Brandy Saldana – Page 18 – Will Bake for Shoes

Cupcakes

Bug Cupcakes

Posted on May 8, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Ahhh! Bugs Everywhere!! Don’t worry, these are just insects made out of chocolate, no matter how creepy they look. These bug cupcakes are one’s I made for an 8 year old’s birthday party and I found the instructions from the Hello Cupcake book.

When I get requests to make cupcakes, I typically have clients wanting me to be creative and make something fun. I tried to think of what an 8 year old boy would like and came to the conclusion bugs would be a hit with only 3 days notice.
I wouldn’t say it takes me 3 whole days to bake and decorate cupcakes, but it typically means I order takeout so I do not have to use the kitchen for anything other than baking. I bake after work one day, and depending on the type of decorations, I make them and frost the cupcakes and top them the next day.

I admit I made these cupcakes twice. The turnaround was so quick, I needed to deliver them Thursday night, so there was no time to take photos. It was a lot easier to make them the second time since I had leftover cupcakes and M&M’s. My second attempt went a lot faster, and the secret to keeping your chocolate stencil from falling apart is by drawing it fairly thick.
To make any shapes out of chocolate all you need is a ziplock bag, wax paper, and chocolate chips. I realized after awhile that it was progressively easier to transfer the insects from the wax paper onto the cupcake if the bugs stencil was drawn on thick. The rest of the ingredients include M&M’s (peanut and regular) and chocolate covered sunflower seeds (mine were from Trader Joe’s). The yellow Spider was actually meant to have a Mega M&M body, but I had no idea those existed or where I could find them. Now that made them, I notice them in a lot of grocery stores now, but using plain M&M’s worked out for me. Once the bugs were drawn, just add M&M’s and place in the fridge to harden. Use a spatula or butter knife to help remove the bugs from the wax paper and place on frosted cupcakes.

What do you think? Are these cupcakes just bugging you out, or do they look tempting? If these bug cupcakes aren’t your thing, take a look at my fashion picks inspired by these cupcakes below.
Until next time,
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |

Outfit
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- Work

Zigzag

Posted on May 4, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Black Diagonal Black Peacoat Steve Madden (here) | Black and White Zigzag Sleeveless Sweater Alice + Olivia (similar here) | White Button Down Shirt Alice + Olivia | Black Pants Calvin Klein | Cedar Street Small Elissa Kate Spade New York (here) | Black Wool Felt Fedora Hat Express (here) | Black Scarf Neiman Marcus x Target Marc Jacobs (similar here)| Play the Wild Card Words of Wisdom Bangle Kate Spade New York (here)| Gold Pen Necklace Kate Spade New York | Black Harley Boots Circus by Sam Edelman (here)| Le Rouge Lipstick 306 Carmin Escarpin Givenchy (here) |Happy Monday!
Ever since the beginning of April, I was very excited to start wearing light spring dresses and skirts from now until the end of September, but that plan was quickly shot down with the cold, foggy days we’ve been having lately. I got one cute dress in last week, but since the weather has been chilly I figured I’d share a layered look. The zigzag print sweater is one I found at Crossroads Trading Co. and I have had it more a lot longer than a year. I figured since I hadn’t worn it I should list it on the +Poshmark App. It sold a few weeks ago, but as a way to challenge myself and have better cover photos, I figured I should style this sweater. I loved how it looked with this outfit, but in the end I wasn’t wearing it and I felt it deserved to go on to new home.
Although my sweater wasn’t really meant for me, I will note that my blouse and boots are actually recent Poshmark finds. Having a rotating closet is the best, and it is helpful to me to be selling my items to be able to purchase items I will actually wear. I’ve been posting a lot more items for sale in my closet lately as part of my Spring cleaning efforts, so don’t forget to follow me in order to see items before I wear them on my blog! My username is willbakeforshoe, and if you haven’t joined, do it! Your wallet and closet will thank you! You can use my referral code HAWER for $5 shopping credit and I am always happy to help new users make their first sales.
I realize it is the beginning of May and I have still not shared my Posh Fest photos, but don’t worry. I won’t wait until a month before the next one to share them. I am hoping to have a few more tips and tricks for new users, so stay tuned for that.
May the 4th be with you and until next time!

Beauty
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- Makeup

YSL Mascara Volume Effect Faux Clis Review

Posted on April 29, 2015by Brandy Saldana

I was lucky to be chosen by Influenster to test out the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils in a recent Voxbox. I was pretty excited since the Yves Saint Laurent brand represents elegance and high-fashion to me. I have always admired the packaging of the make-up, especially for the lipsticks, but I could never bring myself to splurge on it. Getting the chance to try out the mascara and its remastered formula changed my mind about the beauty line and to consider trying out other products.

At first glance, I am already in love the packaging. The tube is a nice gold with the simple YSL logo. The brush is nice and thick with various sizes of bristles, ideal for adding volume to your lashes. My eyelashes are pretty long, and I noticed they looked fuller when I used this mascara.

