fbff: if you don't have anything nice to say, then shut your mouth

today's fbff is all about pet peeves you might have about other blogs. nora and i decided we didn't want to answer this. ya know, if we don't like a blog, we just don't follow it. obviously different things might bug me on any given day, but that's just life. a blog is a way to express yourself, and however you choose to do that, more power to you! if i don't like what you're saying or don't want to look at your pictures, i just don't. that's all. nora and i both know that we are in no position to judge other people's blogs or their lives or their clothes or their style of writing or their blog layout, picture format or comment monitoring system. after all, we are not rewriting the bible, we are just showing off a bit of our style and hoping that you get to know us through our words and quips. if you like us (and we hope you do), keep reading; if not (why???), then x out and maybe someday we will meet again. that's all...

happy friday!

pet peeve

FBFF: inspiration!

"it's friday, friday! gotta get down on friday! everybody's looking forward to the weekend! partyin' partyin (yeah!)"! don't act like you don't know the song. i think it is quite catchy, despite the horrible lyrics. i have a soft spot in my heart for terrible pop music. anyhoo...i have said too much. today we are talking about what inspires us when it comes to fashion and blogging. sorry it is so late today. darn blogger was down (as i am sure most of you know). megan and i collaborated on our answers for this one...which were pretty much the same anyway! bird brains think alike...or something like that. pretty sure i just insulted us...oh well. onto the questions!

1. What magazines do you subscribe to?

megan is one of those people who finds all of these great deals...on everything. and magazine subscriptions is included in that. she gets a ton for, like, $1.00 a year or something. and she always tells me to sign up, which i, of course, never do. and then i just steal hers. she gets mademoiselle, harper's bazaar, all of the paparazzi mags (which she says are, sadly, where she gets most of her fashion inspiration. she and i both love to see what the stars are wearing!). i like to read vogue, allure, glamour, harpers, nylon, women's fitness, instyle...pretty much any magazine, if i'm being honest...and i admit, i love us weekly and all those trashy mags. they can really teach you things...like how stars are really just like us! (i sincerely hope you noted the sarcasm).

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2. Do you watch any fashion TV shows?

megan and i both used to be big fans of "project runway" (i love tim gunn). although she has lost interest and i have lost my cable (thanks to my husband. he decided, much to my chagrin, that we didn't need it anymore. sad day). fashion police on E! is great. gotta love ms. rivers. she tells it like it is! i must admit, i was also addicted to "the rachel zoe project". ba-nanas.

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3. Beyond blogs, what websites do you frequent for fashion

inspiration?

we both agree that blogs are simply the best inspiration. but we also love to "window" shop on clothing store websites, such as forever 21, topshop, urban, anthropologie, piperlime. and their catalogs are great too! i also like to check out magazine websites for their coverage of fashion shows and red carpets. love it!

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4. Advertisements play a huge role in forming public opinion about a

product or brand… what ads do you like and why?

we'll just use megan's answer for this one. basically because i agree 100%. "i honestly don't pay much attention to ads. maybe in certain fashion magazines, i will look longingly at some haute couture five-page ad, but other than that, i can't say that i pay a lot of attention to ads".

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5. Do you own any fashion books?

i proudly display my "history of fashion, the 20th century" book in my dining room. i probably have a few others stored away...i should really look. megan does not, unless you consider the "madeline" series a fashion book. she is pretty stylish!

make sure to check out Modly Chic for more answers to these inspiring questions!

xoxo, the birds 

fbff: shoes glorious shoes

i got nothing for you today, so i'm just going to open with a joke about shoes.

knock, knock.

(you say) who's there?

wooden shoe.

