Gratitude + Funky Tunes for New Years! {Tuesday Tunes #20}

Greetings beings! 

Sending lots of gratitude to 2013 and everyone who came across my path. I'm really jazzed about this blog and the awesome ladies I've met so far.  It's been hard at times and I've struggled with laziness, but I enjoy having something constant to call back on, a type of visual journal open to the world. This year a goal is to be braver in my blog. I want to be more personal and share more of the 'ups', but especially push myself to sharing some 'downs'. After all, that's real life. 

So thank you for stopping by, saying hi and sharing with me too. Becoming part of this international-awesome-lady-blogging community has been an incredible gift this year.You all are so special and I'd hug every one of you if I could. I suppose *ehugs* will have to do. Well...I would love to share some soulful funky tunes for your day. I just found this one now, but really like it.
Artist: Raphael Saadiq
Songs: "Love That Girl" -- "100 Yard Dash" -- "Sure Hope You Mean It"

Also, my BFF has a radio show and I'm about to join today! There's a live stream from 10am-12pm (Pacific time) and can be heard at radiovalencia.fm. What fun!!

Any new music you're all about?? 

Candy Cane Vanilla Cupcakes {+ Holiday Photos}

Happy belated Christmahanakwanzika! Whatever you celebrated (or didn't) I truly wish everyone lots of love and joy this season. I am so so happy to be able to be back visiting my family and seeing everyone. Being away just makes it that much more special and I am so grateful!

Now, if you didn't catch the holiday flash mob post from Tuesday Tunes, it's worth checking out...This post is two part = double the fun, right?! First I'll be sharing a fun holiday cupcake recipe I whipped up the other day with my mom. And then some photos from these past few days of festivities! Let's get bakin' ~

Christmas is all about the flavors of the season, wouldn't you agree? So we decided to make some vanilla cupcakes with a peppermint twist.

Here's what we used:
~ box of cupcake mix (we totally cheated - it's better if made from scratch!)
~ 1 tbsp red food die
~ 4 candy canes crushed up (use a mallet or hammer and candy canes in a bag)
~ vanilla icing
~ sprinkles, candies, etc. for decorating
(if you really want them to be peppermint-y, add a few drops of mint extract. I preferred having crushed peppermint on the icing though.)

First, make your cupcake batter. Then separate about 2 cups into another bowl. Add the red food dye and mix really well. 

Now fill your cupcake tins about 3/4 full with white batter. Add a dollop of pink batter in each, and carefully swirl around with a knife/toothpick/fork. Try not to mix it much because the idea is to create a marble effect.

If you'd like, add some crushed peppermint into the cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes at about 350*. Let cool for a bit so icing won't melt. Then it's time for decorating. Get creative and go crazy!

My mom pulled out all her cake-decorating supplies and showed me a few techniques. It takes some practice, but my wreath-decorated cupcake turned out cute. We looked at pictures of all the cakes she's made in the past 25 years. Which was at least 30 cakes! She was quite the cake-baker and decorator! We had fun making them together :) And they are quite perfect with the peppermint flakes on top. Super delicious sugar-y treats!

Pretty lovely, huh? And some of the holiday photos I've been snapping...

Recycled handcrafted wrapping by yours truly.

Ps. we have some musicians in the family!

Christmas morning at Gramma's.

3 generations :)