Summer to Fall with Ashely Olsen

This time of year, when the weather down here looks like summer and occasionally feels like fall despite what the calendar says, I start panicking when picking out my clothes in the morning. This past weekend, I pulled every single skirt out of my closet in a fruitless attempt to wear something cute for work. I decided to look up some inspiration on outfits that would be great for this transitional period between seasons. I'm a fan of the Olsen twins and their effortless, comfortable style. I tend to gravitate towards Ashley's style more often, so these are 4 outfits of hers that I love, despite what year it was when she wore them.

Ashely made a lot of great choices in her outfits. She wore a long-sleeved dress that was shorter and flowy, when she wore short sleeves she paired them with pants, and when she wore longer sleeves she didn't wear bulky fabric and paired them with shorts. Personally, I'm excited at the prospect of pulling out some of my light weight scarves, even though it's still warm outside.

Before this, I usually struggled through this time of year with awkward fashion pairings and annoyance with the weather. I should look to the Olsens whenever I have a clothing crisis, they always make the best fashion choices while being completely comfortable, which is what I'm all about.

Insta-Becca: Sweet Things

An amazing red velvet cupcake from my new favorite bakery

Apologies for Friday- if you follow me closely you know that I post 3 days a week- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I was busy with work, meetings, and scheduled outings all of Friday as well as the days surrounding it. On Thursday and Friday I celebrated my sister's birthday, and sent well wishes to a dear friend's birthday at the end of the week. I also was reminded of the value of hard work and how much feet can hurt after a shift at a retail store.

This coming week I'm looking forward to the possibility of another job opportunity. I'm also jumping at the chance to eat some healthier meals this week... some of which you might see here soon!

Screenshot from a video I sent to a friend wishing her happy birthday with Abby's help

An appropriate #TBT for my big sister on her birthday. This photo came from my mom's dresser.

Noticing the beauty of ordinary things- like my view from a parking spot in a garage

A refreshing snack before work- red grapes and frozen mango from Trader Joe's (it tastes like frozen yogurt!)

For more photos and fun, follow me at miss_beccabecca on Instagram!

Do something creative this week!

10 Best Instagram Accounts to Follow

In case it wasn't obvious, I love Instagram. I post a photo nearly every day to my account: miss_beccabecca. I also manage the Instagram accounts for two non-profits, but I'll talk more about that later. I'm so obsessed with Instagram that every Monday I show my 5 favorite photos of the previous week  (check out my latest Insta-Becca post). And this week I decided to list my 10 favorite accounts to follow.

I love seeing Top 10's of anything, so I went through all of the accounts I follow and chose the ones with photos that I tend to stop at regularly and like while I'm scrolling through my feed. This list is no particular order. I'm also not giving any bias to celebrity accounts. Sorry Justin Bieber, but just because you're famous and take a lot of selfies doesn't make your Instagram a good one (Disclaimer: I do not follow Justin Bieber).

designlovefest comes from the Bri, whose amazingly creative blog is one I've been following for years. She does tons of photo shoots that are always guaranteed to be fun and colorful.

fullyrawkristina hails from Houston and runs the largest produce co-op in the nation. She is a raw vegan and has a great youtube channel that encourages people to be healthy and shows recipes that only require fruits and veggies. Her photos are so bright and vibrant, they make produce look irresistible!

csiriano is the account of clothing designer Christian Siriano, who you might remember won Project Runway Season 4. You probably also know him because he has been killing it in fashion ever since. Tons of celebrities wear his clothes and I love the way he plays with volume. His account shows photos of the design process that include sketches, dressmaking, and the final product like this photo from his 2015 spring collection.

stylemesustainable comes from Jessika, the eco fashion and lifestyle blogger. Her account has these cool little snapshots of her life, half of which take place outside, and all of which includes something eco-friendly.

