tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67115620494000579922024-03-05T10:11:23.265-08:00Low maintenance GothBlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-90783499510104146752018-08-11T02:25:00.000-07:002018-08-11T02:27:51.499-07:00Tuna cake <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0TtMIeULF5VjjDMhAH8rLYw5FUXLV4HNctmDOQgs7lTM71uLgQWlCnlLGOGx6qjcap1QZjAcl3fIZMSbO6Y-FtXNq70R4BaCEo2sV_U7JRCOZCUs51N3tUHSe6HdcHssErU5kpe3xHiM/s1600/%255BUNSET%255" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="" data-original-width="" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0TtMIeULF5VjjDMhAH8rLYw5FUXLV4HNctmDOQgs7lTM71uLgQWlCnlLGOGx6qjcap1QZjAcl3fIZMSbO6Y-FtXNq70R4BaCEo2sV_U7JRCOZCUs51N3tUHSe6HdcHssErU5kpe3xHiM/" width="200" /></a></div>
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My Soviet era parents used to raise their eyebrows at non-sweet cake and even in American cook books cakes are almost exclusively sweet. However, here in Europe "cake" is just a category of food and is often savoury. This is an example, an easy fool proof cake recipe that turns out great every time!</div>
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Tuna cake with cheese </h4>
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
- 3 eggs<br />
- 100g flour (about a cup)<br />
- 100ml oil (scant half cup)<br />
- 100ml fresh or sour milk<br />
- 100g grated hard cheese<br />
- 1 medium tin of tuna in brine or oil (160g)<br />
- 1 packet baking powder<br />
- pinch of salt<br />
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<i>Directions:</i><br />
1. Drain the tuna. If using tuna in oil, drain the oil into a measuring cup to use it next, adding "clean" oil until you have the right amount.<br />
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2. Mix the eggs and flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add milk and oil, stir to combine. Add the baking powder, mix well.<br />
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3. Lightly mash the tuna with a fork and add it into the batter with the cheese and salt. Mix again.<br />
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4. Pour into prepared pans of your choice. Bake at medium temperature for 45-60 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean - the few sticky bits should be just melted cheese, not batter.<br />
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Let cool for a bit, it's best served warm. It reheats well in the microwave though.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
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* * *<br />
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I normally use a silicone loaf pan to make this and it takes around 50 minutes. However this time my husband wanted a honey cake too so I used small muffin cups instead (also silicone).<br />
My oven has never been so crowded.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE90BisrfciAhfQFJXmxjeqhNeIOGiC6m3kscrWhwxVGdil0oc8SSglU3FDbPiIo3AtQuBq-qyycplBvu36SfrAO4WvcpXz68WsIcHrNkpNvd1rQdxmensaGRhkZjHOeNA8b8GWUHHGIaR/s1600/antiope20180810_121311.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1117" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE90BisrfciAhfQFJXmxjeqhNeIOGiC6m3kscrWhwxVGdil0oc8SSglU3FDbPiIo3AtQuBq-qyycplBvu36SfrAO4WvcpXz68WsIcHrNkpNvd1rQdxmensaGRhkZjHOeNA8b8GWUHHGIaR/s400/antiope20180810_121311.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey cake in the rear</td></tr>
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I didn't plan to make a step by step so the only picture of the finished product is this blurry one:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aXfRucAlhxDolwuF5iA0t2N3RjOmqyvsodAJasvJTQNibNXVxKzB8ffOblOmr8Uxu_OIAwpJSHyclhIZGnM1X77VU0O0Xx-qjmqul7X24MkB5I6GTwHLS4OWgZv0f1b9mPdx4JhLaOkx/s1600/%255BUNSET%255" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="" data-original-width="" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aXfRucAlhxDolwuF5iA0t2N3RjOmqyvsodAJasvJTQNibNXVxKzB8ffOblOmr8Uxu_OIAwpJSHyclhIZGnM1X77VU0O0Xx-qjmqul7X24MkB5I6GTwHLS4OWgZv0f1b9mPdx4JhLaOkx/" width="400" /></a></div>
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I like it warm with a little mayo or tartar sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-3ZmMCGhnJbxR2P71foD4YSekVjwRagiJR0jLVirDtkDoQ9tKmNS_KsBLdw0vWXCZSgt9VPknsTy7iMhTjl4TXx-AECll2X_q8DfolGIYy4R-qcoxnI0u4ZSYTrs4ZYYZKjI4H7_VUHX/s1600/%255BUNSET%255" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="" data-original-width="" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-3ZmMCGhnJbxR2P71foD4YSekVjwRagiJR0jLVirDtkDoQ9tKmNS_KsBLdw0vWXCZSgt9VPknsTy7iMhTjl4TXx-AECll2X_q8DfolGIYy4R-qcoxnI0u4ZSYTrs4ZYYZKjI4H7_VUHX/" width="400" /></a></div>
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I got the recipe from my sister, who had it from a friend. If you know the original author, let me know! This cake is a lifesaver for people whose hands grow from the wrong places when it comes to baking - not my case, but you can take my sister's word for it :)</div>
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I would also appreciate any feedback if you decide to give it a try. </div>
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Happy cooking!</div>
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Blackkitty (^^)~</div>
BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com2Chisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-62419716303123157322018-03-16T15:18:00.001-07:002018-03-16T15:18:33.942-07:00Purple NOTD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so NOTD (nails of the day) is what this type of posts are called but I feel it's not very accurate in my case, and honestly, I think people who change their nail polish every day are insane. I like having nice nails and I strive to keep them safe under a lot of polish all the time, but I really hate doing them. I feel like I should call these "nails of the fortnight" if I go for realism :D Anyway, I did my nails today and I thought they were really cute so I took some pictures.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I was in the mood for purple with black lace. My favourite nail art thing right now are water transfers. They are easy to apply, don't peel like sticky stickers, don't mess with the top coat and most importantly, stay on really long and somehow make the nails sturdier. I am completely ignoring my stamping supplies because transfers are just so much better!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPmH8V_aDKOa0myqjenf4fadt9c_ElSwPx2M7XTJayxHFNT2s0zGL4fX4WHnWJJ8bLDdjtaKSfLIQSnEUQUdO2x_-SlTbOfH25GprQOoC7YEjoTLEfxV2J9txna40HnM4eYAAIo7rqlV_/s1600/DSC00276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPmH8V_aDKOa0myqjenf4fadt9c_ElSwPx2M7XTJayxHFNT2s0zGL4fX4WHnWJJ8bLDdjtaKSfLIQSnEUQUdO2x_-SlTbOfH25GprQOoC7YEjoTLEfxV2J9txna40HnM4eYAAIo7rqlV_/s640/DSC00276.JPG" width="610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/48-sheets-New-Flowers-Lace-Nail-Art-Water-Transfer-Decals-Stickers-Nail-Tips-Black-White-Manicure/32519268184.html" target="_blank">B/W set from Aliexpress</a> (not sponsored)</td></tr>
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I didn't have a suitable shade of purple but I did have one that was too dark and a white that was too transparent. I poured the white into the purple until there was no more room, shook it and got a slightly darker Milka purple. The purple was from Sephora and the white was from Claire's. It's a great shade for overlaying!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWIh5abfMHOsNKCAFOuS4l1ZYdBWfZ8BlQq4Zl47gy6vymC_MwOlfMnfh-wL7_3KO_JPwZenAPKUVmx8_nGgkDyOktAcXuh53tH1b4Iye8OGNiW90GvPAt5VMw6Bgke9FkNWK4wZHlC0U/s1600/DSC00280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="900" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWIh5abfMHOsNKCAFOuS4l1ZYdBWfZ8BlQq4Zl47gy6vymC_MwOlfMnfh-wL7_3KO_JPwZenAPKUVmx8_nGgkDyOktAcXuh53tH1b4Iye8OGNiW90GvPAt5VMw6Bgke9FkNWK4wZHlC0U/s640/DSC00280.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plastic lid is from a Milka chocolate jar. Just a coincidence :)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLpYP-7ESn9ejK7eISQEO5g6u4LEyMiL9gnkF4RmCGBbmgKpUftoV16UoLZlRP7_A7wZoy0aLvpvc9OpROArrzWL268kaS73LWhoeO091dbICjfVtCD9MtQYQyCdScpMgd47b8bmv3L20/s1600/DSC00285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="900" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLpYP-7ESn9ejK7eISQEO5g6u4LEyMiL9gnkF4RmCGBbmgKpUftoV16UoLZlRP7_A7wZoy0aLvpvc9OpROArrzWL268kaS73LWhoeO091dbICjfVtCD9MtQYQyCdScpMgd47b8bmv3L20/s640/DSC00285.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I used patterns from two sheets, plus a piece of lace and a couple of birds. I'm very happy with how it turned out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO7JlmXkYVTtwRK7clSMjuZCJDEW8Pp481bY6D7Gi8kZxXoIbXGdtLG91nrANRwFlovnPcBFCA6zBecxU3z_VZmMPK3oi9wNWgXDZjKc0p0guOMYFxCNDn1nF0jVWijACeiNeEw6Mw_Jn/s1600/DSC00284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO7JlmXkYVTtwRK7clSMjuZCJDEW8Pp481bY6D7Gi8kZxXoIbXGdtLG91nrANRwFlovnPcBFCA6zBecxU3z_VZmMPK3oi9wNWgXDZjKc0p0guOMYFxCNDn1nF0jVWijACeiNeEw6Mw_Jn/s320/DSC00284.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I can't wait to pair these with the new purple lace tights mum got me for Women's Day! Hope to get pictures of those too.<br />
What do you do with your nails? Do you have tips for gothy nail art supplies?<br />
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Blackkitty (^^)~BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-13598708766031790992018-03-03T16:55:00.000-08:002018-03-03T17:12:34.808-08:00Life is too short<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeVsRBVV2kHdaM3yJHp_jfhHWw4JCBmXaNN1uRcCdTpANJ9-bP1_IfAg87GVmZwq5sH8t334UevTpGxgUao7yaoBe6fr-IjDcTdGsubJyRvMMhmZuaFThmidiLzuEho1xnJfkmNVq2qDd/s1600/P1340072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="900" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeVsRBVV2kHdaM3yJHp_jfhHWw4JCBmXaNN1uRcCdTpANJ9-bP1_IfAg87GVmZwq5sH8t334UevTpGxgUao7yaoBe6fr-IjDcTdGsubJyRvMMhmZuaFThmidiLzuEho1xnJfkmNVq2qDd/s320/P1340072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last week it was the first time I visited a local cemetery. This is very ungothlike but the explanation is really simple. Our (Orthodox) cemeteries don't have that sober and dignified look you see in pictures of black lace-clad beauties. Besides, all my dead relatives are scattered around the country, there is no social reason for me to visit any graves here in the capital. Until last week.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Someone I knew committed suicide recently and we gathered a small group to pay our last respects. It was someone I'd met only a few times, we weren't close at all. We were told what had happened some days after the funeral. This person was suffering from depression for years and ultimately lost the fight. As usual, we mere acquaintances had no idea anything was wrong.<br />
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I had mixed feelings about going to the cemetery. Aside from the fact that my cemetery related memories are all really, really bad, it is no secret I have problems myself. While not actively suicidal, I still find it very hard to feel the proper grief for suicide victims - or, rather, to feel anything but envy. However, the people I went with are nice and open-minded, so while I didn't discuss my concerns beforehand, I felt I could count on them in case of a breakdown. Luckily, I held up very well. No religious rituals were performed, we pretty much put some flowers on the grave in silence, then stood aside for a little snack and a lighthearted discussion, after which we took a small tour of the cemetery until our noses froze off.<br />
