Book Review: The Sweet Book of Candy Making by Elizabeth LaBau; Quarry Publishing

Create your own delicious, gorgeous, and professional-quality candies with The Sweet Book of Candy Making. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned candy maker, you will find mouthwatering recipes and expert tips to inspire you—and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Inside, you'll find:

—Candy-making essentials: all you need to know about equipment, ingredients, and techniques, including step-by-step lessons on pulling taffy, rolling truffles, filling peanut butter cups, and more

—More than 50 recipes for sugar candies, fondant, caramels, toffee, fudge, truffles, chocolates, marshmallows, and fruit and nut candies

—Troubleshooting tips for each type of candy

—How to perfect the classics you love, from English Toffee to Chocolate Fudge to Peanut Brittle

—Try your hand at something new: Pistachio Marzipan Squares, Passion Fruit Marshmallows, Mango-Macadamia Nut Caramels, Lemon Meringue Lollipops, and more

—Decorating techniques to show off your tasty results

Get started in your kitchen with The Sweet Book of Candy Making!

My Review

I have a ton of candy/confection books and this is probably my top favorite out of all of them. I love it because it focuses on 9 types of candies and also helps with getting it CORRECT every single time because it helps you with troubleshooting IF something does go wrong.

The other candy books I have don’t do this, which makes it hard to figure out what to do next IF something DOESN’T go just as planned. The pictures help as well. They are very detailed and the instructions are easy to understand and very descriptive.

I love how she goes into detail and fully explains each ingredient and tools. It fully describes why you can’t mix this with that and what will happen- so if you DO happen to adventure further with candy making you won’t have a ton of mistakes on your hands.

The ingredients that are detailed are broken into sections:

• sweeteners; granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar..
• chocolates; cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, dark chocolate..
• Dairy Products; Cream, Milk, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed milk..

She also explains which type of Nuts, Fruits, Flavorings, Extracts, and Salt is best used when making candy.

Then there is a whole chapter dedicated to techniques of working with candy making ingredients. This is what I definitely LOVED most about this book. It fully takes you step by step WITH pictures to show you how to work with melting sugar, calibrating your candy thermometer, working with chocolate.. and so much more.

That’s why this book is GREAT for those who wish they could make their own deliciousness at home but aren’t sure what to do, how to do it, and what’s the best way to achieve the results!! THIS book SHOWS you!

This is definitely a must have book no matter where your at in candy making. If you’re an experienced candy maker OR a beginner- this book has something (even techniques that experienced candy makers will love to know).. for everyone!

I definitely love that there are clear, precise pictures of every SINGLE recipe in the book that way I have something to compare my creations to when they are done.

 

About the Author

Elizabeth LaBau is a food writer and confectioner based in Los Angeles, California. She applies her years of experience as a professional pastry chef to bringing a modern touch to the world of old-fashioned candy making. Since 2006, she has been the Guide to Candy at About.com, an online division of the New York Times Company. At http://candy.about.com, she provides fun, creative candy recipes and step-by-step tutorials for the home cook. When she's not playing with sugar in the kitchen, she can be found running the trails around Los Angeles with a piece of candy tucked into her pocket. Visit her online at http://www.elizabethlabau.com, http://www.sugarhero.com, and http://www.runningwithsugars.com.

Buy It:  The Sweet Book of Candy Making $18.74

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: Happy Stitch 30 Felt & Fabric Projects for Everyday by Jodie Rackley

Stitch up a smile!

You can't help but feel happy while whipping up these charming felt and fabric projects! With a few simple stitches and some basic materials, you'll be crafting in no time at all. From plush animals to electronics cozies to curtains and pillows, you'll love filling your home with bright and colorful crafty creations!
Inside you'll find:

• Step-by-step instructions and photography that make stitching a breeze!

• 30 different projects, perfect for gift-giving, home decoration and creative crafting

• An embroidery stitch library that puts all the basic stitches for embellishing your handmade treasures at your fingertips

So gather you felt, fabric, and floss, and stitch up a little happiness.


