ALS Challenge & What It's All About

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the Small Screen Style series this week. We had so much fun working with those amazing bloggers, and we can't wait do it again. Remember, the $600 Jewelry Giveaway is open all weekend, so don't forget to get your entires in!

In the meantime though, we wanted to share something a little fun, and very important. Yes, we did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Yes, I know that your feeds have been full of these videos! I also know that pouring water over your head doesn't solve anything. But here's something you may not know:

The Things That Matter

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This post is going to be a little different. Typically we like to reserve this blog as a space for positivity, creativity, and expression because those things are very important to us. We love pretty clothes and yummy food, and art and literature and entertainment. But today we feel inclined to talk about a few things that are more important. We hope that you'll read along, share in our reflection, and let us know your thoughts - because we're all still learning.

10 Best Thrifting Tips And Tricks

I have a confession: I'm a terrible thrifter. As much as I love the idea of picking up a few new favorites for next to nothing, it's never been my forte. I have a few excuses: a hard-to-fit body type and a huge sensitivity to my environment, but in the end it all boils down to this: I'm missing out.

Skyla, on the other hand, is a magical thrifting wizard. And she's sharing some of her best tips and tricks with us today! Let me tell you, she knows what she's doing. We went to a few thrift stores this weekend and she helped me find a few new favorites, including the perfect pleated midi and adorable clutch we shared in yesterday's outfit post.

So here you have it: your guide to thrifting your way to a new wardrobe!

Celebrity Lookalikes

Happy Friday everyone! We have a few whirlwind weeks of camping and road trips coming up, so we're looking forward to spending this weekend curled up on the couch with Netflix. My queue is currently full of Carrey Mulligan flicks, and every time I see her face I think she's Skyla! Total celeb doppelganger! Skyla says that she's also heard that she could pass for Brie Laron and Olga Kurylenko. 

I've had friends and strangers tell me I look like Olivia Wilde and Audrey Hepburn ( I don't see it personally, but who am I to argue with all that cheekbone perfection?) 

What do you think? Do you have any celebrity lookalikes?

Meet the Boyfriends: Tony

Last week we introduced you to Lindsay's boyfriend, Ben, and now it's Skyla's turn! We're handing the blog over to her boyfriend, Tony, so he can tell you a little bit about how they met (warning: it's sickeningly sweet!) Enjoy!

Make a DIY Book

Today I'd like to talk about my personal experience with Shutterfly. This isn't a sponsored post, I just had a really great experience and I wanted to share that with you guys! For my media and techniques class I was challenged to create a book for a specific population that contained art therapy techniques specific to them. The population I chose was sexual trauma, because that's the population I am interested in working with as an art therapist. I love making zines, so I got very excited about the prospect of creating a book!

But I had a dilemma- how do I come up with a DIY project that will be professional enough to impress my professors? Shutterfly was the answer for me. I was able to create a book with clean edges and great quality, and the graphics options also had that DIY look I was going for.

And the service at Shutterfly is great. Books come fast and there is always a sale happening. In fact, sometimes they'll send you a free book coupon! I got this one for 30% off AND free shipping. Not too shabby. Even better- I got an A on the project!

(PS - this is an excellent gift idea!)

Meet the Boyfriends: Ben

You guys, I think it's time. I want you to meet my boyfriend. Things are getting pretty serious and I can really see this going somewhere. I know we've only been dating for 6 (almost 7) years (!), but sometimes you just know, you know?

No but really. A few people asked via social media to hear more about our boyfriends, so I thought it would be fun to do a little Q&A with Ben. We've been together for quite some time (no we're not getting married anytime soon, so cool your jets, Mom.) He's a video production artist by day, musician by night, and he thinks he's quite the comedian. Here's what he has to say for himself.

And tune in next week to meet Skyla's boyfriend, Tony!

100 Happy Days

If you haven't heard of the viral happiness campaign taking your Instagram feed by storm, then you need to crawl out from under your rock and rejoin human society (it's not so bad, we have cronuts now.) The challenge? Share a photo every day of one thing that makes you happy. That's not so hard, right? But the real question is this: should you be happy for 100 days in a row?