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All the graves were covered with the fresh snow that had fallen a couple of days before. I'll admit the neat white snow had a very soothing effect. It's been 17 years since my grandma's funeral - also in winter, on my birthday actually - and I still can't get the image out of my head: a dark hole with dirt scattered all over, disturbing the pure blanket of the sleeping earth. And the infernal noise! Orthodox funerals are really loud, messy, overly dramatic and way more traumatizing than they should be. Anyway, I was now in the company of rational people and I felt confident enough to snap a few pictures to show you what cemeteries look like in this part of the world (and why I hate them).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcss7M43K_4u2UL3Ayt0RFeWz84q5gNzyhI-HPR9J2855HYCXCyD38IKYpcblwTH9XSIaJN6nAqMrK4KimAq4xJHu1JaMO8UKZOsr-CgD7aBnY72tYjLYdb9G5zmCSWgX-NO__ipxhzQJ/s1600/P1340049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="900" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcss7M43K_4u2UL3Ayt0RFeWz84q5gNzyhI-HPR9J2855HYCXCyD38IKYpcblwTH9XSIaJN6nAqMrK4KimAq4xJHu1JaMO8UKZOsr-CgD7aBnY72tYjLYdb9G5zmCSWgX-NO__ipxhzQJ/s640/P1340049.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some fresh graves, much like the one we visited.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC7aAIL1sqMWyK8OzhZ1vitGw1v1jFYJ5FZgjZLA2CnIQ_pF2cHJV8m8SK3IExblFx93v5mrc2ftyJPlNmkj_oEujXWW07AVQRsBLN79il_xEGJ_btgtZXCuWdu9AntA7idG2hC5419mb/s1600/P1340050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="900" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC7aAIL1sqMWyK8OzhZ1vitGw1v1jFYJ5FZgjZLA2CnIQ_pF2cHJV8m8SK3IExblFx93v5mrc2ftyJPlNmkj_oEujXWW07AVQRsBLN79il_xEGJ_btgtZXCuWdu9AntA7idG2hC5419mb/s640/P1340050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As a rule, headstones are really elaborate. Brought by the same people who take a credit to have the trendiest wedding or buy a bitching car while having no money for gas, here are some gems:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTiVR_ULrrhSA8p-6qftmjN1EobTT9Rw-XdCdN5IZ2HHEaUDbEmtnEvIZ9w8rJ_Se_9Ob-KbZVJiiJi0moLQCdXhqG2K5kzAIxTFkhd8s8ommALUuj3l85yBMPvIicI2-1lRtDqWuDL8D/s1600/P1340063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTiVR_ULrrhSA8p-6qftmjN1EobTT9Rw-XdCdN5IZ2HHEaUDbEmtnEvIZ9w8rJ_Se_9Ob-KbZVJiiJi0moLQCdXhqG2K5kzAIxTFkhd8s8ommALUuj3l85yBMPvIicI2-1lRtDqWuDL8D/s640/P1340063.JPG" width="448" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2QRjZxrU8NhZWrB__q1DYDN90TrFQXLgwPsE_-H8FRSZ9R-kBGeb7ok_SoHyIh0f87ruenF-r-pnAyasjzLTp0RRYZ7gYYP_ZnCRodV1tSVWRoEE22hpsXJRrqNDiYxLIuolqtU7D-gB/s1600/P1340056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="900" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2QRjZxrU8NhZWrB__q1DYDN90TrFQXLgwPsE_-H8FRSZ9R-kBGeb7ok_SoHyIh0f87ruenF-r-pnAyasjzLTp0RRYZ7gYYP_ZnCRodV1tSVWRoEE22hpsXJRrqNDiYxLIuolqtU7D-gB/s640/P1340056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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People put the damnedest things on their tombstones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBclt8TQ4GpMnbNSYaMK-tSYulBfM17ua4uRjTYQqOB6WLllbVDZY6-DtFvMUVlJ7V60DSdPevOlJTxOhBHm4itZEUuXpH_byyOc9i9u-1pgCod0ajlpXbLMICsPLaOfAIl52RSaZhDEZx/s1600/P1340048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBclt8TQ4GpMnbNSYaMK-tSYulBfM17ua4uRjTYQqOB6WLllbVDZY6-DtFvMUVlJ7V60DSdPevOlJTxOhBHm4itZEUuXpH_byyOc9i9u-1pgCod0ajlpXbLMICsPLaOfAIl52RSaZhDEZx/s640/P1340048.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy must have really loved his cigarettes</td></tr>
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This was actually quite pretty, but still too much in my opinion.<br />
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Not all of them are super fancy. This is close to the edge.<br />
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All graves face the same way and many have a table and benches for visitors. The next Sunday after Easter is a holiday to remember the dead and people gather to feast on/around graves. I find this quite disturbing and unsanitary.<br />
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The coolest dead people have some kind of enclosure too:<br />
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And then there's this...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQf-cJC4kr3Cg0BjdhXb8vba60jUooSX5jnWg-ban3BT4ibC1bo2UFxljzz_NPm1GuKwGQI8oN4_e0EKAnVKcex5VxGqKXrqrOW6aH-C6rO0YGIR3BiLMAs2hKrUtmPH_Jg6nMgCrDl5V/s1600/P1340065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQf-cJC4kr3Cg0BjdhXb8vba60jUooSX5jnWg-ban3BT4ibC1bo2UFxljzz_NPm1GuKwGQI8oN4_e0EKAnVKcex5VxGqKXrqrOW6aH-C6rO0YGIR3BiLMAs2hKrUtmPH_Jg6nMgCrDl5V/s640/P1340065.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The icicles make it particularly creepy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Notice the artificial flowers popping into the frame? They are omnipresent and really garish.<br />
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I even saw tinsel on more than one grave. Um... new trend, I guess?<br />
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There was a church next to the entrance:<br />
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I find the traditional imagery depressing, but this one wasn't too bad. My glasses fogged like crazy though so this is all I could see of the inside, it's between the outer door and the actual church interior.<br />
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I'll close with some general, "normal" views and then we'll talk about something else.<br />
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***</div>
<br />
The cemetery visit, and before that, the news of the suicide, made me rethink some things. Even though I wasn't close friends with the deceased, it affected me. So many people struggle with mental illnesses, some survive, but not all. The world is becoming more aware and tolerant of these people, but our country is sadly very backwards in this aspect. Many flat out refuse to acknowledge depression, saying it's just a fancy word invented by lazy people, and no amount of persuading them will make them change their opinion. As if surviving daily life wasn't difficult enough, we have to deal with such idiots too!<br />
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I had a plan, after quitting my last job, to make and sell some art, to earn some money and make myself useful this way. I kept waiting for better supplies, better lighting, more time and so I haven't moved a bit in over four months. Now I finally bought the stuff I was missing from the first art shop where I found it and just started drawing. I had a different idea initially, but now I want to paint a series about mental illnesses first. Here is one of the sketches, the full painting is half done already:<br />
