5 Steps to a Perfect Sunless Tan

Hello, this is Melanie and it's pretty obvious, but if you couldn't tell, I'm a ginger.  So, it goes without saying that the only color I get from the sun is red. I've accepted the fact that I will never be a bronze goddess--it only took a few years.  But, sometimes you just want a little color, so you don't scare children or blind fellow beach goers.

I've had my share of sunless tanning mishaps.  I've been orange, green, shimmery, speckled, and every other hue in between.

So, I have a learned a thing or two about self tanning.  Here are a few tips:

1. Exfoliate.  For real guys.  Don't skip it.  You will regret it.  I like a good grainy scrub.  For self tanning purposes you need an oil free one, or at least one that won't leave you slipping in the tub.

My favorite

Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream 

$24

2. Shave.  I've tried skipping this part too--mistake.  Do it.

3. Moisturize.  Not all over.  Just the places where your skin is a little drier.  You don't want the tanner to soak up in those spots and be too dark.  I usually put just a light lotion on my feet, knees and elbows.  

Another product to try for this is the Xentan Blending Balm.  Just swipe it on the dry skin areas and blend before tanning.

Xen Tan Blending Balm

$16

4.  Tan. Work on one limb at a time, and use circular motions to blend the areas. 

My favorites:

Xen-Tan Transform Luxe

$32

My all time favorite.  Smells like cocoa, but not in an overly-sweet way, has more of a bronze/green base so it never looks orange.  One application is just enough to de-Casper.  Also, the smell doesn't develop weird.

Jergens Natural Glow Sunless Tanner 

$10

Now, let's be real.  I used to despise the old formula of this tanner.  It stunk--to high heaven.  But, Jergens reformulated it this year with odor-masking properties.  And, now it has an SPF 20.  I actually bought the Medium to Tan skin tone one because I don't want to have to put it on 4 times before I see a little color.  I used it once for a natural glow and twice for a little more color.  Cheap.  At your local drugstore.  Well done Jergens.

Tan Towel Classic Full Body Application

$24

These are great for a quick, easy application.  I also like these for when I travel because they take up less space, and weigh less then a bottle of lotion.  My tip with these is to cut the towel in half after you open it, so you can use one for your arms, and one for your legs.  It helps distribute the product more evenly.

5. Wash your hands a of couple times to remove it from your palms.  Be really careful not to splash water all over your just tanned arms.  Then, take a towel while drying your hands, and wipe around your wrists to catch any water drips. 

Pro tip: Use a foundation brush and squeeze a dab of tanner onto it, use this product to brush the tanner on the tops and sides of your hands.  A makeup sponge can also work if you don't have a foundation brush.  I'll use a little to blend around my wrists, around my neck/jawline, even around your feet if needs be.

Happy Sunning!

A Memorial Day to Remember

Memorial Day was a really special day.  It was my Dad's birthday and it was spent with family and remembering those we've lost and truly loved.  That morning we went to one of our favorite ma and pa breakfast place called Granny Annie's.  They have fried scones as big as your head and slathered with a half cup of rich and sweet honey butter, and yes I did eat one all by myself.  When you eat at Granny's you always leave wishing you brought your fat pants with you.     

After a large and mighty breakfast we visited my grandpa's grave site nearby.  Grandma hasn't been there since he died last July.  It's been emotionally overwhelming for her since my Grandpa died.  I'm glad she had enough courage to relive that sad day when she had to bury the love of her life for over 70 years.

While we visited we talked about our favorite memories of him and how he is dearly missed.  Amelia was born a month after he died.  That time was a really hard time for me because I've never had someone so close to me pass away.  I was hoping and praying that Grandpa would still be around to see his great granddaughter who is named after his mother.  What brings me great comfort was knowing Amelia got to spend some time with him before she was born.  

My little brother Cameron and my little Sister Caitlin. 

We visited my great grandma and grandpa Craig grave sites in Salt Lake.  Amelia is named after my great grandma Millie.  

I'm loving Caitlin's high waisted mom shorts she got in Germany.  

