Easy DIY Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

Hi all, I thought I’d post this fun and cute turkey cupcakes recipe and how-to before Thanksgiving starts.  This will especially come in handy if you are looking for a cute way to spruce up your dessert this holiday season, and your guests are sure to gobble them up in no time!

What you'll need:

2 12-Cupcake pans

24 cupcake liners

1 cake mix box of your choice

1 tub of chocolate frosting

1 22oz. bag of candy corn

1 small tube of black frosting

1 small tube of white frosting

1 Ziploc bag

1 offset spatula

1 red Fruit by the Foot roll

Step by step:

• Pre-heat your oven according to package’s directions
• Prepare cake mix according to package’s directions and line pans with cupcake liners

• Pour batter halfway into each cupcake slot
• Bake according to package’s directions or until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

• Evenly frost the tops of each cupcake with tablespoon amount of chocolate frosting using an offset spatula

• Fill a Ziploc bag with frosting and cut a small hole at the tip
• Using the filled bag, pipe the head of the turkey on one side of the cupcake by squeezing and holding in place (until you have your desired size).

• On the opposite side of the head, pipe a line- curving with the cupcake, approximately 2 inches (where the tail feathers will go)

• Place 5-6 candy corns with the white tips going into the cupcake and the flat yellow side sticking out- and they will naturally fan out
• Take one candy corn and cut the white and orange part off and place in the center of the chocolate head to create the beak

Picture shows both tail and beak steps

• Using white icing, dot 2 white spots until you have reached your desired size. Flatten out any sharp points with your finger
• Squeeze a dot in the center of each white eye using black icing to create the pupils

• Cut a small rectangular piece off of a Fruit by the Foot roll and place half above the beak, letting the other half dangle 

And voila! There you have it!  A simple, easy and adorable way to make innovative Thanksgiving treats for your next holiday party.  Hope you found this recipe easy to follow and helpful and that you give it a go!  Let me know your family’s reaction and how they turned out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

XOXO,

Grace

LORAC Mega PRO Palette II Review

Hi all!  I’m super-excited to be writing this post o­n the recently launched and limited edition LORAC Mega PRO Palette II, which is sold exclusively at ULTA (online and in stores -- click here to buy it now).  When the original Mega Pro Palette came out last year, it sold out so quickly that barely anyone was able to get their hands on it, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you and decide whether or not it lives up to the hype.

What we’re dealing with:

The Mega PRO Palette II was created by celebrity makeup artist and founder of LORAC Cosmetics Carol Shaw, and launched exclusively at ULTA for the 2015 holiday season on October 4^th.  LORAC shadows are known to be velvety-smooth, highly pigmented and blend like a dream, and this palette delivers exactly that.  Measuring at 5¾x7¾, the palette is double the size of the LORAC PRO palettes (which have 16 matte and shimmery shadows and cost $42), and offers new shades that are unlike any from the previous palettes. 

Before the limited edition item came out, I did my fair share of research to see if it was worth the money, or if I was better off buying another palette.  Most good-quality palettes have about 12-16 shadows and cost somewhere between $40 and $55.  In comparison, the 32 shadow Mega II Palette (valued at $205) only costs $59 on ULTA’s website, which means each shadow is $1.85 – an insane value!  And while the individual pans are slightly smaller than the Pro Palette shadows, the combination of pigmentation and quality is tremendous, and you honestly don’t need that much of each one to really build the color for your eye look.  On top of that, the Mega II Palette comes out to be a lot cheaper than buying two Pro Palettes, which would still not give you 32 unique shadow colors.  Here’s an inside look at the color breakdown of the Mega II Palette:

The Shadows:

The top two rows have a total of 16 matte shades, while the bottom two rows have 16 shimmery shades. 

Row 1 (Mattes): Porcelain, Custard, Tawny, Burlap, Melon, Tangerine, Saddle, Forest

Row 2 (Mattes): Bisque, Lavender, Purple, Sorbet, Goji, Cabernet, Ash, Black

Row 3 (Shimmers): Sugar, Chiffon, Prosecco, Soft Plum, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Gunmetal, Blue Quartz

Row 4 (Shimmers): Moonlight, Seashell, Peony, Dark Sienna, Penny, Olivine, Gold Leaf, Black Ivy

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I decided to buy the Mega Pro II Palette, and am so glad that I did.  Overall, I’m really pleased with this purchase.  The quality is unbelievable and you get a lot of bang for your buck.  The shadows are soft and smooth like butter and swatch amazingly well.  They are extremely easy to apply and super blendable.  Plus, the back of the box has three Pro Tip “recipes” for an eyelook using just matte shades, shimmery shades, or both, so that’s neat.  Bottom line is, I highly recommend the palette and if you don’t want to spend the money yourself, it’d be a great item to add to your holiday wish list! 