My Review

Sometimes in life we get caught up in the rush. We need to take more time to sit, relax, and enjoy life rather than just rushing through the days. I craft and create because I like the feel of creating something out of nothing. I love seeing the look on people's faces as they receive something handmade from me.

Having something made especially for YOU is another feeling entirely. It's not like having someone buy you a gift at the store for that only requires money. Having someone spend their time, craft, and intellect on you is another matter entirely. AND it makes people smile from ear to ear!

From the very first chapter until the very last, this book draws you and won't let go. It's bright and colorful patterns and the cuteness that it can bring into your life. All of the projects are easy. The best thing about them is that they don't require anything but the bare minimum.

There isn't a full list of notions and tools that you need to get the project completed. Some of the books I've gotten were AMAZING but you have to go the store JUST for some of the essentials to make it. It's harder that way because when inspiration strikes, it strikes!

This is the perfect book for someone who is a beginner, or someone looking for a few quick easy to create projects. The projects in this book take less than an hour to create, so get your inspiration on and make someone HAPPY HAPPY! ;)

I really love how the book is organized. Before EVERY single project is a layout of what is needed, the techniques used, and shows a close up of the embroidery stitches. There are MANY different ways to utilize these embroidery stitches into so much more than the projects divided. Once you learn a new technique, it's easy to make more of your own designs with your knowledge of techniques used before!

The project descriptions are clearly detailed in a step by step manner that is very easy to follow. The author adds little tips on most of the projects so that you can create multiples of the project yet it be slightly different each time (very great thing for when you're making gifts).

There are so many cute projects; Ereader cozy, computer cover. headbands, card cases, totes, pillow cover, apron, necklace, placemats, and so much more!


About the Author
Jodie Rackley is a self-taught crafter, designer and artist, who loves to blend vintage flare with modern craft to make colorful and stylish decor and accessories. She has been featured on MarthaStewart.com, ApartmentTherapy.com and SublimeStitching.com. Her line of felt and fabric gifts, Lova Revolutionary, is carried by many brick and mortar stores in the US and internationally, and sells worldwide through Etsy.com.

Buy It: Happy Stitch: 30 Felt & Fabric Projects for Everyday by Jodie Rackley for $15.47


Jessica Renee

Romwe Leggings Flash Sale!

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$19.99 for any pair. 3 days only!

GO>> http://www.romwe.com/manage_activity/19.99-flash-sale/

Acure Organics Oil Control Face Moisturizer

Disclosure: Items mentioned in this post were sent for review purposes only, all opinions are 100% honest.

This easily absorbed facial moisturizer improves texture and tone, minimizes fine lines, and helps prevent breakouts. Lilac Stem Cells are shown to balance oil and heal blemishes, while Chlorella Growth Factor helps rejuvenate damaged skin cells. Control sebum production while boosting overall balance in the skin with this ultra-light moisturizer.

I had been on the lookout for an ultra lightweight moisturizer because my face is naturally oily. I am prone to oily t-zone and nose area. My skin actually seems to drip oil if not washed more than twice a day. It was actually getting out of hand until I started using Acure brightening facial scrub sea kelp + chlorella growth factor & argan stem cell + cgf facial mask cell stimulating .

These two items mixed with the oil control facial moisturizer have naturally made an impact on the oil secretion in my skin. I love that all the ingredients are natural and are made from fair trade ingredients.

This is the only oil controlling face moisturizer that I’ve used. I was using a night cream from a BIG name company but it was just too moisturizing for my skin. It was clogging up my pores and breaking me out. The face scrub and stimulating cell mask unclogged my pores thank god, and using this oil control face moisturizer has kept the clogged pores at bay.

It helps with the texture and tone of the skin, as well as preventing breakouts and minimizing fine lines. Lilac Stem Cells are shown to balance oil and heal blemishes, while Chlorella Growth Factor helps rejuvenate damaged skin cells. Control sebum production while boosting overall balance in the skin with this ultra-light moisturizer.

I love that it takes mere seconds to absorb into my skin and can be paired with other Acure Organics products to reap ALL the benefits from having chemical free skincare. I have tried most of the products on the website and NOT ONE of them have let me down!


