Sephora Love

Sorry, boys, this will be a boring post for you. But, it is an exciting post for me!

We were at the Cambridgeside Galleria on Monday so I stopped into Sephora. My skin is way too tan for the Bare Escentuals (BE) foundation I had, so I asked one of the sales associate to help me pick the right shade. I ended up with Medium Tan. It looks sooo good, I just love it. It is so perfect.

I was also looking to replace my eyeliner brush. I've been using powder eyeliner from BE and really like it.  I had been using the eyeliner brush from BE (below), but some of the hairs were starting to go off in all directions, making it difficult to line, well, in a line.

After talking with the salesperson I decided to change to an angled eyeliner brush made by Sephora (below). Ooh, I really like it. It is much easier to apply my eyeliner with this and my eyes look fantabulous.

I don't care about impressing other people (which is good), but it sure it nice to be excited about a couple of easy purchases. I guess I am relatively easy to please!

What are your favorite beauty tools?

Ghosts of Cupcakes Past

Serious Eats linked to this post today. OMG --- I love it!!!! These look like they would be so easy and fun to make!

Ghosts of Cupcakes Past

Posted by A Baked Creation at 5:27 PM

S: We've eaten a lot of cupcakes in the past months.
H: Ahem!
S: Okay, I've eaten a lot of cupcakes in the past months. Much were bought at bakeries that boasted selling cupcakes made from scratched, free of this and that. So this Halloween, let's try something a little bit scary. Something seen as a big no-no in the world of baking.
H: (in a scary voice) Ccccake Mixxxx.
S: That's right. There seems to be an ongoing debate between bakers who use cake mix and those who bake from scratch.
H: We for one don't see a problem with either camp. We've come in peace!
S: For this spooky season, we are going to try using a cake mix enhanced recipe from the Cake Mix Doctor.


A Better Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake
Recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!
(Makes about 22-24 cupcakes)

1 package of plain yellow cake mix (I used Golden)
1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup of milk
1 cup of vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 package of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and have all ingredients at room temperature. Also have your cupcake liners and pans ready.
2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. About 30 seconds.
   
3. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and mix on medium for 1.5-2 minutes. The batter should look well blended.
4. Set aside 3/4 to 1 cup of the cupcake batter.
5. Using the rest of the batter, evenly scoop the batter into your cupcake liners/cups - filling them two thirds of the way.
6. Cut the pieces of frozen cookie dough in half to make 24 pieces.
7. Place a piece of frozen cookie dough on the top of each cupcake and push it down into the batter.
   
   
8. Using the 3/4 to 1 cup of batter that was set aside, evenly distribute them (about 1 teaspoon for the 22-24 cupcakes)
9. Place the pans in the oven and bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. This should take about 23-27 minutes.
10. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool before frosting.

Fluffy Chocolate Frosting
Recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!
(Makes about 3 cups)

1 stick of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups of sifted confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup of milk
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

1. Place the butter and the cocoa butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until well combined. About 30 seconds.
2. Add the confectioner's sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
3. Mix on low speed under the frosting is light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of milk if the frosting is too thick or more confectioners' sugar if the frosting is too thin.

The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!
Written by Anne Byrn

ISBN 13: 9780761129615

ISBN 10: 0761129618

Publisher: Workman Publishing

Hardcover: 502 Pages

The cupcakes we tried were light and super moist, but during the cooling session, some of the tops caved in - my fault. I shouldn't have added the extra pudding (since Betty Crocker already has pudding in it, but I couldn't find a plain cake mix - Anne Byrn explains the difference in this book). I also think this might have to do with the cookie dough! The recipe allowed for extra batter, so as you can see, we made some mini cupcakes too. Don't want to waste it! I think to improve on this recipe, next time I will cut the cookie dough even smaller. Even though the frozen cookie dough we bought were already divided into 24 pieces, smaller ones might work better.

It was interesting to alter the cake mix instructions. I've seen chefs do it on Food Network, so I'm glad I had a chance to try it with the Cake Mix Doctor!

The cookbook includes a coloured table of contents that includes a photo of what the cake, cupcakes, brownies, bars, and cookies look like. Yes! That is so helpful and all cookbooks should include a photo of the finished outcome. It doesn't have to be fancy styled photographs, The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! kept it simple and informative.

This cookbook also includes side columns for you to write Recipe Reminders and Notes for each recipe instruction. There are clear instructions for the different types of baking you can do with this book. I like how Anne provides background information and is honest in her recipe introductions. She tells you where she got the recipe from and what she did to improve on it - what works and what doesn't.

I would recommend this for bakers who want to move a step up from using only cake mix. The recipes are almost similar to baking from scratch, except it is usually missing the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Thank you to Laura from Workman Publishing for the copy of The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrn.


Ghost Toppers
(Makes as many as you want!)

