So you know how to get away for the weekend with only a little luggage, but what about getting away for the week?  How can one woman go away seven days and not be burdened with loads of luggage?  Although it may seem impossible to lighten the load, a few tips and tricks courtesy of Diane Kennedy will have you packing your bag with room to spare for those personals you always dread leaving behind.

In “Your Travel Weekend Wardrobe” we told you about the necessity of choosing versatile, essential pieces that you can dress up or down, and transition from day to night.  So how can you make even more room in that suitcase of yours?  The secret is in the no stress, no mess, no press, organic bamboo jersey.  Bamboo is incredibly soft, is silky and drapes beautifully, doesn’t stick to the skin in hot weather, and is naturally more wrinkle-resistant than cotton or hemp.  No more stressing about placing your clothes just right to avoid the endless ironing of woven fabrics, with our organic bamboo jersey you can just roll your garments up and roll your suitcase out.  Just remember that once you get where you need to be simply hang your garments to get out any creases that may have crept up on your travels; and be comforted by the convenience of Diane Kennedy’s getaway tips and tricks.  

 Diane Kennedy: Coastal Zip, 5th Avenue Cami, Travel Capri

 Diane Kennedy:  5th Avenue Cami, Travel Capri

 Diane Kennedy:  Soho Tunic, Pedal Pant

 Diane Kennedy:  Express Tee 

Have you ever wondered how women get away with only one little rolling suitcase on a plane? How they can fit all the necessities for a getaway into that tiny carry-on space?  It’s no easy task, but with the right pieces, you can be one of those women! No more checked luggage lines, no more hobbling around laden with totes and wheelies… Sounds good right?

They key is in choosing versatile, essential pieces that can dress up or down, and transition from day to night.  To show you how to get great travel looks that will easily fit into carry-on size luggage, we’ve put together the perfect weekend wardrobe using our favorite Spring Diane Kennedy pieces.  Whether you’re jetting off to a faraway destination, or staying close to home, our travel wardrobe tips will keep you in style all weekend long.

Diane Kennedy Touring Jacket, Fifth Avenue Cami, and Pedal Pant

Diane Kennedy Touring Jacket and Dream Dress

1. Octavia Spencer

As confirmed by both her Oscar and Golden Globe wins for Best Supporting Actress in The Help, Octavia Spencer is a rising star, and she plans to use her fame to help showcase the talent of others who just need a shot.  The actress has future plans to become a producer and an activist—we think she is sure to be an important influencer, and is one powerful, talented woman to watch!

2. Emme Aronson

Emme Aronson is a superwoman, by no stretch of the imagination. As the first plus-size model to reach supermodel status and become a spokesperson for Revlon, she has extended her resume to include fashion design entrepreneur, author, and television host, among other successful endeavors. Also a cancer survivor, Emme is the epitome of strength and a shining inspiration for women everywhere. 

3. Gail Vaz-Oxlade

As Canada’s very own personal finance guru, Gail Vaz-Oxlade has been whipping us all into shape with her debt-busting, tough-love methods. The author of a myriad of bestselling financial books and regular contributor to major publications like the Globe and Mail and Chatelaine, Gail is also has several TV series under her belt. You’re likely to find her sporting Diane Kennedy pieces on the hit show “Til Debt Do Us Part.”

4. Oprah Winfrey

We couldn’t have an inspirational women list without including ‘Queen’ Oprah now could we! A woman that needs no last name, Oprah is by many standards an icon of our generation. Her generosity, activism, and business acumen have propelled her to a well-deserved status of media magnate. If you’d like to build your own empire, Oprah is one of your best examples!

5. Sara Ramirez

An actress recognized most notably for her role on “Grey’s Anatomy,” Sara is also a Tony award-winning broadway actress and has starred in musicals The Capeman, Dreamgirls, and Monty Python’s Spamalot. AJulliardSchoolgraduate, Sara also has also released several EP’s, and often sings in concerts.

6. Nigella Lawson

This culinary goddess from across the pond has authored countless best-selling cookbooks, has hosted many a cooking show and TV special, and has her own cookware range.  Not bad for a self-taught cook! Nigella has a background in journalism; this wordsmith experience combined with her relatable personality has us all enchanted.