After visiting grave sites all day, it was time to relax and do what we do best, eat Craig style.

I hope you had a great Memorial Day.  What are some of your family traditions you do with your family on this day?  From now on I'm going to make it a tradition to visit my ancestors on Memorial Day.  When I die, I want someone to come visit me.  

Annnnd, where did that hour go?

A little bit of an embarrassing confession:

I wasted (debatable) an hour of my life watching Ryan Gosling videos...

It started like this: It's morning, my day off. I'm sitting on a barstool eating my oatmeal thinking about all I need to accomplish that day: laundry, gym, grocery shopping, cleaning, post office run, etc. etc.

Then I slide the computer over, and I'm surfing the web, and I see a link for a video of Ryan Gosling in a mormon talent show circa 1991.  I click.  I get sucked in.  You will too.

Then, I continue to click on video after video of Ryan Gosling interviews, Mickey Mouse club songs, movie blurbs.  You name it.

He is in two of my fav movies: The Notebook, and Crazy Stupid Love.

Then, I called Courtney and confessed to her what I'd done.  Felt better after I got it off my chest.

Also, we present to you a compilation of a few of our favorite Ryan Gosling memes.

Any confessions you want to make?  Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds fantastic ways to waste time online...

Insta Love!

Want to fill your Instagram feed with high quality pictures?  Then you'll want to follow us on Instagram.  I promise you won't regret it!  Click here to view Courtney's and Melanie's profiles!

Pick the right athletic shoe for you!

A couple weeks ago when I went to the gym, I realized I've been wearing the same athletic shoes for over two years.  I thought, I bet it's time to go get some new shoes.  I went to my local shoe store and was there forever staring at all of the different types of shoes and wondered, "What is the difference between running, tennis, walking, and cross-training shoes?"  I was overwhelmed.  After much research, asking a lot of questions, and visiting one of my favorite online stores, I finally got my answer! Here is what I found.

Before you go to the shoe store, it's important to determine your foot type.  

To determine what type of feet you have, there is a simple and easy test you can do at home.  It's called the "wet test."  This sounds kind of dirty, but I can promise you it's not.  All you have to do is to get your feet wet and stand on a hard surface like cement or on some dark construction paper so you can see the imprint of your feet.  The type of imprint (no I'm taking about Twilight and Jacob) you have will determine your feet  type.

source

Wet Test Results

When I did the test for myself I found out I'm an underpronator/supinator!  Now what the heck does that mean?  For me this means I have high arches. 

Overpronator- flat or low arches and roll inward 

Neutral- normal center pressure line with equal weight distribution 

Underpronator/Supinator- high arches and roll outward

Once you know if you're a overpronator, neutral, or an underpronator/supinator you can define what you need from an athletic shoe: 

Overpronator- You need high-stability or motion-control sneakers to keep your feet aligned with your legs

Neutral- You need stability to moderate-stability shoes that offer a balance of cushioning and support.

Underpronator/Supinator- You need cushioning for good shock absorption.

So how do you go about finding shoes that have more cushioning/support, shock absorption, or high stability? Well, if you live close to a reputable running shoe store, you can go there.  For me, getting out of the house with a crawling and teething nine month old can be far and few.  I went to Zappos.com and put in the words "overpronator women athletic shoe" and found over 400 results!  Talk about awesome!  I picked out my favorites for each of the needs:

Overpronator Picks

1) Nike Lunarglide +4   2) Nike Relentless 2  3) Brooks Ghost 5

Neutral Picks

1) Nike Free Advantage Polka Dot Print  2) ECCO Sport BIOM Lite 1.2  

3) Vibram FiveFingers SeeYa LS

Underpronator/Supinator Picks

1) Nike Experience Run  2)Asics Gel-Nimbus 14  3) Nike Dual Fusion Run Shield   

Gussied Up Gatsby Style

Lately, I can't get enough of the Gatsby craze!  Much to my dismay, I haven't seen the movie yet, but I have been dying ever since I saw the preview.  The drop waist dresses, the art deco feel, the pin curls and wave sets. Swoon!

