my sweetpainteddreams

cee’s fun foto challenge: the season of spring

elizz — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:21:52 +0000

With only 2 seasons (dry and wet) in my country, i thought i could not participate in this week’s photo challenge. It is summer and it tends to be really nasty hot but the arrival of some tropical rains brought life and joy to the plants and trees.

Here are some photos i took of flowers and they must have been my flower symbol since they all have stars but i don’t even know its name. Aren’t they pretty?

flower

For more Spring photos, visit Cee’s blog.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: The Season of Spring (unexpectedincommonhours.wordpress.com)
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: SpRiNg (simplylifestuff.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-season-of-spring (enkoos.wordpress.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-season-of-spring (memorycatcher.me)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-season-of-spring (jampang.wordpress.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-season-of-spring (chiemayindah.wordpress.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-season-of-spring (laraelkhoury.wordpress.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-signs-of-spring (samokan.wordpress.com)
cees-fun-foto-challenge-spring-2 (geophiliac.wordpress.com)

cat purrday friday post: Star is on Instagram

elizz — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:44:53 +0000

Hello furry friends.. Star here and welcome to my Cat Purrday Friday Post. I would love to share with you some of my recent posts on Instagram. Here they are. Enjoy!

This photo was taken last night and i’m already sleeping and mum is still taking photos of me.

Star

My kitty paw

Star

Little princess (that’s me) sound asleep.

Star

Here’s another photo of me sleeping. .

Star

One of my favorite poses when i take a nap.

Star

My big blue and golden eyes..

Star

Ssshhh! Don’t tell mum i’m up here! Mum would get really angry because this place is so high.. look i’m almost at the ceiling.

Star

Do you want to see more photos of me? You may visit or if you wish you may also follow my Instagram starlight427.

Happy Friday everyone and kitty hugs to all.

xoxo,
Star

cat purrday friday post: the top kitty bed is mine! (starlight427.wordpress.com)
cat purrday friday post: sorry about the screen door mum! (starlight427.wordpress.com)
cat purrday friday post: one of these things… (starlight427.wordpress.com)
tagged R: rescue (starlight427.wordpress.com)
cat purrday friday post: this box is mine! (starlight427.wordpress.com)
breakaway kitty collars (starlight427.wordpress.com)

tagged T: tobi

elizz — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:35:17 +0000

Introducing… Tobi, a new member of the family. He is a playful bundle of joy. His past time is bullying the kitties and my other doggie Kristina. He loves to play a lot and run like crazy and chase the cats.

This photo was taken when Tobi was just 2 months old. Now that he’s a bit bigger and fatter, he can’t make himself fit under the wooden cabinet anymore.

tobi

Another photo of Tobi at 2 months old.

Tobi

Here’s how Tobi looks now at 5 months old.

Tobi

For more tagged T, visit Frizz’s blog.

tomorrow-2 (mariannegv.wordpress.com)
timelessness (icezine.wordpress.com)
that-evening-train-again (bumbastories.wordpress.com)

a word a week photo challenge: mountain

elizz — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:45:49 +0000

Sometimes to make way for progress, it is inevitable to cut across a mountain to build roads. Sharing with you these photos i took during a road trip to Subic via Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). The SCTEx makes going to Subic more scenic, faster and less tiring.

SCTex

SCTEx

For more awesome Mountain photos, visit Sue’s blog.

A word a week photo challenge: Mountain, the half time score (travelinspirecreate.wordpress.com)
Word of the Week Photo Challenge – Mountain (woollymuses.wordpress.com)
A Word A Week Photo Challenge: Mountains (unexpectedincommonhours.wordpress.com)
My Favourite Mountain (artifactsandfictions.wordpress.com)
A Word A Week Challenge – Mountain (ulillala.wordpress.com)
A Word A Week: Mountain (nwframeofmind.com)
A Word A Week Photo Challenge: Mountain (scsurfbutler.com)
A word a week photo challenge: Mountain (travelinspirecreate.wordpress.com)
a word a week Photo Challenge: Mountain (simplylifestuff.com)

my e-journal: a cluster of ___ (guess what?), flowers and cupcakes

elizz — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:43:11 +0000

Before anything else, starting today, i would be posting some of the things i do from day to day. Well, not doing it everyday but i wish i could especially if there’s really some interesting stuff to share with you. Anyway, i would label it as my e-journal and this is my first entry.

While walking around the garden this morning, i chanced upon this all clustered up at the doorstep. I think the pattern they made is pretty awesome.

cluster

The scent of the citrus tree flowers is so refreshing. Every twig has flower bulbs ready to open. Sooner, i would be harvesting lovely fruits from this tree.

citrus flowers

My jasmine is in full bloom too and emitting a sweet scent especially in the evening. Sometimes i pick some unopened ones and make leis out of them.

jasmine

It rained last night and i love the raindrops on the zamia leaves. They look like heaven-sent crystal beads that are cooling the plants during this hot summer days.

zamia plant

I could stay a while longer in my garden but i really need to do some errands. It’s enrollment time and off i go to my daughter’s school then had a very late lunch at the mall. Here’s what we had for dessert… cupcakes.

cupcakes

The cupcakes are from the newly-opened Vanilla Cupcake Bakery and they taste so heavenly good. Going back again to try other flavors.

