week 09

week 09 | Easter fun

According to the Sunday Times, this Easter is the hottest ever! It reached about 27°C where we live. I am not a fan of hot weather but do enjoy a bit of sunshine. The garden has been our permanent hang out place this weekend. We have had neighbours over for a late evening gathering, meals and enjoyed reading the Sunday papers. 

Every year, James and I celebrate Easter by the mean of over indulging in giant chocolate eggs. I wanted to be slightly healthier this year and attempted in making hot cross buns. The buns might not have been pretty but they were definitely tasty!

As you can see, I couldn't help putting up a picture inspired by Easter. Some of you might wonder what kind of egg this is. Well, it's a Chinese Century egg! Hope you are all having a great weekend with your friends and family.

birthday tradition

12th birthday
ps: my hairstyle's definitely improved since then! :)

Every family has their own tradition way in celebrating birthdays. What is yours? 

Growing up, my family was not big on birthday presents but mum always made sure everyone had a birthday cake on their special day. There would also be some red tinted hard boiled eggs, coconut flavoured agar-agar (a vegetarian alternative to gelatine) and mum's yummy cooking. 

It was my birthday yesterday and I realised I have only celebrated my birthday with mum twice in nearly 20 years! I really miss her and the sweet little things she does for us. My fiancé has finally taken on the tradition and did a wonderful job in making my day extra special. (Yes, darling. 10 out of 10!) I will definitely carry on this little tradition in our family.

Once again, thank you all for the lovely gifts and messages. I had a smashing time!

Fe xo

week 08

week 08 | crunch time

It's taken a while to finish my last assignment for the distance learning photography course at the Open College of the Arts. For this assignment, I had to illustrate a story for a magazine and the idea of food photography sprung up immediately. 

Preparation for the shoot was a mammoth task every time and using my back garden as my studio might not be a cleaver idea after all. My cheap and flimsy backdrop collapsed from a bit of wind, I must have looked like a clown juggled between saving the cookies and my camera. 

I got about a handful of potentials so far. I think an early start for me tomorrow and get it done so I can play with P. Nite nite all xo

week 07

week 07 | Spring breathes a new life to us all

Hello bloggy friends. I saw these lovely Ranunculus at the local florist a few days ago and couldn't resist getting some for my kitchen window sill. There is something about them that screams Spring.

all you need is love

When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew 

William Shakespeare

I really love Valentine's Day. I think it's the anticipation of reading the sweet messages on the card  from my other half. Or maybe it is the one time I allow myself to indulge in chocolate. So are you in love? How are you celebrating it with your love ones?

week 06

week 06 | the smell of Spring is in the air

Have you made your first trip of the year to the local garden centre yet? You may soon be wanting some pretty perennials for your hanging basket or fertiliser for your lawn to get it ready for the Summer. A little tip if you are buying compost, make sure the bag has no algae on it. It is normally a sign of last year's stock and it should be avoided as its nutrients may have deteriorated. 

Forecast for the weekend isn't great for our little road trip to Somerset and Wales. I still hope to   be able to take some pictures though and share it with you. We have set up a few viewing appointments for a wedding venue and fingers crossed that we find the one! 

Have a lovely weekend!

week 05

week 05 | the year of calm, kind, loving and fun

I can't remembered the last time I celebrated Chinese New Year with my family. However, James and I managed to have a little celebration of our own for the last couple of years by having some dim sum at our regular Chinese restaurant.

For those who are not too familiar, the Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals.  The date of Chinese New Year changes from year to year and it corresponds to the new moon in either late January or February. This year, 03 February marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year and it is the year of the Rabbit.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous bunny new year. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

week 04

week 04 | inner beauty

Hello and happy Sunday! 

My macro lens has looked so beautiful being displayed in a cupboard since I got it a few months ago. Deep down I thought if I studied enough macro shots as a result my pictures would improve somehow. I neglected the fun aspect of experimenting with a new lens and the possibilities that it can achieve.

With the weather being so grim this morning, it was the perfect opportunity for some indoor still life shots. The new miniature orchid that I bought from the local supermarket last week came in handy. I am generally far more comfortable taking pictures of people and P and get bored easily with the set up process for a still life. However, I really wanted to share with you the beauty of this little orchid the way I see it. 

