IFB Links a la Mode 5/24/12 - edited by Fresh Jess

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I edit the Independent Fashion Bloggers' Links a la Mode once a month (every 4th week.) If you're an IFB member, Links a la Mode is a great way to be featured in the massive community. Each week, you can submit your best blog post for consideration in LALM. We (the editors) then read each submission and select 20 for that week's roundup. I'll be writing another post soon that goes more into detail in what I specifically look for when I'm going through submissions. If you're not an IFB member, take a look at some of my favorite fashion blog posts from the last month :)

DIY Days of Summer

Edited by: Jess of Fresh Jess

The bloggers are taking it to the crafts these days! What better way to get your wardrobe ready for summer than breathing new life into what you’ve got? This week’s Links a la Mode is chock full of quick & easy DIY projects for everything from crystallized shoes and Miu Miu-inspired clutches to top buns and accessories laced with neon. If getting crafty’s not on your to-do list this week, don’t fret. We’ve also got thoughtful posts on personal style, dressing for summer events, supporting local designers and blogger besties. These posts are getting better and better every week and it was hard to choose just 20 of them. Keep ‘em coming!

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: MAY 24TH



SPONSOR:
Spring Sale at Shopbop: Magda Berliner, Weitzman, Rachel Roy, Badgley Mischka, Raquel Allegra, Garde Paris, Rebecca Taylor,Oliver Theyskens & Sonia Rykiel

PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE
If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

Fresh Style: Snapshots

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For someone who gets pegged as a fashion blogger a lot, I sure don't do many of my own style posts on here. I was not one of the ones blessed with a photography background or a photog boyfriend :), plus I hate taking outfit pictures. Anywho, here are some of the pieces and things that have been in heavy rotation in my wardrobe lately. Seattle doesn't seem to know what to do with itself weather-wise, so the last couple of months have been all about layers and toting around both sunglasses and an umbrella. Increment weather conditions indeed!

Got my hair done at Swink Style Bar for my birthday dinner & dancing!

In God We Trust sunglasses (funky similar ones here) / Marc Jacobs necklace / old leather jacket (similar)

Watching my friend Sara's boutique SPUN Sustainable Collective in layered bursts of color. This orange tank was our swag from the Lucky FABB opening cocktail party at Kelly Wearstler's boutique!

H&M denim shirt / Kelly Wearstler distressed neon tank / scarf from Moksha / old snakeskin print leggings (coated denim version here) / Topshop studded flats

What can I say? I love Alive & Well. They don't even sell women's gear. I've been living in this hoodie every time it's cold.

Waiting our turn for brunch at Pete's Egg Nest in Greenwood. I have also been living in this maxi dress and military jacket!

MinkPink printed maxi dress (similar) / Roxy military jacket / black/speckled gold TOMS / vintage crossbody bag

detail of the Roxy military jacket

AlixRose and I hung out on the Google campus in Fremont prepping for our DIY Hangout on Air earlier this month.

Uniqlo windbreaker / Sincerely Jules' Dream-Believe-Achieve tee / printed denim from Moksha / Zara platform booties

 Alix actually gave me this tee for my birthday. It's designed by one of our favorite bloggers, Sincerely Jules! I love the positivity oozing from this tee.

What are your wardrobe staples?

Daniel Radcliffe Interviews Helena Bonham Carter

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I am a huge Harry Potter fan girl. There is nothing quite like geeking out on all things HP with other equally crazy fans. I love it. My favorite character in the books and films (besides Harry of course) is Bellatrix LeStrange, the most diabolical witch on the block. In the films, Bellatrix comes to life thanks to Helena Bonham Carter, who is so absolutely perfect that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the part.

Interview Magazine recently featured Helena Bonham Carter, in an interview by none other than Daniel Radcliffe himself. Color me the happiest HP fan in the world! They talk about all things Helena, from being raised in an exemplary family to being typecast to working with your love & the father of your children. I've posted a few of my favorite excerpts on self-expression and style below, but you can peep the whole interview over at Interview.

