…She is always right there when I need her.” (Cheerleader – Omi)

*originally posted March 23, 2019; updated June 5th, 2019; updated again January 5th, 2020 *

Okay, so the title/quote is far from my favourite song, however, that particular lyric fit perfectly with this post’s topic! I’m a big fan of supporting local, small businesses. I think it’s great that this is becoming more popular in today’s multi-billion-dollar-company world. So, in this post, I want to highlight some of my favourite lesser-known, Ottawa-area (generally) sites and companies and brands and shows and more! Fair warning, this is a long list!! But the variety of content you’ll find on here is fascinating, and it’ll be worth the read if you’re interested in supporting local, I promise 🙂

Today I want to “CHEERLEAD” some of the amazing accomplishments that my friends and family have done over the years. Its so inspiring to see people reaching for their dreams, working hard along the way, and actually achieving them (or just giving it a damn good shot). Do you have friends who just went for it, and became a salesperson for their favourite brands? Exposed their deepest darkest secrets on public forums? Started a company from scratch? Do complicated AF craftsmanship? Instagram’d their favourite things and subsequently made YOU interested in those things, too? Well, I have bad-ass, courageous friends & family members like that, and I LOVE IT and I WANT TO BRAG ABOUT THEM, OKAY!?

I feel like I must surround myself with really exceptional humans, because once I came up with this blog idea, I realized that holy shit…. SO MANY of my friends & family fit this bill! This may include: starting their own business, writing a blog, starting a band, having a page to show off their fascinating hobbies and talents, or any number of things (you’ll have to see the list below for more examples)! The fact that those around me are so proud of their interests and are willing to share that with the public is AWESOME to me!

Yes, okay, alright! Enough babbling, let’s get to the good stuff: the content!

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BLOGGING: “Passportunities”

Passportunities is my all-time favourite local blog, which focuses primarily on travel, fitness, and photography! The author, D.D., happens to be my brilliant best friend and go-getter extraordinaire! If you want travel tips for certain cities/countries, such as: what to pack, where to go, photos of, how to plan, and (most useful for me) how to budget, check this blog out!! Many have found it super helpful when planning vacations and adventures abroad, and locally too! The author also highlights her experiences with fitness and photography, accompanied by helpful tips and tricks and great pics!! She is based in Ottawa, but has explored the world in a budget-conscious, carefully-planned, and somehow still SUPER FUN way! If blogs aren’t your thing, you really need to check out her Instagram page for major vacay/photography envy! Another little fun tidbit… she recently celebrated her 28th birthday ON ST.PADDY’S DAY! Head over to her accounts to wish her a belated HBD! 🙂

FARMING: “Willow Bend Farms”

Willow Bend Farms is a small-town, family-run farm owned & operated by an amazing young couple, one of whom happens to be my extremely hard-working and inspirational cousin, M.M. She is a ruminant farm consultant (among other things) and Guelph Agriculture grad! They offer beef, pork, chicken, and eggs, and let me tell you – they are FANTASTIC. I bought a whole box of meat last year, variety of options available, and it was gone so fast! Their sausages are to dieee for! I’ve been to their farm and it’s superbly ethically operated, and all the animals are so happy and well-cared for, it makes me smile just to hang outside the fence & watch the livestock run around the yard! Adorable. If you’re interested in finding out more, check out the link at the beginning of this section for their Facebook page! If Canadian agricultural chatter interests you, check out the owner’s Twitter to keep up with rural Ontario’s Aggie life! & ask her about Willow Bend 🙂

PHOTOGRAPHY: “Danielle Murphy Studios”

Do you have a special event coming up, or something that you’d like to immortalize in print? YOU NEED TO check out Danielle Murphy Studio ‘s website and arrange a photoshoot with her. They are GORGEOUS photos! Danielle is an uber-amazing and multi-talented artist, who specializes in wedding photography, but also does lots of engagement, family, and newborn shoots as well. Her Insta feed is goals AF, so stunning! I attended elementary and high school (and now real-life adulting) with Dani, and I can tell you for sure, you will love every second of the experience!! She’s based in Brockville, but traipses all over the Kingston-to-Ottawa area to capture people’s special moments. If you’re interested in talking shop with her, hit her up on Facebook, you won’t regret it 🙂

