All Posts - A Beautiful Mess

8/30

#AColorStory: New Filter +Pack with Tour De Lust

By Ana Elliott

Our newest filter +pack is here! We teamed up with travel and lifestyle blogger Christine Tran (AKA Tour de Lust) to create Jetsetter, inspired by her worldwide travels. If you’ve followed Christine’s blog, you know how she has a talent for highlighting the beauty in each location, and we’re so excited to release these filters with her!

I mean, just look at the above photo from Scotland!! Amazing. We’ve definitely gotten a touch of wanderlust as we’ve been working on this +pack!

Photo by Tour de Lust, edited with Marrakesh in #AColorStoryJetsetter

The Jetsetter filter +pack focuses on softening shadows while maintaining color and adding hues of coral, orange and blush. These filters are designed for travel and landscapes, but the soft tones also work great on portraits! Let’s take a look at a few more. ????

Photo by Tour de Lust, edited with Puerto Rico in #AColorStoryJetsetter

Photo by Tour de Lust, edited with Positano in #AColorStoryJetsetter

Jetsetter contains 12 filters perfect for your next vacation or even reliving past travel memories! It’s available to download NOW in the app, and as always, ACS+ members will get it for free! Tag us in your edits using #AColorStoryJetsetter, and let us know, where would you jetset to?

xo, Team ACS

3 Comments | leave a comment

8/30

Best At-Home Mojito Recipe

Classic Cocktails, Cocktails, Cold, Food, Rum

By Emma Chapman

Sipping on a mojito always tastes like I’m on vacation. It’s just one of those drinks that I tend to order when I’m on a beach, and since I live in the middle of the country this only happens on vacation trips. That being said, a mojito is an awesome cocktail to make at home too. It’s simple, refreshing, and is the perfect cocktail to make this weekend as many of us wave goodbye to summer. This is the best at-home mojito recipe and I know you’ll love it as much as I do.

Also, if you happen to have stumbled on this post in the dead of winter, I still think a mojito is a fun cocktail to choose. I’d try sipping this in front of a sunlight lamp or with all the lights on and watching your favorite beach-themed movie. (Can you tell I’m already planning how I’ll cope with the post-holiday winter season this year? Ha.)

Usually mojitos are made with white rum, and this is the kind I usually have on hand at home. It’s good for more flavorful or tiki-style cocktails, not necessarily a good rum just for sipping. And most often a mojito is topped off with club soda, but when I make it at home I like to use a lime-flavored soda water. This brand is from Target but any brand (LaCroix, Bubly, etc.) is great.

In the recipe below you’ll see that muddling the mint leaves is an important step. If you don’t have a muddler, you can use a spoon or even a reusable straw. The goal is to really smash the mint leaves in the mix so they release their oils, as this enhances the flavor as well as the smell.

And major bonus points if you use chipped ice. This really elevates any at-home drink. I will sometimes buy a bag from Sonic and keep it in my freezer, especially if I’m hosting a party and will need extra ice anyway. But any ice is fine, don’t get too hung up on that. 🙂 Cheers! xo. Emma

5 from 1 vote

Best At-Home Mojito

Servings 1

Ingredients

2 1/2 ounces white rum
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
8 + fresh mint leaves
lime flavored club soda

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, add the rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint leaves. Muddle (smash) the mint leaves well. Add ice and shake the cocktail, then strain into a tall glass such as a Collins or Highball glass. Add ice and top off with the club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.
You can buy simple syrup or make your own. The simplest way is to combine equal parts water and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved, and do not allow the mixture to boil. Cool and use as needed, or store in a container in the refrigerator and use for months as needed.

Recipe Notes

You can use any rum but white rum is traditional. And you can use plain club soda instead of lime flavored, but I think lime flavored is just a little better.

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

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8/29

How I Turned My Carport Into An Outdoor Porch (Before + After)

Before/After, Home Decor, Home Tour: Laura, Outdoor Spaces, Room Tour

By Laura Gummerman

You know how some seasons in life are defined by certain projects? Well, this summer our main goal has been stepping up our game in our outdoor space and the biggest item on the list was completing a carport makeover so we could use it as a large covered porch! I really wanted it to feel like you were on the porch of a fun Airbnb in Palm Springs and so far it’s been a game changer in our outdoor/entertaining life. I’ll show you all the changes we made just in time to enjoy the end of summer and the start of fall …

When we moved in four years ago, the house was a dark red brick with forest green accents and always reminded of me of a sad Christmas-themed house. So I was thrilled with the huge difference from painting the house white a year later. SO MUCH BETTER. Since we had the walls, ceiling, and breeze block half-wall painted, we had to decide if we wanted to mess with painting/staining/tiling the floor. But ultimately we decided to leave the concrete and just give it a good power wash with a degreasing soap before setting out the furniture. While it didn’t get out all the rust stains, it did lighten the color overall and got rid of any dark algae areas.

We love the simple modern design of our outdoor dining table and those pink chairs are absolute Palm Springs perfection! Also, that trellis screen behind the table separating it from the other porch is a DIY I did a few years ago and it’s still holding up perfectly!

