To the amazing woman in my life who has cared for me, supported me, and been there for me through every moment in my life…this is for you.

On this Mother’s Day, I would like to dedicate this blog post to my mom, who doesn’t get as much credit as needed for everything she does for others, myself, and my family. She is the glue to my family and is what keeps us all together. She is constantly putting others needs before her own with her job, and at home. She has attended every event in my life, big or small and in the end she has always happy to see me succeed. It really was one of the greatest moments being crowned and able to run off stage to my mom with open arms, and to hear “You did it, I am so proud of you” with tears streaming down her face, that is a moment I will always remember. My mom is my biggest fan and supporter. She makes me laugh till I cry, and smile till my cheeks are hurt.

My mom is my super hero. She helps people everyday, no matter how big or small a problem is, she will be there for someone with open arms. She has the softest hands, the warmest heart, and the best hugs.

My mom is my best friend. She loves me at my worst, and even more at my best. My mom is my world. She knows me inside and out and front to back. She knows me better than anyone else and loves me more than anyone could ever love another. She is always there for me, throughout the good and the bad and the totally unnecessary moments. Her love and encouragement is always the best thing to come home to on any given day.

My mom is lilac. One of the smallest, but so gorgeous and loved by everyone (her favorite flower too!).

My mom is my fairy. She is my protection, and my guardian.

It’s hard to write out all the amazing things about my mom and to describe how much she does for others. But everything she does is noticed, and although appreciation may not be shown as much as needed, it is there.

I love you more.. “just saying”. Thank you for being you, mom.

♥Happy Mother’s Day♥

Is there any bottle of mascara that you’ve bought over and over again because you love it so much? Or the same eyeliner every time?

If you said ‘yes’ to either of those questions, then do not continue this blog post. Just kidding, DO!! You’ll be glad you did.

I’m one of those people who cannot constantly buy the same thing every time I need new makeup. Seasons change, styles change, mascara runs out, and the outcome of how I’ve done my makeup has changed too… sometimes for the best, but usually for the worst (clumpy, ugly eyelashes, running eyeliner, ugly coloured eye-shadow…ugh.)

Who would have thought that 2 weeks ago, when I said YES to Motives Cosmetics I would be saying YES to those two questions I first asked.

Hypoallergenic? Yes please. All natural? Yes please! It actually makes your skin look and feel better? Yup..  Jennifer Lopez uses it? HALLELUJAH! I’m in, and I’m in love.

Motives is a makeup company that is big in the United States and just coming into Canada. Comparable cosmetics to Urban Decay, NARS, Mac, O.P.I, and all those amazing brands but here’s the best part… LESS EXPENSIVE and if not, better. There is an angel watching over me, and her name is Loren Ridinger. Once you go Motives, you never go back. I am so blessed to know that something I depend on every day isn’t going to randomly get all gross on me and i’ll have to go spend a million more dollars on makeup, to just do it all over again.

The concealer goes on smooth, the bronzer looks like a tan from the beach, and the lipstick is to die for… and not to mention the mascara, eye shadow, liquid foundation setting as a powder, the lip gloss that isn’t tacky, and the AMAZING girls who sell you the products.

Please visit Motives website and tell me what you think of the products, I will post the link at the end of this blog post. Use the link at the side of my page to email, Facebook  or even tweet me! Maybe I can even get you to buy some things from this amazing company.

Every girl has their beauty secret, and this is mine… which is no longer a secret. I use motives, and even on my worst break outs no one can tell what is lurking behind that amazing foundation. A HUGE thank you to Vannessa and Corin for introducing me to Motives Cosmetics and getting me hooked! I love my sponsors and I cannot wait to throw a makeup party and get all my friends hooked on this brand of makeup too. And I hope YOU, the one reading this blog post will check out their site, message me, and get hooked on Motives too.

LINK TO MOTIVES SITE: http://motives.marketamerica.com/?refEmail&switchPrdCountry=CAN

Hello everyone! I feel like personal bios are always the hardest to write because I never know what to say!