(you say) wooden shoe, who?

wooden shoe like to know!

ba doom ching!

and now for something completely different...(today's fbff questions)

1. what is your go-to pair of shoes?

i don't know that i have a go-to pair of shoes. i have a few favorites, i have some that are more comfortable than others, and i have a few that will go with just about any outfit, but i choose my shoes on a day-to-day basis, so i don't really think i have a go-to shoe. having said that, i have picked out my most worn shoes. here they are:

2. what goes into your shoe buying decisions?

cuteness and price. comfort isn't too much of an issue as i am used to wearing heels all the time. of course if a shoe is too tight, i won't buy it, but a high heel or pointy toe has never stopped me! i'm also a very frugal person, so as much as i want to buy a zillion pairs of jeffrey campbells, i won't. i will just look for a cheaper version of something similar. groceries trump shoes.
3. the majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?

hmmmm....i have no idea. i like to buy unique and colorful shoes. i do own a lot of black and tan shoes, but i really prefer florals, patterns and color.
4. when it comes to designer shoes what are your favorite brands and why?

jeffrey campbell, hands down. i love a huge, thick, chunky platform heel. i love his patterns and textures and styling. i don't think he makes a shoe that i don't love.

5. if price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?

this one

or this one

or this one

do you sense a pattern???

how about you? what are your favorite shoes?

to check out more answers, or to join fbff, check out modly chic!

ps. i have to share these adorbs shoes that amanda and cayla got my niece mimi bird for her birthday.
real baby converse! so sweet!

happy friday, all!

xoxo,

megan bird

FBFF – fitness and fashion!

happy friday! this week's FBFF topic is something close to both of these little bird's hearts. fitness! megan and i are what you might call fitness nuts! we both love to work out and be as healthy and in shape as we can be. we are not crazy about it. and neither of us necessarily works out to lose weight. we both actually really like working out. it makes us feel good and healthy and happy. and that makes those around us happier and healthier, too! oh, and these birds do not eat like birds! we love food and if we are active then we feel we can eat whatever we want (within reason and mostly in moderation-although i will not lie. if i have food in front of me, it is hard for me to stop eating sometimes! and i know for a fact that megan does not get full.) without regret!

1. Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why?

nora bird

i do. i hit the gym every day of the "work" week (i put that in quotes because i do not actually work outside of the home except for a couple of shifts waiting tables at a local restaurant) if i am able. mimi and i will get up around 6:30am, eat breakfast and then head to the gym. normally i will take a class. i love yoga, pilates, zumba, boot camp...and if i can't make it to a class i will use the elliptical or treadmill for 30-45 minutes and then lift free weights. in the spring and summer months i love to run outside. i have a jogging stroller that i can strap mimi into for a quick run. and i am actually planning on starting to do a couple of workouts a day once the weather changes...gym in the morning and a nice, long run at night once mimi is in bed. we'll see if i can keep it up! i take the weekends off from the gym, but mimi, jim and i will usually take nice long walks on saturday and sunday if the weather permits! sometimes we just walk over to megan's for a few beers on her patio...does that count??? as to why, i think i answered that above.

megan bird
i do, as well. i don't have a ton of free time, but i always make time to work out. i work out six days a week, but nothing too stressful. i am lucky to have a gym at my work, so over my lunch hour, i work out on the treadmill and do some weight lifting. and at home we have an elliptical machine, so i use that on days when i can't work out at work. i also love yoga, and really wish that i did more. i will try to do 10 minutes when i wake up every morning, but that doesn't always happen. in the spring and summer, i bike to and from work, and like nora, i love running. minneapolis has some of the most beautiful parkways and running paths, and i live a few blocks from one of our great lakes, so i run that a lot.

2. Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that
nature, helped with your own perception of body image?

nora bird

i have never trained for a marathon, although i really want to. and when i say that, i mean i want to do the training, but not necessarily the marathon! ha! but yes, when i am active and working out frequently, my body image is much more positive. it just makes me feel happier and healthier! and that is reflected in the way i see myself.

megan bird
i have twice trained for a marathon (but only ran one), and i don't know that it did anything for my perception of my body image. in fact, it may have been detrimental...after i finished, i felt guilty for "only" running 3 miles instead of 18! but working out in general does make me feel good about myself. i know that my body is the best it can be. and while i know there are flaws with it, i can't complain because i work very hard to be healthy and fit, and i am happy with the results, even if i don't look like a super model.

