Fruit Smoothies

Recently my parents bought a food processor, which totally made my day because I've been wanting to make homemade smoothies for a really long time. The food processor comes with a blender, perfectly suitable for making smoothies. I've tried some smoothie recipes I found online, but finally I decided to make my own. 

Ingredients:

75 gram frozen fruit
1 glass yoghurt or buttermilk
1 tablespoon white sugar



I start by choosing the fruit I want to use. I buy the frozen fruit in the grocery store. I'm currently using raspberry's and mango, but any fruit will do. The frozen fruit has to be defrosted, which means you'll either defrost it in the microwave or take it out of the freezer before making the smoothie.

I'm not using any measurements, because I'm adding as much or as little as I want (depending on what I want the smoothie to taste like). Thus the measurements in this blogpost are an estimate. I'm adding about 75 gram of frozen fruit and I'm putting this directly in the blender.



I'll either use yoghurt or buttermilk as the liquid base for the smoothie. I usually pour one glass of in the blender, but you can add more if you'd like to. I love the taste of buttermilk in the smoothie, because it's a little bit more sour. However the yoghurt makes the smoothie thicker, which is a great option as well.



Finally I add one tablespoon of sugar to make the smoothie a little bit tastier. If you'd like the smoothie to be healthier, you won't need to add any sugar. If you're sugar crazy, than by any means, add as much as you'd like!



Start the blender and blend the ingredients for about one minute. Check the taste and consistency of the smoothie and either add more fruit, milk or sugar or pour the smoothie into a glass!




Enjoy! Leave a comment below telling me your favourite smoothie recipe or flavour!

Using a Dummy

I'm currently in my third year of college, but I remember one of the things I learned in my first year very well. Our teacher introduced us to 'dummy's'. The week before we'd talked about our creativity, our thoughts, ideas and inspiration. We concluded that taking a shower, traveling, driving or other moments where you mind can run free are common places to get ideas. Personally I either wake up with an idea or get them whilst showering.

A dummy is essentially a way to keep and store inspiration, ideas and thoughts. My dummy's are often Moleskin notebooks (blank paper). I prefer a neutral dummy (black, brown) with a reasonable size. Big enough to draw and sketch in, small enough to carry around.



Using a dummy can become really 'addictive'. You'll find yourself going everywhere with the dummy, putting it next to your bed when you're going to sleep, writing, drawing and doodling when you have the time to. But that's a good thing, it means you're 'doing it right', you're utilizing the concept of keeping a dummy.



One thing I had to learn about the use of a dummy, is to not set expectations or limitations. I'm naturally a bit of a perfectionist and I like my things to be structured and organized. A dummy isn't supposed to be 'perfect'; because that would mean that there are good and bad thoughts, ideas and inspiration. A dummy is the ideal place to let go, write everything down, draw (even if you feel like you can't), be creative, be messy and open-minded. Also, don't be harsh on yourself when you've had a couple of days (or weeks) without any ideas or thoughts for your dummy; that's perfectly fine, you'll get new ideas or inspiration sooner or later.



If you're in school, if you're creative or if you want to experiment with your creativity and thought process; buy a notebook (preferably with blank paper), and start to write down any ideas or thoughts you have. Draw, doodle or sketch what's currently on your mind and paste anything that inspires you into your dummy. Not only is it a great way to keep track of your ideas, it's a good way to feed your creativity and see how your thoughts develop over time.

Let me know where or when you get ideas! @catiemccartney 

Actioncode for Printagreat & DIY Wall Idea

This is your lucky day! The amazing people at Printagreat read my last blogpost and gave me a special actioncode to give away! So if you're interested in purchasing a pack of your Instagram photos, you can use the code 'catie' for a special discount! If you purchase any packs at the website tweet them a 'thank you' @printagreat to let them know you appreciate it!

As I said in my last blogpost, I've ordered my second package with 20 photos. It came two days later and this is what it looked like!

My photos came in this small square box with the Printagreat colours and logo on the outside.

I love it when packages are creative and beautifully wrapped. This package holds itself together without any glue or tape. The way this is made makes this package reusable, which is great when you want to store your photos in this little box.

For my Dutch readers this will be readable, but for anyone else I will give you a translation. The little cardboard card gives you instructions on how to get a 2 euro discount on your next order! Ofcourse, you can also use the actioncode 'catie'!

 

And there they are; my 20 Instagram photos. The photos are printed on a thick material (almost cardboard) and they're all printed the same size. I love the matte finish, because it really accentuates the vintage look and feel.

There are loads of things you can do with these photos, like making a scrapbook, sending them as cards to your friends, putting them in frames or... hanging them on your wall like I did. I used some double sided tape and put a little piece in the middle of each photo. I made rows of 4 photo's high and, with two packs together, I have now 20 photos on my wall!

Send me pictures of your packs and what you did with them @catiemccartney or leave a comment below telling me what you think about Instagram and/or Printagreat!

Instagram Addiction & Printagreat

Me: Hello, my name is Catie and I'm an Instagram addict.
Crowd: Welcome Catie!

