The Modern Girl is back with more tips, hacks & beauty fun! From author and trend expert Jane Buckingham, (formerly of the Style channel), founder of Trendera and newly crowned Job Genius of the new ABC Family Show “Job or No Job,”
THE MODERN GIRLS GUIDE TO LIFE (on sale 9/29/15) has been completely revamped for a new generation of MG’s. A lot has changed over the past decade, and leave it to Jane to keep us Modern Girls up-to-date!
Covering everything from parties to porn, interviewing to Instagramming, crockpot cooking to cosmetics, and all that’s in-between, The Modern Girls Guide to Life doesn’t try to tell you how to be perfect. It simply tells you the stuff you need to know, but no one thinks to tell you—like how your shape wear can get uncomfortably hot unless it contains cotton (good to know before you find yourself sweating away your blowout at the company holiday party).
I have been a long time fan of Jane Buckingham and will provide a review to share with all of my Modern Girls very soon!
Check out the recipe (below) that’s Sunday Brunch approved! Why not serve something different from the normal Mimosa or Bellani? Poptail’s are made with Fruttare Frozen Fruit Bars. Each one is:
Made with real fruit
Sourced from sustainably farmed fruit like strawberries, bananas, coconuts and limes
Appealing for all types of fruit lovers with nine refreshing varieties including Mango, Pineapple and Strawberry
Fruttare Frozen Fruit Bars are available at local retailers including Walmart, Ahold-Giant Food, Safeway, Shop Rite and Target. Plus, they’re a tasty treat you can feel good about eating.
Mango Banana Sunshine Poptails
2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2 Fruttare® Mango Fruit and Juice Bars, chopped
1 1/2 cups ice cubes(about 9 to 11)
1 small banana, broken into chunks
3 Tbsp. orange juice
Process all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into 2 cocktail glasses.
Nutritional Information 2 servings :
Calories 120.00 , Calories from Fat 0 , Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbs 29.00 g, Dietary Fiber 1.0 g, Sugars 19.00 g, Protein 1.00 g, Vitamin A 6.0 %, Vitamin C 40.0 %, Calcium 0 %, Iron 0 %
A new school year can turn even the most organized kitchen into a chaotic mess. Whether you’re off to college, or sending your little one to their first day of school, keeping the kitchen in order can be hectic!
Check out tips from KptnCook App, helping us get our kitchen’s back-to-school ready. Follow these tried and tested back-to-school suggestions for a stress-free start to the semester!
Fresh start
There’s nothing like an untidy pantry to send your cooking motivation into a tailspin. Set some time aside to clear everything out of your cupboards and give the shelves a good wipe down. Throw out anything that is past the use by date, and any products you know won’t be eaten, looking at your pawpaw pretending to be mango. Be unmerciful and make some room!
The essentials
Having all the basics at your fingertips makes meal prep easy as pie – which incidentally, can be a little tricky to make. Ensure you have these essential items in your pantry:
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Dried herbs and spices including; oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, chili, turmeric and coriander, paprika, allspice, nutmeg, cumin and cinnamon. Don’t forget fresh garlic too
Flour, and sugar
Grains such as; pasta, rice, quinoa and buckwheat
Canned goods including; chickpeas, lentils, white beans, corn, tomatoes, and tuna
Within arm’s reach
Gather all the kitchen utensils and gadgets, and group them into most used and least used. Place your most used items nearest to your cooking area and the least used things further away. This way, for example, your baking tins aren’t getting in the way of the toaster, which you use every morning.
Stock up on kitchen supplies
Make those leftovers more accessible with a selection of different sized clear containers. If you have these at your disposal, you can scoop up any leftovers and have them for lunch the next day. They are also a handy for neatly storing herbs and spices. Bonus tip: if you freeze your leftovers make sure you label what it is and when you put it in the freezer.
Cooking inspiration
Getting dinner cooked and on the table is a key source of stress for Americans, with 33 percent saying that cooking healthy meals is a constant worry*. To reduce stress levels, these blogs are always a good source of inspiration:
Tune in to watch the first-ever national U.S. broadcast of We Day, featuring First Lady Michelle Obama, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, Jennifer Hudson along with inspiring young Americans celebrating the ‘We’ Movement
We Day airs commercial-free on ABC, Friday, August 21, 2015 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
We Day, in collaboration with ABC, invites families to tune in to the first-ever U.S. national broadcast of We Day, airing commercial-free on August 21, 2015 at 8/7pm CT.
Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson, Common, Tyrese Gibson, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Aniston, The Band Perry, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Rico & Raini Rodriguez, Paul Rudd, Josh Gad, Colbie Caillat, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Macklemore, Lupe Fiasco, Shay Mitchell, Dennis Haysbert and Kid President will come together to encourage young Americans to be engaged, active citizens and make a difference in their local and global communities. The First Lady will also share an inspiring message to young Americans; watch Michelle Obama’s video here.
Michelle Obama
The broadcast, timed just as kids in the U.S. are heading back to school, is meant to bring families across America together for the most important conversations they’ll have all year to explore and discuss social issues faced by today’s youth and how they can take action on the issues they care about. Bullying, struggles with body image, the environment, inner-city violence and literacy are only a handful of the social issues that will be covered in We Day, which features international activists and We Day co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger along with iconic celebrities, international activists, and inspiring young Americans that have dealt with these issues first-hand. We Day challenges families to tune in and become a part of the growing movement that is motivating students to take action on issues and create systemic change in communities around the world.
“I am so proud to be part of We Day. Connecting with hundreds of thousands of youth that are determined to make this world a better place is so inspiring,” said Selena Gomez, Host of We Day. “By coming together, young people are empowered to take action on issues they care about and make an impact – We Day is the movement that sparks inspiration and leads to action. I believe that this is the generation that will change the world, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.”
“Today’s generation of young people have the power to create and lead real systematic change,” said We Day co-founder, Craig Kielburger. “From bake sales and coin drives, clothing drives and awareness campaigns, youth across America are taking action on local and global issues they care about, and are being caring global citizens in the process. We’re so excited to lead the conversation on August 21st and help families discuss issues that have an effect on such a large part of our youth population. We are all about encouraging youth to take a stand for their passions, and we hope our message will shine through to the whole family and leave a lasting impression.”
On August 21st at 8/7pm CT tune in to ABC to watch the first-ever U.S. commercial-free, one-hour broadcast of We Day. Celebrating a generation committed to changing their world, We Day features inspiring stories of young Americans. Joined by host Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson, Nick Jonas, Common, Tyrese Gibson, Demi Lovato, The Band Perry and more. We Day is made possible by national title sponsor Allstate, presenting sponsors Unilever and Microsoft YouthSpark, and supported by Walgreens and ABC. Check out we.org for more information. You won’t want to miss it!
About the We Day Movement
We Day is the movement of our time – a movement of young people leading local and global change. We Day celebrates and inspires this generation’s shift from me to we – towards acting with intention, leading with compassion, and a belief in the power of community. We Day is one of the world’s largest registered charities on social media, with more than five million followers. This year alone over 200,000 young people will come together in 15 stadium gatherings across the U.S. Canada and UK to take part in this unprecedented educational initiative.
More than a one-day event, We Day is connected to a year-long free educational program, which provides educational resources and campaigns to help young people turn the day’s inspiration into sustained action. We Day and the year-long educational program are cause inclusive, empowering young people to find their passion and create the change they want to see. Together they are a blueprint for building the next generation of global citizens.
Consumers are increasingly more aware that fruits and vegetables that are in-season, harvested closer to their peak ripeness, and transported shorter distance retain more nutrients. However, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, it is estimated that the average American meal still travels about 1,500 miles to go from picked to plate.
In fact, the National Grocery Association’s 2014 Consumer Panel found that more locally grown foods and price/cost savings topped the list of the improvements desired most among the shoppers surveyed.
Today, BJs Wholesale Club is shortening the distance from farm to table by buying fresh produce from local Maryland farms and getting it onto Maryland club shelves in under 24 hours:
BJs local producesourcing is at the lead of a growing trend. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), industry estimates suggest that local food sales in America have nearly doubled in recent years, jumping from $5 billion in 2008 to $11.7 billion in 2014.
In Maryland, BJs is offering Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant and Corn from Arnold Farms in Chestertown; Miller Farms in Clinton and Vincent Farms in Del Mar.
It’s almost time for Back-to-School which means parents everywhere are preparing healthy lunch options for the kids. Long gone are the days of offering a bag of potato chips with a soda on the side. We’ve learned through research that fruits, vegetables, and proteins enable kids to be more productive and happier. With all of the processed food, allergies and hunger pains kids have, a boring, uninspiring or less-than-nutritious lunch won’t cut it.
A healthy and affordable homemade lunch will keep kids energized all day!
Create meal solutions with BJs Wholesale Club food and merchandise. From cereal to apple juice, BJs has what you’re looking for at a great price. The store’s organized to help families shop in a timely fashion. It’s also easy to comparison shop with price tags centered directly in front of the merchandise.
BJs offer’s in store coupons that can be sent in the mail or picked up at the store. Lastly, after you’ve filled your basket with goodies, there’s the option to self-checkout or enter a line with a cashier. From my experience both moved quickly helping families to spend their time wisely.
