7.16.2009

love: red balloon

there is something so intrinsically whimsical about balloons.
up until my 12th birthday, my parents ensured i had the helium-filled staple at every birthday party.
on my 4th birthday, i tied my little ziggy toy to my balloon string hoping it would serve as a weight so my balloon wouldn't fly away.
but alas, it wasn't heavy enough and off it went with ziggy in tow.
sometimes, thoughts of their whereabouts still come into my mind like a lazy, old balloon paying the ground a visit...
---
albert lamorisse


banksy uk


blanca gomez


flickr: bello uccello

7.15.2009

touch: paper & wood art

by lizzie thomas


a surprise of delicate paper cut-outs "inspired by the 'hidden seasons' of japan and scottish highlands" unfold from hinged wooden boxes.

neat right?

taste: ice cream cupcakes

i love cupcakes, ice cream, and martha stewart.
i am not great at baking, but most of the time, it turns out pretty good.
i can't wait to try and make these.
(mostly i think it's a genius excuse to eat cupcakes and gelato at once).


What you need:
(makes 4 dozen mini cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk
14 cup + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

4 pints ice cream and gelato, slightly softened

What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixer bowl. Transfer bowl to mixer, and add egg, yolk, water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until mixture is well combined and smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. Divide batter among liners, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks for 30 minutes. Invert cupcakes onto racks, and let cool completely. (Cupcakes can be stored for up to 3 days.)
4. using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, press a scoop of ice cream or gelato on top of each cupcake.

---
this morning, i got into a car accident.
i am ok.
our poor car is not.

see: sand, sea, sky

jeffrey monteiro beautifully captures the feel of summer and its quintessential elements in airy pieces of pale sand, deep navy, and sky blue...


and somewhere else, elisabeth captures snippets of her daily life as an artist and mother...





i would very much like to pay the ocean a visit.
i hope i get a chance before summer ends.

7.14.2009

welcome

to twig+willow.
this is my new little blog about people, places, and things i love most.
---

1st post...
test mic, 1,2...