For starters, my name is Courtney Wowk, Wowk is pronounced as “woke” as in you just “woke” up. I am seventeen years old, in grade 12 and of course, yours truly, Miss Teen West Calgary World! I was born in Chilliwack, BC and moved to Calgary when I was 5, almost 6, due to my dads work. Dancing since I was three, dance is the biggest part in my life, I can’t live without it. I currently am the teacher’s assistant for dance at my high school which is tons of fun! I’ve made some great friends just from this class. I’m not sure if I ever plan on taking dance to a whole other level, but I know I love it, and will never stop.

I find myself a very easy going, and every person I have ever met it’s like they’ve known me for years, even after only spending a few hours together. I like to think that’s a good thing because I’m easy to understand, there are never any misunderstandings with me, I’m very straight forward…unless someone doesn’t understand my humor. I personally think I’m hilarious and laugh at all of my jokes, even though I look ridiculous, I’m a happy person and I can laugh at myself. I think we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves once in a blue moon. You can never take life too seriously and just need to be able to brush things off!

I am into that sappy sort of music that makes some people fall asleep to. I change my mind about anything and everything all the time. I guess you could say I’m easy going but completely stubborn at the same time.

I’m not too sure where pageants fit into the “about me” section of my life. But I guess it could fit into spontaneous. I know a few reasons why is because I love performing, and setting goals for myself (receiving a tiara isn’t half bad either). There’s no better feeling than achieving something people once doubted you in. And the fact that I have a massive tiara to wear around makes me feel proud of who I am becoming as a independent person, not only because of the awesome bling on my head, but because I wanted something, I worked for it, and I got it.

Over all I’m a happy person and I care about my family and friends more than anything.  Well, that’s me in a nut shell!

This is so exciting! I can’t believe I am a finalist for Miss Teen Canada World! This whole experience is such an honor and I am so grateful for this.

The reasoning behind my platform, to raise awareness for people to see children for their abilities not disabilities, is something I am extremely close to. My mom has been a special needs aid since she was eighteen, and I have seen too many times that so many people are putting others down for something they can’t do, rather than encouraging them for the things they can do. I love to promote this because not only does it give people a better outlook on one another, but it also brings my relationship with my family even closer. Everyone has a disability in one way or another, just not everyone can see it. But that should never hold us back from doing something we love to do, and it shouldn’t hold others back for listening and supporting us while pursuing our dreams.

Thank-You so much to everyone who has supported me thus far, and helping me raise awareness for people to see children for their abilities, not disabilities, and for all children to dream out loud, and for those dreams to be listened to.

Many girls look for role models in the media. Unfortunately though there aren’t many women in the entertainment industry who are able to set a good example for young women. So why not look in our own communities for inspiration? There are thousands and thousands of women who are able to make a positive impact in society and are great examples of role models. I will be speaking about four particular strong women in our community who are the perfect role models for women everywhere.

Dr. Archer

It wasn’t till the 1920’s when women finally has the opportunity to work. And although there is still some prejudice in the work environment, it is safe to say that women have proved that they too can have successful careers just like men. A perfect example of a working woman is Dr. Natalie Archer who is a successful and well-known Toronto dentist. She has been able to manage her own office that “delivers excellence to every patient.” Although Dr. Archer is a successful career woman she has also been able to find other success in her home life. Dr. Archer is a loving mother who is able to provide her children with much love and happiness. Many women are unable to balance home and work life, Dr. Archer is a perfect role model for all women in society. Below She has managed to have a career and a family while building a career as a hospital dentist.are ideas she emphasis for those wanting to achieve the same success as her.

1. Society needs women to take “calculated business risks,” in order to become more independent and perhaps successful
2. Make sure to live a balanced life by balancing work and home. In fact, 38% of women are breadwinners, thus it is important to have the ability to balance a healthy lifestyle.
3. Don’t forgot to have children! There is a precious time limit women have to produce a family.
4. Make sure to become more active with your communities because women are great leaders.

