Hello readers! Now that we are wrapping up the holiday season, I thought I would wrap up the month with my monthly Instagram feature. I considered doing a yearly wrap-up Instagram feature, but I've only been using Instagram since August (when I started my blog) and it still hasn't become a natural part of my day to be posting on there. I'm just not naturally a shutterbug. Some people take out their camera to document everything (and then have an internet data plan to post photos on the run.) I just take photos randomly sometimes and then forget to upload them. Then later I look at the photos and am like, "Why did I take this picture?" So much of it seems dumb in retrospect. It's almost like you need that element of spontaneity for Instagram to be magical. Other people on my feed are anything but spontaneous - their feed is a carefully thought out portfolio and that's okay too. Their's are really pretty to look at.

(Looking at this collage, a lot of pictures from past Hallowe'ens and a zombie picture made it in. Umm... where's my Christmas spirit? Haha, oh well.) If you'd like to follow, I can be on Instagram @coinforthewell.

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1) Giving kisses to zombies at an exhibit at the Monroeville Mall (the location where Dawn of the Dead was filmed.)

2) Doing some mad promotion for Blogger Fashion Week (I was a featured blogger) for Canadian consignment brand Trend Trunk

3) My "craft" center (mostly untouched items. Oh well, it looks cute at least! And my niece appreciates the fashion plates.) Featuring Fiona Hewitt products, a "What to Wear" nopepad by Knock Knock (which I had forever but didn't actually begin to use until I started blogging. It's the perfect way to plan outfits!) Also, a copy of The Button Factory. I haven't opened it in 2+ years, but I'm considering it. My purse is covered in Modcloth buttons. What's a few more?
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4) Used a Hallowe'en picture from 2008 (so I'm 23 there!) to advertise for flapper week on my Instagram. Tried to make it Art Deco-ey by making it triangular, black and white and crackly. This was when I was deep in my Hello Kitty phase. It's actually a Hello Kitty flapper dress. It came with kitty ears headband and had a Hello Kitty patch on the skirt.
5) My parents took this picture of a cat on their fence. My parents like to take pictures of all the critters who live in their yard.
6) I hosted my first giveaway and I'm so happy with how it turned it! Congrats to winner, Brittany Epifane on snagging the $25 gift card!
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7) I've been sleeping a lot this winter so I used this old photo of me and my cat, Merlin to demonstrate my feelings on things.
8) Received this postcard from Modcloth and it made me happy!
9) Got my mom a Modcloth dress for Christmas! So happy that I'm turning on the entire family to Modcloth. My mom now owns 2 dresses (the one above and this one) and a pair of boots. My grandma has this purse. I don't know if my sister has anything personally but she bought her hubby this t-shirt, after she fell in love with mine. Woot! Converting everyone.
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10) A picture of my dog with a lady dressed as Santa at PetSmart a few years ago. This was the good photo. The other one, he wasn't having it.
11) A photo of what I thought was the Stanley Cup, at a Costco. Except it wasn't. The cashier had to dash my hopes and tell me it was just a replica. I should have known the Stanley Cup would never be in Windsor! Especially in a Costco of all places.
12) I posted this old Hallowe'en picture of me being Slave Leia (hanging myself by my chain) on an especially exasperated day. I'm feeling much better!

I celebrated my birthday with all the ladies of my fam last night. We went to The Keg. They weren't too impressed with me because I headed out there in sweat pants, sans make-up and without combing my hair. My sister put some jeans on me but I still wouldn't put on make-up or comb my hair. My birthday, my way! I just wanted to be comfy. Plus we were already running almost 30 minutes late for our reservation. Imagine if I had gotten prettied up?

Yes, I realize I'm a total goof. But I really like food. Then I proceeded to go home and eat doughnuts with my friends. Overall a good birthday!

Well, that's all for me! Talk to you soon!

Meanwhile on Instagram - November

I decided to make my Instagram updates a monthly feature. Although, true story, I didn't post on my Instagram account for half the month because I got booted out each time I went to upload a pic. It turns out the solution was to just turn my phone off and on so that all my apps would shut down (so that my phone wouldn't be so bogged down) but I'm not super technologically inclined and it took me literally half the month to figure this out. Most of the pics I uploaded to Instagram this month didn't even OCCUR this month, but that's when I posted them, therefore they get to be included in this post!

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1) While my mom was cleaning, she found this caricature I had done on my 11th birthday (in 1995) at Busch Gardens in Florida. I remember at the time, I didn't quite understand what the point of a caricature was and was quite horrified that I actually looked like that!
2) I took a picture of this painting after I finally got it framed (the frame is part of an early Christmas gift from my parents.) I got the print myself a few months ago from my friend, Justine. When I said I like cats in glasses, I'm not kidding! She has them for sale on her Storenvy account so if you would like one for yourself, that is totally possible!
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3) When going to the airport the other day to pick up my grandma, my mom made a pit stop at a CVS to get some Chex mix (which has mysteriously disappeared off our local shelves! NOOOO!) I saw these "Canada" mints and could not stop laughing. I know it's a super simple concept but I never viewed Canada as a novelty before.
4) This is my current Facebook cover photo and this was a scenario of me trying to look for anything to post on Instagram (knowing I was making this post today.) This picture is from when I went to Pittsburgh (on my trip centered around my visit to the Modcloth offices.) My ex, Mike and I also popped by the Monroeville Mall, the mall where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed. The food court used to be a skating rink. Therefore, I'm "skating" in the food court (and getting a lot of weird looks.)
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5) Modcloth had a fun little challenge on Instagram (hashtag "modweekofthanks") where each day, you posted a picture that fit that day's theme. This was my picture for the food theme. Because I love pizza. This was a picture from our anniversary dinner. In related news, the pizza giving up has not been going well, but I'll update more on that tomorrow.
6) More of the "modweekofthanks" challenge. This day's topic was a lesson I had learned (and it's a good lesson!)
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7) Another "modweekofthanks" (if it weren't for that, I don't know if I would have posted anything this month!) The subject was "view or landscape that makes you feel at ease." It doesn't look like much of a landscape. It's not pretty, or a landmark but it's the bar where all my friends go. And that always puts me at ease.
8) One day while walking home from the library, I spotted this pop vending machine for sale in someone's driveway. I thought it was funny (especially since Molson is one of the selections!) but would only think that price was worth it if it came with an unlimited pop supply.
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9 and 10) On my blog post about the Retro Suites, I used a lot of photos of the hotel from the business Facebook page rather than ones I had taken myself. So I posted them on Instagram instead.
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11) A "modweekofthanks" post of an animal I like. And duh, that would be Skippy!
12) While cleaning out my closet, finding clothes to sell on my Trend Trunk profile, I kept falling in love with everything I was trying on. Oh, the life of a clothes hoarder! I don't even think I've ever worn this!
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13 and 14) What was supposed to be a Shenanigans Saturday post. And this was the material I had to work with.

That's all for me! I'm sitting down to write some goals for tomorrow's post and one is definitely to post on Instagram more! You can follow me @coinforthewell. Talk soon!