Thursday, January 12, 2012

Orange you glad I didn't say bananna?

So, I make no secret of the fact that I don't like wearing oranges.  Just...don't. Not my comfort zone, not a color I really like, just not my thing.

That said, though, I decided to play around a little bit with a couple of MSC's oranges.

Products and tools!  Makeup Forever Smoky Lash in Black, Revlon Colorstay liner in black, NYX shadow base in white, MSC King Moonracer, Tiger's Blood, Strange Potion, and Unicorns and glitter.  Depotted UDPP at the bottom.  Varying sizes of blending brushes.

 Clean eye, primed with UDPP and prepped with NYX shadow base in white.

 Waterline done with black pencil.

 Apply Strange Potion to your inner corners and bring out about half-way through your pupils.  Make sure to pat, not rub when applying the pigment.

 Do the same with Tiger's Blood to your outer corners.

 GENTLY, BARELY blend the Strange Poison into the Tiger's Blood.  Add some King Moonracer to your ducts and line your lower lash line with it.  Highlight with Unicorns and Glitter.

 Photo is intentionally blurry - check out all that glitz, particularly King Moonracer and Unicorns and Glitter!

 A little further away, but blurred for the same effect!


 "Quoi?

 "Je suis timide..."

Stay Madd, darlings!

Why didn't *I* think of that?

So, I have a problem.  I don't like to buy new.  In fact, it's almost an OCD issue - I start to think about all of the things out there that are discarded for no reason when they can mostly be re-used, and I get this huge Catholic guilt wave that knocks me flat on my ass.  I won't buy a new car, I won't have a home built new, hell... even my pets are recycled, if you know what I mean. (I <3 Shelter Animals!)

I was given a bundle of cloth diapers from Cuntasaurus Rex some time ago, and while externally they appeared pretty sound, the elastic was shot in some and the PUL in others.  I suspect she EC'd because she was both lazy and didn't know how to care for cloth.

Crying at the thought of replenishing an already small stash, I did what any cloth mama would - I turned them into fitteds and bought hella cute covers.

What have YOU upcycled for your little ones lately/?

Sunday, January 8, 2012

MmmmCocoa!

Mama Jalackie’s World Famous Cocoa Recipe

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups of ground, pure, unsweetend cocoa powder, preferably free trade.
  • 3 TBSP of UNSALTED Butter.  If butter doesn’t work for you, coconut oil can be substituted.  It may change the taste slightly, but it’s a delicious difference.  I actually encourage those who normally use butter to try the coconut oil option as well, since it really does impart a sweet, creamy flavor.
  • scrapings of two (2) inches of vanilla bean pod, or two TSP of *real* vanilla extract.  (See below for simple instructions on making your own vanilla extract!)
  • ½  TSP your choice of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, anise or allspice.  Remember that nutmeg is not good for preggo mamas, so please choose one of the alternatives.  I’m most fond of allspice in lieu of nutmeg.
  • ½ to ¾  TSP chili powder
  • 1 cup coffee (light) cream (OPTIONAL, Dairy free alternatives work well too.)
  • 3 cups milk.  You can use any milk here - cow’s, almond, rice, soy... if you don’t drink cow’s milk, I strongly suggest unsweetened original almond milk.  It’s very creamy and infuses the cocoa with a delicious, subtle nutty flavor.
  • Demerara or turbinado sugar to taste.
  • Cinnamon sticks or candy canes for garnish
  • Bourbon, whiskey or rum, or coffee liquore if so desired.


DIRECTIONS
  1. Melt your butter or coconut oil in a deep sauce pan over medium heat. Do NOT heat to separation where it’s possible to skim the solids off the top.  You want those oils to remain emulsified.
  2. Using a whisk, temper in your cocoa powder.  The mixture will be very thick at this point.
  3. If using cream, whisk that in first.  If you have a double boiler, now would be the time to transfer it to the double boiler.  Otherwise, turn the heat down to low.
  4. Add in your vanilla and spices.  Whisk well for two minutes to ensure spices are well distributed and have begun to release their aromatics before cooling the cocoa with your milk.
  5. At this point, your cocoa should have the look of a thick ganache, and should lightly coat a spoon when dipped in it.
  6. Temper in your milk sloooowly, whisking gently the entire time.
  7. Continue to heat on low.  DO NOT bring to a simmer, but bring it close.  At this point, add sugar to taste.  I usually use ¾ a cup, but we like it sweet over here. Whisk until sugar is melted and well incorporated.
  8. Ladle into mugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks or candy canes, and enjoy!  This would also be the point where you would add your alcohol, making sure to put the alcohol in the mug BEFORE the cocoa, and then gently stirring to mix thoroughly.


