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Friday, March 1, 2013

Home Journal/Collage {March 2013}

I can't believe that we are entering the month of March already. Where did the time go? Why everything went so fast? I always feel and for me that time is running out so  I must do it 'now' or 'never'! I think it has something to do with my health since I had  several huge surgeries back in 2004 and last June. I am feeling perfectly fine now. I am happy that I truly enjoy the simple things life has to offer. Suddenly life makes a perfect sense! Suddenly things around me has becoming beautiful.

Here is a home decor journal/collage for this month. To celebrate this coming spring and summer; color is the main focus on this journal/collage. I love colors. It can lift up a mood in a certain way and certainly these are happy colors.










Have a lovely week end Everone !

Pom-pom Stem Flowers DIY. {It's spring time!}

Spring is around the corner. One way to bring spring time colors into your home is decorating with pop of colors.

I was up very late last night and when wondering around my arts & crafts drawers; found these colorful pompoms I bought a while a go. Continued and curious searching in the bins and drawers then I found this magazine tear sheet I collected and thought someday it might be useful for an inspiration. Well, sure enough I thought; why not making these pompoms into these ball shape flowers just like the one on the tear sheet. I was so excited, immediately I took a couple of pompoms and tried it out immediately. I did not want to wake up my husband by making so much noise and it was almost 2 am in the morning so I continued the next day.

So here they are!











Oh the inspiration! You can make bigger size of flower by building up more pompoms around them. And you can use bigger vase to create open and tall flower arrangement.

The step by step.



1. Take two pompoms by joining and glueing them together.
2. Then glue another one on top.
3. Start building a ball form of pom pom flower by adding one pom pom at a time.
4. Finally the flower pom pom has done.You can make bigger ball size pom pom flower by keep adding more pom poms.

Sources;
~ Pom poms available at Michaels
~ Glue available at Michaels
~ Bamboo skewer stick available at asian grocery store
~ Porcelain green bird available at Michaels
~ Distressed white tray was DIY by Ellya {here}
~ Varieties milk glass vintage vases bought at a flea market.

~~~~oo00oo~~~~

Have a nice week-end Everyone ! And thank you for stopping by!



Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Liebster Award


Ohh, I forgot to mentioned that yesterday I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Kathy from Sassy Litle Lady. I was very excited to read her note telling me about this. Being new in the blogosphere, this is a big deal to me. Once again, "thank you Kathy!"



Thank you so much to Kathy from Sassy Little Lady for nominating me!
The Liebster award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
What is a Liebster?
The meaning: Liebster is a German word and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

* Tell 11 random facts about yourself
* Answer the 11 questions the nominator has asked you.
* Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass
the award to and link them in your post.
*Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.
*Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
*No tag backs.


11 Random Facts About Me:
1} I once Bungee jumped off a bridge in Queenstown New Zealand
2} I briefly appeared on stage with Chris Isaac and his band.
3}  I met my husband through the internet
4} I survived a massive aorta aneurysm and surgeries
5} Some people say that I look younger than my age
6} When I was a child I used to have a huge praying manthis as a pet. {the very huge ones live only in Asia}
7} I play classical piano
8} When I was a child I wanted to be a singer and I used to sing at my friend's birthday party
9} I love horror movies and ghosts
10} I love to paint
11} My favorite movie is Gladiator.  I've watched it again and again.

11 questions from Kathy from Sassy Little Lady
1} If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A Flea market in Paris called "Les Puces"
2} What is your favorite type of food?
I love Asian food but I also love Western food.
3} What is your favorite season?
Summer.
4} How did you come up with your blog name?
I read a book called "How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci". It mentioned in order to be successful one must have a sense of curiosity in all aspects of life. And I am that person. I am curious about many things in arts and crafts (as you can see in my blog!)  So... "curiositaellya" was born.
5} You have $500 but you have to spend it in one store.  What store would it be?
 A thrift shop in Delray Beach, Florida
6} What is your favorite drink?
Bottled Cold Vanilla Chai Tea from the Asian grocery near my house.
7} You have to write a book about your life.  What is the title?
"It's My Life" {Something like that!}
8} What is your favorite quality about yourself?
I practice positive thinking all the time...and it works!
9} Why did you start blogging?
To express the creativity in me without leaving home.
10} What is your favorite dessert?
Right now I am dying for my mom's "Lupis" {A cooked triangle glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves with shredded coconut and brown sugar syrup}
11} What is your hidden talent?
I play classical piano.
Thank you again to Kathy from Sassy Little Lady!


 Now I get to nominate 11 bloggers.  I choose:
1} Amanda from Watch Out Martha
2} Jamie from Better With Age
4} Jenna from 24 Cottonwood Lane
5} Eva from Snappee Turtle
6} Kimberli from Great Tastes Tuesdays
7} Myrna from The Busy Bee
8} Grace from Butter and Jam
10} Brittney from Smart Girl Style
Questions for those I’m nominating:
1}Who would you want to be with on a desert island?
2}If you could join any music group which would join?
3} If you had to describe yourself as a flavour, what would it be?
4} Have you ever cried at a film?  Which one?
5} Do you keep a diary/journal?
6} What's your favorite flower?
7} Do you believe in ghosts?
8} What was the last film you saw?
9} What three things do you think of most each day?
10}What's your favorite precious stone?
11} What was your last dream about?

Thank you again to Kathy from Sassy Little Lady!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Easy Pulled Chicken Sandwich

 What could be a good meal to have while watching the Oscar tonight; I asked myself. I do not wish to slave myself in the kitchen; I want it to be easy and delicious at the same time. 
How about Pulled Chicken Sandwich!  Through internet searching I found one easy recipe with very good ratings and comments. 

So here it is.




I could not believe how good this sandwich was considering all the ingredients are from bottled sauce and canned that are available in every grocery stores. Also what made it so delicious and practical is the rotisserie chicken. This is definitely one of my favorite meal and definitely will make it again.

::Recipe::

Pulled Chicken Sandwich

~ 1 can (18) oz Progresso fire roasted tomato cooking sauce
~ 1/4 cup yellow mustard
~ 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
~ 2 tablespoons sugar
~ 1 teaspoon chilli powder
~ 4 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
~ 8 soft burger buns, split
~ Colleslaw (recipe below)

1. in 3 quart saucepan, mix cooking sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and chilli powder. Heat to simmering over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Serve 1/2 cup chicken mixture on each bun. Top each with 2 tablespoons coleslaw.

Coleslaw
~ 1 (16ounce) bag coleslaw mix
~ 2 tablespoons diced onion
~ 2/3 cup creamy salad dressing such as Miracle Whip
~ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
~ 1/2 cup white sugar (I did not put sugar as Miracle Whip dressing already sweet enough for me.)
~ 1 tablespoon white vinegar
~ 1/4 teaspoon salt
~ 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and stir well.

