10 (SO EASY A MONKEY COULD DO IT) HAIRSTYLES FOR SUMMER

I  don't know about you, but in the Summer, I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to do my hair- it is warm, being blonde- my color always goes a little wonky, and I am usually so busy that I don't ever have the time to look-up and find cute(r?) ways to style my locks.

So... I went ahead, and preemptively found 10 easy enough styles that look close to effortless, but that will have a big hit (amongst the hair critics I am sure you surround yourself with).

1: The Topknot

2: The Sidebraid

3: The Tied Ponytail

4: The Twisted Chignon (good for weddings or summer parties)

5: The Braided Topknot

6: The Sidebraid with Bun

7: Pulled back by braids

8: Side Waterfall Braid

9: Pink tipped hair (nearly any color would be fun!)

10: Simple Curls with a summer haircut!

What hair style do you usually sport in the summertime?

Do you have any other cuts, colors or styles that you would do?

DISCLAIMER: I have nothing against brunettes, I am a blonde (most of the time anyways) so most of my Pinterest "Hair" board has blonde hair ideas. 

SURPRISE... IT'S SATURDAY

More fun from the camera... Sorry- it's mostly flowers again (or what is left of them)...

Have a great weekend everyone!

Duluth Harbor- Breakwater Lighthouse

This is all that is left of my poor, beautiful peonies...

RIP 2014- you were loved! Come back again next year!

FRIDAY LINK LOVE

Because I know you will be sad if this entry has no pics, we'll start off with a photo I took last week when Minneapolis was super flooded from rain. I took this at a nearby creek, however in the photo none of what you see is the creek. Yup.. the waters were pretty high...

Alright, on this lovely pre-4th of July Friday I've got some links to entertain you while you count down the minutes until 5pm.

1. Sporcle - Ok, be careful with this one. It's not inappropriate or anything, but if there's ever a black hole to get lost in, it's this. If you thought Buzzfeed was bad, you'll be doing Harry Potter and geography quizzes for hours at at time before you even realize it. So pace yourself!

2. ModCloth - Such lovely clothing and accessories! I am at the website almost obsessively. Just cashed in some store credit the other day and got myself a couple things. The best thing about this site is people very loyally provide reviews of what they buy - the good, bad and ugly. They also frequently post pictures of themselves wearing the outfits. So if someone has a similar body type to yours, you can tell how it will look. So helpful!

3. WaitButWhy - The guy who writes this blog just gets it. Whether he's explaining the complexities of email etiquette, categorizing the many horrible types of bugs on this planet, or elaborating on the history of baby names (a particularly popular post), his long and well researched blog entries are well worth your time. 

I know it's not much, but it should be enough to get you through to the weekend. 

MAKING MY OWN LUCK(Y HORSESHOES)

As some of you may have seen from this post a few weeks ago, I am in love with color. Heck, I even get giddy about it! One of the things I featured in the color round-up were these 'Lucky Horseshoes'! They are so beautiful and the colors are über fantastic- I was inspired to make a few of my own...

Now, I am not against purchasing the 'Lucky Horseshoes', but for how many of the different colors I had my eye on, it was going to run me a real pretty penny... That being said, I needed to find a way to get these bad boys in my life! I wasn't going to hope and pray that Cast + Crew was going to send the 1 (or 4) horseshoes my way, so I got down to business, rolled up my sleeves, and did a little DIYing to make my own luck (get it!?!).

I am guessing there are a few ways that you could go about this DIY, but this was what I found to work for me...

SUPPLIES:
- horseshoes (I used these)
- acrylic paint (details on the colors I used below)
- spray sealant (I love this one, and use it regularly)
- horseshoe nails (I used these, but really, any skinny screw or nail will work for hanging)
- cardboard

INSTRUCTIONS:
1: Wash the horseshoe(s) really well so there is no "extras" on it- this step is especially important if you are using a "vintage"/used one- who knows what is stuck to that puppy! I laid mine outside and sprayed them with a hose and let them dry for about an hour- because they were unused, this did the trick of getting them clean. If you are using "used" ones, I would recommend a lot of soap and water along with a bristled brush to scrape off the extra stuff.

2: Once the horseshoe has been cleaned and completely dried, lay it on a surface you can paint on. I used a piece of cardboard. You can also use newspaper and prop it on something (like rolled cardboard)- that way when you paint, it would not stick to the surface of the newspaper (it is not very fun to pick off newspaper from the paint once it has dried- believe me on this one).

3: Paint your horseshoe with a light even coat of paint. If you paint too much, it will get globby (a very technical term), and unless this is the effect you are going for, it is difficult to paint over drippy paint, so let's just cover our butts.

after the first coat of paint

4: Once the paint has dried, you can either paint another coat until you get to the desired color you would like, or flip it over and repeat step 3 on the backside of the horseshoe.

