New Bundle Alert: Save BIG When You Enroll in 3 of Valerie McKeehan’s Illustration Courses!

If you love Valerie McKeehan’s style as much as we do, then our newest bundle offering is just for you! Now’s the perfect time to jump into a fun creative skill. With the new year, it’s the best time to start a new habit — and stick to it! And Valerie wants to help you do that.

Taking all three of her courses is the best way to dive in! From Valerie herself:

“I hope that through these classes, you’ll have some fun, learn new skills, and maybe even discover a passion for lettering and illustration. I can’t wait to see you in class!”

Plus, you save BIG when you enroll in our Illustration With Valerie McKeehan Bundle. The bundle is valued at $87, but you’ll save 30 percent on three of our best-selling classes taught by Valerie herself. This includes:

INTRO TO CHALK LETTERING: If you’re a beginner at lettering, this is the perfect class for you. Why? Because chalk is such a forgiving medium. If you make a mistake, just erase. Plus, Valerie is the best instructor to get you started!

INTRO TO CHALK ILLUSTRATION: In this course, you’ll take it a step further by learning chalk illustration.You’ll get more tips and techniques on lettering, as well as how to create beautiful florals. You’ll also learn a few awesome tricks that Valerie uses to make her chalk designs pop!

WATERCOLOR LETTERING AND ILLUSTRATION: Now let’s mix it up and try another one of Valerie’s favorite styles: watercolor. In this course, you’ll learn both lettering and illustration techniques to make beautiful hand-painted designs.

This bundle will have you learning how to work in two mediums: chalk and watercolor. You’ll learn how Valerie approaches each medium as you create beautiful floral illustrations and hand-lettered designs.

What are you waiting for? Enroll in our Illustration With Valerie McKeehan Bundle today!

In March 2020, we opened up our creative library to the world and over 150,000 of you joined to stay creative during the pandemic.

Well, things have changed for sure, but it's still a bit crazy out there. Many of us are still balancing working from home by night with watching our toddlers by day. Some of us can't work and are catching a serious case of cabin fever this winter... and ALL of us want to stay inspired, creative, and take care of ourselves.

So starting February 1, 2023, we're offering 10 free courses for the next 3 months and you can always access all 120+ online classes for just $10/month or test drive them all with a 30-Day Free Trial after you create a free B+C account. Interested in learning some new recipes or baking techniques? Check out 45+ expert-led classes in our B+C Baking and Cooking Bundle.

You've all shared some beautiful and creative things over the past few years, so we wanted to figure out how to make it easier for all of you to keep learning, making and creating. This is just the first phase of some new things coming to B+C Classes, and we're excited to give members exclusive access to even more great creative stuff in the near future.

Stay creative, friends!

Christmas has come early for two reasons: Carpool Karaoke is back — and so is Lady Gaga! Wondering what they have in common? Everything!

The 2010's sensation gave us amazing celebrity appearances with James Corden as driver extraordinaire, and stars like Harry Styles, Katy Perry, and Selena Gomez. Lady Gaga joined the carpool in 2016 — with over 88 million views on Youtube — singing songs like "Million Reasons" and "Bad Romance" to her heart's content.

Finally, the pop star — and the show itself, TBH — made a return this week! And more than that? Lady Gaga even debuted her new Christmas song. I've already played it multiple times, so I know it's about to top my most-played Christmas songs. Excited? Here's everything you need to know about the surprise song drop, the return of Carpool Karaoke, and more!

See how Carpool Karaoke gave us the biggest surprise of 2024 — a new Lady Gaga Christmas song!

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

In an unexpected trailer for A Carpool Karaoke Christmas, Zane Lowe can be seen accepting a phone call from the one and only James Corden who has a huge favor to ask. The first passenger Lowe picks up is the "Bad Romance" songstress herself — followed by Chappelle Roan and Dua Lipa's own individual appearances.

The car's decked out in green wreaths and festive red bows which adds to the Christmas spirit as everyone sings along to famous holiday songs. Lady Gaga can also be heard singing "Christmas Tree" which has fans in the trailer's comment section besides themselves with glee!

According to Deadline, the special premiered on Apple TV+ December 15, so it's not too late to watch it if you're just as excited as we are. But that's not all!

The outlet also reported Lady Gaga and Lowe released a new version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" on all streaming music platforms! This means you get to hear the pop star give the nostalgic song a punk rock vibe that's now stuck in our heads.

If Lady Gaga tells us not to pout or cry, we're going to listen! (And sing along while we're at it 😉)

Follow us on Facebook for more fun celeb news!