Yes, that's me. That is exactly how it will be like when I check myself in to 'Instagram rehab'. I am more and more falling in love with this great, this amazing application. I am the kid in school known for taking photo's of everything, walking back to get the angle just right and picking out my favourite filter during breaks. And I am not ashamed of it!

This is outside my college in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

I am not claiming to be a professional photographer, I am everything except that, but that's exactly what Instagram is all about (atleast for me..). Instagram is the kind of application that gives aspiring photographers, people with an interest for photography and also people who just love sharing moments of their life, a great platform to do just that; taking photo's and sharing memories.

I am not sure why I, and so many others with me, feel the urge to share our lives, to capture those moments. I am however certain that I need to, somehow, contain those moments. Whether it is through photographs, video's, diaries, writing or social media updates; sharing our lives has become a great part of our (and my) day to day routine.

I used a recipe to make these New York Classic Hot Dogs.

Instagram however is so much more than 140 characters on Twitter; it's showing the faces of people you laughed with, the food you cooked, the place you visited, the colour of the sky on a summer day or the random object you found laying on the ground. I love how easy it is to share these both amazing and random moments.

Although I love sharing these experiences with my friends, family and classmates, I have to admit that for the most part I do this for myself. Browsing through my Instagram photo's is like taking a trip down memory lane. And the cool thing is that my Instagram moments are so different from photos you take on vacation or holidays. They are my real life, the real thing. They're not taken in sunny resorts with people posing for a photo, no they're the things I see, do and experience on a daily basis. And they're all taken with my phone, through my eyes and my perspective. Looking at my photo's is like learning about me; they're the things that stood out to me, and in an angle that I thought fit best.

This photo is taken from underneath the famous Erasmusbrug.

To conclude this rant on Instagram (and no, I am not sponsored to say these things) I would like to point out one more thing. Instagram is a great digital application, where you can take your photo's and keep them online and on your phone, but how awesome would it be if you could actually have these moments to hold and to look at. To hang them above your bed, or in your room, to let them inspire you everyday!

Well, there's a solution for that! I found this great website called Printagreat, which lets you print your photo's in polaroid size on thick paper for a reasonable price. I've started with 20 photo's but I've ordered a new pack, because I love it so much! And it looks so cool on my wall! Also, these photos are great conversation starters! 

Walking by the sea near my parents house in Zeeland.

I'm sure there are more websites that offer services like this one, but I like Printagreat, so check them out if you ever have the urge to have your photos printed!

Follow me @catiemccartney and I'll see you sunday!

Classical Music in Middelburg

Many of you might be surprised to hear that I went to a classical music concert in Middelburg. Not because it's in Middelburg, but because it's classical music, and aren't young adults not supposed to dislike that kind of thing? Well no, I actually quite enjoy classical music from time to time. Although I don't know, nor do I claim to know, a whole lot about it. I know enough to enjoy it!

Middelburg is the capitol of the province Zeeland and is a great historical place. We parked our car at the Damplein, which is a beautiful street with old canal houses. I usually like to park close to the event we're going to, but in this case I enjoyed the walk towards the Zeeuwse Concertzaal, where the concert was given. I loved walking through the dark, snowy, winding streets surrounded by beautiful old houses. It felt very idyllic to me! 

The Zeeuwse Concertzaal is, surprisingly, in a normal street, placed between normal houses. The foyer is decorated in a spacious and modern way, which is an elegant contrast with the classical music you're surrounded by. Whilst waiting for the concert to start we were given a booklet with some background information about the musici and the music.
 

The orchestra, consisting of approximately 40 musicians (CODARTS Rottterdam), played music by three different composers. Before I explain what I thought of the music I have to illustrate the fact that we're in this incredible room, with offwhite coloured walls, amazing historical feautures, a high ceiling and rows of comfortable chairs for the audience. With a big applaus we welcomed the first musicians onto the stage.

Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949)
Serenade in Es major op. 7 (1881)
The music in this piece was played by wind instruments. The cundocter explained to us that the music we were about to listen to, was written by a 16 year old Richard Strauss, which is already incredible to begin with. A great thing about sitting in the very front of the room, is to watch the musici play their instrument. Each one of them with so much concentration, so much conviction and excitement.


Gustav Mahler (1860 -1911)
Adiago from symphony number 10 (1910), version for strings
I have a soft sport for the stringed instruments, since I played the violin for a lot of years, and because I love the variety in sound that strings can make. Watching the orchestra playing the music, made me realize how much time and energy they must've put into learning this. I watched them be the music, instead of playing it. The music was very scenic, it felt like listening to a story being told. This piece is very different from the first one, it's way more dramatic and almost a bit sad, like the writer was explaining to us how he was feeling, or how he was suffering.

Wolfgang Amandeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Symphony nuber 41 'Jupiter' (1788)
I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but the concert certainly ended with a bang! Describing this piece is like describing a metropolis; it's big, imposant, varied and extraordinary. The whole stage was filled with musicians, some with very small instruments, others with big ones. The volume went from barely audible to loud and extreme, the pace went from slow and thoughtful to explosions of speed.