XOXO,

Grace

Top 5 Essie Summer Shades

Hi Dolls, I thought it’d be fun to share my go-to nail polish shades this summer with you.  These are my current favorites and I’ve been alternating between them when getting my nails done professionally or doing them at home.

Essie polishes are known for their long- lasting formula and range in over 300 shades.  They cost about $8, but you can find a better deal when they go on sale depending on the store you get them from.  They tend to go on sale often, and you can find them at your local drugstore or beauty supply store.  They will last you a long time, but make sure you store them in a cool place away from direct sunlight.  I have to be frank with you, though, and tell you that the application of some of the polishes may seem thick.  Still, I suggest applying two coats on top of a nourishing base coat in order to bring out the true color of that particular shade and get the best results.

Here are a few of my favorite shades (left to right):

1. Go Ginza= an opaque white-based pastel shade of lavender and pink that is just perfect for summer.  It’s subtle, yet fashion- forward and I hold it near and dear to my heart, as this was one of the color inspirations for my wedding.  
2. Candy Mint Apple= A bright and fun, cool-toned opaque pastel that, depending on your skin tone, can either look like a pale shade of mint green or sea foam blue.  This shade won’t make your nails look chalky or dull at all, and will perk them up instead.
3. Fiji= The name says it all! It is by far the BEST baby pink I have ever seen.  Like the two shades mentioned above, it is an opaque pale pink with blue undertones that is just so perfect for summer! Regardless of your skin tone, this is guaranteed to make you look tanner, especially on your toes.  However, I also find it to be Essie’s trickiest polish to apply.  It tends to be on the thick side and can leave your nails looking streaky.  I recommend either taking it with you to a nail salon (or use it if they have it), or shaking the bottle in between coats to even out the product in the bottle. 
4. Peach Daiquiri= A bold and bright coral shade of pink that is a cross between watermelon and fuchsia (depending on the light).   This color just pops, it is one of the easier Essie creamy formulas, it doesn’t streak and dries out super shiny.  Try this for your next pool party and match it with a refreshing peach daiquiri to quench your thirst.
5. Urban Jungle= A creamy new take on the typical stark whiteout summer shade.   This opaque beige and off-white color will make you look tan, yet won’t come across as dull or chalky.  Its initial application may look a bit sheer and streaky, but after two coats you will successfully achieve the color you see in the bottle.  With this shade, you can wear white well after Labor Day! 

So there you have it.  I’d love to know what you’re currently wearing on your nails, so feel free to share your thoughts with me. 

XOXO,

Grace

Framing a Scarf

Hi lovelies!  I recently designed an artistic decorative piece for our home and thought I’d share the process with you. 

My husband and I were figuring out how to decorate our new home together, but we hadn’t been able to come to an agreement on what we wanted! !  We’d had our fair share of trips to Ross, Home Goods, Z Gallerie, Pottery Barn and the likes, but we couldn’t find anything that we liked or within our budget! 

After returning home empty-handed from countless trips, I decided to try researching unique wall decorations online.  Somehow, I came across something new – framing scarves – and was instantly intrigued.

I narrowed down the framing methods to three ways: The first option was to purchase magnetic hooks from Hermes and hang the scarf from all four sides.  While this method would showcase the scarf nicely, it also would leave it exposed and vulnerable, inevitably leading to it getting ruined and stretched out over time. The second option was to flatten out the scarf and secure it between two pieces of Plexiglas, which gives the illusion of a floating scarf and no border.  And finally, the third and most popular framing technique I found was to frame the scarf in a conventional picture frame and showcase it on the wall like any other portrait or painting.

Image: Apartment Therapy 

Image: Live Auctioneers

Image: Hermes

After showing and discussing the different framing methods with my husband, we decided that the third way was the nicest.  So now, we had agreed on a technique-- but we were missing an actual scarf!

