What A Lovely Zebra Cake

Photo and recipe created by Cookies, Cakes and Carbs. Video here.My family celebrates a lot of summer birthdays. We either buy torte cakes from a good European bakery, or make cakes, using real vanilla, dark chocolate and nuts. We try to eat cakes worth their calories. This year I'm making a zebra cake. Doesn't it look devine? For your benefit, I will type the recipe below, as well as, link it to its original source. Tweaks: To my cake...

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Shea Moisture Beauty For Everybody

In 1912 Sofi Tucker began selling her homemade skin and hair preparations at the village market in Sierre Leone, West Africa to support her family. Although her lotions, shave cream, shampoos and conditioners are marketed for people of color, one glance at the certified organic ingredients, which include raw shea butter, chamomile, neem oil and silk protein (see the complete list here) suggests they are good for all of us....

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Get Your Ear Jackets On, Sister

If the title didn't give it away, would you know what these items were? Ultra trendy jewelry, that's what. Nowadays they are prominently featured on red carpets and high fashion runways. They are also popular with hipters on Madison Avenue and Main Street. Called ear jackets (or cuffs), they come in many styles and price points. It's like an extented earring ... metal and stones that often spike and contour the full length of an ear.Fun,...

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Sam Smith - "Stay With Me" LIVE

For a myriad of reasons, I fell asleep last night while watching late night television. This is the voice that woke me up. WOW!!! At first I thought I was dreaming. Oh WOW!!! The rich, bluesy voice belongs to Sam Smith, a London singer-songwriter. I LOVE this guy! Only 22 years old, surely, he will be the next big thing. There is such a wealth of young talent today. The future of music looks good!♫♫♫You may also enjoy:My Love Letter To QueenWhat's On Your Play List?Remembering Patsy Cline 9/8/32 - 3/5/63The Secret Sisters - The One I Love Is Gone...

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Happy Father's Day ... Hmm

Photo by VisualizeusIt's become my habit to share a few random thoughts about my Father on Father's Day. When he died, I suddenly became aware that you do not love someone who was dear in the past tense. Clearly, you move on. In time, the loss is not the first thing you think about each morning, but it's not really accurate to say, "I loved my Father." It's more correct to say, "I love my Dad," although he is not alive to give, or receive it anymore....

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Penny Dreadful: A Review

Photo by Jonathan Hession - ShowtimeRecently I binge watched the first four episodes of Penny Dreadful, a horror suspense television series, created and written by John Logan and co-executive produced by Sam Mendes for Showtime. I give the show a B+. I don't always understand what makes a character tick. Parts of the storytelling are engaging, and it should get better. Penny Dreadful has a handsome cast. Excellent acting by the entire ensemble....

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A Guide To Makeup Brushes

A line of makeup brushes sold at Bath Body and BeyondMakeup brushes help us apply makeup with ease. The application goes on lighter, resulting in a more natural appearance and less product waste. With the right tools, you can look more polished and beautiful!There are many types of brushes to consider. So using the above image, here is the cheat sheet of what each bush does. Let's go from left to right:1. Smudge brush - Use to achieve a...

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