Tag Archives: Magnolia Bakery

The Annual Girls’ Giftwrapping Party, featuring PJ Salvage pajamas

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A very pastel cupcake Christmas at The Cupcake Palace

Last year, my friend Lindsey and I started a now-annual tradition: The Girlfriends Giftwrapping party. I brewed up one of my signature holiday cocktails (this year was my Homespun Spiced Butter Rum Eggnog), pick up some festive holiday cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery and wrap gifts galore, thanks to my fun friends.

This year, we decided to make it a a pajama party and PJ Salvage upped the ante by sending some of their sweetest pjs – the Gingerbread Man flannel pj set…

Me sipping some eggnog in my PJ Salvage Gingerbread Men pjs

and the Cake Party pj set (both $65)

The lovely Lindsey in PJ Salvage The Cake Party pjs

to play well with my pastel cupcake Christmas theme.

Oh ya know…just hiding behind the tree, sipping our eggnog. Normal.

We wrapped presents, thanks to GORGEOUS gift wrap from The Container Store.

No brown paper packages tied up with string. All pastel paper with pretty bows. Giftwrapping paper ℅ The Container Store

Toasted to the new year ahead with eggnog and nibbled on cupcakes and cookies from Magnolia Bakery.

My Spiced Butter Rum Eggnog teams up delightfully with Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and holiday spritz cookies

And just had some good old Christmas fun…even a gift wrap sword fight!

Sword fight! It has to happen every year in my house.

It was a good chance to take a moment in the midst of a busy season, enjoy some delicious drinks, eats and conversation.

Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope the magic of Christmas brings you jolliness and joy!

 

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: How are you celebrating Christmas this year? 

Thirsty Thursday: A BF Homespun Recipe – Spiced Butter Rum Eggnog

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The perfect Christmas cocktail: BeautyFrosting Homespun Eggnog

I get it.
You wanna make homemade eggnog – you know – the really, really good kind, but…it’s Christmas and, well, you’re busy.

Have I got a homespun recipe for you.

A golden recipe for the ages, homespun style.

For those of you BF readers who don’t know, a “homespun” recipe is when you make something that’s not from scratch taste like scratch, just by spinning a little homemade-tasting ingredients in there.

This recipe is delicious on its own, but with that 1/2 cup of Powell & Mahoney Vintage Original Cocktail Mixer in Old Ballycastle Ginger it just adds that festive holiday zing, that’s sure to invoke a warm, fuzzy, festive feeling.

Make it spirited with a little Captain Morgan Spicred Rum or unspirited, it’s up to you ‘cuz since it’s a holiday favorite, it will feel spirited no matter what you add.

A BF Homespun Recipe: Spiced Butter Rum Eggnog

1 Tbsp Salted Butter

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 Container of your favorite store-bought eggnog (I like Southern Comfort Vanilla Spice- it’s non-alcoholic)

1 c Whole Milk

1/2 c Powell & Mahoney Vintage Original Cocktail Mixer in Old Ballycastle Ginger

Optional: 1 c Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

Whipped Cream (preferred amount – I personally like a small, snow-capped mountain)

Dash of Nutmeg

Melt butter in saucepan. Add vanilla until bubbling.

Add eggnog and milk. Stir until it starts to boil, then keep on low heat.

Add ginger mix and/or rum.
Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.
Serve with Christmas cookies!

Eggnog - the preferred holiday beverage in this house

*BF Tip: It’s also DELICIOUS as a homemade eggnog latte, just heat a cup up in the morning and add 1/4 cup coffee. My current coffee of choice? Pumpkin.

Another tip?
Enjoy with friends!!

Best enjoyed with friends. *featuring PJ Salvage pajamas

 

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What is your holiday beverage of choice? 

Putting the Treat in Trick’or’Treat with Magnolia Bakery

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When it comes to trick’or’treating, I’ll take TREAT, thank you very much.

