healthy swaps: jicama

Today is a day for resurrecting old blog features, wahoo! After realizing that Thanksgiving is almost upon us (it happened so fast, where did this year go?) I thought that healthy swaps would be a good thing to bring back to lark & lace. During this time of the year, we love to gorge ourselves for the sake of "tradition." I don't eat much for the holidays themselves, but all of the extra cheer in the air makes me feel like I have the freedom to snack a little more. You can often find me with a bag of pretzels in my hand during this time of the year, it's just not good. To answer the question on all of your minds right now, yes, even vegan-friendly snack foods can be bad for you! Going vegan isn't going to save you from gaining a few pounds, it actually might make you gain more weight this time of the year since fresh veggies are harder to find and (if you're Italian like me) there is bread EVERYWHERE. No need to fret though. I've been looking for healthier options and here is one that I've been loving! 

I've heard that jicama tastes like a mix between a potato and an apple with a little twist of water chestnut. I can see that but to me, it's a crunchy stick of bland'ness that is somehow also delicious. If you're not a huge fan of celery but love the idea of a low-calorie snack that you can gorge on, certainly give this delicious root a try. I like mine with a twist of lime and dash of sea salt but I've heard that its very delicious with some chili powder also. In its raw form, it's perfect for snacking but it also makes a good component for stir-frys in place of water chestnuts. Just toss it in just before serving. 

Happy snacking!
xo, 
e.m.

iphone love

afterglow, app, iphone, iphonography, It's been a while since I've shared an iPhone app that I've been crushing on because it's been a while since I've found a crush-worthy iPhone app. Afterglow, however, ended that for me! It's wonderful. There are so many dreamy filters to look through, lovely light leaks, and fun frames. You have control over tons of things like saturation, fade, vignette, grain, and so much more. It's a great app to play around with if you're a photo junkie like me and you have some down time. (Waiting rooms, in the subway, etc.) Check out some photos that I edited using it and then go grab a copy for yourself!


xo, 
e.m.

I was in no way compensated for this post, I shared it out of the goodness of my heart and my need to share the fun with y'all!






how to make glitter text:

glitter, text, photoshop, how to, make, Ever since I came out with the current design for my photography website, I've been being asked nonstop how I created the glitter text. It's actually quite simple! Here are the few simple steps. I love the extra bit of texture that it adds and I can't wait to go crazy with this method for my Christmas cards!

To begin, you're going to need some glitter. Here is an excellent tutorial on how to do this! Once you have your glitter in the color that you want, open a new project in the desired dimensions. Switch from the new, blank project to your glitter and choose the Horizontal Type Mask Tool.


Once you create your text box, the glitter will turn red. Type in the word that you want and adjust the font and size to your liking.

Once you click out, there will be a marquee outlining your text. Copy that! (I like to use the good 'ole command + c but you can go up to the edit menu also.)

Paste your test into the new document. Resize, rotate, go crazy with it.

Use Curves to adjust your glitter to exactly how you would like it to look. As you can tell, I lightened mine up a bit. Play around and see what you like best!

Here it is in action! Have fun playing around and creating glittery works of art!

xo, 
e.m.

some tunes for you



My bestie turned me on to these guys and I am thoroughly enjoying them. I've been making some big decisions and changes and realizing that what I do now will effect the rest of my life and that's been pretty weighty. I've been a little melancholy thanks to all of the mental exhaustion, on top of all of the crazy things going on in the world today. Needless to say, I need some upbeat tunes in my life and considering that we all live in the same, big, crazy world, you probably do too! Stream the whole album here.

xo, 
e.m.

Read my Lips:

I had the pleasure this month of being a part of Bee's "Read my Lips" series. She's so sweet and I'm so glad that we've stumbled upon each other's blogs. Check out my post and her blog, you'll be addicted to reading about her adorable life!

xo, 
e.m.