I painted each horseshoe with 3 coats of paint- for lighter colors, it was necessary

5: Once the paint on the horseshoe has completely dried on both sides (I let mine sit for about 1 full day), spray a light coat of sealant over it and let that dry for about an hour. 

6: Now for the fun part- hang it up!

NOTE: you MUST hang the horseshoe upside down over a door, in order to catch and keep in the good luck!

PAINT COLORS I USED:
 (all paints are Martha Stewart crafts acrylic paints*)
        - Indigo                                - Party Streamer
        - Cloud                                 - Beetle Black
        - Wild Blueberry                   - Green Curry
        - Periwinkle                          - Gold or Dorado

What have you been making lately?

Do you need a little more luck in your life?

Are you thinking about making (or buying) a 'Lucky Horseshoe'?

*This is not a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

LET'S EAT: AS GOOD AS CHIPOTLE GUACAMOLE

It's a recipe day everyone! Yay! And today we're making something SUPER easy: guacamole! Avocados are fantastic just plain, so when anything is added they just get even better. I know there are a bunch of different recipes, and you can add pretty much anything and it will be delicious (except mayo, that's where I draw the line), but I'm quite partial to a version that I've developed which is very similar to what you would find at Chipotle.

This is the perfect contribution to any summer party or barbecue, and a sure fire way to leave with an empty dish and satisfied guests.

WHAT YOU NEED:
4 avocados - make sure they're pretty soft, otherwise they can be pretty tough to mush up
1/2 red onion - finely chopped
1/2 lime - just the juice
1/2 small jalapeño - very finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro - finely chopped
Salt to taste
CHIPS!

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:

Mix it all together, of course. If you like more onion, or more cilantro, feel free to add more just make sure to taste as you go. Grab your favorite chips, add it to some fajitas, or even a burger and enjoy!

What are your favorite summer appetizers? Let us know!

OBSESSED: FIDDLE-LEAF FIG TREES

I am very very obsessed with the idea of having a green thumb. I think people who can keep plants alive are truly magical. Unfortunately, I do not possesses that particular set of skills. I like to think it makes me try harder to have a green thumb, and I have an even greater appreciation for the people who do.

I am also obsessed with certain kinds of plants. As you may have seen on our Instagram account, we feature a lot of peonies and succulents. The thing I have not shown on there, but I have a particular soft spot in my heart for is the Fiddle Leaf Fig.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is such a beautiful balance between tame house plant and wild rain forest.

Anyways, I was feeling a little guilty about my lack of featuring them on the our Instagram, so they get their very own post! For more Fiddle Leaf Figs than the ones below- check out our Pinterest board dedicated to these beauties!

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

Are there any particular plants you are fond of?

Do you have a green thumb? Any tips?

BOOKWORM ALERT: LIFE AFTER LIFE

Today we're going to do a little book review, because I've failed to take pictures of the last couple things I made, or simply put off making things. I may soon be crossing off several intangible things on that darn 30x30 list, and if they do I'll be in position to get cracking on some of my pending projects. (I'm also guilty of binging on season 2 of Orange is the New Black this weekend, which I've finally finished and will free up some time.)

(Source)

In the meantime, we're talking about Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson. 

This book made NPR's 100 Best Books of 2013 list, and consequently was chosen as the March selection for the local public book club that I attend. I knew a couple people who had read it already and they were enthusiastic fans. However I rarely trust the opinions of others when it comes to book recommendations, mostly because my own opinion of any book can change dramatically from one reading to the next. (It took me 3 solid attempts before finally finishing and enjoying Memoirs of a Geisha, the first two times I barely made it past chapter one and thought it was incredibly boring.) 

Back to the book at hand. If anyone has tried to explain this book to you by way of recommendation, they probably said that it was a story of reincarnation, where the main character lives longer every time, starting with her dying at birth. Though that is an accurate description, when I heard it I immediately thought - sounds weird and boring. I imagined it would be told from the first person, with the main character narrating her life as an infant. Or recounting it, which never seems plausible and so I don't usually enjoy it. I was delighted to find that this was not the case, and it's actually told in the third person, focussing on her parents and siblings as much as if not more than her, in the beginning.

It won't give the game away to say that the actions taken by the main character have both minor and dramatic impacts on her life and it's trajectory. Much more than the actual content of the story itself, I felt the book gave rise to lots of opportunities to reflect upon the impacts of our decisions, and how one decision we might make no matter what, even if it's a very small decision, and it can form our future significantly. Or a very large decision might not have any lasting consequences.

Along with the other beach reads from last month, I highly suggest giving this book a try. Whether you get it for your Kindle, check it out from the library, or commit to a full purchase, I think it'll be worth your while. 

What are you reading? Anything you've been surprised by? Let us know!

SATURDAY EYE CANDY

People may say that I am obsessed with peonies... Well they are correct. #sorrynotsorry

See more weekend camera finds here and here and here

senior pictures

all of our flooding

Have a great rest of your weekend!!!