Spots and Stripes

(Vintage sunglasses, F21 onesie, vintage belt, Urban Outfitters skirt, Target tights, F21 shoes, AE necklace)

I'm definitely a fan of mixing patterns. You can match any two patterns together, just as long each has one of the same color. I'm so ready for fall; over that summer I picked up crazy patterned sweaters at different flea markets and thrift stores. I'm anxiously awaiting for the changing leaves, warm drinks, and especially Halloween. My roommate and I have been restraining ourselves from decorating the place.

-Lauren

Inspiration... Jeffrey Campbell Lita's

I recently obtained a pair of the coveted Jeffrey Campbell Lita heels and am quite smitten with them. Deceivingly comfortable and lightweight, these are the perfect compliment to an outfit to give it a little extra fun and quirkiness. Sadly I've only worn them once for a wedding, but am constantly trying to find new ways to wear them. All of these photos (credited to fashionsquad.com) show that they are extremely versatile and can seemingly go with almost any type of outfit.

-Michelle

"I Got Your Back"

Last month Michelle and I celebrated our 10 year friendiversary, seen here. As a small token of how much our friendship means to me, I thought it would be fun to make her a home made card. I get incredibly inspired whenever I walk into the Paper Source. Each card they carry seems so unique and special to me; unfortunately their prices can be a bit over the top. I choose to take inspiration from one card I particularly liked, and added my own flair to it. The skeletons I hand drew myself as well as the golden spine and typography.

-Lauren

Let's Dance At Disneyland

With summer coming to an unfortunate close, we found it fitting to take one last trip to our second home. Being so far apart from each other during the school year, quite frankly, sucks (Lauren goes to school upstate while Michelle stays in Southern California for school), so we thought it would be the perfect cap to a fantastic summer by making a little film about our amazing day. We had so much fun using the 8mm app on the iPhone to create this, and we highly recommend it to create any moment look like it came from simpler times.

Here's to a great summer, and to a successful school year for the both of us.

Coral Punch

J. Crew top, Urban Outfitters shorts,
Betsey Johnson sunglasses, Jeffrey Campbell wedges

It's difficult for me to define my style because there are so many different looks that I love to wear, whether it be a tribal printed fringe top, a bohemian maxi dress or a flowy and romantic dress. This particular outfit represents another facet of my style: simple basics. The pop of the coral blouse really brings the outfit to life while the wedges give it a bit of an edge. What I love most about it, however, is how easy it is to go from day to night. You can pair it with flats and a black cardigan for the daytime and slip on some platforms and a blazer for the night. Simple, chic and extremely versatile.

-Michelle

Inspiration...White Wood

I've been accumulating a lot of home/apartment photos over the years to serve as inspiration for my future home. I was flipping through the mass amounts of photos I've saved and found a common theme throughout them. Apparently I'm addicted to white wood floors, walls, and furniture. There is something so clean and refreshing about it; I love how you could so easily decorate a place anyway you want when you have a blank pallet. Although you could get about as colorful as you want it, I'm really digging the light blues, browns and topaz colors to go with the distressed white wood.

Gimme S'mores... Pie

I'm going to be straightforward with you... this pie is ridiculous. It will cause an explosion of your taste buds while simultaneously bring back childhood memories. Again, this pie is ridiculous, and the most insane part about it is just how easy it is to make. Graham cracker crust + chocolatey custard goodness + toasted marshmallows = sugar coated gold. The hardest part about this S'mores Pie is not cooking the custard or keeping a close eye on toasting the marshmallows in the broiler, but it's waiting for it to chill for two hours. Patience truly is a virtue, because for all of that waiting, you'll be rewarded with something so incredibly delicious that I can't even describe it's full glory. Make this now. No seriously, make it. NOW!

Click here for the recipe!

-Michelle

Sweater Weather

(J Jill sweater, Urban Oufitters tuxedo shorts, F21 shoes, American Eagle necklace, Nordstrom watch, vintage sunglasses)

Slouchy sweaters are going to be my go-to item for me this fall; I love how versatile they are. I can piece one with anything from a maxi skirt to a pair of shorts (however contradictory that may sound). They are ideal for running to and from my classes once school starts. Incredibly comfortable and chic, a perfect combination.

Inspiration... Cozy Stripes

Perhaps obsession would be a more fitting word rather than inspiration, but striped sweaters are a current wardrobe must-have, particularly of the navy blue and white variety. Although I already have a fair amount of striped sweaters, I repeatedly find myself being drawn to them and want to keep adding more to my collection. What fascinates me about these knitted beauties is their versatility, whether it be layered over a maxi dress or paired with a pair of silky scalloped shorts, you can simply never go wrong. Perhaps it's the nautical flair or the androgynous factor, but whatever the case, I simply can't get enough.

(Late Afternoon)

(Cupcakes and Cashmere)

-Michelle

Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy

Being one of my most favorite sweets, I was very excited to make my very first  Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream. What I was not prepared for was the agony I had to go through to make the darn thing. I started making the tart at 1pm, and did not finish until 11pm. You can see I didn't take any pictures of the crust/custard making process, because I was pulling out my hair due to complete frustartion. HOWEVER, please don't let me frighten you from making it. It was my first time and I learned a lot from the process. As for the final result? Outstanding. The crust was the perfect amount of flakiness, the vanilla custard was to die for, and I made sure to pick out the freshest fruit from the store. Well worth all the pain it caused me, because the reward was sweet.

-Lauren

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Tulle Time

Forever 21 dress, Urban Outfitters fedora and sandals,
vintage belt, Disneyland necklace

When you're itching to wear an ensemble that screams out "girly", I find that one of the best fabrics to turn to is tulle. Whenever I put on this dress, I feel like a ballerina, constantly wanting to twirl around and plié to my hearts content. For some personal touches (as I always like to add to each outfit) I opted for a summery fedora, simple sandals, a vintage leather belt I picked up from my travels to Paris, my umbrella I obtained from Rome and a little flair of Disney with my sparkly Mickey Mouse ears necklace.

Check This Out...Claire Wendling

Claire Wendling, is a well known artist amongst my fellow art students and throughout the art community. A french illustrator that can draw anything from comic books to fine art. She is truly the most inspiring artist for me personally. What I love so much about her work is how clearly she shows her knowledge of form and anatomy, and how she accomplishes it in the simplest of lines.

-Lauren

Pool Side Salad

When you find yourself feeling both hungry and in need of temporarily escaping the summer heat, nothing does the job right better than a salad. We both felt this exact way a few weeks back after we spent the afternoon by the pool and were ready to fill up our bellies. With a fridge and pantry full of a wide array of choices, we created our very own salad, perfect for consuming both indoors and by the pool. With the peppery arugula, sweetness from the dried cranberries, crunch from the walnuts, bright onion flavor from the red onion, creaminess of the avocado, and the tart and salty vinaigrette, this salad is absolutely perfect as a side dish or a meal unto itself. We opted for the latter, as we had more than enough room afterwards for a major calorie fest.

Pool Side Salad
Arugula
Dried cranberries
Walnuts, roughly chopped
Red onion, thinly sliced
Avocado, cubed
Strawberries, roughly chopped (optional)
Season with freshly ground pepper

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Yields 6 tablespoons

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard (e.g. Grey Poupon)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Option 1: combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.
   Option 2: Combine the lemon juice, mustard and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuosly.
2. Taste and adjust the salt, and add more lemon juice or olive oil to achieve a pleasing balance of acidity.