Made By Girl.

Ever since I wrote the post dreaming of teal, ideas have been fleeting through my mind regarding room decor. Usually finding such things as furniture and lamps is an easy task, but when it comes time to decide on how to adorn the walls, I am completely indecisive. Until I came across Made By Girl . Made By Girl is an online website that sells prints and cards with cute and inspirational little expressions.  She also sells the occasional shoe or jacket in the "Jennifer's Closet" section. As soon as I start my "room re-do", Made By Girl is going to be the first place that I turn to for simple and yet effective wall hangings. The prints below are just a few of my favorite.

You can find these Here .

 Here .

 And here .

Notice a Theme?

I really can't stop. As Halloween night draws nearer, I am aware that the majority of my posts this week are revolving around the upcoming holiday. It's difficult to refrain when I discover new (and really simple) festive desserts and eye-catching gothic accessories. If you're not exactly in the mood yet, hopefully these images and ideas will inspire some creepy spirit.

 I love these Guiseppe Zanotti boots (here ) because they would totally  be found on a modern day glam mummy.

I keep running across the most adorable little Halloween inspired treats, and this idea (here ) is too simple and cute not to share.

All you need are marshmallows, edible ink markers, and some skewers. Before drawing the designs on the marshmallows, make sure to let them sit out a while so that the exterior is easier to write on.

Alexander Wang's Silk Grommet Dress is currently my favorite dress in existence at the moment. The detail on the shoulder brings to mind Sunday Night Football and gives the short feminine dress a little edge. And paired with the Guiseppe boots above, ahhhhh I'm in love.

Once I find the time (I still have yet to carve a pumpkin) I am definitely whipping up some of these Halloween appropriate whoopie pies. They have always held a strong first place in my list of top desserts and they're just too cute to pass up. Wanna Hava Cookie has tons of edible gift ideas and taste as delicious as they look.

Forever 21 is constantly surprising me with their impressive collection of skirts this season. I can't ever seem to have enough black and flirty skirts and this is the next one on my "Buy List". And for the price, who cares if you spill champagne on it at a Halloween party, you can stock up on the same item for backup without breaking the bank.

I had the hardest time figuring out which dog costume to post, so I opted for the "chili pepper" which to me looks more like Buddy the Elf. They're all too funny,  if you have a canine and are at all into dressing him/her up for Halloween, I suggest you look here first.

The Quintessential Halloween Accessory.

Knuckle Duster Clutch, Alexander McQueen

Unlike our childhood days, instead of scampering around neighborhoods going door to door in costumes constructed of cheap materials and collecting small portions of candy, most of us will find ourselves in a similar yet vastly different situation. Many will be scampering about to neighborhood bars and lounges, again in costumes of cheap fabrics, collecting and consuming candy in the form of liquid. Finding a clutch that doesn't throw off the eery tone of Halloween yet still stands fashionable can be a difficult task. Thank goodness for Alexander McQueen. The Knuckle Duster Clutch, (here ) is perfect for this Saturday evening with the mini skulls and the "don't mess with me" brass knuckle handle. Don't expect this tiny statement to leave your open hands when Thriller hits the speakers.

A Haunted Weekend.

I'm back, I'm back, I'm back! Early Friday morning, I left on a plane back to my old home city of Manhattan to spend the long weekend with my boyfriend and his family. The trip was filled to the brim with haunted houses, amazing food, and more haunted houses. We went out to my favorite restaurant in Long Island called The Bellport and indulged in red wine and a fancied-up version of the comfort food, buttermilk fried chicken. Following dinner and a few glasses of wine later, we walked up the street with the wind blowing, to a haunted walk. Needless to say my eyes were shut 90 percent of the time, I don't do very well with haunted anything. On Sunday we made a two hour drive out to Six Flags for Fright Fest. Amazingly somehow I ended up riding, without a doubt, the scariest roller coaster there- kingda ka. And again, once the sun disappeared, as did my smile for we were off to another two haunted walks. But I'm back now, and have such a busy week of baking ahead of me and we have another local news interview in a couple hours! One, two, three... go!

Lovely Boyfriend and I at Fright Fest.

Get Teal.

Every three to five years my bedroom goes through a transition of wall colors and occasional decor. As of right now my walls are multicolored, light pink on two walls, a butter cream on one, and a dark fuschia on the other. While searching for a new color palette, a pattern seemed to reoccur within the images that were catching my eye. Teal walls with gold or rose accents. Typically it's rare to find a color scheme in my room that wanders far from the families of pink or purple, but there's something so chic and modern about intermixing the bold color of teal with the more victorian and feminine pieces of furniture that I already possess. Now the only thing left that needs some adjustment is the carpet...

Photo; Steven Randazzo, www.kendallwilkinsondesign.com, 
if any of these are your pictures let me know so I can give credit where it is deserved!

Everything is Coming up Rose...Quartz.

