All Posts - A Beautiful Mess

2/12

Photography Tips from A Color Story

Did you know that A Color Story has a huge section of photography tips and tutorials on its website? It’s pretty rad, so I wanted to highlight a few for you here in case you hadn’t seen them yet. I don’t know about you, but this time of year I’ll take any extra creative inspiration I can get!

Love this post about great filters to use for food photography. I also just love looking at pretty food photos. Anyone else? 🙂

Here is a tutorial on how to get vibrant blue skies in your photos. Pretty!

Tips for taking photos in direct sunlight. Always such a challenge—love the perspective the author, Katie, shares.

Really love this post about being present while holding a camera. We want to MAKE memories in addition to capturing them with our cameras. Love it!

And if you’re a fan of our design app, A Design Kit, then you might like this tutorial for five ways to use the collage feature. Plus tips for creating clean designs and choosing a color palette.

For so many +packs of filters or effects we have tutorials on how to use them (often written by the creators of the pack) and so much more! And did you know that A Color Story has a marketplace of Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions created by some of our favorite photographers as well as the ACS team? You can also submit to sell your own presets/actions by emailing us at: hello@acolorstory.com.

If you’re looking to up your photo skills (from your smartphone OR a DSLR), check out our website as we’re always looking for ways to add more value. Thanks for letting me share! xo. Emma

2 Comments | leave a comment

2/11

Instant Pot Non-Dairy Yogurt (Cashew + Coconut Options)

Breakfast, Food, Healthy, Small Bites, Sweet

By Laura Gummerman

For those of you who also make a lot of non-dairy choices, I feel like yogurt can be a tricky one. It’s so expensive to buy non-dairy yogurts, almost impossible to find ones without added refined sugar, and to be honest, I just don’t like the taste of most of them. So for a while I just gave up on yogurt altogether. It wasn’t until I got my instant pot that I decided it would be worth a try to make my own and so I’m glad I did! It’s not that hard at all and you can make a small or big batch depending on how much you go through, and you can use different kinds of non-dairy milk to suit your needs. I have an almond sensitivity, so I make coconut and cashew yogurt. I’ll show you how I make those!

For the coconut yogurt:

1 can of full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream works too, try both and see which consistency you like better, although some coconut creams react oddly with the water and separates from it, which you don’t want)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons gelatin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 probiotic capsule (I use this one)

Blend the can of coconut milk and water in a blender until smooth. Add the mixture to your instant pot and set to “boil” to heat up the mixture (my yogurt setting has a boil option if you press the yogurt button a few times, but yours may be different). Once it has boiled and the machine tells you it’s done, check the temperature and make sure it’s hit 180° (if it hasn’t you can run another “boil” cycle to heat it up more). Sprinkle in the gelatin while whisking vigorously so there are no clumps and allow the mixture to cool to about 105°. Using a digital instant read thermometer is by far the easiest way to check temps and you can use it for lots of other recipes too. You can wait 30 minutes or so for it to cool down in the instant pot chamber or you can remove the pot and place it on the counter or in some cool water to speed up the process.

Once 105° is reached, mix in the maple syrup and sprinkle the insides of the probiotic capsule (pull apart the two capsule halves) while whisking to combine. Let yogurt cook on the “yogurt” setting for 12-16 hours (some do up to 24 hours if they want tangier yogurt) and then remove the instant pot lid. The coconut yogurt will still look super watery with a thin white layer on top, so don’t think you’ve failed yet! It needs to set up in the fridge, so give it a whisk to combine again and pour it into a container to finish in the fridge for a few hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Once the yogurt has set, it’s ready to eat!

*Note: Since you are dealing with an item that’s going to ferment, make sure all your utensils, bowls, measuring spoons, etc., are clean and sterilized before use (you can rinse them with boiled water to sterilize).

For the cashew yogurt:

1 cup raw cashews (soak overnight or for 30 minutes in hot water)
2 cups filtered water
1 1/2 teaspoon gelatin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 probiotic capsule (I use this one)

Soak your cashews either overnight in water or for 30 minutes in hot water before making. Rinse the cashews twice in fresh water and add to blender with the filtered water. Blend for several minutes on high until smooth.

