A Danbo Paddy’s day

A Danbo Paddy’s day, a set on Flickr.

Celebrating the day of green through Danbo! ‘If you are lucky enough to be Irish, You are lucky enough’

Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh! Happy Paddys Day everyone!

Via Flickr:
Proud to be Irish!

 

My Danbos & I!! ダンボー

My Danbos & I !!, a set on Flickr.

A new set in progress with some new and older images of my Danbos, but this time with yours truly in the picture too.
I want to build on these ideas, of the interaction between humanoid and little cardboard robots and the ‘life’ that can be created through such images.

Via Flickr:
ダンボー

A collection of us together

All rights reserved ©. Images may not be copied or used in any way without my written permission.

Danbo Love

Love Shower, a photo by .•۫◦۪°•OhSoBoHo•۫◦۪°• on Flickr.

Danbo in a ‘love’ shower of hearts.

I shot this when my best friend in Italy got married last September and I couldn’t go as I live in California
.I used real confetti and Danbo is holding a ‘real’ umbrella. Then then using one hand to work the camera I threw confetti with the other!
It took many attempts. The perfectionist in me is always striving to be better . So I kept throwing, picking it all up and shooting over and over.
I nearly wasn’t happy with any of shots and then as it turned out once I looked at them on my laptop this was one of the first three shots and the best one.
Typical!

I want to start to archive some of my best and past Danbo photographs here on my blog along with some new one and this image is my most popular one according to Flickrs ‘Interestingness’.

*EXPLORED September16th2011 #112*

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Images may not be copied or used in any way without my written permission.

Creative beginnings

‘What can be said in New Year rhymes, That’s not been said a thousand times? The new years come, the old years go, We know we dream, we dream we know.’, a photo by .•۫◦۪°•OhSoBoHo•۫◦۪°• on Flickr.

So the new year is well and truly underway but I think I will start to blog some of my own personal favourite Danbo creations linking directly from my Flickr stream.

Since I got my second and bigger Danboard at Christmas I am finding myself even more inspired with my Danbo creations this year.
Ideas just’come to me’ now and having two little cardboard robots is actually making it easier to create.
I was worried that wouldn’t be the case, and undecided for most of last year about getting a second Danboard but now, I am without a doubt glad I did. Thank you Santa ^_~

So this New Years scene creation was my first Danbo image of 2012. I handmade the tiny bunting one evening – I love anything arty so having the chance to use it in my photography is relaxing and fun for me. The other tiny props are dolls house accessories, apart from the tiny guitar which is actually a fridge magnet and the Japanese cat which is a mini Maneki Neko ornament for Good Luck.

So far so good with my photography this year. I am feeling good about my progress. In my abilities with the camera to using photoshop and honing my post-processing skills.
For me, Danbo photography inspires me in all the other areas of photography. It keeps me imagining and thinking creatively constantly and that to me is what every artist needs. It brings me joy to know my images can bring a smile and even inspire others.

Via Flickr:
Happy New Year from us to you! May all your dreams and wishes come true in 2012 xoxoxo

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Images may not be copied or used in any way without my written permission.

‘If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough’

30 Days of Gratitude, a set on Flickr.

My latest photography project for the next thirty days is a ‘gratitude project’. Through Flickr I came across a group where for the month of November (you can do this any time really, but in the run up to thanksgiving here in the states it seems to be a popular trend) to photograph something in your life with a little written piece about what it means to you and why you are thankful; every day for those thirty days. The same way negativity is bad for you it is scientifically proven that the expression of gratitude really does make you happier and healthier. To open your heart and be thankful is a win-win, feel-good situation. We should all be more aware of the goodness in our lives and say ‘thank you’.

Apple & Blackberry Crumble

Untitled

Originally uploaded by .•۫◦۪°•OhSoBoHo•۫◦۪°•

This is another one of those recipes that I have grown up on, and now I know why my Mum was always making Crumbles, dished up warm with custard or ice-cream (you can use cream too) they are so quick and easy to make, you really can’t go wrong. From making crumbles a lot, I have adapted this from my Mums original recipe but by adding in my own extras like oats in the crumble and softening the apples in a butterscotch sauce for extra flavour.

Ingredients:

For the Crumble

150g / 1 cup plain flour

50g  / 1/4 cup sugar  preferably pure cane washed sugar

113g  / 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) cold butter/ magarine chopped into cubes                                                    

1/2 cup of oats

1 tbsp of golden brown sugar or confectioners sugar for sprinkling on the topping after baking

For the fruit filling

Approx 5 / 6 Braeburn or Granny Smiths / cooking apples, peeled, cored & quartered.  (  If using only apples use 6 / 7 )

1/2 punnet / (3oz)  of ripe whole blackberries

150g sugar

100ml of water

1/2 tspn cinnamon

60g unsalted butter

These measurements are enough for an 8 x 8 inch Pyrex dish .