This is a white, thick creamy lotion that instantly breaks apart and soaks in immediately. It feels amazing and I can smell a hint of spearmint or something minty. It is moisturizing enough to keep the flaking skin away yet TOTALLY keeps my oily- breakout prone skin FREE from blackheads and blemishes! AND for under $10—WHY YES!

I can definitely tell that this has restoring my cells because of how fresh faced I feel even at the end of the day. I can wear this both during the day and again at night as a night cream. It works wonderful under makeup.. it makes my skin feel so refreshed and invigorated. AND it helps to protect skin from Free Radical Damage.

They are top notch quality, have unbeatable prices for organic ingredients, and their customer service is hands on, fast to answer any questions or help you out, and everything gets to your door in a VERY quick amount of time!

I’ve never had anything from them arrive broken or spilling. They take extra caution so that as a customer you are happy with not only their products, but their service as well! A++++ company! Love them!


Connect with Acure on Facebook and Twitter for product updates and news!

Fashion Review: SheInside White Sleeveless Embroidery Contrast Chiffon Tank Dress

SheInside is an amazing fashion website that has been around since ‘08. They have SO many choices, no matter what your personal style may be—you’ll definitely find something you like at unbelievable prices.

I love working with SheInside because of their amazing taste. I got to choose one item to review, and ended up going with an amazing summer dress. The dress I chose was the White Sleeveless Embroidery Contrast Chiffon Tank Dress.

The dress comes in small and medium, so I got the small. The company is based in China so it did take 1-2 weeks for delivery, but they made sure it stayed safe during shipping by putting it in a plastic bag THEN wrapped it in a plastic mailing bag.

I’m glad that they have a slip built underneath this because the skirt is a bit transparent without it. I loved it though. It comes with it’s own gold button slim sized belt.

It is lightweight and fits me great. This is going to be amazing to wear to summer parties and get togethers. It goes well with my white strappy high heeled sandals.

It’s only $39.68 on the website, which is a steal I think! For every item that you purchase you get free points. After you get enough points—you can buy something free of charge! How awesome is that?

You can also sign up to get a 15% coupon and there is ALWAYS free shipping!!

There’s also a Pin it to Win it Pinterest Competition going on right now where you can pin something you want.. and try and win 1 of 3 $150 Gift Cards to SheInside.

Follow on Facebook and Pinterest for other discount codes and Chances to win.

 

Jessica Renee

Fashion Review: eShakti Dress; Customize Your Style

With the comfort of shopping at home, I don’t see why people still shop at the mall. You can find discount coupons and free shipping codes online. The only thing that makes me iffy about ordering online is the fitting. ARE you sure that amazing skirt is going to fit you the way it’s fitted in the pictures?

Out of all the clothes I have, there are some that fit me in Small, some in medium.. it’s just the way that the brands make them, if they stretch, and so on. WELL.. with eShakti you don’t have to wonder about fitting, styles, and sizing.

eShakti is most definitely going to have you drooling from the mouth. There are so many unique styles, something for everyone! You don’t like those cap sleeves on that dress? You can definitely take them off and make it a tank sleeve dress.

I love that there are so many different colors to choose from. Whether you want something dark such as black or dark blue, or light and bright such as white or yellow.. or you like a range of colored dresses; orange, lime green, fuchsia.. they have  it!

I got to choose an item of choice from the shop, and if there’s one thing I can’t resist and that’s a great summer dress. So after what seemed like an hour trying to choose one, I ended up getting the Felicity Dress in Turquoise. It's only available in Spring Green and Crimson as of now. I was immediately impressed on how quickly it came in the mail after ordering it.


I ended up choosing this dress because it comes with beautiful rosettes on the right front top. When you’re ordering- you can choose your size in dress (or clothing choice) OR you can choose by your measurements.

You can change how far down the dress comes (below or above the knee) and you can even change the way the sleeves are. This one came with cap sleeves (which I like). If I hadn’t I could’ve chosen 3/4 sleeves or tank sleeves! How awesome is that?

If you’re on the lookout for some amazing fashion choices to add to your summer wardrobe.. you should definitely check out eShakti’s Dresses.

