Sunday 31 May 2009

How I Long For Candy Floss Hair...

Drum roll please....Allow me to present to you...Mina!
She loves carousels and karaoke bars!!!
This cutie stands about 18 inches tall. She's made from 100% cotton, with a fully hand-painted face, hair made of wonderfully soft wool felt, (in a beautiful shade of pink that I am sooo jealous of at the moment) and she is stuffed with polyfil.



A lovely June to you all!!!
xoxo

Saturday 30 May 2009

On Most Treasured Holidays...

I guess everyone has one single holiday that he/she cherishes above all other holidays for different reasons. And no matter how many years pass by, a single glimpse at captures of those times can travel you back in time, and sort of take you there again, if only for a second or two...So I happened to come across two captions of my favourite holiday to this day today, and the happiness, tranquility and joy of that time washed over me all over again, and I sort of had to share them with you. This lovely creature was just a couple of seconds away from where we were staying...



We may never be able to go back to precious moments, but we still have the memory of them to cherish, no?


The Little Fox Coloring Book!!!

Yay! I am so happy with the way this turned out!!!
This coloring book download features 10 unique black and white Little Fox drawings that will print out on standard 8.5" x 11.5" (21.25 x 28.75cm) paper. It is a lovely, fun activity for any child. It's also a fun gift item or a wonderful way to keep a group of small ones or yourself entertained( if you are like me and still a wee one deep inside! ).


You can see it here:

Hope you will all have a lovely weekend!!!
xoxo



Tuesday 26 May 2009

New Drawing And A Sleeping Beauty...

It's getting almost too hot here, and not resembling spring-y weather at all...I am starting to think we skipped spring this year and went straight to summer mode...However, I am still hooked on painting spring cuties, such as :

The Sunflower Bearer, colored pencil on stock

and look who's been sleeping at my feet as I am posting this...

aah, the good life...(sigh). I so wish I was a cat somedays...


Monday 25 May 2009

On the amazingness of a computer game...

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a little point-and-click game called Samorost...the graphics were soooo beautiful, and the overall atmosphere of the game enchanting...Its developer, Amanita Design, are working on a new project, Machinarium, with the cutest storyline ever... "A little robot who’s been thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city must return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood and save his robot-girl friend." (awww) I can't wait for it to be released (apparently around Fall 2009...sigh). So I thought I'd include a link to the two Samorost games, and you can have some wee fun time...
So here is the Samorost 1 website...(click the image to get transferred there)


...and here is the link to Samorost2 (again, click the image below)


Hope you like them!!! I am off to do some painting and eat lots and lots of juicy, delicious cherries in the process!!!

xoxo



Sunday 24 May 2009

Two new girls and a wonderful weekend...

Yesterday we went to the art supplies store and I bought some much needed new canvases, and a lot (and I mean a lot!) of colored pencils, and some lovely colored stock paper...I was so excited that I couldn't wait to get back home and start working with them. However, on our way home, we got a call from my boyfriend's sister and her special someone to meet up for coffee and sundaes, which turned out equally satisfying! So. Yesterday was all about time with loved ones, and very good fun indeed. Today, though, I woke up as though it was Christmas day, and drew and drew, and here they are...
Berry Bloom, colored pencils on stock

Cherry Blossom, colored pencils on stock

Hope you will all have a lovely week!!!
xoxo

Friday 22 May 2009

Yays Are In Order...


...I think, since I am featured ( or rather, Boo and Zilly are) in Etsy treasuries for the first time! You can view the Treasuries here and here! Many many thanks to ArtyAnt and RedFenyx, the lovely curators!

Thursday 21 May 2009

S(pot)ted!


A beautiful pot found at The Happy Pots Etsy shop!!! Adorable, yes? Yes!

Yesterday was a good day...

...to celebrate one's name day. And since that some one is my mom, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at this amazing place,



and then she came back to my place for some of that glorious strawberry ice cream, and general chit-chat that happens when daughters and moms unite (which usually ends up in how much we both miss my dad, especially on happy occasions such as this one).

And here is a photo of the two of us together, featuring me in a mini-me special edition of 8 months...



Wednesday 20 May 2009

Insomniac Creations

I have been having some trouble sleeping lately due to the sudden (very hot) change in climate over here, so I though tonight would be a good idea to actually stay up and finish a painting I have been working on ( instead of rolling in bed trying to convince Sandman to come my way). So here she is!


she is over at the shop !

Hoorays for my first Treasury!!!



I have been waiting for days for a place to create a list, and today, finally...(drumroll, please) ta-daa!!!


You can view it here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=54663

Tuesday 19 May 2009

More Loveliness...


I have fallen in love with this sweet little pouch...awww!!!
You can check it out here!

Pink Heaven



It was another hot day here and I decided to make some fresh, lovely ice cream...

You will need:

  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for 1 hour.
2. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until they are light and fluffy (that should take about 2 minutes).
3. Gradually add 3/4 cups sugar, mixing well. Stir in milk and vanilla and mix well.
4. Add strawberries with juice and mix well.
5. Gently stir in whipping cream just until combined.
6. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.
7. If you don't have an ice cream maker, put the mixture in a metallic container and place in freezer. Take it out of the freezer after half an hour and pass the mixture through your mixer. Repeat at least two more times and then let it in the freezer to set properly.

I like serving it in cones, set in bowls filled with marshmallows and sprinkled with strawberry syrup and smarties.Delicious!

Monday 18 May 2009

I Know Summer Is Finally Here...


...when Simba starts shedding hair like crazy...Apparently because of the increased daylight hours/longer days which trigger the shedding process. Dear oh dear...

Things To Swoon Over...


This vintage-loving gal made my heart nearly stop beating when I laid eyes on this perfect find of hers...( and made me wish I was a petite size).
Visit her etsy shop at LoveCharles.etsy.com

On Love of Books


If you are like me, your favourite section in a bookshop is Literary Criticism, or as I like to call them, Books about Books. I find a strange comfort in the writings of people who love reading books as much as I do (and obviously more, since they are willing to confess that love in print). One of these books, and my personal favourite, is Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris, which I purchased in 1999 in Oxford and have since read more than 20 times...It's one of these books that you keep on the bedstand for a quick read before sleep and one that leaves you closing the book with a smile on your face...

Cream - Filled Goodness!!!


Ooh these turned out so yummy I just had to share the recipe!!! Makes 35-40 cream puffs. For the puff:
  • 1 cup of water
  • 80 grams butter
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
Preheat oven to 375°F. On a pan in low heat, mix water, butter, salt and sugar. Stir occasionally using a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil.
Add the flour stirring the whole time, until the dough starts gathering on your spoon. Remove pan from fire and let the dough cool down for 5-10 minutes. Add the eggs and mix very well, until the dough becomes soft and smooth.
Leave the dough to cool down and put the mixture in a bag.
Squeeze in small balls of dough on wax paper lined pan, making sure to leave adequate space between them.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until the tips are a little brown. Cool puffs on rack when done. For the cream filling:
  • 5oo ml milk
  • 4-5 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons white corn flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
Prepare the cream filling:
Beat the sugar with the egg yolks until you have a nice, frothy mixture. Add the flour and the white corn flour, mix well and add a little cold milk.
Put the rest of the milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add mixture to the pan, stirring constantly, and bring to a low heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat, add the butter and the vanilla powder and mix very well. Leave the cream to cool down, stirring occasionally to prevent it from forming a thin crust. And now...
Slice the puff pastries in half, making sure you don't cut all the way through. Put the cream filling in a bag and fill the pastries. You can dust the top with powdered sugar, or ( my favourite ) almonds and toffee syrup.
They are heavenly!!!!!