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mulled wine

Entertain, Fall, Giveaways, Local Love, Occasions, Wine & Cocktails

LATE HARVEST SPICED APPLE SANGRIA


I bet you thought I’d abandoned sangria for COCKTAILS, didn’t you? Although sangria was definitely my first love, as I’ve dived deeper into recipe development and mixology here at JustineCelina, my foray into cocktailing over the past 3.5 years was something I never would have predicted (I’m a huge wino and I thought I’d always prefer wine based libations to cocktails!). I’ve published just about every type of sangria recipe you can think of on these pages, incorporating red wine, white wine, rosé and prosecco — you’d think I’d have my bases covered by now, right? Nope. I’ve always wanted to create an autumnal sangria incorporating October’s beautiful BC apples and late harvest wine, but could never find the right spirit to bring it to life — that is, until now! Enter Eau Claire Distillery‘s newest limited edition offering, Apple Brandy. This seasonally inspired spirit is infused with orchard fresh Okanagan apples and the essence of warm French oak — and I knew it would be the perfect ingredient to elevate my Late Harvest Spiced Apple Sangria with handcrafted flair and character!

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving, I’m thrilled to bring you a fresh sangria recipe inspired by changing leaves, cozy knits, brisk autumn evenings and celebrating this beautiful life with family and friends! My Late Harvest Spiced Apple Sangria combines late harvest riesling with Eau Claire’s Apple Brandy, freshly pressed apple cider and ginger beer with a sweet and spicy trio of Okanagan apples, fresh ginger and cinnamon sticks to infuse this comforting, apple-centric sangria with autumnal warmth. In the spirit of the season to thank you for all your support this year, I’ve teamed up with Eau Claire Distillery, Calgary Farmer’s Market and Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival to create the Ultimate Local Foodie Giveaway — including a bottle of limited edition Apple Brandy, 50 Farmers Market Bucks so you can shop for everything you need to recreate this sangria at home while supporting our local farmers and attend Calgary’s premiere food and wine festival, on me (check out the bottom of this post for entry deets!). Wishing all of my Canadian friends the happiest of Thanksgivings — I’m so grateful for each and every one of you!

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DIY | Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath | How to Make an Asymmetrical Holiday Wreaths for Christmas with Pine, Cedar, Brunia, Eucalyptus pods, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus and Magnolia | Christmas Wreath DIY | Modern Christmas Wreath DIY // JustineCelina.com
Create, DIY, Dwell, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Living Room, Occasions, Pantone, Winter

DIY | HOW TO MAKE AN ASYMMETRICAL HOLIDAY WREATH


To kick off December, I had the pleasure of attending a wreath making workshop with the lovely and talented Rebecca Dawn Design. The wine and holiday cheer were flowing — and between all the eating, drinking and being merry, I created this Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath! I took you along via Insta Stories and after lots of questions and comments about the process, I finally had some time to photograph the wreath and publish a DIY post for you (better late than never, right?!). If you have an hour to spare, you too can create this modern, Scandinavian style holiday wreath with a handful of inexpensive, easy to source materials! They also make a lovely hostess gift if you’re looking for last minute ideas with a handmade, personal touch.

This year, I’ve definitely taken a more minimalistic approach to the holidays and decorating. Since my main focus these past few months has been refreshing our living room (stay tuned for the reveal in the New Year!) and we’re out of town visiting family for the holidays, we didn’t even set up a tree! Instead we decorated our new Bird of Paradise plant with a few twinkling lights, added some cotton stems to our vases and hung this Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath! If you’re looking for a simple DIY to add a festive touch to your minimalistic decor this holiday season, a fresh wreath is the perfect addition. Our home is brimming with greenery and lots of natural wood textures with a mid century modern vibe — so I selected Cedar, Pine, Brunia, Eucalyptus pods, Red Ironbark Eucalyptus and Magnolia Leaves for our wreath (it’s also makes the living room smell amazing — no tree required!). If you’d like to learn how to make an Asymmetrical Holiday Wreath of your own, throw on your favourite Christmas playlist, settle in with a glass of your favourite festive beverage (may I suggest Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria?) and let’s get started!

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Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria // JustineCelina.com
Entertain, Occasions, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

CLASSIC WINTER CITRUS RED SANGRIA


Remember when I mentioned all the seasonal recipes I have in my backlog? Well, today I’m finally publishing the very first sangria recipe I ever developed — almost 10 years ago (yikes!). I honestly can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria with friends and family over the years, but I bet it’s more than 50. In fact, it was this recipe that inspired my sangria craze — it’s the original! It was singlehandedly responsible for a large portion of my 20’s being a bit hazy and escalating some of my favourite entertaining memories (or lack there of!) in our first homes over the years! This classic red sangria never fails to get the party started (now that’s the understatement of the century!) and is my all time favourite beverage to make when we’re hosting or attending a party, especially during the cooler months. It’s absolutely delicious and approved by friends, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and inlaws — even the non-wine drinkers rave about it! So, I figured it was finally time to unleash the recipe on the world — however, I will not be held liable for any life altering hangovers that ensue after a few too many glasses (hey, it goes down easy — consider yourself warned!).

My Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria is the quintessential holiday cocktail, marrying fruity zinfandel and apricot brandy with festive, seasonal flavours of satsuma, lime, lemon, pomegranate and a hint of cozy cinnamon. This better-for-you holiday cocktail is free of added sugar and brimming with clean, plant based ingredients plus a mega dose of antioxidants. If you love to entertain, this simple, jubilant sangria will leave your guests feeling merry and bright! And to help spread some holiday cheer, my Connecting Over Cocktails crew and I are back at it again — and this time, we’re thrilled to bring you our Holiday Edition. If you’re planning a festive celebration and looking to take the party up a notch this year, check out the bottom of this post for 5 gorgeous, seasonal sips from a handful of my favourite cocktail connoisseurs!

