Pies + DIYs: No-Sew Makeup Pouch to Head Into the New School Year

Kelly Bryden
Aug 21, 2017

Welcome to another episode of Pies + DIYs! I’m sure you can guess what this series is all about — doing DIYs while eating pie :) You can tune in every Wednesday to pick what DIY project I (Kelly) will make LIVE! I only have three tools and six materials to work with to create the DIY of your choice. Hope to see you all there!

This week we got ready for school with a no-sew makeup pouch. Listen, there are lots of ways to make a makeup pouch but I decided to try a new style that I’ve never explored before :) This is a makeup pouch that closes with a drawstring but can also lay flat so you can see all your goodies. Start by cutting a large circle out of your favorite fabric. Use Fabric-Tac to create a hem around the circumference of the circle. Thread in your drawstring through the hem and cinch together to create a pouch. This DIY is super simple and a great carry-all for any type of goodies.

Thanks for watching and we’ll see you next week!

XO Kelly

This Buzzy New Fashion Brand Is Here to Make Sewing Simple

Calling all crafters, style lovers, and sewing-enthusiasts — there’s a new brand on the block that’s about to change the DIY game for good. SEWSQUAD is a line of super simple fashion projects that makes creating your own style a whole lot easier. This sewing pattern/teen mag hybrid blows the dust off of the old-school sewing staples you may remember from your youth with a fresh take on crafting.

“We are, in many ways, a fashion brand rather than a sewing pattern company,” explains Zoey Washington, creator of SEWSQUAD (and former fashion director at Brit + Co). “Teens and tweens are sewing their own clothes and altering what they buy all the time. From sewing classes to thrift store flipping, this group appreciates the power of making your own look with your own hands — but there just weren’t products out there that spoke to them. Hopefully, SEWSQUAD can fill in that gap in the marketplace where traditional DIY, crafting, and sewing brands have lost sight of what’s trending and what teens want,” she continued.

Each easy-to-use fashion project comes complete with a simplified, no-machine-necessary sewing pattern that can be done in a few hours and is designed to work for everyone from seasoned sewers to anyone who has never picked up a needle and thread. Patterns are based on popular silhouettes inspired by runway looks, street style, and Instagram influencers.

The first round of projects (or “Drop 1”) includes a Classic Tee, T-Shirt Dress, a Zip Skirt, and Skater Skirt each for $15 that will hit sewsquad.com during #memademay with later drops coming throughout the summer season to compete with fast-fashion consumer appetites. “Fashion fans — particularly teens — are used to seeing new product every few days, so we need to make sure we’re giving them something new and exciting as often as possible, even if it is just a really easy bracelet or a clutch made out of their old jeans. We want our squad to get constant inspiration from us and to love how easy it is to create a style that is totally unique to them,” Washington explains.

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Every pattern also features a magazine-style trend report packed with clever ways to make the simplest piece look like couture. SEWSQUAD even wants you to rethink how you use unwanted material with their “Leftover Looks” or bite-sized DIYs that turn discarded scraps into playful accessories (think scrunchies, drawstring bags, and adorable wristlets).

Head over to SEWSQUAD and sign up to get news on their launch and upcoming projects with Joann stores now.

Are you ready to #jointhesquad?

RELATED: 75 Easy Sewing Projects You Should Try

(Photos via SEWSQUAD)

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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day At Starbucks With This ‘Pot Of Gold’ Matcha!

St. Patrick’s Day is coming soon, and I’m already so pumped for it, thanks to a slew of fun fast food treats. From Wendy’s new Thin Mints Frosty and Dairy Queen’s Mint Oreo Blizzard to the return of McDonald’s famed Shamrock Shake, I’m geared up for all things green.

If you’re also celebrating St. Paddy’s with a sweet treat, you’re gonna want to try out this Starbucks secret menu drink that has the perfect green tint. It’s filled with white chocolate and matcha – but not in the way you’d think. Plus, it's a tasty departure from your expected mint flavors around this time of year!

Scroll on to discover the Starbucks secret menu order that’s perfect for sipping on St. Patrick’s Day!

@_starbuckssss

Essentially an iced white chocolate mocha made with blonde espresso topped with matcha cold foam and brown butter sprinkles, one Starbucks barista revealeda tasty (and festive!) new way to enjoy the chain’s offerings in lieu of St Paddy’s: the Pot Of Gold!

