And So...

• School's starting soon, and I just can't wait any longer! I've always been the kind of kid who loved school dearly, which is why my parents never have to worry about me straying off somewhere.
  
  

• Things have been going well lately, too, except for the death of my grandaunt. It's sad that she had to go, but she has lived and served and loved for 86 years, and I think that's enough. It's time for her soul to rest. We'll be heading to the province tomorrow for her funeral.
  
  

• I've been having so many fantasies of visiting the colourful country of India lately, and that's weird, since I've never considered visiting - even dreaming of visiting - the place before. But after watching many Bollywood movies over the past few weeks, I found myself falling in love with the country and its rich culture. In fact, I have this debate in my head everyday, whether I'll go to Japan or India for something-I'll-tell-you-soon-but-not-now. However, I don't think my parents will agree if I pick India, and their first reason for me not to go there is that I don't eat curry!
  
  

• I received the book I purchased on eBay yesterday, which is totally cool cos I've never received my eBay purchases in the past - my ma did. The book's title is Five Point Someone: What not to do at IIT! by Chetan Bhagat. It's the book which inspired Rajkumar Hirani to create the film 3 Idiots. Both the film and book generated so many controversies, and I just have to see for myself what caused all the fuss.
  
  

• I'm currently listening to Kris Allen's new album Thank You Camellia, and it's awesome! It's better than his first record, and the improvement in his voice quality is apparent in all the songs in the album. A favourite of mine is Loves Me Not, featuring Meiko. It's a very fun and catchy song. No wonder Kris said that that song is a potential single.

♥Andz

Recipe: Choco-Buttercream Cupcakes

Last Saturday, I had another baking session. This time, with my mum's friend, Tita Grace and her son, Kuya Joseph. It was really fun finding out all those tips and tricks I've never known before. Getting artsy with the design and all, puts me on high. And the sweet scents that float in the air when you mix the batter, and pop a batch into the over are just divine! I'm not a pro, but I just love baking!

CUPCAKE

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

What to Do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Ingredients

Condensed Milk

Butter

Shortening

What to Do

-We did not go for the complicated frosting, which means...this is an easy one! All you have to do is mix parts of each ingredient with an electric mixer until you get your desired taste and that frothy consistency. 

-If you wish to add food colouring, do so after the frosting thickens.

-Refrigerate once in a while when piping.

♥Andz

Yummy Yum Yums!

Sweet tooths, UNITE! These mouth-watering sweets will get you craving till you go mad! 

...I don't own any of these photos...

 

♥Andz

Pucker Up: DIY Lip Gloss

A fan of lip gloss myself, I understand that these wondrous sticks and tubes can be quite expensive, especially if you opt to buy products from big cosmetic brands, but are on a tight budget. Well, worry no more, cos you don’t have to throw your savings on a very expensive tube of lip gloss! Here’s a trusty DIY lip gloss that works just the same as branded ones.

What you need:

-Unused/Excess Pink Eye Shadow (Every girl has this!)

-Petroleum Jelly

-Lip Brush

-A Small Cosmetic Container (You can find these containers anywhere!)

What to do:

-Scrape off a bit of the eye shadow from its palette, and place it in the small cosmetic container -Take a small amount of petroleum jelly, about the size of a pea, and mix it with the eye shadow using a lip brush.

-Mix well, so chunks of eye shadow will be dissolved completely, and to avoid making the mixture too runny.

-Apply.

*Note: Don’t hesitate to experiment with other colours. Mixing a bit of pink with a bigger part of orange produces a peach shade, while mixing pink and a bit of yellow and orange produces a nice coral shade. Lavender works well with pink, too. Just mix, match, and experiment! Working with colours is fun!

Remember, it’s always better to be practical. Why spend so much on lip gloss at the shops, when you can make some at home? It’s cheap. It’s chic. And it’s super easy to make! Pucker up, Middle Class Princesses!

♥Andz

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas: A Book Review

Having a late afternoon run at the bookshop last Thursday to claim my renewed discount card, I went through my usual bookshop ritual of scanning through the spines and covers of books on the shelves. More often than not, I’d encounter the same titles and the same authors, but that day was different. I happened to spot an interesting book at the children’s section, which I’ve never seen or heard of before – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.

