Peanut Butter Power Bar

Peanut Butter Power Bar

Great post workout snack

Recipe From getreadygirls.ca via thejoyofcleaneating.com

Ingredients:

1 cup honey (or brown rice syrup)

1 cup all natural peanut butter (if you keep your PB in the fridge then bring it to room temp)

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup unflavored unsweetened protein powder-- or flavoured if you want!

1/2 cup dried currants (or other- cranberries, dark chocolate chips, etc)

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

Preparation:

Place the sunflower seeds in a shallow pan and toast on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes stirring often, set aside.

Pour the honey in a 2 quart pan and bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce the heat to low and boil stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, remove from heat and add the peanut butter.

Stir well.

Next add the oats, protein powder, sunflower seeds and currants. Press the mixture in a 8 x 8 non stick pan (I line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal).

After cooled, cut into bars (2 x 2) and wrap individually for an easy portable snack.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 16 bars.

Nutrients per bar: Calories: 198, Cal. from Fat: 76, Total Fat: 8.5g, Sat. Fat: 2g, Carbs: 26.5g, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugars: 17g, Protein: 6.5g, Sodium: 12mg, Cholesterol: 4mg

Quote

"The kind of outfit that makes people stare in awe and envy. The entrance maker. The look that people will remember long after you've left the room. That is fashion."

Dee Karpa meets Divine & Conquer

On Monday, December 10^th head on over to Divine & Conquer at 400 Academy Road to meet one of Winnipeg’s newest fashion designers, not to mention one of the designers for the Red Dress Fashion Show, Dee Karpa. All guests will be one of the first to see Dee’s new collection! 

While you’re there, check out some of the other Canadian fashions Divine & Conquer has to offer, as store owner Shannon Klymchuk will also be making a contribution to the Red Dress Fashion Show!

The event runs from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 

Bi.polar Couture - Fashion Design Duo

Lili & Francine Lavack, twins founded bi.polar couture in early 2011. Their
common vision stems from their sisterly collaboration, combined in unexpected ways
with their contrasting styles, to create Lili’s and Francine’s 2 unique BI.POLAR
COUTURE lines.

Francine’s Paradox

Haute Couture Fashion Designer, Francine Lavack’s interest in fashion started at an early age, with many fashion sketches and chalk drawings on side walks outside her French Saint Boniface home. Francine started designer clothing for herself and her twin sister Lili at the age of 10, letting Lili do most of the sewing. The fashion designing aspect was what most interested Francine as Haute Couture Collections fascinated her. During high school Francine assist design a avantgarde mini fashion collection to showcase at the high school fashion show. Since then, she has participated in several fashion shows, more notably, the Fashion Affaire and Richard Robinsons Grande Premier in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Francine Lavack studied along the side of Richard Robinson at the Fashion Academy, graduating in both Fashion design and Haute couture. Her collections presented to Richard Robinson have always been styled keeping the best quality as priority. While Francine was attending her post secondary education, she worked at Ca Va de Soi and is currently boutique manager.

Together Francine and her twin sister Lili Lavack founded bi.polar couture in spring 2011. It has always been Francine’s dream to construct garments of haute couture quality under the same label as her twin sister. Together, Francine and Lili work to gain exposure and offer garments of high quality and design offering a collection for spring/summer & fall/winter for bi.polar couture.

Lili’s Paradox

Fashion designer and Textile expert Lili Lavack was first interested in fashion and the creation of a garment when she experimented with her Mother and Aunts’ textiles and homemade garments. She was always determined to find the perfect textile for a self-designed outfit. At a young age, with her twin Francine, they started designing and creating garments. During her first year at a private Fashion Design Academy Lili was introduced to silk painting. And since then she has created garments with her silk paintings. In the present time she is studying and working towards her 4th year degree in science of textile degree at the University of Manitoba.

 Along side with Francine she has created many collections which have been showcased in a variety of fashion shows from 2007 to the present time. Lili is now Co-President of the Winnipeg Fashion Incubator and a very proud representative of Winnipeg fashion with the medias such as the French local newspaper La Liberté, Radio-Canada television & radio, Breakfast Television, and many other local medias. With the WFI team she organizes different fashion events to support local designers.

 Lili and her twin sister Francine founded bi.polar couture in the early 2011. Lili brings a more extravagant flare to the company image with the use of many patterned fabrics, bright colours and elaborate trims. Always using good quality fabrics in very different ways, she creates the sister line that is absolutely unique under the bi.polar couture label every fashion season.

Pic n' Win Contest

Body Care Prize Basket

Like free stuff? Then enter the Red Dress Gala & Fashion Show Pic N' Win Contest! Tweet or post (on blog or Facebook) a picture of you and your red dress ticket and be entered to win a chocolate and strawberry themed body care gift basket! You get one entry for every site you post your pic on. For example, if you post your pic on Twitter, Facebook, and the blog, you get THREE entries!!!

Haven't bought your tickets yet? Wondering how to get your hands on some? Tweet @RedDressGala13, post how many you want on the Facebook page, or post your ticket request on any of the comment boxes on the blog.

 
Contest runs from now until December 17th so get your ticket, pic it, and win it!

*Not interested in the body care products? That's okay, it will make for a perfect holiday gift for a family member, a friend, or for the office Secret Santa gift exchange!