We recently partnered with Bounty to support emerging artists and designers in a national design competition. The ask? Design a graphic for a new Brit + Co and Bounty paper towel collection themed A Clean Fresh Start, which launches this month. In this creator spotlight series, we are featuring the winners of that competition to learn more about their inspirations, their design process, and their winning Bounty design. Read on to meet…

Jill Reynolds | Jill OREY Design | @jilloreydesign | Saint Paul, Minnesota

What are your design inspirations? Getting away from my computer. I find inspiration in the outdoors, nature, organic shapes, and patterns, from something as simple as a unique leaf shape to cracks in the pavement. I love looking at textiles old and new and being inspired by vintage motifs. Travel is always an amazing way to see something fresh and feel inspired. My favorite trip has been to Japan – the juxtaposition of old and new is like nowhere else I’ve experienced.

Tell us your design process? I like to play and experiment a lot. I don’t have a hard structure to my work and instead I prefer to let ideas flow and come about with experimentation. I love to use different objects to paint with and create imperfect textures and marks that I’ll piece together. I work with traditional mediums as well as Adobe programs and Procreate. Color is really important to me and I love an unexpected combination.

How did you get into illustration? My career goal when I was 10 was to travel the world to find inspiration for the books I would write and illustrate so from a young age, I knew instinctively that I wanted to create. I’ve always followed what I’m good at and what I enjoy and that has created a career path that has eventually brought me to becoming a full time surface pattern designer. I still strive to illustrate my own series of children’s picture books.

What are three IG accounts you love?

Fantastic Fungi They forage all these amazing mushrooms and discuss the texture and color and other magical properties. With some ASMR thrown in, it’s addictive!

Lucy Tiffany She paints from her imagination on large-scale using beautiful color palettes and bold strokes. I like designers who take risks, create from the heart, and aren’t following trends.

Domino Magazine There are lots of amazing interior accounts out there and Domino has been one of my favorites for aspirational and real-life living spaces.

How do you know when a piece of art, like your winning Bounty Paper Towel design below, is “finished”? I just know. I can’t really put my finger on it but there’s a certain level of balance and being slightly ‘off’ that I find satisfies me.

What will it be like for you to see your design on a Bounty paper towel at your local store? To see my designs in my local store will be such a thrill! I imagine it’s like when a musician hears their music on the radio. A lot of work and moving parts goes into the final product and it’s starts with an idea and some imagination. It’s a huge reward as a creative to see my thoughts become a real tangible product that people can use. I always hope my work at the least spreads some joy and I think we have done that with these new prints!

Be sure to look out for Jill’s winning design wherever Bounty Paper Towels are sold!

I knew beauty trends were officially headed in a different direction when latte makeup dominated social media last year. Everything about it gave the appearance of soft features, making this millennial appreciate the ‘no makeup’ look more and more. And while I'm working on staying up-to-date on all the latest makeup trends, it also reminded me there are outdated trends that unintentionally age people...and definitelyneedto go.

Wanna look younger and more on-trend, too? From super metallic eyeshadow to contour that dominates your face, here are the 8 outdate makeup trends to leave in the early ‘90s to mid-2000s.

The 8 outdated makeup trends you need to stop ASAP!

1. Full Coverage Foundation

KoolShooters

There was a time where wearing full-coverage foundation was all the rage. From drugstore to high-end brands, it seems like they were consistently shoved in consumers’ faces to help us achieve a ‘full beat’ without sitting in a makeup artist’s chair. Also, those of us with dark spots or hyperpigmentation may have relied on them when we were in the thick of our skincare woes.

But these days, wearing too much foundation isn’t as popular as natural and skincare makeup are prioritized. If anything, more people are interested in wearing light-to-medium coverage foundation, skin tints, or tinted moisturizers.

2. Too Much Concealer

George Milton

It wasn’t until I watched this video by makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes that I realized some of us have been too heavy-handed with our concealers. There’s no reason we should be slapping products under the thinnest parts of our face, but we didn’t know any better!

Now that you know you can still get the desired effect with a minimal amount of concealer, don’t revert back to painting your under eyes!

3. 'Baking' Your Setting Powder

Chidi Young

Before you throw away your setting powders, step away from your makeup drawer and have a sit-down chat with me. There isn’t anything wrong with applying them to your face to help ‘set’ your foundation and concealer. However, spending over 10 minutes ‘baking’ your powder (AKA letting it sit untouched) doesn’t work for everyone.

It can lead to creased makeup which can derail your look, plus it’s a pain to correct when you’re halfway through your routine!

4. Overlining Lips

Kaboompics.com

I love a good lip liner, especially if it mirrors my favorite ‘90s makeup look. But, there’s such a thing as overdoing it. The key to lining your lips is following the natural flow of them. Going out of your way to draw above and under your lips’ lines comes off as comical and exaggerated. If anything, use a lip plumping gloss to help your lips look fuller.

5. Overtweezing Your Eyebrows

Getty Images

I don’t even have the words for this outdated makeup look besides wanting to say “no” 20 times in a row. But, I’ll bite and say why this shouldn’t be on your 2025 beauty moodboard.

