Ribbit!

Happy leap day everyone! To all the leapers and leaplings out there – a BIG happy birthday to you! I hope you are planning something special to do today -after all February 29 only swings by once every four years!

I thought I’ll get a leap start on my post today and share with you something fun and easy to do that takes literally a few minutes! It might even get you addicted to create your own version!

So here’s what we are going to do today – I will be showing you step-by-step how to doodle a cartoon frog! This little amphibian creation was borne out of endless hours of doodling on my textbooks and homework when I was in school! It’s probably the best thing I can doodle (so don’t get your hopes too high – I’m no Jim Davis) and seemed appropriate to celebrate this special day!

Get your pen and paper ready and here we go!

We start off first by drawing the eyes. The horizontal line through the circles gives the cartoon a deadpan look. Not sure why but I like to draw my cartoons that way.

Next add a somewhat incomplete triangle for the mouth.

Draw the arms and hands coming out from either side below the mouth. You can add more fingers on the hand if you wish – again it’s a habit of mine to draw only three.

Next draw two curves on either side (see picture below) for the hind legs.

Finish off the feet with a couple more curves and lines.

Voila! There you have it! Your very own cartoon frog! I hope the instructions were not too confusing, it was a little difficult to describe in words, hopefully the pictures helped!

But wait…..there’s more! We’ve just completed drawing a male frog. What if we wanted a female frog? Simple! Nothing that a little makeup can’t fix! Add some eyelashes and a pair of lips and there you have it- a female version of our original frog!

Here’s how the two frogs look side by side. I’ve drawn a little card for Riberio (that’s the male frog) to hold and added some lipstick on Riberta (yeap the female frog) to complete her look!

Riberta’s hands were looking a little empty so I added a bunch of flowers. Now it looks like they had just exchanged gifts! Flowers for Riberta and a love note for Riberio – how sweet!

And all done while they were floating on their lily pads !

I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did drawing it! Be sure to show me your creations if you do have a go at doodling it! Feel free to comment as well on my drawings! Have a fantastic leap day from all of us here! *Ribbit* *Ribbit*

A good way to use your hands

My fingers had been itching for more paper crafting ever since I finished making Bugs’s first birthday invites a couple of nights ago. Since the weather was dark and gloomy today (which meant no trips to the park or outdoor fun), we made a special weekday trip to the Rock Paper Scissors store!

I love the motto emblazoned across the shop window just as you walk in -”Use your hands. Make something beautiful.” I think it resonates with a lot of happy crafters/knitters out there! It was good enough to entice me to step in the first time round – here we go again today!

The store was nice and quiet this morning, perfect for me to get some personalised attention from the staff and to take some pictures of their lovely creations to share with you guys…..

How cute is this woodland creatures birthday card!! Anyone will be pleased to receive this I think, even if it came without a present!

Farmyard animals are always a great theme for children’s parties! The little train looked a little too complex to make for my liking so we chugged along.

Sweet little cherubs, turtle doves and roses themed greeting cards! These love notes look romantic enough to make the recipient feel extra special!

The store has some great ideas on how you can jazz up some plain takeaway boxes for party favours. Here it’s done with a strip of paper and some fancy folding to create that round accordion like feature.

This oriental inspired design is pretty cute too and looks much easier to make than the previous one.

I like how a little wrapping paper, ribbon and tag makes an otherwise boring M&Ms container look really sweet! Simple and great idea!

This recipe book cover looked pretty impressive in real life! The cutouts and theme were based on vintage kitchen and home ware items. Adding the mini rolling pin to the side complements the whole effect to a tee!

We had a fun time choosing out what we needed for our next few paper craft projects (stay tuned)! I’ll end off today with these cute Chinese doll and clothes cards to thank you for reading my post!

Gold fever

Ah the Oscars! We are at that time of the year again – when our favourite movie stars (and everyone else in the industry) gear themselves up for a special date with a certain gold statue.

