Easton Place

My Skincare Routine

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Skin goes through so many changes as we get older. I think back to how I treated my skin when I was a teenager, and I cringe! What was I thinking?! I use to believe, "if it burns, it's working". Nope. Not even a little bit correct.

Today, I feel like I've finally found a routine that takes care of my skin properly. It's not abrasive, drying, overly moisturizing... it's balanced. That's the best way I can describe it.

Here's my daily skincare routine. I start & end my day with washing my face using Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with shea butter. In the morning I follow it up with the Clarins Toning Lotion with chamomile. At night I use Kiehl's Supremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover with some cotton pads after this step. For moisturizers: In the morning I use Clarins Super Restorative Serum, followed by their Extra-Firming Eye Wrinkle Smoothing Cream as well as the Clarins Super Restorative Day cream SPF 20. And finally, at night, I use the Clarins eye cream again and the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

Admittedly, some of these products are on the pricy side, but I tend to only go through 2 bottles/jars of each item per year. The daily cleanser is the exception to that. I use 3-4 tubes per year. 

Of course, what works for my skin may or may not work for your skin. The great thing about the Kiehl's and Clarins lines is you can ask for samples of everything, and try it out before making the big purchase. So if you're looking to change up your face cleansing and moisturizing routine, give these items a try! If you do try them, let me know how you like them.

(This is not a paid post. I just thought you'd like to know about some really lovely skin-care products!)

 

 

Pecan Clusters: Easy Valentine Treat

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A few weeks ago I had a crazy-mad sweet tooth. I didn't have anything already prepared for such an emergency, so I rummaged through the pantry to see what I could whip up for a quick fix. These yummy little chocolate clusters were the end result. Today, I'm sharing with you perhaps one of the easiest Valentine treats you can make, and I'm guessing you have the ingredients in your cabinet already (or very similar ingredients at least).

Seriously... it's that easy. You can use whatever kind of chocolate chips you prefer. I like dark chocolate or semisweet. If you make these, post a photo on Instagram or Twitter and tag it #EastonPlaceTreats and tag me as well! I'd love to see how yours come out.

Valentine Whipped Cream Cutouts

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EastonPlace frozen hearts 2.jpeg

Valentine's Day is less than one month away. I say we start planning ahead for sweet treats and festive accents! When my husband and I were dating and newly married, Valentine's Day was all about the flowers and possible bauble or sparkle. After I became a mom, Valentine's Day became more about the cute treats I could make for my boys, or the fun arts & crafts project. Well now that my kids are both teenagers, they're not so into "art projects", but nobody outgrows sweets, especially hot cocoa with whipped cream!! This little project is a fun way to jazz up your hot chocolate. First of all, one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes can be found at Nutmeg Nanny. You can find the recipe here.

For the Whipped Cream Cut-Outs you'll need:

  • 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 T Madagascar Vanilla Extract (always use the real thing!)
  • 4 T Powdered Sugar (more or less to taste)
  • A "squirt" pink food coloring (optional)
  • Shallow baking sheet
  • Parchment or Wax paper
  • Small cookie cutters

In a glass bowl add the whipping cream, vanilla, and food coloring. Whip with a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks start to form. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until sugar is incorporated. 

Place your parchment or wax paper on your baking sheet. Spoon the whipped cream onto the paper and spread evenly. Make sure the thickness is the same or a little less than the depth of your cookie cutters. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for at least 60 minutes, or until the cream is frozen. Once the cream is solid, remove from freezer and start cutting out your shapes! I like to have a clean sheet of parchment or wax paper ready for the cut outs, or you can layer them with parchment or wax paper in a airtight container. Add to your hot cocoa, and top with a few sprinkles. Keep any unused cutouts in the freezer. 

 

How festive is this? And who doesn't like whipped cream on their hot cocoa? I even added a few to a cappuccino for fun.  For a dairy-free option, you can use non-dairy whipped topping. If you make these, take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter, using the hashtag #EastonPlaceTreats

Latest Logo Client: Cooking with Books

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Many years ago I commented on a photo I saw in my Twitter feed. The picture was of a path that lead down to a beach and lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard. I think my comment was "I know that path!" or something along those lines. And that was the beginning of a sweet friendship with the talented food and travel writer Marnely Murray of Cooking with Books. Sometime after that initial online friendship, I designed Marnely's logo for her then newish blog, Cooking with books. It was one of my favorite logos and blog headers I've ever designed. 

Cooking with Books original Logo and Header

Cooking with Books original Logo and Header

Fastforward to a few months ago, Marnely reached out to me again to discuss updating her logo and of course I was thrilled to head back to the drawing board for her. Today, I'm revealing the new logo! It's fresh, modern and bold. I love it, but most importantly, Marnely loves it. I also designed custom headers for her Twitter and Facebook page. Head over to her site when you get a chance. She writes about food and her many travel adventures! Tell her I sent you.

The updated logo for 2016

The updated logo for 2016