3. When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what
do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion?

nora bird

it is all about function! although i do have a few pair of yoga pants and some workout tanks that i think are cuter than others. but if those are in the laundry pile i am not going to skip my workout! i definitely don't look my best when at the gym or out for a run. but i am also not there to impress anyone! this is not to say that i haven't bought a cute new workout outfit in order to motivate myself! sometimes you need that extra little push to get you out the door! as far as fashion, i always look and feel better in my clothes when i am feeling healthy and in shape!

megan bird
i am not one of those people who tries to look cute for the gym (because the end result is never cute anyways). i have to be comfortable when i work out. my general outfit is a long and lean tank from target, and champion leggings and sports bra. i always buy my sports bras a size too small...that stemmed from training for a marathon when i was breastfeeding and i was a double f (yep!). i like to have no jiggle when i work out, so i always go smaller on the sports bra!

4. Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be
doing for your own physical fitness?
nora bird

i kind of feel like there is a new "it" thing in fitness every week! and i have tried them all! and in doing that i have figured out what works for me and my body and lifestyle and now that is what i do. i don't think that there is one workout that works for every person. or one thing that i "should" be doing. but i am always willing to try something new and see if i like it! mostly i think you should be having fun (at least a little bit!) or you won't stick with it.

megan bird
not really. i don't think anyone would look down on me if i didn't work out. but i am definitely proud of myself for doing it. 

5.  Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal.

nora bird

i dream of passing down a healthy body image, active lifestyle and a love of fitness to my daughter and any future children that my husband and i may have. that is so important to me! oh, and maybe training for that marathon!

megan bird
i love nora's answer...i really want to make sure that both my children have healthy body images. i didn't growing up, and that is a horrible feeling that has stuck with me for many years. as for myself, i would love someday to participate in a triathlon. there is an amazing one here in minneapolis, and once i become a better swimmer, i think i will go for it.

for more answers to these questions, feel free to check out Modly Chic.


happy friday!
xoxo,
the birds

fbff: inspiration friday

it is the one year anniversary of fbff. this week's questions are the same as this time last year. of course, we were not members last year, so this is our first time answering. for other blogger's answers, check out Modly Chic.

1. which celebrity (celebrities) do you look to for fashion inspiration?
on any given day, it could be anyone. there are a few, though, that i pretty much love all the time. alexa chung, blake lively, rachel bilson and zooey deschenel. i love their style. it almost looks effortless. it doesn't hurt that they alll have mile-long legs, but the clothing definitely is cute regardless. i especially love alexa and zooey...they rock the quirky vintage look that i aspire to!

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2. when it comes to your own personal style, what inspires you?
not any one thing. a sunny day, a friday night out, my family, a magazine ad. i see beautiful things everywhere and want to duplicate it all. i love all things vintage and all things floral, so if i find pictures or clothing with either of those...it's pretty much a guarantee that i will be inspired by it.
3. how do you hope to inspire your readers?
what nora and i have always aimed to do is to show people that fashion is fun and outside the box. you don't have to dress off a mannequin to look good. take your own style and mix it up. we love taking ugly items and making them cute...and we hope that people can get a new take on fashion from reading our blog. of course that sounds a little egotistical...but really we just want people to enjoy their own sense of style, regardless of what that is.

4. outside the realm of fashion who/what inspires you?
i think i answered this last week. it's definitely my family. a funny quote from my daughter or a thoughtful observation from my son can make my day. i am one of those moms who is always telling funny stories about my kids. luckily (i think) they truly are funny kids and people like (i think) hearing their tales.
5. and since idol is ending… which songs inspire you?
this is a tough one. there are a lot of songs that inspire me. the one that pops into my head for some reason is "let the river run" by carly simon. have you ever seen working girl? oh that used to be my favorite movie, and every time i heard that song i felt empowered...even though i was only 14! or pretty much anything by simon and garfunkel, specifically "kathy's song". or songs like "visions of johanna" by bob dylan or "on the road again" by willie nelson will always get me up and going. i love music...i could go one for days about songs that inspire me in different ways!

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how about you, what inspires you? do you have a favorite quote, song or fashionista that has changed your life?

happy friday, all!!

xoxo,

megan bird

fbff: thank you! merci! gracias! arigato! grazie! xie xie!

1. when it comes to me personally – i owe a lot of who I am to:
is everyone going to say their family? it's an obvious answer. my parents and my sisters shaped me into who i am today. chris has helped me grow up and know what true love is. but my kids have shaped me the most. it's amazing what happens to you once you have kids. trying to juggle everything in life is hard, but watching my son hold the door for every single kid at school until there are no more kids left makes me realize that we've done a good job of it. or watching how incredibly stubborn my daughter is in her decision making – as hard as it is for us to deal with – it makes me happy knowing she will grow up to be a strong woman. watching our kids grow up, and knowing that their kindness and intelligence is at least part our responsibility, is huge, and it makes me want to be a better person.