keeoone is the account of Keegan Allen, who plays Toby on Pretty Little Liars. You may be surprised to find out that he is a great photographer. He does shots of both people and landscapes. He uses light in a really neat way and has a photography book coming out in February.

couldihavethat features photos take by Samantha, a fashion and lifestyle blogger. Her photos are minimalistic and refreshing. It's inspiring to see that not a lot needs to be going on to make a good photo.

nasa has one of the best Instagram accounts out there. Do you like colors? Do you like space? Do you like anything awesome? Then follow nasa! Any age or gender would appreciate the photos. This is the account for everyone.

laurenconrad posts photos that are just so pretty. The colors are toned down (someone likes the Nashville filter) and browsing through her account makes you feel relaxed. She is the only celebrity on this list but I think that her soft and breezy photos deserve a shout out.

emilyschuman is run by Emily of the lifestyle blog Cupcakes & Cashmere. I've been reading her blog for many years and the photos taken by her and her husband are wonderful. Her interests in fashion, food, and entertaining are what drew me to her account. The creativity never stops- seriously, a Halloween-themed candy bar?!

villageshouston is the account I run for the fair trade, non-profit store Ten Thousand Villages. Fair trade is something that I've supported since I was 15 and I am still passionate about it. Even if you're not wild about fair trade or don't know much about it, you can learn about it through the website or the account. I post daily photos, usually of products that come to the store from an artisan in a developing country who receives fair wages because of fair trade.

There it is! There are so many Instagram accounts out there to follow. It was hard choosing my favorites. I'm always on the lookout for more inspiring people to follow. Let me know what your favorites are!

Insta-Becca: Letters & Dreamcatchers

A shot of my car decor on a particularly good day

This past week had its moments. I started training at a new job and attended a young adult gathering with people from my church for the first time. Today, I'm looking forward to what will happen this week. I'm excited to continue learning and training at my job. My sister's birthday is on Thursday this week as well! I learned that she asked for some nice luggage from my parents for travel, and so I jumped at the opportunity to get her some fun things she doesn't really need. I'll share more next week on the presents that I'm gifting to her. Stay tuned!

Some great love I received via snail mail from a friend

I was forced by my Facebook app to get the messenger app. That's right, I waited that long. I wasn't mad because they used this cartoon in the message. My sister and I are quite in love with it because we think it's an otter with a suitcase. It might be another animal, but we're ruling that it's an otter.

Happy to see Bethany Mota on the cover of Seventeen this month! I've been subscribed to her for the past 3 years on YouTube, and it's so cool to see all the success she's had lately!

Feeling this positive quote and the great graphic quality

Remember to follow me on my Instagram to get daily photos!

Have a great week friends!!!!

Favorite Everyday Products

I've been wanting to do a post like this for a while. There are products, mainly makeup and hair care, that I reach for at least every other day. Every product on my list I've been using for over 6 months. I've been using some of them for years. Like most people, I'm loyal to products that work well with my skin and hair so I keep re-purchasing them. As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

So I got together my absolute favorite products that I use nearly every day. I scattered them on the rug in my room (isn't it a great rug?) and I'm pleased to see that the items can be purchased on a fairly low budget.

1. Small Polybands in Clear- These bad boys are so wonderful to have around. If I ever tie back half of my hair or do a braid, using a small clear elastic looks so much better than a bulky black elastic band. Be careful though, they disappear quicker than bobby pins!

2. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette- Such a great staple for a makeup collection. I got this last Christmas and I still use it often. All but one of the six colors are matte and they have great color payoff. Don't underestimate a good neutral eye look. You can bet that I'm planning on getting the new Naked2 Basics Palette!

3. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray- I use this spray to enhance my naturally wavy hair. You can use it on wet or dry hair. Typically, I use it on my hair after a shower when it is half-dry by scrunching hair as I spray. I also have its companion, the texturizing cream that makes hair curlier, but it's not necessary.

