Sometimes I Believe

 "Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast"- Lewis Carroll

This week my lovely friend Katie (she really is the sweetest) held a baby shower for a co-worker of ours who is expecting her second little bundle! It was a brunch at her house and it was lovely. I always prefer showers at peoples homes, far more relaxed than a restaurant and it always allows people to mingle and socialize. Not to mention, foolish games can be played without drawing a crowd of on-lookers.

Wikipedia tells me brunch originated in Britain in the 1800's but didn't really become popular in North America until the 1930's. Brunch now has international love and is often associated with special occasions such as holiday's and weddings. This wonderful marriage of breakfast and lunch has become a staple in the food service industry on weekends.

It is possibly my favourite meal. Brunch means you can sleep in, eat breakfast food and have a nice long chat. Coffee, mimosa's and ceasers also all go hand in hand with a mid morning graze. It really doesn't get much better than that! In NYC we went to a tipsy brunch; all you can drink mimosas or craft beer...sigh...but that is another story!

For this brunch I made one of my mother's go-to's; something I have never made before and I am told it was a success. Baked french toast that becomes elevated to decadent with apples and caramel sauce. It was simple to make and all of the prep work is done the evening before! Win-win people! I served it with a little icing sugar and Nova Scotian maple syrup! Yum! I am looking forward to making it again and am very much looking forward to meeting Arla's new baby when she is born! Recipe below, happy brunching all!
-m

Baked French Toast (elevated !)

You will need:

• 1c. brown sugar
• 2 tbs of corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 5 lg eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of butter (plus one tbs!)
• 3 lg granny smith apples
• 1 loaf of french bread
• 1.5 c of milk
• syrup and icing sugar for serving (plus one big hot cup of coffee!)

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup of butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat until combined and syrupy. Pour into bottom of pan and spread. Set aside. Peel and slice apples then saute' with tbs of butter until soft and juices stop. Remove from heat and toss apples with cinnamon then arrange over top of caramel sauce. Slice bread to 3/4 inch slices and squish into pan on top of apples, one slice tight next to the other (think squished jigsaw...). In a mixing bowl combine eggs, milk and whisk into a frenzy. Pour over bread then cover pan and allow to set overnight in the fridge. In the am, preheat oven to 350. Bake for around forty minutes, until golden brown, caramel is melted and bread it delightfully puffed! Dust with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup!

 

The Only Way I Would Be Caught Without Makeup....

"The only way I'd be caught without makeup is if my radio fell in the bathtub while I was taking a bath and electrocuted me and I was in between makeup at home. I hope my husband would slap a little lipstick on me before he took me to the morgue."- Dolly Parton

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

I do enjoy makeup but clearly not to the degree Dolly does! I like subtle makeup for the most part with the exception of lipstick. I could go years and never buy an eyeshadow. I could go six months and never a brush of shadow stroke my lid, but lipstick? I can hardly walk buy a display without taking a second or third glance. I avoid MAC unless I have a freebie with their recycling program because I know that I will not be able to just buy the one I went in for.

Lately matte lippies have been popping up everywhere and in every shade imaginable. I must say, they are beautiful and dramatic. They are also versatile but boy, they are not very user friendly.  They are dry, they pull at your lips when you apply them and they sure make it hard to stay inside the lines. Jerry Seinfeld very bluntly once said...

" Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not the color, but to accept Gods final word on where your lips end.."

Although this is solid and straightforward advice (from someone who I am certain has little experience with the product) that doesn't make it any easier. Below are some very simple steps that I have formulated over the past few years to help you stay within the lines and achieve the perfect matte lip.

Matte Lip 101..

• Dry lips crack and cause lipstick in general to cake. This is exceptionally true with matte lipstick. Most of the time it is the equivalent to putting an artists pastels on your lips..dry and chalky. To exfoliate and moisturize my lips, I skip expensive products and I reach for either a clean/ new mascara brush or a children's toothbrush (both work and both are easily accessible at most drug stores/ beauty suppliers). Next I take my favourite lip balm, Carmex is my go to but Vaseline would work too and I slather some on my lips. I then rub the clean, dry brush back and forth across my lips. This exfoliates dead skin and helps lock a little of that moisture in! Moist lips will allow that bad boy to glide with ease across your lips instead of hitting them like a kid flipping over their handle bars and grinding to a halt. Easy enough right?
• I recommend a lip brush for step two. Lip liner would work as well but lets face it who wants to buy a coordinating liner for every lipstick, we are not millionaires here! Take a lip brush and with that apply lipstick to the edges of your lip, NOT extending past your natural lip line and ensuring to get into your cupids bow, maximizing the natural (and lovely) shape of your lips.

