- ALEXA | Luminous Spring Skin

Fresh luminous skin is a beautiful and easy to achieve trend for this spring and upcoming summer season. If you aren't a fan of dewy foundations or simply want an added radiance to your skin, highlighters are the way to go. Here are a few of my favorite products to give my skin that "lit from within" glow.

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer $24

This is my all timer favorite highlighter. It is so pigmented that all you need is to lightly tap your brush into it to get a beautiful glow. This powder is so finely milled that it doesn't appear glittery at all, it is more of an intense satin finish. And regardless of the eye makeup look I am wearing, I use this everyday to highlight the inner corner of my eye and under my brow bone. The only downside to this product is that the powder can crack or break easily since it is so fine. Mine has already shattered twice, but luckily I've been able to repair it with alcohol each time and it’s like new- I just would not recommend this particular highlighter to pack if you are traveling.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in 24K $42

Like The Balm highlighter, this is a very intense highlight and is not for someone who wants a subtle look. I like to run my brush through all the colors, but I do like using each individual color as eye shadow too. This product is definitely a little pricey, but barely any product is needed per use and it is also multifunctional. The packaging is also really sturdy and includes a large mirror, which I really like when I'm traveling. I don't think this color is still available, but there are so many different shimmer bricks to choose from.

Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer $28

 This is the newest highlighter added to my collection, and I definitely went out of my comfort zone to purchase it. I don't typically gravitate towards liquid or cream highlighters, blushes or bronzers. But when I stumbled upon this in Sephora I fell in love. Even after whipping the swatch off my hand I still had a beautiful bronze-golden sheen on my skin. This will be a nice product to use in the summer to either mix into foundation or moisturizer for an all over glow, or to put on top of cheekbones. I don't even use a whole pump each time I use it, so this product will definitely last a long time. I've been putting a few dots along my cheekbones and blending with my fingers or my Real Techniques stippling brush. 

What are some of your favorite highlighting products?

love,

  -  a l e x a 

- KELLY | ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 6

At first I wasn't really loving this design, but right after I finished making it and put it on display in my Able Sisters I saw Ruby wearing it around my town. I feel better knowing that Ruby approves.

HIGH FASHION ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 6 - GIVENCHY RESORT 2013

                                                                                                     [givenchy photo - elle magazine] 

This is a pro design pattern for City Folk because it includes a sleeve design, but you could use just the front/back pattern to make a design for Wild World or even Population Growing. 

For City Folk I used palette 4/16. 

For Wild World I would recommend palette 3/16.

For Population Growing I would recommend palette 3/16.

love,

  -  k e l l y

- VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN PECAN CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

- v e g a n ,   g l u t e n - f r e e   p u m p k i n   c u p c a k e s
1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour 

3/4 cup white rice flour

or you can just use 1 3/4 cups of regular all purpose flour if you don't care about making it gluten-free
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses

1/2 cup chopped pecans

- v e g a n    v a n i l l a   c i n n a m o n   b u t t e r c r e a m

1/2 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick, or any other vegan butter substitute - room temperature

1 box or 3 1/2 cups of powdered/confectioners sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Anywhere between a few tablespoons and 1/4 cup of soy milk - don't worry, I'll explain

2 teaspoons cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

- c u p c a k e s
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line your muffin pan with liners [I like parchment paper liners because nothing sticks to them]

In a large bowl mix together  flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, soy milk, oil, and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full, and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.

- i c i n g
To save time you can make the icing while the cupcakes are baking in the oven. 

So for this icing you really need either a stand or handheld mixer. I suppose you could mix this by hand, but you probably wouldn't be able to get a fine, smooth consistency.

Start with the butter. Put it in your mixer and mix on high until the butter smooths out to a creamy consistency. Then add the vanilla and slowly add the powdered sugar. Be careful when mixing in the sugar, if you pour all the sugar in and then turn the mixer on high, you'll be completely covered in sugar, and so will your kitchen. Slowly work it in, and then once it's getting incorporated turn the mixer on medium/high and give it a few minutes to mix. Then add the cinnamon and mix until it's combined.