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It is a difficult project, not just because of the nature of the subject, but also, as it turns out, I really suck at drawing anything that isn't a miniature! I used to sketch, draw and paint a lot until around my mid teens, but my perfectionism, my increasingly bad eyesight and the accessibility of digital cameras put a stop to that. Now that I'm much older, I've revisited my views and I'll persevere with my project no matter how terrible it looks at first. Because life is too short to wait for the perfect opportunity, perfect supplies and perfect skills.<br />
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Blackkitty (^^)~BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-33860170886976715272018-01-17T15:21:00.000-08:002018-01-17T15:21:00.263-08:00"Men" jewellery for me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1sKp.SVXXXXb6XXXXq6xXFXXX7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="800" height="186" src="https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1sKp.SVXXXXb6XXXXq6xXFXXX7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hey and welcome in the new year! I have some big posts in the works for my other blog but over here I'll be sharing simple things that don't require a lot of effort or pictures :) I still need to figure out a way to take quick and nice outfit photos before I go out but for now I just have a little pendant story.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>A while ago I was browsing Aliexpress for some stainless steel jewellery. See, I like the silver colour but I hate the smell of actual silver and also oxidation is a bitch... So I came across <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/good-detail-stainless-steel-rose-flower-skull-with-big-black-zircon-pendant-fashion-cheap-men-jewelry/32554330937.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.6dynNc" target="_blank">this cute pendant</a> from the first photo (now sadly not available). What is the deal with all the stainless steel jewellery being marketed towards men? Is it because steel is used for weapons and machinery? Anyway, this particular pendant doesn't look at all manly to me. It's really dainty with all the roses and that big rhinestone. The only brutally macho thing about it is the ball chain. It reminds me of the chains soldiers wear their tags on. It looks so mismatched to me, I didn't even bother to take a picture with the pendant on it. They came in separate bags.<br />
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The pendant itself has a single huge loop on the back that makes it unbalanced and difficult to incorporate into the type of designs I like - with hanging chains and bead dangles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDg-jWnVqVdKF4rqlrINpM6GV21hVB2FZINwLmAVgkmeJ4dflKF_tbG6fjKsRDN9tIV6XlyTiHXDBhLhA1Fdv2tnOGsig6iQBfvVT4j6A-w2_8jbaqcznSsQ6U3iDHD_O88WFVqYae0gK1/s1600/P1330922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="900" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDg-jWnVqVdKF4rqlrINpM6GV21hVB2FZINwLmAVgkmeJ4dflKF_tbG6fjKsRDN9tIV6XlyTiHXDBhLhA1Fdv2tnOGsig6iQBfvVT4j6A-w2_8jbaqcznSsQ6U3iDHD_O88WFVqYae0gK1/s640/P1330922.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I decided to put it on a velvet choker instead. I got some 15 and 20 mm black velvet ribbon because I didn't know which one would go better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga57hpSqKz32wxopUrAooOrrkjYBJpPIyFTHdSruK7Odg4OIr26PTvK4SmvfP2EREGXRM-rnkNsxLew2NBImKU32C58eHIw8YjjU28rdRYnWCeOkN3BjKNNpycqX3QNgSvlTky9rXhwdEQ/s1600/P1330921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="900" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga57hpSqKz32wxopUrAooOrrkjYBJpPIyFTHdSruK7Odg4OIr26PTvK4SmvfP2EREGXRM-rnkNsxLew2NBImKU32C58eHIw8YjjU28rdRYnWCeOkN3BjKNNpycqX3QNgSvlTky9rXhwdEQ/s640/P1330921.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can also see just how small the pendant is, barely 25x35mm. Manly!</td></tr>
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I tried both around my neck and went with the wider one. Making a ribbon choker is not rocket science - the longest part is figuring out the length. I wanted to let it hang a little in a very slight V shape.<br />
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I then cut the ends to size, melted them and attached ribbon ends making sure the pendant was still in place because there's no (easy) way to add it later! I use nylon jawed pliers to close the metal findings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBWXL5FCF_pdP2vyU4HzGLwKnu0Pf3_2m8xJTpWORovxCbSm-6xKkm0EeogHpLJi4Ojth23DjL-EbUxDslgV8YKrxkhxArc4CHSQ6QMyjASJ3-3OLLDcaAi-mfhcqnJS2YAp-Awc-_FCE/s1600/P1330923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="900" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBWXL5FCF_pdP2vyU4HzGLwKnu0Pf3_2m8xJTpWORovxCbSm-6xKkm0EeogHpLJi4Ojth23DjL-EbUxDslgV8YKrxkhxArc4CHSQ6QMyjASJ3-3OLLDcaAi-mfhcqnJS2YAp-Awc-_FCE/s640/P1330923.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My standard way to finish a choker is with a lobster clasp on the right and a large jump ring with an extension chain on the left. I like to add a matching teardrop bead at the end of the chain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUwi6abZl-8JvHtYIeNR6gCZVRL9US2S6xMu8kICyljV21Yb1YFU9jjmjRZWbzcI-QDftnj2KbJBtR3P-21Esyv6r1dezhqckEwJTrD4kWubFYpk9x4p4P7Dm-Y_25jZc9FWTOFjneIl1/s1600/P1330927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="900" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUwi6abZl-8JvHtYIeNR6gCZVRL9US2S6xMu8kICyljV21Yb1YFU9jjmjRZWbzcI-QDftnj2KbJBtR3P-21Esyv6r1dezhqckEwJTrD4kWubFYpk9x4p4P7Dm-Y_25jZc9FWTOFjneIl1/s640/P1330927.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm just in my house clothes...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAC6eXtMPJsln1OQkGZN36UURyU4skN0qPn7JjMXJ6aIDAGmmgLwIpEWazpEJ8x4M73-3Q1NsMTVoe5XrVE9HChGRumOkHgdB45JPp8qXZR5t2vB5UntGTozS_qk4Oz5c5wGv_5IhfiZlw/s1600/P1330925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="900" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAC6eXtMPJsln1OQkGZN36UURyU4skN0qPn7JjMXJ6aIDAGmmgLwIpEWazpEJ8x4M73-3Q1NsMTVoe5XrVE9HChGRumOkHgdB45JPp8qXZR5t2vB5UntGTozS_qk4Oz5c5wGv_5IhfiZlw/s640/P1330925.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'll see about taking a decent picture of it some time when I get out in fancier clothes and makeup but so far I'm very pleased with the transformation! As I said, I need to set up something for no-fuss OOTD and FOTD pics. I have a few ideas, each have pros and cons:<br />