                

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2006) is set during the Holocaust, and it takes the reader on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno, a son of a German commandant. Later in the story, he meets a Jewish boy of the same age, named Shmuel, serving at a concentration camp, and soon enough, they become best friends.

Though told through the most innocent prose possible, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is not a book for children. It requires historical knowledge that intermediate or adult readers have, as some terms and ideologies related to the war have been concealed with very naïve words, which a young boy or girl will find easy to understand but difficult to interpret.

The theme of the novel is basically depressing. However, Boyne eased the bitterness of the story by dealing with it through the eyes of a child. Some parts are quite comedic, although the rest are tragic. The plot is highly commendable. It’s perfectly panned out and beautifully written. The characters are also fittingly created for the roles they’ll play in the story.

To sum it all up, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a painfully poignant story that has the power to move you beyond words. 

♥Andz

Friday Feast Fit For Friends :)

I had a lovely Friday with two of my closest friends, Angel and Felis. We haven't had much time together this summer (apart from playing badminton two weeks ago), so I decided to invite them over my house for a baking session.

We met at around 10 in the morning at the supermarket to buy some ingredients. We then headed to my house, and played a round of Jenga - one of my fave games. I thought I was boring them, so I let them watch 3 Idiots. I've been itching to let them see that film, and I'm glad that they liked it! 

For lunch, we had my mum's garlic shrimp pasta over small talk. After filling our stomachs, we started baking. Damn, it was hot! Mixing the batter, heating the oven, and taking the baking pans out burned our stored energy, but it was fun!

Angel made these really yummy s'mores muffins, without following a recipe at all - the girl is an expert - while Felis and I started off with the basic batter. Felis made her chunky blueberry jam muffins, which are waaay better than the blueberry muffins I attempted to bake before - they're really good! I made some hazelnut muffins, coloured hearts, carnival mud pie, and vintage swirls - I just like experimenting! Not all of them turned out right, though. In fact, the hazelnut muffins are my only success.

To celebrate and cool down a bit, we had a little muffin party with a bit of non-alcoholic wine soda in our garden to taste what we came up with. They were quite a lot, and we cannot scarf them all down, so Felis and Angel took some for their folks at home, and I kept a few, too, for dessert later that day.

It was a truly awesome day, and I can't wait for our next baking session!

PS.

I'll post the recipes as soon as we decide on the names of our outputs, which we have yet to do. 

♥Andz

Luna Lovegood Earrings Tutorial Featured in the eBook Making Beaded Jewelry: 11 Free Seed Bead Patterns and Projects

Just before the Harry Potter craze reached its peak July last year, I posted a Luna Lovegood radish earrings tutorial. It has been one of my great traffic sources over the past few months, and because of its popularity online, it has also been included in the website All Free Beaded Jewelry. 

Today, it's now featured in an eBook: Making Beaded Jewelry: 11 Free Seed Bead Pattern and Projects, which you can download for FREE! The reasons you need to get a copy of it? I'm in it. It's Harry Potter-related. And you can learn other awesome projects to make over the rest of summer.

Download your copy of Making Beaded Jewelry: 11 Free Seed Bead Patterns and Projects today!


♥Andz

Florals

Here's a collection of all sorts. A crocheted flower, a painted metal daisy, pressed flowers, patches, chip board cuts, ceramic tulips, the first cherry stem I knotted with my tongue (yep, I kept it!), and a Bob Marley badge my Pa gave me. I keep them all in a tiny tin canister which used to contain mints. It's not big a collection just yet, since I just like adding memorable and colourful stuff in it.

♥Andz

Recipe: Pizzas in a Jiffy!

Here's a quick recipe I love - Pizzas in a Jiffy! They're cheap. They're easy. And, they're yummy! Plus, you only need 3 ingredients to make some, unless you want to add other toppings, say ham, bacon, pepperoni, olives, etc. 

