Mother's Day Cake Pops

Just thought I'd share some of my Mother's Day Cake Pops! Enjoy! :) 

CAKE POP LOVE!!

I am so excited to venture out into the creative field of ... drum roll please, CAKE POPS!! I absolutely love making them, I love seeing smiles on kids as they eat them at a party! My cake pop company name is "Pink Flour Cake Pops" Here are some pictures of the last event I did...

For business inquires please contact pinkflourcakepop@aol.com

Stay Healthy While Eating Out

It can be difficult to keep a "healthy lifestyle" (NOT DIET) going when eating out. Especially if you live in a big city where their are great restaurants at every corner. I know for myself its more of a portion control issue. All this great food at my disposal & I didn't have to make it myself! Although I prefer going out for dinner, I am going to start cooking main dishes at home. I'm also going start making low sugar desserts. I'll post those recipes as soon as I make one that I really enjoy & that's easy to make. Here are a couple of tips for those Friday/Saturday night dinners.

TIPS
Snack Before Dinner - Have a light snack before dinner that way you won't be starved when you get to the restaurant. You can have it as your getting ready to go out, in between wardrobe changes. Maybe a hand full of almonds (Whole Foods has these really goood flavored
almonds, like BBQ flavored!)

Slow Down Your Eating - Make sure you chew all your food & slow it down so you can actually savor every bite.

Watch Your Liquids - Its so easy to have 2 too many cocktails especially when they have super cute names!

Beware Of Dessert - I know their sooo good BUT let's just not eat the entire dessert plate. Sharing is caring when it comes to desserts!

Finally don't follow the "clean your plate rule" that your mom would say at every dinner. It took me so long to stop doing this, till this day I still have to remind myself sometimes.

HighBeam By BENEFIT

On a trip to Sephora I picked up highbeam by BENEFIT! It was in ELLE Magazines's top five products. I didn't try it while I was inside Sephora because I picked it up right as I was about it pay. Here are the product claims by http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/  "Our satiny pink liquid highlighter accents cheekbones and brow bones for a radiant glow. It's known as the supermodel in a bottle"! umm I don't know about you all but I think I'll buy anything with the word Supermodel in the name! They also say it "Looks perfectly radiant on all skin tones". Well let's see about that...


So here's my review on this "supermodel bottle" It comes in a nail polish looking bottle. (LOVE) The formula is a liquid cream based silvery pink tone. I think it would look better on pale cooler skin tones as apposed to warmer skin tones or as a nighttime look. I do like how it looks in night pictures. I have to say it does blend well, there's no thick glitter to worry about. It gives a nice sheen to the highlight area. With that said I think it can be a bit much if it's worn in the daytime on warmer skintones. Application is pretty simple, just dab three dots above the cheekbones & blend blend blend. It can also be used on the cupids bow, collarbone or browbone to add a light reflection.


Since it is a little light for my skintone. I probably won't use it during the summer because I get like two shades darker so it really isn't going match my skin tone. However, I am going to try MoonBeam by BENEFIT. Its similar to highbeam but it's more of an apricot color as apposed to a pink color. It's probably made with warm skin tones in mind.

HighBeam by BENEFIT $24.00

Here are links to HighBeam By Benefit.
http://www.sephora.com/
http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

FIT ME Foundation by Maybelline

I've been searching for a new foundation for a while because the Bare Escentuals Matte SPF 15 Foundation just wasn't cutting it anymore. I felt like I wasn't getting enough coverage. So I went out & bought Fit Me Foundation by Maybelline.Which I am loving so far. Aside from the foundation the Fit Me line also carries powder, concealer, blush & bronzer.  I bought the foundation & compact powder for $7.99 each. It's 1FL OZ of liquid foundation with 18 SPF. There are 18 shades to choose from. I wish it was easier to find my shade, it probably took me like 15 min to find my color. Maybelline has pull out trays which have each color swatched & your supposed to put your wrist under it to find your shade but my wrist is a completely different color from my face. I  say as long as their is a mirror around you'll find a shade. If your buying the foundation & powder don't  experiment like me & get different numbers.  Stick with the same number for both the foundation and powder that way you can get the true color as apposed to a mixed concoction.  

