Candles Love Soy!

I found this great recipe for cupcakes that includes one of my favorite flavors - chai!

Chai Spice Mix

2 teaspoons fennel, whole
2 teaspoons cloves, whole
1 tablespoon cardamom, ground
2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
2 teaspoons ginger, ground

With a small food processor, grind up the whole fennel and cloves.
2. Transfer to a small bowl and add remaining spices. Mix to combine.

Chocolate Chai Spice Cupcakes
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

200 gram bar of Valrhona 61% cacao
3 sticks butter
2-1/4 cups sugar
8 eggs
1-1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons chai spice mix
pinch of salt

1. Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer.
2. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of
simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
4. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
5. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each
6. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, chai spice mix, and a
pinch of salt into the mixture and mix until blended.
7. Scoop into cupcake cups and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a
toothpick comes out clean.

Chai Spice Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons chai spice mix
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1. Beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.
2. Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, spice mix, and ginger.
Beat until combined.
3. Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

Note: Everyone’s personal preferences differ. With frosting, the
flavor is up to you. If you are unsure of how much of a chai flavor
you want, start light on the spices and add a teaspoon at a time until
you get to a flavor you like. Same goes for the sugar. It’s a matter
of taste and what consistency you want to work with. Experiment until
you get at what works for you.

Assemble
1. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

frosted chocolate chai spice cupcakes

Irish moss is more than just a normal moss or even a moss at all. It is actually a red algae, a form of seaweed containing polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, and iodine. It grows along the Atlantic coast line in North America and can also be found in selected areas in Europe along the same coastal line.The plant is soft and cartilaginous, varying in color from a greenish-yellow. Sometimes red to a deep purple color as well. Irish Moss contains anywhere from 20 to 100 times its weight of water. It is usually used in eatable products such as, ice cream, milk products and some processed meat, such as lunch meats. But, a significant asset to using this product is that it has anti-inflammatory properties! This is the perfect ingredient for a facial mask or lotion.

Here is an easy recipe you can use at home:

1 tablespoon powdered Irish Moss
1 cup water (distilled)
1/4 cup aloe vera gel (100% natural)
2 tablespoon almond essential oil

Soak the Irish moss in the distilled water for about 20 minutes to soften it. Pour this mixture into a small saucepan and boil for another 20 additional minutes. Strain off solids and what is left is a clear jelly. This is called seaweed jelly. Measure 1/4 cup of the seaweed jelly, then mix it with the aloe vera gel. Let the mixture cool to room temperature completely before continuing.

Pour the seaweed mixture into a blender or food processor and blend on low speed; slowly add the almond essential oil into a very thin stream until it is well blended with the aloe vera gel mixture. The product should turn white while this process is continued. Store your finished product in a clean container with a tight fitting lid. Use it the same as you would any other lotion. Only this product has added benefits and will soften your skin better than any over-the-counter lotion.

Did you know Icebergs in the Antarctic area sometimes have stripes, formed by layers of snow that react to different conditions?

I am just amazed and awed by these pictures. Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form.

When an iceberg falls into the sea, a layer of salty seawater can freeze to the underside.

If this is rich in algae, it can form a green stripe. image003.jpgBrown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked when the ice sheet grinds downhill towards the sea.

Last but the most magnificent, imho, is a picture of an iceberg from the top alllll the way down!Full iceberg

I just got finished crafting some super new soaps that I know you’re going to enjoy!

Melon & jasmine soy soap with green mineral clay. This smell is heavenly! When I was a manicurist, creative nail design had these fantastic body creams and one was scented melon and jasmine -melon-jasmine-soap.jpg I’ve waited years for this fragrance! I promise you won’t be disappointed in this scent - and the soaps not half bad either LOL!

Also, there are two 85% soft oil soaps coming along - one is scented with lavender e/o and the other is unscented. Boy oh boy, I can’t wait for these to finish curing! Soft oil soaps(like olive oil!) are super moisturizing and chock full of antioxidants and good stuff for your skin!

I’ll keep you posted as to when these are available…

In a recent 2 year study conducted by NASA, scientists found common indoor plants to be useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air.

Flowering plants such as gerber daisies and chrysanthemums were rated superior in removing benzene from the atmosphere, while Philodendrons and Spider Plants were the most effective in formaldehyde removal.

But don’t put plants in your bedroom just yet, a they may contain mold and if you’re allergic, it could cause a reaction. Why a warning for the bedroom? It’s the one room where most of us keep the door clos