Archive
Saturday, 30 April 2011 - 2:25 pm
Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin – gross and mouthy comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate.
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
Friday, 29 April 2011 - 6:09 am
After some serious Googling, I’ve learned that Buttercream Icing is one of the most popular types of Icing and can be used for piping swirls on cupcakes and icing or filling cakes and it is so easy to make.
Ingredients
- 125g butter
- 120g vegetable shortening (link to post on ingredients)
- 3-6 cups of confectioners sugar (link to “)
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 1 tbsp of vanilla extract or powder / to taste
Method
- Use an electric mixer or beater to combine the butter and vegetable shortening in a big bowl for about 5-10 minutes until it is an off-white colour.
- Add the sugar and milk alternately until it is the right consistency.
- Add vanilla to taste
Tips
You can make Buttercream frosting without using vegetable shortening, but it is more likely to melt in hot weather. The VS adds stability to the butter and makes any piping you do sit much better than without. Some people say that adding VS gives the frosting a filmy and greasy taste but I nor anyone whose eaten my cupcakes have ever complained or noticed the difference.
For thick frosting, keep adding sugar
If you’ve never made Buttercream Frosting before, the perfect consistency for piping swirls or icing a cake is where it forms stable peaks or you can cut a knife through the mixture and it doesn’t immediately merge back together.
To get White Buttercream, use white vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract. It is much easier to control and is still quite strong.
Chocolate Buttercream
Add 140g melted chocolate. You may need to add more sugar to thickenyour consistency, or substitute chocolate for butter.
Cappuccino Buttercream
Melt 2 tbs of your favourite coffee in the least amount of water possible and combine with Buttercream
You may need to substitute some milk for the coffee mixture or add more sugar to thicken your consistency.
Whitening Buttercream
If your Buttercream is still a little bit yellow you can use food colouring to neutralize the yellow.
Separate a few spoonfuls of frosting into a separate bowl. Use a skewer and dab the tiniest bit of violet food colouring (I have started using gel, and the difference is amazing!) into the smaller bowl of frosting and mix in. If you don’t notice a change immediately, just keep adding small dabs. Be careful not to add too much because you could go the other way and end up with violet icing.
Storage
You can make Buttercream Frosting in advance, as long as you store it in an airtight container in your fridge for no more than 2 weeks. You will probably need to re-whip it again with an electric mixer
Wednesday, 20 April 2011 - 1:03 pm
It is SO easy to get stuck in a rut, to be so busy you don’t have time to slow down and remember to be grateful for all the amazing things we have in our lives – our health, intelligence, an abundance of food (toilets that flush!), hot water… the list goes on!
These are words I need to live by, because sometimes I get so caught up in dreaming about all the things that I want as opposed to all the things that I have, and here are some of the things I am grateful for (just to name a few) -
:: my fridge…the light might not work, it might be too small and have mood swings depending on how stocked it is and how hot the weather is..but it works, and it is more than most people have
:: my job…it might not be in my chosen career (I WILL GET THERE!) but it is still a job that I enjoy, that has flexible hours and pays well…it is more than most people have
:: my health.. I might not be as healthy as I ought to be or have the body I wish, but I don’t have any terminal illnesses or debilitating diseases..it is more than most people have
:: my boyfriend…okay he’s just perfect…and that is a lot more than most people have
Wednesday, 13 April 2011 - 6:16 am
Every year my boyfriend and I have a massive birthday party as we are only two days apart. Although we only have one party, its a huge one and this year I knew I would be making our own birthday cakes..I even took the day off work to make them!!
These are two tiered moist Chocolate Cake‘s filled with Buttercream Frosting in the middle, on the top/sides and the piping on the edge. The flowers are made of royal icing (coming soon) and the whole cake is covered in a crushed Cadbury Flake. YUM!
Monday, 11 April 2011 - 4:32 am
So this is about my sixth attempt at blogging can you believe it?! I thought I better put this back here right at the start, because it’s the first place I always go! Hopefully, this one will stick this time!! All the posts until about October/November 2011 are just imported from previous blogs, so have a look around and check some of them out but if you’re new to Bohemian Beautiful, you could try reading a little bit more about me or maybe one of my first proper posts here, what I define bohemianism as, some of my favourite bloggers and why, or more stories about my crazy (yet totally awesome, beautiful, smart, funny and loving) boyfriend!
Either way, no matter where you start I’m glad that you’re here and I’d love to meet you or say hi, so leave a comment anywhere and introduce yourself! I was really shy when I started blogging {read: still insanely anxious but soldiering on nevertheless}, but mostly everyone is really lovely, so don’t let that hold you back!
{Unless of course you are a raving lunatic, or you really don’t like me or my blog in which case you should just move on!}
xx Lecinda
