Liebster Award - Get to Know Me

Thank you very much to the wicked talented blogger Kristiana over at Love. Loft. Life for nominating me to participate in this fun tag.  I'm not usually one to participate in tag posts, but this is a fun one and I thought it would be a great chance for us to get to know one another.  The tag starts off with listing random facts about yourself and since I already have random facts post, which I invite you to check out here, I'm going to jump right into answering specific questions that Kristiana has asked. Let's get started shall we?

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Let's Get Connected

Recently I've been having a lot of fun with the blog on social media - too much fun.  In fact my husband has to regularly hang his head in shame as I hover over our meal at a restaurant to get the perfect photo, or awkwardly contort my body to get a shot of my shoes with a beautiful flower bed.  It's a problem. 

Join in on the fun and stay connected with me through La Petite Noob's social media accounts!

Follow me on Instagram to see the world through my eyes, as I learn to find and capture beauty all around me

Follow me on Facebook to know when I update and get direct links.

Follow me on Twitter if you want a good laugh - I can barely wrap my head around how to use it.  Such a Noob!

What's your favourite form of social media?  Let me know, and include your handles so we can stay connected and get to know one another - one colourful photo at a time.

xo Joelle

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OOTD - Blush Slip Dress

It's hot, and I'm in boots.  The weather has been hot and sticky this past weekend in Toronto and as I had mentioned in a previous post, the warm weather calls for a simple slip dress - but this time with a pair of booties.  Call me crazy, or a gluten for punishment, but the last thing that I want to wear in the ultra hot weather is a pair of sandals - I find them so uncomfortable when your feet start to swell in the heat.  Plus, I've just been hating showing my feet in public lately.  Sporadic onset of foot phobia - it's a thing!  Read on for additional photos, outfit details, and to see how I beat the heat this weekend in my own special way.

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OOTD - Blush Maxi Skirt and Black Lace Crop Top

The blush maxi skirt strikes again!  My much loved, and subsequently much worn ( see here, here and here) blush maxi skirt makes yet another appearance - this time, for a cool boho-inspired look.  I'm still trying to warm up to the crop top, and this black lace version pairs perfectly with the high waist of the maxi skirt giving me lots of coverage.  This particular crop top has a very deep neckline, so I thought best to cover the midriff to keep the outfit modest and balanced.  For a gal who is approaching 30 at lightening speed, and who also hasn't seen the gym in the past year - modestly in the midriff is crucial.  Read on for additional photos and all outfit details for this breezy, boho look featuring my blush pink maxi skirt.

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OOTD - Stripes and Leather

We're well into summer in my part of the world, and this Noob couldn't be happier.  The days are long, and warm but lately it's been a little chilly - especially in the early mornings and evenings.  Today's outfit is an example of how I tend to dress for the chillier weather - well, the evenings anyways (if I were to roll into work in this number, it would raise a few eyebrows.)   A light leather jacket is a great solution to chilly summer dressing, particularly a man-made, vegan leather which tends to be lighter in weight - perfect for summer.  Read on for additional photos and outfit details.

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My Everyday Hair - How to Curl Hair with a Straightener in 5 Minutes

Happy Saturday Noobs!  While I slave away at the office for the day, I thought I may as well share a quick tutorial on how I achieve my everyday curls with a straightener in 5 minutes.  If you've been following me, you would know that I am the queen of all things easy - think simple style, simple clothing and especially simple hair.  My mane is long and full, but the hair itself is very fine making it virtually impossible to hold a curl for more than a couple hours - that is, until I mastered the art of curling with a straightener.  If this Noob can do it, so can you.  Read on to see how I achieve my everyday quick and easy curls, using only a straightener in 5 minutes.

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OOTD - Cobalt Blue Slip Dress

Wow - it is hot outside.  Not that I'm complaining about the heat but the humidity, and all of the delightful beauty issues that come along with it, has become a little much.  Enter the simple slip dress - just a simple, light dress that just lightly floats around your body, only to be cinched at the waist with a thin belt.  Add some strappy sandals, a cute clutch (because who wants a purse around their shoulder in this heat) and a humidity friendly high pony tail and you're ready to brave the heat.  Read on for additional photos and full outfit details.