PODCAST: “Life In Red”

Are y’all as obsessed with podcasts as I am these days? I hopped right on that bandwagon wholeheartedly and haven’t looked back. One of the main reasons I started listening is because my friend Ryan Forsyth started this amazing podcast show called Life In Red, where he has long-form conversations with friends, family, and local Ottawa personalities (and is always expanding and growing) about ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING! The podcast has no rules so you never know where the convo might go! The host, Ryan, is constantly finding guests who have really interesting backgrounds and professions and lifestyles! I’ve listened to every episode, and I swear I learn something new each ep! Pssst, little secret, I may be a teeny tiny touch biased on this one, buuuuut episode 7 is hella fun and you should def check it out 😉 haha I was lucky enough to be a guest on the show and it was so much fun! If you’d like to listen along, you can find Life In Red Pod anywhere podcasts are found! & if you’d like to chat with Ryan, i.e. be a GUEST ON A PODCAST (so cool), hit him up on Facebook or Twitter!

AWESOME ART: “M.Eliza”

My gorgeous friend/teammate/landlord/roommate Maggie is AMAZEBALLS at art of all mediums! She recently started an Instagram account to showcase her great talents (whether it be photography, paintings, or however she’s feeling like expressing herself in the moment), and I’m already loving it. As she describes the account Paint + Nature + Photography: posting my views of the world”, how great it that!? You can find her work on there: @mp.apple – click on the link to check her out and perdy-up your Insta feed! 🙂

PODCAST: “Time For Your Hobby”

I recently had the honour of being a guest on one of my favourite local podcasts. It came out today (January 5th, 2020) and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome! It wasn’t hard to have a great time because the host Alex TFYH is as jazzed for learning about others’ hobbies as his guests are jazzed to talk about them. Alex describes the aim of the podcast perfectly on his website “whether it’s a big hobby or a small one, everyone can pull up a seat with me and share it with the world. The main objective of this podcast is to share with the world to the various hobbies people have, what kind of impacts it had on their lives, and get rid of any misconceptions.” I’M OBSESSED. I’ve already binged every episode and can’t wait for a new one each week! If you have a hobby and want to be a guest, hit him up – he’s always looking for new hobbies to collect! Alternatively, if you’re finding it hard to pick/find a hobby these days where Netflix-and-chill seems to be the only thing people do, check out a bunch of the episodes to get some great ideas! I’m partial to Episode 71 “Bat-her Up: Softball” because I’m shamelessly promoting myself too 😉 haha. Anyways, it’s an awesome listen and you can check out more info on his Twitter and Instagram to see if it’s for you (it should be, you’ll love it too) – enjoy! 🙂

GOOD MUSIC: “The Rifle & The Writer”

The band formerly known as The Rebekka Paige Band and Catalina, is killin’ the country/folk music game as The Rifle & The Writer! I’ve seen them live so many times and they never disappoint to deliver a great show, with an insanely talented lead singer (Rebekka) and crazy good instrumentals (Colby, etc). Their debut album “Flowers Of Chance” gets airplay across Ontario, and is so beautiful 🙂 Don’t believe me? Have a listen to some of their tunes on YouTube!! They write their own songs, too, which I find so admirable – and the lyrics are wonderful. All of their full-band shows are rowdy and a damn good time, and their instrumental sets are so soothing and beautiful. If you want to book some awesome local talent, and support a local small-town (Brockville based) band, for your next event, or just to see when their next gig is… you can check them out on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter for them deets 🙂

HEALTHY LIVING (inside & out): “Arbonne”

Have you ever heard of Arbonne? It used to be a foreign concept to me, but ever since my baller cousin became an Independent Consultant with the company, I’ve realized just how awesome their products really are. I am a particular fan of a few products: their Fizz Sticks give me life (especially on night shifts), their Calm moisturizing lotion is perfect in the morning, their FC5 skincare products keep me clear, and their Matte Powder is fantastic. There are hundreds of other products that I’ve tried and loved, too. The best part? I can buy it all online in the comfort of my own home! Myranda M is my consultant, and she works tirelessly to make sure I get the best deals and the best products that the company has to offer (which is A TON of variety btw).

