Drawing collage

Helloooooo, dears :) I guess long time, no post from my side, but I got back my inspiration and I will post more frequently from now on.
Sooo, my new "creation" is here, a drawing collage that I started it in May so by the time I actually had time to finish it in October, I forgot what inspired me in the first place.
But here it is and I hope you like it and write me comments :)


Different phases of the drawing:

And the final version:

And btw, one of my fav songs this year: 

Cake for moody days

Hello sweethearts :)
Long time since I posted here ... It has been such a busy period of time: master thesis to write/defend, job and besides a social life to take care about it.
Since the autumn started to squeeze in city and in our lives, I felt like I should indulge more my craving for sweets. Yes, yes, the diet can take a break now. So I came out with this recipe for cake, well, I don't know how much is mine or not. So let's see it :) Ah, and I can assure you it will be delicious because of chocolate and M&M's.

The ingredients you need:
200 grams flour (2 cups)
4 eggs
100 grams chocolate for cooking
50 grams coconut flakes
50 grams M&M's or more :)
50 grams raisins
1/2 cup of sugar
2-3 table spoons butter
2 table spoons cocoa
almond essence/ vanilla sugar
peel from one orange
baking paper
baking powder

First, you start by separating the yolks from the whites in bowl and then you mix well the white parts, till then become a foam. You can also add the sugar while mixing them.Like in the next picture:

You can cut the chocolate into small pieces, size and shape is not that important since it will melt inside.
Then in the other bowl, you mix the yolks with the rest of the sugar, the coconut flakes, the butter, 2-3 drops of essence, vanilla sugar and butter. You can add also the peel of orange and baking powder, but only after you mix it with a bit of lemon juice. Then you can add the flour and mix everything well. Next, you can mix with the white parts, slowly to obtain some sort of a paste. You separate like 1/3 of this mix and add the cacao.

It is the moment to prepare the tray: lay the baking paper inside and set the oven at 180 C degrees to allow it to get hot. Then you can start placing the cake in the tray, in the following manner: one layer of "white" mix, one layer of "brown" mix, the cacao one. Between them you add chocolate, raisins and M&M's. Be careful not to overload the cake with too much chocolate or M&M's since it is likely not to raise anymore. 

When you finish arranging the layers into tray, you can place it in the oven. In my over it was done in appx. 45 minutes, but depends. Don't check the cake in the first 15-20 minutes and don't open the door of the oven. 

When you want to check it, you can use the "stick" method - if the stick gets out clean, it means the cake is done. 

The final version should look like this or even better: 

Hope you enjoy the post and let me know if you try it :) I bet the M&M's will make a good impression among your friends and will bring biiig smiles :)

Kiss, kisses 

Dandelion dream

Hello my friends :) How is your weekend? Mine is sunny, from all perspectives. Here is my latest "creation" - dandelions and more dandelions. I hope you like it and I am looking forward to reading your comments.
I guess it's the only drawing/painting I have documented with so many photos, mainly because it took me quite a lot of time to get it to this final version. Enjoy and don't forget to let me know your opinions.
Kiss, kisses,

the sketch

in the middle of work, funny pic :)

and the final outcome :) 

some details

Wroclaw, city of dwarfs

Hello, dears! I have had a hectic period of time, relocating to a different country, new job, new people and slowly, slowly making new friends, as well. So that is why I decided to share with you some photos of the city I am now living in - Wroclaw. Being the 4th largest city in Poland, Wroclaw will soon captivate you and make you love every narrow street of the its old city center or new skyscrapers dominating the view. Whether you arrive here to study one Erasmus semester, work or visit, I am sure you will find plenty of wonderful attractions for everyone's taste. There are parks, gardens, islands, shopping centers, cathedrals, amazing bridges and buildings, great cuisine and thrilling pubs and night life :) 

What surprised me the first time I came here, was the multitude of small statues representing dwarfs - they are everywhere, from city center, next to churches, to bars and casinos. As I later found out they represent a symbol of the Orange Movement from 1980s and now they are literally everywhere :) 

One of the best things about Wroclaw is the geographical proximity to other important cities in EU and a wide range of flights, buses, trains which make possible to reach it fast and easily. If you are looking for cultural events - here is the place: almost every week there is something new to see - theater, movies, open-air cinema, concerts and festivals. I included some photos of my favorite cinema in Wroclaw - DCF. 

