Curried Winter Vegetables with Roasted Acorn Squash // JustineCelina.com
Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

CURRIED WINTER VEGETABLES WITH ROASTED ACORN SQUASH (+ MY 200th BLOG POST!)


Today’s recipe marks a milestone in my blogging career. Today I’ve published 200 blog posts. 200 blog posts?! It’s crazy to think I’ve been blogging for 1 year and 9 months (what?), but I guess that’s what 2 posts per week amounts to! It just so happens that my very first post was a recipe, as was my 100th blog post. So if you’re interested in taking a look through my archives, enjoy, but be warned — when I first started JustineCelina I took all my photos in square format on my iPhone!

Anyway, onto the real reason why you’re here today — the recipe! To be honest, I can’t believe this is the first curry recipe I’ve published. I make curries often, typically with whatever veggies and spices we have kicking around (you know how it goes around here!). In the winter especially, plant based curries are a staple in our kitchen — and my Curried Winter Vegetables with Roasted Acorn Squash is healthy comfort food at it’s finest! A medley of onions, garlic and ginger are caramelized, then accompanied by a flavourful trio of carrots, peppers and celery simmered in a decadent, tomato based curry sauce dancing with rich Indian spices and just the right amount of heat. Roasted Acorn Squash houses the Curried Winter Vegetables in a nourishing, edible bowl — a playful, hearty spin on typical bread-based options. This recipe yields a generous amount of curry that freezes well, so you can stock the freezer with healthy options to help fuel January’s resolutions when you’re running short on time! 

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Winter Style Staples // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Fashion, Makeup, Style Staples, Winter

WINTER STYLE STAPLES

Let me preface this post by saying that I do not like the cold. I tend to run cold in the first place, no matter the season (I seriously sleep big, cozy sweaters and multiple pairs of socks!). But what I do love about winter is the fashion — the opportunity to dress well, bundle up and experiment with layering different textures, fabrics and proportions. And although it still gets dark around 4pm (oh Calgary, aren’t you charming in January?!), I also love the warm, golden afternoon light juxtaposed against the frosty, white backdrop of my city! It almost makes up for having to shoot winter style content in -25 °C weather (ha!).

While I’m all for keeping up with the trends, today’s post is dedicated to my trusted Winter Style Staples — items I purchase each year in different colours or interpretations, as well as the investment pieces I look forward to pulling out when it gets chilly. If you’re looking for some winter fashion inspiration to help you brave these arctic Calgary temperatures in style, you’ve come to the right place! These pieces combine to create an easy winter outfit ‘formula’ that’s polished, stylish and can transition from personal to professional settings. They’re my no-brainers when it comes to effortless winter style! 


TopShop Check Wool-Blend Duster Coat (similarsimilarsimilarsimilarsimilarsimilar) | Fine-Knit Jumper | Faux Fur Snood Scarf (on sale!) | Faux Leather Front Pant (on sale! similar, similar, similar) | Aldo Katty Bag in Black | Leather High Heel Ankle Boots with Pompoms | Leather Gloves (similar, similar) | Round Sunglasses | Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Plath (similar, similar)

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December 2016 Beauty Favourites // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Luxury, Makeup, Monthly Favourites, Reviews, Skincare, Winter

DECEMBER 2016 BEAUTY FAVOURITES


Happy New Year and welcome back for my first beauty post of 2017! Today I’m recapping my favourite products from the last month of 2016 in my December Beauty Favourites. December was a very busy month for me both professionally and personally (it’s the craziest time of year, isn’t it?). I was testing new products and shades for my 2 last posts with Sephora Canada for 2016 — my 5 Festive Lipsticks to Try This Holiday Season (who did me proud and wore red lipstick on Christmas Day?!) and My Routine for Flawless Looking Skin. I didn’t have much time to test other products, so most of my December Favourites are products I’ve mentioned in my beauty content over the last couple of months, or new shades from my favourite ranges! Although the list is small this month, I reached for these products almost daily and even packed most of them with me when we headed east to visit with family and friends over the holidays.

In December I fell in love with an chic, burgundy liquid lipstick, a new mascara that makes my lashes look voluminous and fluffy, a versatile (and ultra luxurious) eyeshadow palette, an intense gold pigment, a makeup setting spray perfect for special occasions and a suite of indulgent (and heavenly scented) body care products from L’Occitane. It’s been awhile since we chatted Monthly Beauty Favourites — so kick back, relax and let’s get into a few of my winter must haves!