BAKERY: “Blue Anchor Baking”

Last year, I wanted to celebrate my parents’ anniversary in a special way, so I contacted a local bakery to make some custom cookies and OMG they turned out so fantastically, I was in love!! Sounds silly, but it was actually hard to eat them because they were so cuuuute/beautifully artistic. Blue Anchor Baking is a Toledo-based (near Smiths Falls) company, run by a superstar baker!! She specializes in so many things: cakes of all shapes & sizes, cute cupcakes, custom cookies, themed decorative cookies, delicious pies… basically anything your sweet tooth could desire! My cousin had cookies done for her baby shower and they were both delicious and adorable! They were a big hit 🙂 I loved my experience with the owner/baker Chloe & you can contact her at either of the links above!

BLOG: “Big E Little M”

A blog about a journey. A few years ago, my little cousin was diagnosed with a Stat 1 Mutation. If you don’t know what that is, you’re not alone. Its an incredibly rare disease, which is what makes it so hard to treat. The big e little m blog is a story about this journey, where the author navigates her child’s illness, surgeries, hospital admissions (long and short), remissions, successes and setbacks, and all the convoluted, complicated feelings associated with the whole experience. She’s been chronicling this journey since 2013, and if you want a closer look into the world of childhood hospitalization in Canada (trust me, you do), you should give it a good long read. Your heart will grow 3 sizes that day!

BEAUTY: “Afiya Beauty”

My gorgeous coworker Kali and her sister/best friend have recently started this amazing company because they were so discouraged by the nasty chemicals and additives that the vast majority of beauty products (sneakily) include. So they did something about it!! Afiya Beauty boasts “artisanal handmade skincare” products that help you “glow daily” (how lovely is that tag line?!). Read their “about us” page for some big time motivation and an overall feeling of happiness and wellness. Their Insta page is filled major glow goals and information about their products and where to buy it, so do yourself a favour and check it outtttt.

FLOWERS: “Primrose & Willow Florals”

Primrose & Willow is a floral design studio based in Brockville. They specialize in unique floral arrangements for any occasion: weddings, holidays, day-to-day cheering up, subscriptions, and more! This awesome company is run by a high school friend, Cecilia. She did the flowers for my friend Dani’s (the earlier mentioned photographer) wedding and they were to die for, heavenly! You REALLY need to check out her Instagram to brighten up your day 🙂 PWFlorals also does super cute workshops for both plants and flowers – making arrangements or terrariums or other fun things! Want to know more (trust me, you do)? Shoot her a message on Facebook or on her site! Follow her to fill your news feed with gorgeous bouquets, the prettiest floral arrangements, and real-talk behind-the-scenes views of a plant/flower company!

PRETTY THINGS: “Stella & Dot”

My cousin sells for the awesome jewelry & fashion company Stella & Dot and has got me obsessed with travel bags, statement jewelry, and more! Again, here’s another awesome company where you can shop from the comfort of your home, OR have a fun night in with the girls hosting a Trunk Show! If you do, may I highly recommend the fantastic Amanda M to be your style guide?! She’s got that stylish professional woman thing down pat, and can help you out with it too, if you join her squad! 🙂

HOME DECOR/CRAFTING: “Rural Route Design

Do you live in PEI (or Ontario or anywhere in between) and love pretty things? Looking for something absolutely adorable to spice up your new home/apartment, or looking for the perfect custom gift for a loved one? I’ve got the shop for you! Check out Rural Route Creations, run by PEI-tour-guide-extraordinaire and workaholic Rachel K., for that perfect personalized product. The company is “specializing in handmade custom wooden signs, and other home decor to suit your needs. Each piece is unique and handcrafted in PEI.” What are you waiting for – go have a look at all the cool stuff!!

PODCAST: “Nurses Off Duty”

NEW POD ALERT Y’ALL: A lovely lil’ lady that I used to work alongside at The Ottawa Hospital – shout out to TOH Surgery inpatient nurses, specifically the A2/B2 crew (if ya know, ya know) – started an awesome nursing-focused podcast called Nurses Off Duty. The first episode just dropped last week, and I’m already hooked! Each episode will focus on the things they love, or don’t, about nursing! If you’re a nurse and want to learn some things or praise/rant alongside these girls, have a listen! And if you’re not a nurse (maybe you’re thinking about becoming one – yay!, or have a loved one in the profession, or you’re just a curious cat – I love it!), but want to learn more about this wild and crazy life and labour of love, have a listen! You can find them on their Insta and on most podcast streaming apps (yes, they’re on iTunes), I recommend!