To post this picture above of, to say the bare minimum, my absolute favorite piece from Scarlet Buffalo 's jewelry line and not say that I have an ulterior motive would be a fib. In fact, this necklace is at the very top of my Christmas list. Scarlet Buffalo is a remarkable jewelry line designed and created by my beautiful and ultra brilliant cousin, Nicole. (Her blog here ). Her pieces are each handmade using unique stones and gems that have personalities all on their own. The colors that she incorporates into each of her items are playful and have the capability to look stunning on a date night out or out shopping during the day. Every time I picture myself wearing the above necklace, it's out to dinner with my boyfriend wearing a black deep v-neck dress (very similar to this one ) in very dim lighting. stunn-ing.

Blue Ocean Necklace. 

Mood Polish.

The smallest changes or additions have the potential to change someone's mood and outlook on any given day. Currently, to officially make the plunge into autumn, I am storing away my perky purple, neon yellow and blinding pink nail polishes to make room for more darker hues of plumb, navy, and gray. After my fall hike a couple days ago, I realized that a small and simple update in nail lacquer is without a doubt necessary. And for under $10, the refashion is also quite inexpensive but effective none the less. Today I am running out to pick up the newest addition to my fall colors. I am a little obsessed with OPI's matte collection consisting of a matte version of my favorite, Russian Navy, a white polish named Alpine Snow, and my new favorite, a matte grayish brown called You Don't Know Jacques! ( I love the clever names they come up with. I'd take that job in a heartbeat!) Happy Fall Painting everyone!

Avon's "Midnight Plum"

OPI's "You Don't Know Jacques!"

Photo: Vampy Varnish

By request, here is the Cuppity Cake news story link! Enjoy!

More Hours in a Day, Please.

Isn't it funny how in a matter of minutes your weekend can go from a carefree dinner reservation and watching movies, to a frenzied mess of going out to dinner, then making a cake and two dozen cupcakes at very short notice, local news interview, and then finding it in you to settle down and watch a movie? Sometimes it seems as though there isn't enough time in one day, so who can I speak with to add more hours? Yesterday was our first and sudden local news interview spotlighting Cuppity Cake. The reporter filmed us whipping up some frosting and decorating regular and bite sized cakes, and then interviewed both my mom and I separately. I still have yet to see the story mainly because I find it painful to watch and or hear myself on TV. After the reporter had packed up and left, we let out a huge breath of "I can't believe that just happened," and decided to go for a fall hike up to see my grandparents. So with cupcakes in hand, we set off for the walk. I always seem to overlook how beautiful it is around here during the fall season. The warm colors of the leaves alone, are enough to make you stop and take in the greatness of it all.

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On a Bright Note.

The cake chosen to bake up for my mom's birthday was fun, colorful, and pretty with an emphasis on style. It couldn't have fit my mom better- perhaps if I had added dumbbells to the cake, then it would be completely her. I wanted to incorporate her huge pearl bracelet that she wears almost every day, her adoration of shoes, as well as her favorite color, orange. Just to make sure that she knew that cake was for her, I added a boutique tag that said, " To: Mom xoxo". Her face when she saw the cake was just as bright as the color on her custom cake.

Classic White Cake, Vanilla Butter cream Icing, Gum paste objects.

Happy Birthday, Momma!

Years from now, much like my brother, I will be capable of remembering the weather on my mom's 50th birthday. My older brother, year after year, can recall the weather largely because it is the first day of bow season. I, on the other hand, will remember because today we are experiencing the first snow fall since last winter. I woke up in a mood to play cheesy Christmas music and bake golden sugar cookies quickly I had to remind myself that we have yet to carve pumpkins. Even though my mom's favorite season is fall, I hope that the white chilly specks falling from the sky bring a smile to her face. Happy Birthday, Momma!

Pumpkin Lasagna.

With the changing of the leaves, fall also brings yummy treats like pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and fall spiced lattes at coffee shops all over the country. But how about pumpkin lasagna? It may sound strange to some, but this fall twist on the Italian classic dish has made it into my permanent favorite recipe books. I came across the recipe (here ) when browsing numerous blogs for ideas on home decor. Needless to say, the pumpkin infused lasagna was the last thing I would expect to stumble across but I'm so happy I did! So,  a couple days ago on a particularly chilly afternoon, I lit tons of candles with spicy aromas and turned on the fire place, went to the kitchen and got to work. The finished product of the lasagna doesn't stray far from the picture above and the taste was even better. Extremely savory, with a hint of nutmeg. Each bite contained a different flavor than before. Some were emphasizing the spinach, onions, and mushrooms, and other bites were filled with the creaminess of the ricotta mixed with pumpkin and nutmeg. Definitely try this dish sometime between now and Thanksgiving. You'll be so glad you did.

Photo: Mealtime.org

DIY Giant Flower Headband.

For me, there are some things in life that don't come big enough. Such as Reese cups and headbands. A couple months ago, I was out on a mission to find a really fun, overstated, and of course girly headband. While shopping numerous stores, to much dismay, the headbands that were found were small, average, and less than attention grabbing. These are much more my cup of tea (minus the feathered bands), but since I am trying this new technique of saving money, spending $130 on a headband isn't practical for my recently developed implementation. So, I gave making my own a shot, it was astonishingly really easy and I ended up spending considerably less on materials while getting the same BIG effect as some of my favorites.