So, when  @magnoliabakery calls and says, “Can someone stop by to pick up a Halloween gift from us to you?”, the answer is “I’ll be right there.” Bahahahaha…emojiemoji

A sneak peek of the treats in store from Magnolia Bakery

 

If you’re having a Halloween party this year, Magnolia Bakery Halloween cupcakes are a must!

Magnolia Bakery Halloween cupcakes & my Last Minute Punch (featured on Thirsty Thursday tomorrow)

For $24, you can get 6 haaaaauuuunted cupcakes, perfect for any Halloween party or dinner!

Even Miss Ellie is a big fan!

The sweet ones likes the sweet things from Magnolia Bakery, too!

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What treats are you scaring up this Halloween?

Dawn McCoy: Hostess With The Mostest

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Hey guys and dolls! There’s not much I enjoy more than hosting and getting to “expert” it up on tv and at events. As such, here’s my updated hosting reel.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve had compiling it over the past year.
What fun I’ve had in tv world! And a very special thank you to Hallmark Home & Family, Extra, Access Hollywood, Focus Magazine, Magnolia Bakery, Nami Scott and more for letting me be a part of your fun.
I can’t wait to see what this year brings!
If you have a show, event, product or brand collaboration you think might be a fit, shoot me an email!
Let’s make some magic happen…

xoxo,
Dawn (BF)

***
Dawn McCoy is quite literally the hostess with the mostest…or in this case, the host with the most. As the founder & editor of BeautyFrosting.com, in 2012, “the sweet life” she loves to live – and her love of beauty, baking and being – became public domain. With her blog and social media’s growing popularity, she was asked to appear as a beauty and lifestyle expert on shows such as Hallmark Home & Family, Extra, Access Hollywood and more, and host events for countless brands and networks. She wants you to enjoy the sweetest life you can imagine and she’s here to show you just that. Hosting & Acting Inquiries & bookings: Gloria Hinojosa at Amsel Eisenstadt Frazier & Hinojosa – (323) 939-1188 *Voiceover Bookings: Peter Varano at AVO Talent (310) 360-7680 *Event Bookings: [email protected]

The Sweet Life with Dawn McCoy: A Magical Day at Magnolia Bakery

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My heart belongs to Magnolia Bakery. So when I got the opportunity to visit one of my favorite places for a little frosting lesson and fun, I jumped at the chance. Find out how the frosting experts at Magnolia get that “signature swirl”, see if I can replicate it and see what other emotions their delicious treats stir up for me. A magical day at Magnolia, indeed. Join me for a taste…

 

Now, isn’t THAT the sweetest?
xoxo,
BF

Looking Back – How BeautyFrosting Was Born

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BF Turns 2 Bloggiversary Party Co-Hosted by HomeGoods & Hope At Home - fashion illustration by Kara Endres of Sprinkles in Springs and cake by Magnolia Bakery - Photo by Takahiro Watanabe

When I started this little adventure called BeautyFrosting 2 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I had never written a blog. Actually, I had never even really read a blog! I mean they seemed like such a fad and, um, who had the time?
How BeautyFrosting came to be.
Then one day I found myself in Dallas sitting at our fave family spot, Mi Cocina, pondering the possibility of moving home from LA to Dallas. I was at the lowest point of my life having ended a 7-year relationship and having left my job that I’d had for years with Barbra Streisand as her personal shopper. I was down, depressed and my life wasn’t looking so beautiful.
I was searching for an answer and I found it while talking to my mom and one of my oldest, best friends – Kristin Merritt Liles. We were talking about beauty, baking and how much I love connecting with people and came up with the crazy idea of starting a place of positivity and light filled with all of the people and things I love so much. From that little, crazy nugget of an idea, BeautyFrosting was born.
Looking back, I realize that this one little leap of faith gave birth to so much. In the months following, I hit the ground running. I researched blogs that had similar aesthetics to my own, learned about the best ways to start a blog and would spend hours on Pinterest getting very clear about what exactly I wanted BeautyFrosting to be about.

