The Realities of What You See Online

So we all know about that one magazine that just came out, of that one famous girl with a big butt  showing off her well, BIG BUTT {we're trying not to give her any more attention than she is already getting}. However, we hate to break it to you but that image was Photoshopped. What is Photoshopping you might be wondering?

verb
alter (a photographic image) digitally using Photoshop image-editing software.

The key word is sticking right out: alter.

Nobody is perfect, however, a long time ago, someone decided that perfection should be shown to the world and it should be done through magazines and images of pretty popular people to make you hate them even more {just kidding...but, we all know you get a wee bit jealous}. We want to help you not have a jealous bone in your body because we are certain that most celebrities look at their altered images and wish they looked like that in real life {including that one famous girl with a big butt}. It is very impractical to compare yourself to a Photoshopped image. It is not real. I mean talk about an unfair fight! Now, don't get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with altering an image for fun or if it makes you like your photo a little bit more. The problem is the feelings it evokes in people who believe that you really look like that. So, the lesson is to absorb that not everyone you see online or in the magazines of someone's body/face are real. As long as you digest that then we can start to break the low self-esteem bondage many people (women and men) have after seeing "perfect" celebrity images.

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Plaid Attack

Shirt | Hair Ties | Scarf | Skirt | Scarf | Coat

Whenever the holidays approach do you ever notice an increase in plaid sightings?! Well, we don't mind it because we are obsessed with all things plaid this season. There is something about plaid that is just so laid back and comfortable. Pair some boyfriend jeans with a plaid top and some converse or TOMS and you're ready for a casual day out. Our latest obsession are the plaid hair accessories! All the plaid hair accessories from France Luxe are just the cutest. Plaid is feminine yet says "I can hang with the boys". It's cute, flirty, and unassuming; the perfect addition to our Fall/Winter wardrobe collection. Check out some of our favorite plaid fashion pieces above. Which plaid pieces are you currently loving? Share with us in the comments below!

How To Get Around Dry Cleaning

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Dry cleaning is such a drag, right?! You've got to gather all of your clothes, throw them in a big enough bag, lug them to the dry cleaners then wait several days just to get a few pieces back. As business professionals, we have a lot of clothing that requires trips to the dry cleaning making it very costly. This is why when we found out about Dryel a couple of years ago, we immediately wanted to try it. Dryel are little packets of dry cleaning material that you can use to dry clean your own clothes. How it works: Grab 3-4 pieces of dry clean worthy clothes. Throw them into the Dryel bag (this is provided when you buy Dryel's Starter Kit). Then, open up one packet of Dryel and throw it into the clothes-filled bag. Throw the bag into the dryer and tumble dry it for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take your clothes out and see the amazing, dry clean worthy results! Dryel is inexpensive and can change your life in terms of the way you dry clean. No more expensive dry cleaning bills! You can buy Dryel at Target or Walmart and even some convenience stores carry it. Your best bet is to buy it online via Amazon. If you reach the point where you love using Dryel frequently, there are Dryel refill packets that you can buy separately since you'll likely still have the Dryel bag and spray from the Starter Kit. Little tip: if you have a stain, follow the instructions in your Dryel box as it includes a spray that you can spray on stains. Dryel does have a separate stain remover pen that is sold separately that you can purchase for those extra tough stains.

Admit it, you're kind of excited to try it, huh?!

Skin So Soft: Beauty Secrets For Your Face

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We have learned that you can buy as much concealer, face powder, and blush, but nothing makes your face shine more than healthy skin. Your face is the palette for your makeup; it's important for your palette to be clean and smooth to be ready to apply the paint. Are you with us?! In the past, we have talked about getting chemical peels to aid in keeping your skin looking great. However, let's take it one step further and focus on every day skin care. First and foremost, washing your face at night is super important! Even if you don't wear makeup or you think "I didn't do anything to make my face dirty" you should still wash your face. By not washing your face you are clogging your pores which can create pimples and blemishes as well as speed up aging on your face. When considering a product to wash your face with we have had a lot of luck with the two in one bottle face soaps. Basically, these types of products both remove your makeup and serve as a cleanser. The best one we would recommend is Basis. You can buy it in most stores like Walmart or you can find it online. While Basis does a pretty awesome job removing eye makeup, consider specifically using Mary Kay's Eye Makeup Remover.