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30 Before 30 Update - Vegetarian for a Month

Happy Monday Noobs! I hope you all had a great weekend.  My crazy work schedule strikes again, having me work Saturday but as a result I have today off so you won't hear me complaining!  I wanted to devote some time to give a few thoughts on my last 30 Before 30 task completed, where I was a vegetarian [pescatarian, really] for the month of June.

As I had mentioned in my last post on the subject, I am a huge meat eater.  My goal through the entire process was to incorporate more vegetables into my diet, and I did - but boy did I suffer during the process, especially the first and last week.  I find that when you eliminate an entire food category from your diet, it becomes more of a mind game then anything because all of a sudden that category is the only thing you want to eat.  Thankfully I stayed strong and didn't cheat once during the entire month, which is saying something - you're talking to the girl who made her husband get them fast food during a three day juice cleanse!

As far as my ultimate goal of incorporating more vegetables into my diet, I do feel as though it has been achieved.  I am now consistently eating breakfast, which includes two servings of fruits (previously this would have been Nutella on toast.) My lunches are more likely to be pre-packed salads and wraps full of vegetables and falafel (previously chicken fingers.)  Dinners is where I do eat the majority of my meat, but I have picked up some fantastic meat-free recipes during my challenge which I am still incorporating into the dinner line up.  I may still be a meat eater, but at least now I'm much more conscious of my vegetables intake, and that's all that I really wanted in the end.

There were a few tools that helped me along the way.  Amuse Your Bouche was, and still is, an invaluable resource for easy and delicious vegetarian meals. In fact, their avocado and chickpea salad is a part of my weekly rotation and makes a fantastic lunch for work (you can see the salad in pita bread in the above photo.)  Seriously guys, if you're looking for some amazingly simple and healthy recipes to change up your routine, give the website a try.  Pinterest was also a huge resource, but I really had to force myself to actually execute my vegetarian pins rather then just admire my beautiful Pinterest board.

I also want to say a huge thank you for your sweet comments and advice, especially those who have given me their green juice recipe!

Hope you have a great start to the week.

xo Joëlle

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OOTD - Crop Top and Swing Skirt

Greetings Noobs!  I'm writting this post in the aftermath of the Lady Gaga ArtRAVE show here in Toronto, and to say that I'm on a natural high would be an understatement - what an incredible show! I chose a simple outfit that would be comfortable enough for copious amount of frantic shrieking, scream singing and seat-dancing - but still had some edge.  Crops tops have been huge all summer, and I couldn't think of a better occasion than seeing Mother Monster herself to wear one in public for the first time.  Read on for additional photos and outfit details.

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OOTD - Black Maxi Skirt

Oh Monday, why must you sneak up on us so soon?  Coming off of a busy but incredible weekend, Monday is a tough pill to swallow.  The weather has been amazing lately, and this weekend I took full advantage by spending the vast majority of my time outside.  By the time Sunday evening had rolled around, I was feeling a little drained from spending so much time in the sun and needed a no-brain outfit to get me through the evening.  Enter my trusty black maxi skirt, which I've worn before here during the winter, a simple white bustier-tank and some Ray Ban wayfarers that I borrowed from my husband's sunglasses collection.  Finish off with a simple red lip and a messy low-bun - Sunday evening spent in simple style.  Read on for additional photos and outfit details.

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OOTD - White Lace Dress

Happy Friday, Noobs, and happy Independence Day to my American Friends!  Due to our own national holiday on Tuesday (Canada Day), and the fact that I work shift work and have lots of days off during the week, I had an incredibly short work week- in fact, I am writing this Friday post from the comfort of my own bed!  The weather here has been incredibly hot and humid and while I'm not complaining, the heat has made me ridiculously lazy so building outfits has been a challenge.  Enter the lace mini dress - one item to just throw on, add some summer boots (and a floppy hat of course), some tiny gold accessories and call it a day.  Read on for additional photos and all details.

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3 Ways to Tie a Summer Head Scarf - Guest Post

Happy Canada Day, Noobs!  I have another guest post on Wonder Forest - how to tie a head scarf three different ways for summer.  Since my hair is super long, and gets very limp and frizzy in the summer, I rely on scarves as a quick fix to help deal with the hot mess that summer leaves me.  Head over, check it out, and let me know what you think!

-Joëlle

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