Add the mixture to your instant pot and set to “boil” to heat up the mixture (my yogurt setting has a boil option if you press the yogurt button a few times). Once the mixture has boiled and your machine beeps to signal it’s done, check the temperature to see if it’s up to 180° and sprinkle in the gelatin while whisking vigorously so there are no clumps. Allow the mixture to cool to about 105°, and, while whisking, add in the probiotic capsule (open up the two halves and sprinkle it in) and the maple syrup. Cook on the yogurt setting for 12-16 hours (the longer you cook it, the tangier it will be). The mixture will set up more in the fridge, so add it to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. This recipe gives me a thick Greek-style yogurt which I love, but if that’s too thick for you, you can also add more water at the beginning to end up with a thinner yogurt or do a little less gelatin. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

As a side note, I see that a lot of people use about 1/4 cup of already made yogurt in place of the probiotic capsule to get the bacteria going, so that’s an option too. But I just haven’t tried it that way yet—it’s usually gone to where I don’t have any left to add back in! Also, I’ve seen recipes where people do pretty much the same thing but omit the gelatin if they want to make it vegan or add some agar agar instead. I haven’t tried that either, but I would try adding the same amount of agar agar as gelatin the first time you make it and then add more or less the next time if you want different results. You can also double the yogurt recipes above (or triple too, probably) if you want to make more at one time. My favorite way to top these yogurts is with some fruit, granola, and a little bit of honey or maple syrup! Yum! xo. Laura

Instant Pot Non-Dairy Yogurt

Ingredients

For the coconut yogurt:

1 can of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream works too, try both and see which consistency you like better although some coconut creams react oddly with the water and separates from it, which you don’t want
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons gelatin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 probiotic capsule

For the cashew yogurt:

1 cup raw cashews soak overnight or for 30 minutes in hot water
2 cups filtered water
1 1/2 teaspoon gelatin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 probiotic capsule

Instructions

Blend the can of coconut milk and water in a blender until smooth. Add the mixture to your instant pot and set to “boil” to heat up the mixture (my yogurt setting has a boil option if you press the yogurt button a few times, but yours may be different). Once it has boiled and the machine tells you it’s done, check the temperature and make sure it’s hit 180° (if it hasn’t you can run another “boil” cycle to heat it up more).
Sprinkle in the gelatin while whisking vigorously so there are no clumps and allow the mixture to cool to about 105°. Using a digital instant read thermometer is by far the easiest way to check temps and you can use it for lots of other recipes too. You can wait 30 minutes or so for it to cool down in the instant pot chamber or you can remove the pot and place it on the counter or in some cool water to speed up the process.
Once 105° is reached, mix in the maple syrup and sprinkle the insides of the probiotic capsule (pull apart the two capsule halves) while whisking to combine. Let yogurt cook on the “yogurt” setting for 12-16 hours (some do up to 24 hours if they want tangier yogurt) and then remove the instant pot lid.
The coconut yogurt will still look super watery with a thin white layer on top, so don’t think you’ve failed yet! It needs to set up in the fridge, so give it a whisk to combine again and pour it into a container to finish in the fridge for a few hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Once the yogurt has set, it’s ready to eat!
*Note: Since you are dealing with an item that’s going to ferment, make sure all your utensils, bowls, measuring spoons, etc., are clean and sterilized before use (you can rinse them with boiled water to sterilize).

For the cashew yogurt:

Soak your cashews either overnight in water or for 30 minutes in hot water before making. Rinse the cashews twice in fresh water and add to blender with the filtered water. Blend for several minutes on high until smooth.
Add the mixture to your instant pot and set to “boil” to heat up the mixture (my yogurt setting has a boil option if you press the yogurt button a few times). Once the mixture has boiled and your machine beeps to signal it’s done, check the temperature to see if it’s up to 180° and sprinkle in the gelatin while whisking vigorously so there are no clumps. Allow the mixture to cool to about 105°, and, while whisking, add in the probiotic capsule (open up the two halves and sprinkle it in) and the maple syrup.
Cook on the yogurt setting for 12-16 hours (the longer you cook it, the tangier it will be). The mixture will set up more in the fridge, so add it to an airtight container and place in refrigerator. This recipe gives me a thick Greek-style yogurt which I love, but if that’s too thick for you you can also add more water at the beginning to end up with a thinner yogurt or do a little less gelatin. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
*Note: Since you are dealing with an item that’s going to ferment, make sure all your utensils, bowls, measuring spoons, etc., are clean and sterilized before use (you can rinse them with boiled water to sterilize).

Credits//Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

7 Comments | leave a comment

2/10

Episode #17: Wedding Stuff + Traditions We Skipped

podcast, Wedding

By Elsie Larson

This week’s episode is based on a reader question about if there’s anything we’d do differently from our weddings (which were seven and nine years ago now). It was fun to remember our special days and serve up a bit of advice for anyone planning a wedding now. Hope you enjoy it!

You can stream the episode here on the blog or on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, and Stitcher. You can find the podcast posts archive here.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Agility by Therapedic. Emma shares more in the episode but they are having a HUGE sale for President’s Day. If you’ve been looking for a mattress, sheets or pillows, now is a great time to visit their site here. You can save $200 on a queen mattress (or larger) AND you’ll get two free pillows with the purchase. Make sure to check it out! And don’t forget to use the code ‘ABM’ at checkout, they’ll honor the best deal possible for you with that code.