I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I do.

week 03

week 03 | nature is beautiful

I remember when we were touring in Scotland last Summer and thought the beach pebbles were really pretty. I adore the lovely shapes and colours of each pebble. James had fun skimming the little flat ones across the water with a big smirk on his face whilst I struggled. We now have a little foot path along our garden filled with these beautiful pebbles. I can't wait for warmer days to come to kick start the first barbecue for the year. 

week 02

week 02 | gardening is fun

A week ago our garden was a pile of mud and concrete. We are fortunate to have a very talented gardener working hard for the past week to transform it into a little Japanese inspired garden that I have always wanted. 

These buxus balls were planted neatly along one side of the garden today. I love these little living sculptures. They should bring me lots of joy when it is time for a hair cut!

2011

week 1 | a crackling new year

Hope you all had a very good 2010 and this year is full of wonderful surprises!

We celebrated Christmas at James parents' house in Dorset and had a great time. P got spoilt with gifts and enjoyed the extra attention from everyone. She would do anything for a bit of neck and tummy tickles!

New Year's Eve was a quiet one at home. Watching the fireworks on tv in the comfort of home definitely beats standing in the crowds and cold. For the past few days I have thought about what I achieved in 2010 as well as noted down a few things that I need to work on. Here is the list:

* PS 365 I fell off the wagon half way through when I got involved in craft fairs and some other commitments. So I have challenged myself with something a bit more manageable this year, Project 52. I should be able to keep up with 52 photos a year!

* Stop procrastinating!

* Be an early bird

* Be a more loving person

* Work hard and play hard!

So cheers to the New Year and here's to another chance to get it right this time!

sweet memory

Can you guess which is me?

This is my favourite picture of me and my sis, Qunnie. I guess we must have been about 1-2 years old. Both of us have been living in different parts of the world since we were teenagers. I lived far far away in the Southern hemisphere for over 12 years whilst she was in America.

My sis recently got married to a lovely husband that spoils her rotten! I don't do too bad either considering the amount of pressies that I get from them throughout the year.

Growing up, a lot of friends from school didn't know we had a sister since we went to different schools and don't look much alike at all. Thanks to Skype, we now get to 'see' each other and chat on a regular basis. Her and the husband may finally visit us in Spring next year. It will be so much fun!

PS: Stay tuned for a more recent pic of us together.

last one standing

It was a bit of an unusual foggy day we had today. Since I attempted foggy landscape photography in the past without much luck, I quickly grabbed my gear and run out the door after breakfast this morning. 

I have had the Nikon 105mm marco lens for several weeks now and it had been dying to come out and play. So today was the best opportunity really when it was too foggy to get a decent landscape shot. I quickly turned my attention to the very last few of Autumn leaves that were still hanging off the branches. 

There are a few big square Ikea photo frames on our wall in the lounge and still have no pictures in them since we put them up 6 months ago! I had troubles finding a picture (out of my 10,000+ collection) that I could crop in a square format and like. I have a feeling this could be a strong contender. 

sleeping beauty

Every time I look at this little sleeping beauty, it makes me feel calm even though I am not a religious person. October was very hectic month and it doesn't look like it is going to slow down before Christmas. 

I guess everyone is on the same boat, trying to cramp in as much as possible before end of the year. However, you should always try to carve out sometime each day just for 'yourself'. It can be anything from 5 minutes to as long as your schedule will allow! 'My time' often involves listening to one of my favourite tunes or going for a walk in an open field and just breath in the fresh air.

We are often under pressure on a daily basis that we take our breathing for granted. Slowing your breathing is such a simple way to relax yourself. There is no trick to it, really! 

