The October Edit

Rainy days, moody fiction, Danish candy, and a minimalist makeup overhaul!

The Monthly Edits are a casual curation of my consumptions from the past few weeks including: books I read, delicious eats, fun finds, and personal meanderings. Buon appetito!

This quote from Anne of Green Gables pretty well sums up the month. All the trees have turned wonderful shades of cafe au lait and rust. We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving, ate delicious pastries, and watched the rain pour down. It’s been a cosy few weeks that have left me feeling extra grateful.

Earlier this year I noticed my makeup situation being in dire need of a refresh. Between working remotely and preferring a simple look, I’ve pretty much relied on mascara and highlighter to get me through the last decade. But lately I started craving a little something to soften my look and embrace a more feminine energy. About a week after I voiced this to the universe, MERIT Beauty appeared in my inbox, and I couldn’t ignore the kismet timing. I tossed my long expired collection of unused makeup in the bin and started fresh. More on this below!

Alright, here’s how the month went:

Billianne + the witch paddle (captured by Maddy Dungate).

• My lovely friend Carling and I attended a concert earlier this month. It was a bit of a last minute decision, but once we were settled in our seats, I realized just how much I’ve missed going to the theatre. Live music can really be magic. When the opener started singing we both immediately looked at each other with our jaws on the floor. A young Adele in the making. I’ve linked my favourite song from the night above—go give it a listen.

• October is the best month for forest walks. Crisp enough to lightly bundle, but warm enough that everyone is still comfortable. Crunchy leaves, effortlessly sporting the seasons perfect colour palette, and witches on broomsticks paddle boards crossing the local lakes. I’ve never participated in the witch paddle, but I happened to be walking around Thetis Lake on the annual event, and I have to admit, it looked really fun. Have you ever joined this festive ritual?

This lilikoi chocolate liquorice blew my socks off.
The allure of Tony Soprano.
I’ve been loving fall harvest quinoa bowls lately.
The cashmere beanie I don’t leave the house without.
Did you know the house from Practical Magic was just a shell? Also, word on the street is a sequel is coming!
The auction game.
This dream sofa + this gorgeous collaboration.
The story behind the flowers in the MET’s lobby.
Simple dinner party games for the holiday season.
Your chance to be Kathleen Kelly.
The art wall in this villa.

October’s Bookshelf:

• Forbidden Notebook by Alba De Céspedes. Translated from Italian, De Céspedes was an Italian-Cuban feminist writer who started her career in journalism in the 1930s. She was jailed multiple times for her anti-fascist activities in Italy and wrote several ground-breaking novels. Miu Miu was giving away this book in June at their lit-girly reading popups around the globe—so naturally, I added it to my list. Our main character, Valeria, never noticed how unhappy she had become with her bourgeois life—until she begins recording her thoughts and feelings in a black book that she hides in the laundry basket. It was good, but a bit slow for me.

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. My husband is doing sound design for a video game so I picked this one up in hopes to learn more about his world. This was a fantastic story about two friends who design a famous video game together. With their success, also comes fame, joy, tragedy, struggles, and ultimately, a kind of immortality. It’s a love story, but not a typical romance. Really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.

• Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker. This was my favourite read of the month. An emotionally heavy mystery thriller with great twists and the shocking lengths women go to for survival. Our main girl, Clove, has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. She landed herself the perfect nuclear family and takes all the latest supplements to keep her cover. But when she receives a letter from a women's prison in California, things start to slip. A haunting story that will stick with you.

• Fathers and Fugitives by S.J. Naude. Beautifully translated from Afrikaans, I enjoyed the lyrical narrative of this story but didn’t love the dark cloud that hung overhead. Daniel is a journalist who lives between London and Cape Town. When his father passes, he learns that he can only inherit his half of the family estate if he spends a month with his cousin in South Africa. The bond they form is timeless, but the tragic events they experience felt dismal and excessive.

A Makeup Overhaul with MERIT Beauty!

I actually applied eye shadow for the first time since high school! Can you believe that? This past month has been spent testing out MERIT’s minimalist makeup collection—exactly the little boost I was craving¹.

Along with eye shadow, I’ve also never been one to wear (or own) blush. The change in attitude that a tiny pop of colour on my cheeks inspired was a lovely surprise. ❤️‍🔥 These products have really allowed me to lean into my femininity without feeling too “dolled up”. I have to say finding a collection that I feel comfortable wearing has been somewhat emotional for me (in a good way).

The shades are subtle and complimentary, truly the perfect pairing for my minimalist approach. Makeup is not my strong suit (by any means) but these products are very user friendly. No fancy skills necessary—they are designed for direct application and blend perfectly with fingertips.

If you’re looking for a clean holiday look this year (or simply a makeup bag refresh), these six essentials are my favourites and guaranteed to impress:

* Curious about the specific shades I use (as a very pale girl)? Let me know and I’m happy to share.

* The corduroy purse that comes with their makeup is so cute! Also their packaging is molto bene—stunning, mature, and definitely YGL approved.

* Two items from their collection that won’t be replacing my current products are the brow pencil and highlighting balm. Everything else passed my tests with flying colours.

A beautiful (Canadian) thanksgiving weekend!

• Along with the rest of the world, I quite enjoyed Nobody Wants This. Next up on my TV watch list are: Shrinking Season 2, and Disclaimer. It was also my pick for our misfits movie night this month and I went with the film Lee. It was slow and heavy, but brilliantly done. An incredible true story about the American photographer, Lee Miller, who went to extreme lengths to photograph the second world war. As a former fashion model, she documented unbelievable moments for Vogue magazine.

• Our provincial election was earlier this month so we hit the polls to get our votes in!

Fun passionflowers growing on the garden gate + pastries at the neighbourhood bakery.

I hope you’ve had a cosy October. Thank you so much for reading and as always, I would love to hear from you!

• Will you be dressing up for Halloween?

• Are you a Rocky Horror Picture fan?

Ciao ciao,

1. MERIT was very generous in gifting me these products with no strings attached. This post was not sponsored and I will not be receiving any commission from sales. I feel comfortable using their clean formulas and genuinely recommending the brand to my community. And look how photogenic they are! I had so much fun setting up a little photoshoot in our bedroom.