Celebrating BF Turns 2 with dear friends - photo by Drunken Pixel

Introduce yourself to people, be kind and be clear about what you want.
Knowing what I know now, I realize that folks must have thought that I had some major cajones – or maybe they just thought I was naive. I was told repeatedly by brands and other bloggers that I was doing it all wrong – backwards even. I was building the brand and consulting the PR before the blog had even been written or made its online debut. But I was doing it my way and it just made sense to me. After all, why would anyone (brand, person or otherwise) want to work with me if they didn’t even know who I was? Yep, that’s where my southern sensibility comes in. Whether it seemed smart or not, pr agencies and brands that I still work with have told me since that they worked me simply because I seemed charming and honest. So there ya go, folks – charm and honesty are the way to go!
Work with the talented people you already have around you.
Rather than be yet another blog to hit the already-saturated market, I decided to spend 4 months sending emails and making phone calls to hundreds of pr agencies and brands. I decided to pool my brain trust of dear, talented and creative friends to create a blog on a budget that was literally less than $200.
I created a logo and branding template – that would shape the entire blog and brand – thanks to my talented best friend and former roommate, Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe. After all, who could understand my aesthetic better than my best friend who had lived with me for 2 years? I asked my talented photographer friend, Amy Opoka, if she would take my profile photos for the site and she did an amazing job of executing my vision on a shoestring budget.
This early experience taught me how crucial it is to collaborate with the talents of those you know best. I learned to always ask because the worst that could happen is that they say no. By the way, no one ever said no.

With my BeautyFrosting logo and graphics goddess - and best friend - Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe - photo by Drunken Pixel

Celebrate every milestone in life.
Ask my mom and she’ll tell you – I love celebrating and I love me a party. Even as a child, I would try to find reasons to celebrate every occasion. My Barbies were getting married? Let’s throw a wedding! I got an A on a test? Let’s have a tea party! I made the cheerleading squad? Let’s have a tex-mex party! So in true Dawn-fashion, I decided to throw a Cupcakes and Cocktails debut party here at my house to celebrate the debut of the blog before anyone had even seen it. Besides being a precious affair, we brought out the laptop and let friends and former coworkers get a sneak peek at what BeautyFrosting would be. I really think a lot of things got rolling because of the choice to celebrate this little milestone. And celebrating milestones is a great way to remember the gratitude every step along the way.

Celebrate the milestones - and little victories - along the way - Photo by Drunken Pixel

Most important lesson learned on this journey? Don’t be afraid to be a fool.
Was I fearful of starting a brand new chapter of my life? Hell, yes. But you get past the fear, accept that you may indeed be a fool and get past yourself. I asked pr companies to send samples before I even knew what that meant. I asked friends to devote hours of their time and because I believed in this so much, they believed in it and wanted to be part of it, as well. And I realized that it was more important to appear confident than it was to have 1 million readers. I have never been more proud of anything…and that’s coming from someone who was never raised to be proud. This blog has literally changed my life and I am so much better because of it.
Most Importantly…Thank YOU.
I know that I am nothing without all of you guys – my readers and social media followers – finding interest in what I write about, take pictures of and who I am. So, I want to thank each and every one of you who read this every day, like my pictures on Instagram and Facebook and tweet at me. (By the way, 2 years ago, I had no idea about what any of that was – that’s how much things can change in 2 years.) I have a feeling that the next 2 years will bring even more exciting change and I hope that you will be there for my journey every step of the way. You have made my hearts so full.

Cutting the cake and celebrating 2 years of BeautyFrosting - thanks to YOU!! Photo by Takahiro Watanabe

xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: What’s your favorite feature on BeautyFrosting? What would you like to see more of?

I’m Featured on @LaurieBStyle today: What Style Makes Me Confident?