Here are a few photos from Elsie’s wedding:

You can see Elsie’s wedding video here.

Here are a few photos from Emma’s wedding:

-You can see Emma’s wedding video here.

Shout out to Sarah Rhodes who photographed both our weddings and retired from weddings right after Emma’s. She now runs the blog and design company Paro Home.

Other show notes …

-Lol when I say Amy + Tina are hosting the Oscars … oops.

–The Outsider … if you’ve been watching, tell us what you think. We’re on the fence.

We’d love to hear your requests for future episodes! This whole episode was inspired by a listener question! xx. Elsie + Emma

19 Comments | leave a comment

2/9

10 Things I Love Sunday

Window Shopping

By Elsie Larson

Hi! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! This is the time of year that kicks my ass in terms of seasonal blues, so I am glad I have a lot of projects going on to keep me busy and inspired!

1. I ordered a set of these for Nova’s bedroom. They are so creative and I love that they are handmade!

2. I just got this sweatshirt and it’s so comfy.

3. These are the best Easter baskets.

4. I’m so happy when I find our girls a cool band tee—and this Daniel Johnston tee is so cute for Marigold!

5. This coffee mug is SO cute!

6. Cute pastel hair clips (my kids think they are toys!)

7. You know what is fun to shop for on Etsy? Sage smudge bundles (like white sage with rose petals and cedar and white sage). I’ve been collecting some in anticipation of our upcoming move.

8. Rainbow Vans for kiddos! I’m still getting used to how often our kids need new clothing and shoes (ughhhh)—but oh well, I will gladly order these for spring/summer because *rainbows*.

9. This is for sure my favorite sustainable dress brand. I’d love to hear suggestions for other sustainable brands. I have struggled a bit to find brands that align with my style. Let me know if you have any favorites!

10. I’m in love with this vintage rug, but I don’t need it so maybe you do?

xx. Elsie

P.S. I recently posted Marigold’s adoption story. 🙂

12 Comments | leave a comment

2/8

Elsie’s Complete List of Clean Makeup Must-Haves

Clean Living, Makeup, Style

By Elsie Larson

Hello friends! About four years ago, I made the switch to clean beauty and have been trying out different makeup brands and products. In this post, I want to share all the products that have become my go-tos. At first, I tried a few disappointing products, but for the most part I feel like the clean beauty selection has become super solid. Switching to clean beauty has been relatively easy. I tend to find brands I like, who focus intentionally on clean ingredients and keep trying more products from their lines. I’m a bit of a “fan girl” for my favorite beauty brands (and even more hardcore for skincare, which I’ll save for a separate post—I am fanatical for skincare).

I also want to be transparent that my routine is not 100% clean. I’m getting a solid A-, which I can live with. There are a few products I use (which I will still include here) that are conventional makeup (meaning they contain questionable ingredients). My stance on this is that it’s better to have a routine that is 90% clean than to not try at all. Although I have searched and searched, there are a few products that have less than perfect ingredients that I haven’t been able to replace. I share this because we all have one or two vices that maybe we’re not willing to part with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make big improvements! It doesn’t have to be perfection or nothing.

Anyway! Let’s jump into it! Here are all the makeup favorites that I have bought over and over—most of these I have been using for years now!

Foundation:
This category has been the most tricky for me. I am kind of an all-or-nothing makeup wearer, meaning I am comfortable with no makeup days (I’m definitely not someone who worries about leaving the house without makeup), but when I do wear makeup, I want it to look like I am wearing it. I like to have a bare face or a full face of makeup. I have tried half a dozen clean foundations, maybe more, that are too light for my preference. Here’s where I finally ended up …

Jane Iredale Glow Time BB Cream: This is my top choice out of all the clean foundations I have tried. It contains SPF, which I love. It’s a very good product, especially if you prefer your foundation not to look heavy. Although it is labeled “full coverage,” I would consider it medium coverage, but it does offer more coverage than most clean options. It’s definitely my favorite option out there. I also recommend the primer—I use it daily as well.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Foundation: (this is a conventional product) This foundation is my go-to for photo days and other times I want to wear a lot of makeup, like a date night. It’s super full coverage and very nice. Simply put, it’s unbeatable. I blend with a beauty blender and then a flat foundation brush. I still use my Jane Iredale primer under either foundation option.

Concealer:

RMS Beauty Un Cover-Up: If your goal is to quickly cover up an under eye circle or a blemish, this is all you really need. I’ve been using this for years.

2nd Skin Corrector: On days I don’t wear much makeup, I use the yellow and the peach on my undereye circles, and it improves the color significantly without looking like I am wearing makeup JUST on my under eyes. It’s very natural looking.

