop, black leggings (duh), and my brown Steve Madden combat boots.

2. Ever been in love?
- Only with my pets.

3. Ever had a bad breakup?
- Nope!

4. How tall are you?
- I am 5 feet, 6 inches.

5. How much do you weigh?
- Around 130 pounds.

6. Any tattoos?
- Not yet, but I really want to get one!

7. Any piercings?
- I have 2 earlobe piercings on each ear, my cartilage on the left side, and a nose ring on the right side.

8. OTP?
- Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl <3<3<3

9. Favourite shows?
- Friends, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother.

10. Favourite bands?
- One Direction, The Vamps, London Grammar, Mumford and Sons, and The Beatles. (Notice a pattern there?)

11. Something you miss?
- Home.

12. Favourite song?
- I don't really have a favourite song overall, but my current favourite is All The Stars by Ed Sheeran!

13. How old are you?
- 19

14. When is your birthday?
- April 12, 1995.

15. Zodiac sign?
- Aries.

16. Quality you look for in a partner?
- Kindness and respect.

17. Favourite quote?
- Dream as if you will live forever, live as if you will die today.

18. Favourite actor/actress?
- Emma Stone

19. Favourite colour?
- Orange and turquoise!

20. Loud or soft music?
- Loud.

21. Where do you go when you're sad?
- Usually the fridge, then the couch.

22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
- About 40 minutes if I don't shower, an hour if I do.

23. How long does it take you to shower?
- 10 to 15 minutes.

24. Ever been in a physical fight?
- Nope.

25. Turn on?
- Just an overall super sweet guy, but also a good sense of humour.

26. Turn off?
- Spitting (I literally have a minor stroke when people spit in public).

27. Reason I started blogging?
- Boredom and loneliness. I guess you could say it was just a random late night decision.

28. Fears?
- Snakes, needles, and oceans.

29. Last thing that made you cry?
-The Fault In Our Stars.

30. Last time you said you loved someone?
- This evening to my mom <3

31. Meaning behind your blog name?
- This one is fairly self-explanatory... my name is Emma and these blogs are by me, hence, Blogs By Emma.

32. Last book you read?
- The Fault In Our Stars

33. Book you're currently reading?
- The Rosie Project

34. Last show you watched?
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

35. Last person you talked to?
- My mom on the phone.

36. Relationship between you and the last person you texted?
- Sisters

37. Favourite food?
- Pho Soup!!!!! <3<3<3

38. Place you want to visit?
- Everywhere. When I'm older I want to just backpack around all by myself and experience what it's like to live in multiple other cultures. I plan on putting off reality for as long as I possibly can and travelling the world seems like a nice little escape.

39. Last place you travelled?
- I'm currently in Alberta working for the summer, but before that I travelled to England.

40. Do you have a crush?
- Nope.

41. Last time you were insulted?
- I have no idea, nothing major comes to mind!

42. Favourite flavour of sweet?
- Usually all the red ones (cherry, strawberry, etc.)

43. What instruments do you play?
- I am primarily a singer, plus I play the piano, violin, and French horn.

44. Favourite piece of jewellery?
- My Claddagh ring :)

45. Last sport you played?
- Basketball.

46. Last song you sang?
- The theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air while I was in the shower. #NoRegrets.

47. Favourite chat up line?
- Nice legs, what time do they open? (LAWL)

48. Have you ever used it?
- Absolutely not, and I hope if I ever did someone would punch me square in the face.

49. Last time you hung out with someone?
- This evening.

50. Who should answer these questions next?
- My buddy, Beauty By Catherine :)


Well that is all for this post! I hope you enjoyed learning more about me :)

Until next time,
Emma J :) x

My Makeup Must Haves!

Hello everyone!

I hope that you have all been wonderful since I last wrote and that spring is treating you well! I certainly am enjoying all this warmth and sunshine! Today I decided to write to you guys about my makeup must haves, or more generally just my favourite makeup pieces that I use quite often. I am not a beauty expert in any way at all so these are all just my personal opinions and if you disagree then that's more than fine, I'm simply sharing what I love. Enjoy!

My first favourite item is my Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder. This powder is an absolute life saver for anyone that may struggle with slightly oily skin, or even if you tend to get a little bit shiny throughout a long day. I always like to have this with me in my handbag and just apply it whenever I feel like I need to. I also apply this powder at the beginning of the day just to start off on the right foot with a nice matte finish to my face. I give this item 5 stars because it is perfect for my skin and it has really helped me out in a lot of situations with my oily skin... the beautiful purple packaging is just a bonus!