Starbucks

The spirited drink starts with 4 pumps of white mocha sauce, which is then combined with 2 blonde espresso shots. Starbucks’ blonde espresso has a smoother effect than their traditional shots, so expect this sip to bring on the sweetness!

Starbucks

From there, you can order the drink with your choice of milk – and it’s a total bonus that Starbucks is no longer charging extra for alternative milks like oat, almond, coconut, and soy milk!

Starbucks

The next step is to order the drink with the chain’s vanilla cold foam, adding 2 scoops of matcha powder in the process.

Note: this secret menu item was shared before Starbucks reformulated their matcha powderto be unsweetened, but the cold foam should still have some sweetness, thanks to the vanilla.

Starbucks

Finally, the Pot Of Gold matcha drink is complete, boasting a satisfying layer of green on top of a golden latte. The barista who came up with the drink topped their bev with Starbucks’ brown butter sprinkles, which is in cafes for a limited time alongside their pistachio-flavored coffees.

If your local Starbucks is out of the brown butter sprinkles, a dusting of cinnamon or chocolate curls could also be so tasty!

Starbucks

With this secret menu hack, you’ll be sipping your way through a delightful sweetness and plenty of caffeine from both the matcha powder and espresso shots. If you prefer to have less jitters in your drink, you could easily order it ‘half-caff’ or with decaf espresso shots.

For quick reference, here’s how to order the Pot Of Gold drink. Ask for:

  • A grande iced latte
  • With 2 blonde espresso shots (or your preference for ‘half-caff’ or decaf)
  • With your choice of milk
  • Topped with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam with 2 scoops of matcha powder
  • Add brown butter topping

And voila! This drink is such a fun way to ring in St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re craving an iced blended beverage, I also tracked down some pretty delicious-looking secret menu drinks for a Lucky Leprechaun Frappuccino and a Pot Of Gold Frappuccino.

Check ‘em out – and happy St. Paddy’s!

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This Thanksgiving Walnut Pie Recipe Has a Hidden Chocolate Layer

For this year’s Thanksgiving pie, why go the traditional route? We say create your own memories, starting with this black bottom walnut pie from Jaynelle St. Jean, chef and owner of in Oakland, California. Her bakery is known for offering fun twists on classic pies like a chocolate cream confection with a buttery pretzel crust, a grapefruit custard with graham cracker crust, and her most eye-catching treat: the black bottom walnut pie.

The pie starts with a flaky butter crust that’s topped with a layer of chocolate. Inside that decadence is a walnut filling with molasses and vanilla. Her modern take on the classic nut pie has become a Thanksgiving staple for Bay Area locals, so much so that the shop has a line down the street on Thanksgiving morning. In previous years, her pies sold out for home delivery via William Sonoma.

This Thanksgiving, St. Jean has given us her famous recipe to share with you. Veer off the beaten path and bring this unique pie to this year’s Friendsgiving.

BLACK BOTTOM WALNUT PIE Recipe

(Makes 1 pie; 9 servings)

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup ice water

Black Bottom Crust:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 egg yolks

Filling:

  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

  • 1 cup whole walnuts
  • freshly whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Make the butter crust. Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor, add butter, and pulse until coarse.

3. Add ice water and combine until a dough forms.

4. Form into a ball, cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for roughly 20 minutes.

5. Make the chocolate crust. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.

6. In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and egg yolks until combined.

7. Add in flour mixture, and mix until a dough forms.

8. Form into a disk, cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and set aside.

9. Prep the crust. Lightly dust a flat surface with flour. Remove butter crust from fridge, and roll out with a rolling pin until crust is about 1/8-inch thick and fits your pie pan.

10. Carefully fold the crust in half and half again to transfer it into the pie pan without breaking. Unfold it inside of the pan, then cut the edges so they hang off the pie pan (about an inch).

11. Tuck the crust edges under itself. Then position one hand on the inside of the crust’s edge and the other on the outside. Push the dough between the index finger and thumb of your outside hand and index finger of your inside hand (see picture). You’ll form a U shape with the crust. Continue the same pattern with the remaining crust to form a decorative, crimped edge.