• Now you are ready to slide that lipstick over the rest of your lips, travelling over the line you already made but never extending past.  Blot your kissers together and stand back and admire beautiful you! You can always add a little gloss to the centre of your lips to add dimension or to change the matte to a gloss. Mood dependant!

 Lipstick Basics/ Suggestions

• New to lippies and feeling a little like a clown? Start with a color that is just a bit brighter than your own natural lip color. Modesty and Hot Gossip by MAC are my go to's for a natural every day color. Your own color but brighter will be the most versatile lipstick you could possibly own.
• Red lips will go far...and farther and even farther. Classic and cool, you will look like a movie star even in your sweats and ready for the town with nothing else on your face. Warm complexions pick blue-reds, cool choose orange-reds but for the most part I suggest getting a professional to help you pick the perfect red that will serve you for years to come.
•  Makeup brushes are an investment, but they don't have to require re-mortgaging your home or selling or first born. Quo, the Shoppers brand has lovely brushes that go 40% off monthly. They are reasonable without the sale but it is worth holding out. Target has reasonable professional quality brushes as well! 
• Don't hop on every trend train you see. Just because a best friend of mine can pull off a deep, earthy, brown or a beautiful, punchy, orange lip doesn't mean I can (I know I can't!).  Know your limitations and that what you like, you like for a reason.
• Don't buy into new product lines that are limited edition. Limited edition means they will only be around for a few months and often they sell out before they have run their course. Those lipsticks will not be available again so don't let yourself fall in love with one that will be gone. It's just a tease. I personally won't even try them on for that reason.
• Lip liners are wonderful if you have an important occasion...let us say your wedding day. They do prevent you from reapplying and really do give dark, dramatic colors staying power, but they are not a must. If you are using a liner, the best tip I was ever given was to line your lips and color them in with the liner....sounds crazy I know. Then apply your lipstick over the top. This will give your color mega staying power while preventing you from looking like Lil'Kim in the 90's (you all know exactly what I am talking about!).
• Most of all have fun and feel beautiful because as Audrey Hepburn once said "Happy girls are the prettiest girls". 

Think this!

Not This!

I must apologize for my lack of personal pictures above...I am potentially the worst "selfie" taker in all of the northern hemisphere. My nose looks exceptionally large and one eye looks west while the other looks east. Its not pretty! Along with poor selfies, I also now realise that I can easily ramble on about almost anything since I wrote a piece solely on lipstick. Do you have something you have been wishing I would ramble on about in the future? Write a request in the comment box.  I am always looking for a little inspiration! Happy lippies everyone!

-m

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.

Jerry Seinfeld

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsK

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

Vegetables Are a Must.....

"Vegetables are a must on a diet; may I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie."- Jim Davis

I am officially on a diet. A new job, a little stress and a bit of over-indulgence has lead me down a slippery slope over the last year and that slope stands between me and my best self. I am travelling to Mexico in a couple of months and am whipping my arse in high gear. I know, diet is a nasty term but bathing suit shopping is a term and practise that originates from the deepest, darkest, bowels of hell. I would probably rather donate a kidney and get a bikini wax at the same time than go bathing suit shopping. I would rather carve my nipples off with butter knives while simultaneously rubbing hot peppers in my eyes. My hatred runs that deep.

This year it won't get the best of me! I have been enjoying hunting for alternative recipes that taste good and that are fun to make. I have a new found love for spaghetti squash and cauliflower may be my new favourite veg. Looking for an easy side that tastes good AND is good for you? Find my roasted cauliflower recipe below. I could eat this every day, it's that tasty!
Happy taking care of yourselves all!
-m
PS. I just got back from NYC and can't wait to share all of my travel tips and suggestions from locals! Eep!

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

This is literally the EASIEST thing in all of the world to make. Pre-heat your oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash a head of cauliflower and cut into bite sized florets. Lay florets on parchment paper and drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper then finish with a good sprinkle of sea salt. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes and serve hot! Nom, nom, nom. Easy right?

All You Need Is Love...