AMAZING, I tell you!

You can also save $25 on your first order by signing up with eShakti right on their website!
And, don't forget to follow their Facebook and Pinterest accounts for style ideas and other special offers!


Jessica Renee

Baby Bella Maya Car Seat Cover

Disclosure: Items mentioned in this post were sent for review purposes only, opinions are 100% honest.

Whether it comes in leopard, zebra or cheetah print, we know that moms are definitely going crazy for everything animal print! Baby gear shouldn’t just come in boring old prints.. so spice up that baby gear with Baby Bella Maya Animal Print Baby Gear.

Whether it’s baby clothes, bows, diaper covers or booties.. you can definitely find the cutest animal and diva prints here! Everything on the site is just SO adorable. I wish I would have known about this when my daughter was born!

My little sister found out she was pregnant in January, and then last month found out it was a girl. When I received the email about these beautiful infant car seat covers, I was ON IT! I was excited to show her what I’d gotten for MaKenzi.

There are currently seven designs for the infant car seat covers. I had a hard time choosing which one to get because they were all so adorable! I ended up getting the Zoe Zebra Infant Car Seat Cover though, because I couldn’t resist the way it looks so amazingly blended with the Hot Pink!

We all know that babies aren’t exactly the cleanest at all time. They have diaper blowouts and spit ups.. AND it’s hard to get the manufacturer car seat cover off if you need to wash it (IF you CAN wash it). May of them are flame retardant and can’t be washed.

Have you ever had to take a cover off? Oh Jeez, I felt like I was going to lose my mind when the kids were little and I’d take theirs off. You have to practically break down the entire car seat to get them off. Unbuckling this, taking that off, unsnapping this.. UGH! By the time you’re done, you feel like you could have diffused a bomb in less time.

That’s why Baby Bella Maya was made. These go OVER the car seat covers that come WITH the car seat. That way all you have to do is unsnap it and throw it in the wash if it were to get dirty! Pure Genius and Beautiful at the same time!

I couldn’t wait to open this! I had my mom bring Brandy’s car seat over without her knowing it. (She didn’t know I was even getting this for her).


This cover is absolutely flawless. It is a black and white zebra print with hot pink satin trim! It is an amazing way to update the look of babies car seat without a hassle.

This cover keeps the car seat cover clean. It is easy to figure out how to install all parts (directions come in the package if it’s hard for you to understand how to get the canopy part off).
I love that it came with the arm strap covers as well. This is what keeps baby from getting irritated by the actual straps! AND adorable as well.



It didn’t take me very long at all to put all of this together. I did it by myself in under 10-15 minutes. The canopy part is what caused me the most issues, and it didn’t have anything to do with the covers. It was figuring out how to get the canopy part off so I could take off the old and put on the new.

I loved that it has snaps. It made it SO easy. I didn’t have to take anything off, I didn’t have to unsnap anything, and I didn’t have to unbuckle anything from the actual carseat.


The bottom buckle fits through the opening in the cover. The arm straps fit through the snaps on the cover without having to unbuckle everything and pull it lose like usual.

 

It was very easy, and look at the results!! Beautiful decoration for a new baby that will be here in September. I can’t wait to see her! I just wish I had had this for my daughter…
Buy It: Zoe Zebra Infant Car Seat Cover $74.95

• Content: Print 100% Polyester, Lining 100% Polyester
• Care Instructions: Machine Wash Gentle Cycle, Dry low heat

Book Review: Slushed!: More Than 150 Frozen, Boozy Treats for the Coolest Happy Hour Ever by Jessie Cross; Adams Media

Who says pops are just for kids?
In the sweltering summer heat, you need a quick way to cool down and keep the party going. In this refreshingly spirited volume, you'll find a frosty collection of more than 150 booze-infused frozen desserts, such as:

• Fiery Chili Lime Tequila Pops
• Brown Sugar Bourbon Ice Cream
• Chocolate Martini Pudding Pops
• Amaretto Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Frozen Kahlua Cheesecake
• Vietnamese Coffee Gelato

With full-color photos and unique party tips, Slushed! guarantees you'll have an intoxicatingly cool summer!
Slushed! comes to you from the kitchen of nationally acclaimed blogger Jessie Cross of The Hungry Mouse (thehungrymouse.com). It also includes good, basic instructions for making ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt--and has a primer for equipment and ingredients.