4. Suave Dry Shampoo- This is a product I always have on hand. I try to go two days between washes so that my hair stays healthy. My hair tends to get oily after a day (because I'm human) so this dry shampoo saves me every time. It also smells incredible and adds great volume to my roots. The shampoo itself is a light color, so people with darker hair have to make sure they rub it in. Oh, and did I mention that it is under $3?

5. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment in Brightener- Quite a long name for such a little thing. If you haven't heard of this product, I'm pleased to introduce the both of you. However, you probably have heard of this since it's a well-known favorite among many. It does a great job on dark circles, especially if you have allergy eyes like mine. It's easy to blend and has good staying power. If you have fair skin, I recommend getting the Brightener shade, it's more pink and it lights up your face.

6. Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation- This foundation took the place of my usual Revlon Colorstay, which by the way is a great product. This has great coverage and can also double as a concealer. It looks best on my skin when I apply it with a buffing brush. Just a warning- you'll try to keep the cap clean, but it will ultimately get messy.


What are your everyday products that you would recommend? What do you think of my roundup?

Beauty Inspiration: Skins

I've been a fan of the UK show Skins for a while now. The series has ended, but it's on Netflix for anytime I want to re-watch the greatness. I liked each generation equally, and I loved the 3 characters they featured in the last season 7. Out of each generations, there was always a girl whose makeup/hair/style was inspiring to me. Just looking at photos makes me want to start experimenting more with makeup.


Effy

Her usual look, which consisted of fairly bare skin with a smudgy, smoky eye look.

I love this close-up shot of her eye makeup in the episode where they all go camping in the woods.

The evolution of Effy's makeup and style can be seen in this photo from season 7. Effy works in an office so her outfits are nicer and her eye makeup has been toned down a bit and she wears more color on her cheeks.


Cassie

Cassie is probably my favorite character in the entire series. Most often she looks like this, with a very real no-makeup makeup look. You can tell that she wears no eye makeup and probably only wears a bit of foundation for the show. Her hair is almost always natural as well, and I'm often inspired to let my hair be, since it looks remarkably close to her's when natural.

On the rare occasions where Cassie gets done up, it's stunning. She is such a quirky individual that her style reflects that. The second picture is a cool look that I'd have a lot of fun replicating. The third photo is the crazy makeup Cassie wears as a model in season 7, which the show juxtaposes with her just as beautiful natural face.


Mini

Mini is fascinating as an "it girl" character that is quite insecure and emotional at the same time. I love her style and how she is able to pile on bracelets, necklaces, and big earrings on top of an already girly outfit.

I really want those earrings in the second photo. I love that the makeup artists on the show didn't cover up her freckles with foundation but enhanced her natural beauty. Her hair is usually in messy spiral curls that I ought to try more.


There are so many girls that have looked stunning on Skins. These three are my top go-tos for inspiration, but there were others that I looked to as well. Runner ups would probably include Emily's cute outfits and some of Franky's nice makeup moments.

Insta-Becca: Three Different Trees

New set of Thank You Card Stationary and black fountain pens from Paper Source

This past week caught me off guard. I've received letters from friends in the mail and also felt love from those who have received letters from me recently. I was hired to work in a store that I love, where I get to be creative and inspired by the items around me. To cap it all off, yesterday I was asked by a couple in my church if I would sing for their wedding early next year. All of my talents are gifts from God that he has lent me, and to see people appreciating them everywhere is a wonderful feeling.

Words I always see on my way toward downtown Houston on I-45

A great shot of Abby after we walked around the park but before we visited Pet Depot

A close-up shot of some excellent woodworking that will be auctioned by my church at the Texas Mennonite Sale & Auction for World Relief this November. This mancala game is made of wood from 3 different trees- maple, cherry, and oak. This comes from the Instagram account, which I started recently. Follow here to see more!

Big smiles from me and and a best friend after we ate some great Indian food and went shopping in weird stores.

Follow me here on Instagram to see photos like this daily! Have a great week!