CREATOR: “Tridub Designs”

Buddy and colleague of mine, John W, is uber talented and creative, and will make your wardrobe or your company look baller AF! Don’t believe me? Check out his Instagram page for samples of his stuff. I particularly liked the alphabet animation challenge he did – so neat! Then, if you’re interested if getting his design a logo/merch/whatever for you (I own one of his t-shirts and love it, so you should be interested), check out the Tridub Design Co website too. HIGHly recommend, y’all (pun intended)!

HOMEMADE BLANKETS: “Hollymade:

Holly is a beautiful and creative friend (and fellow nurse), who has recently turned her hobby into a business WITH A PUNNY NAME (y’all know I love a good pun)! Her blankets, stitching, and embroidery are so so freaking adorable and fun!! She also does custom orders, so you can get exactly what you like/want! They are gonna be awesome for holiday gifts, for sure – for yourself or others :). Check out her lovely creations on Instagram and Facebook, and grab yourself some super comfy, cozy, cute warmer weather wonderfulness (alliteration FTW). Love!

DOGGY BREAK: PUPPY-LOVIN’ INSTAGRAMS!

Okay, so I know that I am a compulsive talker/rambler and realize that some of these descriptions have been lengthy and heavy, so let’s take a quick puppy-love (and one kitty) break! I’m a big time dog lover, a newfound cat lover (still working on it) and so are many of my friends! Pet accounts are basically what get me through the days, and I have some hella cuuuuuuute local recommendations for you!

Cooper: CooperTheGold
Molson: MolsonTheGolden
Pixel: PixelWhippet
Lenny: LennyTheGoldenDood
Turbo: TurboTheDogue – update: RIP Turbo ❤
Kendrick: GoodboiKendrick
Oscar: OscarDoodle
Daisy: DaisyTheMiniBulldog
Rookie: RookieTheSensPup
Copper: CopperTheHusky
Ollie: OllieTheGoldenDogue
Kimmy: KimmyTheDestroyer (this our one token kitty page hehe – I’m biased as she’s my adorable roommate)
& Last but not least (Not local but still my all-time fave dog blog), is The Dogist: TheDogist

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awwww, want to cuddle so hardddd!! & now we continue with the hobby/business inspiration!
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BULLET JOURNALING: “Canada Bujo”

Check out my friend’s new Canada Bujo Instagram page for lots of cool pages and bullet journaling design ideas/inspiration! Brooke is creative and organized AF, and I love seeing that awesomeness expressed on paper! I have mentioned her before, in my Women Of The Pages Book Club! yearly posts. Check her (and the page) out for major BUJO inspo and pretty Insta aesthetic! 🙂

READING/BOOK BLOGGING: “Travelling Library Book Club”

A friend of mine is a VORACIOUS reader, and wants to inspire others to be as well! I think we can all admit that we need a little more hardcovers and a little less Netflix in our lives, amiright? If you need some motivation to get back into a love of reading, reviews of books you’ve been thinking about reading, recommendations on what to buy/read, OR you simply enjoy the aesthetic of book-themed pages (I know I do), check her out at TravellingBookClub on Instagram! Ps, Laura also founded the book club I have been a part of for the last two years (and am LOVING btw), called “Women Of The Pages” (see this post for more deets) – so feel free to ask her about becoming a member, if you’re interested 🙂

BLOG: “Revelry And Remedy”

Written by my poet/writer-extraordinaire/genius-creator of a cousin-in-law, this fellow WordPress blog is targeted at those of you whole identify as an “adventurous sensitive” person. I love this blog and have consistently enjoyed her writing for many years now, and if you need some writing full of deep real-talk mixed with poetic beauty, you’re gotta check out Azenith’s lovely stuff :).

CUSTOMIZED EVERYTHING: “Jami’s Craft Corner”

If you need a custom item/gift/craft, whether it be t-shirt, socks, mugs, wine glasses, signs (indoor and out), party decorations, and so so so much more – check out Jamie’s Instagram account and hit her up for some amazing products! She is a small town mom of two who likes to make stuff, by customizing and personalizing items with a cricut machine! SO neat and unique!

