I love coincidences ☺

Hi guys! :)
How's your week-end going?Hope you're enjoying a sunny,warm day..I'm typing this as I listen to the rain .The weather in this part of the world has been unusually moody and rainy .

We did have a couple of nice days this week and I took advantage of that by going on a 2 day long hike with my father.You probably don't know this but I'm a big hiking fan(it probably has something to do with growing up seeing the forest everyday ..just a guess :p).

We planned on going to the highest peak in Romania which is Moldoveanu Peak (2544 m).The peak is located in Fagaras Mountains (now for a little bit of a geography lesson ^^) in the Carpathians. What really struck me about these mountains,or this peak to be more specific,is that we met more foreigners than Romanians.Apparently , people come from other continents to see the peak.It was really interesting to see different kinds of coins that people left there or reminders that they have been there.

We started climbing on Wednesday at 10 or so in the morning and it took us approximately 8 hours to get to to the place where we would spend the night before leaving for the peak the next day.It was an extremely tiring experience seeing as I was not "fit".The last time I had went hiking was more than a month earlier and it wasn't as difficult.Still,pain or no pain,we made it to the hut in one piece and I couldn't be more grateful for a hot soup and a bed.I do admit it was one of the most cold and uncomfortable beds I have ever slept in but ,hey,in those circumstances it was a luxury hotel.

Can you see the hut?It looks so tiny :D

The main reason why I wanted to spend a night in the mountains was to see the sunrise from up there.So,consequently,after taking a walk(more like an obstacle ride) along the lake shore next to the hut,we went to sleep at about 9 .

The lake in the morning

The sun trying to peak from behind the clouds

We woke up at 6 or so in the morning  and climbed our way to the peak accompanied by a dog and really cold/windy/foggy weather. The rest is just a whirlwind of excitement,snow,fear,intense pain,happiness and gratitude.

Our companion that we shared lunch with

I broke my record of walking/hiking 12 hours in a day  as I managed to walk for almost 14 hours.Both my dad and I were limping like we had just come from some sort of war by the time we reached the city where we left our car.But we still had 2 km to go and I was already feeling like I was about to give up and just doze off and sleep in the middle of the road for the night. 

Thank God,I did not give up and a really kind man gave us a ride for the last 2 km.

Now,to the second story:the one about coincidences. I really love them,and this time a coincidence helped a lady find her dogs .

On our way up,on Wednesday, a kilometer or so from the place we parked our car,we ran into 3 dogs in the middle of the forest.They looked well-groomed and two of them had leashes,so we just assumed some evil person abandoned them there because he didn't want them anymore.One of them was hurt and it was crying all the time.They started following us and eventually we gave them food and became best friends :D They were our companions for five hours until we reached this hut :

That was when we  ran into a herd of sheep and two herdsmen.My dad thought it was best to talk to the herdsmen and convince them to keep the dogs there.At least they would have food and a place they belonged to.They didn't follow us after that.

Two of the dogs

On Thursday(the next day),as we reached a village,after 13 hours of walking,I decided to stop and sit on a rock.Just then, a car stopped next to us and the woman who was driving asked us if we hadn't seen a dog.

We said no.My dad asked how it looked and then the woman described 3 brown dogs.They were 3?If only the woman knew where her dogs were now. My dad explained everything and the woman looked relieved but still concerned as her dogs were so far away. Apparently,her nephews released the dogs from their leashes and they ran away ..

It's just amazing to think that if we hadn't run into the dogs that day and walked on that road at the same time the woman was driving on it the next day,no way on Earth would she have ever found them.I just hope she or someone close to her climbs up to that hut and gets the dogs back.

Amazing how some things work out,no?

Sweet 'n' Sour :Lemon Cupcakes Recipe

Hello,darlings! On this cold Monday afternoon I thought about sharing another cupcake recipe.I really like the taste of lemon in a cupcake .This is perfect for enjoying on a hot summer afternoon on the beach with a glass of whatever you fancy :) But honestly,it's tasty no matter the season.

Now that I'm finally over with all the exams and have just started my 3 month long vacation,I will be cooking/baking more but most of all ,travel :) That's what summer is for.

Moving on now..this is what you need for your lovely lemon cupcakes:

• 250 grams of all- purpose flour(250 grame faina)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder(1 lingura praf de copt)
• a pinch of salt( un varf de cutit de sare)
• 240 ml milk( 240 ml lapte)
• the zest of 2 lemons( coaja a 2 lamai)
• 60 ml lemon juice(60 ml suc de lamaie)
• 4 egg- whites( 4 albusuri)
• 300 grams of granulated sugar(300 grame zahar granulat)
• 115 grams of butter( 115 grame unt)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract( 1 lingurita extract de vanilie)

If you have everything ready , what are you waiting for? Let's start mixing everything :P
First of all,preheat your oven.I preheat mine a couple of minutes before putting the  cupcake batter in because my oven doesn't show the temperature.(I have an ancient oven).

