Website Spolight: Bill Monk, Flow, Chore Buster

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There's always that uncomfortable moment when you need to ask your roommate to take out the trash or scrub the bathtub. Furthermore, there's probably nothing more uncomfortable than having to ask your roommate for monetary contribution for the electric or grocery bill. Luckily, I live with my sister so there's no such thing as an awkward conversation. A simple "hey, pay me for the gas" is all that's needed. I've come across three websites that will take care of all  your roommate (or husband) worries. Chore Buster, Flow, and Bill Monk are all excellent resources that will surely help you all get and stay organized.
Click read more for detailed information on the sites.

Keep it Classy

Being young members of the Akron area, we know the in's and out's and the "cool" places to go. Sometimes it is nice to venture away from what we know and discover some thing different.

The Wolf Creek Winery is an adorable winery in Norton, OH with a great wine selection, a beautiful location and pretty laid back rules. It has indoor and outdoor seating, a patio, a yard (with goats and games!) and the most breath taking view from the patio looking out onto the vineyard and a lake and it will only get better into the fall.

I think a winery is kind of a cute, classy idea for a date, party, or just to hang out. My friends and I had a surprise birthday party there for our friend and we could bring our own food and take up 3 tables. All they ask is that you buy the wine and not be loud so you wont disturb the quests (or goats).

Just an idea in case you need a change of scenery, check out this hidden gem.

http://www.wineryatwolfcreek.com/

How To: Organize Nail Polish

{what my polishes look like before}

I've had my nail polish thrown in a plastic container hidden in the bathroom for as long as I can remember. It's so unorganized that I tend to forget what shades I own and which bottles I need to throw out. I decided I'm not allowed to buy any new fall shades until I get to cleaning and organizing to avoid buying the same shade I did last year. After doing a google search and watching a few videos, I narrowed it down to five practical ways. The method of organization depends on which one works best for you as far as space and number of polishes. Click read more for my tips



You can read this post and more on Dina's Days, where we're sharing the spice of life.

Heads Up!

I got this in my email - I'm not sure if it's every VDO or just the Waterloo location.. probably every location!

This promises to be a great day for thrifty finds, good deals and possibly..

A somewhat impromptu Akron blogger meet up? 

Anyone interested? :)

Blogger Swap: Polka Dot Skirt

This skirt made it's way all the way from Mansfield to Tallmadge and then to Akron, where I had the opportunity to wear it. It is such a fun skirt for summer, I loved wearing it!

Here's a side-by-side view of how the three of us put our different spin on it. Interesting, we all wore it with a dark top and yellow(ish) shoes! 

Lauren - Someone Like You

Jessica - Dresses for Dinner

Rachel - Distinct.Style.Innovation

I love seeing how one item can look a little different each time given each girls' individual style and personality.Check out Jessica's post with more pictures of how she wore it here and Lauren's post here.

No Heat Curls

No heat curls are spreading around the internet like a virus. Since I hate using heat on my hair during the summer, who doesn't? I thought I'd give these a try. I did some research and found this video tutorial of No Heat Curls.

The first night I tried it, uh, it didn't work out. I have a very sensitive head and the headband was killing me. After only about an hour I took it out, but already noticed really pretty curls.

Day 2, I washed and dried my hair and followed the directions in the tutorial. Ignoring the "leave it in overnight" part.
Goofy look #1

Goofy look #2. I know there's a line on my head. I'm trying to be realistic here.





After some fluffing, puffing and a whole lot of weird pictures, my hair looked really pretty. And by gosh, there were actually curls.

I left the band in for 2 hours in the afternoon and the line in my forehead took about an hour to get rid of... So, plan accordingly. I am going to try these again soon in the morning and leave them in all day.



Read this and other posts at Life as we Live it -Hattie

How to Mix Patterns

One of my lovely readers commented on my Mixing Prints post saying that they feared combining patterns. I say, there's no need to be afraid- just follow these simple guidelines to create a visually appealing outfit with out going overboard.

Kendi Everyday

One of the easiest ways to achieve this look is to choose a common color between the two prints. This will help the eye establish a link between the two pieces and create a harmonious look.

Zara

You could also try using the same print on two different scales. For a bold look like this, keep the accessories neutral so as not to go over board.

Or use a neutral print as a base to work off. When you have a black and white slate to use, you can add any colors you like.

Harper's Bazaar

Another way to create a cohesive looks is to use complementary or analogous colors. Complementary colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel (like the blue and orange outfit) while analogous colors are right next to each other on the color wheel (pink, orange, yellow and red).

Karla's Kloset

If you're too scared to go all out, try starting with just printed accessories. It's a great way to get warmed up to the idea, just follow the same rules as above.