Source

Here in Alabama, the days are getting warmer, and the air is feeling heavy and I need a quick and simple hairdo I can do when I'm in a rush in the mornings.

This has proven to be just the ticket!

Here is the step by step tutorial.

Things you'll need:

1. A stretchy headband.  I have found I like it to have the double-looped elastic on the back because you can tuck the hair under one elastic, and then secure it against your head with the other elastic.

2. A comb

3. Maybe a few bobby pins

4. A light hair spray, I like Fekkai Sheer Hold

Model: Brittany Poe, Makeup: Melanie Dobson

1. Part your hair and place the headband over the top of the head.

2.  Slide the headband down over the crown at a position that is comfortable for you.

3. Start by taking one section and wrapping it up under one of the elastics.

4. Then, take larger sections, and wrap the hair around and keep tucking until the rest of the hair is rolled up under the elastic.

5.  I like more of an asymmetrical look, and gather the hair more to one side.

Ta da! Super quick Gatsby hair!  Like they say down here, "Easy as pie!"

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie with Sour Cream Crust

This is by the far the best pie I've ever eaten.  My husband grows rhubarb in our backyard just so I can make this pie.  If you've ever seen a rhubarb plant it takes up a lot of garden real estate and to my husband, his garden means everything.  When he allows this gigantic plant to take up half of his garden, it says something about how important it is.  This is an easy recipe, pretty much fool proof.  When I made this, I had it for lunch, for a mid day snack, some for dinner, and some for dessert.  By the end of the day I'd had eaten half of it.  Now I'm sitting in my sweats thinking about how many minutes I'm going to have to run on the treadmill to even come close to burning off those calories.  Hope you enjoy this tart, sweet, buttery, and salty treat.  

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 cups)

1/2 pound strawberries, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1. Heat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Lightly beat one of the eggs, add to the fruit, and toss to combine.
2. Fit one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with the fruit mixture, pressing it in firmly. Lay the second crust on top and press the edges of the crusts together to seal.
3. Trim the crust to a 1-inch overhang, fold the overhang underneath itself, and crimp. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar and cut vents in the top.
4. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fruit mixture is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Sour Cream Crust

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter

2/3 cup ice-cold water

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon vinegar 

1. In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. With a pastry blender cut in butter leaving chunks the size of peas. 
3. Combine water, sour cream, and vinegar.  Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture.  Quickly stir to     distribute; do not over mix. 
4. The dough should be slightly crumbly.  Let rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.  The finished dough should break, not stretch.  Divide into three portions; shape into disks.  Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to three days.  Or freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.  Makes three single-crust pastries.

Hey y'all

Hello!  We are Melanie (red hair) and Courtney (poop brown hair, yep that's right, I said the word poop) and we are so excited to be starting this blog of ours!  Both of us have been blogging for a while, but decided to do it in sister style.

Hello, I'm Courtney and I'm the second oldest of four kids and am the only brunette child in the family.  All three of my siblings have Ariel red hair.  Growing up I would sometimes feel jealous because complete strangers would come up to our family and tell my parents what beautiful red headed children and wouldn't say anything to me :( I know pity me.

As a young child my parents would describe me as a "loose canon on a ship."  This explains my high energy, outgoing, and very determined personality.   I've lived in Utah all of my life and currently live in suburbia of Salt Lake City with my husband McKay and my baby Amelia.  She is my love and joy in life and is a xerox copy of her daddy.

Melanie and I have been really close all of our lives.  I do remember hating her for a short period of time when we were young, because I didn't like it how she would get mad at me for stealing her clothes.  When we were in college, we lived in the same town and had a lot of good times like scooter rides to J-Dawgs,  BBQ's at the house next door, shopping, hanging out, and talking about our wishes and dreams.  We even worked at the same company together where I would prank call her a lot and loved taking longer than usual restroom breaks with her.