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.."- Charles M Schulz

Tomorrow is love day. The day that chocolates, roses and jewelry all go up in price. Tulips that a week before are seven dollars double to fifteen and don't even get me started on a dozen roses.... "Hallmark" holidays have restaurateur's busting their butts to bring ambiance and romance to countless couples. Do I love valentines day? No... I don't think you should need a day to tell someone you love them or care about them. That said, it is always nice to send everyone you love a little reminder every once and while..so why not on valentines day and any other day!

This year I made valentines. I went to Target and bought blank cards on the cheap (eight for a dollar). I also picked up a couple of sheets of bright printed card stock and some sticky-foam conversation hearts. Card stock cost just under two dollars and the conversation hearts were also a dollar (for dozens) at Target. I stuck them all together, addressed them and sent them to my friends and family. Lets face it, nothing beats snail mail! Each card cost 37 cents; with a stamp, less than a dollar total. That is a pretty cheap way to tell someone you are thinking of them! Cheaper than buying a card and much cheaper than a dozen roses. Probably even cheaper than a short long distance call! Equally as effective.

Tomorrow we are also holding a bake sale at work in support of our education fund. Working in a pediatric or neonatal intensive care unit lends itself to all kinds of learning opportunities. Many hands on as well as conferences, lectures and education days. It is always important to stay up to date on current practices and current research. Doing so lets us provide the best care we can while improving both long and short term outcomes. Win- win right? Some of these conferences are pricey and our education fund helps foot the bill, allowing us to attend things we may not have been able to afford otherwise.

Anticipating the bake sale tomorrow, I decided to make whoopie pies. Yes..whoopie pies. Innocent little cookies made from layers of soft cake and butter cream. I had never heard of them until a couple of years ago. My research tells me they originate from the New England area and much like funnel cakes they are just starting to become popular in Eastern Canada. Well...I cursed and I swore almost the entire time making these bad boys. I love to bake but these little f#*kers were no fun at all. Because they are made of cake batter, they spread significantly when baking. That let me bake seven at a time..which makes three and a half cookies (because they are sandwiches). Time consuming is an understatement. Then came the butter cream icing...sandwiching and packaging. Needless to say I could have baked and frosted approximately three entire cakes in the time it took me to whip up these little sandwiches from hell. I hope they sell and I hope I never see a whoopie pie for a long time! Happy baking all, may the force be with you!
-m

It Takes A Long Time...

"It takes a long time to become young."-Picasso

In the fall my sister and I threw a birthday party for my dad at my house. I won't tell you which birthday it was (hint-it was a big one!). Many of his friends and even more of our family attended. There was good food and good wine and a good time was had by all. It always surprises my how fast any get together can turn into a kitchen party here on the "Best Coast". It is almost as if once a couple drinks are ingested there is this magnetic pull that drags people into the kitchen.  I am not complaining, it's fun and feels like home! I think I had close to 20 people in my postage-stamp sized kitchen, it really was impressive!

Instead of cake I whipped up cupcakes and keeping my dad and his tastes in mind I decided upon Irish Stout cake with Irish Cream frosting. The strong hint of warm spices elevated these bad boys well above a classic pink birthday cake. Bite sized and moist, they were a major success! Recipe follows!
-m

Stout Cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 3 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbs of ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tbs of ground ginger
• 1 tsp of ground cloves
• 1 1/4 c of veg. oil
• 1 1/4 c of molasses
• 1/2 c plus 1 tbs packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs plus one yolk
• freshly grated zest of an orange
• 1 1/4 c of stout beer (such as Guinness) settled

Pre heat oven to 350 and line muffin tins (of choice) with paper liners. Whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl combine rest of ingredients and mix on medium-low speed (either with beater or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer). Gradually add flour mixture to wet batter mixing until just combined. Pour into cup cake liners (filling 3/4 full) and bake for ~20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and frost as desired!

Baileys Irish Cream Frosting (...good lord this is decadent!)

• 1.5 cups  of softened butter
• 4 cups of icing sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 3 tbs of Baileys...nomnomnom

With an electric mixer or with the paddle attachment in your stand mixer, cream butter until smooth and whipped (approx 2 min).On medium add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well between additions and scraping down sides of bowl. After every second addition, beat on high for 10 seconds to aerate frosting- making it light, fluffy and airy. Add vanilla and Irish cream- beat on medium until mixed and smooth. Frost with knife or pipe as desired. Can be kept for a few days in an air tight container if needed!