Jumbo gummies
White-coloured fondant
Cookie cutter
Rolling pin
Modeling stick
Wilton's round piping tip #3

Have your jumbo gummies laid out to be ghostified!

Materials used: rolling pin, modeling stick, cookie cutter, round piping tip #3.

Roll out a thin layer of fondant. Use your cutter to cut the fondant.
It doesn't have to be such a wiggly cutter, if you prefer a smooth circle - go for it!
I didn't do a clean cut, I've never met a ghost, but I think some would have that wispy look on the edge.

Using the round piping tip as a cutter, make two eyes!
If they get stuck, use the modeling stick to poke out the excess fondant.

Next, carefully drape the fondant over the jumbo gummy.
Have fun folding and creating indents to make the ghost's body and "arms."

And you're done! Simple right?
Have these dry for an hour before putting them on top of your cupcakes.

Poledancing…

This is funny for more than reason, and if you know me, you know both of the reasons...

Too Good Not to Share

Thought you might enjoy this story.  Dogs are allowed on public transport in all of Europe, but generally with their master. This is interesting.
  
                 Moscow Dogs 


           

Canine  commuter ... wild dog waits on the platform

STRAY dogs are commuting to and from a city centre on underground trains in search of food scraps.

The clever canines board the Tube each morning. After a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.

  Experts studying the dogs say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train.. 

The dogs choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train. They have also developed tactics to hustle humans into giving them more food on the streets of Moscow 

Scientists believe the phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia's new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs. Dr. Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses.

Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway to get to the centre in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.


Well trained ... dog enjoys a nap on  the underground


Dr. Poiarkov told how the dogs like  to play during their daily commute.
He said: They jump on the train  seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed They do  it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.

Dog  tired ... mutt naps on tube seat in Moscow

The dogs have learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr.  Poiarkov. 
And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow.
They sneak up behind people eating shawarmas then bark loudly to shock them into dropping their food. 

With children, the dogs play cute by putting their heads on youngsters' knees  and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy and scraps. Dr.  Poiarkov added: Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists..

The Moscow mutts are not the first animals to use public transport.. In 2006 a Jack Russell in Dunnington, North Yorks, began taking the bus to his local pub in search of sausages. And two years ago, passengers in Wolverhampton were stunned when a cat called Macavity started catching the 331 bus to a fish and chip shop.

Getting Ready for Halloween

I soooo love this (video embedded below)!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

To Treat or Not?

Okay, I have a scenario and I really want your input... I've made the scenario as generic as possible so this doesn't come back to bite me in the butt, however, if you are reading this blog I am NOT describing you. At least I don't think this person knows about the blog. Well, anyway... Read on!

Out of a sizable group of people, only one drives me insanely crazy. I am not alone, as this person drives many other people crazy. However, our interactions are more tenuous because we are both strong willed and the other person fancies themself as superior to me (in every way possible). So here's the question: would it be wrong for me to somehow track each time this person irritates the sh*t out of me (not just regular irritation, that doesn't count) and reward myself with something when I reach a specified threshold? Or does that just give a negative interaction more attention than it deserves and turn into an juvenile behavior? I'm seriously torn, because I'd like to treat myself with a drink (at the least) or something else (lip gloss, eye shadow, a blouse, whatever) as a reward for not killing [not literally, obviously, figuratively] said person, but I don't want to a reward system to make me devolve into a childish bitch.

Any thoughts?





see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Busy Time, Quiet Times

We had a busy Columbus Day weekend. I posted some photos on Facebook (link to photos here, http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114225&id=705851667&l=9d317e4b55, even if you don't have a FB account) to show the summary, so I won't duplicate here. Anyway, we cut the grass, cut back plantings, and started cleaning the barn on Friday. We continued progress on Saturday by getting and unloading a ton of pellets and then sealing the driveway. On Sunday we completed the barn and worked on screening some of our giant mound (7 yards) of compost from the neighbor.

We celebrated our hard work by dinner out at PF Changs on Sunday night. It was our first visit and we really enjoyed the food. We got the Chang's for Two ($39.95) which included 2 soups (our choice: egg drop), 1 starter (our choice: calamari), 2 entrees (our choice: Mongolian beef and Almond & Cashew chicken), and 2 desserts (our choice: carrot cake and chocolate layer cake). Yum!

Monday was technically our day off. We took a quick trip up to Tougas Farm (named one of the top 10 apple picking orchards in the US by USA Today) and got some doughnuts, apple cider, and pre-picked apples. I was feeling a bit under the weather, so napped while Mike finished shoveling compost.

And now we're back to a regular work week ;)

Even though I haven't blogged lately, I have been thinking about it. The post below from Hooked on Houses caught my eye today. We all know of the Curtis family. I really enjoyed the pictures of their house -- what a great place to live! So, here I am back on action, and sharing little tidbits. Enjoy!

