Its Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

What Better way to bring you back to childhood then a peanut butter and jelly cupcake? I've always loved a pb&j sandwich and I still do till this day, so I figured why not try it in a cupcake and let me tell you it works wonders. Its like your literally biting into a pb&j sandwich without the crust. Pair it with some milk and your good to go. Simple recipe with big flavor, you'll want to make these all the time!

Cupcake:

-1 package yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare the mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions and bake.

Frosting:

-3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

-1 stick softened butter

-2 cups powdered sugar

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

-1/4 cup milk

**2 cups strawberry jelly for filling**

Beat peanut butter and butter in medium bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and beat on low speed for 1 minute or until crumbly. Slowly add milk, beating at low speed until creamy.

Fill a pastry bag with a small decorating tip with strawberry jelly. Insert tip into top of cupcake. Squeeze bag gently to fill center of cupcake with jelly. (Stop squeezing when you feel resistance or jelly comes out of top of cupcake.)



Birthday Cupcakes

In honor of my two favorite little kids Arianna and Salvatore, I made  boy and a girl cupcakes for their birthday party. Salvatore's cupcake consisted of funfetti cake mix and vanilla icing (you can use any kind of your choice, I used pillsbury) dyed blue with an all star flag because he plays baseball. For Arianna's cupcake I made my pink lemonade cupcakes  (http://colourncupcakes.blogspot.com/2012/06/pink-lemonade.html ), because she is a girly girl and added a sugar flower. These cupcakes are super simple to make but have a lot of flavor and are so much fun for kids. I hope you all get a chance to make these, enjoy!!!

Duality

 

So for a few months now I have been going into Sephora and passing this product by. Finally I decided to buy it, which I am super happy I did because it has made its way into my daily makeup routine. This Anastasia Brow duality double sided pencil is definitely something to have on hand. On one side you have the color pencil shell which can be used under the brow bone during the day time. Its also great to wear alone or when wearing natural shadows. The other side is the lace pencil which is a shimmery gold, and this is great to use under the brown bone for a night time look when wearing more makeup. Another great thing is that it wont leave you broke, just $23 at www.sephora.com

Top 5 cosmetic products

1. I never leave home without this eyeliner. Glides on using a thin liner brush and looks like a liquid once its dry. It stays on all day long, and comes in so many different colors you can use it everyday with any eye look you choose.

www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

2. I know I constantly mention this eye shadow primer and that's because it is just so amazing. Lime Crime's eyeshadow primer makes any eye shadow waterproof. This allows the shadows to stay on all day long, even for the oiliest eye lids and the hottest of weather conditions without creasing...what better then that?!?

www.limecrimemakeup.com

 

3. I am not only saying this because I work for Clinique, but I do believe we have the best mascaras around. This high impact mascara is a staple in my makeup routine everyday. This mascara thickens and elongates your lashes making them look more full and dramatic.

www.clinique.com   

  

4. Super Orgasm blush from Nars is a peachy pink blush with gold glitter in it that looks so beautiful on an olive skin tone. For someone who is a fair skin tone the original Orgasm blush works perfectly. One of the best selling blushes around, its def worth have in your makeup bag!

5. Clinique's new Stay-matte oil free foundation absorbs shine, controls oil, and resists sweat. With a sheer to moderate coverage this foundation is light weight especially for hotter months. I've been wearing it and I'm in love with this foundation. Although I am not oily, I love how great it stays on my face all day.

www.clinique.com

Pink Lemonade

When life hands you lemons you add some pink and make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!!!

Just in time for summer these cupcakes are the perfect treat to cool you off. I dont know about you but what is better then pink lemonade on a hot summer's day?!? Not only are they super girly and fun but they are full of flavor and so easy to make.

Cupcake:

-1 package of white cake mix without the pudding in the mix.

-1 cup water

-3 egg whites

-1/3 cup thawed frozen pink lemonade concentrate

-2 tablespoon vegetable oil

-About 4 to 6 drops of red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat cake mix, egg whites, 1/3 cup pink lemonade concentrate, oil and red food coloring. Beat for about 2 minutes on a medium speed using an electric mixer.

Bake 18 to 22 mins or depending on your oven.

Frosting:

-4 cups powdered sugar

-1/3 cup room temperature butter

-1/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate

-About 3 drops of red food dye or until you reach desired pink color.

Beat powdered sugar, butter, and pink lemonade concentrate using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until well blended.

***Dont forget to decorate these cuties by adding straws and little gummy candies. For mine I used sour watermelons! Enjoy xoxox



Big Bad Lashes

VOILA!

Now I have given you a reason to start batting your lashes even more!!

Ardell's new double up lashes (as seen in above pictures) give you twice the lash and thickness for those really dramatic lashes that all us ladies wish to have.  I am not done though, since we are in a heat wave you might be thinking, "well how are these lashes going to remain on my face when I am sweating half to death?" Just use Duo's eyelash adhesive in waterproof and your lashes will withstand any natural disaster. Not only is this adhesive waterproof but it is also in a dark tone so when it dries it becomes black which blends perfectly with the lash strip and is invisible underneath eyeliner. If this doesn't give you a reason to smile, I don't know what will!!!

No More Smudge

As the saying goes "good things come in small packages" and this product is no exception. Clinique's bottom lash mascara is just one of those things that everyone should always have. The brush is very tiny to get the bottom lashes without it going all over your face like a regular mascara brush would. It is also smudge proof so no more raccoon eyes mid day. Another great tip is to apply your regular mascara on your top lashes and then coat them with the bottom lash mascara. This trick helps to keep your mascara from smudging as well. For $10 why not try it, you'll be hooked!

Come visit me at Clinique or go to www.clinique.com