Utensils:

Mixing bowl, 1 pyrex dish, a non-stick saucepan, peeler/slicer, wooden spoon and teaspoon for measuring, a wire rack

Method:

*Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4

For the fruit filling; Place the sugar and water in the saucepan and simmer over a medium heat for approx 10 mins until it becomes a toffee colour, stirring occasionally. Add the unsalted butter pieces slowly and stirring as you do so.

Lastly add the cinnamon.  Once the butter is completely melted in you will have a golden butterscotch sauce.

Add the apple pieces and let soften slightly in the sauce for approx 5 -8 mins stirring once or twice so as not to let the fruit stick to the pan  ( If you prefer more ‘bite’ to the apples reduce the time as they soften further  during the baking process of the crumble )  then spoon from the saucepan into your baking dish and tuck the blackberries here and there throughout.

For the crumble ; Sieve the flour into a bowl with the oats and rub in the butter / margarine with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix.  (In a warm kitchen it is best to do the crumble mixture after the fruit preparation as you don’t want the butter to melt or soften too much before it goes in the oven)

Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit and bake for approx 30 mins until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.  Sprinkle with golden brown sugar or confectioners sugar and let cool on a wire rack before serving with custard, vanilla ice-cream or cream

Chocolate Layer Cake

‘All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much’, a photo by .•۫◦۪°•OhSoBoHo•۫◦۪°• on Flickr.

A birthday wouldn’t be a birthday without a cake! So this year for my 28th birthday I decided to make a cake using a wonderful recipe that I adapted from a Mary Engelbreit book I bought in the Goodwill Store for $3!  I hadn’t made a cake like this before, or anything Mary Engelbreit for that matter (I recognised her name from her sweet illustrations)  It turned out scrumptious and was really easy to make!  I will definately make this again and again in the future, perhaps with a different frosting or an extra layer…O_O!

I used my best ingredients for this like a really good vanilla extract, Ghirardelli chocolate baking chips and my favourite baking cocoa Schaffen Berger  and oh boy it was totally worth it. The richness and chocolatey heaven of this cake is any chocolate lovers dream.

Serves 8 — 10

Ingredients:
For the cakes

185 g / 1 2/3 cups cup of plain flour

75 g / 2/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder – preferably Dutch processed cocoa powder

1 1/2 tspn baking powder

1/4 tspn salt

1/2 tspn baking soda

175 g / 3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

340 g / 1 1/2 cup sugar

3 large freerange eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract

330 g / 1 1/3 cups of sour cream

Utensils:

Two mixing bowls,whisk,spatula,wooden spoon(s), sieve, hand mixer (if possible) two 9-inch round cake tins

Method:

*Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4

Grease and flour the two 9 inch round cake tins

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt

In another mixing bowl, ‘cream’ the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (If using an electric mixer use a low speed)

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition followed by the vanilla extract.

Next add half of the flour and all of the sour cream. Continue blending everything well ( or beating on a low speed) and then add the remaining flour.

Pour the batter in the prepared tins and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.

Bake the layers for approx 30mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 mins before removing from the tins. Let cool completely on the racks while you prepare the frosting. (It is important for the cakes to be cooled before frosting as heat would just cause your frosting to melt)

                          

Ingredients:      

For the Sour Cream Fudge frosting ( makes 2 1/4 cups )

10 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces or coarsely chopped

330 g / 1 1/3 cups of sour cream

1 tspn vanilla extract

Utensils:

A heatproof bowl, saucepan, mixing bowl, wooden spoon and icing spatula

Method:

Over a medium heat melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl placed on a saucepan of water. Stirring occasionally until smooth.

Meanwhile in a bowl combine the sour cream and vanilla extract. Next gradually combine the chocolate and sour cream until smooth and shiny (If using an electric mixer use a medium setting)

Let stand for approx 20- 30 mins until room temperature and slightly thickened stirring once or twice.

Frosting Technique:

Before you begin, remember to brush away loose crumbs. Spread a layer of frosting over the first cake layer evenly but without reaching the edge as the weight of the top cake layer will do that for you once you centre it on top. Continue to spread the frosting smoothly using the icing spatula over the top of the cake and all around the sides. Finish by topping with chocolate sprinkles and last but not least enjoy!

Bon Iver

Bon Iver

Originally uploaded by .•۫◦۪°•OhSoBoHo•۫◦۪°•

Tonight we are going to see Bon Iver perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. Great band, great venue – we expect great things! I cannot wait- I really love Justin Vernons style of song writing and singing.

Hopefully I will get some decent snaps too (shh!)

my birthday poem

From my beloved on my twenty eight birthday
Such a talented and funny fellow he is ^_^

A Little Princess…it’s always tea-time

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone
My vintage teacup&saucer collection has begun. I am a keen tea brewer and drinker as anyone who knows me knows ^_^ I have been on the lookout for ages for one to kickstart ‘the collection’ and this little beauty is it, found in Goodwill for $2. A pink ‘Thomas Hughes and Sons Staffordshire – Avon Cottage China’. Aside from one teeny chip in the saucer it’s perfect. I don’t mind anyway. That’s part of it’s character now and I won’t enjoy it any less.