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Digital Blooms January 2017 | Free Desktop Wallpapers // JustineCelina.com
Create, Digital Blooms, Flowers, Pantone, Winter

DIGITAL BLOOMS JANUARY 2017 | FREE DESKTOP WALLPAPERS


Start fresh and welcome 2017 with a brand new digital wallpaper for your devices! This January, our DIGITAL BLOOMS are set to a crisp, clean palette of whites and greens to greet the new year with a sense of freshness, balance and tranquility. If you’ve been following along this winter, you’ll have heard me mention Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2017, Greenery, which is described by Pantone as a refreshing and revitalizing shade, symbolic of new beginnings. Rebecca Dawn Design and I just had to incorporate this beautiful shade into January’s Digital Blooms to set the tone for a fresh new year, full of endless possibilities!

Our ethereal lineup of flowers and foliage includes a mosaic of Hydrangeas, Ranunculus, Parvifolia Eucalyptus, Roses, Spray roses, Nerine and Cala Lilies for a muted palette brimming with soft, delicate textures. Download January’s 3 flower based desktop wallpapers and enjoy the beauty of these beautiful white blossoms on the background of your computer, tablet or phone all month long — absolutely free!

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December 2016 Soundtrack // JustineCelina.com
Music, Occasions, Winter

DECEMBER SOUNDTRACK + BONUS 2016 SOUNDTRACK

To celebrate the last day of 2016, I have not one, but two fresh playlists for you today! First up, my December Soundtrack is a short and sweet playlist featuring 38 of my favourite tracks from the month — including standouts from St. South, Kultur, Trent Dabbs, Luunes, Freedom Fly, Micah Visser, Los Campesinos!, Zhu, San Holo, Saint Mesa and Celadon City. It’s an eclectic mash up of different genres that sounded good to my ears this month, with quite a few instrumental tracks thrown into the mix! 

Spotify also compiled 2016 Soundtrack automatically for me earlier this month, highlighting my most played songs from 2016 (how cool is that?!) — and I have to say it’s pretty solid! If you’re looking for some great music to decorate the last hours of 2017 today, or my top recommendations for the best tracks of 2016, this playlist is for you. Whether you’re hosting or attending a party, heading out, or spending a quiet night in, I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve! Thank you for coming along on this crazy ride with me, I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. I have some big plans for JustineCelina next year and can’t wait to see what 2017 brings — Happy New Year and cheers to an incredible 2017!

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A Luxurious New Years Eve Bash // JustineCelina.com
Appies & Sides, Dwell, Entertain, Food, Sponsored, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

A LUXURIOUS NEW YEARS EVE BASH


As 2016 winds down, I wanted to cap things off here at JustineCelina with an unexpected twist! The older we get and the busier our lives become, the more I truly treasure the time I’m able to spend with family and friends — especially during the holidays. I’ve always wanted to host a black tie party to ring in the new year — I would much rather stay in and create a unique and memorable evening for guests to enjoy than go out to celebrate. Today I’ve teamed up with HomeSense, Rebecca Dawn Design and Genevieve Renee Photographie to do just that in this Luxurious New Years Eve Bash!

If you’re hosting a New Years Eve party and looking for some fresh ideas, we have so much entertaining inspiration in store for you today. This season I wanted to create something interesting and experiment with a different aesthetic — fantastical, luxurious and a bit avante garde. This moody, black tie celebration is complete with dramatic florals and modern decor mixed with antique touches, indulgent accoutrements, Vanilla Pomegranate Mulled Wine and no shortage of bubbly. Rich, on-trend textures of velvet, agate and natural stone are layered with jewel tones, gold and antique brass to create a dramatic spread with contemporary flair. If you, too, are craving some drama this season, we invite you embrace your dark side this New Years Eve and celebrate 2017 in style!

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My Routine for Flawless Looking Skin // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Makeup, Reviews, Skincare, Sponsored

MY ROUTINE FOR FLAWLESS LOOKING SKIN

Whenever I’m getting ready for a party or event, I have a fail proof routine to ensure my skin looks its best — and today I’ve partnered with Sephora Canada to share it with you! These are my top-shelf, reserve-for-special-occasion products and techniques that I recommend to everyone. My Routine for Flawless Looking Skin is simple, step-by-step guide to help you achieve an extremely long wearing, flawless looking base that you can pair with any makeup look. I use this routine often for during the holidays or anytime I know I’ll be photographed and want to amp up the glam factor!

Today I’m dishing on every product and technique at the core of my special occasion prep. I’ve used this routine on friends and family of all ages and skintones (I’m usually the one helping out with wedding and event makeup!) — so know that its been extensively tested! If you’d like to learn more about how to achieve flawless looking skin this holiday season, I’m covering everything you need to know — from skincare, to makeup products, to sponges and brushes. Gather around my vanity and get ready for a crash course on flawless looking skin!

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