Oh man, I thought that breeze block wall was so fun when we moved in and I love how it looks as a part of this space now—I feel like it finally gets a chance to shine! While I love the look of metal wire chairs, sometimes you need a little more cushioning, so these sheepskin seat pads are the perfect toppers for them.

I also wanted a large outdoor rug that would be reversible and easy to clean, and this one was a perfect neutral tone to lighten up the space.

A hanging chair was high on my wishlist once I realized every porch photo I was drawn to on Pinterest had one and I ended up getting one from Target (it’s sold out now) and painting it white to match (here’s a similar one and a more budget-friendly option). So far, it’s been great for reading or sitting with our toddler while eating popsicles together.
We had some really old, small light fixtures in the space that weren’t in great condition (and weren’t centered correctly either). So we moved the light locations and added these sleek fans so we could have lights when needed, but also fans as it gets pretty hot and humid here in Tennessee. Todd thought immediately that the fans also help keep mosquitos away, so there’s that benefit too! The fans also come with a remote so we can adjust the speed with the touch of a button—nice!

We also wanted some moody night lighting in the space, so we got these patio string lights (two strands) and suspended them from the ceiling in a zig-zag pattern with small cup hooks. We also added a dimmer switch that has a remote so we can control exactly how much mood we want at night. I also love having the overhead patio lights really dim and then turning on our three rattan lanterns … it’s really nice to have soft light coming from overhead and from the ground below at the same time.

Having comfortable seating around our fire table was important, so we really wanted a comfy modern outdoor couch and this one is perfect! It’s cozy, roomy, and can be easily cleaned as we found out when a super strong wind knocked a plant over in a storm and blew wet black dirt alllll over the new couch. It all came off by just hosing it down! That white woven chair next to the couch is also a perfect outdoor Palm Springs vibe …
We love the fire table and the clear glass fire rocks inside of it make it look extra special—so dreamy on a chilly night. It has a cover so Lola doesn’t play with the rocks and a tank holder to hide the propane tank next to the couch (with a heavy plant on top so she can’t open that lid). We leave the fire table disconnected when not in use so there aren’t any issues with Lola being in the space with us during the day.

We also wanted to have some side tables around the seating for setting beverages on, etc., so we chose two of these teak tables and I feel like they compliment the space really well.

That runner with the stars was a DIY that I added to this rug and the little starbursts are perfect for the mid-century feel. I also love lots of greenery in outdoor spaces, and if you live near Nashville, Gardens of Babylon is one of my favorite spots for all things green.

My husband is such a big gamer, so we made a modern dartboard cabinet and keeping our deck nice is important to me, so we got a deck box to keep pillows and chair cushions in when not in use.

I’m sure you can see why we love the space and it’s been so fun to entertain outside and enjoy the fire table after all the babies are in bed. I’m looking forward to using this space as fall hits and it cools down a little, so it’s a big plus that we have three out of four seasons where we can use the area. Hope this helped inspire some of your outdoor plans! xo. Laura

Credits//Author: Laura Gummerman. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop. Sectional, chair, tables, dining chairs, c/o Article. Fans c/o Schoolhouse Electric.

33 Comments | leave a comment

8/28

Kid-Friendly Diffuser Blends

Clean Living, Kiddo

By Elsie Larson

Hello friends! I’m excited to share a couple kid-friendly diffuser blends with you today.

By far my most used blend for Nova is Sleep blend (similar here). It’s perfect because it contains lavender and frankincense (along with other oils) and smells so soothing for bedtime. I put a drop on her piggies every once in a while too, especially after they come out of the washing machine. She knows them by that familiar scent now. I love that!

A cheerful blend! This is definitely not a sleep blend, but a great blend for playtime and long weekends at home. It’s my favorite sunny, mood lifting blend. I LOVE lemongrass and blood orange together. You have to try it!

My 24/7 go-to. If I had to choose one blend for the rest of my life, this is it! I love it. My husband has always loved fir tree candles (year round not just at the holidays), so he enjoys this blend as well.

It’s actually what we’re doing for our China hotel room blend. If you’ve never traveled with a diffuser, I HIGHLY recommend it. We started doing it last summer and it’s a game changer. What’s great is that when you come into your room it always smells like home. I’m hoping it will be very comforting for Nova since we have to change hotels quite often on our trip. The other reason I think it’s so important is that with kids we’re eating AND doing diaper changes in the same hotel room … not ideal. So keeping a diffuser running helps a lot!

I am so passionate about the ritual of essential oils. Having a blend I use for sleep (or even just lavender oil alone) and something I use to start my day each day has been a positive change for me. It’s just as important as my morning coffee (which is pretty important!).

I hope this was helpful. Even if you don’t have kids, these are excellent blends to work into your daily life!