Life Is A Great Big Canvas...

"Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it!"- Danny Kaye

First of all...I am sorry everyone for the lag in my posts. Unfortunately night shifts, a busy hospital and my (sometimes) poor time management has gotten in the way. I will do better!

Secondly, I hope everyone is getting out and doing "things". Things to avoid winter blues, which lets be honest, are easy to slip into when it is dark on both your way to and your way home from work. When is is dark and cold all the time, sometimes it can be hard to get motivated.

Last week I was laying in bed, looking around my bedroom and allowing the winter blues to get the best of me. More than two night shifts in a row can lead you down that path you see... You sleep when the world is awake and you work while the world is asleep. That is when I decided my bedroom needed a face lift. A lot of my house could use a face lift, but my bedroom is a mash of stuff and it feels just a little half-assed. In my bedroom, I have these two old lamps that were my grandparents. They bought them after they first got married and they SCREAM the 1960's. These lamps have lived in every home I have had outside of the house I grew up in. Every single apartment- the lamps made an appearance. I love them even though they are dated and frumpy. I like having them in my house and at this point they have migrated their way to my bedroom, living among hand creams and earrings missing their backs on my bedside tables. My room is grey, they are brown....sigh.

When I was on the phone to my mother the other day I mentioned  that I was debating trying to resuscitate the lamps. She laughed and suggested I just go buy myself some new lamps that would suit the space. She was right, I could buy new lamps. That would be easy and probably would be more aesthetically pleasing, but that is not what I did...

To preform life saving measures on my old lamps I went to Home Depot and bought a can of spray paint in a colour called "ivory bisque" (off white but not a true ivory). I also bought a high gloss clear finishing spray because I wanted these lamps to shine and to look "modern" (modern is a very loose term here haha). I also went to the fabric store and looked at swatches to cover the shades in. Not finding what I was looking for, I checked out Home Sense and happened upon two lamp shades that were near perfect! Grey, polka-dotted and drum in shape. I layed a tarp on my dining room table and I went to it. After a few quick rounds of good CPR, my lamps ended up costing around $40.00 between paint and shades. Not too shabby and I am happy with the outcome. I got to keep my old lamps and was able to stream line my bedroom. Win -win! Happy reviving all!
-m

. Want to try spray painting a lamp? Here are some basic steps to follow..

• Gather equipment - what you are spraying, your paint, some newspaper or plastic and some painters tape.
• Unplug lamps (obvious?), remove bulbs, shades and knobs.
• With painters tape, cover any place you don't want to spray. Shove plastic or newspaper into the top where the bulb goes to protect it.
• Secure your space with tarps or paper- remember spray paint travels far! Windows are also a bonus for ventilation...that stuff stanks.
• Shake, shake, shake your cans and spray with nozzle a few inches away from lamp. Spray is short bursts to avoid nasty drips. A little sponge brush can be used to smooth those out if they do occur between coats.
• My lamps required three coats (drying between each).
• When you are happy with your coverage and the last coat is very dry to touch, spray with clear gloss spray- otherwise your lamps will have the finish of the spray paint you picked (matte, satin etc. your own preference, I just wanted it to be glossy like glass!).
• Allow to dry and dress up with the shade of your choice. Target and Home Sense usually have decent selections. You can also cover existing shades with fabric for an extremely custom project. 

I Hope That in This Year To Come....

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”
-Neil Gaiman


Now that those formalities are out of the way I thought I would compile a list of all of my new (and old) favourite products of 2013. Some of which I love sooooo much my fellow friends and colleagues must have them drilled into their cute little heads.


Beauty Products

I am a firm believer in decent moisturizer, washing off your makeup before sleep and a good hair cut. All of which have been ingrained in me since I was a little girl. As much as I am a bit of a product whore, I don't always believe you need to spend a lot of money to look good and many of my staple products can be found at drug stores.


#1 Benefit's "Fake-up"

Rounding the top of this list is Benefit's "Fake up". This is a super hydrating concealer that promises not to cake in fine lines and last all day. It totally lives up to both of those statements. It is light weight and goes on smooth with no pulling (which is very important especially to delicate skin around the eyes). I am a shift worker and have very disrupted sleep habits, often going on very little to none. This concealer brightens my eyes, hides dark shadows and is hard to discern to even the most enquiring of eyes. No cakey, flakey mess to be seen! My previous favourite concealer has taken the back burner even though it is still a product worth investing in, fake-up takes the make-up cake.

