Curiositaellya

Monday, January 7, 2013

2 Framed Handpainted Butterflies + USD 25.00 Target Giftcard Giveaway {CLOSED}

Here is a chance for you to win 2 butterflies pink and blue framed hand painted art by Ellya and USD 25.00 Target gift card.

Butterfly in blue frame size: 6-1/2' x 4-3/4" and frame size, 7-1/2" x 9".

Butterfly in pink frame size: 4-3/4" x 6-1/2" and frame size, 6-3/4" x 8-1/2"

These paintings are beautiful to decorate your daughter's room or powder room or any room you like.

the deet:

1. 1 point for following on Facebook, or

2. 1 point for following on Twitter, or

3. 2 points for signing in Google Friend

4. This is a must ! Leave in a comment in the bottom of this post mentioning about which of the 3 above you followed. This is because there is no way I will know what you have done unless you mentioned it. And it will make it easy for me. For this, I thank you so much !

(Note: You can do all of those three for the total point of 4. Points means the number of name appear on the list. If you followed all three that means the number of your name will appear is, 4 times.)

4. 2 points for putting a comments on the last 4 posts if you already a follower on the above, like Facebook, Twitter and Google Friends Connect.

5. Please be 18 years or older!

6. For US & Canada residents only !

Giveaway will start Jan. 07th, 2013 at 0:30 am EST and will end Jan. 21st, 2013 at 0:30 am EST.

1 winner will be chosen. A real email address required and will not be made public or used for other purposes.

The winner will be contacted the same day through email and must reply with home address within 4 days. Failure to reply after 3 days; we will draw another winner.

Best of luck !

Strawberry Cup Cakes + Matryoshka Dolls

These Russian nesting dolls or Matryoshka dolls (more story here) reminded me of my childhood. I have seen these dolls in my grandmother's home when I was a very young child. And when saw these dolls in Ebay suddenly the living room of my grandmother came to live in my head. I can even see the dress that I was wearing when I visited her home and playing with these pretty tiny dolls.

When saw the cup cake liner and cup cake top in a box at Homegoods; I immediately grabbed them and I knew I wanted to take pictures of both items together plus the cup cake that I intended to make.

This is my first cup cake attempt and I got the recipe from Martha Stewart. I never knew that strawberry can make a delicious cake. It is moist and; tastes like strawberry !

::Recipe::

Strawberry Cup Cake

~ 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

~ 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

~ 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

~ 1/2 teaspoon salt

~ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

~ 1 large egg

~ 1/2 cup milk

~ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

~ pound strawberries. hulled and halved {I chopped 6 strawberries and mixed in the batter before baking}

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Buter a 10 - inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, mix in egg, milk and vanilla.

3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoon sugar over berries.

{Note; For above recipe I mix in chopped fresh strawberries last in batter. And therefore I do not sprinkle sugar on top.}

Bake cake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

{Note; arrange cup cake liner in a cup cake pan and pour 2/3 batter inside cup cake liner. I used only half recipe for about 8 cup cakes.}

Oh yes, the Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix with electric mixer; 1 cup low fat cream cheese, 1/4 butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla. 1/4 cup powder sugar and 2 drops red food coloring. Spoon all batter in to a plastic piping tube with any piping tips you like. I am using no. 12 round piping tips by Wilton.

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Good luck Everyone and thank you for stopping by !

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Fresh Color Palette {Fashion & Interior}

I love this color palette taken from Coco Kelly my favorite home interior blog.

This color palette feels fresh as we are entering a brand new year 2013. I think it does feel and represent a new beginning of something so brand new and so yummy !

All images via Coco Kelly

Individual images; ellery resort, preen resort, ruthie sommers via good bones great pieces

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Here is my brand new interpretation spring/summer '13 color palette inspired by above images.

Thank you for stopping by !

January '13 Journal Picture {Collage}

Welcome to a New Year 2013 !

I started this brand new year with an interior picture collage that I always enjoy doing and created yesterday.

I love a small arrangement or vignette on the table in the corner of a room. Do you see the small white vase decorated with small golden metal leaves sits on top of pilling books ? I think it's just pretty. The golden antique clock is grandiose and stunning looking.

I hope you had a fantastic New Year's eve celebration with family and friends. So let's start this brand new year with peace, love and many success to Us all.

Thank you for reading !

Saturday, December 29, 2012

My Butterfly Paintings Series

These are my Butterfly paintings series I mentioned in my last post {here}.

One of my new year resolutions is that I will be painting more often among many others like; 1. getting more fit and going to the gym regularly 2. eating more healthy diet. I have not had any specific task for this blog just yet but definitely I need to work on getting more followers. I need to be more serious and set a goal about this and plan on what I need to work on systematically. I am happy about this blog so far. In the end what most important is that I truly enjoy doing it. Beside the endless positive outlook I receive from creating and posting this blog; I will continue perfecting it to get where I want it to be. One baby step at a time.

Oh yes! 'The Butterfly paintings!"

I think I put too many butterflies images here but I really like them. Can't decide which one to put on this post. They are about 47 beautiful pictures. Don't worry! Only two more to go.

I can't wait to put those painting materials out and paint more butterfly like these.

I shall see you next year and 'HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 BEST OF LUCK!' And thank you so much for your continous support and for following this beautiful journey of mine.!

Thank you for reading !

Friday, December 28, 2012

Gold Leaf White Cups and Butterfly Painting (DIY)

I have not been painting for a while now. Suddenly I have a sudden urge to paint again and when opened a drawer I found this butterfly painting that I did a long time a go. They are 5 series of butterfly paintings. Upon looking and examining them; thought to myself that they are really beautiful. I did not know why I just kept them in the drawer for all this time.

I can't help myself to take a photo of the butterfly painting. I happened to have a frame that I spray painted a long time a go. So I put the butterfly drawing in the blue frame.

The white cream cups bought in a thrift store in Florida. I have 6 of them. I brought 2 of them to New York to practice to gold leaf them. I posted another gold leaf DIY on a wine goblets (here). I think they are quite lovely to display and to put flowers arrangement in.

Do you see the delicate gold leaf particles after brushing off of the cup ? Complete tutorial {here}

I do hope you had a fantastic Christmas celebration and I wish you a Happy New Year 2013 !

Thank you for reading ? Have a nice week end Everyone !