Chantsy’s Gift Guide: Have yourself a Uashmama Christmas

Ugh, I have a soft spot for these little paper bags, and I can’t shake it off! When I was unemployed over 3 years ago, I started a marketing and virtual assistant business, and Uashmama was one of my favourite clients to work with. See, the Canadian distributor is located right here in Ottawa! Although I didn’t have the chance to do some groundbreaking work, I did help the humble team with a few proposals and odd marketing jobs. I have to say, I do miss those days, but I am so grateful for my stability today. It’s sort of has come full circle, now that I get to work with them on the blog!

For those who don’t know, Uashmama (pronounced Wash+Mama), is a line of lifestyle goods made of leather-like paper. The paper fibre is treated like leather and offers a durability and similar look to leather and it’s all the way from Italy.

UASHMAMA IS NOW OFFERING FREE SHIPPING ON ALL HOLIDAY ORDERS!

Uashmama makes different products for the household like their famous paper bag meant to be used as a gift bag, container or basket. They are both practical and beautiful! The toughest part is making a decision because you will want them all. There are so many great colours and sizes to choose from. I have some all over the house. In the bathroom, I use them to hold my hairbrushes, my hair products, makeup brushes and small towels. In the kitchen, I use them as a bread basket or a plant holder.

PRO TIP: I use a Uashmama bag to ripen my avocados! See? They are so very versatile!

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And last but not least, they also have a gorgeous selection of handbags, wallets, purses, clutches, lunch bags, hampers, and.. backpacks! I have had my eye set on this chrome backpack since last year and finally it’s all mine! It will be travelling with us this January on our trip to Hawaii! (More on that later!)
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These Uashmama bags are the perfect and original addition to your holiday gift giving this year. Two years ago, I used them as the container to my Christmas gifts, and for a joke, I put one as the star on top of my Christmas tree! That’s how much I love these little guys.

The main message here is that Uashmama is offering FREE SHIPPING for all your purchases until the end of the year. So if you hate paying for shipping, like me, this offer is for you!

A big thank you to Uashmama for supporting this post.

The photography on this post is brought to you by Debra Cowie, Ottawa’s famous product and food stylist! She has been a great photography and flatlay coach and is lovely to work with. Stay tuned for more of her great work on the blog!

I dug up some old photos from my Instagram, from two years ago… back when I used to get a whopping 7 likes! Bahahahaha

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Chantsy’s Gift Guide: White & rose gold wireless Sudio earphones

I hate to admit it, but Christmas is around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about what we want for Christmas! Get the paper pad and pen…mama’s writing her list! Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is not about gifts, and it shouldn’t be. But you and I can both agree, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with a whole bunch of stuff you don’t like and won’t use. Let’s call it waste, instead of greed.

Here is a great gift idea, if you want to impress the girl who has everything… because I know she doesn’t have this! For lovers of wearable technology and athleisure goddesses around the world, I recommend these gorgeous Vasa Bla Sudio white and rose gold earphones ($140).

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These ear bud-style headphones are wireless and absolutely amazing! Did I mention that they are absolutely stunning too? Think of it as jewellery for your workout attire, exquisite!
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Sudio, is based in Stockholm Sweden, and promises quality studio sound and up to 8 hours of wireless playtime. It also has a built in microphone and remote control. It’s compatible with iPhone 7 and all other Bluetooth enabled devices too. The ear buds come in a nice little leather carrying pouch, and the kit comes with interchangeable ear buds in different sizes. I changed my ear buds to 2 sizes smaller than the standard size. The buds are quite comfortable and stay in your ear. To recharge the headphones, you simply plug them into a USB port.

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Here’s the best part! Sudio is offering my readers an XLusive deal!
To get 15% off your purchase, use discount code: chantsy15

Whether you’re going out for a stroll, or jet setting across the world this holiday season, don’t forget to do it in style!

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If you’re looking for more gift ideas, check out these check out my new obsession with AMORE PACIFIC skincare routine.

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Linking Fashion & Design tips with Samantha Pynn X Simons Maison collab

I love getting invited to non-fashion related events, it’s a chance for me to learn something new and connect the dots to what I love blogging about the most: fashion.

I had the chance to meet the lovely and talented Samantha Pynn, HGTV host and currently Contributing Design Editor for Chatelaine magazine. She was presenting her new line at Simons, the ultimate Canadian collaboration, if you ask me.

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Samantha hosted a guided tour of her line and talked a lot about how her travels greatly influenced her designs. She dreams up all the prints and decides what fabric to use. She also stressed the importance of investing in high-quality materials and fabrics, because they feel great and look amazing. The notion of investing in key pieces was all too familiar to me. That’s exactly what I say when it comes to fashion.

For example, I was looking for grown up curtains and decided to splurge on the Samantha Pynn navy and grey striped curtains. These curtains were the missing piece in my living room, they went with my current décor and really tied the room together. They were crisp, clean, and not too feminine. My husband was sold on them right away! I compare these curtains to investing in a really nice coat. A great coat can solidify any outfit, especially in our cool climate.

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Next up, I bought a new table cloth, something that was going to match my new kitchen. I wanted something playful but mature, something that had a bit of colour, and would hold up to a 3-year old’s mess. I give you the Tamara table cloth (also, that’s my sister’s name!). I love the blue and grey tone in this table cloth. It works perfectly in my kitchen and ties in nicely with my navy accents in the living room. I compare this tablecloth to a great dress. You know, something fun that you can wear out and wear to work too. And, depending on the accessories you pair it with, the dress gets a whole new life.

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What I loved most about Samantha, was hearing the charming stories that came out of each design and print. Whether it was the influence of the Portuguese tiles or importing the traditional cotton bathmat, it reminded me that we too can have a piece of the world, in our homes.  No need to travel far and wide to get it either! Knowing the person and the passion that is behind each fluffy towel, cozy bed sheet or elegant shower curtain, really gave life to the work she has created. I also love the fact that this collaboration is of premium quality and 100% Canadian!

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BONUS- If you head over to Simons, it looks like most her product line is now on sale!

 

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