Fashion Fix ::: Style Star

Photos: Sadly, no sourcelinks were given, not for lack of trying

I have long admired Jennifer Aniston's style, not just her hair which I have shamelessly copied the cut of for a while now, and have spoken probably ad nauseum about on here, but her whole easy-going, t-shirt and fitted but not skinny jeans, fresh and easy "thing."  As she calls it in the September issue of Glamour, her "uniform."

Trend Worth Trying ::: Jewel Tones

Photo: Nordstrom.com

Every year, right around this time, jewel tones come blazing back in a big way. It's essentially the Fall trend du jour. And how could it not be? The colors are rich and cozy, and best of all, can easily be worked into a year round wardrobe, especially if they're lighter pieces.

What's in Her Bag?

All photos for this post taken by Shana, exclusively for this {according to ame} feature

After my What's in My Bag? post went live last month, I got a great deal of positive feedback about hoping to see more spilled-out bags. So without too much more babbling, here is the next installment, courtesy of my friend Shana, fellow slob:::

Tech Time ::: Mint

Photo: Screenshots I took of my sessions of Mint.com

By now I am sure you've heard of Mint.com, the online budget aggregator and financial powerhouse owned by Intuit, the people behind TurboTax and Quicken. If you haven't hopefully this post introduces it to you.

We, as a couple, have used this site for about maybe 5 years now.  My husband was at first very hesitant to load our financial information into it, but once he saw everything laid out, I think that excited him more than scared him. Ok, seeing where our money went still scares him...

Must Have ::: Acure Organics Leave-in Conditioner

Photo: Me, of my bottle

I discovered Acure Organics Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Leave-in Conditioner about maybe a year and a half ago through JennifersWay.org, the website started by Jennifer Esposito (yes, that one, and yes I miss her on Blue Bloods, too!), chronicling her diagnosis and adjustment to living with Celiac Disease, and most recently, the opening of her new bakery (um, yes please!) that is Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly.  She is super open and honest about her struggles, and gives a lot of insight, product suggestions and recipe suggestions to the readers to help them adjust as well, and it's become a fantastic reference for anyone needing insight into Celiac. So check out her website, because it's amazing.

Weekend Update ::: Interior Design for Dummies

Photo: David Tsay, of a fabulous room design by Emily Henderson, that I am, like, obsessed with, featured on Style by Emily Henderson (don't you freaking LOVE Emily and Orlando? Gah! I want to BE them! Or at least be in their circle. I would be that not quite as good a designer friend they have tagging along sucking up their mojo...)  

And by dummies, I mean ME!  

I can't believe how quickly this week flew by already.  But I had a pretty productive weekend and semi-productive week, at least in the evenings, and having a lot to plow through ate up some time!  Checking things off last Monday's list feels gooood!  I gagged a lot though. We surely, and quickly, accumulated a lot of grody around here, so throwing some of that out (even though I had to touch it) was liberating.

Test Driven ::: Clarisonic Opal

Photo: Me, of my set

During the Anniversary Sale last month I picked up a special Anniversary set of the Clarisonic Opal device, something I'd wanted to try out for a while since I had watched a presentation on QVC.  I immediately charged it the very first night and gave it a whirl, with high expectations.

Wednesday Wow! ::: McTeigue & McClelland

Photo: McTeigue & McClelland

I learned of McTeigue & McClelland a few years back when I came upon an image of one of their pieces, I believe, in W Jewels Magazine and was just blown away at the detail and finish.  I have since stalked their website to check out any new additions. 

Tech Time ::: Adobe Creative Cloud

Photo: Adobe.com (splash page when I log in)

Unlike most in my field, and unlike my typical "must have the newest of the new" behavior, when it comes to my graphic software, I am a bit of a holdout. In most cases that works out fine for me, as I don't need the newest variants, the ones I have that are maybe a version or two behind work great for me.

However, when the company providing the industry-standard software, in this case Adobe, decides to no longer support the hard-copy variant of the software and ceases to sell the hard-copy in stores anymore, naturally one begins to panic. Should I lay out the insane amount of cash it costs and get the current version on disc before it's gone? Should I just go with the newest digital variant and get used to it now since that's the way it's going?  Can my computer even run it being not brand new? And when I get the newest variant, will I be so far behind that I face a steep learning curve (answer to that last one? Usually!)

My Apologies:::

I inadvertently published a recipe today from another site by a blogger I have utmost respect for, whom I didn't get the proper permissions from like I thought I had prior to leaving for my vacation.    