From the get-go, I knew that framing an authentic Hermes scarf would be a dream, but I also knew that they were very expensive.  The 16”x16” pocket squares retail for $175, so you can only imagine how expensive the 36”x36” scarves are.  I had read that you could get a better deal on a vintage scarf from a store, an estate sale or even  eBay, but I couldn’t find any scarves that we liked, and I don’t like to purchase expensive items on the internet. 

When I discussed my new decorative idea at a family brunch, my husband’s grandmother mentioned that she had a few scarves in her closet that she would gladly give us.  When we visited her later that weekend she asked us if we would like to take a look at them.  She disappeared into her closet and emerged with boxes of magnificent scarves, many of which she had purchased from her travels across the world, and they were all truly beautiful.  We laid them all out on the dining table to see which would fit perfectly with our current home décor.  While we were examining the scarves she snuck up behind us and told us she had one last special item to show us.  She pulled out this stunning 36”x36” vintage 1965 Les Voitures a Transformation Hermes scarf, in black and gold.  I couldn’t believe she was offering this to us and was just speechless.  

Here is how it came out…

We chose a black wooden frame with a thin gold fillet that would not only accentuate the colors of the scarf, but would act as a small border between the edge of the scarf and the dark frame.

We are so ecstatic and thrilled with the final results and are so thankful that grandma gifted this beautiful scarf to us!  We will have this piece of art forever and we’ve already gotten so many amazing compliments on how it looks!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post and that this has perhaps inspired or helped you if you are thinking of a new way to decorate your home.

XOXO,

Grace

Summer Beauty Essentials

Hi dolls! I thought I’d share with you some of my must-haves this summer.  Since I live in sunny California, I tend to stick with things that feel light and have SPF.  So here we go!

1.        Origins GinZing Moisturizer (starting at $26.50)- A lightweight and oil-free moisturizer that is infused with pana ginseng and coffee beans to boost the hydration system of the skin.  It has the fresh scent of citrus and leaves you looking revitalized, healthy and refreshed.

2.        Tarte Cheek Stain ($30)- This super hydrating and multipurpose formula can help you achieve the perfect flushed look and requires no brushes.  Just smile, dot some of the product on your cheeks, and blend along the apples of your cheeks.  Even more than that, it can also double as a lip stain.  I just love a multi-purpose gem!

3.        Becca Mineral Blush in Gypsy ($32)- Like all Becca powders that we love, this blush is finely milled and infused with minerals (hence the name) and antioxidant vitamins.  It gives the most natural looking flush and is also very buildable.

4.        Too Faced Primed and Poreless Powder ($30)-Hands-down the best powder for summer.  It is so silky smooth, it magically erases those annoying pores and fine lines, and literally locks your makeup in place all day long.

5.        Neutrogena Sun Block ($7.39)- An ultra sheer and dry touch formula that gets absorbed into the skin quickly, this cream isn’t sticky, and leaves a matte finish.  On top of that, the added bonus is the fresh and light scent that doesn’t smell like those typical sunscreen lotions.  Make sure you apply this or any other sunscreens AFTER your moisturizer so that you get the most protection, and just because it says it has an SPF of 100 doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be reapplied. Whether you are using an SPF of 15 or 30, try to reapply (if you can) every two hours, or if you’re fair-skinned like me, just try to avoid the sun overall!

6.        Too Faced Soleil Bronzer ($30)- Aside from the fact that this has the most delicious chocolate scent, it has the most delicate and natural matte finish and is super easy to apply.

7.        Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara ($23)- The brush on this mascara is double-sided with two different types of bristles.  The short ones coat the lashes perfectly and help to volumize them, while the longer side lengthens and separates them.  When combined together, the unique brush helps to achieve a daily dramatic look that’s not over the top and won’t flake or dry out. 

8.        Nivea Kiss of Protection ($2.99)- Infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Sunflower and Jojoba oils, this lip balm helps to protect your lips from those dangerous UV rays.   It helps to prevent those dried and cracked lips you get in the summer and instead keeps them hydrated, soft, smooth and kissable.

9.        Tarte Tarteguard Sunscreen Lotion (starting at $12)- This newly-released product from Tarte has an SPF of 30, moisturizes, brightens, is super lightweight and doesn’t have that sticky after feel.  It smells like fresh lilies and is infused with lots of minerals that nourish, tone and moisturize your skin.  

