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Weekday Vegetable Soup
When I went off to college, my mom sent me with a cooking binder that included a bunch of recipes I loved growing up. Most were pretty straightforward recipes, but I didn’t really start making them until I was out of school. I cook much more now that I am married and have a house to call my own. And despite the fact that my husband doesn’t eat this soup for the lack of meat and presence of vegetables (eye roll), I make it quite often and enjoy every spoonful of it. This soup is definitely the recipe I make the most out of the binder, and for good reason.…
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How I Proposed To My Bridesmaids
I had seen so many cute bridesmaid proposal ideas on Pinterest that I knew even before I got engaged that I wanted to put together some pretty boxes for my girls. At the time that I put these boxes together, I was thinking our wedding colors would be blue and white, so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to do something feminine and pink. Here’s what I included in each box: 1 gold-rimmed pink stemless champagne flute 1 mini bottle of La Vostra sparkling rose 1 Sugarfina Champagne Bubbles candies 1 Scentsational natural candle The champagne flutes were Martha Stuart from Macy’s. I’ve noticed that she usually comes…
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Our Proposal Story
Before I get to the exciting part, I think I should start a little further back in our love story to bring you up to speed. Steven and I met on July 19th, 2014 through mutual friends and instantly hit it off. That night we hung out in a group and connected over cars while playing pool and Wii Sports. He asked for my number that night and to take me on a first date just a couple days later. I honestly wasn’t expecting anything to come of it, but little did I know that was the last first date I’d ever go on. We made it official three weeks…
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Simple Outfits with Goodwill Finds
If you follow me on Instagram @franceseshom_arzadon, then you probably saw my thrift haul IGTV video from last week! I Shared some of my recent favorite secondhand clothing items (The most expensive piece was the Loft blouse at $12.99. Most everything else was around $5-6!). The fashion industry is a huuuuuge contributor to environmental waste, so anytime you choose to shop secondhand before heading to the mall or placing an order on your favorite fast fashion website, you make a difference. According to a @businessinsider article I read, “In total, up to 85% of textiles go into landfills each year. That’s enough to fill the Sydney harbor annually.” I think thrift shopping…
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5 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Swaps
*Post updated August 2022 I know how hard it can be to find an eco-friendly alternative to a product you may have been using and loving for years. Bathroom hygiene can be one particular area you may not even want to think about because either it’s too stressful (so. many. options.) or you assume you won’t be able to find a product that works as well as your “tried and true”. Luckily for you, I have tried my fair share of eco-friendly bathroom products and have settled on a handful that I’m happy to keep in my routine. Below are five eco-friendly bathroom swaps I made in 2019 that you…
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MY QUARANTINE TO-DO LIST
While this time is hard for everyone, many of us also have a unique opportunity to spend lots of (free) time at home. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I was made for this quarantine. I’m the kind of girl who loves taking on lots of hobbies and starting projects, which leads me to be “doing” lots of things all the time. Yet, I also like just chilling and watching Netflix in the evenings or on lazy weekends, which results in very little progress on all those hobbies I picked up and projects I started. While I have absolutely no problem staying home and definitely don’t need…
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At-Home Teeth Whitening That Works with Smile Brilliant
I’ve always felt pretty confident about my smile and my teeth. I did have braces when I was in high school, but nothing major. My dentist still always tells me that I have great teeth and I do tend to get compliments on my smile. However, I recently started to notice increased staining on my teeth in the past year or two and became a little self-conscious about the color of my teeth. I thought, “My love of tea and red wine, along with the weekly coffee (or two, or five), has really caught up with me.”. So I started looking at whitening options. When I was in high school…
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Frances’ Test Kitchen: Pinterest Recipes You Need to Make
If you don’t already know, I’m addicted to Pinterest and have been since I first started pinning about 12 years ago. Follow me on Pinterest here. I still go on every day and love it for finding so many things like recipes, outfit inspo, DIY projects and so much more (I have over 100 boards and 36,000 pins). And I don’t just like to pin things – I like to use the pins I’ve collected over the years and make things! I also love sharing recipes I’ve made that I find on Pinterest with my friends, family, and everyone on social media. If I find a good recipe, I tend…
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The Five Beautycounter Products I Knew I Would Repurchase The First Time I Used Them
When I first joined Beautycounter as a consultant, I honestly hadn’t tried many of their products. After placing an order and trying several products, I knew I would repurchase a handful after just using each one once – I loved them that much. Using safer, nontoxic self-care products is so important for ensuring we are taking care of ourselves and helping our bodies be the healthiest they can be. There are literally thousands of chemicals in the products we use on a daily basis, and the vast majority have never been tested for safety. I don’t know about you, but that freaks me out and makes me want to take…
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My Favorite Cruelty-Free and Eco-Friendly Sun Protection Products
You probably already know that I never go a day without applying sunscreen. Protecting the skin from sun damage is so important for preventing cancer and pre-mature aging (not to mention the pain of a red-hot burn after a day at the beach – OUCH!). Which is why I’ve rounded up three of my favorite sun-protection products just in time for the heat of summer (we’re getting a late start here in Seattle)! For Over-Makeup Application I’ve been loving Seriously Fab’s ZINC IT OVER sunscreen mist (SPF 25)! The formula is made to be applied over makeup (How cool is that?!), but can also be worn alone. Seriously Fab is…