2. when it comes to be professionally – i owe a lot of who I am to:
my dad. he has taught me so much about running a business and being a fair person. he is the smartest man i know and i really respect how he deals with people and decision making in his life.
3. when it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:
well nora, of course. without her, this blog wouldn't be as fun as it is. other than that, it's for sure our readers. it's amazing how a single comment can make my day. i feel like i know our readers, it's odd. i'm sure you all know the feeling. i feel that if we all got together, it would just be one big, fun party. wanna?
4. one blogging challenge i’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…
we haven't done a lot of challenges. we do ebew, and we participated in the wonderful fab in february. i guess i'd have to say that that was the best one. telling people how awesome you are can be difficult, but it was actually pretty fun and empowering to come up with those tidbits every week! 
5. to my readers, i’d like to say…
thanks! you guys are the best. seriously...i look forward to hearing from you every day, and i love reading your blogs. it gets me through some long days! a tip of the hat to you all!

as a side note, nora and i were originally both going to answer these questions. however, when she read my answers, we agreed that we would both have said the same thing. so, while i wrote this, these answers are from both nora and i. for other blogger's answers, check out Modly Chic.

happy friday!!

xoxo,

the birds

FBFF- spring trends!

hey all! happy friday to you! i am so very excited for this weekend. we have no plans (crazy!) and the weather is supposed to be warm and spring-like (they're saying temps in the 70s on sunday!!!). finally! so it is perfect that today's FBFF topic is which five spring trends we are most looking forward to wearing! for megan and i, it was hard to narrow it down to five (there are so many fabulous trends right now!), but we did it (sort of). to read what trends some other great bloggers are looking forward to, or to join FBFF, head over to Modly Chic!

1. we are super excited that the 70s are back! i am particularly excited about sporting some high-waisted bell bottom jeans. i am still on the lookout for the perfect pair. while i'm playing flower child, megan will be going more "saturday night fever" and rocking some fabulous jumpsuits and 70s style disco dresses. let me tell you, people. she looks great in a jumpsuit!

2. we love bright bold colors and really enjoy experimenting with pairing them. so, of course, we are excited for color blocking! we are extremely excited to start working in some great citrus colors, which are especially hot this spring!

3. another thing we love experimenting with is mixing prints. lucky for us, that is another hot trend for spring! we are especially eager to start working some fabulous floral prints into our wardrobes!

4. i am loving the look of preppy accessories for spring. with all of the colorful, quirky and fun outfits we'll be wearing, why not pull it all back down to earth with some classic, sharp accessories? 

5. we're so happy that midi-length skirts are in for spring. megan and i both have so many great vintage skirts that we are really looking forward to wearing all spring and summer. but this in no way means we will be packing up our minis!

tell us! what spring trends are you looking forward to rocking???

xoxo, nora bird and megan bird

all images via here and here.

fbff: rules of engagement

1. guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. what do you think is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?

waiting for someone to ask...i dont' know. there are some groups (such as fbff) that have thrown out emails about people guest posting for each other, and that's been fun. other than that, i don't really think we would ever ask someone if we could guest post. we'd love it if someone asked us, and would most definitely do it, but i don't think we'd ask.
2. leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. but how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘follow me. follow me!’?
we only comment on blogs that we like. sometimes i read blogs and don't comment at all. but if i really like the content of the post, the outfit they are wearing, or a certain aspect of what they wrote, i will comment on it. that's not to say that if i don't comment, i don't like the content. sometimes i comment, sometimes i don't.

3. we’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… but the mass emails don’t work. how do you make your email stand out from the crowd?
you have to make the content of what you are sending great. if i have an idea i want to share, or want group participation in something, or need advice, that is when i send a mass email. i would never send a mass email just asking people to follow us.
4. in interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line between seeking support and begging for exposure?
we just don't beg. if people like our blog, they will read it. if they don't, they won't. we are well aware that the whole world isn't reading our blog, and we're ok with it. we still love blogging!