This next makeup item probably won't be of any great surprise to you beauty lovers; it's the Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer. This concealer provides an anti-fatigue effect which seriously saves my face on a daily basis. Due to the fact that I'm a university student I often have quite late nights followed by some very early mornings, therefore anything to make me look less tired is welcomed with open arms! It provides great coverage and leaves my face feeling healthy and fresh! 

This concealer is my hero <3

Now on to mascara! I guess I'm what you could call a mascara addict. I absolutely love the stuff and honestly one of my favourite things in life is buying/trying all different kinds. Throughout my years of wearing makeup I have tried my fair share of mascaras and without a doubt my favourite is the Maybelline New York Rocket Volum' Express! I would even go as far to say that this is the mascara of the gods, they have graced Earth with this gift of perfection in mascara form. Seriously though, this stuff rocks and I don't know what I would do without it. With this mascara I simply put on 1 or 2 coats, whereas I found with a lot of others that it took quite a lot of time to get just the right amount on. This mascara seems almost like a mascara for beginners because it is just so simple to apply and it does everything in just 1 easy step! My lashes are longer and fuller with this mascara and it is so so lovely!

Eye shadow is a marvellous thing and it possesses the ability to either make or break a look. I really struggle with finding the right eyeshadow for me and I am very picky about the colours that I use. I actually don't really wear eyeshadow on a daily basis because I can't even be bothered to keep trying out different shades and I am also just very lazy and don't normally bother with putting any on in the morning as I'm rushing out the door for school or work. However, I have found one eyeshadow that is always in my makeup bag and I have repurchased it quite a few times. This is the Urban Decay eyeshadow in the colour 'Pistol'. I have used other Urban Decay eyeshadows as well and of course they are all such lovely quality and I really love the way that they go on and also how long they last. 'Pistol' is my go-to shade for whenever I want a smokey eye on a night out or on the days that I am just feeling very bold and dramatic!  It is a dark, charcoal grey that has a slight shimmer through it. I also use this eyeshadow under my eye on days that I am not wearing eyeliner and it looks so nice! This is an amazing shade and every time I wear it I receive compliments on how beautiful it is. Definitely a 5 star product in my opinion.

Put some red lipstick on and live a little! A proper thought to live by. I personally adore a vintage red lip and every time I see someone wearing it I find it mesmerizing and then when I wear it myself, I feel like I have the confidence to conquer the world! It's amazing what a difference the right shade of lipstick can do for a girl. My favourite red lipstick is Revlon Colourburst Lipstick in the shade, True Red (090). Not much else has to be said about this because I'm sure that the majority of you know how to rock a red lip: with confidence! This is a wonderfully pigmented and long lasting lipstick and I strongly recommend it to anyone in need of a new red lipstick. 

Well that is it for my makeup must haves! Thank you so much to any of you that made it through that post, I greatly appreciate it! I hope that this was somewhat interesting or maybe even helpful for some of you guys! I will be back soon with another post :)

Until next time,

Emma J :) x

I'm Back, I'm Free, and I Have Plans!

Hello everyone!

I'm back!!! I am very sorry for my extended leave of absence from blogging! I wish I had a better excuse for you guys but if I'm being completely honest, it's just because I'm lazy. And I guess partially because I am a university student and university is bloody hard and stressful. But not to worry, the university year is done now so I am officially on summer holiday! This means that I am now free for the next 4 months, and let me tell you, I plan on making the absolute most of that time. This also means that I will have plenty of time to blog, and I would even like to start sharing some photos with you guys and also doing some fashion posts. Due to the fact that I live in Canada I find it kind of difficult to take nice pictures in the middle of winter when it is around minus 40 degrees Celsius and going outside is somewhat of a suicide mission, so I am very sorry about that. 

Another cool announcement is that I will be spending my summer in the Canadian Rockies! I am from Ontario, Canada; however for the summer I have been offered a job as a waitress out in Banff, Alberta! I can NOT wait for this because I absolutely love the western provinces of Canada. I have been there quite a few times on family trips and every time I go I just fall in love with the mountains all over again. The beauty is absolutely breath taking, so if you have never been I definitely recommend you add that to your to do list! As you can imagine, the mountain ranges will provide some pretty spectacular selfie backgrounds so be prepared for lots of photography posts during my time out there! Ugh I hate myself as much as you hate me right now. 