Tony Curtis & Janet Leigh’s House in Palm Springs:

Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh were one of Hollywood’s Golden Couples in the 1950s and early ’60s. Who could forget Tony Curtis in movies like Some Like It Hot (a personal favorite of mine), or Janet Leigh in Psycho? This old Life magazine photo was taken of them in 1959 at home with their daughters Kelly and Jamie Lee. The contemporary California home they lived in–which they nicknamed “Camp Curtis”–is on the market for $1.295 million.

According to the listing by Marc Lange of Capitis Real Estate, the 3,204 square-foot house is in the Movie Colony neighborhood of Palm Springs. There are 5 bedrooms and 5 baths.

Tony Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz. Janet Leigh was born Jeanette Morrison. Bernard Schwartz and Jeannette Morrison don’t have quite the same ring as Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, do they?

Tony Curtis was Janet’s third husband. She married her first husband when she was only 14 (!). Curtis left Janet in 1962 for a 17-year old German actress named Christine Kaufmann.

Janet Leigh died in 2004 at the age of 77. Tony Curtis is now in his 80s and married to his 5th wife.

Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh’s daughter Jamie Lee Curtis is an actor, photographer, and a children’s author.

It would be hard to beat these views:

For more photos and information, check out this article from the LA Times or see the real estate listing. (Thanks to Nita for telling me about this!)

Check out my Celebrity Houses page for links to all the famous houses I’ve featured. Most popular this week: Star Stylist Rachel Zoe and Coco Chanel.

Looking for something unique and beautiful for your table? I’m loving this Crumpled Porcelain Collection and Sapling flatware from My Sparrow.

The End of the Camp Season... And Things are Moving Along

We closed up our campsite last Saturday. We were a little leisurely about it this year, working off and on Friday and finishing up by noon on Saturday. We did things a little different this year. Many of the clothes and towels stayed at camp this winter, neatly tucked away in space bags inside of totes. We also left all the plastic cups, cutlery, and plates behind. Dirty laundry (every piece of fabric out an in use, including all bedding) came home along with some things we'll use over the winter.

The way things usually go is that we get home and unload. I do some laundry. After about three weeks the camp stuff gets moved to the areas where it belongs (but not put away). About a month after that I finally get around to storing stuff away. If you are doing the math, that would be around Thanksgiving.

This year I am way ahead (woo hoo!). I had all the laundry done by Sunday. I unpacked the non-perishable food on Sunday and wiped down and tossed old items on every shelf in the pantry and cabinet with food before putting the camp stuff in. Yesterday morning I moved things from the big stack to their appropriate spots, thus freeing up the mud room for vacuuming. Today I not only organized and moved stuff into the attic, I also cleaned up stuff on our landing that had been there since last Fall and created a big pile of trash. Whew!

The camp stuff is now all put away, the landing is organized, and the big guest room is emptied of unnecessary detritus. And the day is still young... I hope to get our queen bed back into the big guest room (it was at Mike's mom's house for the past 2 years) and get the bed all made up this weekend.

Tonight I plan to run a couple of errands, then head home to do the floors (or, rather, have our Scooba do the floors), wash the guest room sheets, and switch out my summer clothes/shoes for winter ones.

It sure is a nice feeling to get things done!

Have a happy day

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Last night I finished reading Stieg Larsson's second book, The Girl Who Played with Fire. OMG... It was so fantastic. It picks up shortly after the last book and focuses on Lisbeth Salander with Mikael Blomvist as a secondary character, and a host of supporting characters. In this installment, Lisbeth returns after over a year of traveling abroad and begins settling in to a new life. Her dreams of a quiet, happy existence are shattered when she is attacked by a hired thug and then three people turn up dead. The fast-paced story had me turning pages like an addict, wanting to know what would happen next. I began reading it on Tuesday, September 29. I read bits and pieces Friday and Saturday and then worked to plow right through starting Monday. At 512 pages, it was another long book, but I didn't care. I was an obsessed woman, anxious to know what would happen.

The book was a real treat. It took me a little while to get into the first thriller in the series, The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, mainly because I started it in a crowded airport. After the first couple of chapters, I was hooked. I was so anxious to read TGWPF (this one) that I actually went to the store and bought it (GASP!!!). I was completely unwilling to wait for the other 410 people wishing ahead of me on PBS. I am soooo glad I bought it.

The sad part in all of this is that Stieg Larsson passed away after delivering four manuscripts (three related with Salander as the main character) to his publisher. He was obviously a gifted author and would have had a huge and faithful following.

I wonder how the audio book versions are for those who don't want to read it... They're selling on iTunes for $18-$30 and on Audible for $21-$27... My local library also seems to have the first book available for download (which uses their proprietary player). Hmm...

Whip It

Mike is going away, again, this week. The poor guy is traveling his butt off. I've gotten a wild hair and decided I really want to go see Whip It. The preview is embedded below:





I think it looks hoo-larious. I'm going to see it tomorrow night at Showcase North... Wanna come? Let me know!

p.s. My derby name is Bitty SOB. I love it!