5. what’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you remedied that?
i don't know...that's a tough one. i don't think we have done anything inappropriate in regards to our blog...but if anyone disagrees, please let us know!

if you want to read other blogger's answers, or join fbff, be sure to check out Modly Chic!

happy friday!

xoxo,

the birds

fbff: feminism

today's fbff questions are all about style and feminism. do they go hand in hand or to they contradict each other? for more answers to these questions, check out Modly Chic.


1. do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?
absolutely not. fashion is just another way to express who we are. you can have feminist thoughts and ideas and still be beautiful and fashionable. i don't know where the horrible stereotype of a "feminist" came from, but i don't believe people who are feminists all dress or look the same way. to me, they don't even have anything to do with each other.

2. there is more to each of us than a love for fashion, how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog?
both nora and i talk about our lives in our blog. sure, a part of our lives is how we dress, what clothes we buy for our shop, how we style clothing...but that isn't all that our blog is about. we write like we talk, so hopefully our readers feel as if we are immersed in a conversation with them. i don't feel the need to incorporate every aspect of my life into our blog, but i certainly feel like we both talk enough about our lives that people have a general idea of our personalities, our families, or social lives.

3. with the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?
i guess i never thought of it as a male-dominated profession. i'm sure it is, but i see a lot of women in the industry. some of my favorite designers are women – betsey johnson, vera wang, stella mccartney – to name a few. i think that both men and women in the industry all think somewhat similarly. men who are clothing designers know what works for women almost as much as women in the industry do. so i won't take away from the men in the profession...i think they do a pretty great job (hello marc jacobs!)

4. how is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs?
i would like to think that i carry myself with dignity, and a little but of goofiness to add to it (ok, a lot). knowing that i am a strong and smart woman helps me with that. this hasn't always been the case, though. i have always considered myself somewhat of a feminist (more of an equalist, i would say), but that doesn't mean that i have always had a soaring self esteem. i believe you can have a certain set of beliefs, but you don't always apply them to your own life. it wasn't until i was in my 30s that i truly started feeling fully comfortable with myself, my body and my style. but that doesn't mean that i didn't think all women should feel beautiful and strong and smart. sometimes, even now, it's easier said than done. we all have our bad self-esteem days, but they don't change my feelings about women/feminism.

5. do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons?
of course it does. it is a way to express myself and show the world who i am. i dress for myself and to show my personality. if i were dressing to impress the rest of the world, then it would be different...but i definitely dress to show off my personality and personal style.

how do you feel about fashion and feminism? do you agree that they can go hand in hand?

happy friday!!

xoxo,

megan bird

fbff: lessons learned

happy friday! it's time for Friend Friday. this week there is just one question (and five answers)...so far, what have been the five hardest blogging lessons you’ve learned during this process and have helped make you a better blogger as a result?

1. not everything has to be perfect. if we waited for the perfect picture, or the perfect outfit, we wouldn't be posting. we want people to see us for who we are, so if that means baggy eyes or bad hair in a picture, so be it.

2. having said that, don't half-ass it. at least try to make your posts and pictures and outfits as good as you can. with outfits, if i don't love it, i don't always post it. i would rather not do a post in a day than throw out an outfit i'm not happy with. but there's not always something i can do about puffy eyes and bad hair, so people will just have to look at that! as for posts, i write like i talk, so as to create a dialogue with the reader...so i never half-ass that. it's always my words and what i am thinking at that moment.

3. we love new followers and we love getting comments. seriously, comments make our day! and finding out that we have a new follower is like finding a $20 bill in a pocket of a coat you haven't worn for months. however, we have also learned that you can't base your blog-worth on how many comments or how many followers you have. we started writing this blog with no followers, and it was just as much fun then as it is now with 100. hopefully someday we will have 1000, and it will still be as much fun.

4. blogging is a community effort. we have joined a couple of different blog groups (e.g., fbff), and love the community aspect of blogging. when we first started, we assumed that it would just be the two of us, trying to figure it all out as we go. but there has been so much love from the community that that alone keeps us going when it might get tough. there's a lot of love between all of these people who have never officially met.