Steps:

1. Mix the flour,baking powder and salt.(Amestecati  faina,praful de copt si sarea)
2. In another bowl,mix the milk,lemon juice and egg whites .(In alt vas,amestecati laptele,sucul de lamaie si albusurile)
3. In bowl number 3,mix the lemon zest with the sugar.Add the butter,take a hand mixer and mix for about 3 minutes.Add the vanilla extract.(In vasul numarul 3,amestecati coaja de lamaie cu zaharul.Adaugati untul si amestecati cu mixerul in jur de 3 minute.Adaugati extractul de vanilie)
4. In bowl number 3,pour one third of the flour and mix.Then pour one half of the milk-lemon juice-egg-whites mixture and mix yet again.Then pour another third of the flour,the other half of the milk mixture and  finally the last part of the flour-baking powder-salt mixture.Make sure to mix well anytime you add .(In vasul #3,turnati o treime din faina si amestecati.Apoi turnati jumatate din amestecul de lapte ,suc de lamaie si albusuri si amestecati din nou.Turnati a doua treime din faina,cealalta jumate din lapte si la sfarsit ultima treime faina.Nu uitati sa amestecati bine dupa fiecare adaugare.)
5. Mix everything one more time at the end.(Amestecati totul onca o data la sfarsit)
6. Pour the batter in cupcake liners and put them in your preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.( Turnati compozitia in hartii pentru briose si puneti-le  in cuptorul preincalzit in jur de 18 minute sau pana cand scobitoarea iese curata)

Result ☺

Enjoy your cupcake!

Portrait: Shakira

Hi guys!
I finally went through my portrait "collection" a couple of days ago and added a new one of Shakira.
Looking back on the first portraits I've ever made I see a big difference between my most recent ones and the old ones. I'm really happy to see this development :)
There are portraits I can't even look at without saying "How could I have even posted this on my blog?It's so bad !" :)

But ,hey, people learn from their mistakes (or they should) and I'm aware that I still have a lot of mistakes to correct.

Anyways,without further ado, this is my portrait of Colombian singer Shakira:

I'm also running out of inspiration for which celebrity I should draw next. I know,I know,  there are plenty of celebrities out there but it would mean more to me if I draw someone you would really like to see.

So please leave requests in the special section in the menu or by leaving a comment down below.

Thanks for checking out my blog and have a peaceful and relaxing  Sunday !

The artist in us!(Gift idea)

I think I'm not mistaken when I say that most of us were "artists" when we were children.I remember it was so fascinating to take a colored pencil and draw something that didn't resemble what I wanted to draw at all :)

It is such a nice feeling when a child comes up to you with his or her drawing and proudly explains what each and everything is and looks at it as if it's a masterpiece.My definition of art is the will to create beauty out of anything.
I will start a series of posts about some nice gift ideas for that special someone in your life.
I started my blog as an "arts" blog,focusing on my portraits and other drawings. I remember drawing the first portrait I posted on my blog on Christmas Eve 2011. :)

Today,I can suggest you a gift that would bring a smile on the face of both children and adults.

Brookstone has this really awesome art set that is definitely suitable for children and grown-ups.You could give it as a present to your 6 year old nephew or niece,your teenage daughter or your artist friend.It is recommended for ages 3 and up and the great thing is that the colors are all non-toxic.
The set contains  18 colored pencils,8 watercolors cakes ,12 oil pastels, a sharpener and an eraser.

I remember loving oil pastels when I was a kid.It didn't matter how messy I would get after using them. I always used  them on my coloring books or just to scribble on a piece of paper.Then, when I got older I switched to colored pencils,which I still use now for my portraits.

I think this is a really fun,creative gift.I really love gifts that mean something to the person you're giving them to.I would get more excited for this than for chocolates or wine or home decorations :)

Maybe you will take this into consideration next time you have a birthday or a big event coming up.Bring a smile to an artist's face ! :)

My favorite crepes recipe!

Hello and happy Monday to you! :)
The week has just started and I have my first exam tomorrow.What plans do you have for this week?

Sometimes,when I'm in the mood for something sweet and quick to make,I opt for crepes( a thinner kind of pancake).There are many recipes for crepes out there but this is the one that I like.You will need:

• 240 ml milk(240 ml lapte)
• 2 tablespoons of  granulated sugar(2 linguri zahar)
• 1 teaspoon of salt( 1 lingurita sare)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract(1 lingurita extract de vanilie)
• 3-4 teaspoons of yogurt(3-4 lingurite iaurt)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest(1 lingurita coaja de lamaie)
• 110 grams of all purpose flour(110 grame faina)
• 1 egg(1 ou)

Now that you have these,mix them all in a bowl until you get a mixture with the consistency of a more liquid cream.Heat some oil in a pan and pour a ladleful of the mixture in the pan.Then you know the drill :)
You will have about 6 crepes resulting from the mixture.
RO:Amestecati totul intr-un vas pana cand obtineti un amestec de consistenta unei smanatani mai lichide.Incalziti niste ulei inr-o tigaie si puneti cate un polonic din amestec.Ar trebui sa va iasa cam 6 clatite.

Fill it with whatever you want and dig in!:D