From basic supplies and clothes to tech and food items, BJs has everything you need for back-to-school.
BJs is the only warehouse club to accept manufacturers’ coupons for even greater savings and provide their own coupons as well.
BJs Wholesale Club is your one-stop shopping destination for brand name high-quality food and general merchandise at everyday low prices including fresh produce and USDA choice meats, all-natural and organic foods, consumer electronics and appliances.
BJs Wholesale Club carries over 150 organic items and numerous gluten free options.
BJs Wholesale Clubs will feature General Mills items that include more Box Tops on specific items than other grocery stores. For example, BJs two pack Honey Nut Cheerios has a total of 13 Box Tops points. Each box has one Box Top located on the top of the box, plus 3 extra Box Top points, and the ability to get 5 more e-Box Tops by entering the code listed on the box on BJs microsite (the 5 points covers both boxes).
Now through September 17 all BJs clubs will include the following General Mills items:.
Nature Valley Oats N Honey Bars, 49 ct.
Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars, 48 ct.
Cascadian Farms Granola Bars, 20 ct.
Fruit Roll Ups, 56 ct.
Gushers, 36 ct.
Cascadian Farms Granola Cereal, 48 oz.
Big Tub Deluxe, 74 oz.
Honey Nut Cheerios, 55 oz.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch, 49 oz.
Minions Yogurt, 24 ct.
GoGurt, 32 ct.
Mini Pancakes, 18 ct.
Totino’s Cheese, 150 ct.
Totino’s Pepperoni, 150 ct.
PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA SANDWICH
Ingredients
ripe bananas
4 slices white bread
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Prep
Mix together peanut butter and cinnamon in a bowl. Slice bananas into thick slices. Spread the peanut butter mixture on slices of bread and put the banana slices on top. Don’t forget to add the other slice of bread; cut diagonally and put in kids lunch.
Sandwich and Trail Mix
Sliced Carrots & Hummus
Carrots and Sabra Hummus
Homemade Trail Mix
Ingredients
2 cups of Cheerios
1 cup of pretzels
1 cup of peanuts
Prep
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl and store.
Friday nights are here for unwinding which means every lady (and beau) could use a nice cocktail. After a long week of shuffling kids, meetings, errands, and miscellaneous tasks there’s nothing better than a sexy beverage. Even better, why not invite the girls over for a drink, dinner, and movie?
Below, I wanted to share a cocktail recipe to help get the weekend started:
Don’t forget to add a special touch to your glass with a charm and a nice platter of treats! Also, pour a glass of Alize to make a yummy Sangria. If you like this post, click here: Sangria Sundays
Long summer days are a natural time for Americans to re-focus their time to do more of what they enjoy, but it can still be challenging to make any extra time. In fact, according to a new survey by Safeco Insurance, more than four in five respondents agree they need an extra hour in the day with 70 percent admitting they would use that extra time to do something for themselves.
The survey results showed that people are working longer hours, but 45 percent are realizing less happiness in their extended workdays. Nearly half say that finding just sixty minutes more in their day to do something they enjoy would make them happy and relaxed. Topping the list of activities for a “do more hour” were personal hobbies (40%), having alone or personal time (29%) and trying something new (22%).
With over half of respondents admitting to feeling more inspired to find free time during summer, Safeco is launching the #MY60 campaign to encourage people to take back 60 minutes of their day over a 60-day period. Safeco is inviting consumers to visit www.safeco.com/MY60 to find tips and checklists on how to create and maximize a “do more hour” for themselves. The site will also feature expert advice from Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist and author of the book “Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days.”
“Part of Safeco’s mission is to help both our customers and independent agents get more out of life from getting more involved in their communities to tackling a new challenge,” said Matthew Nickerson, President, Safeco Insurance. “We hope Safeco’s #MY60 campaign will empower people with the tools to help them find an hour or any extra time in their day to do what makes them happiest.”
The survey also demonstrated the tug-pull feeling Americans have on how much time they spend on things they have-to-do versus things they want-to-do, with respondents aspiring to a near 50/50 split. However, the study shows a different story as respondents report actually spending two-thirds of their time on have-to-do activities as opposed to only 33 percent focusing on want-to-do activities.
When it comes to managing time, 66 percent of those surveyed believe they are only somewhat successful or not successful at all with their time management. In fact, only one-third of respondents feel that they successfully manage their time and complete daily to-do lists.
There are also negative consequences to not having enough hours in the day to get through everything. Over half of respondents admitted to using a negative behavior such as overeating to cope with not accomplishing everything they need to do. These behaviors are likely having a negative impact on relationships. One-quarter say they withdraw from other people and 24 percent become angry with others to cope.