Get out there and enjoy the beautiful Autumn colours!

a good day

I am a strong believer in  starting the day with a good breakfast. Here is my favourite granola recipe that I would like to share with you.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA

• 125g Butter
• 150ml Honey
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 500g A variety of oats
• a handful Flaked almonds
• a handful Chopped nuts
• 5 tablespoon Desiccated coconut, slightly toasted
• 200g Dried fruits (my personal favourites are figs, apricots or banana chips for some crunch!)
• 2 handful Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 140°C on fan

2. Heat butter, honey, vanilla gently in a pan

3. Mix all other ingredients, except the dried fruits in large mixing bowl

4. Combine the melted butter well with the dry ingredients

5. Spread out into 2 large flat baking trays and bake for 25 minutes, mixing every 5 minutes to avoid clumps

6. Remove from oven and mix every 5 minutes until cool

7. Mix in dried fruits once cold

8. The granola will keep in an air tight container up to 2 weeks

9. Eat it with your favourite plain or Greek yoghurt with a drizzle of honey. ENJOY!!

This is so easy to make and definitely smell and taste nicer than the ones that come in a box. I hope you like it as much as I do.

i heart b+w

Summer came and went so quickly. I had a wonderful time and hope you did too! A quick update on what I have been up to since my last post:

         +  2-week road trip to Scotland in a caravan with James and P

         +  Attended my sister's second wedding dinner in our hometown, Kota Kinabalu. A gorgeous 

             city situated in the tropical island of Borneo.

         +  Did my first baby photoshoot recently

         +  Started volunteering at a non-profit school for photography

         +  Processed my first black and white print

         +  Signed up to a couple Xmas Fayres. Your chance to buy some of Fiona E. newest products  

             and many other lovely handmade products. Do come and say hello. =)

             SAVE THE DATES!!! 

             12 November | 0900 - 1200 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre

             08 December | 1900 - 2130 | Berkhamsted Town Hall

So here's a picture of my first black and white print from some negatives that I inherited from mum during my visit to Malaysia early this month. The negatives are at least 35 years old and in very good condition. The couple in the picture are my mum and dad, must have been taken at one of their dates.

That's all for now. I promise there will be more updates very soon. Keep checking back!!

a basketball story

My mum will be 60 next year but she definitely hasn't lost her basketball moves!! Mum, James and I enjoyed a few games of basketball during our stay in Michigan. Mum played for her school team many years ago; however she wasn't exactly thrilled when I joined a basketball team. She would rather have me excel academically but basketball was an essential part of my life and I was good at it. I used to come up with some lame excuses that I had to stay late after school so I could joined the team practice. I don't know when was the last time mum picked up a basketball but this recent encounter certainly reminded her some good old times.

banana + raspberry smoothie

I am a big fan of yummy cold treats during the Summer and smoothie is definitely on top of the list. Every time I do my food shopping, I always make sure there are plenty of fruits and vegetables in my basket. They come in handy on a day like today when I am fighting the heat. Here's one that I made today and the recipe to share:

    + 1 semi ripened banana

    + a small handful of raspberries

    + 2 tablespoon of natural yoghurt

    + ½ cup pineapple juice

E N J O Y !!!

P is 1

Our precious little girl turned 1 today! I still remember the very first time when we took Princess home and she has since brought us so much joy and love. She can be very cheeky at times and has a bit of a fetish for chewing tissue, otherwise she is a little angel and a patient model. 

Name:                      Princess

Pedigree Name:         Angelica Honey

Breed:                      Shih Tzu

D.O.B.:                     22.07.2009

Favourite Food:          Mama's home cooked Chicken Drumsticks, Carrot and Brown Rice

Favourite Toy:           A lion soft toy

Specialty:                 Fetching frisbees, shaking hands and giving cuddles

don't eat to live but live to eat!

I am a self-proclaimed foodaholic and my motto is don't eat to live but live to eat! My food dream is to try other cuisines whenever possible and it doesn't just stop right there. I also have a passion for cooking and baking; the pictures are often share on my Flickr.

For those who haven't stumbled upon Aran Goyoaga's blog, you should definitely check it out. She is such a talented photographer and food stylist; I have been a fan for quite sometime. You can find the above Chocolate Crinkles recipe here.

So if you love your food as much as I do, I would love to hear some of your food dreams! Happy Cooking! Happy Baking!!


PS: Sis, thanks for getting me those baker's twine. It's going to last me for a life time!!