Because of the SPF 18 the liquid formula is more dewy then matte. As with any other liquid foundation I wish this one would have come with a pump, it would have made the application process easier. I apply it with a MAC 180 brush, a stippling brush or beauty blender would work great as well. I've even heard of people using their fingers to apply it because they say it warms the foundation which then blends into the skin better but I just can't do it. I think I'd feel like I was spreading germs all over my face. Underneath the foundation I use Bare Escentuals  Prime Time Primer to get lasting power. I get about 8 hours of lasting power. I finish it all off with Bare Escentuals Matte SPF 15 Foundation on top as my setting powder. Using the Bare Escentuals gives more of a matte look. This may seem like a lot of product but remember to only use about a dime size of foundation. There are links below to where you can buy the foundation & check ou the ret of the Fit Me line. This gets the Lovin' This Shindig Stamp of Approval! 

Liquid foundation with SPF 18 &18 shades available for $7.99 each

http://www.maybelline.com/
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2980151
http://www.bareescentuals.com/

"My life As Liz" MTV

A couple of days ago I read an article on CNN.COM about Liz Lee! If you all don't know who she is, she has a show on MTV called "MY LIFE AS LIZ" & I love it! The last week that my sis and I were living in Northern California we watched her show online & it was the funniest thing ever. My sis has started watching it without me & she said I was going to love it. So everyday we would come home from work drink a concoction (a drink she created all on her own) & watched "MY LIFE AS LIZ" 

Show airs on MTV Tuesdays at 11:00 PM

As much as I like watching the Jersey Shore & other reality shows & everybody knows how much I like reality tv. Ironically it's it like escaping reality LOL Well "My Life As Liz" is about a girl named Liz living in Texas with her mother. The show chronicles her daily life from her viewpoint. Her quirky remarks makes for a funny show. Her friends on the show are actually her friends not friends that auditioned to be her friend. The first season followed her in school doing "normal" activities. She is shown as being a nerd & a free spirit. I think it's necessary to have a show that doesn't glamorize being a "Lindsey Lohan". It's also important to air a show that doesn't include pregnancy or smooshing! Pop culture needs an expansion.  

MAC Viva Glam - Intro

I love this MAC ad, it was oddly mesmerizing. I wish I would have seen the lipstick a little more clearly and the lipgloss wasn't featured :(  anyways ENJOY the vid!

Spring Is In The Air- Nail Polish edition

I was looking at my nail polish collection & realized that I have so many dark nail polishes & they almost all look the same. I love dark colors but keeping up with them can be a pain. I find myself repainting my nails like every other day because I hate when they chip.
So I'm going to TRY to retire my black & other dark nail colors & substitute with one of these beautiful springy colors. I picked up these colors at my local CVS &Target.

The polishes that I picked up are quite comparable to higher end brands. I am comparing SALLY HANSEN Xtreme wear nail polish to ESSIE because to me the formula is very similar. They are both high shine but the difference between the two is the brush.  I know ESSIE has beautiful colors  but I really dislike their brush it tends to make the polish look streaky. I also bought a bottle of RIMMEL London, I've been buying RIMMEL for a while because they have great dark colors but since I'm trying to steer away from dark colors I picked up a grey shade. (yea, didn't steer too far) I also realized that RIMMEL has the same brush as DIOR Vernis but it's a fraction of the price. The last polish I picked up was a L.A. Colors one, I typically wouldn't have picked up polish from this brand but  the color was so pretty that I couldn't help it. I've even seen pictures of Khloe Kardashian with a shade very similar to this lavender color.

RIMMEL London Lasting Pro in Steel Grey

Compare the brushes

 Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet

 L.A. Colors Nail Lacquer in French Nails Purple

I'd like a splash of soda in my Cupcake, please

Soda in my cupcakes... I read about these cupcakes & my sister made them for our family's Valentine's Day Party so I had to concoct my own version. However the frosting on the cupcakes was my sis' recipe because I completely messed up on my version (too much butter in mine) Oh and I didn't have my measuring cups so I kind of eyeballed it all :)


Here we go... So I went to Target to get a couple of things starting from cupcake liners to sprinkles to wrapping paper for the bday gift (some nail polish).  I also bought a pipping decorator kit but it was missing like 3 parts :( I returned it the next day. When I got home I started making the cupcakes right away because if this plan failed then I would have to rush to buy a couple dozen a local bakery. Recipe goes like this...


Soda Cupcakes (These ingredients made about 20 large cupcakes)
1. Pour the entire cake mix into a mixing bowl
2. Pour in 12 oz soda
3. 1 egg
4. Using an electric mixer mix the ingredients until fluffy and smooth
5. Spoon into cupcake baking molds
6. Bake for about 17-20 min
7. Let them cool for about 25 min
8. Use sprinkles or shredded coconut to decorate

I bought foil cupcake baking molds which were like $2 & they worked great I actually liked them better then the regular tin-like ones. These foil ones allowed the cupcakes to cool very fast & I was able to pull them out of the oven using only a thin cloth napkin...


