Pale Nails

It feels as though we are already done with summer, and transitioning into fall! The mornings are very cool, our days don't pass 75 degrees, and I've spotted a few of leaves on the ground! During the summer, I go for fiery shades of pinks and oranges, with the occasional lime green. But fall requires a more subdue palate, refined to deep purples, taupes, and matte navy. Naturally, this slow transition is a mind-bender for me.

My good friend surprised me with a little gift the other day: a bottle from OPI's German Collection (with which I had been unashamedly obsessed.) "My Very First Knockwurst," a beautiful pale, almost flesh tone pink. It's the ultimate summer to autumn color! Pale like a peony, subtle like fall morning.

What are your favorite nail colors? Do you prefer to change the selection seasonally, or do you have a select three or four you constantly rely on?

P. S. Gilded nails; galaxy nails, white nails. 

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

How to Pin Like an Expert

Last week we deemed the fabulously creative Baba Souk an expert pinner! I'm always amazed at how wonderfully curated some Pinterest accounts are, and there is a little bit of strategy to making those stunning collections! Here are a four things I've picked up along the way:

1. Don't be afraid to pin the obscure. Those images that make you pause, because they're so strange and so beautiful.

2. Following a basic color palate, or intensity is supreme. Bri Emery from Design Love Fest is great at this! Just look at these gorgeous color stories!

3. There's no need to pin only one board at a time. In fact, giving your pinning variety makes it interesting and surprising for followers. That color story from above will give it cohesion. So take some liberties and pin artwork, clothing, nature, animals, and even food. The light and color of the photos will give it sense.

4. Pin vertically! Portrait photos will give your account a linear look, encouraging followers to scroll through. It also is visually more please, as they tend to show up larger on Pinterest, while landscape photos can look shrunken.

Tales from Online Shopping

I recently ordered a pair of sneakers for our family trip to walking-worthy Chicago. From all the blogs, I'd decided these were a pretty fabulous option next to my ratty Converse. (Plus, that white toe-cap always made my foot look long and ski-like!)

Long story short, these beautiful shoes arrived, and to my dismay one rivet popped right off! After sending them back I patiently awaited my replacement and pondered online shopping.

Thoughts on online shopping:

1. Shoes, shirts, pants; you name it! It needs to be tried on before being purchased! Reviews aren't as helpful as they seem. Everyone is different.

2. Shipping rates are astronomical! So many sites require a minimum of about $75 for free shipping, enticing you to buy more than you wanted. (P.S. Piperlime has free shipping and returns always!)

3. Delivery dates are pretty accurate, but when it's suddenly several days late the anticipation gets to be annoying.

4. Where's the people? Sure, some sites have those pop-up windows for chatting with an online representative. However, I really prefer to talk with a person in a store. They are experts on the clothes, so they'll be able to help you with dressing for your specific body type, budget, fabric care, etc.

5. A big bonus for online shopping, though: it's pretty convenient. You can shop in your PJs on a girls' night, quick order a secret birthday present for a family member, and compare prices efficiently.

A lot of pros and cons with online shopping. What's your consensus? I generally like it just fine, but there have been several times when I've had to send it back because of wrong size or item sent, defective product, or ill-fitting clothing. In the end, is it worth it the "home convenience" or should you just drive the five minutes to the mall in jeans instead of sweats?

Photo via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

Driving and Cities

Do you live in a big city and still drive? I know a lot of people in NYC don't drive, and even don't own a car, because public transportation is so great. Likewise, I know buses, taxis, and walking are popular in Chicago. My first two years at college, I relied on walking and buses to get around the Twin Cities; this can be somewhat difficult, though, since it can take an hour with connecting stops to get from campus to Grand Ave.

Abby and I have talked about brining a vehicle to the cities. This way we could actually buy ice cream at the grocery store! We could get two gallons of milk, frozen pizzas, etc. It would also be nice so we could go wherever, whenever!

But I have some reservations. First off, our vehicle (which currently is at our parent's house) is quite large. It feels powerful on the interstate, but is a beast to park. Moreover, it guzzles gas. Not the most ideal situation for a tight-fisted college student. When we add up insurance, gas, parking (meters are everywhere in the cities!), along with the anxiety of driving in the cities, it feels overwhelming!

Do you have any advice for driving in big cities? Everything is so incredibly fast-paced, close quarters, and generally confusing! Obviously, it will take practice, but I would love you input! Is a car a pro or con in big cities?

Photo via Flickr

{Summer Reads}...The Round House

I just finished reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich this morning; I've been going through it in stages for an online book discussion for by campus job training, but I had to read ahead late into last night. I even woke up early to finish the last couple pages that became a haze in my heavy-lidded late night read.

I first encountered Louise Erdrich in my American Indian literature class at the university, and was stunned by her beautiful story weaving in Tracks. (This is also an incredible book that I advise you to seek out.) Erdrich is a Minnesota native, and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, part of Anishinaabe. She owns an independent book store, Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, which I'm dying to visit, and has an incredible written legacy. She has written over twelve novels, several books of poetry, and children's literature.

The Round House is a heart-breaking, thrilling, and delicate story of Joe, a young boy living on a reservation in North Dakota. The novel begins with a shattering family tragedy, shrouded in mystery; the search for truth and justice carry the rest of the novel, as readers see true family, real emotion, and the rapid maturation of a young boy burdened by sorrow and frustration.

Seriously, this is a must read! It's haunting, nail-bitting, and humorous.

Photo via

Playing Catch Up

I have a habit of using my days of to catch up on things. I'm by no means a procrastinator; in fact, I'm a bit of stickler when it comes to deadlines. But my days off from work are not always the weekend, so I use days like today to do things that I've missed. Here's what I'm catching up on today:

1) The Newsroom. So good, to dramatic, so Sorkin.

2) Paperwork (yuck!) for the upcoming school year. I got an email today that one of my advisors was missing some forms. Time to get out my favorite blue pen and fill out those forms!

3) Online job training. This is by far the weirdest thing I've ever done. My campus job this year is a sort of mentorship program for incoming freshman. But since most people live away from campus, or even Minnesota in the summer as we prepare, everything is virtual. It's pretty interesting. I'll be popping out my contacts and reading several interesting articles.

4) Reading for fun. I'm still on Changing My Mind, which is turning out to one my favorite reads in a long time. Zadie Smith is the bomb.

5) Course book inventory. I've ordered a ton of textbooks, but seriously have no idea what I have and what I still need. Amazon, watch out!

Photo via 

{Expert Pinner}...Baba Souk

{Pins from board "Secret Garden"}

Stephanie, contributor to Design Love Fest and curator of Baba Souk is seriously an expert pinner. Her boards are meticulously organized, inspiring, and vastly diverse. Almost every time I go on Pinterest, I feel mesmerized by the beautiful things she finds. Not only does she have great taste in what she pins; her pinning streaks usually have little themes, beautifully orchestrated. You'll see these subtle themes and changes by looking at her pin boards.

{The glorious "Gold Digger" board}

{Wanna party? "Fiesta" has got you covered}