Life in Color Photo – Page 103 – Celebrating crafts, kids and the everyday through photographs.

Circle Time

On Saturday my mom, Sciarrino, her mom, and I took a class at our local quilt shop. Sciarrino and I saw the quilt in the window of the shop before Christmas and my mom was sweet enough to get me the class for one of my presents.

The cutting took FOREVER!! I think it will be totally worth it. I loved using the design wall they had in the class, things stick up there so well:

Sciarrino’s progress (love the colors, I have that floral in mine as well, it’s cool how different fabrics can look when paired with others). I decided I had to have a design wall as well. I saved the big poster boards that we used to hold pictures at the wedding and covered one with the plain flannel yesterday (just stapled it to the back)

Oh the letters, found those last night at goodwill:

Two bucks, had to get it. It reminds me of these toys I had when I was little, little boards with printed flannel, set up like a house, or a girl, and then shapes that could stick on shaped like furniture or clothes. It’s a vague memory but I think it was something like that.

When I was looking at the games section at Goodwill I also picked up these Latin learning cards. I like to pretend I’ll use the other side and teach myself Latin (I used to love to memorize Greek and Latin root words), but I’ll probably just use the English side for scrapbooking.

Oh and did you know it’s mustache March?

ew mustacheses (no idea how to spell the plural, obviously), yuck! Don’t worry my brother shaved this porn star classic after one day.

Girly Layouts

Wouldn’t you know it a clean studio = more creative energy! While listening to the first audio message for my big picture scrapbooking class I worked on these two layouts:

Remember I take pictures of my layouts instead of scranning (stitching a 12×12, hate it), so they may look a little funky sometimes (this is me assuring you that the above is indeed straight). Using my favorite of all time Quickutz, Roxy. Just got an email last night, and they have re-released it!!! I got it when you bought all the sections differently (lowercase, uppercase, lowercase shadow, etc). So I’m trying hard not to be an I want, I want, I want with that.

Just a few simple layouts, and it was easy enough to focus on the audio and the layouts. I should get to organizing my photos. One thing she said was to track down all my photos. I was thinking, no, I’m sure they are just in these few boxes (the pre-digital ones). I went downstairs just to double check, and yep, I do have photos everywhere. Hmm…. This could be a process. But not for today, I’m off to a quilting class with my mom, Sciarrino and her mom (fun, fun!).

p.s. I’ve decided at this rate of patterned paper usage I will have enough to last me until approximately 2092.

Photo shoot – B’s First Birthday Party

This last weekend I had my first paid photography gig! I was so excited when B’s parent’s asked me to take pictures at her first birthday party (

This is going to be a really picture heavy post, as I had a hard enough time sorting through the hundreds to get down to the 125 or so I gave her parent’s. Then to edit my choices down more to the ones to show on the blog, hard!

With daddy. So sweet. He asked me if I wanted to see her go up the stairs (a new trick) and I said, "do you want me to see her go up the stairs?" Hehehehe

Those little curls on the back of her neck are so sweet!

Her auntie is behind her here. I took a whole series of her here, as she was quite excited to be able to pull herself up now.

So inquisitive, this little girl, I love that.

I plopped her next to a window on top of cabinet, and got some more great light. But I did use a little bounce fill on some of these (bounced off the ceiling, I really don’t use that flash any other way).

and…

sneak attack. I didn’t pull down many of her mom for the blog, but she told me last night to not let her get out of being in the pictures next time. That’s what I like to hear. Michele is the same way (not wanting to be in the pictures), but tends to like them when she is.

I made her a little birthday hat (like I did for

"um what is this stuff?" Good thing I had all these pictures to take because somehow I managed to stick to grapes for sweets. Yummy!

Her cousins CRACKED ME UP! This girl was so sweet, and loves little B.

Her brother dove in front of the camera when I was setting up a group shot. Luckily I had my wide angle on, so even though he is inches in front of the lens I got him. His sister is just all calm and smiley. This is a one in a million lucky capture shot I think.

I took a bunch of photos in their entry way of differnt groups of people, but the outtakes are my favorite. I can imagine that B will love them when she is older, asking, "who is that crazy? what were they doing?" And yes that’s my sister cracking up across the front of the frame. And lastly:

I was trying to get one of the other cousin’s to relax a little and told her she could take a picture of me in return for me taking one of her. I got all the settings worked out and told her to look through it and when she saw something she liked just push the silver button. Hello! One of my favorite picture of me ever taken… and she’s just five!

So in conclusion, I loved shooting a birthday. I was a bit nervous about getting enough actual portrait type photos of B, but it worked out perfect to go a little early, and then I just followed her around really. B’s mom loved that she didn’t have to tote around a camera. And I did get to take some great family shots too. If you want to take group photos at an event like this the wide angle is a must! You can rarely find an area in a house big enough for a dozen people with out lots of distracting elements in it, but with a wide angle entry ways, porches, and couches work great. The only thing is the light issue. f4 is not a huge opening, so you have to have some good light (this house has great light) and even then a flash or reflector (which I don’t really know how to use yet). I might get one of those to add to my arsenal, as well as a sort of cover for my flash so I can point it at people (right now it is definitely too blinding to do that).