#2 Josie Maran Light Oil

I know what you are thinking...Oil? For what? Well Josie Maran makes 100% pure argan oil products that are quickly becoming cult favourites. The "light" oil is an ultra light-weight oil that absorbs quickly and leaves my face looking flawless and dewy. I was highly skeptical but after doing a little research and taking a sample home for a test drive, I am hooked. Although I have been using the same moisturizer since I was barely a teenager, my skin has never looked brighter or felt softer. It hydrates without leaving any oily residue, it doesn't clog pores (my number one concern when I heard about face oil) and it has actually shown to make oily skin less oily. If you have very dry skin, you may want to try the original but my "normal" skin loves the lightweight. If you are still skeptical, pop on over to Sephora and ask for a sample.

#3 Volcanic ash Exfoliator by MAC

I am a lover of MAC makeup but have not bought into their skin care line, ceature of habit I suppose. My dear friend Janna who is also a lover of products gave me a sample of a black volcanic ash exfoliator to try that she was positively smitten with. Turns out it was MAC and turns out I LOVE it. It's a sugar scrub so you must work a little fast ('cause sugar melts in water) and I do find that you have to be very careful to rinse well, especially under your chin (it is very black and very streaky if not rinsed well). My face is sooooo soft after I use it! It is a little expensive; I use it only once a week alternating with cheapy and awesome St.Ives green tea exfoliator.

#4 Benefit's Watt'sUp

This highlighter is the bomb. I had been a big fan of High Beam by Benefit until I received a birthday sample of Watt's Up- amazing under my brows, corners of my eyes and anywhere else that needs highlighting. It blends easily and has just a hit of shimmer making it one of my go to products.

#5 EOS Mint lip balm

Although Carmex will always be my jam when it comes to lip balm, EOS mint is a sure fire runner up. It is smooth, easy to toss in your purse and the peppermint tingle feels wonderful on chapped lips that are trying to survive the east coast winter. I do however HATE the fruity flavoured ones because they not only smell sweet, they also taste sweet. Gag.

#6 Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm

Every single time I wear this in public, someone asks me what I have on my lips. I have been asked if it is MAC, YSL and even Bobbi Brown. For six bucks, I proudly exclaim what I am wearing, tell them all about how it lasts for hours and that the color I wear is called "Flirtatious". I whole heartedly feel this colour would look great on any skin tone- its a deep pink without being red, it goes on smooth, lasts for hours and doesn't dry up. Not to mention has a slight amount of sheen without really being glossy. Win-win!

#7 Sephora Creme Stain

I have been wearing this products for a couple of years now and own it in two red tones. It applies like a lip gloss- wet and with a sponge tipped applicator. This makes riming the edge of lips simple and hassle free. It dries matte and stays put all day- seriously all damn day. It is great for a night on the town and is just as great for rolling out of bed and looking put together with no effort. Red lips can do that, they can trick people into thinking you showered. Prime example- before Christmas, I rolled out of bed after working a night shift- slapped on a little and ran into MAC and Sephora looking to replace a lipstick I had finally used up. Two employees at MAC asked me what I had on (one even wrote it down...) and then three employees stopped me in Sephora to ask the same. All of which were shocked when I told them what it was. "Strawberry" is my favourite.

#8 Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream

Yes...a BB cream, womp womp. I have used tinted moisturizers for years and years. MAC, Benefit, Smashbox...almost all of the big brands with big fans. Out of all of those, this BB cream is my fav. It's hydrating and super light weight, with just a bit of coverage. I don't wear foundation and for the most part, this evens out my skin without feeling heavy and cakey. I use it on the daily often with "fake-up" and just a little bit of powder dusted on top for a flawless finish.

#8 Marcelle Liquid Dip-Pen Liner

I have been using liquid and gel liners for over ten years now. I LOVE them. Gel or creme liners are good (MAC-Fast track is great) but don't always give the defined line I am looking for. MAC liquid liners are all great but I find them hard to wash off and expensive. I hate the liners that are like felt tip markers (they are never dark enough, and they never work right). I prefer a firm- felt tipped end that you dip into the liner... Enter Marcelle's Liquid dip liner. Same packaging as MAC...identical....but easier to wash off and almost half the price. It says it is water proof...I generally don't do water proof anything but it washes off easily and lasts all day.

Happy testing everyone!
-m