Photo: Peter Lindbergh for Interview Magazine

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On comparing yourself to others

BONHAM CARTER: Everybody has an inferiority complex when they step into a room. But then when you have children and you get older, it doesn't really matter. When I was young I had so many inferiority complexes. I had an inferiority complex because I didn't go to university. I had an inferiority complex because I didn't train. Then it gets tiring. And you do get bored of it.

RADCLIFFE: Right. And so that boredom is actually what ultimately leads you to go, "Oh, fuck it."

BONHAM CARTER: "Fuck it" is my guiding philosophy.

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Self-perception

RADCLIFFE: I think people see your career as almost having two halves, one where you played this kind of ingénue. And then there's a perception that around the time you met Tim [Burton], you started getting weird. But I know you'd been weird long before that.

BONHAM CARTER: I was weird right from the start. It's just that you can't ever expect people to get you. And I do think that really did mess with my head, being well-known young, when you really don't know who you are. This is how ridiculous I was: I'd sometimes go look at a written profile of me and see how I was described and say, "Oh, is that who I am?" You can't ever put your self-definition in the hands of somebody who meets you for 15 minutes.

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"Do you have to be the witch or the queen tomorrow?" I thought, Well, that's pretty much my life.

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Personal style

RADCLIFFE: Would you describe yourself as being into fashion? I know you have your style—self-expression, really.

BONHAM CARTER: All I'm into is dressing up. I love dressing up. It's like what we do for our job, get paid to dress up. So I carry on doing it in life, and I do put on a bit of clothing, and the clothing changes how I feel.

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On being typecast

RADCLIFFE: For me, it seems to be about getting audiences accustomed to seeing me in different things. There is never going to be one part that's going to totally separate me from 10 years in a part that I loved, you know? And I would never want to be totally separated from it.

BONHAM CARTER: I think in time, you will, darling.

RADCLIFFE: Really?

BONHAM CARTER: Honestly, people have such short memories. Absolutely.

Fresh Jess the Freelancer

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It's true. I left my job a few weeks ago and am freelancing full-time. I thought about keeping low-key, but I've realized I don't owe anyone anything. Except myself, of course, and I owe everything to the opportunities that have come my way thanks to blogging and social media. I have wanted to do my own thing for so long and for me to not put myself out there is doing myself a severe disservice.

I am extremely thankful for my friends and family who've told me I should've been doing my own thing all along. It's humbling and encouraging to hear things like "I'm so excited to see what you'll do!" and "It was only a matter of time!" I am grateful to the agencies and brands who've reached out to me about full-time gigs, but I know this is the best thing for me right now. I've taken the last few weeks for some personal time, the Lucky FABB conference, and organizing my thoughts.

So what is it that I'm doing? Quite simply, stuff I've already been doing. Blogging mostly, because what I've wanted more than anything is to grow FreshJess.com to the amazing blog I know it will be. I am also writing, strategizing, creating, speaking, mentoring...doing. In short, helping tell amazing stories, launch awesome campaigns and bring fantastic ideas to life through words, networking and media.

One of my favorite Russell Simmons quotes is "Only do shit you believe in. Period." I can't tell you how excited I am to create a work life that weaves seamlessly with my blog and personal life, and most of all, to work on things I truly believe in.

Source: thewellnesswarrior.com.au via Jess on Pinterest

For a full run-down of my services, you can take a look at my new Freelance Services page and contact me at jess@freshjess.com for more information.

Lucky FABB: Conference Day Recap

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After a jam-packed Sunday of networking, mimosas & sun, I was eagerly anticipating Lucky FABB conference day. Though the skies were grey for most of the conference, the beachside venue made for a perfect day full of awesome photo opps in the midst of learning from some inspiring speakers.

I was really impressed with the diversity in talent, industry and experience that Lucky brought together for this conference. I was actually drawn more to the tech mavens like Brit Morin, Randi Zuckerberg and Soleil Moon Frye. It was also super cool to learn about the great things Jessica Alba is doing with The Honest Company; Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant's various ventures; and Elizabeth Banks' lifestyle website. All of the speakers and panelists had such unique insight from brand, personality and blogger experience that I left with a ton of wisdom and to-do list items.