12. Place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm.

13. Make the filling. While crust firms up, combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until combined. Set aside.

14. Assemble the pie. Once the crust is firm, remove from freezer.

15. Gently press the chocolate crust on top of the buttery crust base until it evenly covers the entire bottom.

16. Place the walnuts on top of the chocolate crust.

17. Pour into the prepared pie, on top of the walnuts.

18. Place your pie pan on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until set around the edges and the center is puffy and jiggly.

19. Allow pie to cool completely before serving with freshly whipped cream.

Share your favorite holiday pies with us on Instagram @BritandCo.

(Recipe via Jaynelle St. Jean/Pietisserie; photos via Kurt Andre/Brit + Co)

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The Original "Gossip Girl" Cast: Where Are They Now?

It's been 17 years since Gossip Girl first premiered on The CW, thus opening our eyes to the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite and introducing us to a new generation of stars like Blake Lively and Leighton Meester.

In the six seasons the show was on air, it captivated fans and critics alike, serving up week after week of delicious drama and continuously upping the ante for TV show fashion. ("So many designers were lining up to be a part of it — they wanted their stuff on Blake or Leighton," costume designer Eric Daman told Vanity Fair.) Click through to find out what the Gossip Girl cast has been up to since the show's success, and where they are today.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Michael Kors

Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen)

Of all the Gossip Girl cast alumni, Blake Lively is arguably the most well-known. Not only has she gone on to major roles in movies — including The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, All I See Is You, and most recently, It Ends with Us— but she's also married to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds (married in 2012).

Blake shares four beautiful daughters, James, Inez, Betty, and the youngest (born in 2023) whose name has not been announced publicly with Ryan. True to her Gossip Girl character, she's quite the fashionista! In her spare time, she likes to hang out with her BFFs, who just so happen to include Taylor Swiftandthe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ladies.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf)

Leighton Meester has a career that would make even her cunningly ambitious Queen B character proud. Since Gossip Girl's end in 2012, she's acted in films including Life Partners, The Judge, The Weekend Away, and most recently, EXmas. She even recorded and released songs such as "Good Girls Go Bad" with Cobra Starship and the solo effort "Somebody to Love," and even starred on Broadway in Of Mice and Men back in 2014.

Leighton is married to actor Adam Brody (The O.C., Jennifer's Body, Gilmore Girls) as of 2014. She has two kids – one daughter and one son.

She has been heavily involved in philanthropy while taking on acting projects, primarily volunteering and campaigning with Feeding America and the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)

Long gone are the days when Taylor Momsen played Dan Humphrey's sweet (and a bit messed up) little sis, Jenny. The actress left the Gossip Girl cast in 2010 in order to pursue her dreams of a music career, and all these years later, she's still doing just that as the frontwoman of the uber-successful rock group, The Pretty Reckless. With four records under their belt, the four-member band has supported bands like Evanescence, Soundgarden, and Guns N' Roses, and has toured in numerous cities and music festivals.

Momsen has typically kept her dating life on the down-low. She is currently single and appears to be putting all of her energy into her band.

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Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey)

Everyone’s favorite Gossip Girl — er, guy — Penn Badgley, followed in his on-screen sister's footsteps after the show ended, pursuing his musical interests with rock band MOTHXR. The band's most current project, Centerfold, was released back in 2016.

Badgley has since acted in several movies and TV shows including Easy A, The Paper Store, and Here Today, but his most notable work has been on the ongoing book-based Netflix series, You. He plays Joe Goldberg, a charming bookkeeper with eerily odd characteristics, especially when it comes to love.

Badgley currently has a podcast titled Podcrushed, which explores the awkwardness of adolescence and revisits guests' best (and worst) middle school memories. He cohosts with Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari. One episode even features ex-Gossip Girl co-star, Leighton Meester!

Badgley is married to singer and doula Domino Kirke as of 2017. Kirke already had a child from a previous relationship. Badgley and Kirke had their first son together in 2020.

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Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass)

Ed Westwick tapped into his angsty side post-Gossip Girl, starring as Tybalt in a 2013 adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Since then, he has fought crime as Kent Grainger on Wicked City, played a crime lord on Snatch, and sold double-glazed windows on White Gold. Is there any role he can't play? Most recently, Westwick stars in the movie DarkGame.