Extra Face Washing Tips: It's perfectly fine to wash your face with your hands; just make sure to wash your hands prior to touching your face to get rid of the germs currently on your hand. If you are absolutely too tired to wash your face, consider investing in makeup remover wipes. We have loved using Neutrogena and Clean & Clear carry some great makeup remover wipes which you can easily snag at most drugstores and Target.

Alright, so you've washed your face, now it's time to moisturize it. Moisturizers rejuvenate your skin. Many companies carry moisturizing creams and we haven't tried them all. But, we do have a list of our personal favorites like MAC's Comfort Creme. Keep in mind that it's not the end of the world if you don't moisturize every day; you don't need to overdue it. Consider moisturizing in the morning or at night or every other day.

Do you have any beauty secrets for your face? Share with us below in the comments!

Thanksgiving Dresses Under $100 From Nordstrom

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Can you tell we have a thing for Nordstrom? While we were taking advantage of Nordstrom's awesome sale {which ends TODAY, 11-11-14!} we decided to do some shopping for Thanksgiving attire. It's all about the dresses that can hide the turkey size stomach you're going to have after you eat everything on the table on Thanksgiving! We want to sit fashionably at the table while we experience food coma {haha!}. Check out some of our favorite dresses from Nordstrom above. Keep in mind, online orders have free shipping and be sure to order ahead of time in case you need to make a return or exchange--Nordstrom is pretty generous about returns and exchanges!

10 Free {Tiny Prints} Holiday Cards

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So we pretty much use Tiny Prints to announce just about every special occasion. There is absolutely nothing more personal than fun, personalized cards. Tiny Prints have so many awesome designs to choose from that we are never disappointed. As far as we are concerned, the holidays are already here! We really need to crack down on ordering holiday cards that we stumbled across an awesome Tiny Prints deal going on THIS WEEK that we wanted to share with you! So here's the skinny: Enjoy ten (10) free Holiday cards using the code 10FREECARDS at checkout. This offer expires on 11/12/2014 (11:59 P.M. PT). Simply click here and get to holiday card shopping!

Stuffed Acorn Squash from South Fork & Spoon + Ango

Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here so we wanted to start collecting some recipes to make this Thanksgiving's dinner one for the books. We are at the age where we can no longer hide from the kitchen; it's our turn to contribute with a delicious dish! South Fork & Spoon + Ango shared with us a dish that is sure to make some mouths water: Stuffed Acorn Squash. One of the key ingredients for this meal is grapeseed oil which we have been hearing a lot about as it is apparently better to use than olive oil. Find the Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe below and share with us any of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes in the comments below. 

Stuffed Acorn Squash from South Fork & Spoon + Ango 
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
4 Acorn Squash, ideally 1-2 lbs each, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

5 teaspoons or more to taste, Salt

2 teaspoons, Ground Black Pepper

2 cups wild rice

3 oz Grapeseed oil

1 teaspoons fresh ground pepper

1 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (stems removed)

4 cups cleaned and rough chopped kale

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons chiffonade ( cut like ribbons) mint leaves

Equipment

• Medium sized pot
• Fine meshed strainer
• Baking sheet
• Pepper mill
• Sauté pan
• Spatula
• Large Bowl

Directions

1) Pre heat the oven to 475 degrees

2) In the fine meshed strainer, place rice and run under cold water until clean.

3) In medium sized pot, add rice + 2 t of salt + 4 cups of cold water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat until rice is simmering. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the water and is cooked. (Note: rice can be cooked up to two days in advance)

4) On baking sheet, place squash flesh side up and rub with 1 oz grapeseed oil + 2 t of salt + fresh ground pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Use a fork to test for tenderness.

5) In a separate sauté pan heat 1 oz grapeseed oil on medium-high heat. Add shiitake mushrooms + garlic + 1/2 t of salt and sauté until mushrooms are cooked but not browned. Remove from heat and place in large bowl.

6) In the same sauté pan used for the mushrooms, heat 1 oz of grapeseed oil on medium-high heat. Add kale + 1/2 t of salt and cook quickly using tongs or a spatula. Keep the kale moving so it doesn’t brown. Once wilted, remove and place in bowl with shiitake mushrooms.

7) In bowl, add cooked wild rice + sesame seeds and mix together.

8) Taste rice mixture and season accordingly

9) Fill the cooked squash halves with the rice mixture. Garnish with mint