“The best way to avoid negative behaviors stemming from not having enough time to do it all is to change your thinking about what needs to be done,” notes Alpert. “Carving out an hour in the day of ‘me’ time is essential to personal happiness.”
Alpert offers several tips to help find an hour a day to do more including:
Change your thinking. “I’m so busy” and “I don’t have time for anything” are negative comments that are sure to keep you feeling overwhelmed. Think more along the lines of making good use of the time that you do have or having perspective that you can only do so much in one day and to accomplish what’s reasonable for that given day. Empower yourself to think “can” and “will” instead of “can’t” and “have to.”
Track how you spend your time. Do this for one week. Many people are entirely unaware of what they do hour to hour and where the day goes. The simple exercise of noting what you’re doing each hour can have a huge impact. Track your time and know where you’re spending it.
Determine which tasks and activities are vital and which are optional. Structure other tasks around those that are vital. Schedule your day by doing the important tasks first, using the first 15 minutes of your morning to organize your work area. This is when you are freshest and energetic. So often the less important tasks get in the way of other things that need to be done which can be distracting. It’s often easier to do the things that aren’t as important, but fear can lead to procrastination and ends up keeping us stagnant.
For additional tips and more information on the #MY60 Challenge, visit www.safeco.com/MY60.
About the Study
Safeco Insurance commissioned ORC International to conduct a quantitative methodology to measure attitudes towards time management and balancing leisure time with work and essential tasks. During April/May 2015, a 10-minute online survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of approximately 2,000 adults aged 21 to 75 within ten major media markets (approximately 200 for each: Boston, NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Charlotte, San Francisco, Columbus, Philadelphia, Phoenix).*”Total” reported is an unweighted average of these ten markets.
About Safeco Insurance
In business since 1923 and based in Boston, Mass., Safeco Insurance sells personal automobile, homeowners and specialty products through a network of more than 10,000 independent insurance agencies throughout the United States. Safeco is a Liberty Mutual Insurance company.
Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2013 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 78th on the Fortune 100 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2014 revenue. For more information about Safeco Insurance, go to safeco.com.
Let’s talk about your beauty regimen and dental health. This is an area that’s often overlooked due to loving makeup, hair, and clothing. Having a beautiful, healthy smile is just as important because it can enhance your total look!
We have to love our teeth regardless of what we wear or our favorite lipstick. I am an active beverage drinker due to the fact that I’m always on the go. One tip that I learned (from various dental articles) is that coffee, tea, and other beverages can stain your teeth. The only beverage that doesn’t have staining properties is water and over the course of a lifetime we (all) need a professional teeth whitening treatment.
I was fortunate to receive a package from Smile Brilliant to help restore my smile. The process was very easy with AMAZING results! You will not find an easier teeth whitening system (with results) for an affordable price.
Teeth Whitening – The Perfect AccessoryCompliments Red Lipstick“a smile is the best makeup any girl can wear”
Here’s the teeth whitening steps:
1. Create the mold of your teeth with impression material.
2. Ship back to Smile Brilliant (don’t forget the return shipping label.)
3. Open the mold package and wait for use after a few hours of drinking a beverage.
4. Use the desensitizing gel to assist with potential teeth enamel burning; this will not occur if you wait a few hours after drinking a beverage.
5. Fill your teeth molds with the whitening system and that’s it! You can leave it on for 15 minutes or as long as you like. I used my teeth molds in a variety of time frames but the best results happened overnight. I loved waking up to a whitened smile; then flossing, brushing, and using a mouth wash.
I STRONGLY encourage everyone to try this system! Let’s not forget that teeth whitening is actually cosmetic and can be very expensive. The use of “other” teeth whitening systems can also remove teeth enamel but Smile Brilliant molds are fitted to your teeth which makes a difference.
Smile Brilliant Kit: * Teeth Whitening Trays * Carrying Case * Impression Material * 3-Way, pre-paid postage * Custom dental models * Professional teeth whitening gel * Desensitizing gel
To jumpstart your whitening regimen, Style + Life + Fashion’s hosting a Giveaway! We are giving ONE lucky reader a whitening system for the retail value of $139.99.
1 set of Teeth Whitening Trays | 3 Whitening Gel Syringes | 3 Desensitizing Gel Syringes
2. Share our giveaway on your social networking sites (either Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) and mention @smilebrilliant in Tweets, and FOLLOW smilebrilliant Instagram on Twitter as entry methods.
Giveaway will end at midnight on July 24, 2015 EST. The winner will be notified (via email) and announced on July 26, 2015.
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