I usually make this snack when my grandmum cooks some spaghetti, cos I use the leftover bolognese sauce in place of the common tomato sauce or ready-made pizza sauce sold in stores. I spread some of it on a slice of loaf bread, or my favourite pan de sal cut in half. For the topping, I grate or slice some cheddar cheese or mozzarella (depending on what we have in the fridge). I sometimes add some ham and bacon, although the bolognese sauce already contains meat. And finally, to make it look and taste really pizza-ish, I pop them into the oven toaster for about 3-5 minutes.

Devour.

♥Andz

Aratilis ♥

This morning, after their Sunday morning jog, mama said that papa has a surprise for me. Clueless about what they could get at such time of the day, I was racking my head, until they revealed a handful of plump aratilis - also known as muntingia. It's been so long since I last ate aratilis. I was so little then, and getting to eat some of them again this morning brought back so many childhood memories of mine. I want more!!!

♥Andz

Happy Mother's Day!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE WOMEN WHO ARE NOT ONLY THE LIGHTS OF THEIR HOME, BUT ALSO THE LIGHTS OF THEIR CHILDREN'S HEARTS.

♥Andz

Sunflower ♥

And so, my sunflowers have bloomed. They're not the variety I expected to come out, but they're good enough to look at. Let's just say, they come in summer shades, and that they're miniature - just about the size of anybody's palm. It's fine. I'm not pleased about the fact that more bees are in my garden and in my house, though. I'm terrified of bees!

♥Andz

Quick Book Review: Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern pushes the boundaries known to novel-writing with Where Rainbows End (US, Love, Rosie), by telling a story through notes passed, invitations, letters, chats, and e-mails. Clever and funny, Ahern takes the reader to a journey with two characters from childhood to their later years, Rosie and Alex.

Childhood best friends Rosie and Alex are separated just before high school ended, when Alex's father was offered a job in Boston, and the family had to move there from Dublin. Through e-mails and letters the friends kept in touch. However, twists of fate and taking wrong opportunities through the years keep the two from realising that they are destined for each other.

Witty, comedic, and at many parts, heartfelt, Cecelia Ahern's Where Rainbows End is a surprising epistolary page-turner. A real must-read!

♥Andz

Today's Advice: Go Floral

A few days ago, I got crafty again - well, I'm always crafty, but this one's different from the usual bracelets and drawings I make all the time. I got the concept from the "today's advice" found in inspirational shops and guidance counsellors' offices. But, I added a little twist to it. Instead of the conventional paper stack or posters used, I made flowers using old coloured sticks, cardstock, and I drew the flowers with a sign pen and coloured them in with colour pencils. I then cut the flowers I drew and traced them on another cardstock. I wrote the advice on it, and glued its sides to the one with the drawing, leaving a tiny space to insert the stick. To make it easier, I sharpened the sticks. For the holder, I took a painted pot to make its appearance more appealing, and filled it halfway with Japanese tissue paper. I arranged the flowers in, and DONE! 

Note: You are free to write any advice you want. Either it's from a famous person, the Bible, or you just made up your own - it doesn't matter - as long as you can count on them when a time of need and thinking comes.

♥Andz

3 Idiots: A Movie Review

I finished writing my 3 Idiots film review just before midnight yesterday, and I'm quite happy with it. I don't know, though, if it's the kind of review they're expecting from me at the Flame. I really loved the film, and if I didn't give it justice with my review, then I'm doomed. Here it is:

3 Idiots: A Movie Review

Dubbed as the perfect end to an exciting year for India by The Times of India, the 2009 blockbuster hit, 3 Idiots, written and directed by well-renowned and award-winning director Rajkumar Hirani, is, indeed, a ridiculously hilarious comedy with a soul that tugs at heartstrings without much heavy dramatic tension.

        

The film, inspired by the novel “Five Point Someone” by Chetan Bhagat, is a heartwarming story about love, friendship, and chasing one’s dream. But, contrary to other films revolving around the same themes, 3 Idiots is extremely comical, witty, and no scene within its 160-minute running time could be considered boring.

                

Shot in India’s most scenic locations, including Shimla and Ladakh, which boasts the country’s breathtaking mountain ranges and clear waters, the cinematography is simply captivating. The storyline is also creatively plotted down which will keep the viewer guessing till the very end. And keeping the Bollywood movie tradition alive, musical numbers with very catchy and dance-able tunes like “Zoobi Doobi” and “Aal Izz Well” can be seen in many parts of the film.