Well, it’s been a busy day but it’s all worth it. By the way, can you guess what’s in the first photo forming a cluster? Not sure what it is? click here for the answer.

Fluffy Nut Cupcakes (mybeautifuldisastersblog.com)
Cupcake Time! (bambellenalowrie.wordpress.com)
Flowers from Paradise (thewanderlustgene.wordpress.com)

wordless wednesday: chix with an apron made me smile

elizz — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:21:22 +0000

display

Click here to enter your link and join the Blog Hop

Wordless Wednesday (Almost #9): Ode to Narcissus (lensandpensbysally.wordpress.com)
Wordless Wednesday: Almost #10 (Spring Awakening with Geraniums) (lensandpensbysally.wordpress.com)
Wordless Wednesdays: Week 1 (lyleandpaige.wordpress.com)
Wordless Wednesday: Our Magical Red Bush (caterpickles.com)

tagged S: Swarovski Crystals

elizz — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:41:50 +0000

Swarovski Crystals are man-made gems manufactured in Austria. In 1895 Daniel Swarovski discovered a formula for making beautiful and high quality lead glass crystals and Swarovski Crystals was founded. Since then, they have been making fashionable jewelries, charms, fashion accessories, figurines and more. These crystals are known to be as the diamond of the crystal world.

I’ve been lucky enough to own a set of Swarovski baby penguins which was a gift from hubby many years ago. It includes a set of 3 baby penguins and a small pool of water made of crystal of course and a tiny certificate.

swarovski baby penguins

made in austria

certificate of authenticity

If you want to collect Swarovski Crystals, just be sure to buy it from authorized Swarovski Crystals dealers as there may be fake crystals that are sold as real Swarovski crystals.

If you’re an owner of a Swarovski Crystal collectibles or jewelry, you should avoid exposing them to water and/or chemicals. Only mild soap, water, and a soft cloth should be used for cleaning and polishing your crystals. Store them in its original packaging as much as possible.

For more tagged S, visit Frizz’s blog.

s-is-for-sonrisa-smile (playamart.wordpress.com)
spinifex-sand-and-mt-sondor (dadirridreaming.wordpress.com)
le-mot-du-jour-specisme (icezine.wordpress.com)

weekly photo challenge: pattern

elizz — Sat, 11 May 2013 07:57:23 +0000

This ornamental kale has a pretty pattern of ruffled and crinkled edges. The bloom is not actually a flower but a foliage. This plant grows on cold places and the rosette will change from green to white to pink and purple and deep red.

ornamental kale (photo taken in Shanghai China)

ornamental kale (photo taken in Shimizu Japan)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (ahecticlife.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Patterns (Bridges) (skpfoto.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Patterns (shazza91321.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (1) – On the Back of the Turtle (mirth365.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (nosteptooloose.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (diaryofdennis.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (looneyatoms.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern (steviepreater.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Patterns (scottseyephotos.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Patterns (hopethehappyhugger.wordpress.com)

cat purrday friday post: sorry about the screen door mum!

elizz — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:19:21 +0000

My kitty Star loves to go up the screen door everytime she hears birds tweeting. Solution: go crawl up the screen door to have a better outside view.

Oh Star, look at my screen door now, it’s riddled with your claw marks.

She’ll stay attached to it for some time until she decides to climb all the way on top of the door to roost and watch the outside world.

Star

cat purrday friday post: this box is mine! (starlight427.wordpress.com)
cat purrday friday post: the top kitty bed is mine! (starlight427.wordpress.com)
cat purrday friday post: one of these things… (starlight427.wordpress.com)
kitty Star’s photo then and now (starlight427.wordpress.com)
i’m feeling grumpy today! (starlight427.wordpress.com)

snack of the day: rice balls in coconut milk

elizz — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:33:31 +0000

It has been quite sometime since i posted something about cooking. Today, i’ll be sharing with you our snack of the day.

I spent my childhood days in the province and one of the most popular snacks would be rice balls in coconut milk. Back in those days, sticky rice grains would be finely ground by hand to make rice flour, adding some water to make it sticky enough to form into little balls. As children, we really enjoyed rolling the dough in our palms forming well.. not so perfect rice balls but it’s okay. Mature coconut would be grated by hand too. Hot water would then be added to grated coconut to wake it up, squeeze it to extract coconut milk. So tiring isn’t it?

Thankfully these days, rice balls also called tangyuan are now available in the supermarket and they come in a rainbow of different colors of pink, green and white. Coconut milk is readily available in cans or tetra packs and even in powder form too. No fuss and no worries that i could make this snack anytime. This is my daughter’s favorite snack.

rice balls in coconut milk

The ingredients are super simple.

1 pack of mini rice balls (as written in the package: do not defrost)
2 tetra packs of coconut milk
sugar to taste

For the procedure, just let the coconut milk boil for a while then add the rice balls and add sugar to taste. Don’t forget to stir it constantly to prevent the rice balls to stick together. It’s quite easy to know when the rice balls are cooked. If you see them rise up and all plumped up then it’s cooked. I usually reserve some coconut milk that i drizzle on top upon serving.

I love the chewy texture of the rice balls as complemented by the creaminess and the richness of the coconut milk.

rainbow rice ball

coconut milk

How to make Chinese rice balls (puiyinlab.wordpress.com)

my sweetpainteddreams

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