5. it can be hard to find inspiration some days. but the more we blog, the easier it gets. maybe it's because while we are blogging, we are also researching, shopping and reading blogs more. either way...even if some days we feel like the sun won't shine, we always knows that inspiration will strike soon.

to read about the lessons other amazing bloggers have learned, or to join Friend Friday, head over to Modly Chic!

xoxo, megan bird and nora bird

fbff: priorities

for more answers, or to join fbff, check out Modly Chic.
1. when it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
i don't really know how to answer this. of course i love blogging, but i'm not going to ignore my family or work to post a blog. i usually have time to slip in a post every day...it really doesn't take too long for it to be an inconvenience. if it ever is inconvenient, i wouldn't want to do it. it's fun for me, so i always make time.
2. we all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. what are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
i try to take all my pictures the night before i blog. i get them all ready, so that in the morning,  i can just enter the type and add the pictures. that helps with individual posts. i also try to keep a little journal, or just a text message or email to myself with blog ideas. that way, if i have any free time, i can look at those ideas and quickly come up with a post instead of spending more time thinking of what i should write about. but, for the most part, as i stated in question one, this is fun for me, so it's not burdensome. when i have time, i blog. when nora has time, she blogs. we don't pressure ourselves. of course it take a little pressure off each other knowing there are two people contributing.
3. have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
i guess i would just refer to question two. other than that, i don't really have any shortcuts.
4. do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
nope. just emails/texts/random pieces of paper floating around with blog ideas. aside from our regularly scheduled posts, i pretty much just write what comes to my mind each day. having said that, it does really help to have scheduled posts and regular posts like new loves and old friends or style me. having these helps because if we're ever stuck for a post idea, we know we can always do one of these (plus we love doing them so they are always fun)!
5. if time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
i would take better pictures. hands down. if i had more time, i would drive to a new location every day and take wonderful outdoor pictures. as it is, i have about five minutes to snap a few just ok pics...but for now, it is what it is. once the weather gets warmer, i know i can at least be outside in my yard taking pics! come soon, spring!

image via here

how about you? do you love blogging? do you wish you blogged? do you find it hard? tell us your thoughts!

happy friday, everyone!

xoxo,

megan bird

FBFF: beauty products

happy friday, all! i am super excited for this weekend. it is going to be a fun one!!! this week's friends friday is all about beauty beauty beauty! it was fun to write and i am super excited to see what the other amazing and beautiful FBFF bloggers had to say today (and you can too if you head over to Modly Chic). i love hearing about and trying new beauty products! fun!


1. What's your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite
higher-end product?


nora bird: 
most of the makeup i use is purchased at target or a drug store. here are the ones that i love and use every single day...
-maybelline great lash mascara in very black (love this stuff and have been using it forever!)
-cover girl lash blast volume mascara
-sonia kashuk eye smudge in blackest
-sonia kashuk brow definer in haze
-sonia kashuk cream blush in sunkissed
-maybelline instant age rewind double face perfector
-burt's bees beeswax lip balm


i rarely buy higher-end makup, but when i do i usually go with either mary kay or aveda products (i honestly don't even know if either are considered high-end). i use these products quite often, if not every day...
-mary kay ultimate mascara in black
-aveda uruku eye accent
-aveda color + shimmer
-sephora aquatint for cheeks and lips

megan bird:
i am so bad. i don't wear a ton of makeup, even if maybe i should. some items that i do have that i love are:

~l'oreal voluminous mascara

~e.l.f. black eyeliner

~covergirl olay ageless concealer

~chapstick naturals lip balm

high-end...not in my house. well, i take that back, at one point i did buy a ton of aveda makeup and i love it. i just can't afford to buy it everyday!

~ aveda inner light shimmer accents - tinted moisturizer

~ bare minerals powder veil (love this stuff)

2. Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can't live
without?


nora bird:
i wear mascara, black eyeliner and chapstick almost every single day. all of the products that i use are listed above.

megan bird:
i have rosacea, so i need to wear concealer. mainly on my nose and cheeks. if i drink wine or coffee, it gets way worse. so if you ever see pictures of me out on a saturday night, you will know why my cheeks are so rosy. (from the coffee, duh!)