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

Note: This post is pre-scheduled. I am currently on my maternity leave with baby Marigold (!!!!!!!), so if I don’t respond to your comment, don’t worry, someone else on our team will. I am so grateful for the opportunity to take a little time to bond with our new baby. But I left a bunch of posts in the drafts for you to enjoy while I’m away. See you on the other side! xx

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8/27

Career Advice I’d Give My 20-Year-Old Self

Business Tips, Tips

By Emma Chapman

I don’t have a time machine, but if I did, here is the career advice I would go back in time and tell 20-year-old Emma. Many of the things I’m about to talk about are things I also look for when I’m interviewing for new positions at our companies. So they don’t just apply to 20-year-olds either.

Be Passionate.

It’s easy to be passionate when you get to work at your dream job, but what about all the other jobs on the way there? I would recommend being passionate at those jobs too. And if you can help it, just be passionate about life! The word “passionate” can have a few different definitions, so more specifically you should aim to be an excited and enthusiastic person at work (and again, generally, if you can). And here’s the good news—you are 100% in control of your attitude. You might not yet have that dream job you want, but you do have control over how passionately you live. Because here’s the thing—if you are excited and enthusiastic at work you are probably WAY more fun to work with than someone who doesn’t care or gives off the vibe that they are just there for the paycheck. You will probably have more fun at work if you are passionate and I promise anyone who has to work around you will prefer a passionate, enthusiastic person over the alternative. Plus, you can learn skills. I can teach almost anyone new skills they might lack for a job. But what I cannot teach is how to be passionate, and that’s because your attitude is entirely up to you, not your boss or manager.

If you want to stand out at an interview (especially one where you might be slightly under qualified), be passionate. If you want to be a joy to work with, be excited to be there. If you want to learn and get everything you can out of your current job, whether you love it or not, be enthusiastic. This doesn’t mean you have to show up to work yelling about how happy you are to learn Excel that day. Your outward expression of being passionate about work/life is going to look unique to you. It’s all about your inner attitude.

Stay Curious.

The goal here is to never stop learning; learning about your role, the company, how things work, how they could be better, and so on. Curious people are the ones who innovate. Curiosity also shows that you actually care about what you do. It’s good to do your job exactly as you were trained to. That’s good. But you know what’s great? Learning how to do your job better than you were trained to. And that’s not possible unless you stay curious and engaged with your work. It might be as simple and learning to get stubborn stains out of a client’s laundry (I used to clean houses as a job years ago) or you might figure out a way to save the big business you work at thousands of dollars a year. (And if you do, at your next evaluation I would certainly bring it up and ask for a raise.)

I totally get that not every job is as interesting as others, but there is almost always something new to learn. This pushes us to grow. This can help us stand out from our peers at work. And if you own a small business like me, then you know that you HAVE to accept the fact that things will change every single year and if you don’t change too, eventually your business may struggle or even die. Curiosity is key to growth and it’s a good mindset habit to cultivate at any age.

Broaden Your Interests.

I think this piece of advice is especially important for those who are just starting out in their careers or even if they aren’t totally sure what they want to do yet. If you are looking to start a business, I do think getting specific in a niche can help. But if you are just trying to figure out what to do or what you might be good at or enjoy, then I would cast a wide net! I think I started off in my career being way too specific in what I wanted to do (you can read more about that here). A better approach would have been to try a lot of different things. Pay attention to the types of environments you work well in (Do you like to work on a team or independently?). Pay attention to what motivates you to achieve more (Do you like teamwork or do you like to compete with others or yourself?). Eventually finding a job that you enjoy as well as pays your bills (which to me is the very definition of a dream job) might be a long road. It might have a lot of twists and turns. Try to accept these are part of the learning process and the journey. If you are too specific in what you think your dream job should be, you might miss out on something even better! xo. Emma

Credits // Author: Emma Chapman. Photo: Janae Hardy.

16 Comments | leave a comment

8/26

Oui Fresh Warehouse Sale!

Oui Fresh

By Keely Rust

We are so excited to announce our BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR—and it’s live now! Every single thing in the shop is discounted (except for subscriptions). Here are some of the deals we’ll be having …

We’ll be having a countdown sale on all of our lip products! Monday they’ll be $10, Tuesday $9, Wednesday $8, Thursday $7, and Friday $5. If you know you want a certain color, don’t wait! We will for sure be selling out of some colors on day one. We’ll also be having $3 mystery lip glosses and $4 mystery lipsticks. It’ll be a fun surprise!

Everyone’s favorite MYSTERY BOXES are back! Just $15 for at least $50 worth of beauty, in some cases it will be $100+. I couldn’t believe how fast these went last time, so definitely don’t wait if you want to pick up one or a few. You can split up the products for gifts, too! I’m definitely thinking ahead to the holidays and getting some gifts.

We will be having $6 sunglasses!! Yep, just $6 for kiddo and adult sunnies.

We’ve got $10 tees and $15 sweatshirts!

and ALL essential oils are on sale for 25% off. These won’t last long!

As you can see, this sale is absolutely bananas. EVERYTHING is on sale and the discounts are deep! We are anticipating selling out of a lot of these items quickly, so if you know you want them, don’t wait! Click here to visit the sale!

xo, Team Oui Fresh

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