My Review

Yum, yum, YUM! Frozen Ice Pops, Ice Cream, Gelato, Frozen Yogurt? Why certainly! Mousse, Parfait, Granita, Sorbet, and Sorbet.. Could you make it any better? Ice Cream Sandwiches, Cakes, and Frozen Cocktails.. OMG—YOU did make it better! But wait—there is also Milkshakes AND smoothies to go with that.

Summer has finally arrived… after all the cold, bitter winds, and rain here. I’m pretty sure Mother Nature was trying to make me mad. I do NOT like winter.. I do not like the cold..

I want shorts, tank tops, and sandals, Bonfires, cookouts, lazy days, and swimming. We can’t forget the frozen treats, NOW can we?

The first chapter is “Getting Down to Basics: Technique, Equipment, and Ingredients” that are needed to get the job done. Ice Cream Maker, Blender, Mixer, Candy Thermometer, and Pop Molds. Coffee, Cream, Eggs, Espresso, Fruit Nectar, Yogurt..

I am definitely going to make ALL of these yummy looking Frozen Ice Pops. There are some that I wouldn’t have thought would taste good together—but the ingredients seem to make the right taste. These only require you to have the pop mold and ingredients. Nothing too hard.

Cosmo Pops

Kamikaze Pops

Chocolate Martini Pudding Pops

Blackberry Campari Pops

Mojito pops with fresh mint

Blueberry Basil Martini Pops

Mimosa Pops

………..and more

Chapter 3 is all about the ice cream! They all seem really delicious, but I’m stuck on this one. I can’t make any of these because I don’t have an ice cream maker. Until I do, I’ll be dreaming about the delectable amazingness of:

Death by Double Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream

Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream

Tipsy Barista

Kate’s Brown Sugar Bourbon Ice Cream

Bananas Foster Ice Cream

Mango Sunrise Ice Cream

……….and more

Chapters 4 and 5 are Gelato and Frozen Yogurt. All of the Gelato recipes need an ice cream maker, but there are a few frozen yogurt recipes that don’t. I NEED to seriously get an ice cream maker!

All the recipes are easy to understand. They are in a numerical order with the ingredients listed beside. The pictures are scattered throughout the book—so you may need to search for the picture before you make it..

All of the Frozen Cocktails only require a blender and your ingredients. Some of them are classics frozen just the RIGHT way, then there’s the unique names that make you just want to grab that blender and get to blending!

Frozen Zombie

Frozen Gin Fizz

Artic Scorpion Bowl

Raging Frozen Aztec

Frozen Cosmo

Black Raspberry & Chambord Frappe

Frozen Long Island Iced Tea

I can’t wait to give these a try! ALL of them. There are more than this in this book as well. I love that there are such a variety and combination of frozen desserts to try. No matter what you’re wanting to fix for that Grill Out, Girls Night in, Fourth of July, or whatever.. They have it!

I’m glad to say that all the mousse recipes, semifreddo recipes, granitas, sorbets and parfaits only require freezing after making. I’m all for mixing and freezing the night before or an hour before (depending on what you’re making(.—that way it makes it easy. I can’t wait to get to TESTING! YUM.

Are you having any celebrations or get togethers this summer? What are you planning to make—would you incorporate some of these amazing drinks into it?

Which one?

About the Author

Jessie Cross started her nationally recognized food blog The Hungry Mouse (thehungrymouse.com) in 2008. An avid home cook, her recipes and photography have been featured in O, The Oprah magazine, The Huffington Post, Better Homes & Gardens, Bon Appetit, Saveur, and Gothamist. When she's not shopping for cheese or baking pies, she works as an ad agency creative type. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and two dogs.

Buy IT:

Slushed! More than 150 Frozen, Boozy Treats for the Coolest Happy Hour Ever for $11.04

Connect with Adams Media online: Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on their AMAZING new releases!

 

Jessica Renee