Some of us love it for the glamour. Others love it for the celebrities. Quite a few of us love it for the fashion. Whatever it is you love about the Oscars, it always remains a popular conversation topic before and after the event!

With Oscar fever still fresh in the air, I thought I’ll take the opportunity to share my top six favourite best picture films from the long list of winners throughout the years!

In no particular order of preference…..

1. The Sound of Music

Image from Filmsite

I love Julie Andrews! I loved her in Mary Poppins and even more in this iconic film! And who hasn’t heard and/or love the songs that came out of this movie! Just a few of my favourite things, people!

2. Ben-Hur

Image from Filmsite

2 words for you -Charlton Heston. One of the greatest actors of our time- I even had a poster of the guy starring in “The Planet of The Apes” on my dorm room wall.

Another two words – chariot race. The most incredible thing i remember seeing as a kid. My eyes were completely glued to the telly watching Ben-Hur go round after round after round in the stadium against Messala.

3. West Side Story

Image from listal

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love but do not end up together. Like Romeo and Juliet, its filled with romance, humour and tragedy all in one go – lots to love from my perspective!

There is also a personal reason behind why it’s one of my favourites- I acted in a school play production of it many years ago! No I did not play Maria – that role went to someone who knew “how to solve a problem like Maria”. I still hum some of the classic tunes from this movie from time to time.

4. Titanic

Image from Wikipedia

Ok I’ll admit it – I was one of those people who went to the cinema and watched it more than once. Three times to be exact. Perhaps it was the haunting theme song. Or Leo’s boyish good looks. Or the beautiful love story set against the backdrop of one of the 20th century’s greatest tragedies. Whatever it was, it was good enough for me to add it to my list!

5. Kramer v.s. Kramer

Image from Wikipedia

There were many touching moments in this excellent film about divorce. For some reason the scene I always remember is the one where Dustin Hoffman’s character tries to make breakfast for his son for the first time after his wife (played by Meryl Streep) walks out on him and ends up feeling very frustrated and making a whole mess of things. It made me really sympathise with the character -needing to cope in a new situation on an empty stomach is not a happy moment!

6. The Departed

Image from IMDB

It was a toss up between this and “Gladiator” but I gave this more weight as it’s The Dude’s favourite film of recent times (I think the one that ranks even more highly in his books is “The Godfather”). Love the plot and its many twist and turns. Oh, plus Leo is in it as well.

There you have it! That’s my list of favourite Oscar winning films to date! Did I name one (or some) that you like as well? I am pretty sure I’ve left out a few of your favourites – let me know which ones I’ve missed out!

A little bird told me….

…that a special little someone’s first birthday is coming up soon! That’s right dear readers! Our beloved Bugs’s is turning one soon!

I decided to try my hand at making some handmade invitation cards this round. The guest list was small and the odds of successfully pulling it off seemed stacked in my favour.

Only problem was I had no clue how to get started or go about doing it (DIY card making). Thankfully the folks at Rock Paper Scissors were around to lend a hand when we visited them last weekend.

In fact, they were kind enough to not giggle in my face when I explained to them how lousy I was at arts and craft in school, even for the simple projects that involved glue and paper. They assured me that detailed step by step instructions would be provided – this sounded as good as a cold sorbet on a hot day!

I chose a design which looked achievable for a novice like me to finish without too much hassle. The lady at the store who was helping me suggested that I get all my paper material pre-cut in store and then all I had to do back home was to assemble everything as per instructions. I agreed without hesitation at her brilliant suggestion.

Armed with all the materials and tools I needed, I began assembling the card. First up I had to cut up the decorations for the cards….

My fingers were seriously sore by the time I finished cutting all of these little birdies and other decorations up. Somehow trying to cut curves with a pair of (too big) kitchen scissors was not a good idea after all!

The next step was to assemble the portion of the card that was flat (you’ll see what I mean as you read along). That was easy enough- things were looking up!

I moved on next to work on the little tree decoration – one of the main design features of the card. My fingers felt clumsy and sausage like as I fumbled with tying the teeny gingham print ribbon around the tree trunk. A few tries and several curse words later, the ribbon was finally in place.