The 100 Days of Happiness campaign has received a lot of criticism for seemingly encouraging people to suppress their more complicated feelings. Wearing a smile doesn't pay your mortgage, or fix your marriage, or get you out of a dead end job. Humans are complicated, and your anger, fear, and sadness are just as important to your life as your happiness. So, is this just another unhealthy ideal you can never really live up to?

I'd say no, as long as you keep it in perspective. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to train yourself to acknowledge and express your feelings. Every time you stop to think "Does this make me happy?" you're inevitably also asking "Am I happy right now? Am I sad? Am I angry?" You're acknowledging a complex combination of feelings, and naming the things that cause them. No more hiding behind the monotony of a busy lifestyle, or ignoring your feelings because "That's just the way things are." Sure, you may only be publicly sharing the positives. But if the process makes you think about the whole picture, it's going to help you change it.

What do you think? Have you done the challenge? I've avoided it so far because I don't want to annoy my Instagram followers, isn't that silly? Unfollow me if you want, I'm starting today. You can follow along by following me at OhNoItsLindsay on Instagram. But fair warning: it'll probably be 100 pictures of my dog.

My Life Goal: Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge

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If I had a Harry Potter-style patronus, it would take the shape of Rory Gilmore. That might be the nerdiest statement ever written, but it's true. She's driven, quick-witted, and never leaves home without a book. If you're not familiar with our favorite Gilmore Girl, I highly suggest you get your priorities straight and plant yourself on the sofa for the next 2-3 weeks to marathon one of the best-written TV shows of all time. And if you are familiar with the show, then you know why I'm so excited about the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge.

It's a list of every book Rory read or mentioned throughout the entire series, and it's 339 books long. The author, Patrick Lenton, estimates that it would take a little over 2 years to complete the challenge (assuming one book every two weeks). I have no plans for the next two years... I might as well give it a shot! Take a look at the challenge and let me know how many you've read, where I should start, and if you think I'm crazy for even considering it. I'll check in periodically and let you know how it goes.

What's on your reading list?

Exploring at Home

Hello! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We spent a few rainy days exploring our little city, and we'd love to share a few photos with you.

PS. This instagram picture pretty much sums it up. <3 <3 <3

The Ultimate Guide to Twitter Chats for Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle Bloggers

Hey guys! We've decided to do a small series on a few of the blogging tools we've found most helpful in our brief-but-wondrous adventure into the blogosphere. So we're here on an early Sunday morning with coffee in hand to talk about Twitter. Pre-blog, I had a rocky relationship with everyone's favorite social steam-engine. But I've since seen the light, and let me tell you: if you're a blogger/brand and you're not on twitter, you're doing it wrong. Plain and simple.

Weekend Things

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We're planning a last minute camping trip (location yet to be decided even though we leave in a few hours... oops.) so we're going to leave you with a few fun links from around the web. Enjoy!

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is finally open to the public. What are your favorite picks? I think I'm a little disappointed this year.

Did you see Lindsay's guest post at Clear The Way? It's pretty great!

Love the international parenting series at Cup of Jo. I don't have kids, but learning about different cultures is so neat!

The 8 bestselling lipsticks (and how they'll look on you).

I've been dreaming about this destination lately. Who wants to come with?

The first female ninja warrior is my new role model

It's What's Inside That Counts: Tattoo Ideas

Happy Friday everyone! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I was surprised with an unexpected day off! So I'm hoping to indulge in a nap, a bike ride, and maybe even a baseball game. 

In the mean time though, Skyla and I have been talking a lot about tattoos. Do you have any? I never considered myself a big tattoo person: how could I commit to carrying an image around with me for the rest of my life when I can't even commit to an outfit in the morning? But I just love Skyla's tattoos,  and the more I talked to her about her inspiration the more my mind opened to the commitment. I love the idea of being the canvas for piece of art that I love! Now I have a few ideas saved just in case. Here's a little background on each of her tattoos, and some advice for those considering one in the future!