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Finding our confidence as women is never easy.

I often feel like I was more confident at 6 than 36.

But I have really found my confidence in the last two years.

That’s why it’s such an honor and delight to be featured on Laurie Brucker Image Consultant & Stylist‘s LaurieBStyle.com today where I dished about what makes me confident. Here’s the rundown:

What makes me confident? Simply getting to enjoy being a girl - er - I mean lady. *Photograph by the uber-talented Dan Velazquez of Brown Rabbit Photography

Laurie: “Meet the delicious Dawn of BeautyFrosting! What makes her confident?”
Dawn: “There’s nothing more I love than being a girl. A lady. As such, I love wearing feminine frocks that call on my girly tendencies, pay homage to my southern roots and tip my hat to my 1950s-centered aesthetic. Plus, I love to throw in a little unexpected sexy 60s/70s bombshell when people least expect it. My mom always jokes that my life is one big game of dress-up and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 


Thanks so much, Laurie B Style!

 

xoxo,
BF

 

BF Asks: What style makes you feel confident? 

Tress Tuesday: Honey, I’m Home – Welcome DryBar on West 3rd Street!

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In December, Drybar moved near my ‘hood on West 3rd Street – which is basically like that guy you’ve always had a crush on moving right down the street from you and making your dreams come true…all while giving you a beautiful blowout and serving you mimosas.

Drybar in my hood? Honey, I'm home!!

 

Yep, I’ve had my share of other blowouts in the area over the years but none really compare to the original Drybar. They’re consistent, they’re stylish, they’re friendly, they’re effective and I always leave all relaxed, coiffed and comely in less than an hour for only $40.

Lovin' my Drybar hair…and my margarita at the airport… (my Mai Tai 'do styled by Jud Ashouri at Drybar on West 3rd Street in Los Angeles)

Another bonus? They don’t charge extra for hot tool use (curling irons, rollers, flatirons, etc.) so you don’t feel like you’re getting overcharged.

Plus, how can you not feel heavenly and happy with all that cheerful yellow? Add in the fact that the new location is next to both a Benefit boutique and Magnolia Bakery and you can color me one happy girl.

All that yellow AND Magnolia Bakery and Benefit Cosmetics as neighbors? Color me one happy girl!

Of course, I’ve already been to this location quite a few times and found my favorite stylist…Jud Ashouri.

With my Jud at the new Drybar on West 3rd Street

Jud not only gives a great blowout and style but she’s cool, stylish, honest, witty, and wise way beyond her years. Like I want to be friends with her because I feel like I could learn a lot from this girl. And the scalp massage I got from Jud? Killer. Like dreamy.

My faaaaaaaaaaaaaavorite part - the $10 scalp massage...

And her blowouts? They last me around 3 days so I feel like I’m getting more bang for my beauty buck.

My fave ‘do that we do is the Mai Tai – messy beach hair – which is perfect when I have an event, party or show to attend. The waves last and make me feel darned downright sexy. Something I can never accomplish at home when it comes to my coif.

And right now, they’re extending a verrrry special “Friends with Benefits” deal to my BeautyFrosting readers and social media followers! Now, get your heads out of the gutter, it’s not that kind of “friends with benefits.” After all, we all know that nevvvvver works. Nope, when you call to make your appointment, just mention the code #FWBDawn to receive $5 off your blowout all day Monday-Thursday. To make an appointment, just visit www.TheDrybar.com or call (310) 442-6084.

A special for BeautyFrosting readers - Mention that you're a BF reader or Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest follower and get $5 off your blowout at this location all day Monday-Thursday.

 

It’s the one Friends with Benefits relationship that actually works because at the very least, you’ll get a beautiful blowout and at the best, you’ll be inundated with compliments and stares from strangers. I do believe that my crush has evolved into a full-on monogamous relationship.

 

xoxo,

BF
BF Asks: What’s your favorite style at the Drybar?