Natalie Ho

We’ve all done it, accumulated ample ineffective and poor quality cooking tools that are likely past their shelf life over the years. It likely began when you kept those cheap items from your university days because you’re trying to save a few dollars, or decided to move in with your boyfriend (or girlfriend) and amalgamated a mishmash of your kitchen gadgets that barely worked (i.e. rusty can openers), sound all too familiar?

Well, guess what? You’re an adult now, and it’s time for an upgrade because keeping bad quality kitchen tools are not only a waste of space but if you’re looking to cook a delicious meal, having the right tools on hand is key!

Years ago, as an up and coming young professional living in the heart of Toronto, I was living pay cheque to pay cheque.  The moment my tax refund arrived at the door (or should I say, via direct deposit), I would use it responsibly towards paying off any outstanding debt or saving it up for my next big expense. Now that I’m more flexible with my finances, it’s nice to have the option of spending my tax refund on something more creative and investable rather than using it to manage debt and expense.

With the deadline to file for taxes approaching in just a few days (deadline for personal income tax filing is May 1, 2017), I’ve curated this list of creative ideas on putting your tax return to good use.

Whether you’re in a highly technical profession or a free flowing creative spirit, continuing to learn and develop in your own area of expertise will most certainly benefit your career. However, in addition to ‘bettering’ yourself in your comfort zone, I personally also like to challenge myself to acquire new skills and discover new areas of knowledge. Oftentimes, I end up developing a new passion that I hadn’t considered before!

Since becoming a part of the Nespresso Coffee Connoisseur Club, I’ve managed to learn a few new tidbits about coffee. It has widened my familiarity and preference in both taste and intensity of coffee.

Spring is such a beautiful season, isn’t it? The days get longer, the sun gets warmer, and flowers start to bloom. It’s such a wonderful time of the year. I spent the first long weekend of Spring making room for all the wonderful things I love about this season.

Gone are the days when I can function with just a few hours of sleep. I need at least a solid seven to eight hours of snooze (nine on the weekends please!), otherwise, I feel cranky, exhausted, and well, the brain just doesn’t operate at an optimal level. Consequently, pretty much nothing gets done.

Aside from getting enough shuteye time to increase productivity, there are also many other factors that determine whether I’m about to have a great night of rest or not. Personally, I can gulp an entire cup of coffee before bed and sleep like a baby, but when it comes to tea, forget about it, I’ll toss and turn for hours!

Not sure about you, but I’ve already started to stock up the closet with new Spring finds!! I’m most excited about all the great bomber jackets this season and am especially drawn to floral prints and embroidery lately! The one I’m sporting in this post is from Dynamite’s Spring 2017 collection and I absolutely adore it.

To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I shopped at Dynamite, but I have to say I’m deeply impressed.

As I was getting ready for tax season in February, I shared some stats and tips on keeping cool during these seemingly stressful months. I’ve found that if you’re organized and informed, doing your taxes can be a breeze!

When it comes to personal income taxes, people typically fit into two categories. Either you are a salaried employee or you’re a self-employed freelancer/entrepreneur. However, like myself, many of us are a hybrid of the two – that means you’ve got a full-time gig and earning income from your ‘passion project’.

When you’re a hybrid freelancer, what does this mean when it comes to filing your taxes and what may you need to be aware of?

I learned early on in my career the positive impact of self-motivation. I remember nearly 10 years ago, I attended a one day workshop on communications. We spent an entire afternoon working through ‘positive self talk’ exercises. And to be honest, at the time, I thought it was silly and never imagined that what I learned that afternoon would be one of the most important lessons in my professional life.

When I began my career as part of a start-up team, it meant that rarely would you be given set assignments, projects, or clients to work on. Being in a start-up environment involved rolling up your sleeves, wearing many hats, drumming up new clients, and often times, figuring out what the heck we were going to do next in order to pay our employees. To succeed in that type of setting, there is no room to be complacent, no time to contemplate, and requires a whole damn lot of self ignition.

I’m often asked where I find inspiration for my DIY projects. The truth is, just about anywhere and more often than not, around ordinary objects laying around the house. I could be starring at a lemon or a book cover and it’ll spark a thought in my head for my next project.

I was brewing my Nespresso coffee one Saturday morning and as I was refilling my empty glass bonbonniere with my favourite capsules, the pastel coloured ones particularly stood out to me. They reminded me of beautiful and delicate Easter eggs. 

A couple months ago, I shared a super fun Sharpie watercolour project for with you. I enjoyed using the Color Burst Permanent Markers so much that I decided to tackle another DIY just perfect for the upcoming season!

With Spring just around, I am already thinking about refreshing my home with an injection of colour and also eager to add some new plant life. When it comes to keeping plants alive, well, let’s just say I’ve still got a few more lessons to learn! Therefore, a bullet proof option, such as succulents are just the perfect way to kick things off.