Gnocchis

My hubby has a faible for experimental food. So he always wanted to make Gnocchis by himself. Last weekend he finally managed. It was a lot of work and in the end the taste was alright but not spectacular. So I would still go for the supermarket version. But he loved it. He even wants to try again because this time they were a bit too soft and he thinks adding more flour could do the trick... we are waiting for the next session to find out!
Here is a Gnocchi recipe if you would like to give it a try too:
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-gnocchi

The hour before sunrise

Now that I am getting up at all times during the night for feeding my little girl I had the chance to watch the city during the magic hour before sunrise. The lights of the skyscrapers remind me of a painting by Paul Klee...

Rhubarb & yogurt tartelets

If you have no time at all but still would like to impress someone with a self-made cake then this is the right stuff for you. All you need is a few tartelets (from Marks&Spencers or your local bakery), some creamy yogurt or custard cream and a few fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries etc. or as in this picture just take rhubarb compote. Fill the tartelets with the yogurt or cream and decorate them on top with the fresh fruits. It's ready in less than five minutes and absolutely delicious!

Hong Kong Buildings

These are a few shots of Hong Kong buildings I have taken lately. I like the graphic design feel about them.

top: IFC, Central
middle: Jardine House, Central
bottom: Cityplaza, Tai Koo

Kitchen impressions

My little girl is sleeping so I had time to do a few shots in the kitchen. Actually it looks as if we are very lucky with the baby because she is feeding and sleeping well. She only wakes up once in the night around four hours after being fed and then she sleeps for another four hours. So I am actually not too exhausted and tired. And during the day she is also sleeping a lot. So that I can start doing little projects again. Like the kitchen one. I hope you will enjoy them!

We are family

Our little star has arrived. She was born on Mother's day! Our days are now filled with nappy changing and feeding. But it's a pleasure...

Crochet baby jacket

Another project for my little one. I saw a similar jacket at H&M but they didn't have small sizes. So I took some leftover wool and made one on my own. It's made of two rectangular pieces for the arms, one rectangular piece for the back with a neckline built-in and two rectangular pieces for the front, also with a V-neckline. I used one of the jackets I had bought her as pattern for the right size. At first it looked a bit like a Japanese Kimono. But then I also crocheted a cord so that it got a bit more shape. The crochet pattern is three double crochets in one chain then leave one space and put three double crochets into the next chain again and so forth. You start the row with one double crochet, then leave one space and then start with the three double crochets in one chain. Finish the row off with three double crochets in one chain, one space and one double crochet at the end. I am always a bit experimental when crocheting so I didn't note down the number of chains for each piece. But it depends on the yarn thickness anyway so telling you a number would probably not help.

At home

A few more shots while practising with the camera... These were about shutter speed and ISO settings. Still need to experiment with the other settings...

Rhubarb compote

I love rhubarb but unfortunately it's hard to find in Hong Kong. But then last weekend I found fresh rhubarb in the supermarket and yesterday I turned it into rhubarb compote. Yum! Add vanilla sauce or vanilla yogurt and you are in rhubarb heaven...
All it takes is some fresh rhubarb, cleaned and cut into pieces. Then simply add a bit of sugar and water and cook it until the pieces "dissolve". It doesn't take very long so don't let it cook for too long.

Acrylic paintings for the kitchen

A little ago I painted these collages on canvas. They spice up my kitchen. They are made of acrylic paint and magazine clippings. I don't know why but I am a lot into yellow these days...

Home Decor photo shooting

Yesterday I practised a bit to take photos in our home. I want to upload a photo for the Interior Style group on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/groups/interiorstyling/pool). But first I need a bit more practise...
It was good fun and I know my camera a little bit better now. But I still need to experiment more with shutter time etc.

Deer still life

I set up this still life with deer to store and showcast my necklaces. I found the deer at the Cat Street Market around the corner from where I live. Not sure whether it's really Asian. But maybe animal figurines are one aspect Asian and European cultures have in common. Isn't worshipping nature the very beginning of every religion or culture?