If you'd like to take a look at my notes (they're messy!), check them out on my Evernote.

The view from the Annenburg Community Beach House. A perfect place for a conference!

Credentials in hand. Ready to roll!

Conversation wtih Zac Posen

Stay True to Your Voice

Sophia Rossi, HelloGiggles.com / Kristin Ess, The Beauty Department / Jane Marie, The Hairpin / Bri Emery, DesignLoveFest / Brit Morin, HelloBrit.com

Just one of the many beautiful installs in The House of Zappos

A Conversation with Jessica Alba & Christopher Gavigan of The Honest Company

What Hollywood Can Teach Fashion

Christin Trogan, Funny or Die / Will Gluck, Film Director, Screenwriter & Producer (Easy A) / Ashley Madekwe, Actress & Blogger, Ring My Bell / Hillary Kerr, WhoWhatWear / Jeannie Mai, television host & digital correspondent, NBC Fashion Star

A Conversation with Mad Men's Janie Bryant & Kiernan Shipka

My outfit via Value Village Fashion Ambassador: thrifted yellow wool blazer / Banana Republic silk sleeveless top / H&M high-waisted skirt / With Deena & Ozzy nude booties

How I Became An Entrepreneur

Soleil Moon Frye / Alli Webb, DryBar / Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay / Jenni Radosevich, I Spy DIY / Kate Sommerville, Kate Sommerville Skincare / E.J. Johnston, co-creator, NBC Fashion Star

How Brands Work with Blogs

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI / Quinn Donnelly, Benefit Cosmetics / Geri Hirsch, Because I'm Addicted / Gabrielle de Papp, Neiman Marcus / Aimee Song, Song of Style

A Conversation with Elizabeth Banks

A Conversation with Randi Zuckerberg (My absolute favorite part of the day!)

After all of these fabulous panels and fun times in the sponsor gifting suites, it was time for the closing  party. I got to say thank you to Lucky's editor-in-chief,

Brandon Holley

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After the party, we were sent home with LeSportsac duffle bags FILLED with countless beauty, skincare, fashion & fitness goodies. This is the most serious swag bag I've ever seen in my entire life. So much amazing stuff:

Lucky FABB was without question my favorite conference to attend. Lucky took such great care of us for the short time we were together. I made countless connections with brands, other industry professionals and fellow bloggers. I'm really looking forward to the next!

Lucky FABB Recap: Day 1

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The Lucky Magazine Fashion & Beauty Blogger (FABB) conference flew by earlier this week! I spent a whirlwind 48 hours in sunny Santa Monica with some of the most stylish ladies, coveted brands and inspiring speakers in the country.

Lucky FABB was created just under two years ago as a means for the fashion mag to connect with some of its most influential readers. At its first West Coast venture, Lucky FABB hosted over 150 bloggers and a slew of the hottest brands & style sites in the land. Lucky was awesome enough to pack the day before the conference with events for all of us to meet each other and get a taste of California style. I flew down Sunday morning (it's just a two-hour flight from Seattle to L.A.) and made it just in time for the Lucky FABB Brunch, hosted by RewardStyle at the beautiful Viceroy hotel in Santa Monica.

Lucky FABB Brunch hosted by RewardStyle. So many beautiful outfits!

Lucky FABB was a great excuse to catch up with my girl Jammie, who recently moved to L.A. from Seattle. We'd only met in person a couple of times in Seattle, but have kept in touch on Twitter. She's one of the nicest, most giving & motivated people I've met in a long time, and she was the first to tell me about Lucky FABB! She's a FABB veteran, having attended all three so far.

After brunch, we hopped on a sweet double-decker bus for a Lucky FABB Shopping Safari hosted by HaveToHave. Lucky's West Coast Editor, Marlien Rentmeester & HaveToHave swooped us down to Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach for shopping and sun at Marlien's favorite AK boutiques. I hadn't spent a lot of time in Venice prior to this trip, so for me it was a lot of fun seeing the sights while networking with some amazing bloggers!