Melani Chong is also an inspirational leader in our community. She has inspired many to overcome fears, challenges and obstacles in order to pursue an unknown passion. She encourages women everywhere to be fearless and try new things like modelling, sports or acting.

melani chong

If it weren’t for Chong’s courageous personality she would have never had a successful modelling career. Chong was able to take a leap of faith by choosing a different path instead of the one she had dreamed of. Going from sports to modeling is quite the transition; however, Chong has proved anything is possible. In fact she has now taken a new challenge and has created her own natural skin products. The line is called Soya Boutique natural skin care collection and it has already gained much fame for its effectiveness.

katrina hadden

The fashion industry has never been easy, especially for model Katrina Hadden who has been able to create a revolutionary change in the business by introducing the beauty of the ‘middle size.’Hadden is a perfect role model for women because she represents the body shape of millions of women. Her courage to overcome her self-consciousness and symbolize beauty in a whole new way is amazing! She has now written a self-help book called Making It In High Heels and Katrina Hadden Life Coaching for Athletes is also a life coach for athletes.

Alexandra Orlando

We hear the word “No you’re not good enough” is hear numerous times throughout our lives. Unfortunately, it was a phrase that Olympic gold medalist Alexandra Orlando heard often while she was training to compete for the Olympics. However, with great determination and perseverance, Orlando was able to overcome the obstacles she faced from the people around her. She has proved that it is nothing is possible; in fact “The difference between possible and impossible is determination.” Orlando is a perfect role model and even after her gold medal she continues to work hard and has a new book called In Pursuit of Victory! Alexandra has just published her second motivational book, Breaking Through My Limits: An Olympian Uncovered.

Dr. Low and I

Having the perfect smile has given me confidence and strengthened my self-esteem. However, it was not my genes that gave me my beautiful smile; it was the hard work of a Dr. Corey Low. He was able to transform my teeth to perfection with his expertise and with the fine work of his wonderful assistants. My journey to the perfect smile was easy and painless. With Dr. Low’s great sense of humour; every visit to the orthodontist was relaxing and quite fun.

Corey J. Low, B.Sc., D.D.S., M.Sc., F. R. C. D. (C)

After seeing the amazing work done on my teeth, my mother also became a patient of Dr. Low. She wanted a beautiful smile but she dreaded the appearance of braces. Dr. Low was able to accommodate to her needs and offered her various options besides braces such as Invisalign, Clarity, Smart Clip, Sure Smile and Incognito. Her journey to a perfect smile is now almost complete and she is very excited about her new smile.

Dr. Low's office

If you are ever thinking of braces, I recommend Dr. Corey Low 100%. He is able to accommodate to your needs and provide a painless journey to straight teeth. Check out his website at http://www.iconorthodontics.com/ and make sure you like his facebook page too http://www.facebook.com/IconOrthodontics

I would like to give a big thanks to everyone at Icon Orthodontics for all their hard work!

With 196 independent countries in the world, choosing a travel destination can definitely be difficult. Most people choose their vacation location based on what they see in the media, for example, one may want to go to Hawaii after watching Blue Crush, or they may want to go to Thailand after seeing Hangover 2. Media can deeply influence the perception one has of a country and unfortunately sometimes politics can affect the way media televises certain countries. To show you what I mean, let’s take a little test. Can you guess which country this is? It was the first country ever to establish a declaration of human rights; it is known for inventing hospitals, a taxation system and even insurance! It is currently one of the few countries (in its area) where women have great success in education and make up 49% of the student population in secondary education. This land withholds 15 UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites and contains one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. If you haven’t already guessed it, this country is Iran! People know little about this great land and its ancient culture and traditions and mostly just know that Iran has a lot of oil. So if I were given the opportunity to take my friends to a vacation location of my choice it would be Iran. I want to surprise them with how much this land has to offer and prove to them that sometimes we must see for ourselves to believe. Media has not always portrayed Iran in the best way, and so my friends will be shocked to witness a land like no other!

My friends and I would arrive to the capital of Iran, Tehran on March 17 the official day for the Chahar-Shanbeh Soori (Festival of Fire), which is a celebration of the last Wednesday of the Persian Year(the Persian New Year is on March 21 in conjunction with the first day of spring.) During the Festival of Fire, it is tradition to have Bonfires lit all over the city as the fire represents enlightenment and happiness for the upcoming New Year. It is customary to jump over the small fires, symbolizing the release of badness!

chahar-shanbeh soori

Children go around houses knocking for treats, similar to Halloween, while adult’s distribuate delicious home-made food to neighbors in order to make their wishes for the New Year come true. This holiday is like none other and my friends will be shocked by the celebration and the happiness shared amongst all people.