- tripod with a small camera in the bedroom<br />
<i>Pros:</i> nice even background, good lighting, good camera and framing<br />
<i>Cons:</i> no mirror and the camera screen is fixed. No portable mirrors either.<br />
- tripod with the big camera in the bedroom<br />
<i>Pros:</i> same as above, camera screen can turn to 180 degrees<br />
<i>Cons:</i> Cats. The camera is too heavy to leave on the tripod unsupervised<br />
- mirror selfies with the wardrobe door<br />
<i>Pros:</i> easy and cats won't kill the setup, full size mirror<br />
<i>Cons:</i> backlight and terrible background, terrible photo quality<br />
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What do you think of my new choker? Any advice for taking pictures of myself? I prefer being on the other side of the camera but unfortunately I don't have another model for showing the things I want to discuss on this blog. I guess this is a challenge I'll have to overcome by the end of the year :)<br />
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Blackkitty (^^)~BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com12Chisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-40057676096042738602017-12-19T18:14:00.000-08:002017-12-19T18:14:45.213-08:00New life for old earrings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHVwQDijq34hYUOAs6xPnJxzIZL6zk5zuQ0wmp2bDi6ayDJKqR40ahfdOUJ7gL-jbKrA2eXgNFif6EYzt0JxTZj2lgd2soSQ0jJ_Yx6y4Mw2f85PwVprjwlZcBRs6wJ4HPhhLhhQgaT4r/s1600/P1330796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHVwQDijq34hYUOAs6xPnJxzIZL6zk5zuQ0wmp2bDi6ayDJKqR40ahfdOUJ7gL-jbKrA2eXgNFif6EYzt0JxTZj2lgd2soSQ0jJ_Yx6y4Mw2f85PwVprjwlZcBRs6wJ4HPhhLhhQgaT4r/s320/P1330796.JPG" width="220" /></a></div>
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This evening I set to replace a necklace clasp that broke as I was putting it on. Gotta love when that happens to your favourite piece and you're late because you can't find your cardigan and your cats decide to have a poop marathon at the exact moment you're getting out of the house? Anyway, as I took a look at my "to fix" shelf to get the broken necklace I came across this forgotten pair of earrings with gross green stuff on it. No, it's not the lighting. They were cheap and I could have thrown them away but I used to really like them before the stains and they have a pleasant weight. Raise your hand if you're a weirdo like me who likes heavy earrings!</div>
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So as long as I was getting the pliers and wire out, I figured why not revamp these a little as well?</div>
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My first impulse was to paint the stained parts and call it a day, but a quick online search revealed the green thing is called <i>verdigris</i> and can be cleaned with any household acid. It's an oxide that forms when the copper used in cheap jewellery is exposed to the air. I usually coat earring or pendant backs with nail polish to prevent that, but I guess I never did it for this pair. In the time they were left neglected, verdigris spread all over. I poured a bit of bottled lemon concentrate into a lid and used Q-tips, then my nails to rub away the stains. Many sources recommend soaking the affected jewellery in your acid of choice for 20 minutes, but mine had rhinestones and glue, so I just scrubbed the surface. It still came off pretty easily.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIHnVNIwXoF64CF_4jEh5pH0DxYaPF5u0GGXHgR8OvUeKRIvXE9axXLX8JX395WBL6z7nPAWWpcv6fIgs-njMMeJiiAwXapsft_JdsdNWv94QzV1nxmeW8RrnLBD4CYPuEM2xmmpjgNaV/s1600/P1330797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIHnVNIwXoF64CF_4jEh5pH0DxYaPF5u0GGXHgR8OvUeKRIvXE9axXLX8JX395WBL6z7nPAWWpcv6fIgs-njMMeJiiAwXapsft_JdsdNWv94QzV1nxmeW8RrnLBD4CYPuEM2xmmpjgNaV/s640/P1330797.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clean on the left, yucky on the right</td></tr>
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I didn't worry about the bead cap or the wire holding the pearl because I wanted to change those ayway. All the scrubbing caused more silver coating to rub off.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFJ6J0i5WFjKsXeTuY0r5atnXGgD7U-1yK0EvTghwjlwt4f-fYFi3PLLDm39hgN2ULpXOjv3aFoeHkHC0BNb6iZybx8BKRQLrg4xGiBh7mn1xz9WL1qL2htJhF_gnP1oRoRI8XwDIvRlR/s1600/P1330798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="900" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFJ6J0i5WFjKsXeTuY0r5atnXGgD7U-1yK0EvTghwjlwt4f-fYFi3PLLDm39hgN2ULpXOjv3aFoeHkHC0BNb6iZybx8BKRQLrg4xGiBh7mn1xz9WL1qL2htJhF_gnP1oRoRI8XwDIvRlR/s640/P1330798.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That's okay, most of the coppery areas aren't visible, but I used silver nail polish to mask some of it. I don't have any pictures of it, you can get a glimpse of what it looks like on the tip of the spike in the next photo.</div>
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I looked in my bead stash for something similar in size to the glass pearls and found some 10mm rondelles from a friend's broken bracelet. I also wanted fancier bead caps.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3oclZ7540MPSAiPqy_zqxHSTDge1VIepA3SJKooYr6-xHgSy1Km2nn4ynZqc_0rSPFbEMLd4tarazZ9iyZJKGr8FlyYQhVz0Z2WYrkw-CFHoj-HZ2qaVyTRv2YX2UWA9cuOoQ1CEOmFt/s1600/P1330800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="900" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3oclZ7540MPSAiPqy_zqxHSTDge1VIepA3SJKooYr6-xHgSy1Km2nn4ynZqc_0rSPFbEMLd4tarazZ9iyZJKGr8FlyYQhVz0Z2WYrkw-CFHoj-HZ2qaVyTRv2YX2UWA9cuOoQ1CEOmFt/s640/P1330800.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The key to making or customizing jewellery is to have a bunch of odds and ends to choose from!</div>