During our safari, we Instagrammed & tweeted out our most-wanted pieces in each of the boutiques. You can peep and vote for your favorite safari finds on HaveToHave.com right now.

Lucky FABB Shopping Safari hosted by HaveToHave. 

Marlien talking about one of her favorite finds at Heist, for HaveToHave

Sweet beachwear at Undrest by the Sea

Dog bone bracelet & sick nails on Kelci of Two Point Oh L.A.

We closed this fabulous day at the Kelly Wearstler boutique in West Hollywood for the Lucky FABB opening cocktail party. The beautiful Ms. Wearstler herself was in the building to greet all of us for FABB, in addition to an army of Lucky editors and staff. Not only is she a master fashion and interior designer, she is absolutely stunning in! She was super sweet and chatted up everyone at the party. We even went home with a sweet neon distressed muscle tee which I may or may not have worn a few times already :)

With the amazingly sweet Caroline Waxler, Lucky's digital content director and executive producer of the Lucky FABB conference!

Finally met Erin of Apartment 34, a fellow but former Seattleite who's now in the Bay! Love her

So naturally, after a busy and productive day, I'm starving. Jammie was kind enough to take me to one of L.A.'s finest - the original Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles! It was my first time at Roscoe's, and now my tastebuds will know nothing that compares to a good old Roscoe's meal. Can't wait to come back here!

All in all, day 1 of the Lucky FABB conference was packed full of networking and fun with some serious fashion mixed in. I had a fabulous day and went to bed excited for the conference day to come.

See all of my Lucky FABB photo adventures on the Fresh Jess Facebook page!

Fresh Jess & AlixRose Hangout on Air with Google+ (updated)

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UPDATED 5/2/12:

They say you should try one new thing every day. Last night, I did two things I've never done before: a live DIY demonstration, and hosted a Google+ Hangout on Air! 

When Google asked  AlixRose and I to host a Hangout on Air, I jumped at the chance but was still a bit nervous. I don't do much video, but have always wanted to incorporate more into my blog posts. Hosting this Hangout on Air made it much more approachable to me. We asked a few of our friends to join us in a DIY Hangout Circle, then planned to broadcast at 7:00p.m. last night. Half an hour flew by, with two quick & easy DIY projects inspired by one of Alix's recent blog posts mixed in with some conversation on summer trends and our friends' DIY experience.

Most people have a Google+ profile but haven't done much with it since signing up. I'm one of those people! After using G+ (and Hangouts especially), I've found it's a great way to keep in touch with groups of people and the general public as a whole. For my blog, it's an easy way to share my posts and host small video chats with friends and readers.

Jen Joyce says that the Uber community managers in each city use it for their weekly meetings, and another friend, Carrie, is excited to use it to keep in touch with all of us (we've got one girlfriend in Vegas, New York and Nairobi, Kenya!)

Visit my Google+ page and add me to a circle! Alix and I had such a fun time with Hangouts and are definitely open to doing another one again in the future.

Thanks Google for inviting us to do this; to Sara for letting us use SPUN Sustainable Collective as our space to Hangout, and to our participants: Alyson, Carrie, Emily, Jen, Jillian & Steve!

Nordstrom Flagship Spring Cosmetic Trend Show 2012 (Recap)

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Nordstrom held their spring 2012 Cosmetic Trend Show last Saturday and as usual, it was quite the show! It was my second time covering the Trend Show as social media press, and really enjoyed tweeting each of the looks from the front row. 

Even though the Trend Show highlights what's hot for spring and summer beauty and fragrance, Nordstrom didn't fail to support with spring fashion looks from various departments in the store. Feast your eyes on all of this amazingness from DvF, Rachel Roy, Citizens of Humanity, Elie Tahari and Derek Lam:

All of these avid beauty fans were up bright & early for the show!

Nordstrom always sets a clever theme for their Trend Show, with each scene featuring essential makeup pieces from all the great brands in the store. This spring's theme was "Getaway", featuring "Glow Getters" golden, healthy radiance; "Sun-Dressed Eyes" with rose gold and shimmery yellow palettes; and "Splash-Glam Lips" with luscious corals and reds.