We were raised by parents who taught us to work hard and make something out of ourselves.  I remember having a job at the age of 12 with my sisters where we delivered the newspaper everyday for FIVE years, thanks to my parents persistence!  I used to drive a little goped with my newspapers wrapped around my body and did this in the sleet and snow.  So all of my life I felt like I needed to contribute to society in some way.  When I had Amelia I thought I was making the hardest decision in my life by leaving my good job to stay home with my baby.  I knew all of my life I wanted to be a SAHM but when it was time to do it, it was a lot harder.  Fast forward to now and its been greatest blessing in my life.  I'm finally doing what I love to do being a homemaker, surrounding my life with beauty, and inspiring others!      

Hello, I'm Melanie, and I'm the oldest in the family.  As you can see, we grew up with some fun times and amazing hair bows-thanks mom for always dressing us cute!  I'm still a fan of a good polka dot outfit today.  

Nowadays, I live in the deep south of Birmingham, Alabama.  My husband Andrew moved us here for his medical residency, and we have been here almost a year.  I never thought I would say this, but in some ways I think I was made to be a southern gal!  I relate to the warm and welcoming hospitality of the sweet people that live here.  They are so close to God, and so very friendly.  Our mom always taught us how to be hospitable, and gracious hostesses, as she would often invite complete strangers over for dinner.  I guess that's why even though I have been so very far from home-in some ways I have felt very much at home here.

I work as a makeup artist and have been doing so for a decade.  I have always loved the color and glamour of makeup.  I remember being 7 years old and begging my mom for a "makeup kit" in a magazine.  I saved my chore money for months to get that makeup kit.  When I was in junior high and high school I was just discovering makeup, and learning that the same colors my mom, a brunette, used, would not work for me, a redhead.  I read everything I could get my hands on, and the book that I studied over and over was called Teenage Beauty, written by Bobbi Brown.  It was where I finally found advice for someone with my skin tone, and I made it my mission to read anything and everything about makeup.

In college, I majored in public relations.  But after graduation, I realized I never felt the same passion for it as I did for makeup artistry.  

I want to share things I find inspiring or beautiful and all these new southern quirks and charms I'm learning with y'all! (yes, it took a few months, but now I say it too)

DIY Retro Metal Chairs Makeover

When McKay and I moved from the 600 sq foot apartment into our house, we felt like we were living in a mansion. We didn't have much furniture, so I was desperate at the time to find anything to fill up our house.  One day I was at the local Deseret Industries and an instant love affair with this pair of retro metal chairs.  I could hear a Neil Diamond love song in the background playing.  I ran over to them so I could stake my claim and $20 dollars later I was the happiest of women.  These two chairs sat on our front porch for two years.  The year 2013 was the year they were going to be resurrected. 

Supplies:

-spray paint primer (one can per chair) (Used Valspar in White)

-spray paint color of your choice (one can per chair) (Used Valspar in Gold Metallic)

-wire brush

-tarp or painters cloth

- washcloth, sponge, or sink brush

-soapy water

-ventilated space

- time and patience

Here's the metal chairs in all of their rusty and bronze glory.  

 Sorry for the way bad blurry iphone pic.  As you can see these chairs had rust stains all over them.  

Unscrew the seat from the chair (make sure you keep your screws in a safe place!)  Like true Antique Roadshow style, I did some research on Virtue Bros Of California and found out some really interesting information about the company.

They kind of look like metal toilets.  

Take your metal brush, and brush the rusty spots so the metal has a nice and even texture.

Had all of my supplies ready.  

Had the whole family outside with me.  I make my projects a family affair.  Find the closest spot to your hose and spray them down.

I took some dish soap and scrubbed the chairs down so their nice and squeaky clean. I happened to use a festive reindeer sink brush to do the job.  Looking at its smiling face made me feel happy while doing this dirty job.

The next two parts I didn't get any pictures!  Lame, I know.  I laid down a painters cloth and sprayed two coats of primer.  One can coated one chair.  I waited until the next day to make sure the primer was all dry.  Then I sprayed two coats of gold metallic spray paint from Valspar.  

When the chairs were all done, I decided to do an impromptu photo shoot with the Little Miss.

This is where these two retro chairs are now residing, tucked under our dining table.  This is a better spot for them now.

Well, hello Mr. Garden Gnome