10.    Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer ($44)- A lightweight oil free formula with an SPF of 20 that gives a sheer hint of color and a healthy dewy finish.  It applies so easily and you can use it with a brush, a beauty blender or even your fingers.  

11.    Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana (starting at $29)- This is summer in a bottle for me.  The perfume includes things like Sicilian Citron, jasmine, amber and white roses.  It is so fresh and feminine and it makes me so happy! (P.S. prices may vary, so see if you can get a free sample from your favorite perfume counter or store).

12.    Tarte Lights Camera Splashes Mascara ($21)- This is basically the waterproof version of the Lights Camera Flashes mascara, as it also lengthens, volumizes, curls and conditions.  It is the perfect mascara for your next beach or pool day and it will stay on until you decide it’s time to take it off.

13.    Caudalie Beauty Elixir (starting at $18)- This product is a bit extravagant but just gives the most amazing feeling.  It is partly a toner and partly a serum; it tightens your pores, smoothes the skin, stimulates microcirculation and adds radiance.  You can put it on before your makeup or use it as a setting spray.  If you’re traveling on an airplane this summer, bring the travel sized version with you and use it while traveling. It’s the perfect pick-me-up, has the most amazing fresh scent and makes you feel like a million bucks.  But beware – it can be addictive!

14.    Laline Body Soufflé ($32.95)- This lotion is so creamy and luscious.  I put it on after the shower while my skin is still a little damp and it just locks in the moisture and makes my skin feel super smooth and rich.  I got the Coconut Verbena scented lotion, which smells incredible and makes me want to roll all around in it.  It’s that yummy!

Hope you enjoyed this post.  Now go out there and try some of these products for yourself, and let me know which are your favorites!  If there are any products you think belong on my essentials list, please comment below and I’ll be sure to check them out!  Hope you’re all having a great summer.

XOXO,
Grace

DIY Picture Collage

Hi lovelies,

I recently worked on a DIY picture frame collage at home and thought I’d share it with you.

There are a few ways to go about making a picture collage at home-- you could use the same sized frames, similar frame styles but different sizes, or completely different styles and sizes.  I went with a cleaner look and used similar styled frames in 2 different sizes.  I used two 8X10 and six 5X7 frames.

What you’ll need:

• Frames of your choice
• Wax paper or tracing paper
• Artist’s tape or scotch tape
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• A leveling tool
• Nails
• Hammer

Begin by tracing each frame onto tracing paper.  Cut each outline so you have individual pieces of paper.  For each piece, measure the position of the hook on the frame using the measuring tape and mark it with an “X” (you can also poke through the middle so you’ll get an existing space for the nail).  I suggest figuring out the layout of your choice (feel free to be creative) on the floor or table so it’s easier to move things around. 

Once you’ve come up with the layout design of your choice, measure its entire length, and mark the middle point on the wall.  Take the middle frame outline (in my case it was frames), use the leveling tool to make sure it’s straight and tape it in that middle mark on the wall.  Measure out the space for the next stencil using the measuring tape, level the next piece, and tape it onto the wall.  Continue measuring the spacing and leveling of each additional piece you are taping on the wall until you’ve done them all. 

             

When you’ve finally taped all of the stencils on the wall, hammer a nail right on the “X” mark of each of them. 

     

Place your desired photos into the picture frames and simply hang them on top of the stencils with nails. 

Go ahead and adjust the frames if they are a bit off center, but rest assured that gravity will help you out and straighten most of them out. 

(FYI the images may look slanted because they were taken at an angle, but believe me, they are as straight as an arrow)

Once all the picture frames are in place just remove the stencils and tape from the walls (be careful not to damage anything if you’re not using the artist’s tape), and voila! You’ve just created your very own picture collage!!

Easy-peasy right?  :o)

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this post and please let me know if there’s anything else you’re interested in seeing!

XOXO,

Grace

June 2015/ Get to Know Me

Hi everyone and welcome to my first blog post!!! 

What better way to start off this amazing adventure that I am about to embark on than to talk about this amazing month?  This year, the month of June has been extremely good to me, as it has involved my birthday, my graduation from UCLA, and my 1^st wedding anniversary!! ALL SUPER EXCITING, RIGHT?!?