Ingredients:

A plain headband, silk flower of your choosing, ribbon if desired, and crystals for embellishment.

Bake as Directed:

Preheat glue gun to 350 degrees. If you want to add an extra finished touch, wrap a ribbon of your choice around a glue covered headband. Make sure to wrap the band, one end to the other, extremely tight so there's no chance of unraveling while wearing.

Set, the now ribbon swaddled headband, aside. With your heated glue gun, join together two small flowers. Let sit for a couple minutes until dry and firm. Then add small crystals random parts of the flower.

Pinpoint exactly where you would like to place the flowers. It is easier to do this while wearing the headband so that you can strategically place them where it looks appropriate. After you have found a spot, take your glue gun again, and make the final marriage of the flower to the headband. Let stand before wearing- no one likes glue in their hair, that's no fun.

Wearing the White Flower, piece of cake really.

and the black...

Our Busy Saturday.

This weekend was, to say the least, quite busy for our cupcake company. We baked and decorated eighty cupcakes for an SPCA event, Rescues and Runways, in addition we created a two tiered baby shower cake for my friend Jessica and her baby, Alorah. The Rescues and Runways event was showcasing not only fashions from a local boutique, but also the adoptable animals at the local SPCA. It was really amusing seeing the excited and confused dogs attempt to walk with the high heeled wearing models down the runway. There was a brown, black, and white cat that I especially wish that I had snuck in my purse and taken her home with me. Overall, there were a lot of cupcakes being eaten and more importantly, tons of adoption application forms being filled out which makes me a million times happier than the sweet hand sized cakes.

Baby Shower Cake for Jess and Alorah.

If I had my way, I'd be petting her now.

If your family is looking for a new addition, don't go to expensive breeders or to a pet store. Those puppies will get good homes no matter what. There are too many dogs and cats at the SPCA that are overlooked and are in need of good homes. We adopted our cat, Hershey, from the local SPCA and she has so much personality and gives so much love. They'll be your best friends in the world if you just choose them.

Skirt Session.

As a little girl, pants and jeans were not acceptable items in my wardrobe. Sometimes even now, I get caught up in the same state of mind and nothing seems to feel or look right on except for a girlish skirt. Now that embellished tights have become a must have for this season, I am finding myself back on the hunt for a lighter skirt, but heavy on the femininity. 

Sass & Bide Skirt, $310 

Forever 21, $17.80 

Loeffler Randall, $325 

BCBG, $98 

Giada De Laurentiis, David Chang, Bobby Flay, and...Zac Posen?

Today marks the first day of the second annual Food and Wine Festival in Manhattan, which also happens to be the second event taking place in the city over the past two months that I wish I could have taken part in. (Remember Fashions Night Out? Sad face). Dinners, demonstrations, and parties will be hosted by genius local chefs such as Tom Colicchio, David Chang, and Rachel Ray just to name a few. One of the most anticipated events happening during the four day food frenzie, is the collaboration of chefs Giada de Laurentiis, Marcus Samuelsson and fashion designer, Zac Posen. The trio will be coming together in the West Village hosting and preparing a private meal on Saturday evening. While reading an article interviewing Marcus Samuelsson and Zac Posen, a specific paragraph caught my eye and I couldn't help but relate these words to Cuppity Cake and the sometimes impossible cupcake baking.

 “I think food and fashion make complete sense together,” says Samuelsson, zipping around his kitchen one sunny afternoon... “You really appreciate somebody that uses good fabric or uses good ingredients. I don’t know how it is for Zac, but for a chef you constantly ask, ‘Doesn’t it taste good? Doesn’t it taste great?’”
-WWD


Other events taking place during the Food and Wine Festival are Rachel Ray's Burger Bash at the Tabacco Warehouse in Brooklyn, Paula Deen with her souther-styled food showcase at Hill Country, and Tyler Florence with his bacon and blues themed soiree at the Standard hotel. In addition, all proceedes from ticket sales go towards efforts to fight hunger. Charity, great food, chefs, and designers? Why not.

Photo: Vogue, Shutterstock

I (Really, Really) Heart Amy Atlas.

My last semester of college was spent mostly at my fabulous internship at world renowned fashion house, Hermes, in the Special Events department. During my time at my internship I fell in love with event planning and learned how to transform an empty echoing event hall to something that Cinderella couldn't even dream up. Along with event planning, baking has always been my other fixation, but I could never comprehend how the two could go hand in hand... that was before I came across the company, Amy Atlas Events . Convinced that I had found the best pick me up ever, I was searching countless cupcake and baking blogs, admiring sweetly adorned cookies, and cupcakes topped with whipped pastel colored frosting. When I came across Amy Atlas' website, I was in awe at pictures of events held for corporate meetings, baby showers, and weddings. Amy Atlas is a company that combines the art of event planning with extraordinary pastries and cakes. (Aka my dream company). The color coordination of the events, and the exquisite yet simple desserts, are what really caught my eye. Take a look for yourself. (Here )

Photo: Amyatlas.com