Loulou's views

The most wonderful time of the year is almost here! Although I would love summer to last forever, especially because it's been so wonderful, I think we're all ready to put the beach towels away and bring out the backpacks. I'm craving routine, aren't you? I was on CTV Ottawa Morning Live today, talking about getting ready for back-to-school and how we can all stay organized this year. Here's my segment , featuring items from Pottery Barn Kids , Hilroy Canada , Mabel's Labels , and Mastermind Toys —items that will help you and your kids get organized just in time for school! Here are some tips to help you and your children transition from summer to fall without any major meltdowns: Get Into The Groove While we were in Greece, my kids adapted to the Greek lifestyle—going out for dinner at 10 p.m. and staying up until past midnight almost daily, thanks to the World Cup being aired at 11 p.m. most nights. Since we've been back, we've been...

Are you finished your back to school shopping yet? I know, it seems like only yesterday we were out shopping for beach essentials, and now, it's time to get the kids dressed for school. I'm mostly happy that they are heading back, but I'm also sad summer is over. The only thing to cure my sadness? Shopping! Of course. Shopping is always the answer. Sears Canada is a great place to head for back to school shopping with the children, because they have such a great selection of name brand clothes that kids—and parents—have come to love and trust. The best part? When you're shopping at Sears Canada for the kids, you know you're not going to break the bank. There are so many amazing deals for clothes, shoes, and accessories for kids. I love that I can find stylish items at Sears that my boys will love. With both boys taking tennis lessons this year, we needed a variety of clothes that would take the kids from the classroom to the tennis court, so sporty clot...

Dermablend makeup was created in 1981 by dermatologist Dr. Craig Roberts. His wonderful concept gave birth to a line of makeup that is truly the ideal way to beautify the skin with science and dermatology behind it. Makeup is your go-to product to hide blemishes, add a pinch of colour to your skin, and maybe help slow down the process of aging. But can your current collection beat a high-performance line created by a dermatology genius? Check out Dermablend's products and see for yourself if you'll be making the switch. 1. Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Foundation SPF 20: When you need "heavyweight" coverage but in a lightweight composition, all you need to apply is Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Foundation. You'll get a radiant complexion for up to 16 hours. In addition, you'll feel shielded as it includes SPF 20 in the formulation. Various shades are available. 2. Dermablend Cover Creme Foundation: For those who want to experience a foundation that w...

Breaking Bad came to an end last fall, and the show was the big winner at last night's Emmy Awards. I only very recently finished watching Breaking Bad —I binge-watched all five seasons—and I am  thrilled that Breaking Bad won Best Drama, and Best Writing, and even happier that Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Anna Gunn won, as well. They are so very deserving! Congratulations, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, and Aaron Paul. You'll always be my favourite show of all. #jessepinkmanforever Now, let's talk fashion and all the wonderful things I loved about the 2014 Emmy Awards! Most deserving Emmy Award: Jesse Pinkman and Walter White, of course! (By the way, Aaron Paul's acceptance speech crashed his wife's site, Kind Campaign , a non-profit organization about spreading kindness and stopping bullying.) Best Dressed It's always hard to decide who wore what best, because usually, all the stars looks fabulous and gorgeous in their own wa...

The countdown is officially on for back-to-school! My kids are sad that summer is coming to an end, because summer is the best season of all—swimming all day and no homework is a pretty sweet gig, after all. (I'm actually quite sad that summer is almost over, too, because I'm still not recovered from the shock of last winter, but I digress...) The one thing that turns my "summer is over" sobs into smiles is back-to-school shopping—and not only for my children. September is the perfect month to start new—like a brand new year. I just love re-organizing the home, tackling projects like painting rooms, buying new home decor and furniture, and stocking up on must-have clothes and school supplies. August and September are my favourite months to get organized, get back on track, and buy items that'll help everyone get back into routine without meltdowns or tears.  Nate Berkus—well recognized and well loved interior designer and TV personality—has added his signa...

