Saturday, December 28, 2013

Dupes Lipstick - Kat Von D, Stila, Bite Beauty


Dupes Lipstick Kat Von D, Stila, Bite Beauty
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What I'm Wearing-
MUFE HD High Definition Primer
Bobbie Brown Long Wear Foundation in 2.5 Warm Sand
MAC Pro longwear concealer in NW20
Tarte 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface
Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder
Guerlain Meteorites in 02 Teint Beige
Elf Eyelid Primer
Naked Urban Decay Basics (W.O.S, Naked 2, Faint)
Stila Smudge Crayon in Kitten
Lancome Hypnose Star Show Stopping Volume Mascara in Midnight 01
MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy
Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Medium
NARS Autumn Leaves
Nails- Paula Dorf Nail polish in Runway, Sephora OPI Merry Me!

Shirt- Delias
Earrings- Nordstrom

Music- On the Bach by Jingle Punks (via YouTube Creation tools)

Additional Information on the Lipsticks:
The KVD Lolita lasts the longest on my lips but it's a tad bit drying.  The Bite Beauty Pepper is great because it's the most natural (ingredients wise), but the packaging of the lip library is cumbersome, I would love an individual tube of this color.  The Stila Vivienne is great (a tad warmer-toned than the other two), but very similar.  If you don't like peppermint in your lipstick, you may want to pass on the Stila (it does have a peppermint smell to it).

Friday, December 20, 2013

Starfish Bowl Set

Two of my very dear friends gave me a set of gorgeous starfish bowls as a birthday/Christmas present this year. I was super impressed with the quality, craftsmanship, and individuality of these bowls.

It was really hard for me to move from CA to TN, and a sweet gift like this allows me to have a piece of the beach with me. These bowls remind me of the ocean/beach in many ways. The exterior color of the bowls conjures the image of a sandy beach. Around the outside of the bowls there are the ridges/grooves (created while on a pottery wheel - using fingers or tools).  I love how the artist shaded the grooves; it reminds me of a bamboo beach hut or grass beach mat. My favorite part of these are the interior lip of the bowl; it looks like white water from a wave! I love how the artist created a foam-like look and texture with the white paint. The different shades of blue inside each bowl reminds me of the the water (different hues of blue/green of the ocean). Plus the starfish are absolutely adorable too!

I think these make great gifts (if you prefer a different style, the artist (Kyle) has many different designs in his store)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/khouser
www.kylehouser.blogspot.com

Also, I have to rave about the customer service.  I had a question about an item and Kyle was so courteous, prompt, and helpful. (I wish all stores had customer service like I received working with this artist)





Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread


This is a spin-off of a recipe my Aunt Marcia makes. I've veganized it by changing several ingredients. I love adding lots of chocolate chips and making this a yummy fall/winter treat.

Ingredients-
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic spelt flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Apple Pie Spice (OR 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
2/3 cups cold water
1/2 cup Smart Balance Oil
1 can of Organic pumpkin
1/2 cup pear butter OR apple sauce
3 TBSP ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
1 cup of dairy free chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet chips in the gold bag)

Directions-
Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Stir the following ingredients together:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic spelt flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Apple Pie Spice (OR 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg).

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:
2/3 cups cold water
1/2 cup Smart Balance Oil
1 can of Organic pumpkin
1/2 cup pear butter OR apple sauce

In another small bowl:
3 TBSP ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
(Stir flaxseed with water and let sit for 2-3 minutes, before adding to other wet ingredients)


Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add 1 cup of dairy free chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet chips in the gold bag). Stir well. Pour into lightly oiled loaf pans. I ended up using two pans to make two loaves instead of making one giant loaf :)

Bake in oven for 60 - 65 minutes. Check at 60 minutes with a toothpick.
If you are making muffins bake for 35-40 minutes.










Saturday, December 7, 2013