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I settled on this combination. The beads are a sort of anthracite colour, almost black but not really.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnepgXA0rc6rEjBE1f4cAamJK-wSAoyq8g-IXGaJZHOuxUxR8t2VMXgDjyUIS_GEkNKlSyAoWbuGQQfjF8cHlULKRwQTvE1GPCKkTuPZ5wRWMatP7EM-NRJysygnO0coTfVNL5JHjvfjIK/s1600/P1330801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="900" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnepgXA0rc6rEjBE1f4cAamJK-wSAoyq8g-IXGaJZHOuxUxR8t2VMXgDjyUIS_GEkNKlSyAoWbuGQQfjF8cHlULKRwQTvE1GPCKkTuPZ5wRWMatP7EM-NRJysygnO0coTfVNL5JHjvfjIK/s640/P1330801.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I cut the loops holding the old beads and reassembled the earrings with a new piece of wire. This is my result:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbT-h-TSANaOhMNOaQs-APO1T0tdzVlg1pArj8YY_WoK3VMF7F5vACE6n-z9ae8PnYA7S8o_nnTdtAJ9HrutdBpCweB5Irxi8G6mKzdvM81Ey8ml0vPNyJmQmLOA-R2M0KSH34CheyvH8/s1600/P1330806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbT-h-TSANaOhMNOaQs-APO1T0tdzVlg1pArj8YY_WoK3VMF7F5vACE6n-z9ae8PnYA7S8o_nnTdtAJ9HrutdBpCweB5Irxi8G6mKzdvM81Ey8ml0vPNyJmQmLOA-R2M0KSH34CheyvH8/s640/P1330806.JPG" width="362" /></a></div>
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My loops aren't usually so crooked but if you ever tried to loop wire around rondelles or large beads you know how unforgiving they are... Well, the goal was to keep the top part neat and I managed that.</div>
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The last thing I did after this photo was to cover most of the metal with nail polish and replace the backings because one was wobbly.</div>
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And now it's like I have a new pair of earrings!</div>
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Do you often fix or tweak broken or unloved jewellery? Share in the comments!</div>
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Blackkitty (^^)~</div>
BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com6Chisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-27195829340563558362017-12-18T11:06:00.000-08:002017-12-18T11:25:21.927-08:00The Liebster Award 2017I was nominated by <a href="https://rabidhole.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Septicemia</a>for this award and since some of you wanted to know more about me, I figured why not?<br />
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<img height="238" src="https://rabidhole.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/liebster-award.jpg?w=525" width="320" /></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>The Official Rules Of The Liebster Award</b><br />
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If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:<br />
1. Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog in your post.<br />
2. Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.);<br />
3. Answer questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.<br />
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.<br />
5. Nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers.<br />
6. Create a new list of questions for the bloggers to answer.<br />
7. List these rules in your post (You can copy and paste from here.)<br />
8. Once you have written and published it, you then have to inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)<br />
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And here are the questions!<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>1. Have you ever read a book that changed how you view the world?</b></i><br />
Every book I've read helped shape my worldview bit by bit but one I was very impressed by was "Burning Daylight" by Jack London. I wish my workaholic husband would read it already.<br />
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<i><b>2. If you could choose one song to be your theme song, which would it be and why?</b></i><br />
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"Pale" by Within Temptation. It's like someone read my brain and put it into words.<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j5KpSOkG8iI?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<i><b>3. Are you mainly lead by emotions or logic?</b></i></div>
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I am very emotional and that only got me into trouble. I'd like to think I'm mostly able to control it nowadays. The 10-second rule is my friend.<br />
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<i><b>4. What’s you favorite thing to do on a rainy afternoon?</b></i><br />
There are many options! Anything from taking a walk to reading or crafting if there's enough light.<br />
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<i><b>5. If you could go anywhere in time, where would you go and why?</b></i><br />
2004. Most of the stupid things I've done started about then.<br />
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<i><b>6. Is intelligence or wisdom more useful?</b></i><br />
Wisdom! I have higher than average intelligence and I'm yet unable to function as an adult.<br />
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<i><b>7. If you were to be reborn in another part of the world, where would it be and why?</b></i><br />
I really have no idea. Somewhere colder maybe, otherwise it's not too bad.<br />
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<i><b>8. Which movie would you recommend to a total stranger?</b></i><br />
I wouldn't. Few things annoy me as much as ideas and things being pushed onto me so I don't do that to other people.<br />
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<i><b>9. What does the word magic mean to you?</b></i><br />
Deception, slight of hand, something that has an explanation that we don't know yet...<br />
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<i><b>10. What’s your favorite quote?</b></i><br />
Live and let live! Is this a quote?<br />
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I see she only put 10 questions. Great! I'll only do 10 facts too then.<br />
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<b><i>My random facts:</i></b><br />
1. I don't like digging for random facts about myself. I waited a few days for someone else to tag me and do the questions as facts instead...<br />