Eyeshadow: I find it easy to buy way too many eyeshadows and never be able to use them all, so I’ll narrow it down to my two absolute favorites and most used palettes.

Aether Beauty Rose Quartz Crystal Eyeshadow Palette: I use this one pink shadow so often to brighten the inside part of my nose beside my eye. It’s a great palette. I prefer a bit of sparkle, but it’s not over the top by any means.

ILIA Necessary Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Nude: I love this palette for the bright champagne-y white and also the matte orange/peach shade right under it. I use those two colors constantly.

Blush:

ILIA Multi-stick: I use these pretty much 100% of the time now. I personally like the colors that sit somewhere between a reddish tone and a bronzer. They are easy to get a subtle application, but also buildable.

Highlighter:

ILIA Liquid Light Serum Highlighter in Nova: I LOVE highlighter and this is the best I’ve ever used. I used it constantly. Just a drop on my fingertips and I pat the tops of my cheeks with it.

Mascara:

Full disclosure! I wear lash extensions and have for over a year (and on and off before that). I love not wearing mascara and when I did briefly remove them a few months back, I immediately felt compelled to buy false lashes. For me, mascara is never going to be a go-to product. I would rather just wear falsies or nothing. That said, since I know most people love wearing mascara, here are my top picks!

ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer

Eyeliner:

Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner: Another tricky area for me, personally. I don’t wear mascara daily, but when I do I like to do a dramatic cat eye. I’ve tried so many different products and this is the best one, by far.

Brows:
I’ve got micro bladed brows, which is a kind of tattoo. They are perfect for days I am makeup-free, but when I wear makeup I like to fill them in a bit darker.

Ecobrow Defining Wax: I use this with a small brow brush. I like the ability to control it between a subtle brow and something darker. A lot of products I’ve tried are either too subtle or too strong—this one is controllable. I use the color Rita since my hair is reddish brown.

Lipstick:
Lipstick is definitely my guilty pleasure, as far as trying new brands and colors for fun! I like to keep my lip color pretty natural, but I still love experimenting with different products.

Bite Beauty Lip Crayon (in the color Glace): I use this the most and get the most questions about this product. I like to line my lips, but in a subtle way. It makes them look bigger and defines them. I use this alone quite a bit or as a first step.

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Therapy: This is what I am using in the photo above to make my lips super glossy. I wear this to bed every single night; it’s a part of my night routine. It’s the thickest, richest lip gloss ever.

RMS Beauty Lipstick in Brain Teaser: The perfect peachy color.

100% Pure Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick in Plume Pink: My favorite matte lipstick. I wear this when I want more color on my lips. It lasts really well.

I also have LOVED and used our own brand, Oui Fresh. My most worn lipstick is Buffy. I wear all the glosses, but my favorites are Central Perk and Jelly Shoes. We’ve decided to stop making them, although it was so much fun to try it out! You can buy one lip product and get THREE free—no discount code is needed, but you have to add four glosses or lipsticks to your cart for the discount to show.

Are there any categories of makeup I missed or specific items you’re curious about? I’d love to chat more with you in the comments!!!

XOXO! Elsie

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

25 Comments | leave a comment

2/7

#AColorStory: New Filter +Pack with Kesha!!

A Color Story, ABM Apps

By Ana Elliott

If the party don’t start ’til we collaborate with Kesha, then drop the confetti + pop the champagne! We’re excited to announce our newest FREE filter +pack, High Road, to celebrate Kesha’s newest album.

Photo courtesy of Kesha, edited with Chasing Thunder in #HighRoad

Photo courtesy of Kesha, edited with High Road in #HighRoad

Chasing Thunder, High Road, and Tonight all feature custom light leaks. The light leak from Chasing Thunder grazes both the left and right hand sides of the frame, giving a rainbow effect. High Road gives a distinct orangey-pink leak—dreamy, like a jet stream at sunset! ✨Tonight is for the bold, with an orange light leak featuring hard lines.

Photo courtesy of Kesha, edited with Tonight in #HighRoad

Photo courtesy of Kesha, edited with Cowboy Blues in #HighRoad

Cowboy Blues (pictured directly above) features a stunning combination of rust and teal, giving us all the nostalgic vibes from this unplugged track by the same name. Finally, BFF (below) is one of the most unique filters, not only from the High Road filter +pack, but from our whole app! BFF is a one-tap edit that turns beige toward lilac and blue toward a neon yellow. The intricacies of this filter make it look completely different depending on the photo you use it on, which is really fun!

Photo courtesy of Kesha, edited with BFF in #HighRoad

We can’t wait to see your photos using the filters from #HighRoad. Be sure to use the hashtag on your edits, and we’ll share a few of our favorites!

xo, Team ACS

1 Comment | leave a comment

Older posts

Newer posts