We know it's summer and pumpkin flavors are kindof out of style by now, but we love pumpkin all year round! We hope you do too!

love,

- t h e   3   o f   u s

- KELLY | ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 5

Here's number 5 in my high fashion Animal Crossing pattern series! Although there are accessories in Animal Crossing, there are no necklaces, so I figured I'd make a pattern that looks like your character is wearing a big statement necklace! I'm really happy with the way this turned out! 

HIGH FASHION ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 5 - STATEMENT NECKLACE

                                                                                                                            [photo] 

I didn't include an image of the sleeve pattern for this one because the sleeve is just solid red.

This is a pro design pattern for City Folk because it includes a sleeve design, but you could use just the front/back pattern to make a design for Wild World or Population Growing. 

For City Folk I used palette 4/16. 

For Wild World I would recommend palette 6/16.

For Population Growing I would recommend palette 6/16.

love,

  -  k e l l y

- KELLY | DEJA VU | SAILOR MOON

DJAEL DRESS x SAILOR MOON: MOON PRISIM POWER, MAKE UP

This Djael dress that I found on pinterest reminds me of Sailor Moon in her moon prisim power makeup transformation. If anyone knows where I can find this dress, please let me know! I've searched all over the internet and can't find it for sale.

Love,

  -  k e l l y

- KELLY | ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 4

Here's my 4th high fashion Animal Crossing pattern! This one is more of a comfortable casual look, but it's still very chic. I hope I see some of my villagers wearing it soon!

HIGH FASHION ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERN 4 - THAKOON ADDITION SPRING 2013

                                                                                                                            [thakoon photo - style.com] 

This is a pro design pattern for City Folk because it includes a sleeve design, but you could use just the front/back pattern to make a design for Wild World or even Population Growing. 

For City Folk I used palette 6/16. 

For Wild World I would recommend palette ?/16.

For Population Growing I would recommend palette ?/16.

love,

  -  k e l l y

- TOMATO BASIL AND MOZZARELLA SALAD WITH RED ONION

This is a simple recipe that you can whip up pretty quickly, and as long as you use quality ingredients, it tastes just as good [or even better] than any tomato, basil, mozzarella salad you'd find in a restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

1 large tomato (you can choose whatever kind you like. We used a beefsteak tomato because they're big and not too sweet)
1 small ball of fresh mozzarella
1 small red onion
a few basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
however many drops you'd like of balsamic reduction (recipe follows)

- b a l s a m i c   r e d u c t i o n
By reducing balsamic vinegar into a thick sauce, it loses some of its vinegary bite and gains a delicate sweetness. It looks impressive and may seem complicated, but it couldn't be more simple. It just takes some time to make.

Just take 1 cup of regular balsamic vinegar and place it in a pot on low heat. Let it cook on low until you see a light simmer. Leave it there cooking on low until the vinegar reduces to a syrupy consistency. This should take about a half hour, but keep checking it. Make sure you don't accidentally end up burning it, because your vinegar will turn into thick molten lava, there will be smoke everywhere and your pot will be ruined.

Once your balsamic reduction is the right consistency, take it off the heat and let it cool completely. It will thicken up a little more after it's done cooling too. Store it at room temperature until you're ready to use it.

ASSEMBLY

First cut your onion into paper thin rings, as thin as you can make them. Just for aesthetic purposes we chose to pick out the smallest rings in the center of each slice, but you can do whatever you want.

Scatter your thin raw onion rings all around your plate, and then add a few drops of olive oil and balsamic reduction.

Slice your tomato and mozzarella cheese into thick slices.
Start with a slice of tomato, then add one or two basil leaves.
Then add a slice of mozzarella and add a good teaspoon of balsamic glaze right in the middle of it.
Then add a tomato slice, and repeat the process until your tomato, basil, mozzarella tower is as tall as you like.
Ontop of the last slice of mozzarella place a small basil leaf and a few drops of balsamic reduciton.

We hope you enjoy!

love,

- t h e   3   o f   u s