Making Wellness a Priority

This year, I decided to finally get down to the bottom of my nutritional health. I eat a pretty healthy diet overall, and I religiously hit up Oxygen Yoga & Fitness (mostly fitness) at least 4 times a week (#ilovemylife), but I still felt like something was off, so I decided to see a nutritionist. I started the first week of 2018 by seeing Jenn at My Edible Advice, who tested all my intolerances in one go. She was super helpful, and I've been eating a gluten-free, dairy-free diet ever since. 

Because I didn't eat much dairy to begin with, cutting out dairy wasn't very hard for me. Now, I simply switch out my cheeses for dairy-free cheese when absolutely necessary (or stay away from cheese altogether). On the gluten side of things, I'm used to cooking gluten free pasta and eating minimal bread anyway (I never dared to buy it at the grocery store, because that's too dangerous lol), so I didn't think it would be difficult.

As it turns out, there are so many gluten-free, dairy-free/vegan options out there, so I'm not finding it that hard! If anything, I've found that this new way of eating has pushed me to stop and think about what I'm consuming before I consume it. Before, I tracked my calories, but I never thought about exactly what was in my food. Now, I take a minute to look at ingredient lists and take my time at the grocery store, especially with gluten free items. They load some of those products with SO MUCH crap, so be careful!

If you haven't visited a nutritionist, and aren't sure what you should or shouldn't be eating, I highly recommend visiting one. My session was only an hour long, and it was a painless test for intolerances of every type of food possible. A lot of the reason why so many people are intolerant to dairy and gluten is because of the harsh genetically modified foods we have available in North America. If you can find ancient grains that haven't been modified in anyway, then they're probably safe, but the other ones, I recommend staying away from. That being said, if I happen to be in Europe (which I will be this fall), I'll eat everything and more, because their grains and cheeses aren't nearly as genetically modified as the crap that's available to us here :)

After 2 months of my new way of eating, I've annoyed the s*** out of my family and friends, but I feel awesome! I'll check back in a few months time to let you know if there's anymore progress ;)

Next up, wild rose cleanse!

xo                                                                                                                                    

Linnea

How to Style a Coffee Table

Despite being small, coffee tables are mighty, and can make a significant impact on a room. They often act as an anchor for your living space, so you want to make sure you style it to showcase all the things you love! Depending on the size of your coffee table and its purpose (I eat at mine more often than I'd like to admit), styling it can get a little difficult, especially if you don't know where to start.

To begin, pick a coffee table that fits in your space, whether that be round, square or rectangular, and choose something that pairs well with your other furniture, especially your couch. Next, use a few of your favourite coffee table books to ground the table, and set a base for the beautiful objects on top! Before going on the hunt for new books, shop your own home - I'm sure you have some good coffee table books lying around somewhere (and yes, they're called coffee table books for a reason)!

Again, depending on the size of the table, either on top or next to the coffee table books, I usually look for either a tray, basket or marble slab to act as a "command" centre for all the knick-knacks I put on top.

Now that you have your base, it's time for the fun part! A short vase with your favourite flowers or greenery (my love of eucalyptus is so real) is a staple for a well-styled coffee table. I don't always include flowers, but if you're having a get together with friends, or simply feel like treating yourself, a coffee table is a great place to put those bad boys on display.

Next, think about what you use your coffee table for. If it's a space where you put your glass, invest in some nice coasters to put on display. If you like to light candles every night, pick up a nice candle of your choice, some cute matches, and a gold wick trimmer (my friends think I'm crazy for this one but I really do use mine all the time)! 

Lastly, add objects that you love to look at on a daily basis to add interest to the table. I love draping wooden beads on top of my books, and I have a crystal tealight that was my very first purchase from one of my favourite stores (The Cross Design), so it's a special piece to me, and it will definitely be on display in my home forever. 

Wooden Beads | Matches | Wick Trimmer | Marble Coasters | Coffee Table Book | Glass Vase | Marble & Wood Cutting Board | Dish

Once you've chosen your pieces, it's time to rearrange, and rearrange again. Play around with the placement of the objects until you find a combination you like. It's all about trial and error here. Once you're happy with it, voila! 

Do you have any coffee table staples that you can't live without? I'd love to hear about them in the comments! 

xo

Linnea

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hello world! I can't believe I'm finally taking a leap of faith and starting what should have been started a very long time ago... my blog! Over the years, I've dabbled in various aspects of marketing and public relations, so I've been involved with media, influencers and the "blogging world" for quite some time now, but I never found the courage to start one for myself. This year, my passion for pretty much everything lifestyle just couldn't handle being strapped down anymore, so I needed to make this blog happen... and here we are.

My blog name, linneacarmen is a true reflection of my heritage. I'm named after two ancestors; Linnea being the middle name of my Swedish great-grandmother, and Carmen being my Filipino great-grandmother's name. Needless to say, my name holds a lot of importance to me.

I'm a born and raised Vancouverite with an insane love of interior decor and home styling. I believe in creating spaces that make you feel good, that you feel comfortable in, and that really make you feel at home. If you don't surround yourself with things that mean something special to you, why bother living in that space? Why do you have those things if you don't love them? In my opinion, a home should be a place that inspires you daily, and that comforts you when you have nowhere else to be, and nothing else to do. I believe you should love being at home.

Over the last year, I've grown to absolutely love being at home, and believe it or not, I never used to be a homebody. I was always someone who made an effort to keep busy, whether it was with friends, family, dinners, workouts, what have you, I was always trying to avoid being at home.

Then life threw me lemons, and I had to leave the home I was living in. I was determined to go on the hunt for a home that I could call my very own. Once I found it, I put every ounce of energy into it to create a place I couldn't wait to come home to. Yes, it's a work in progress, and I change my mind on the daily about where to put things or how to style them, but I've grown to learn that that's just how my brain works... I'll never be completely happy with how something looks (most interior lovers aren't).

Another thing that helps to love being at home? Living alone! With my bichon poodle, of course. I never thought I'd like living alone, but trust me, it's pretty much the best thing ever. If you have the chance, I highly recommend it. 

Now that you know a little more about me, I hope to inspire you in some way with this blog. Always feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or just want to say hello!

xo                                                                                                                              

Linnea