That is all I really have to say for right now, I just really wanted to write a quick post about what is to come in the very near future. I promise you that my life will start to get more interesting now that I have been freed from the library and my university practice rooms (I'm a voice major in case I never mentioned that). 

Thank you if you took the time to read this and please stay tuned for some more interesting posts coming soon :)

Until next time,

Emma J :) x

Everybody Loves Raymond

Hello everyone!

Well it has been one week since my first blog post and since then I have pretty much been brainstorming and planning out enough blog posts to last me the next year and a half. I suppose you could say I've got the blogging bug! In this week's post I wanted to tell you guys about something that's important to me and plays a major role in my life... my horse!

My horse's name is Everybody Loves Raymond, also known simply as, Raymond. He is a 13 year old, Morgan/Arabian cross and I absolutely love him to death. Raymond was a complete surprise to me as a gift from my parents when I was 9 (2004), at which point I had already been riding for 5 years. I'm not going to lie; when I first got Raymond he pretty much scared me to death. He was young, spunky, untrained, and generally just kind of crazy... like a naturally hyper child that's enjoyed a bit too much sugar! Despite my fear and lack of knowledge about riding untrained horses, I decided to bite the bullet and begin riding him regularly in my lessons with my coach. I later began taking multiple clinics with world famous equestrians, such as, Gina Smith, Lee Tubman, and Steven Clarke, we competed at the provincial level, finishing third in my province, and went on to compete third level dressage on the national circuit! It wasn't always easy with Raymond, and we often went in to our competitions as the underdog; however that never stopped us from doing our best and having a good time doing it :)

Over the past 10 years Raymond and I have formed a bond that I believe is one of the most important things in my life and I cherish it more than anything. As odd as that may sound, it really is the truth. We have been through so much together and have been working together as a team for so long that we have just become the perfect pair, to the point where the two of us can pretty much predict the other's actions before they even happen! I'm aware that some of you may think I'm completely mad, but I also think some of you may understand exactly what I mean. You might be familiar with the idea of dogs being man's best friend; however in my case it's my horse.

This was a fairly short and sweet post, but nevertheless I hope you enjoyed it! I have attached some of my favourite pictures of myself and Raymond below so you can all see how handsome he is :)

Thank you so much for reading my blog and I hope you continue to follow me to see more of my posts in the future. Not to worry, I will try and make them more interesting than this week!

Until next time,
Emma J :) x

Some Background Information

Hello everyone!

I created this blog quite a while ago; however I didn't exactly keep up with it... and by keep up I mean that I ended up writing one post and calling it quits (curse my laziness). I have now been at university for almost 5 months and have constantly found myself toying with the idea of starting up again, so here I am! As I sit here at 3 in the morning I find myself slightly over exhausted yet still unable to get off the internet, so I figured I might as well do it now or God only knows when I would have gotten around to it.

So enough of my babbling! My name is Emma, I am 18, and a university student studying music with a major in voice. My passions include: adventure, travel, photography, fashion, horseback riding, spending time with my family and friends, music, and just generally being happy and enjoying life. As tacky as that last bit sounds, being happy really does mean an awful lot to me. I have always been a happy person. I massively enjoyed elementary school and then when I went on to high school I couldn't have imagined a better life for myself. I was involved in just about every extracurricular, from French horn lessons to Spanish class, I had plenty of friends, good grades, and a loving and supportive family.

Since starting university I have gone through a lot of changes (not all for the better) and I have definitely found the change extremely overwhelming and stressful, to the point where I cried myself to sleep for a period of time due to the fact that I was so homesick and overall just unhappy. I can confidently say now that it is getting better! Obviously I am still not 100% but I am definitely working my way back to the top of the happiness scale and noticing a change for the better :)

I didn't mean to get too deep and personal on my first post, but I figured I would just share some information so you could understand a little bit more about me and maybe why I am finally getting around to posting on this blog, besides the fact that I was just being ridiculously lazy before *face palm*.

Well I hope that's enough information to keep you on the edge of your seat and awaiting my next blogpost! Just kidding.

Thank you so much if you took the time to read this! I greatly appreciate it and I hope it was even somewhat enjoyable for you :)

Until next time,
Emma J :) x