wardrobe wednesday - Fall Edition

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Some lovely fall items we have on our wish list!

~m&s

feeling foxy for fall

We are loving foxes for the fall season! Below are some foxy items to wear and to decorate your home.

Foxy items (from top to bottom)
To wear: earrings // loafers // earrings // sweater // collared shirt
For the home: knob // rug // pillow // calendar 
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And our favorite seasonal item today? This lil' pumpkin...

Sydney with her son, Logan, enjoying a pumpkin spice latte. #cannotgetenoughpumpkin

~m&s

the looks of fall

For a day of beer tasting (we love the seasonal brews)...

For work...

For a day at the flea market...

For a relaxing evening in with a cup of hot apple cider...

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As fall is our favorite season; every day during the month of October, we will be highlighting a seasonal food and/or drink and/or recipe. First up is the pumpkin macaron from Trader Joes. They are full of pumpkin flavor with a (large) dose of cinnamon. Delicious!

~m&s

the Monday morning blues: denim jacket edition

Denim, forest green and nudes for the fall season...

Denim, maxi dresses and hats for the fall season..

Denim, black&white, tartan for the fall season...

Have a wonderful week!
~m&s
p.s. some outfits from the summer...

orange&cheetah, mint&gold, balloons&feathers, zebra&vintage booties

Farming Essentials

We love lists..."to do" lists, shopping lists, bucket lists. All lists. That being said, we decided to add posts about essentials which "lists" the essentials needed for an event, a lifestyle, a job etc. to our regular blog posts. Our first one was back-to-school essentials and today is all about the farmer...

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As I live on, what I consider, a farm (two goats, chickens, ducks, dogs...and sheep on the way...I was born/reared in Los Angeles so this is quite the farm to me), I put together a list of farming essentials.

overalls 1 // overalls 2 // head scarves // tee // boot 1 // boot 2

Megan was particularly excited about the overalls. She has always love them and think they should never be out of fashion. I love these head scarvess...they are cute and keep the hair out of my face as I feed/bathe the animals. I particularly love the options that are 50's/retro. 

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And for the home... 

metal signage // ceramic berry holder // ceramic egg crates // buckets // watering can // wire egg basket

aprons via Country Living

~sydney 

p.s. this is the type of sheep we are planning to get...

Product Review - Bare Escentuals

I appreciate a simple makeup routine that does not take a lot of time to complete (I do have a two hour train/subway/bus commute to work so prefer snoozing for five more minutes more than anything else in the morning). That being said, I still want the end result (be it two minutes or twenty) to make me feel pretty and ready for the day ahead. I have not been in the market for makeup per say (I do love my Benefit products...reviews to come!) but I do enjoy browsing the aisles at Sephora and similar brick and mortars. True to my nature, I found myself recently at the Bare Escentuals store at the Americana and ended up walking out with these three products. Here are my reviews:

Bare Minerals Advanced Protection SPF 20 Moisturizer

This is a great product for me because it has an SPF and a moisturizer. I have dry skin (having been on Accutane twice) and my skin appreciates the extra moisture. This product also has a subtle, sheer tint that provides a small degree of coverage. I gravitate towards products that make my skin smooth and even without feeling heavy and oily. While this product felt a little thick and oily on the hand, it felt light on my face. A small amount provided the necessary coverage in my trouble (not as smooth as I would like) areas - namely, chin and nose. This product goes all over the face paying particular attention to ensure it is blended in around the chin line. It can be rubbed into the skin with your fingers (light touch...be gently to your face) or a makeup sponge is okay as well (although makeup sponges tend to absorb a lot of product. 

Bare Minerals READY Touch Up Veil 

I have always liked the loose powder from bare Minerals (you know, the ones that comes in their "Get Started" kit) but always seem to make a mess on the bathroom counter and floor. That being said, I was excited to learn that they now have a pressed powder. This provides the same coverage...it truly is magic how their powder can make the skin look so smooth and even ("fills in" the yucky pores) without leaving the person feel/look "cakey".

Jack Of All Trades Lip Balm 

This lip balm comes in six lovely shades. The employee at Bare Escentuals suggested this lip balm as it provides color but achieves what I want in makeup (I had told her that I don't wear a lot of makeup and prefer to look natural and fresh). I am constantly putting on chapstick so this product has been perfect because it is a fancy chapstick! The one above that I purchased is called "for keeps". It gives my lips a nice pop of red...and, drumroll, the color lasts! All of the shades are beautiful and good for different occasions (work, night out with the girls, date night etc.) so I will definitely be purchasing more!

Hope you enjoyed the reviews and found them helpful. Stay tuned for more reviews on the blog as we grow! Thank you again for visiting and we certainly hope you decide to follow us via google+ and bloglovin.
~megan

Back-to-School Essentials

And the essentials for the school-ready backpack...