Hope I managed to raise you curiosity. Enjoy the photos and c u soon. Kisses,  

City center - Rynek

City hall

One of the new bus stations :) 

Shopping center Arkady 

New office building

Cinema DCF 

I always forget who is the "guy" :)

Shopping center Renoma 

View of the Opera house

Perhaps the creepiest statues in Wroclaw - called the Passage or Transition

And of course some dwarfs - they were next to a casino :)

Apple cake as a summer day :)

Hello, dears :) I have decided to share with you my journey in the kitchen, too. Since I have made a hobby out of cooking, I thought to post the recipes of the most appreciated dishes I have tried. So for this time, I choose the apple cake. Well, this time was apple cake but it can work with other fruits, as well: strawberries, apricots, forest fruits, etc. If you are a fan of fast cakes, this is the recipe for you. As a measure, I used the cup in the photos. Next time, promise to include photos from the making of, too. So here we go:

Ingredients: 

1.5 cup flour 
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla sugar 
grated peel from one lemon 
2 tablespoons sour cream fat at least 34% 
2-3 pinches of cinnamon  
1 pinch of salt 
1 teaspoon of baking powder
5 medium size apples  
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Time required: 

15 minutes to prepare it
45 minutes in the oven at 180° C
30 minutes to eat it (kidding :)) 

First thing is to set the temperature of the oven at about 100° C to get it hot, because the preparation time is rather short. Wash and cut the apples into pieces, as big as you like them, do not peel them. Pour a bit of lemon juice on them to avoid the oxidation. In two plastic bowls, separate the white part from the yolks. Add the pinch of salt on the white parts of eggs and mix/whisk them very very well, until they become  like a foam that is not leaking out from the bowl, if you turn the bowl upside-down :) This is one of the secrets of this cake. While you mix the white part you can add half of the cup of sugar, gently. In the other bowl, add the rest of sugar on the yolks, mix them, well, this time with a regular wooden spoon, not mixer. Start adding the flour, slowly, step by step. Then add the vanilla sugar, the lemon peel, cinnamon, and sour cream. In a small cup put the baking powder and add lemon juice on top, mix it for a couple of seconds then add it on the rest of ingredients. This whole dough will get more difficult to stir it, but no worries, once you start to add the white parts, things will get easier. Do not use the mixer when you add the mixed white parts on top of the other ingredients. Use only the wooden spoon and try to incorporate the white parts gently. This will help the cake to rise and to be fluffy at the end. 
Prepare the tray as it is more convenient to you: you can use baking paper or you can try to use a bit of butter for the bottom and walls of the tray, then add bread crumbs. 
Lay a layer of apples on the bottom and then lay a layer of the dough, then add another layer and so on till you finish both the apples and the dough. 
Place it in the oven, set the temperature for 180° C and leave it there, for about 40-45 minutes, depending on your  oven. One important thing: do not open the oven's door in the next 15 minutes. If you want to check if it is done, use a toothpick to see how the cake is in the middle. If the toothpick gets out clean, it is time to switch off the oven. Then, another important advice, do not take out the cake immediately, try to leave the oven's door barely open for another 5 minutes, then open it at about 1/2 of the whole range. The heat from inside will maintain your cake soft and fluffy :) 
After it gets colder you can serve it next to whip cream or ice cream or eat it just like that. 
Bon appetit :) 

P.S: Let me know if you tried this recipe :)  

Quick sketch (drawing)

Hello dears :) The longest day of year just passed .... Hope you had a lovely time celebrating Midsommar. No time for chilling here, many things to do and time is not my ally, as always. Still, I find some moments to sketch something, although, not on proper paper. Please ignore my writing on the background of drawing :)

Coming soon another post with photos from my latest trip to a lovely city from Poland, Wroclaw. So stay tuned. Kisses, 

B.B. inspired (drawing/painting)

Hello, boys and girls! I hope you are doing fine, passed all exams, presentations, theses and you are preparing for a well deserved rewarding holiday. I am trying to enlighten your day with my new "art-work" , a woman portrait inspired by a photo of Brigitte Bardot. Hope you like it and enjoy the song as well, one of my fav.  Please let me know your thoughts. Kiss, kisses

Cross (drawing)

Hello my dears,

I have thought a lot of writing this post, since I am busy with my master thesis and I do not quite have time to draw something new. Luckily I found an old drawing I made looong time ago, it is a reproduction of the Cross in the Mountains of Caspar David Friedrich (1807). I cannot say I am absolutely in love with this style, but at that moment and even now, I like the calm and serenity which flow out of this painting. Here is the link of the original artwork: http://www.caspardavidfriedrich.org/Cross-in-the-Mountains-(Tetschen-Altar).html.
Enjoy and don't forget to share your thoughts with me,

xx

Brussels, Europe's chocolate heart

Hello, dear ones :) Hope you spent the Easter Holidays lovely and enjoyed the warmth of spring.
I had a wonderful time in Brussels for a couple of days, surrounded by the magical atmosphere of this city.
Brussels vibrates multiculturalism and breaths non-conformity from its special architecture style, to the variety of chocolates, pubs, theaters, museums and fashion spots.
Just to give you an idea of the thrilling experience you can have in Brussels, here are some inspiring photos:

but chocolate helps:  

xx 

Springtime is here :) (drawing)

Hola chicos y chicas! Today is such a warm sunny day that I cannot stop thinking of summer holiday, seaside and beach :) It is time to renew our wardrobe and share smiles with our dear ones. Go outside, let yourselves caressed by the light of sun and enjoy the fragrance of the blossoming trees :) I have already started it with my drawing. Be happy and true to our dreams, 

XX   

P.S: Write me how you are planning to celebrate 1st of May - International Labour Day