The same frustration overcame me as I tried to delicately stick the rhinestone jewels on the branches. These hands were not meant for such intricate work, I quietly thought to myself.

The instructions then required me to stick foam tape onto the decorations and on the background piece to create a sort of “pop up” effect. Sounded easy enough till I realised how handy having long fingernails was when struggling to peel off the backing from the foam tape!

A few hours of concentrated effort later and this was the end result….

I had some extra decorations and was inspired to jazz up the envelope as well with that and a little doodling!

One invite down and several more to go! I was really happy and amazed with the outcome, especially since it looked as if it could not have been created by a novice like me! Plus it felt really nice to know that our guests (and us) would have something special to commemorate the occasion by! I do hope they like it!

******Update******
All done and dusted! It was way faster making them on the second night! I had lots of fun! Hmmmm maybe I should make some tags/ thank you cards to go along with it…..

Plastic obsession

Oh I am such a sucker for plastic food containers! I can’t really explain what is it about them that attracts me enough to collect them -maybe its their versatility, the fact that they help you to get organised in the kitchen, the many interesting styles and colours, I just do not know! So when I came across this large cake box going on sale for half the original price at the local supermarket, I literally froze in my tracks.

“How coincidental that The Dude has just baked a square cake as well!” I mused to myself, “Surely that and the price tag are signs from the heavens above to procure this for the house!”

I showed off my latest purchase to The Dude who wasted no time in pointing out to me that the cupboard where we stored all our plastic food containers was almost bursting at the seams.

“But this is different!” I spluttered, “Look how perfectly the cake fits into it!”

“You can always slice up the cake and fit it into the other containers that we have.” The Dude replied.

“True, but this was on special!” I argued back, “Plus you can store everything in one place! Think about keeping slices and cookies and jammy biscuits in this box!” There was no reply – the battle had been won for the time being.

“We’ll have to do something about your plastic ware obsession,” The Dude commented later in the evening in between bites of the cake, “Like maybe get rid of some old ones to make more space in the cupboard.”

“Never!” I initially cried out, clutching tightly to the cake box. Common sense and the sight of the full cupboard finally got the better of me and I conceded to The Dude “Ok maybe we’ll keep them till something new comes up on special!”

In the heat of the moment

I was in need of some serious cooling down today. The mercury had hit 36 degrees by mid afternoon and felt as if it was going to rise further. In a bid to avoid the heat, we decided to stay indoors in cool air conditioning comfort.

But that did not seem enough to cool me down – it was a really hot day and I felt like I needed something refreshing to lift my spirits up in this heat wave. I decided to jump online and find the best thirst quenching drink that caught my fancy.

For some weird reason, as if it had been possessed, my fingers typed the words “watermelon juice” in the search bar. Images like those below started popping up on my screen….

Image from Taste.com.au

Image from CitySip

The images of watermelon juice looked refreshing enough to quench my thirst and drown out the heat. I picked out a recipe, rang The Dude and asked him to make a detour to the supermarket before heading home.

When the prized watermelon ( and other side ingredients) finally made its way back home in the evening, the weather had not turned any better. The temperature was still hovering around the mid thirties. I felt drained and exhausted (mainly from the multiple toilet trips I had to make from consuming glass after glass of cold water).

I laid out the ingredients for my watermelon juice and began slicing the watermelon into cubes.

I am not quite sure why it happened, perhaps the heat had finally got to me -right after slicing that watermelon, I continued on cutting up a whole host of fruits (a lemon, a nectarine, a mango and a pineapple), all of which were not required in the recipe for watermelon juice! The blender looked like this when I finished my cutting spree….

A few whizzes later and lo and behold! My accidental elixir was born….

Refreshingly sweet and healthy (only fruits and some cold water, no added sugar), this was the perfect tipple for a sizzling hot summer’s evening! Even though it was created in the heat of the moment! Have a great Friday everyone!