With a background in music, Westwick also currently sings in the bandFor You. Their most recent release is the song "Tailspin," and they're set to release a new single "Here Comes Trouble" in March 2024.

Westwick had been dating model and actress Amy Jacksonsince 2021, with the pair getting happily engaged during a ski trip in January 2024.

Leon Bennett/Getty Images for MBJx DAVID YURMAN

Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald)

Following his stint as a wealthy Upper East Sider on Gossip Girl, Texas native Chace Crawford tried his hand at playing a greedy oil worker on ABC's short-lived TV series, Blood & Oil. He's had several film roles since – you can catch him in movies like Undrafted, Eloise, Nighthawks, even voice-actingin Belle. Most recently, Crawford stars as The Deep on The Boys.

Crawford has previously dated Carrie Underwood, Rachelle Goulding, and Rebecca Rittenhouse, though he is currently single as a Pringle.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams)

Jessica Szohr, who played Dan Humphrey's BFF slash on-again, off-again girlfriend (needless to say, we were confused too), has been a lot busier than her character was after season four, when she was all but written off the show.

In the years since Gossip Girl, the actress scored several roles on TV shows such as Complications, Kingdom, Twin Peaks and The Orville. She even starred in Taylor Swift's music video for "22" back in 2013!

Jessica also welcomed a daughter with her longtime boyfriend in early 2021.

Jessica currently hosts a podcast called "XOXO" that dives deep into the Gossip Girl cast, crew, and behind-the-scenes moments. Some notable episodes have featured Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota), Aaron Tveit (Tripp van der Bilt), Kelly Rutherford (Lily van der Woodsen), and Michelle Trachtenburg (Georgina Sparks).

Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina Sparks)

Since her stint as the "bad girl" Georgina Sparks, Michelle Trachtenberg landed roles on shows like Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sleepy Hollow, and Sister Cities among other numerous series and movies. She even reprised her role as Georgina for the 2021 remake of Gossip Girl on HBO Max!

She managed to keep her personal life largely out of the tabloids, including her dating life. The last update on her relationship status was in 2023, and that she was dating her talent agent, Jay Cohen. She reportedly previously dated Shawn Ashmore, Joshua Radin, and Jason Segel.

Unfortunately, Michelle passed away on February 26, 2025.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Kelly Rutherford (Lily van der Woodsen)

Besides being a New York Fashion Week icon (we'd expect nothing less of Lily van der Woodsen's alter ego!), Kelly Rutherford has popped up in several TV shows over the years, including Quantico, Jane the Virgin, and Dynasty.

She also frequently travels to France and Monaco, where, after years of custody battles with her second ex-husband, Daniel Giersch, she has extensive visitation rights to see her two children, who reside there with their father.

"Yes, it was a challenging time. It was a heartbreaking time," she told People. "But I focus on the good most of the time, I really do," she says. "I'm very thankful of where we are. I have a great relationship with my kids."

When she's not with her kids or working on a project, Kelly is dropping iconic 'fit pics on her Instagram account.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Matthew Settle (Rufus Humphrey)

Matthew Settle, who played rockstar dad Rufus Humphrey, continued acting after the Gossip Girl cast dissolved. He hasn't been on any other TV shows other than one episode of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders in 2016. He mostly stuck to movies, acting in titles like Ouija, Marshall the Miracle Dog, and Valentine: The Dark Avenger.

Settle is also a dad of two children, having welcomed his first with actress and model Naama Nativ in 2009. He had divorced her in 2011 and went on to have a second baby with girlfriend Maria Alfonsin in 2015.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota Kishlovsky)

Though Blair's loyal maid and, ultimately, best friend, wasn't technically a main character, there's no denying that it would have been a different show without her unwavering presence! Zuzanna Szadowski has dabbled in film and television since then, appearing in shows such as Girls,The Good Wife, and Modern Love.

In 2010, she partnered with Sam Weisman to open The Sam Weisman Studio, an acting school (now closed).

Oh, and did we mention she just so happens to be one of Leighton Meester's real-life BFFs?

Which Gossip Girl cast member is your fave? Tweet us @BritandCo!