BONUS! HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN VANILLA EXTRACT
  • 3 large vanilla beans
  • 1 cup top shelf bourbon (I like Jim Beam Black.)
  • Glass jar with tight-fitting lid - I recycle pasta sauce mason jars for infused oils, home made extracts like this, and a whole host of other uses.

  1. Cut a slice in the middle of each bean, leaving a bit at each end still connected so it looks something like this ()
  2. Place vanilla beans in your jar and cover with bourbon.  Cap tightly.
  3. Storing the bottle in a dark, cool place, shake it once or twice a week for six to eight weeks.
  4. You may either strain and decant into another glass bottle with a tight fitting cap, or you may use as-is.  This mixture keeps indefinitely due to the high level of alcohol.  Use with with the same volume you would a commercial extract. (ex. 1 tsp is 1 tsp.)

Full Frontal Makeuping

Hello lovelies.  I have a lot of things swirling in my brain to talk about, but it's simply not the right time to do so.  It would add fuel to an already out of control fire.  So, instead I bring you makeup.


Peekaboo!

Korred Quercetin and Oak primer, Crushed Botanicals liquid mineral foundation, and MSC Effin' Perfektion Powder.   This is my first time using Crushed Botanicals liquid mineral foundation.  I think I'm in love, ya'll.  It has all the buildable and blendability as a mineral makeup foundation powder with none of the danger of over-powdering.  I rate this product an A-FREAKING-PLUS.  I personally mix the Fair and Light since my skin has both yellow and red tones to it, and it matches my neck and chest perfectly.  Like, literally disappears.
As much as I am a proponent for using brushes on one's eyes and lips, I have not quite mastered them for foundation, so I just use my tips or a beauty sponge to blend.  You can tell here that I have some very definite red splotches on my cheek bones and a bit of yellowing under my eyes

Ta Daa!!! You can see how awesomely it covered the red spots and neutralized the yellow?  This was with some Effin Perfektion Powder to set it.  I have Kelli's mineral makeup setting spray (Along with a host of her other products that will be reviewed soon!) but have not had a chance to use it yet, as this tutorial was was an impromptu middle-of-the-night thing.  Please also forget the lack of blush - my favorite finally ran out and I'm heartbroken over it, so haven't looked around for another one I love quite as much.

Now, on to le eyeballs!

Products! NYX shadow base in white, Benefit Stay don't Stray eye primer, liner marker in black, kohl black liner, MUFE Smoky Lash in Black, NYX eye/brow pencil in Taupe, and MSC Kiss with a Fist, Pixie, Ohm and Sugar Plum. Not pictured because it rolled under the bed: MSC Jive Talk.

Tools!


Make sure your eyeball is naked.  Well, naked except for your primer and a touch of shadow base.  Then lightly tight-line with the black kohl pencil.

Put Jive Talk in the inner corners and ducts of your eyes.  Pat, don't sweep.


Then pat Pixie on to the middle halves of your lids, taking care to saturate the lash line.  Pixie is such a decadent color - true soft purple with more gold glitz than I can begin to explain.  If you don't have it yet, you definitely need it!

 On your outer halves of your lids, pat on Sugar Plum.  It's another super decadent, rich color.  It makes me want to roll in it akin to a CEO rolling in the money they'd have if they cashed their checks.


Blendy blendy! VERY light windshield motions from full inner to full outer.


Highlight with Kiss with a Fist, blending it down into the other colors on your lid and in your crease.

Line your eyes with the pen, and then use Ohm to set it all.


Better shot of the lower lash line set with Ohm.  The gold in the Ohm really brings out the gold glitz in Pixie and gives you just enough sparkle.

One more of the top.  I just love the way this blended out.


Definitely an evening look, and definitely accentuated and made all the more lovely with glasses!

Stay Madd, darlings!