                

The story behind the 3 Idiots unfolds on the fifth of September when college friends Farhan Qureshi (R. Madhavan) and Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi) reunite and embark on a journey with a former classmate, Chatur Ramalingam (Omi Vaidya), to search for their long-lost best friend, Ranchhodas “Rancho” Shamaldas Chanchad, who disappeared right after graduation. Their aim was to settle a bet made ten years ago on the same day – who will be more successful, the bookish Chatur who memorises just about everything, or the free-spirited genius Rancho, who topped every exam?

                

The trip to Shimla and then to Ladakh, where Rancho’s whereabouts led them, allowed Farhan to narrate the story of his friendship with Raju and Rancho. Through flashbacks, the story is taken back in time when they were students at the prestigious Imperial College of Engineering.

               

Farhan was a young man reluctantly pursuing the major in order to please his father. But his true passion lies in wildlife photography. Raju, on the other hand, came from a poor family. He endlessly begged for favours from God, in the hopes that his future profession will lift his family from poverty. And finally, there’s Rancho, who was studying engineering simply for his love of machines. Together, the trio takes on four excruciating years of madness, battling the fear of failing, falling in love with the terror director’s daughter, and following one’s dream.

                

The actors in the film are highly commendable, as they delivered their respective roles flawlessly.

                

R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi are the perfect picks for doubling the trouble. The villains are impeccably portrayed by Boman Irani, the college director, Viru Sahastrabudhhe, better known as “Virus”, and Omi Vaidya, who never failed to annoy with Chatur’s irritating antics. The lovely Kareena Kapoor, who portrayed the role of Pia, Virus’ daughter, added sweetness and glam to the movie. And, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan played the 20-ish character Rancho believably, even at his mid-40’s.

                

Looking up at all its laudable qualities, it’s no surprise that 3 Idiots is the highest grosser in Indian Cinema, breaking all records across Indian and international markets.

                

For most, 3 Idiots is a comic relief amidst the very competitive nature of motion pictures, but it’s more than just that. With Chinese, Italian, and Hollywood remakes on-talks, it just proves that 3 Idiots raised the bar of comedy. Daft and pathetic humour is out, while sincere, satirical, and ingenious masterpieces are in. Leaving it like that, it is safe to say “Aal izz well”, when it comes to the future of funny flicks.

                

Calling 3 Idiots a must-see movie would be a big understatement, as it is – pants down – a remarkable film you won’t soon forget.

♥Andz

Crap.

Things have been a real big bore for me - well, everything has been a brutal bore to me. I know it's summer - time to have fun and all that crap - but I have nothing interesting or worth-looking-forward-to up my sleeve. 

Everyday, I'll wake up at six or seven, head to the garden, talk to my blooming sunflowers and cosmos, then head back inside to turn the computer on. I'll stare at the computer monitor for the next two or three hours, then I'll have a nap. After the nap, it'll be lunch time. The meal takes a few 30 minutes, and then I'll wash the dishes. Endless hypochondriac thoughts will then flow in my head, and I'll doze them off, as though it'll help me delete them completely in my head. I'll wake up at three or four, and it's time shitty afternoon soaps for my old folks and our maid. I'll usually turn the computer on, or watch with them, despising every scene of every bloody show. At six PM until I'm called for dinner, I'll watch TV, flick through the channels for hours and hours, unless I find something interesting to watch. At nine or ten, after dinner, I'll take a bath, and watch TV again. When I finally feel drowsy, I'll sleep, and the cycle goes on. CRAP.

I feel so unproductive and down. I hate being bored. I hate feeling useless. I hate not being busy! I just thank the fact that I have a review to write for The Flame, which I've been working on. It'll be about the 2009 Bollywood film 3 Idiots, as the theme of the upcoming issue of the publication will be "Education". I actually liked - well, loved - the film, and I've watched it thrice now. I'll be posting my review soon enough. I'm just figuring out how will I summarise a 160-minute film. It's THAT long, but it's extremely entertaining, so you won't notice the time at all. I have also read Love, Rosie or Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern, and I loved it as well. I'll tell you about it too, but not now.

♥Andz