3. What's the best hair product you've ever used?


nora bird:
i am still looking for the perfect hair product! i am a total sucker for hair product, too! i have bought them all. my hair pretty much looks the same no matter what i put in it. but these are the products that i use the most...
-garnier fructis curl sculpting cream gel
-garnier fructis surf hair
-bumble and bumble surf hair (i don't buy this very often because it is much more expensive that the garnier products, but i love it's effect)

megan bird:
i am like nora. i believe everything i hear about beauty products, and i buy them all. i believe that my hair will look like jennifer aniston's if i buy this product. it doesn't.
~ garnier fructis surf hair (this stuff is the best!)
~ aveda humectant pomade (if only for the smell of it!)

4. Fess up, what's the worst beauty look you've tried to rock and look
back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did
that?


nora bird:
i have done it all with mostly no regrets. but i am pretty sure i never should have cut my hair into "the rachel" (remember that hideous trend???). that was not a good look whatsoever. and the teeny tiny tweezed eyebrows was a very bad look on me. also, i shall never again be a blond or have blue-black hair. not good. not good at all. oh, and i don't look so great with dark (or really any) lipstick. i so wish i could rock a bright red lip, a la gwen stefani, but it is not gonna happen!

megan bird:
do perms count? probably. i too, had the rachel (who didn't?). i accidentally went blond for about two hours, until i went to a grocery store that was open all night and bought a brunette boxed savior!


5. When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic
products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and
personality?


nora bird:

i don't really uses beauty products to show off my personality. hopefully that shines all on it's own! i would say my clothes are more reflective of my personality than my beauty regime. i have pretty much been doing the same thing with my makeup (with a few tweaks here and there) since my twenties. is that bad??? i sure hope not...

megan bird: 
nora said it best. i use my charm and wit to show off my winning personality! ha! and my clothes say it was better than my makeup. in fact, i think my makeup is probably opposite of my personality. i need to pump it up a bit with the makeup...teach me, nora!

FBFF Blog Awards!

sorry we're so late to the game today! busy busy day for the two birds. plus, this post took a lot of thought! 
this week's friend friday is the first ever FBFF Blog Awards! fun!!!
how does it work? well, each participating blogger nominates one blogger for each of the
categories below. once these nominations are tallied, the top three blogs in each category will be announced. then these blogs will be put up for a vote. finally, of course, the winners will be announced! it's like the blog oscars (the bloscars?). so, here are our choices. to see who other bloggers are nominating, head over to Modly Chic.

1. Creative Juices - most creative

A Beautiful Mess

elsie, of A Beautiful Mess, owns her own vintage store (our dream!), has designed a dress line, and started Project ReStyle. plus, she features DIY projects, daily outfit posts, home decor ideas, makeovers and so much more that inspires us every time we visit her blog.

2. The Real Deal - authenticity

Spoils of Wear

jill is just the real deal. when you read her blog it's like you two are just hanging out having coffee. she shares funny, quirky little stories about her daily life, she has a great sense of style and shares some fantastic outfit posts, and she just seems down to earth and like she doesn't take herself too seriously (which we love!). plus, she's a minnesotan! gotta love her! 

3. Spark Notes - most helpful
The Dainty Squid

kaylah blogs about a little bit of everything and takes photos of it all! plus, she seems as crazy in love with thrifting and vintage as we are. and you gotta love a gal who can rock blue hair!

4. Newbie - best blogger less than a year old
wrinkled dollar

awesome outfit of the day posts? check! great thrifting tips? check! this gal loves a bargain and shares exactly how many wrinkled dollars she spent and where she purchased certain items of her wardrobe. of course we love this newbie!

5. Can You Hear Me Now - most connected


oooh, hard question. there are a lot of bloggers out there who are quite connected through twitter, etsy, blog groups, etc. but right, now, it's just too hard to think of one. sorry! someday, we'd like it to be us!


6. If I had a Hammer - best DIY
P.S. I made this

love the collages. love the step by step descriptions on how to make each item. plus, each project is so simple and so budget friendly! how could you not love this DIY blog? (the amazing tatertots & jello was a very close second choice!)

7. Tribe Leader - blogger who leads others and brings bloggers
together
Kendie Everyday

kendi started the 30 for 30 remix challenge. 'nuff said.

(okay, maybe i'll say more. i have a huge crush on her wardrobe. is that weird?)