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

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The Best Home Design Ideas We Learned From Joanna Gaines and Emily Henderson

Home design is not what it used to be. As popular looks start to make everything feel the same, it’s becoming harder to stand out, create the right style for your home, and maximize value — unless you know exactly what your house needs. When you have insider knowledge about the newest looks, best technologies, and DIY approaches, home design truly becomes an incredibly rewarding experience.

To help guide you through the process, Chip and Joanna Gaines joined Brit Morin on the First In Line podcast to share their invaluable wisdom and experience, and designer Emily Henderson also joined the chat to walk you through the new rules of home design.

Lesson #1: Trends will become less and less important as homemakers prioritize cultivating a consistent emotional experience within their homes.

"When someone spends time in your space, you want it to feel like home," Gaines told Morin on the new podcast episode. She continued, "A home is an emotional space, allow it to flow emotionally."

In recent years, Joanna Gaines confessed to steering home design clients away from trends and anything that feels too cookie-cutter. "The trends we are headed toward are more individual. [They're] unique styles that you can't necessarily pinpoint as, 'that's modern, that's eclectic, that's farm.' It's more like, 'it feels right,' and it feels right because it's truly the story of the people designing the space."

Lesson #2: If you want to make your home more unique, swap out light fixtures and add thrifted art to refresh your space.

NYTimes best-selling author and design star Emily Henderson has the cheat code to a fast and affordable home zhush: cull Craiglist, Facebook Marketplace, antique malls, and thrift stores for unique light fixtures and wall art to immediately change your space. "As a mom, practicality comes into design. But with art and lights, you can be more free in those areas."

She adds, "Art is personal and it's hard to find. But if you are thrifting or going to flea markets, it is the fastest way to make your house interesting." She shares that during the pandemic, so many of us started buying our home goods from the same websites and brands, and that's given rise to many of us living in pretty generic-looking homes. She cautions that we also might be making design choices that are too safe.

On the topic of art, Morin had to ask, "Are gallery walls still cool anymore?" To which Henderson replied, "If it's good art, it always works."

Lesson #3: As we emerge from the tough season the pandemic carried with it, home design will become more layered and deeply reflective of a moodier turn inward.

"Any time we have hardship, or any time we are pressed, beauty can rise from that. And creativity. When people get pinched, the beauty that comes from that is really amazing and fascinating," Gaines remarked. She predicts we'll start to see moodier home design choices, particularly with color choice. Think navy, deep greens, dark and moody plaids.

Chip Gaines adds, "The whole world experienced a traumatic reality. We've all felt caged up. So I hope this new season we're entering is a return to nature — something truly unifying."


Like fashion, you have to wear your home design choices confidently. Be sure to check out the rest of the episode for even more pro trips and to find out which design rules are meant to be broken. Below, we've shared helpful timestamps for our episode highlights so you can easily find the topic you want to hear most. Don't forget to rate and subscribe to First In Line wherever you get your podcasts!

(04:16) What’s new with Chip and Joanna and why they got into exteriors
(05:53) How Joanna makes rentals and flip homes feel like a home
(09:11) How anyone can now get involved in flipping homes and rentals
(13:19) Why a home needs to flow emotionally and why style should be consistent
(15:10) The most popular exteriors
(16:37) Why Joanna tries to steer her client away from trends
(17:11) The trends Joanna likes currently
(18:19) Why Chip hopes the new season is one that brings us closer to nature
(20:53) How Chip and Joanna started out with renovation and interior design
(23:34) Ways you can dip your toe into the real estate market and why it’s a great time to get involved
(28:18) How Emily got into interior design
(31:04) Emily’s early experiments with design and natural knack for it
(35:59) When to break the rules of design
(38:05) The new rules of design
(40:02) The most expensive choices to reverse
(41:27) Why Emily is a big fan of everything that’s in style now
(44:22) Why theme rooms are not timeless, and why cookie cutter might not last
(47:02) Thinking outside the box when it comes to wall hangings
(49:30) Why redesigning can be a positive for some, but unnecessary for others
(54:10) Why Emily isn’t big into tech in homes
(56:15) Brit’s techy home and features that help conserve water and energy
(1:04:26) Sustainably renovating on a budget
(1:08:23) The pros and cons of investing in a rental home and things to consider
(1:15:46) Emily’s final tips for getting started