7. Ina Garten

Known to all as the “Barefoot Contessa,” Ina Garten is the woman behind the celebrated specialty food store.  Jumping into the culinary world with no experience in 1978, she has since created a globally recognized brand that encompasses many a cookbook, television shows, and even a line of baking mixes. What a delicious way to build a career!

We’ve got a growing list of beautiful, successful women on our Pinterest board, click here to check them out!

The moment I pulled into the parking lot, my eyes immediately went to a large cordoned off cart full of plants.  From my car I could see it had treasures of my MOST favourite sort.  A new shipment of hellebores!  And they were choice… Doubles in every colour! Yellow Ones! Black ones and painted ones! Oh…just…OH!!! Turns out they were just in from a specialized Hellebore breeder out of Oregon.  Special indeed!

Double hellebores in every shade of pink....

Stunning true butter yellow

This 'painted' Winter Jewel Hellebore immediately caught my eye!

This one had to be the most rare and special colour....I've never seen nectaries this deep a yellow (the part in the center)

 Now I’m heading out of the parking lot and into the actual nursery….

Tom is all about adding drama with large pots, height and eye catching glass sculptures

Bi-coloured Erysimum (wallflower) and Violas on the left, Double Primrose on the right

I love the contrast of the smoky sempervivums (front row, left side) with the pretty chartreuse pot

This had to go home with me....Helleborus x ballardiae Gold Collection® Pink Frost

These too....Primula Elator~Hybrid Silver lace purple

Whether you have a window sill, balcony or a huge 10 acre garden, Mr. Hobbs has a new and stunning beautiful plant for you! Stay tuned for part 2…..

Floral Arranging has long been considered an art, and a skill valued in many a well-bred young lady – just take a look at the curriculum of any English finishing school. While the traditional value of this skill may have been replaced by an emphasis on academics and technology in today’s society,  flowers and floral arrangements are still considered essential to complete the look of any event, big or small. 

 If you want to get in on the latest in florals, GO GREEN! Recently, green flowers (not to be mistaken with “greenery”) have been cropping up in all kinds of floral arrangements.  Green flowers you ask? But of course – green is the new neutral, and there are plenty of naturally green flowers to choose from!  They’re used as everything from a filler to the star species, and are the easiest way to give any DIY arrangement a truly professional look.  For example, the delicate Lady’s Mantle is the perfect (and much more modern) substitute for Baby’s Breath.  It’s also incredibly easy to grow in your own garden! Green flowers enhance all the other flowers around them, but can easily stand alone as a alternative to traditional colours, or as a quirky accent to your beloved favorites.

From the thick and undulating Green Celosia to the fluffy, pom-pom like Green Trick Dianthus, we’ve identified some of our favorite green blooms above.  Don’t they lend such a freshness to each of the arrangements? (Check out more Green Flowers on our Pinterest board, here!)

Spring is fast approaching, and here in Vancouver we’re starting to see daffodil stems and other early blooming flowers sprouting through the soil.  We love early spring, when winter melts away and reveals soft, pretty colours… Our new Spring tunics reflect this time of year, with shades of blush pink, mid-blues, dusk-like purples, and soft greys – not to mention being the perfect transitional pieces.  Our online store has just been stocked with all the newest styles and colours; what a great way to freshen up our wardrobes after a long winter!

1.  Cruise Cowl Tunic in Bengal, 2. Fifth Avenue Cami in Indigo, 3. Express Tee in Water (Coming Soon), 4. Passport Tunic in Indigo, 5. Escape Tunic in Blush, 6. Soho Tunic in Steel

After a trip to the Vancouver Aquarium, we are completely inspired by the ever-changing shapes and vibrant colours of jellyfish. Invisibly carried by their own liquid momentum, jellyfish pulsate through the planktonic dark of our own Pacific Ocean. British Columbia is home to 75 different species of these brainless, heartless gelatinous beings. Aequorea Victoria, a species most common to BC, is best known for its ability to produce bioluminescence. The Aequorea is said to be the most important jellyfish in the world because of its ability to create and emit its own light. Jet-propelled with an unconscious ease, jellyfish remind us to keep calm and move with the tides (and times). Their tendrils trail in a neon glow, while their glossy water-flesh heads melt into their surroundings. It is truly amazing that we can find such electrifying colours—which are all too often associated with synthetic, man-made materials—in nature, let alone off the coast of our beautiful British Columbia.