2. Potato chips are my comfort food. But just the obscenely salty German ones. Also great for my blood pressure.<br />
3. I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I like baking sweets a lot more than eating them and I like the smell of cookies.<br />
4. I collect things: fashion dolls, cat figurines and stamps.<br />
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5. I speak five languages, but only two of them fluently.<br />
6. I don't like beefy guys. Here, I'm putting this for the whole world because my husband doesn't believe me T_T<br />
7. I can't walk (or stand) on high heels, nor can I ride a bicycle. I have no sense of balance whatsoever.<br />
<br />
Three more to go! Ugh! Hard to think of something that doesn't make me look too bad.<br />
8. My favourite gemstone is labradorite. Garnet is a close tie.<br />
9. On the other hand, I find diamonds and gold boring AF. Ideally, all my jewellery would be made of stainless steel and cool stones or fossils.<br />
10. Despite my obsession with cats, I didn't really have one until I was about 20.<br />
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<b><i>I tag</i></b> <i>(no idea how many followers they have):</i><br />
<a href="http://prunio.blogspot.md/" target="_blank">Ich will ein Lumpensammler sein</a> (English/Polish)<br />
<a href="http://www.cafelastrange.com/" target="_blank">Cafe LaStrange</a> (English)<br />
<a href="http://chocolate-quente-e-biscoitos.blogspot.md/" target="_blank">Chocolate Quente e Biscoitos</a> (Portuguese)<br />
<a href="http://gigglesinthedarkness.blogspot.md/" target="_blank">Giggles In The Darkness</a> (English)<br />
<a href="http://gothicallyyours.blogspot.md/" target="_blank">Gothically yours</a> (English)<br />
You can also tag yourself from me (^^)~<br />
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<b><i>My questions for you:</i></b><br />
1. What is your happiest memory?<br />
2. What, or who inspires you?<br />
3. Do you play, have you ever played or would you like to play a musical instrument ("voice" counts :D)?<br />
4. Do you have a special talent or two?<br />
5. What is your biggest accomplishment?<br />
6. What parts of the world would you like to visit?<br />
7. What is your favourite song at the moment (a link to it would be great)?<br />
8. What qualities do you look for in people?<br />
9. What do you like to do when the power is out?<br />
10. What are your favourite flowers?<br />
11. Is there anything you'd like to change about yourself? If yes, what?<br />
<br />
Whenever you want... Have fun!<br />
Blackkitty (^^)~</div>
</div>
BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com0Chisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-5072527081280326442017-12-08T18:13:00.001-08:002017-12-20T10:31:05.638-08:00Microwave brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaThvjw7qJBrz3ZEbZ-JFvAr_K2b8sbkNIhyNdOSfG8CINb6Z9kYwhwrJFohFQack3KNIEovcRNkAttladesjQauT9jkrSAaqg0-Nfvo4YA8hsmV8U32Qsxbx7_q9DXnrAxFTKt4ga8ahR/s1600/P1330672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaThvjw7qJBrz3ZEbZ-JFvAr_K2b8sbkNIhyNdOSfG8CINb6Z9kYwhwrJFohFQack3KNIEovcRNkAttladesjQauT9jkrSAaqg0-Nfvo4YA8hsmV8U32Qsxbx7_q9DXnrAxFTKt4ga8ahR/s320/P1330672.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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4am insomnia. I guess it's as good a time as any to share my microwave brownie recipe. I adapted it from several sources that I forgot and changed so much about it that I can call it my own now. All quantities are approximate, you can forget all the numbers and it still works somehow!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>150g/5oz butter, melted</li>
<li>1/3 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>Sugar - 1/2 cup (adult sweet) to 1 cup (American sweet)</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>3/4 cup flour</li>
</ul>
<div>
<i>Optional</i> - choose as many as you like:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>vanilla</li>
<li>walnuts or other nuts</li>
<li>raisins and dried fruits</li>
<li>rum raisins</li>
<li>citrus zest</li>
<li>unloved candy</li>
<li>...</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Melt the butter if it's out of the fridge. Stir in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla (if using). Stir in the eggs, then the flour. Don't overmix. At this point you can add other fun ingredients. I used walnut and rum raisins in mine. </div>
</div>
<div>
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<div>
Bake in a microwave oven at 700W for 7 minutes. It should look a little wet when you take it out.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
That's all!</div>
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<div>
I mix and bake in a microwave-safe glass dish. If I want to be extra fancy, I scoop the batter in silicone muffin cups and bake them in two portions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzv2UI59mjPkCJMJU4ggpsAlen6oyDFbWeJIJZqDBv8Uilk74_P45n8WOX5vNfR-7uzDCMyxlLyVlKmM516Z7XtFZoTxPqisQqaVYdw9RZUdv4EJMBDbwL9tSEmK6WOR6Pzmy1QoGZd3Wy/s1600/DSC00021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzv2UI59mjPkCJMJU4ggpsAlen6oyDFbWeJIJZqDBv8Uilk74_P45n8WOX5vNfR-7uzDCMyxlLyVlKmM516Z7XtFZoTxPqisQqaVYdw9RZUdv4EJMBDbwL9tSEmK6WOR6Pzmy1QoGZd3Wy/s640/DSC00021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
This makes eight portions for people on a diet or six okay ones. Because there are two eggs, you can easily halve the recipe and the baking time to obtain what is essentially a mug brownie.</div>
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<div>
My favourite way to eat this is with a teaspoon of Bailey's poured on top.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glass is for decoration, I don't drink that much!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you tried this or if you have your own quick sweet fix :)<br />
<br />
Forgot to mention, this is also an entry to <a href="http://gothityourself.blogspot.md/p/craft-along-with-giy.html" target="_blank">GIY's monthly challenge</a>. December's theme is Anything Goes!<br />