This year's Trend Show counts these trends among this spring & summer's beauty getaway essentials. You can see them demonstrated in the various looks in my photos:

Sun-dressed eyes

Splash-Glam lips

Effortless lips

Carefree cheeks

Flirty lashes

Glow getters

Imperfect brow

In the nude nails

Deconstructed hair

Fresh scents

Bond #9 Central Park West fragrance with:

Truth & Pride citron double-breasted jacket

Ted Baker multi rose bug cuffed shorts

Bare Escentuals' bareMinerals foundation with:

Vallete grey-silk sleeveless top

Theory natural white "Nayilla" wide-leg pant

Nars' Larger than Life lip gloss & pure radiant tinting moisturizer with:

Derek Lam ivory silk short sleeve blouse

Diane von Furstenberg grey "Charlotte" sequined short

Front row with AlixRose!

Philosophy Oxygen Renewal Set & Purity Made simple one-step facial cleanser with:

Remain rose gold scoop neck sweater

Hinge rose memoir tank top

Citizens of Humanity petite rose skinny pant

M.A.C. extra-dimensional eye shadow & zoom waterfast mascara with:

Marc by Marc Jacobs red hot silk top & normandy blue multi-print skirt

Chantecaille coral reefs palette & gel liner with:

Rachel Roy green/blue print dress

Nordy's Sanda Belaire with the Trend Show bloggers! Me, Ilse of The Ultimate Makeup, Alyson of Crushing on Clothes & AlixRose

Outfit: Thrifted yellow wool blazer (via Value Village Fashion Ambassador program!); Grey low v-neck tee; H&M green denim; Topshop studded flats

And the sweet swag bag filled with goodies!

Getting Pretty with Gene Juarez Happy Hour

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Last week, I was invited by Gene Juarez Salons & Spas to their GJ Happy Hour at the Downtown Seattle location. Gene Juarez designed these happy hours a few years ago as a fun ladies' night concept, with mini-treatments, bubbly, yummy goodies to eat and the like. Each salon location now hosts at least a couple of these happy hours a year. 

This was my first time at one and I'm told the flow of the event has evolved a bit to be a little more flowing (versus being shuffled from station to station) and now includes a fancy Facebook Beautification Project photo shoot at the end! Needless to say, it was fun being worked on by some of the best in the Seattle beauty industry.

My stylist, Leonardo, leads Gene Juarez's Team Artistic, which does the hair for almost every photo shoot and fashion industry event in the city (and more.) Leonardo worked some serious magic on my hair, giving it volume like I've never had before!

I then had the honor of sitting in Tracy Marie's chair for makeup and nails. Tracy is Gene Juarez's Makeup Education Director, a.k.a. the makeup artist that teaches all of the other artists! A seasoned pro in the makeup industry, Tracy didn't just do my makeup and tell me what product she was using. She went into more detail about why she chose the look that she did for me than any other makeup artist I've ever worked with. She went way beyond face shape and skin type, asking me a ton of questions about my lifestyle, my personal style and my attitudes toward makeup. Tracy then created a look with Gene Juarez's Flash Face concept (read: quick & easy) that played with some of the season's hottest colors while keeping the overall effect minimal. Thanks to her, I found out how to best highlight my features, tame my combination skin, and that I should spend more time with cool-toned makeup for pops of color.

I probably spent way more time than usual with Tracy, but I was so inspired by her clear passion for educating others about her passion. So great to have a new friend from this happy hour!

Special thanks to Alyson, recently departed as Gene Juarez's marketing coordinator and fellow blogger at Crushing on Clothes, for inviting me to attend!

She takes the best laughing pictures! I don't look that cute laughing!

I'm ready for my Facebook Beautification Project photos!

The best things about this happy hour were the makeup tips I'm able to use every day now, and the fact that my hair held up for a couple of days after the event! Waves for days!

Thanks Gene Juarez!