So, want do you think? Did I cover all the bases?

Read this post and more on Driftwood and Daydreams- Aryn

Calling all 330 Consignment Shoppers!

Big news for consignment shoppers! The Plato's Closet on Howe Ave. in the Falls has expanded their store into a bigger space next door AND they are opening another consignment shop next door!

I discovered this by accident when I had to go to the corporate Verizon store the other day and (obviously) had to pop in to Plato's. I'm not the biggest fan of the clothes that Plato's has to offer. They're all name brand and I prefer thrifted/unique.. however.. some brands are a different story. Take Urban Outfitters, H&M and JCrew for instance. Plato's has all of these brands and more. It's also a great place to buy shoes, jewelry, scarves and hats. 

 They have everything really nicely organized and have so much stuff! A lot of it is totally teeny-bopper, but not all. I kind of breeze down the aisles looking for interesting patterns.

I found this cool Urban Outfitters tank for $5..

and this fun necklace for $3..

The same owners of this Plato's is opening a new consignment shop next door that will be more geared toward women and less toward teens. They are accepting consignments in September!

Check it out!

-Rachel 

Distinct.Style.Innovation

Style File: The Blouse

Right after I finished browsing through street photos in The New York Times Style section highlighting "the blouse" or "shirt'" I received a trend e-mail from BCBG and H&M also featuring the same thing. I don't even like to refer to this as a trend, but rather more as a staple item. You can never go wrong with a sheer, soft, light, flesh or earth tone blouse. I'm just happy that it's classified as a trend this season so I can get my hands on a few at a good price. A lot of them have a 60's feel to them, many of which you can find for less than $5 at local thrift and vintage shops. I recommend checking there first. There are so many ways to style something like this. Some of my favorite include:

• Tucking into shorts or high waisted skirts. Making sure the top is still loose.
• With a large statement necklace.
• Under a blazer. 
• Layered with an open vest and a blazer over the vest
• With a maxi skirt
• With leggings

Shop these items here or here.

Read this post and more at Dina's Days,  where we're sharing the spice of life. 

A Call for Committed Bloggers!

Hello contributors of the 330 Collective. I don't know about you, but I agree with Jessica. This blog needs a revival!

Instead of deleting it from existence, I say we rally.

Is anyone willing to make a weekly contribution?

Some ideas.. 

-Thrift Store Reviews (I am all over this one!)
-Local Restaurant/Coffee Shop Review
-Local Music Scene
-330 Street Fashion
-Local Artist Spotlight
-Things to do in the 330

Your contribution doesn't have to be of the same genre every week, unless you want it to be!

If we work together we can give this blog the inspiration and enthusiasm it needs. Leave a comment with your thoughts and ideas!

Who's with me?  ...  Bueller?

________________________________

Edit: Dina makes a good point. It doesn't have to be a once-per-week commitment - even a once or twice a month is great! Just so we know it won't just be me (and hopefully some Jessica still, unless those pesky classes get in the way too much ☺) posting. I don't think the world needs that much me, ha. 

So, This collective wasn't my idea and in the past couple of months, it's became something that I designed, spread the word of, wrote most of the articles, and on and on. With school starting, I won't have much free time to put fourth here. A select few have been great contributors and I've been pleased with the extent at which people shared and commented, but I can no longer maintain this. Even with all the help, I'm still essentially running this. I imagined it would have prospered into a community rather than a stagnant blog. Anyways, I can't maintain it on my own. If someone wants it, they can take ownership of it. If not, I will be deleting it soon.

Thanks for all the contributions and for being such an awesome group of amazing bloggers.

--Jessica

August Blogger of the Month

Last month we started a voting session for blogger of the month. Between waiting until the last minute and myself and the winner forgetting about it...things got delayed. So while technically she was the blogger of July, we're introducing her this month!

The competition was a close call between two very lovely blogs. It was a mere two vote difference. Thanks to everyone who voted and keep a look out for the September voting.

AUGUST BLOGGER OF THE MONTH: Oh*Renee Design
Renee is a sweet lady. I've met her a handful of times in real life. She's as cute as her blog makes her out to be. She's crafty. She's fashionable. She understands and believes in vintage. She creates beautifulness from art to design to her photographs to her outfits. Her blog is full of inspiration and positivity. It's impossible to leave her blog without a smile and that's exactly how Renee is. She's a genuine lady.

Instead of a standard interview, I decided to look up "journal topics for elementary school kids". I skimmed the long list and selected a few for her to answer. Her answers are great, but her blog is better!

Head on over to Oh*Renee Design and follow the jump for the interview.