And in all that, the one person with his back to the audience, seemed like he was doing the Harlem Shake. The conductor moved his whole body, waving his arms, instructing individual musicians, leading the orchestra through the music. So much was happening in the music and on the stage. They were tapping their feet in a rythm, changing their sheets, jumping up and down whilst playing their instrument, exchanging looks and creating a wonderfull evening filled with beautiful notes of music.

Let me know what kind of music you like and if you've ever been to a concert like this one!

Review: Rituals Face Masks

Do any of you know the face masks by Rituals? I've seen them many times in the store, however I've never used them before. I got two of their face masks as a present which is perfect, because now I have no excuse to use them and write a review for you guys about them!

Face masks are more than great products for your skin; they're the perfect thing to do on a girls night, bonding time with your sister or special one-on-one time with your mom. They're relaxing and a lot of fun!

The package I recieved contains two face masks. One is for vitality & energy and the other one is an intensive moisturizing mask. I have to say that I already love the packaging at this point. It's simple, elegant and functional. The desicription is very usefull and well written.

Vitality and Energy Mask:
The first mask I used is the Vitality & Energy Mask which contains Tibetan Roseroot and Papaya Extract to give your skin a radiant glow and make it look refreshed and energised.

Before using the mask I cleansed my face with lukewarm water to open my pores and get rid of any filth. I gently applied the mask all over my face, avoiding the areas around my eyes. The substance has a light yellow colour and smells very soft and fresh. The mask was very easy to apply and looked, surprisingly, transparant after applying!

I'm already really liking the effect of this mask. I like how the smell is light and not overpowering. It feels extremely soft and warm on your face, which is very important when you want to this mask to make you feel relaxed as well. The vitality & energy mask sinks into your skin without making your face feel stiff.

This isn't a peel off mask, it is easily removed with some cotton pads and a little bit of water. Over all I love this mask a lot! The next morning my skin felt smooth and super soft!

Intensive Moisturizing Mask:
The next mask Is supposed to moisturize your skin. It contains Blue Ginger and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate your skin and make it feel really soft and supple.

This mask feels and looks very different from the first one. For starters, it looks white and feels a lot thicker. When you apply this mask it will look completely transparant as well, but it does smell a lot heavier than the Vitality and Energy Mask. It almost smells a bit like perfum. I didn't mind the smell, but I did mind the way it pricks on your skin, which isn't really helping to make you feel relaxed.

A positive thing about both the masks is that they don't harden, which as a result will make your skin feel normal and flexible throughout the period that the mask is on your face. They're really great for hydrating your skin and making it feel very soft and refreshed. Also I love how easy they are to remove.

That's my review for today! I will definitely try out more Rituals face masks, but I might stay away from the Intensive Moisturising one.

I would love it if you would follow me on instagram, twitter and you might have noticed that I've added a way to follow this blog! Scroll up and you'll find it at the top right of the page! Following this blog will make it easier to be the first to know when a new post is up!

Boekenfestijn Ahoy 2013

Hi there everyone! I went to 'Boekenfestijn Ahoy' in Rotterdam this weekend, which is a bookmarket where the books are discounted up to 90 percent! I've never been to one of these events before, but I'm super happy I went this year, because it was definitely worth it!

Boekenfestijn is held in the Netherlands and Belgium with 17 events each year! The entree is free which makes it even more available for everyone to try and find something to read! Inside Ahoy, which is a Dutch arena, rows and rows of tables were set up with books and other products. Beside books Boekenfestijn sells DVD's, stationery, craft supplies, toys, cards and other things.

When you walk into the arena, the scale of the event can be a little bit overwhelming. Luckily there were signs placed to divide the books into sections which made the whole thing a lot more doable. I was not prepared coming to this market and therefore chose the strategy of looking at books that I had on my wishlist or heard something good about. I started by searching in the sections that seemed right for me, like pocket books, English books, young adults, novels and so on.

The number of books obviously surprised me, but browsing through books I was even more surpised to find popular and recent books like the Hunger Games trilogy, J.K Rowling's new book, the Twilight Saga etcetera.

I finally ended up with four books and a travel mug and I only spend around 20 euros (approximately 27 dollars). I usually read books in English, but this time I bought three out of four books in Dutch! Fortunately they're also available in English, if any of you would like to check them out as well!



From top to bottom, I bought:

1. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, which is a great classic that I've shamefully never read before! 
2. Harry Potter en de school der wijzen. Wat Harry Potter ons over filosofie leert by Jørgen Gaare & Øystein Sjaastad. Which translates to; What Harry Potter teaches us about philosophy.
3. Sil de strandjutter by Cor Bruijn. This is a Dutch classic and might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I feel like there are some books that you just have to read and form an opinion about yourself.
4. 19 minuten (19 minutes) by Jodi Picoult. I've been wanting to read this book for a while now, since I like the books that Jodi has written. I'm excited to read this one! 

And finally I bought one random item, which is a 'The Beatles Abbey Road' travel mug! I've seen these mugs before and I really like the idea of making tea (or any hot beverage) in the morning and taking this it to school.

That's it for this blogpost! Hope you enjoyed reading this! Let me know what you think about it and if there are any books you recommend to me!