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<a href="http://gothityourself.blogspot.md/p/craft-along-with-giy.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQkz4NTQAASWcluYSC7jJPEtiZ-cytvQ1N7uze28tQMRCGeMRBh4BzDp61EOIJXQv-ciWMhEG-rnQedVo3e07LJk22ARmcu2sxRG8LDv5jKlLypnVFOpKr__CZ_7co29F5yY0EHXlDCTc/s320/craft+along+with+GIY.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div>
Blackkitty</div>
<div>
(^^)~</div>
BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711562049400057992.post-56410719700447900202017-12-05T17:02:00.000-08:002017-12-20T10:32:24.133-08:00New Goth on the block...but not exactly. I guess "alternative" is a better label, but more on that later.<br />
<br />
Hi! This has been on my mind for quite a while. I kept looking for nice photos, planning crafts and photoshoots, gathering background and header ideas... and so a year has passed, and then some more. Now my 30th birthday is approaching, and finally I decided to start with what I have (read: nothing) and see how it goes.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Let me introduce myself. I'm Arina aka Blackkitty aka Low maintenance Goth. Some of you may know me from my <a href="http://multicrafteral.blogspot.md/2013/03/introduction.html" target="_blank">first blog</a>. I'll keep posting about my dolls and random crafts there, but I'll move my one jewellery post here, because I want a dedicated space for my life and fashion stuff. Here you'll be seeing more of my general grown-up interests and probably no dolls at all ;)<br />
<br />
As you guessed from the title, I'm into most things Goth, with one exception that will have many people throw rotten eggs at their screens. I absolutely can't stand Goth music. If you have a strong opinion about this, don't bother. I looked into it, gave it several tries, but we just don't get along. I guess I never had a "Goth coach", and even if I did, I'd probably rebel against their suggestions because that's my thing :D I don't like being told what I should like and not, how to do my makeup, what to read or watch. In the end I decided to embrace it and be true to myself.<br />
<br />
So, what do I like?<br />
I have very high tolerance for music. My friends are all very different and I'll bear with whatever they have on. I have slight preferences for metal, alternative rock, hard rock and... specific pop songs from my teenage years (LOVE the Backstreet Boys). There are very few genres and songs I actively hate, they are mostly confined to Eastern Europe.<br />
<br />
Fashion-wise, most of my wardrobe is black. Fun fact: my favourite colour is actually dark purple, but I have yellow skin and I prefer black on me. It's also easier to find and match.<br />
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As far as other Goth things are concerned, I check almost everything. I don't like cemeteries yet because the predominant confession over here is Christian Orthodox and they have really depressing art tastes. Maybe I'll see a nice one and change my opinion. I do like nature, ruins, old things, reading, art, creepy stuff... what else? I didn't have the stereotypically black cat until recently, because I don't choose my friends based on their colour. My second kitten just happened to be black, so now I check that point too. I love my cats to bits.<br />
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We call them the Copycats.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFd3P2KmP0EU6ke6halBQ3NuKQKj24KLEmfO1ENuDS95n0fRB4RWZpFMUHC9Y4dxEopPbtPSDuXW52EUvGCfRzoLRosCqsECDQEznMRo32C0kbaKSDuLFD9j7Cau9zagA7pjXGvI2vM_j/s1600/lmg-1+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="900" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFd3P2KmP0EU6ke6halBQ3NuKQKj24KLEmfO1ENuDS95n0fRB4RWZpFMUHC9Y4dxEopPbtPSDuXW52EUvGCfRzoLRosCqsECDQEznMRo32C0kbaKSDuLFD9j7Cau9zagA7pjXGvI2vM_j/s320/lmg-1+%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tali and Cleo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, the reason I named my lifestyle blog "Low maintenance Goth" is because I felt it best described me. I'm not very picky about music and I'm very casual in my day-to-day life. My husband is not Goth and our house looks very ordinary. The only Goth vibe comes from my necklace stand and some of my dolls. I like fancy, I envy those people with outrageous makeup and detailed outfits, but I can't justify neither spending over 30 minutes on makeup nor spending more money on wardrobe or home decor items simply because they have skulls or whatever. I'm really slow, cheap, and have better things to do than stare in the mirror. I'm <i>low maintenance</i>. I make most of my jewellery, and buy things from regular stores and Aliexpress. I have only a couple of brand items that were honestly not worth the price.<br />
There are days when I put in extra time to look better and I feel great too.<br />
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I swear I had photos of a fancier look, but I can't find them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWTNJBwMTl7Cw2Q5wgQ6uvoNkdVkQg3MUEKAWtB1bI8oP0ThgoQDuMcErVCGm6u_I63GQjRjki4ByK5xj69z0z9OIz7ZB6Lqh7zjFUV06FIZVOch1J7BVONTsrCtR2vEa28KSxFtWRtJ1/s1600/lmg-1+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="900" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWTNJBwMTl7Cw2Q5wgQ6uvoNkdVkQg3MUEKAWtB1bI8oP0ThgoQDuMcErVCGm6u_I63GQjRjki4ByK5xj69z0z9OIz7ZB6Lqh7zjFUV06FIZVOch1J7BVONTsrCtR2vEa28KSxFtWRtJ1/s320/lmg-1+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Most of the time, I just look like this:<br />
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I can't be bothered with makeup when I travel. Somehow, I still get called "the goth chick"!<br />
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So, this is pretty much it. I plan to write DIY posts, outfit posts, makeup posts and general ramblings. I'm really bad at taking photos of myself or posing while other peoples do it and I hope this new blog will push me to be more positive about myself.<br />
Next thing on the menu though is my brownie recipe! Stay tuned!<br />
Blackkitty<br />
(^^)~BlackKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014093330317682849noreply@blogger.com13Chisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988