HOMEMADE DECOR: “Precious Primitives”

I’m always amazed at the level of creativity that crafters can achieve! It’s hard work, man, I’ve tried and failed many a time haha. My cousin makes homemade primitive decor under the company name Precious Primitives, which is based out of Cornwall, Ontario. Her projects range from crocheting comfy blankets, to painting the most beautiful pictures, to painting funny outdoor/indoors signs, to sewing adorable custom pillowcases, and a wide variety of other crafts. If you’re addicted to knick-knacks, or have some custom birthday or Christmas gifts to buy, check her out!

HOME IMPROVEMENT: “Phoenix Flooring”

My cousin does beautiful work on renovations, and has lots of experience doing such, so he created a company to hire out his skills! You can see some pics of his work at Phoenix Flooring on Facebook. The company offers installation of laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood, tile, backsplash, showers, bathtubs and so much more! They can rip out old material when needed. Send him a message if you need some help with any of your home renos!

CUSTOM CAKES: “Cakes By Kell”

I’m sure you’ve seen those elaborate cakes that people get for 1-year-old smash cakes, kids’ birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, and all manner of occasions. If you live in the Peterborough area, you should get Cakes By Kell to do yours! Her company started out as a hobby for friends and family, but quickly everyone realized how incredibly talented, creative, and adept she was in the kitchen, and she opened her doors for custom orders! She makes the most adorable cakes and cupcakes, and they taste AMAZING too! Check her out on Facebook if you need some nomnoms for you next event 🙂

CRAFTING/REFURBISHING: “Claudia Joy Creates”

My perpetually-renovating, constantly-creating, antique-obsessed, and super hard-working friend Claudia is showcasing her talents on a new Instagram page: Claudia Joy Creates, where she shows that just because something is old, doesn’t mean it has to be run down or ugly! She creates pretty things from old & new objects, and curates joy while doing it. The insta aesthetic is goals AF!

MEN’S CLOTHING: “Vivati”

A coworker of mine, Ricardo F has always had a penchant for gorgeous men’s suits. He recently opened a men’s clothing store called Vivati and is killing it in the Ottawa men’s fashion game! Check out the sexy (and affordable) suits on Instagram too!

LIFESTYLE: “Life With Christine”

Christine’s name is already mentioned to this post, as she’s one of the lovely hosts of the previously mentioned podcast “Nurses Off Duty”! However, being a multidimensional and hobby-enthusiastic woman, she’s got her fingers in a bunch of other pies too. Her super fun website (a fellow WordPress-user, holla!), and Instagram and Pinterest accounts show off her infatuation with crafts, traveling, baking, and creating, as well as her passion of sharing those with all of us! Her budget-friendly DIY projects are hella intriguing and I can’t wait to try my hand at some. Click on her links to check them out for yourself 🙂

DOGGY STYLE: “Phoebe’s Closet”

As previously mentioned, I’m a huge puppy fan, and I especially love a well-dressed doggo. Lisa is a high-school friend who pimped up her pup’s wardrobe with a variety of adorable and hassle-free bandana’s, which she hand makes herself (in four different sizes)!! You can find her Instagram and Facebook to hook your dog up with some stellar style 🙂

SNOW PLOWING: “Douglas Snow Removal”

Canadian winters are the WORST. The good news is, if you live in the Smiths Falls area, you can get a fast, affordable, and experienced plowing company through Douglas Snow Removal to help ease the winter pains. I used to work with Dylan, and I can attest that he genuinely loves the winter, simply because he loves plowing season, and is very eager to get to work! So don’t hesitate to contact him next time Mother Nature decides to smack us in the face with a brutal snowstorm haha. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram.

CONTRACTOR: “Mota Construction”

Tom is a friend of mine and works incredibly hard year round in the construction industry, and as owner of the Morduch & Taetz Construction Company in Ottawa! He is a general contractor specializing in custom homes, residential construction, renovations and complete customer satisfaction. You can also contact Tom on Instagram for your next house reno or build!

COUNTRY MUSIC: “Eastbound Of Bytown”

Ottawa’s newest and hottest country band, Eastbound Of Bytown, has tons of show dates in Ottawa & the Valley & surrounding area! I play softball with two of the members, and they are constantly talking about how much they love playing country music and spending rowdy Saturday nights entertaining the crowd! Check out their stuff for a damn good time, on Instagram or Facebook.