Some people naturally have thinner eyebrows which is A-okay! However, purposely tweezing your eyebrows to smithereens is cringey. If you truly want to wear this look, here’s what you can do instead of tweezing:

  • Create a faux bleached look by applying a skin tone colored setting powder all over your brows.
  • Once they’ve ‘disappeared,’ take an eyebrow pencil or eyeliner to draw a thin line over them.

I’m…wondering what the ramifications of telling you how to do this will be, but only use go for this look if it’s a part of a themed party…like Halloween.

6. Exaggerated Highlighter On Cheeks

Milad Farhani

The shimmery look is in since it’s winter, but please don’t make it look like you dipped your cheeks into a vat of glitter. You can lightly dust highlighter onto your cheeks for a more natural glow that flows with the rest of your look. Otherwise you’ll look like a walking disco ball which could be the opposite of what you were going for.

7. Heavy Contour Or Bronzer

Laura Garcia

I know the ‘sculpted’ look is popular, but too much contour or bronzer can overpower the rest of your makeup and face. While it’s not impossible to fix if you do it by mistake, using the wrong shade of contour or bronzer may still peep through no matter how much you try to buff it out.

When in doubt, be gentle with your contour or bronzer application!

8. Incredibly Matte Makeup

Nataliia Yatsiuk

Matte makeup that didn’t budge was the ‘It Girl’ look for oily and combination skin girls! We thought it was the answer to our skin’s incessant need to hydrate our faces instead of actually using skincare products that focused on combatting that issue (psst…Vitamin C serums help!).

But now’s the time to break up with this look for good for one reason: dewy skin looks healthier.

While we have you here, learn about the outdated shoe trends you shouldn't be wearing in 2025 either.

As much as I love the wholesome parts of the holidays (like decorating Christmas cookies and opening gifts in the morning), one of my absolute favorite parts about the end of the year is ringing in a new one. 2025 is on its way, baby, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already scheming up a New Year's party plan. The key to a good time is definitely having a great outfit – and these 12 Abercrombie & Fitch party dresses are actually perfect for the occasion. I’m talkin’ sequins, mesh, and even leopard print.

Get ready to stand out this season in these drop-dead gorgeous Abercrombie & Fitch party dresses!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Strapless Drop-Waist Maxi Dress

Drop waists will always get me. Plus, they're so flattering! This flowy maxi can be conveniently worn with or without straps to suit your personal style.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Sheer Hem Mini Dress

The scooped neckline on this stunning mini dress is mirrored along the back, which dips a bit lower for a sultry vibe. Pair with some basic heels, and your 'fit is complete.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Collared Zip-Up Midi Dress

The ruching along the front of this zip-up dress is super flattering, drawing eyes to your waistline. The high leg slit feels flirtatious as ever, which could be just the vibe you're needing for your New Year's plans.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Satin Slip Maxi Dress

Slip dresses are simply timeless and so easy to style. Lean more '90s with this foxy leopard print. I'd def wear it with some black boots and a black faux fur jacket for the drama (and more importantly, the warmth).

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Mesh Maxi Dress

This meshy maxi comes with a mini-length slip along the inside so you won't have to constantly worry about coverage. The material still shows your skin in all the right places!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Strapless Pleated Skort Dress

This preppy piece can easily be played up for a party – if anything, I think the tailored look gives the impression that you're super polished. Slip into this strapless skort dress (yep, there's built-ini shorts!), step into some cute kitten heels, throw on a shaggy coat, and you're set!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Off-The-Shoulder Satin Mini Dress

I could see this one working just as well for a Christmas dinner as it would for a rather lit New Year's get-together. The off-the-shoulder look is simply so sweet!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Straight Neck Sequin Midi Dress

Sequins. Need I say more?! You'll immediately stand out among the crazy New Year's crowds in this fancy, disco ball-esque frock.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Off-The-Shoulder Rhinestone Maxi Dress

If full-on sequins aren't quite your thing, you can still put on a bit of shimmer with this dress that's dotted in tiny rhinestones. It comes in this amazing nude color or black to best suit your style!

Abercrombie & Fitch

High-Neck Satin Sculpt Midi Dress

While the front of this sleek midi is more modest, the back features an open design that lets you show some more skin. It's definitely on the elegant side, so I'd advise wearing it to a fancy cocktail hour or more low-key NYE party this year.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Emerson Off-The-Shoulder Skort Dress

Polka dots always feel super energetic to me, so if you want to be the one to get the party started, this is the dress for you! Plus, it'll make for some super cute Instagram pics. The design includes some built-in shorts, so coverage won't be an issue throughout the night.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Satin Embellished Strapless Mini Dress

Oh, this one is perfect. The tiny rhinestone embellishments will certainly have heads tuning your way.

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