While we are still in the Tehran which is actually also the birth place of the first Bazaar (market) we would take the time to visit the Grand Bazaar where we would lavish ourselves with the finest spices, makeup, jewellery and clothes.

Bazaar

We would get a lot for our money considering the currency rate is 1.00 US dollar equals 12 250.00 Rial. We would also look at gold stores where the finest and most unique jewelry are sold. Perhaps, if we brought enough money we could even buy ourselves a pair of gold earrings or a bracelet. We would also visit the famous Persian rug stores and gaze at the fascinating designs and murals created on each rug.  

Once we have shopped till we dropped, we would take a train to Southern Iran to visit the former capital of Iran, Esfahan.

Zagros Mountains

While we take the four hour long journey from Tehran to Esfahan, my friends would be shocked to experience breath-taking views of the Zagros Mountains which are much different than our own Rocky Mountains.Once we have arrived to one of the most beautiful city in the world and considered Iran’s number one honeymoon destination we would immediately go to the Manar Jonban. This is a unique building that is considered to have ‘magical’ powers. The building consists of two minarets separated by a distance of 10 meters and each are 17 meters high.

Manar Jonban

They are considered ‘magic’ towers because when one of the minarets starts to shake the other simultaneously begins to shake as well; causing a vibration to be felt amongst the entire structure.  The structure was built in the 16^thcentury and continues to stand today even with the regular swaying of the structure. My friends and I would go and stand at the top of the towers even though it might be a little scary, the experience is worth it!

Khajou Bridge

Afterwards, perhaps we would go and walk across the Khajou Bridge and let our eyes wander the architecture while eating Persian Ice cream made with Saffron and rosewater.  

As our journey in Esfahan comes to an end, we will pack our bags again and take another train or plane ride to my birth place Shiraz! From there we would have to take a bus ride 70 km north to reach one of Iran’s UNESCO Heritage sites called Persepolis or as Persians say it Takht-e Jamshid.

persepolis

Persepolis is one of the most fascinating sites in Iran because of its amazing architecture. Persepolis was created in 515 B.C and was home to the king of the Persian Empire. The building interests many by its remarkable design and structure considering how old it is. My friends will enjoy walking around the ruins and learning more about this ancient cultural site by tour guide.  Some of us will probably enjoy soaking up the sun all the while.

Of course this journey would be nothing without some friends! I would love to take all of the Miss Teen Canada – World finalists on this journey.

Miss Teen Canada-World

Why not share the beauty of Iran with girls from all across Canada who can then share their experience with their friends at home. This trip would be amazing with all my new friends from the pageant. Travelling is a lot more enjoyable when you can share the experience with your friends and being able to reminiscence the experience with your friends when you get back home is great!

S-Trip! takes student travellers on unforgettable adventures around the world. Celebrate the exciting conclusion of high school in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica or Bahamas with all your friends on Grad Trip. Spend a weekend skiing or snowboarding at one of Canada’s premier mountain resorts on Ski Trip. Experience culture, sightseeing and events in Montreal or Quebec City on Busaway. Make a difference in an underdeveloped country on an impactful student Volunteer Trip. Explore the culture and history of Europe on Euro Adventure. For more information visit www.s-trip.com.

References

http://collegestats.org/articles/2009/12/top-10-oldest-http://www.iranchamber.com/education/articles/

People will watch over 32 hours of television every week and will see over 25 various TV shows. Television can allow the audience to escape their state of mind but this can only occur if the show is thoroughly interesting and has captured the viewer’s complete attention.  Creating a television show that can lure in the audience into every episode, every week is a difficult task to do. However, with a creative idea, good budgeting and smart advertisement, anything is possible.