8. Practically Perfect - most fashionable
The Daybook

i've never seen sydney look bad or disheveled or not pulled together and amazing. but she does it in a realistic way. and she has some great tutorials on her blog. who knew i needed someone to show me to tie a scarf or belt just so? she did! plus, she just seems so sweet and nice!

9. Paint by Numbers - best beauty blogger

to be honest, we don't read many beauty blogs. maybe we should...but we don't. i bet there are plenty of great ones out there...so if you know of a great one, let us know!

10. Renaissance Woman - best all around blogger, fashion, beauty,
lifestyle
Cupcakes and Cashmere

emily has a wardrobe i would kill for (okay, maybe not. maybe.). she shares delicious recipes. she gives amazing decorating ideas. she shows us her fabulous flea market finds. she writes frequently and originally. the blog is her full-time job and you can tell. she just does it well.

happy friday!

xoxo,
nora and megan bird

FBFF: body image

for this week's friend friday we are talking about body image and whether or not blogging has changed our image of ourselves in any way. if you would like to read what some other great bloggers have to say on this subject, or if you would like to join friend friday, head over to Modly Chic.

1. Since you started blogging has your image of yourself changed?
well, not really since i started blogging. but we did start our blog shortly after my daughter was born and having her has definitely changed my self image. going through the whole process of being pregnant, having my body change so dramatically in such a short time, and the the long and tough process of getting my body back (at least semi-close) to what it was before really changed my image of myself and my body and what i and it can and cannot do. and having this little wonderful person to take care of has definitely made me focus less on myself and become less obsessive about working out and getting to a certain size or weight or impossible image that i used to have in my head and could never achieve. i still work out and want to look good and feel healthy, but it is not to the extent as it was before i had amelia. and that is a good thing! the blog has definitely made me put myself out there more and made me a bit more comfortable in front of the camera and sharing those pictures of myself...more on that later...

2. Are you self-conscious about any aspect of yourself? If so, do you
go out of your way to avoid it or do you post it/talk about it anyway?
i am self conscious about certain parts of my body, for sure! i think everyone is. but i don't go out of my way to avoid it or not talk about it. i don't point out my flaws either, though! i think over the years i have learned how to hide them and, of course, become more comfortable with them. i wouldn't say that i am quite at the place where i love and embrace them, but hopefully that day will come.



3. Based on how you are feeling now, what do you think the future
holds in the evolution of your body image?
as i have gotten older my body image has definitely changed for the better. but it is still a work in process. and i definitely have my days when i revert back to my old self image and harsh criticism. but i really think that having amelia helped so much. just seeing what my body can go through and withstand and what it can create is so amazing! and as i age and my body changes more or if i get pregnant again and go through that process again, i know that my body will continue to amaze me. sure, there will be bad days, i know that. but i could never go back to the bad feelings (almost hatred at times!) that i used to have about my body after seeing the great things it can do! (sorry...getting a bit deep...)

4. Do you photograph yourself for your blog? If so, how do you feel
about the experience when you're having your picture taken? If you
choose not to post pictures of yourself, what prompted that decision?
i do photograph myself. it has definitely gotten easier over the last few months. i have learned which poses look good and things like that. but i have also decided to take myself less seriously in pictures (face it, i am not a model!) and just have fun with it. and when i made that choice it made a huge difference. i really don't love taking photos of myself and putting them out there for all to see, but i am getting more comfortable with it. and i think it can only get better...i never decide not to post pictures once i have taken them. i just make sure the pictures i take are ones that i don't mind people seeing! and if i have a particularly funny outtake, i kind of love sharing them. you have to laugh at yourself sometimes! 


5. What would you want every person who struggles with body image to
take to heart?
oh man, it gets better. i struggled horribly with negative body image in my teens and twenties. horribly. it is hard work to break out of the way you look at your body and to see it in a new and better light. for me it took a huge thing, my pregnancy and birth of my daughter, to do that (please don't rush out and get pregnant though!). but just know that everybody is different, every body is different, and everybody is beautiful. there are impossible images and standards set by our society. it really is sad and scary. just don't try and attain the impossible. take a good look at yourself and find what you really love about you! everyone is good at something and has something amazing to offer. you are so much more than just your body! 




xoxo, nora bird