And a special thanks to Bj who went with me. He helped get B to giggle at the right moments, and cleared off some of the memory cards onto the laptop when I decided to take more than the 270 my cards can hold (RAW). You’re the best love!!!

weight loss by scrapbooking? I wish.

So it’s been just over a month that I’ve been rocking the low calorie diet. And worked out a whole one time. I know, I know, but I just hate it. I do want to go on more walks. Tracy are you reading this? Come on neighbor lets get our butts in gear! It’s nice out there! Anyway I’ve still managed to loose 4.8 pounds, woo hoo!! That’s about a pound a week. So I’m over 1/4 there and I feel much better. I do think cutting out the diet coke (tear, tear) has helped. Although I’m getting to my danger zone: that time of the month when you feel bloated and all you want is comfort food. I did cave a little this morning and had my first Frozen Coke coupled with chicken tenders and a small fry at 715 calories it was my biggest meal since my diet started. But I’m keeping track and committed to continue to work hard. I just had to bitch a little 🙂 Oh wait one more thing about that. I’m thinking about adding a fish oil capsule to my daily vitamin intake, has anyone tried this? It’s supposed to be all kinds of good for you and since I get absolutely none of those kind of nutrients in my meal (seafood, ewwwwwww) I figured it couldn’t hurt.

More fun stuff. Last night I had the idyllic kind of evening I’ve been wanting to have since we got married. Bj sat on my new comfy chair and worked on his laptop while I scrapbooked and we watched Martian Child (so excellent, LOVED IT!). I did this:

V outgrew her little jumper (miss super tall 19 month old), so I cut the tag out and stitched it on here. I also cut apart that big teacher’s aid I got last summer (Sciarrino wasn’t this thing only like a dollar?). I started cutting it up because I was getting together a good batch of stuff for the woman who was sweet enough to send me that paper I was freaking out about (I haven’t forgotten about you Judi!). I used more paper from the coco daisy kit, oh and the cool tag. Ribbon from Ribbon Jar, and some of my ledger paper. Happy, happy!

The Craft Studio – Version 2.1.0

So last night Bj and I bit the bullet and ordered ourselves real furniture for the living room. Right now we have a pink sofa and big comfy chair that has been passed down through my family. I don’t really mind it, but for some one as tall as Bj it’s not the most comfortable thing. So instead of paying the money to have them recovered we set out to find a new set. We settled on an Ethan Allen style called Hastings. I hesitate putting a link up there, because ours is going to look totally different. This one looks way to foofy, and I’m glad I got Bj to sit in it to try it out because once he did we were sold. Oh here is the fabric:

Anyway enough about that, and how we can barely even look at our current living room, because we still have to wait a few months so on to more instant gratification.

I have a new chair in the craft room (from Ikea)! Of course this necessitated a whole room re-arrangement as there isn’t much space to spare in there. I got rid of a few things and shifted things around.

There are still a few major projects I want to do in here, namely a bench seat under the big windows. I’m working on finding a cabinet style that I feel really can look like it was built into our house, rather than a lame add on. And you all know how picky I am, so it’s taken months, and still nothing perfect (or perfect and in budget). Here is what that area looks like now:

Way too cluttery for me (and this my friends is really really clean for me. Usually there is crap everywhere).

The wall opposite the little ladies desk.

And the wall you see from the street. I think I want to get a piece of wood cut to put under that dresser. It was missing when I bought it. Then I want to stain it to match and attach it by velcro to cover the storage boxes I have stashed under there. I also need to get the closet door on, that would help a bit. Anyway all I want to do right now is work on projects in here. But to create this idyllic looking set up I had to toss a bunch of stuff into the living room (old mags, garbage, recycling, the packaging from the chair, old organizational stuff, etc), and I need to clean up that first. Still, this is progress!! Sciarrino you need to come sit in this chair and hang out with me!!

weekend creative!

At the coco daisy event Ali went over her art journal, and I started on it (well my version of it), on her blog she put up directions so anyone at home could play along. I thought it would be great to kick start my plunge back into scrapbooking. So here’s my take:

Those two black and white photos where from Angela, thanks!

That is my favorite part of the book, the cute out with the elsie paper I slipped behind and stapled in place.

love using old clippings, above from a dictionary, below from an old needlepoint mag.

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the last year since we’ve been married we have not taken enough photos of ourselves together! Must work on that. These were all snippets of the year of us together, little memories. Love it! Also this weekend took pictures for a first birthday party. Still editing, but will show soon, soooo cute!

oh almost forgot to share my other scrappyness. I finally did up my clipboard for the Library of Memories class (over at Big Picture Scrapbooking), is anyone else taking it with me this year?

And the heart is lifted.