 ~~~~oo00oo~~~~

Thank you for reading!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Winner Announcement of {Valentine Giveaway}

Valentine Giveaway {Limoges Cake Stand + USD 25.00 Target Gift Card}

First of all, I want to say 'thank you very much' to all of you who participated in this giveaway. I am having so much for the last two weeks watching your entries entered this giveaway post. Again, thank you so much for your kind and sweet words. And to those of you who are not so lucky this time; there will be another exciting giveaway {I hope soon.} From the bottom of my heart; thank you, thank you and thank you!
And because this is a Valentine giveaway and it is still the month of February; I just want to say
"I love you All!"



I have listed your name below.
And to improve this giveaway, I would love to hear an input and comment about this giveaway from you. Please email me at Elmelati@gmail.com.  Your comments and input will be of valuable to me to execute another giveaway in the future. And I thank you for that.


Congratulations to 'Tina Kitch!'
I am very excited to present you this lovely one of a kind vintage 'Limoges' cake stand that I picked and drilled myself. I am hoping that you will cherish this lovely piece as much as I do. And although it is not much; please do enjoy the Target Gift Card!
I will contact you very soon. Or please email me at Elmelati@gmail.com

~~~~oo00oo~~~~

Until next Giveaway, I thank you !

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

To a Son + Vintage China

Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful indeed
And worthy of acceptation. Fire is bright,
Let temple burn, or flax. An equal light
Leaps in the flame from cedar-plank or weed.
And love is fire. And when i say at need
I love thee...mark!...I love thee - in thy sight
I stand transfigured, glorified aright,
With conscience of the new rays that proceed
Out of my face toward thine. There's nothing low
In love, when love the lowest; meanest creatures
Who love God,  God accepts while loving so.
And what I feel, across the inferior features
Of what I am, doth flash itself, and show
How that great work of Love enhances Nature's.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning










I have been thinking about my son a lot lately. I dreamt about him when he was a little boy for two nights in a row. I am thinking about him as a little boy as if he is sitting  next to me and staring at me with his big brown eyes curiously just like when I used to read a story book to him all the time. His giggling and  laughing when we played with his toys together echoed through the room and still fresh in my mind until now. I remembered just like it was  happenning last hight when I hugged him many nights in bed as he was afraid to go to sleep a lone in his room.
Now I am thinking; 
what is he doing?
Is he with his friends?
A lone?
Sleeping?
Eating?
Oh, how I miss him!

I tried very hard to take him a way from my mind. Then I remembered the vintage china that I started to collect during a recovery from surgeries and 2 months hospitalized about 8 years a go. My sudden instinct told me that I need to do something fun with it immediately.

The color and the pattern of these china are beautiful. And there is something enchanting about aged china that I just could not resist on collecting them.  I am hoping that one day I would pass them down to my daughter in-law and hope that she will appreciate these vintage china as much as I do.

 The poem above  copied from a small book that I have been owning for quite sometime. It is called "The Illustrated Poets - Elizabeth Barrett Browning".

In  my humble opinion; being sentimental, sensitive and vulnerable can be beautiful as portrayed in this story post.  I  do hope you will enjoy this post!

~~~~~~~~~~oo00oo~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for stopping by!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Today is finally a beautiful bright sunny day after it has been raining for two days in a row in Delray, South Florida. And there is nothing like beautiful sunny afternoon with a soft breeze and "Pineapple Zucchini Bread." And of course a cup of tea.

I have been wanting to make this cake since the first time I tasted zucchini bread at my husband's client's home in Pennsylvania a long time a go. It was so moist with a hint of spice of nutmeg and cinnamon. So today I was tempted to make one and I am not disappointing because it is very good. Only this time I added crushed canned pineapple in it. So my afternoon was even more relaxing with this delicious Pineapple Zucchini Bread.






As you can see, first I put the batter in a loaf pan but I still have the remain of the batter so I pour it in to a mini bundt cake pan. I love how it looks that it became a cute little Pineapple Zucchini Bundt Cakes.




::Recipe::

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

~ 3 eggs
~ 1 cup oil
~ 1- 1/2 cups sugar
~ 2 tsp. vanilla
~ 2 cups zucchini shredded
~ 1 4 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
~ 3 cups unsifted flour
~ 2 tsp soda
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1/2 tsp baking powder
~ 2 tsp cinnamon
~ 1 tsp nutmeg {optional}
~  1 cup chopped nuts
~ 1 cup raisins {optional}

Beat eggs, add oil, sugar and vanilla; beat mixture until light and foamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Combine four, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nuts and raisins. Stir gently into zucchini mixture. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 loaf pan. Bake at 350 deg. for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans.

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Thank you for stopping by!