Below are some mixing combos but really, just be creative! I made the white cake+strawberry soda and the Chocolate cake+Cherry Dr. Pepper!

angel or yellow cake + orange soda
chocolate cake or devils food +  Pepsi
chocolate cake + vanilla Coke
chocolate cake + Cherry Dr. Pepper
lemon cake + 7-up
marble cake + cream soda 
red velvet + Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper
spice cake + Orange Sunkist soda
white cake + Orange Sunkist soda
white cake +  Sprite or 7-up
White cake + Strawberry soda

This is my sis' simple frosting recipe

1. Pour the entire pint sized heavy cream into a mixing bowl

2. Add about 2 caps of vanilla extract

3. Add granulated sugar until you reach desired sweetness (about 3 spoons full)

4. Mix until smooth & creamy

Make sure you don't over mix or the frosting will become clumpy. 

                       These are my sis' V Day cupcakes!

                                                                  

Urban Decay NAKED Palette review

I waited for the Urban Decay NAKED Palette for almost 4 months. I would visit Ulta or Sephora about twice a week (I used to live 2 min from ULTA!!) So I got on the waiting list on  http://www.urbandecay.com/ & I received an email like a week an a half ago saying it was back in stock!! Two days later I went to Ulta & there it was, Love in a Box! This was my ideal palette since I mostly wear neutrals.

It's only $44 & you get 12 full size eyeshadows, a duel 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil & Primer Potion. Consider the fact that each Urban Decay Eyeshadow is $17 so this is like the deal of all deals. Palettes in general are a great way to get beautiful colors for a fab price.  The duel 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil colors are Whiskey & Zero. The eye pencils are two staple colors and glide on beautifully to achieve a smoky eye. I also use them on the water line & the color stays put. The eyeshadows are greatly pigmented & have sort of a creamy consistency to them. The only color that has some glitter fall out is "Sidecar" I've taken some pics, so enjoy & I hope it's in stock on your next trip to Sephora or Ulta!

Eyeshadow names from first row: Virgin, Naked, Buck, Smog, Toasted, Creep
Eyeshadow names from second row: Sin, Sidecar, Half-Baked, Darkhorse, Hustle, Gunmetal

Here are some of my favorite youtube links for looks using the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I am also wearing colors from the palette on my profile pic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WezAzFjDE8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8jhgtGe-z0

Maybelline Falsies Mascara review

I tweeted about the new Maybelline New York Falsies Volum' Express Mascara about a week ago and I have to say that I'm loving it so far. My eyelashes look long and and defined. I wouldn't go as far as to say that they look like fake eyelashes but the length is amazing!. I think mascara makes me look more awake so whenever I'm running late it's what I grab to through in my purse. I am always searching for the perfect formula because sometimes they turn out to be runny and messy and sometimes their as clumpy as oatmeal! To avoid any clumps I make sure I apply it slowly and only use 2 coats.  It has a curved bendable wand which I love because it coats all of my lashed equally. The formula has a glossy finish to it which I love. I also make sure not to pump the want into the bottle to many times because the oxygen can make the formula clump up faster.

I rarely buy department store mascaras because I feel that drug stores have great dups. I prefer to spend the $40 dollars on high end great pigmented eyeshadows like my Urban Decay Naked palette which I am absolutely in love with!

Lauren Conrad Book Series

I occasionally like to read something fun and silly before bedtime, so during a trip to Target (with an accent) I picked up the first book to the LAUREN CONRAD series, "L.A. Candy." I bought it for 7.99 and had an additional 20% off! I love buying books at Target! I'm down to the last 30 pages of the book and I have to say that it's a cute girly book that allows for the real world escape. At first I thought why would I want to read the book when I had spent the last couple of years watching the show. I bought it anyway and to my surprise it was not a recap of the show. Instead it's a story vaguely based on The Hills with different character names and the with a little added drama. The book is more relatable since Jane (Lauren Conrad) talks about her feelings when moving to LA. Us girls that have just moved to LA can certainly relate, well except for the whole reality show thing but other then that we are identical ;)

After I read it for 2 hours straight during the first night, I guess my boyfriend knew I loved it (or maybe it was that I repeated a million times "OMG I want the next two books!") because he ended up buying me the whole series for Valentines Day! love it!