To find out about the next Gene Juarez Happy Hour in the Puget Sound region, sign up for their email list at GeneJuarez.com.

Do You Really Need to 'Check In'?

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Jolie O'Dell posted the article "Why You & Your Girlfriends Should Stop Checking In" last week on VentureBeat. As an avid user of FourSquare & Facebook Places check-in (with many girlfriends who are just as geeky as I am), this article was long-overdue wake-up call.

Why the hell do we use LBS (location-based services) like FourSquare & Facebook Places so freely? Why am I using it?

My friends and I checking in while waiting for dinner. Typical

I started "checking in" a few months after FourSquare's launch at SXSW just over three years ago, drawn by the appeal of learning about places in the city and competing with my friends for points, badges and mayorships. The game factor is fun, and for a long while it's kept all of my friends and I checking in wherever and whenever we can. I've left a lot of tips at various venues, held my share of mayorships, and collected my fair share of badges.

Over time, though, I've cut my check-ins down significantly by stopping to ask myself what I'm gaining out of sharing my location with others. I'm not sure how much longer it'll be before I lose interest in FourSquare altogether. More than anything, I just try to be smart about how I'm checking in. I am thankful nothing has threatened my livelihood, although I've had my share of creepy "I saw you check in here on FourSquare" introductions.

I know this doesn't even apply to most of you since just over a tenth of the U.S. population even uses location-based services. Jolie's article sheds light on creeper apps like Girls Around Me (though FourSquare has since pulled that app's API access.) We are incredibly lucky to live in a country and culture where we have the freedom to say and go where we want, but maybe we take our safety and security for granted.

If you're 'checking in' constantly (especially you, lovely ladies!), I offer a couple of tips to keep in mind: 

Choose your friends wisely.

Like any other social media network, you approve friend requests and have the option of adding them or not. Do you know who you're friending? Take a look at who your mutual friends are, where the person is located and why you'd want to share check-in information with that person. If any of that makes you feel unsure - it's best not to friend them at all.

Never check in alone!

This might sound like a no-brainer, but it has to be said. I only check in at events where I'm with a bunch of people I know, or with my boyfriend.

Hide your check-in location.

FourSquare has the option of making your location public or not. If you absolutely must check in everywhere, use that option when you are checking in places alone.

Think twice.

Ask yourself if checking in is worth the awkward or even scary encounter. Because it's really not.

Do you check in on FourSquare, Facebook or Yelp? What are your thoughts?

Fresh Style: Katniss in the Woods

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After reading the first book on my cruise last month, rushing home to finish the other two then seeing the movie multiple times, I think it's safe to say I'm a little taken by the Hunger Games trilogy right now. I've even made a Pinterest board with some of my equally-obsessed friends.

So indulge me for a few minutes. 

There are scores of posts on fashion blogs and even an official Capitol Couture site - but what stuck with me was how very Northwest Katniss' woods and the 74th Hunger Games arena was. Who knows, maybe District 12 is where Seattle could've once been?

Image credit IMDB

I had a lot of fun with this style post, finding some stylish alternatives to the tributes' arena uniforms. While I hope I never have to go through anything like the Hunger Games, if I did I'd gravitate towards these pieces. Enjoy!

AllSaints New Military Boot (similar here)

And if you're curious about the boots in the opening scene...they're Frye Melissa Tall Lace Boot!

Image credit LA Times

Happy Hunger Games!

Vision Boards: Keeping Your Goals in Sight

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Vision boards are a powerful way to keep your goals and ambitions top-of-mind. It's always very humbling when people ask me how I stay on top of it all, and I'm quick to tell them that I have to work really hard to stay focused on what I want to accomplish. It's super easy to lose sight of our goals, and super tough to figure out how to balance our day-to-day responsibilities with the steps needed to reach the goals we set out for ourselves.

Inspired by Jammie (@VAFashionGirl)'s post on making vision boards for the new year, and prompted further by my friend & art director Byron Gronseth, I made a couple of vision boards in January. One for my goals for the year, and one for my blog. Here they are below:

In both, I put plenty of images of strong, confident women, bold colors and words to motivate me. I decided to go the old-school vision boarding route so I could hang these in my closet, where I'll see them every day when I'm picking out my outfit. 