Basket Contents

• strawberry shower gel
• chocolate shower cream
• cranberry sparkled body lotion
• cranberry heart shaped hand soap
• chocolate heart shaped hand soap
• shower loofa
• a FREE pass to Yoga Public
• red dress pin (perfect to wear to the event)

Winnipeg Fashion Incubator Holiday Fashion Market

Not sure what to wear for all of the upcoming holiday events? 

Stop by he second annual Winnipeg Fashion Incubator Holiday Fashion Market at the Red River College Princess street campus, corner of Princess St & Elgin Ave. Not only will you be able to shop Canadian apparel, jewelry and accessories, you will also have the opportunity to see these beautiful and original creations on the runway. Fashion Show times are scheduled for 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. The market is FREE and will be open from 11 AM - 5 PM.  Parking is available on the street and in street lots conveniently located across from Red River College Campus. There will be a lot to see and purchase for Christmas, not to mention little treats for yourself! Come with your friends and family to spend the afternoon with your Canadian designers, support the local industry and have fun!

Two of our Red Dress designers Andrea Pelletier and Lili Lavack of Bi,polar Couture will be there all day with some great new pieces, so why not get a sneak peek at what you're in for for February's fashion show? 

Andrea Pelletier - Fashion Designer

Andrea Pelletier’s love for fashion design started years ago when she
became dissatisfied with what the mass market had to offer. She turned
to thrift stores, where she found interesting vintage fabrics and
designs that were more representative of her style, and 15 years ago
she taught herself to sew to alter those pieces to fit properly.
 
Through experimenting with different fabrics and designs, Andrea
became a skilled designer, and found there was a large demand for
custom formal wear, mostly for weddings. Although she enjoys creating
dresses for special occasions with expensive fabrics, she likes to
practice making garments of all types, using a variety of fabrics.
Andrea wanted to spend more time working with casual fabrics and
colourful prints, and decided to delve into costume design. She has
made costumes for dance performances, Halloween, and special themed
events, using quality materials and craftsmanship. She has also
started to create menswear and functional work clothes.
 
Andrea describes her style as bold, colourful, and quirky, and usually
steers clear from a pastel colour palette. Although her own personal
clothing style has grown a bit tamer over the years, she has been
working on her tattoo collection, so still presents a pretty colourful
visual. Andrea appreciates the creativity and fearlessness behind Lady
Gaga’s wardrobe, and enjoys the experimental designs of couture
fashion such as Comme des Garcons. She also draws inspiration from
fairy tales, Hitchcock films, and street style.
 
Aside from clothing design, Andrea has a strong passion for tattoo
art. Tattoos are a big part of her life as she co-owns Rebel Waltz
Tattoo with her husband Don. Her husband is the closest creative force
in her life, and she finds herself inspired by his work, and tattoo
art in general. There are tangible connections between creating
clothing and tattoos, such as the use of needles, colour, design, and
shape to adorn a body. And while tattoos are permanent, clothes you
can change every day, to suit whatever mood strikes at that moment.
She strives to make clothes that the wearer will love, something that
is expressive, that fits, and is suited to the individual who wears
it.

Yoga Public Donation

A big thank you goes out to Yoga Public for providing us with 10 FREE passes to their facility! We'll be using these passes as part of contest giveaways, as well as silent auction prizes.

Thanks Yoga Public. Take Care of Your Heart <3

Dee Karpa - Fashion Designer

Dee Karpa was born in small town Okucani, Croatia. At a young age her impressions of life were eye-opening. A turbulent four-year civil war erupted near her home and her family escaped to Serbia to seek refuge. They were devastated to leave everything behind knowing that if they returned, nothing would be the same. 

In 2001 her family move to Winnipeg for a new start. Graduating high school with honours, Dee continued on to a diploma program in Business Administration and Marketing. She enjoyed her studies is sales and economics but discovered her passion for architecture was growing too strong to ignore; fashion design would suit her vivacious personality and burning ambition. She enrolled in the year-long intensive fashion program at MC College, and is thrilled to be able to design clothing that would suit a woman life herself – experienced, driven, and focused on their personal and professional goals. 

The Dee Karpa Collection for Fall 2013, is titled Fame & Fortune. Her iconic muse is the duchess of style, Victoria Beckham. Beckham is a fashion mentor, mother, wife, and an entrepreneur who is always on top of the next big fashion trend. 

The Dee Karpa brand offers career and eveningwear for a body conscious woman, whose taste for high quality fabrics, modern colour palettes, and dramatic style lines, is unceasing. 

Dee Karpa was invited to be a guest on Winnipeg’s Finest, a show broadcasted on Red River Radio (radio.rrc.ca) To hear more about the designer, where she came from, and where she plans to go, we invite you to listen to her interview on the show.

Mc College Fashion Show

Last Tuesday night, the graduating fashion design students at MC College hosted their end of year fashion show, and we had VIP seats! The show featured fashions from the New Designers of 2012 and we couldn’t believe how talented the designers were.

Here were some of our favourite pieces…

We were sure to pay extra attention to the array of red designs…

Alanna Tinsley-Roy and Dee Karpa both contributed a lot of amazing work, and we’re more than please we chose to include them in our fashion show, next February. Here’s a sneak peak at some of their designs...

Designer: Dee Karpa

Can't wait to see the red dress she makes for our show!

Designer: Alanna Tinsley-Roy

There was one designer in particular who’s work blew us away, and it was because of the work she displayed at this fashion show, that we’ve decided to add fashion designer, Laura DeLuca, to our team of Red Dress designers.

The MC College fashion show was a huge success. Can’t wait to see what these designers create next!