1. To begin, the backpack.

2. Lovely loafers for the fall.

3. Computer bag - stylish and functional!

4. We love tall boots for the fall. These are from JC Penney.

5. Pair these booties with skinny jeans or a dress & tights. Both of these pairs are from DSW.

6. Hats to cover up wind blown hair and for exam days, from Shopakira and JCrew.

7. Tights to keep warm during the fall & winter from The GAP.

8. A must-have to stay organized.

9. This is to carry "brain food" to help you get through HW, classes & exams.

10. Cute day of the week pencils.

10+1=11. How cute is this pencil bag? Definitely check out the accessories and shirts from this company. They use images from books like "Hungry Caterpillar", "The Great Gatsby" and more.

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We can definitely relate to this "back-to-school" list (as well as ones on other blogs) because...

Sydney teaches kindergarten!

Megan is in her final year at school (MSW program)....hooray!

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We hope you enjoy our eleven essentials to go back to school prepared and in style.

~m&s

the Monday morning blues...for work, for play, for every day...

for every day

for play

for work

~m&s

daydreaming...

(and I would be listening to this...I recently discovered singer/songwriter Jamie Drake and love her music!)

~megan

And two lasts little bits of information to end this Eco-friendly/ethical/fair trade/vegan/organic-themed week...

** An amazing Eco-friendly fashion resource is here. 

** One of my personal favorite jewelry companies (with a worthy and important mission statement) is here and it's where I purchased this gorgeous bracelet...

friday favorites - Etsy edition!

Lux Divine Jewelry // DeaDia jewelry // amanda catherine designs // judy's junktion

Happy Friday! Happy Shopping!

~m&s

ready for fall

and...

and...

These fall looks are also great for the home...

What are your favorite looks for the upcoming fall season?

~m&s

looking forward to fall (...plus some exciting news)

We are loving tortoise for the upcoming fall season:

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  Here are some other items we are looking forward to for the upcoming fall season...

~m&s

...and the exciting news? Sydney had her baby this morning! It is a BOY! We welcome Logan into the family and the world! Pictures to come!

a weekend to celebrate

This weekend, I will be in San Diego celebrating my friend Danielle's last weekend as a single girl (she gets married August 10th!). Our celebratory weekend will be a day at Glen Ivy Spa (L-O-V-E), a delicious meal at her favorite Thai restaurant in North Park, an evening of wine and cheese, watching Bridesmaids as we enjoy an ice cream sundae bar and, in the morning, a delicious brunch...I am a procrastinator when it comes to packing (and, well, a L-O-T of other things) but I am thinking these outfits would be great.

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~megan

Nail Polish & Nail Art

Painting nails have become a way to accessorize (variety of colors and designs) and joins bags and shoes as great ways to liven up an outfit. Below are nail polish colors for every activity in the day.
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...for work (white accessories and a latte)
...for an afternoon of shopping (peach accessories and a sparkling water)
...for a night out with the girls (purple accessories and a martini)
 

And an ombre nailpolish look for a weekend workout (zumba, anyone?)

Below are some pictures from the recent Portland trip...we L-O-V-E Portland. Enjoy!

They eat seasonally in Oregon...even the fast food restaurant chain, Burgerville, serves season food (onion rings only when in season, blackberry shakes only when in season and so forth...their shakes were truly the best I have ever had).

Our sister participated in the Portland Bridge Swim - eleven miles! She rocks.

Delicious food and wine at Natural Selection - a prefixed four course meal with wine pairings. Awesome bar cart.

High bun...love it. I have been sporting this look forever as I played waterpolo in high school and it was the easiest go-to hairstyle post game. I called it the "wet knot" since my hair was always wet (morning and afternoon practices) and it was like a knot on the top of my head.

~m&s

the beach

With summer in full swing, we have been spending a lot of time at the beach. 

Below are some essentials for some fun under the sun...

To Shield (Sunscreen and Lip Balm)
To Enjoy (Ipod Shuffle, Book, Magazine)
To Quench (Water)
To Paint (Nailpolish)
To Dry (Personalized Towel)
To Restore (Aloe Vera and Lotion)

...as well as a day to night outfit option. We always like to walk into town and have a meal after spending the day at the beach (get a glass of wine and watch the sun set) but don't want to show up to the restaurant all sandy. This easy outfit change allows you to freshen up without have to bring a suitcase full of clothes. These jean shorts are beachy, casual and comfortable but can easily become glamorous with the right shoes and accessories.

 

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer thus far! 

What are your summer essentials?

~m&s

the 4th of july

What are your plans for the 4th? Perhaps the beach, a backyard BBQ, a game of croquet (best outdoor game ever)...whatever it may be, enjoy! Here are some of our essentials for the 4th:

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(**Amazing cocktail recipes over at Mint Love Social Club!)

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It has been so hot outside...so, we are thinking shorts for the 4th.

~m&s