TEA: “Steeped Tea”

OMG y’all, Steeped Tea is the bee’s knees. Hahah seriously though, I’m in loveee with every flavour I’ve tried (which is manyyy)! It’s SOOOO much better than mass produced bagged tea, and so much more affordable than big chain store’s loose-leaf options. Meagan M (a family friend) is my lovely consultant, and she’s never steered me wrong. She calls her group “Farmstead Steeled Tea” because she’s also a hard-working farmer from back home (Kitley-Elizabethtown). You can host a par-TEA (LOL love a good pun), or you can buy it from the comfort of your own home (my fave). I highly recommend checking out this company guys, your mug and mouth will thank you! Here’s the website. 🙂

ART: “Little Lettering Co”

I attended/graduated nursing school with Katie without ever knowing how skillfully creative this beautiful warrior woman was, and so I don’t think anyone else should miss out on her talents! Check out this fun little Ottawa business on Facebook and Instagram for all your custom art, design, and calligraphy needs (or just to add a little creative inspiration to your news feed)! 🙂

PAPER GOODS: “Millie Paper Co.”

Millie Paper Co. is the brain child and creative outlet of Megan M, a computer science grad turned illustrator. I grew up with Megan, and at that time, she expressed her burgeoning creativity through dance! Now, she has created a freakin’ awesome and super unique company that makes “illustrated paper goods for all of life’s big events” and sells primarily online. I just bought myself a pack of stickers and they are TOO CUTE to handle! You can get in touch with her on Facebook and preview some of her awesome illustrations and other products on Instagram. 🙂

BLOG: “The Constant Travellers”

Last year, I went to Prague (see the post detailing my amazing trip here: “One Year Ago, Today…”), and went on a beer tour/Pub Crawl. On that tour, I had the pleasure of meeting a Kiwi couple with an badass blog called The Constant Travellers. This couple, Anna & Taylor, are in their 20’s and have already been to 40 countries and counting! They’re from New Zealand, but currently live & work in Amsterdam, and spend their time off traipsing around the world – goals AF amiright?! Their blog details their experiences, and shows off their top notch photography. I love the blog, and I hope you have the chance to meet them in a pub somewhere along your travels as well, because they were lovely! The blog also has an Instagram and a Facebook if you prefer looking at envy-inducing travel pictures to reading about their amazing adventures! I recommend both 🙂

FLORALS: “Orchid Flowers” & “Orchid Events”

I know this is a big time long shot, but in case any of my readers are from Eastern Europe, I figured I better include my friend Ana’s shop! Hahaha and if you’re (more likely) a friend of mine, or an Ottawa local, looking for Instagram recommendations, OMGGGG do I have the site for you to see! Orchid Flowers Shop and Orchid Wedding Flowers & Decor are the most insaaanely amazing floral accounts you could dream of following. I met the lovely Ana-Maria (proprietor of Orchid Flowers) in Cuba on vacation a couple years ago, but the shop is located in Moldova!! It is lavish AF and you’re definitely going to wanna check that shiz out!

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Okay, you can stretch out, we done!
WHEW! That was quite the hefty list (sorry not sorry)! I’m sure it will continue to grow with time, and I’ll constantly be adding to it (because I have so many inspirational and motivated friends), but for now, I think that’s quite enough!!
IF you somehow made it this far: WOW, THANKS for sticking along for the long ass ride, you da best! I really really do think that all of these companies/businesses/accounts are the best of the best, and you should just check them out and see/judge for yourself, okay?? Okay!
Last, but not least, here are my accounts, too! I don’t do anything particularly interesting, or do something that I can monetize, or a even have a creative bone in my body for that matter, but you damn well know I’m gonna shamelessly promote my lame ass self anyway… come at me bro. Socials:

• The blog: Diaries Of A SpaceCase
• My Insta account: CaseMo7
• My Goodreads account: BookCaseMo
• My Twitter account: Caseadilla
• My All-Trails account: CaseyM
• My Pinterest account: CaseMo
• My old 8-Tracks account: CaseMo

And that’s it, that’s all folks! Hope to see you again soon! Okay, bye!

Happy hunting, y’all! 🙂