P.S: Here’s the watermelon juice recipe that I had initially planned to make! It has a touch of ginger which will add a nice buzz to the drink!

The new black

The rumours are true. It’s time for me to confess – I am somewhat of a thrifty toad (there were other animals beginning with the letter “T” like the tsetse fly which did not seem appropriate) and am proud of it!

I love shopping when things are on special. I pack my meals and rarely eat out. I scour the market weekly for fresh food bargains. I visit the local library regularly to get my fix of the latest books and magazines. Saving those hard earned pennies always makes me feel pretty chuffed with myself, much like how one feels if he/she had given a brilliant presentation or lecture to a large audience and received a standing ovation! And it helps that almost everyone thinks that being thrifty is the way to go nowadays, some might even say it’s the new black!

I had an opportunity to apply my thrifty skills in the kitchen today. There was a bit of butternut pumpkin and organic sweet potato left over from making Bugs’s dinner. It wasn’t enough to make into a mash or soup but seemed such a waste to throw in the bin (remember it’s your money that gets thrown away as well when you junk food !). I was stumped about what to do with it.

“Add it to the rice!” a little voice in my head suddenly whispered. That was a novel idea, I thought – I’ve never had pumpkin & sweet potato rice before, I wonder how it would taste like! I wasted no time in finely chopping up the ingredients, mixed it in with some rice and water and left the rest to my trusty rice cooker to work its magic.

The result? Orange hued rice! The root vegetables added a lovely natural sweetness which complemented trials amine rice and made it quite pretty to look as well! I was very glad that no unnecessary food waste occurred today! *Loud applause*

Do you have some thrifty, penny pinching tips of your own? I’ll love to hear them -please share if you do!

Sunshine and gratitude

We are really at the tail end of summer now -just a few more days to go before autumn officially descends on us (although the weather might take a couple of weeks to turn cooler)! We woke up this morning to a mild temperatures and lovely, golden sunshine!

I sat out in the open, with Bugs cooing happily on my lap, gazing at the golden rays streaming through the tree branches in the cool morning air. I had been feeling a little grumpy recently, much like Eeyore the famous donkey from the hundred acre wood.

Somehow, experiencing that beautiful moment amongst nature reminded me of all the things I had to be grateful for and I scribbled down a list. Here are the top few items on my list:

I am grateful for….

-being able to see, smell, touch, hear and taste without pain.

- being able to experience the love and cuddles from my family.

-being able to experience the miracle of seeing Bugs grow and blossom everyday.

-never having to feel hungry or thirsty or destitute on a daily basis.

-being able to make a choice each day to live life in any way I would like it to be, preferably to the fullest if fate lets me.

Making that list helped put things in perspective for me – I must say I felt more like bouncy Tigger rather than gloomy Eeyore after reading it! Funny how a little bit of sunshine can brighten your mood and change your mind!

I took a picture of the beautiful sunshine I experienced this morning – hopefully it inspires you to create your own little list too!

A cook’s paradise

It’s market day today! If you have been following the blog, you probably know how much I adore the local market near us! We had a little extra time after shopping so I decided to visit one of our favourite stores -The Essential Ingredient!

If you are a keen foodie or are searching for an obscure ingredient / fancy kitchen implement to complete your edible creation, this store is for you! It’s literally a mind boggling Aladdin’s cave of everything you need (or want) cooking wise in one handy location – right next to the market!

I love visiting the store, especially on quiet mornings when there’s lots of space for you to browse around. There is always so much to take in at each visit -from exotic imported ingredients to coveted kitchen equipment and gadgets, the store is filled to the brim with delightful cooking essentials! Plus, if you are keen, the store holds regular cooking lessons taught by well known industry chefs. I’ve personally not been to one but I’ve heard rave reviews about a few classes from those who have. This place is like paradise on earth for cooks I think!

Here’s a sample of what interested me on this recent visit:

Whole green Greek figs in a can – most delicious stirred through yoghurt or as a topping on cakes…..mmmm… heavenly…

Pastel coloured Persian fairy floss – kind of like candy floss but finer and just as lovely to eat on its own!