Pottery Barn is my favourite store for home inspiration—I love stocking up on items for the home whenever I can. I get most of my decor ideas from Pottery Barn, and I try to make our home look as cosy and comfortable as they do in a Pottery Barn catalogue or showroom. Within two days of walking into Pottery Barn Kids for the first time, I found out I was pregnant. I am convinced that the store has magical powers, and since then, I have shopped religiously in PBK for my boys. From bedding to shelves and accessories for their rooms, to the must-have back-to-school gear, including backpacks, lunch bags, and food storage containers, it's my go-to place to get all the things they'll need to start the school year off on the right foot. The Mackenzie backpacks are my personal favourite—they last throughout the years, and my boys have even used the same backpack two years in a row. They could use them even longer than that, but I like to buy new backpacks for them, because PBK alwa...

Shoppers Drug Mart is the ultimate destination for beauty, and my go-to place to stock up on my beauty essentials — like my favourite Cover Girl mascara, my favourite Benefit eyeliner, and my favourite Prada fragrance. Once again (it's the 4th annual national event) the Shoppers Drug Mart   30 Days of Beauty campaign is back, taking place across Canada just in time for fall and back-to-school!   The 30 different fabulous looks are telling the story of 30 Days of Beauty , giving you new ideas to try, inspiring you to add to your make-up collection, and on top of that? You can even receive a five-minute in-store makeover! The 30 Days of Beauty website has tons of great ideas to get you ready for fall and with your in-store make-over, you can try out some of these looks yourself.   A new shade of lipstick, a new blush, and you're good to go. Take risks, add some colour to your life, and have fun shopping! I love buying new make-up brushes once a year, too. The 3...

What movie do you remember watching that stayed with you a long time? A movie you could watch again and again, because it was so perfect? That movie for me is Dead Poets Society. I saw this movie when I was young, and I recently watched it again—the first time watching it since I became a mom—and the tears flowed more than any other time I'd see it. I know now when I watch it again, I'll be crying even harder than ever before. When I read about the death of Robin Williams yesterday, I thought it was a lie; in fact, it was  the sad truth . No celebrity death has touched me this much before, and we've lost a lot of great people in the last few years. Robin Williams was a brilliant, hilarious man, a comedic genius, a lovely soul, and a serious actor who could make you cry and laugh.  I'm shocked that he is no longer with us, that he's no longer going to make us laugh hysterically with his stand-up comedy or movies. From Mrs. Doubtfire, to Good Morni...

Summer moves at such a fast pace, I often find myself wishing I could press the pause button on time. Why does winter never move as quickly? July is over, and went by quicker than I thought it would. Of course that means we've been having a very good time, but still... I feel the end of this season is near, and there's nothing I can do about it. We left for Greece just before school finished in June, and spent 20 days visiting the most beautiful country I've ever been to. To experience this trip with my children—for them to see where they are from, to visit with their grandparents and great-grandparents in their homes, and to meet my cousins and their children—was the most memorable part of summer for all of us. We're planning another trip to Greece next summer, with a lot of our friends and their children, too. My children adapted to the Greek lifestyle as soon as they stepped off the plane, never missing a beat. They loved it all. We came home and July...

There is only one thing I love about summer coming to an end: back-to-school shopping! Even though I'm not heading back to school, I love shopping for fall (and all the time, let's be honest) because it makes the changing of seasons that much more bearable. Shopping always makes things better. I love shopping online for new clothes, shoes and accessories for fall, and online shopping with Beyond the Rack has never been easier or more fun, because right now Canadians receive free shipping until August 15th when paying with their VISA debit cards. Shopping made easy, and free shipping? I love it! Visa Debit is a really smart (and safe) way to pay when you're shopping online, since funds are debited directly from your personal account. According to data from Visa Canada's network, Canadians spent over $53 million online shopping last August, and over $59 million on apparel when shopping online last September. Clearly, we love to shop online, and back-to-school and...