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October 2017 Beauty Favourites // JustineCelina.com
Beauty, Cruelty Free, Drugstore, Fall, Fragrance, Luxury, Makeup, Monthly Favourites, Natural Products, Pantone, Reviews, Skincare

OCTOBER 2017 BEAUTY FAVOURITES


Happy snowy Sunday, beautiful people! I’m elated to be curled up in a cozy sweater and fuzzy slippers with a big mug of chamomile tea this weekend working away on my October 2017 Beauty Favourites post — it’s a cold one in Calgary! If you’re looking for an excuse to hole up inside and avoid stepping foot into the frigid outdoors this weekend (and getting out of your sweatpants!), you’re in luck. Pour yourself a warm cup of whatever your little heart desires (mulled wine, perhaps?!), grab your iPad, phone or snuggle up in front of your laptop with your softest throw and let’s chat autumn beauty!

October was a bit of a whirlwind — it included a lot of travel, a new haircut and desire to refresh my look, shake things up and discover new products! I had a love affair with red lips and liquid lips — and wore one red in particular most of the month whenever I felt like something bold. I also became totally smitten with a pretty autumnal shade from the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick range, continued to practically bathe in Colourpop Super Shock Highlighters, rediscovered my love for an innovative mattifying product and found an incredible, inexpensive nude eyeliner that makes my eyes look bright and awake (trust me, last month I needed all the help I could get!). In the FRAGRANCE and SKINCARE categories, I got acquainted with an ultra pampering, uplifting body soufflé from Crabtree & Eveyln and reacquainted with one of my favourite autumn scents. It was somewhat of a minimalistic month for me beauty wise, as it took me awhile to figure out what worked best with my new fringe (which I’m still loving, by the way!), my eyebrows and eye makeup have definitely taken a back seat (no one can really tell I haven’t plucked or filled in my brows or spent those extra few minutes blending my eyeshadow — and it’s kind of amazing!). Let’s dive into my October 2017 Beauty Favourites, shall we?

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Blood Orange Creamsicle Mimosas // JustineCelina.com
Occasions, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

BLOOD ORANGE CREAMSICLE MIMOSAS


Are you searching for a stowstopping cocktail to complete your Valentine’s Day menu? Well, my friends, you’ve come to the right place — because today I’m sharing the recipe for these gorgeous Blood Orange Creamsicle Mimosas! With just 3 ingredients (and a big wow factor), these elegant cocktails combine vibrant, freshly squeezed blood orange juice and Spanish Cava with a hit of creamy vanilla liqueur for an elevated, seasonal twist on the classic mimosa!

Whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day with that special someone, celebrating Galentine’s style with your favourite ladies or savouring some quality solo downtime, my Blood Orange Creamsicle Mimosas are the perfect love day elixir. Enjoy them over brunch, après dinner, during a candlelit bath or anytime you want to indulge in the beautiful flavour of blood oranges complimented by a healthy dose of bubbles. Simplicity really is the ultimate sophistication — cheers to love, friends and delicious sparkling cocktails!

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December 2016 Soundtrack // JustineCelina.com
Music, Occasions, Winter

DECEMBER SOUNDTRACK + BONUS 2016 SOUNDTRACK

To celebrate the last day of 2016, I have not one, but two fresh playlists for you today! First up, my December Soundtrack is a short and sweet playlist featuring 38 of my favourite tracks from the month — including standouts from St. South, Kultur, Trent Dabbs, Luunes, Freedom Fly, Micah Visser, Los Campesinos!, Zhu, San Holo, Saint Mesa and Celadon City. It’s an eclectic mash up of different genres that sounded good to my ears this month, with quite a few instrumental tracks thrown into the mix! 

Spotify also compiled 2016 Soundtrack automatically for me earlier this month, highlighting my most played songs from 2016 (how cool is that?!) — and I have to say it’s pretty solid! If you’re looking for some great music to decorate the last hours of 2017 today, or my top recommendations for the best tracks of 2016, this playlist is for you. Whether you’re hosting or attending a party, heading out, or spending a quiet night in, I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve! Thank you for coming along on this crazy ride with me, I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. I have some big plans for JustineCelina next year and can’t wait to see what 2017 brings — Happy New Year and cheers to an incredible 2017!

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A Luxurious New Years Eve Bash // JustineCelina.com
Appies & Sides, Dwell, Entertain, Food, Sponsored, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

A LUXURIOUS NEW YEARS EVE BASH


As 2016 winds down, I wanted to cap things off here at JustineCelina with an unexpected twist! The older we get and the busier our lives become, the more I truly treasure the time I’m able to spend with family and friends — especially during the holidays. I’ve always wanted to host a black tie party to ring in the new year — I would much rather stay in and create a unique and memorable evening for guests to enjoy than go out to celebrate. Today I’ve teamed up with HomeSense, Rebecca Dawn Design and Genevieve Renee Photographie to do just that in this Luxurious New Years Eve Bash!

If you’re hosting a New Years Eve party and looking for some fresh ideas, we have so much entertaining inspiration in store for you today. This season I wanted to create something interesting and experiment with a different aesthetic — fantastical, luxurious and a bit avante garde. This moody, black tie celebration is complete with dramatic florals and modern decor mixed with antique touches, indulgent accoutrements, Vanilla Pomegranate Mulled Wine and no shortage of bubbly. Rich, on-trend textures of velvet, agate and natural stone are layered with jewel tones, gold and antique brass to create a dramatic spread with contemporary flair. If you, too, are craving some drama this season, we invite you embrace your dark side this New Years Eve and celebrate 2017 in style!

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