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)

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.

November Favorites 2013

Check out some of the products I've been loving this past month :)

Eyeshadow Tutorial Wet N Wild Trio in 'I got Good Jeans'.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial using the Wet N Wild Color Icon Trio in 'I got Good Jeans'. In my opinion, it's totally worth the $2.99 USD.

Sephora Formula X Nail Polish in Dramatic

Sephora recently came out with a new nail polish formula called Formula X. I had tried a mini polish in the color perfection and decided to purchase a full-sized product in the color dramatic (dark lilac purple).  I wanted to see how the two compared in quality and to see how I like the polish in general.

Formula X has a 4 step system (clean, base coat, polish, top coat). I'd heard some good reviews on the 4 step manicure kit, but I wanted to test the individual polish before investing in the system.  

The top of this product reminds me of Butter London or Marc Jacobs nail polish (you pop the plastic top off to reveal the applicator). I also like the brush; it isn't too wide so it gives me more control to get into the smaller areas on the sides of my nails.

I wore this nail color with a base coat under it (Orly Bonder), two applications of the Formula X in Dramatic, and a top coat (Seche Vite). 

My Thoughts:

I loved how shiny the polish turned out and the color is just gorgeous! Sadly, I wasn't impressed with the lasting power. I wore it for one day before it started to chip on my right hand, soon after my left hand started chipping as well.  I'm going to try it again with a different base and top coat to test it out again. 

Would I purchase Formula X again? I have other nail polish that I use and don't need a top coat at all (no chips for 3+ days), and it costs 1/3 of the price of the Formula X.  As of right now, I wouldn't purchase another full-sized Formula X. While the color selection is impressive, this polish doesn't seem to want to stay on my nails!

I had the same issue with the Formula X mini in Perfection. The color was beautiful but it chipped so quickly even with a base and top coat.

I know some people really like the new Formula X nail polish. Please let me know what you think and what your experience has been in the comment section. Thanks!

Giveaway!! Korres, Sephora, KVD

Here is the link to YouTube if you are interested in entering my giveaway :)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKeFe2qkzy0

Thank you so much for all of your support and being apart of my life and interests. Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

Ipsy Glam Bag November 2013

I hope you enjoy this 4 minute video on what I received in my Ipsy Glam Bag this month! I'm pretty excited to try the Michelle Phan product.

What is Ipsy?  It's a mail subscription service where you get 4-6 beauty products delivered to you in an adorable bag each month, for just $10. If you're interested, check it out here:

http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hgpww9alk1ape8

Simple Sandwich for Lunch

Just wanted to share a simple recipe I made today for lunch.

Ingredients-
1 slice of Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
1/2 tablespoon of Veganaise
Penzey's Spice in Arizona Dreaming
1/3 of an avocado sliced
1 leaf of organic red leaf lettuce
2 slices of WildWood Organic Sprout Tofu (baked Teriyaki)

Directions-
Toast bread and slice diagonally. Spread the Veganaise on one side of the bread and lightly sprinkle the Arizona Dreaming on top of the Veganaise. Load on the tofu, avocado slices and lettuce.

October Favorites

Here are a few items I've been using and loving a lot this past month. Most of them are makeup, but some are skincare, food and even movies! Enjoy!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts? 

Please let me know what your favorites have been this October.

My First Get Ready With Me Video

What I'm Wearing:

100% Pure Luminous Primer

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hr Full Coverage Foundation in Light Sand

ProVive Beauty Blender Dupe Makeup Sponge

Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Rollerball in Sheer Tint

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche in Radiant

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Concealer in Y1

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush

Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder in Translucent

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny (Sephora Airbrush powder brush)

Tarte 12 Hr Amazonian Clay Blush in Honored (Elf Small Stipple Brush)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

LORAC PRO Palette eyeshadows -- Lt Bronze, Taupe, Garnet, Cream

(Elf Professional Shadow Brush, Sephora Professional Done Shadow Brush, Sephora Airbrush Crease, Sephora Professional Gel Liner Brush)

Mineral Fusion eye pencil Touch -- brown

Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Light Blonde

Benefit Watts Up

Bite Lipstick in Cin Cin

Nails- Paula Dorf Bright Nights

Tank Top- Gap

Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kristenkchannel

Music- YouTube Audio Library 

Magic Marker - Silent Partner   

The Engagement - Silent Partner