My favorite mascara is the Marc Jacobs Volumizing Mascara , but the YSL Mascara ties with with that mascara since it does provide volume and since the mascara is not clumpy. They also last a long time, even when my eyes are wet. I’ve noticed that when I was my face, neither of these smear or drip down, which is a nice bonus. I have not taken any photos (that I can remember) wearing the YSL mascara, but it is on my to-do list and I will note it in blog post if I am. This mascara also comes in 6 shades, but I am a big fan of the black.

I loved the mascara so much that I decided it was time to splurge on some of the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks I had been eyeing for awhile. I became a VIB member at Sephora almost 6 months ago and had a 15% off coupon I was able to use on these earlier this month. I am pretty obsessed with these colors and enjoy the candy smell that comes off of these lipsticks. Pigment is a lot lighter than I expected, but these are pretty different from the usual Givenchy Rouge lipsticks I use. I don’t know why I ever doubted whether it would be worth it, but thanks to Influenster I was able to experience some dramatic and luxurious lashes and finally get myself some new lipsticks.
What are your thoughts on YSL Mascara? Will you be splurging or do you have a go-to mascara already? Let me know!

Disclosure: I received the YSL Mascara complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Everyday
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- Outfit
  - Weekend

Vintage Florals

Posted on April 25, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Denim Jacket Heritage 1981 | Cream Floral Chiffon 3/4 Dress Ya! Los Angeles c/o Pinkblush (here) | Crystal Statement Necklace Urban Gem via Rocksbox | White Vintage Cross Body Coach | Red Suede Ulltra Heels Steve Madden |
Weekends sometimes call for a little extra effort, and pairing a denim jacket with a chiffon floral dress is just what a weekend brunch calls for. I am so excited to share another dress from Pinkblush while they are currently having another 30% off sitewide sale this weekend. (Use code SHOPFORMOM30).
I love that this dress has a fun vintage floral print and I have spotted it before on a midi skirt from Modcloth. I loved the print, and have contemplated getting this in its midi skirt form, but I am really happy with this in this style! I can dress it down further with flats or sandals, add a hat, and drive off on a road trip or go to a flea market. I love clothes that make me envision doing something, and this one is no exception.
Don’t forget to check out the Pink Blush sale to pick up a floral dress that you’ll take with you this summer, or that will take you places.

Food
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- Restaurant

A Taste of Agreeno at Pathos

Posted on April 22, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Last month I was invited to a culinary event at Pathos Organic Greek Kitchen in Berkeley to try out some expertly prepared mezes paired with wines and to see a culinary demonstration by celebrity chef/author Diane Kochillas. This demonstration was intended to highlight a new and healthy risotto by a Greek brand named Agreeno that is coming to the states soon. Pathos has been on my list of restaurants to try ever since it opened in Berkeley, and I was excited to get a taste of it here during this event. Here are some photos Armando and I took from the event and a glimpse of some of the food and wine I got to try.

One of my favorite appetizers were these pieces of grilled octopus. I also loved how fresh everything tasted. It has definitely convinced me that I need to make a reservation for dinner soon.

I also had a chance to meet Diane Kochilas. She presented her own cookbook as part of her presentation and we tried two different dishes using the Agreeno rice. As I mentioned earlier, Agreeno rice will be making its way stateside soon and I am pretty excited about it. The samples we had were very tasty and it sounds like it is pretty easy to cook. The best is that the rice is cultivated in Greece by Farmers responsibly. Ethically grown food is always good, but it was also cool to learn that they develop a unique flavor by being grown near the Mediterranean Ocean.

What are your thoughts on Greek cuisine? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions so I have a better idea of what to order when I visit Pathos for dinner!

Outfit
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- Work

Minty Florals

Posted on April 14, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Mint Green Floral Print Chiffon Dress Pink Owl c/o Pinkblush (here) | Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Pink Chrissy Cross Body Bag Kate Spade | Stack of Pink Idiom Bracelets (Three Cheers, Et Ceterea Et Cetera & #teamkate Kate Spade | Gold Bracelets LE TOTE | Nude Ulltra Patent Heels Steve Madden | Le Rouge 207 – Rose Plumetis Lipstick Givenchy (here)Spring calls for pastel colors and cute floral print dresses, and this dress fits both of those criteria. When I first did a google search for Pinkblush, I was surprised since the first thing that popped up for me was maternity clothing. I am not going to be in the market for maternity clothing anytime soon, so needless to say I was surprised when Pinkblush invited me to a little happy hour one Friday night in February to talk fashion. I discovered, to my pleasant surprise, that Pinkblush is not limited to just maternity clothes anymore. They have a super cute selection of clothing for woman for all walks of life and aside from having fun and trendy items, they are also pretty affordable.
This dress appealed to me because of the print and fun color, but also because of how versatile it is. I could easily pair it with flats and a jean jacket to give it a casual feel. I decided to play up the girly color and print, by pairing it with pink accessories and some nude pieces. I picked up this dress and two others from Pinkblush that I’ll be sharing in my next outfit posts. I would recommend checking out their site now because everything is 25% off until April 15 (tomorrow.) I would act fast and pick up a new dress like this one! Use promo code: 25SITEWIDE at checkout.
Hope you are having a great start to your week so far!