A myriad of chutneys and relishes which would be perfect to accompany an Indian or Middle Eastern inspired meal!

I love this French tea towel with a chateau printed on it- too bad it was too pricey for me to take it home!

Japanese brand Zero teapots and accessories in all colours of the rainbow to suit your mood!

Tins and tins of the famous Spanish La Dalia sweet paprika! Or pimentón as you die hard foodies call it!

If I wish upon a star, I hope one of these KitchenAid mixers would magically appear in my car!

These delicate rose biscuits look almost too pretty to eat! But won’t they be just exquisite for tea, daaaahlings?

The shelves are full of bottles of various spices- I love the beautiful copper cookware right at the top!

These delicate, hand crafted bowls were almost as thin as paper! I could not bear to hold them for fear of breaking them!

I’ve saved the best find for last – these rectangular blocks are Himalayan salt bricks! Use them for serving, cooking (heat up your salt brick and cook on its surface), for seasoning (smash it or grate it to get the salt) or for curing fish! Insane!

Have a fantastic Tuesday everyone -hopefully the pictures have spiced up your day a little, if not, sprinkling some pimentón into your food no doubt will!

Of cake and Tommy Page

“You are not going to blog about this, are you?” A tiny voice shot out from the kitchen.

I turned my attention away from Bugs who seemed content for the moment playing with her new toy and saw The Dude staring dejectedly at the cake pan that had just came out of the oven.

“What’s the matter?” I enquired gently, conscious of the fragile situation I was suddenly in.

“The raspberry bakewell cake…its not how I expected it to be….” The voice responded in a low tone, “The edges and the base are burnt.”

“But it smelt absolutely heavenly as it was baking in the oven!” I reasoned, ” And you followed the recipe exactly, I suppose?”

“To the letter.” came the firm reply, “I don’t understand what’s wrong, this is my second shot at it and still….” The voice trailed off.

“Perhaps it’s the recipe?” I conjectured a logical explanation for the cause of The Dude’s misery. “It could even be the humidity in the air that affected the baking. You know like how macarons are so notoriously difficult to make?”

The Dude did not respond. Instead, he heaved a huge sigh, picked up the cake pan and began making his way to the dustbin.

“No don’t throw it away!” I exclaimed, rushing as quickly as I could to snatch the cake pan out of his hands, “I’ll see what I can salvage and we can have a taste!”

I began cutting away the burnt bits from the warm cake. A song popped into my head and I started singing it as I went on with my task:

Life is full of lots of ups and downs
And the distance feels further when you’re headed for the ground
And there’s nothing more painful than to let your feelings take you down…

“Oh my goodness, is that a Tommy Page song you are humming? It’s been years since I’ve heard that song, what is it called?” The Dude broke his silence.

” ‘Shoulder to cry on‘, ” I grinned, “We learnt this in music class as kids. Bizarre I know, but it’s a nice song.”

“I like the lyrics, they are quite meaningful. My favourite part is the bridge…” He paused and began breaking into song (and hand actions):

Side by side,
With you till the end
I’ll always be the one to firmly hold your hand
No matter what it’s said or done
Our love will always continue on

We began belting out the famous chorus of the song in unison:

Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on
Everyone needs a friend to rely on
When the whole world’s gone
You won’t be alone cause I’ll be there
I’ll be your shoulder to cry on
I’ll be there
I’ll be a friend to rely on

When the whole world’s gone
You’ll always have my shoulder to cry on

At the end of our impromptu karaoke session, I could see that The Dude’s spirits had been lifted and all was almost back to normal. Till it came time for the dreaded taste test.

“Seriously, this cake tastes fantastic! I love how the buttery taste and fruity, tangy flavours from the raspberries come together! The almond meal makes it so crumbly and moreish- I think you did well here!” I complimented The Dude for his effort.

“So it’s true what they say,” replied The Dude with a smile on his face, “That the proof of the pudding is in the eating after all!”