Moving On Up: Moving in with Your Significant Other

 

Hey guys! We mentioned the other day when we were catching up that Skyla would soon be leaving the nest and moving into an adorable little apartment nearby with her boyfriend, Tony. Move-in day has come, and as sad as we are to see her go (Huxley will be so lonely without his partner in crime!) we're also super excited about decorating and starting the next chapter in life.

Have you ever lived with a significant other? Here are some of our thoughts/advice/concerns (and more pictures of the moving mess)!

Let's Catch Up

Hello lovelies! Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing holiday weekend. We were so busy last week with packing, writing, trip planning and everything else, it was so nice to spend a few laid back days visiting family and eating amazing food. We went to a handful of picnics and cookouts, picked wild berries in the woods, and shot a beautiful vineyard wedding. And today we'd love to check in and give you an idea of what we've been up to lately. Let us know if you've been reading/listening to/doing/thinking anything fun, we'd love your recommendations!

8 Things I Want to do This Summer

Can you believe we're almost halfway through summer already? Between work, school, and everything else, I feel like I've barely even been outside. There's no worse feeling than letting these summer months slip by unnoticed. So today's the day I resolve to spend the rest of the summer having adventures and making memories. Here's where I'll start:

Leather & Lace & Kiki Smith

In addition to this leather and lace ensemble, we'd love to share a little bit about one of our favorite artists, Kiki Smith. This will be the first in a new series highlighting talented lady artists, musicians, writers, scientists, and people. Hope you enjoy!

Art museums are kind of my jam. As a former art student (I have a BFA in sculpture) and a current artist (I work when I can), I get a thrill from art museums that very few other places are able to achieve (maybe the zoo, because…penguins). Every time I go I find myself inspired and compelled to create. So, naturally, when I had some free time Sunday afternoon, I begged Lindsay to go to the Akron Art Museum with me.

Our Very First Giveaway!

Happy Saturday! We usually take the weekend to rest/plan/write for the upcoming week, but we were so excited to bring you our very first Giveaway, we just couldn't wait until Monday! So go forth, Darlings, and enter to win a $100 Gift Card to everyone's' favorite fancy cosmetics store, Sephora! And let us know in the comments below which products you've had your eye on lately (I'm lookin' at you, Tarte blushes!)

Update! Congratulations to Jessica M! Thanks for entering, everyone!

One Monthsies!

Remember when you were young and you'd measure your relationships by the week? And then when you made it to one month it was a BIG DEAL? Well, this must be true love because Dearest Darling is one month old today!

We can hardly believe all the love and support we've encountered in such a short time. We've had readers from over 30 countries and we blew our visitor goals out of the water. We've gotten so many thoughtful comments, and we were featured on some of our favorite blogs!

We want to thank a few fellow bloggers who've been especially supportive with thoughtful comments and great advice. Check out Jacqueline from The Sunshine District, Sarah from Princess Audu, and Jessica from Midwest Muse. They're all fabulous ladies with fabulous blogs you should definitely check out.

As we grow into this blog, we're sure some things will change. Is there anything you'd like to see more/less of? Anything you think we should do that we haven't? Do you wish we would just shut up and leave you alone? Let us know in the comments below, we'd love to hear your feedback. And be honest! We can take it, I promise!

THANK YOU FOR ONE AMAZING MONTH! Here's to many more to come!

Dog Days of Summer

When I told people in my life that I'd be starting a blog, 90% of them naturally assumed that it would be overrun with pictures of my dog by now. I'd like to point out to those people that I've made it an entire month without even mentioning Huxley's name (SO THERE)! But I can't go on like this, the readers deserve the truth. And the truth is: we are the owners of 3 of the greatest creatures alive in the whole wide world. And you deserve the chance to get to know them. So come, feast your eyes upon puppy pictures, and get to know these magnificent gentlemen (and lady).