Ah man did I have a great couple of days. On Wednesday Paula e-mailed me a "hey, hey, what’s up, you should come to this thing and we should meet." I glanced at Ali’s post earlier this week, but didn’t think much of it, because you know, I’m too scared to go anywhere alone. Turns out Sue shared my feelings and we headed south. I had so much fun. It was super low key, fun, and hey I made something!

Based on Ali’s idea (oh and I see she put it up on her blog so check it out). I’ll show you more when I finish it up. I bought another kit while I was there (a coco daisy kit) I think the October kit and used that too. I totally need to shave my choices down when I’m working on a project because it was so much easier to get going with less to choose from. But I don’t know if that declaration is going to get me to stop buying pattern paper. Me loves the pattern paper. Oh and also fabric. I want to order this (and fifty million others). But I digress.

I went to Portland to pick up these:

Remember

Oh and I finished my top down hat (from my handspun), so easy. Still made it too big, I really doubted the pattern and didn’t think there were enough increases, I was wrong and hope that Bj will wear this. I’ll have another go at it. Oh and remember:

It’s a secret that I wear glasses!!!

Hmm I went to Portland, so I had to see V!

She likes the jacket. Well after we showed her the mirror and said, "you’re so pretty, ohhhh so fancy, so pretty, look at your pretty jacket." Then she stopped squirming and wore it for the day. Well she didn’t stop squirming

But she forgot about the sweater.

Favorite shot of the day:

Such a lucky girl, with such happy loving parents. So glad I get to be a part of her life. I love my wee little god-daughter. Even though she grows out of everything in a couple of days!

P.S. I miss Bones. Maybe random, but a repeat came on tonight and I wanted to cry, we still have months to wait, boo hoo.

Button fun happy times

Ah thanks for all the love yesterday. I did have a bowl of oatmeal this morning. I think using water instead of milk was the number one best idea. I tried it in the microwave this morning, watched it like a hawk, did not cover, and took it out to stir a few times. I would consider it a mild success. I did eat it at least, with a teaspoon of brown sugar (only 15 calories!) and some cinnamon. But I decided I need to try my hand at something I could accomplish with out fail, after yesterday’s falterings. So I present to you buttons!

Of the home-made variety. So easy, just get one of these sets (and you can get refills as needed). Put all the layers together, done and done. These are actually for Brenda. We did that little swap, remember? And I am so terrible that I am just getting the package out. But it’s filled with lots of love, hope you like it Brenda! My mom and I had a foot massage yesterday (thanks Bill!) and we had to stop by the antique mall downtown.

Mmmm more buttons. I love the old cards too (remember

Right now it looks like a baby beret. I hope if fits!

Things I can’t do… very well

I love to put up my successes on the blog, makes me feel like I really get things accomplished day to day. But the fact of the matter is there are a few things I really haven’t been able to figure out. So if you have these special skills why don’t you share with a sister and let me know how you get this stuff done right.

Thing one: making oatmeal.

Quick oats, old fashioned, hell I’ve even tried steel cut oats. They turn out like this: crunchy/soggy/lumpy/disgusting every time. This is yesterday’s attempt. First I tried the microwave. That ended with a complete microwave cleaning: top, bottom, and door because of an oatmeal explosion. I didn’t even know you could explode oatmeal. I’ve tried it with milk, water, sugar, no sugar, and every other possible combination. Here’s the thing, I like oatmeal. I remember my mom making it for breakfast. I’m sure this memory has been clouded by time, but I swear she just threw things in the pan and let it simmer while getting us ready for school. She made it looks so easy. So before I go and put all of this oatmeal into cookies, ideas?

Thing two:

Getting my stuff put away. I was going to say keeping my room clean (yes I have my own room; mainly for this reason), but the room is clean, it’s just not tidy. And I do have it organized, I’ve just always got to may things going on. Yikes. Bj likes to do a little pantomime: He puts his hand in a fist, pops the top and throws an invisible grenade in there, to show me things have gotten out of control. I’d have to agree. What to do, what to do.

Thing three:

Machine binding a quilt. I have seen this all over blog land. Quick, get a bias tape maker (the thing you use to pull your strip of fabric through and then iron the bias tape together) put it over your quilt, sew it on, and done! Not so my friends. First of all I suffered some major steam burns trying to wrestle with the cheap-o bias tape maker I got, then cursed my machine trying to get the thing on. I know it took me longer than hand binding when all is said and done, and my hand binding, well I’m going to say it, looks perfect. I don’t like it when I can’t be at the front of the class with a crafty activity, but I finally had to give up and just make two lines of stitching to get all the edges into the binding. It’s horrible, but it was looking like Bj was never going to get his Christmas quilt (I know! Christmas!).

If you have had any success with the above items please, tell me how you got to be so fantastic. It’s just not fair of you to keep all that information to yourself!

Done and done!

I worked yesterday on the studio windows (two facing the street, and one the side of the house):

The back has an awesome gradient between the three skeins of my handspun I used. For more details check out my ravelry page.