I strongly encourage you to make a vision board whenever you feel unproductive, uninspired or need something to get your mind back to the goals you want to accomplish in life. You can cut & paste out of old magazines like I did, or take your vision boards online via Pinterest or Polyvore. Oprah even has a few tips for you in making a great vision board here.

If you do make one (or have already), I'd love to see them! Leave me a comment with a link.

Get Your Coachella Wardrobe Ready!

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I had so much fun at Coachella last year, and definitely recommend it if you're a big fan of the artists on the bill. This year's festival is just three years away, and my girl Andrea over at SkinnyPurse has a few of her favorite Coachella-inspired looks from ThreadSence's latest lookbook. 

Check out the rest of Andrea's faves over at SkinnyPurse!

Fresh Style: Umbrella Love

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The weather in Seattle lately has been downright miserable. Blustery winds, pouring rain mixed with sheets of snow, and milliseconds of sunshine leave me wanting to just bundle up in my sweats and a blanket at home.

There's a stereotype that "real" Seattleites don't carry umbrellas - but I walk to work and I'd prefer not to be drenched and windblown when I get there! 

Here are some pretty parasols I found to bring a small ray of light into our grey days:

Bella Umbrella Pagoda ($129) (magenta here)

Yellow Bubble Umbrella ($18) (black here, dotted here, similar here)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Logo Umbrella ($58) (more Marc Jacobs here and here)

Printed Sky Umbrella ($38) (similar here)

ModCloth Polka Dot Umbrella ($24.99) (more fun prints here)

Tray6 Floral Print Umbrella ($29.99) (more florals here and here)

Wondershare Your Spring Break

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Heading to Paris, London, Rome, Sydney or somewhere tropical this spring break? Wondershare, the photo& video editing software, is making spring break this year a little bit sweeter!

From now until April 16th, share your vacation highlights with Wondershare and rally your friends over on Wondershare's Facebook page. The story submission with the most FB likes will win the new iPad (released just last week.)

Every day of the contest, 20 lucky participants will also receive a copy of Wondershare's video editor - so you can make your memories last in the form of fun videos to share on your FB profile or at your next family reunion.

Happy travels! For full contest details, check out the official page on Wondershare.

Wonderful software, wonderful life.®

*Grand Prize winner will be announced online April 20th, 2012, Wondershare reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value if a prize described in these Official Rules is unavailable or cannot be awarded, in whole or in part, for any reason.

This is a sponsored post, fully written and reviewed by me. All opinions expressed in this post, as with all posts on Fresh Jess, are mine.

Infographic Fun with Guinness & St. Patrick's Day

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What's nerdier than incorporating beer and St. Patrick's Day into some fun infographics? Luckily I'm a big nerd and never one to turn down an infographic :)

Here's a quick post with some fun facts for you as St. Patty's Day approaches:

Help GUINNESS® & Fresh Jess make this the biggest St. Patty's Day ever! Take the pledge & enter the code "JESS" over at Guinness.com. For every pledge I bring in, I'm donating $1 to Bulldog Haven NW. It's totally free & takes just a minute. Thanks for your help!

Fresh Eats: A Guinness Feast

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With St. Patrick's Day, fast approaching, I'm sure you're getting ready to indulge in a pint of Guinness or two. But did you know there are a ton of recipes you can make with the dry stout?

You may be familiar with the famous Guinness & steak pie already. I've pulled a few recipes from Guinness' site, but there are a couple of great ones over at AllRecipes and Endless Summer. From starters to desserts, you can infuse a bit of Guinness love into every part of your St. Patty's Day.

I present to you...the Fresh Jess St. Patty's Day feast, featuring Guinness!