If I were given the opportunity to create a TV show it would be named Mi Casa es su Casa, meaning my house is your house. The show would star a regular citizen, such as me, living with a celebrity for one week. I would follow them around on their daily routines, showing the viewers the lifestyle of their favorite actors, singers, politicians and anyone else who is the spotlight. The show would expose the ‘true’ lifestyles of these celebrities, defying people’s perspective based on what they see in the media. For example, after watching the show people may be surprised to find out that the lifestyle of their favorite actor is not all fun and games but actually a lot of hard work. Or they might become more appreciative and thankful for the hard work their Prime Minister does after seeing how a typical week in his life is like. Many celebrities would love to be on this show because it allows them to physically show the audience what their lives’ are really like regardless of what is said in the tabloids.

The show would be a documentary reality series and would be featured on the network Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); because the production company and TV star are all Canadian, we have the opportunity to apply for grants from the Canadian Government. This would increase our budget allowing for a better quality show.

The show would include celebrities of various industries, such as politicians (ex. Barack Obama, Jean Chrétien) actors, (ex. Leonardo Di Caprio, Adam Sandler) actresses, (ex. Angelina Jolie, Selena Gomez) singers, (ex. Beyonce, Lady Gaga) sports stars, (ex. Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps.) By including celebrities from many industries we can increase our audience group to both genders and all age groups. Having a large audience will not only affect the ratings but will also encourage more celebrities to want to be on the show.

One of the shows sponsor would be Burman Books because the company believes in finding “the truth in our lives” and this show is all about finding the truth about our favourite celebrities or role models.

The founder of the company Sanjay Burman studies “people’s body language because he believes it’s the best way to know a person inside and out—motives, desires, and character.”

burman books

Burman can use this show to his benefit by studying the people on the television show and exposing the truth behind the celebrity’s actions and explaining certain behavioral actions or body language. A representative from Burman Books or Mr. Burman himself will be able to tag along with the production company and watch the celebrities in real life to be able to experience first-hand. Not only will Mr. Burman have the opportunity to blog about his experiences and his perspective on each celebrity but he could potentially write biographies on celebrities that interest him. He will also have the opportunity to interview the celebrity.

Another sponsor would be Free the Children: Me to We.

Me to We-Style

Me to We would become the official charity of the show and each celebrity would have the opportunity to donate money to the organization. Celebrities love donating money to charities because it is great publicity. The regular citizen who follows the celebrities around will also be wearing Me to We clothing. This will provide great advertisement for Me to We.

Another sponsor of the show would be Mac. When the Star of the TV show, “the regular citizen”, is on the road with all these famous celebrities, it can definitely be a stressful time.

MAC Cosmetics

Makeup is the perfect solution to covering up breakouts and bags under the eyes. We can film the “regular citizen” getting ready to meet the celebrity. And while she is getting ready she can apply Mac makeup advertising the sponsor.

Anything is possible and who knows maybe you will be watching this show in the future. Perhaps this would be the show’s poster.

Mi Casa es su Casa

A lot of people think magazines are a girl’s pastime, interesting enough though the first magazine was created by men-for men in 1376. It was called “The Gentleman’s Magazine” and included mostly current events.

The Gentleman’s Magazine

I wasn’t till 317 years later that the first fashion magazine was created. It was called ‘Mercury’ and became an instant hit with the public. Although it contained a wide variety of information, the readers were most interested with the Fashion section which was devoted to promoting the latest trends. Even King Louis XIV enjoyed the magazine so much that he demanded it to be published at least once every month. It wasn’t long till magazines were created completely devoted to the female audience, including articles on fashion, marriage, travel and entertainment. It’s a funny thing how women today still enjoy reading the same topics even though society has changed drastically throughout the years.

 The first model to be recognized by numerous magazines was Marie Vernet Worth, from Paris in 1852.

Marie Vernet Worth

She appeared on over 200 Vogue covers and became well known throughout Europe. Prior to Marie Vernet Worth, the models featured on magazines were kept anonymous and received low salary for their work. Currently fashion models will receive $200 to $500 every hour they work on a photo shoot.

If I were to create my own magazine it would be a Travel magazine. I personally love learning about different countries and their cultures, food, lifestyle and languages. The magazine would also offer readers recommendations on where to stay, where to eat and what to do for as little money as possible.

If you could create you own magazine, what would it be? Comment below.

References

http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question45700.html

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-issue-of-life-is