The recipe for White Chicken Chili is located on her blog, Kalyn's Kitchen.  My apologies.

Must Try::: Amy's Amazing White Chicken Chili

Photo: Kayln's Kitchen

I realize that it's August, and that in most parts of the world, it's about a million degrees outside right now, so chili is, like, the last thing many people are maybe interested in eating, but man...this recipe sounds so good to me, despite the heat!  A bowl of this, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, a blob of sour cream??? YUM.

Fashion Fix::: Stripes!

Photo: A Piece Of Toast Blog

A great striped tee is a true wardrobe staple. A little bit nautical, a little bit French, and every bit a classic. The best part is that this look knows no budget, yet always looks chic and put-together. It's also truly seasonless and doesn't look dated.  How amazing and effortless does Sally look above?  

Trend Worth Trying::: Hot Pink and Navy Blue

Photo: Mary McDonald

As I've probably harped on and on about, I think navy seriously is the most versatile color in the wheel, and you can pair it with just about anything. I love it with lime and teal, and also with gold or bronze, but although Mackenzie already knows and proclaims, I am only just learning (accepting?) that seems bright pink is a serious winner, too. The only reason I have a couple hot pink items at all in my closet now is simply to wear this winning team.  I know, I am super late to this shindig...

Loving Right Now:::

Photos: JonathanAdler.com, KateSpade.com, Poppin.com, 

Aquis.com and me (photo of my catalog taken by me)

Tech Time::: Fitbit One -- Part 4

A great way to make the Fitbit device go farther and work better for you is to link it to your My Fitness Pal account, which you can do through your My Fitness Pal settings, in the app section.  There are plenty of options in the apps section, but I am focusing on the Fitbit Tracker app.  Once you select that option, you will log in your credentials and the sites will communicate, and instantly the two are connected.  You can revoke access at anytime, should you wish to do so.  As long as you sync your Fitbit with your computer dongle or your Fitbit app via Bluetooth on your smartphone, your data will stay current and the two apps will stay up to date.

Must Do::: To-Do List for the rest of 2013

Photo: Me of my list, pen (oh man they have clicker pens now!!!) and calendar

I cannot believe it is August already, and not just August, MID-AUGUST. Man that came (and went) quickly. 

I have quite a lot on my list to do for the rest of this year. Not quite a 101 in 1001 list like Mackenzie's, but a lofty list nonetheless, mostly related to getting things in order.  I have kind of had this list going for a while, and haven't really checked much off of it. I seem to not be able to tackle my personal to do list very well. My Teux Deux screen in the "someday sections" (I actually have two!) is looking pretty ridiculous about now. Hopefully, though, this year is my year!

Weekend Update::: I'm Back!

Photos taken by me

*stretches*  Ahhh...I needed that. I thank you for your patience while I took some relaxation time. 

Top Secret::: Honest Sunscreen

Photo: Me, of my tube

Being a very pale individual, I have had to learn the hard way a few times which sunblocks work best for me.  I absolutely need at least an SPF30, and have resorted above SPF50 many times. However, most sunblocks are loaded with chemicals and some pretty unsavory ingredients that I am less interested in slathering all over myself. It becomes a "do I let myself burn and potentially risk skin cancer" vs "what other harm does the stuff in this bottle do to my body while I try to prevent skin cancer?" 

Tech Time::: Fitbit One -- Part 3

The feature that sold me on the Fitbit One was the sleep monitoring.  I liked that you would be able to sync to device and see your sleep pattern from each night on your Fitbit Dashboard and over time you'd be able to keep track of patterns and if you're having issues perhaps adjust your bedtimes, daily activities, eating habits, etc.  Being that I do not sleep much, and never feel rested, I had high hopes for this particular feature. 

Trend Worth Trying::: Sultry, Bronze Eye

Photo of Rachel McAdams: Troy Jenson's Website

Doesn't that look hot?!

The bronze smoky eye is more of my "everyday look", but it seems that the metallic gold/bronze smoky eye has really taken hold as the hot makeup look for summer.  Despite the perfectly blended and meticulously applied looks in these images, all it takes to get your glow on is a quick smudge of a deeper bronze shadow along the lashline and on the eyelid and blend, even with your finger. That will give you a pretty amazing and similar look with far less product and time involvement, which in the summer, is perfect. And on (preferably spray tanned) skin, with a sweep of pale shimmery peach blush and a nude or pale peach gloss on the lip, this is a pretty amazing look.