Braised Beef w/Onions, Carrots & GUINNESS®

  • Serves 4
  • 2lb Boned stewing steak / 1 large onion / ½ lb carrots
  • 1 cup soaked prunes and hazelnuts (optional)
  • 3 bay leaves / 2 tbsp flour / 2 tbsp cooking oil / 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • ¼ pint GUINNESS® Draught
  • ¼ pint water / Salt and pepper

Trim the meat and cut into convenient serving pieces; do not make them too small. Heat the oil or fat and put in the bay leaves. Let them crackle, but put the lid on, then add the beef and fry on both sides. When half done, add sliced onions and let that gently colour to pale gold. Sprinkle the flour over and let it brown then add the GUINNESS® and water. A little more liquid may be needed, in which case make it water or stock to just cover the meat. Season to taste and add the parsley and carrots cut into circles. Put the lid on and braise in a slow to moderate oven 275°F – 300°F, gas 1 – 2, for about 2 hours. In the nineteenth century, soaked and stoned prunes (about 1 cup) stuffed with grilled hazelnuts were added half an hour before the meat was ready. They make a marvelously rich garnish.

Other great starter dishes: The Best Warm Oysters Ever & Mushrooms on Toast

Crispy GUINNESS® Battered Cod Fillet

Serves 3

  • 3 fresh fillets of cod
  • Batter:
  • ½ can of GUINNESS® Draught / 1 ½ cups of flour / ¼ cup of baking powder
  • Teaspoon of salt / ¼ teaspoon of pepper

Pour the GUINNESS® into a large bowl and add the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Then whisk until it is light and frothy. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes - remember good things come to those who wait! Meanwhile, heat a deep fryer to 180° C. When the batter is ready, dust the fish with flour and coat evenly with batter. Fry for 5 - 6 minutes turning once halfway. Then serve with chunky chips, salad and a cool GUINNESS®. Get your batter ready and then knock it up for the lads at half time. TIP To stop your batter sticking to the wire mesh of your deep fat fryer, simply take the mesh out and use a slotted spoon to lift your fish instead.

More delicious main dishes: Beef & Guinness Pancakes w/Smoked Cheddar & Rack of Lamb w/Guinness & Mustard

GUINNESS® Cake

Serves 6

  • 8oz. butter / 8oz. brown sugar / 4 eggs lightly beaten
  • 10oz plain flour & 2 level tsps of mixed spice sieved together
  • 8oz seedless raisins / 8oz sultanas / 4oz mixed peel
  • 8-12 tsps of GUINNESS Draught
  • 4oz walnuts

Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Gradually beat in eggs. Fold in the flour and mixed spice. Then add the raisins, sultanas, mixed peel and walnuts. Mix well together. Stir 4tbps of GUINNESS® into the mixture. Mix to a soft dropping consistency. Turn into a prepared 7 inch cake tin. Bake in a very moderate oven, Gas mark 3 / 300° F for 1 hour. Then reduce and cook for another one and a half hours. Allow it to become cool. Remove from cake tin. Prick the base of the cake with a skewer and spoon over the remaining 4-8 tsps of GUINNESS®. Keep the cake for 1 week before eating.

Additional delectable desserts: Irish Cake Bombs & Guinness Brownies

Check all the recipes at the GUINNESS® Good Food Guide, plus 100 Ways to Cook w/Guinness

Help GUINNESS® & Fresh Jess make this the biggest St. Patty's Day ever! Take the pledge & enter the code "JESS" over at Guinness.com. For every pledge I bring in, I'm donating $1 to Bulldog Haven NW. It's totally free & takes just a minute. Thanks for your help!

Volunteering for Bulldog Haven NW at the Seattle Dog Show this weekend!

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This weekend, Spike, bf and I will be volunteering in the Bulldog Haven NW booth at the Seattle Kennel Club's 2012 Dog Show!

Come watch the pedigree dog shows & fun entertainment. Stay and hang with us in the BHNW booth to learn about the rescue, available foster dogs, volunteer opportunities and more.

Admission is just $10!

The 2012 SKC Dog Show is at CenturyLink Field Events Center, this Saturday & Sunday from 8:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.

Let me know if you'll be there!

More info on Bulldog Haven NW

Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show website