Let’s start with the nails…

Towards the beginning of the month, as I finished my last exams, essays and projects for the semester, I decided to treat myself to a well-deserved mani-pedi!  I headed over to my favorite nail salon in LA, and with the help of my lovely manicurist Tina (who is quite familiar with my fun nailart shenanigans), decided on a pretty simple design that would be both glamorous and festive.  Here’s what I ended up getting:

I chose to go with a not-so-typical French manicure, with a pretty pink gel polish (whose name I unfortunately can’t recall, but I think it’s by OPI) all over the nails.  Instead of white tips, we went for a loose glitter tip that Tina applied with a brush, and finally topped off by adding some loose glitter to create a subtle ombré effect…

Overall, I think it turned out super cute and chic, and am really happy about the final result!  I love to be creative when I get my nails done because looking at cute nails makes me happy :) 

Birthday

Moving on to the birthday!  This year I celebrated my 27^th (!!!).  We usually celebrate birthdays and milestones by going out to a nice restaurant… only this year, I was beyond blessed to go out more than once!

                                           

                              

The night before my birthday I went out to our go-to restaurant in Beverly Hills called La Gondola with my amazing husband Benjamin, parents, sister and her boyfriend (unfortunately my brother was MIA due to his move to the Big Apple L).  The food was great, they had a TV (which accommodated the men’s NBA playoffs addiction and allowed them to catch the end of the game), and we feel like family there- so all in all it was a fantastic evening!

                               

The following night, the night of my actual birthday, my husband and I went out to a really cool spot called Barton G., which is an expansion of the original restaurant in Miami.  This restaurant is so unique and quirky that I’m going to need a whole post on it because there’s just so much to show and talk about!!

The night after my birthday, my husband and I went to celebrate his great aunt’s birthday at one of the family’s favorite restaurants, Café Bizou in Sherman Oaks.  After dinner, they brought out a cake and sang for his great-aunt, but they pleasantly surprised me with a festive cake and a rendition of “Happy Birthday” of my own!

  

                            

For the last birthday meal, my husband’s beautiful grandmother, aunt and cousin treated me to dinner at a restaurant called Emilio’s Trattoria in Encino.  It has a really nice atmosphere, tons of caricatures of classic Hollywood stars, and ginormous bottles of wine! So much fun!!

Graduation

On Saturday, I attended my UCLA Undergraduate graduation ceremony.   After immeasurable amounts and countless hours of  hard work and studying, I received my Bachelors of Arts degree in Anthropology (which is basically the study of humans, and involves aspects of biology, linguistics, archaeology and culture).  It was a big accomplishment and a milestone for me, and I was so fortunate to share it with my family and friends.

It feels so good to finish my academic journey and move on to the next chapter in my life, but who knows?  Maybe I’ll be back for some more interesting courses in the future, or even give graduate school a chance.  Never say never.

Wedding Anniversary

This year marked our first wedding anniversary, and we wanted to follow the traditional anniversary gifts.  This year’s theme was paper.  My husband surprised me with tickets (made of paper, obviously) for the best seats in the house to the sold out Trainwreck comedy tour, organized by the minds behind the upcoming film of the same name in an effort to raise money for charity while promoting the movie. After six stops in seven days, the final show was at the Wiltern Theatre here in LA.  The line up was headlined by Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow, and also featured Vanessa Bayer, Colin Quinn, Mike Birbiglia, and Dave Attell. Before my husband surprised me, I tried really hard to find tickets to the show (and gift it to him for the anniversary –funny, right?) but it was already sold out.  The fact that he was able to get his hands on two of them was beyond sweet!! I, on the other hand, took more of a crafty approach and hand-made him some “Love Coupons”, which turned out really nice! Obviously, the supplies ended up being a bit pricey but I was super pleased with the end results.  He thought it was the sweetest thing and loved them! Let me know if you want a separate post on them. 

For dinner, we went to Bottega Louie in Downtown LA, where we toasted our love with some champagne and delicious food, and ended the night with some decadent macaroons (my favorite treat).  Every night with my honey is a blessing, but this one was just perfect!

                       

What a month, right?!? Oh my gosh, I was showered with so much love and am so thankful for everything.  I feel like the luckiest girl and hope to share many more happy moments with you in the future.  Hope you’re all having a fabulous month! Please let me know if there is anything specific you’d like a post on.

XOXO,

Grace