Stamp Winner + Photo Tip

Posted on | August 12, 2010 | 6 Comments

It was so much easier to take a photograph of Jovie a few months ago. She was less jumpy, wiggly, and rambunctious. But now and then, after 10-20 shots, I’d get one good one. Thank goodness for digital, right? My tip for today isn’t how to make your moving child stay still (duct tape might help) but it’s about staying on their level.

When I take my kids’ photos I like to get down on their level. If you want to make them look small or helpless then getting a shot from the top is great but for fun kiddie shots that you want to scrapbook or hang on the wall you need to get down with them. Try it out and see how you like the results!

Although a nice camera is always nice, you get more control of your equipment and you can get better lenses too, other big parts of photography is how you use light (very important!!), post processing (from back in the film days to now this is a huge part of a photographer’s activity) and your own skills, point-of-view, and artistic feel. The same picture can look totally different based on how it’s cropped for example. The same model can look different based on the angle of the camera. I’ve seen photos using a point-and-shoot that looked like it was done using a high end camera. So taking nice photographs is not just for those with a nicer set of equipments.

Page Details:

I used the Color Room’s sketch and colors for this page, #18. It’s a very busy sketch but I think I toned it down just a tad bit. For the page I used some stickers and also did a tad bit of stamping. The photos are of Jovie, moving around like crazy, with not a single good shot. When it was nice and clear the pose wasn’t right or the facial expression was off. But, this is what the page is all about – the memories of her little active life as a 13-mo-old baby and me trying to capture every minute of it.

The layered papers are October Afternoon and Sassafrass Lass. This type of layout makes really good use of scraps, just a bit here and a few there. The stamp that I used is from Waltzingmouse: Victorian Frippery. I also wanted to use some road symbols for the “stop” but didn’t have one. I just have a don’t enter one from American Craft. So I used it instead. Plus I like the look better. Whatever, right? It’s my page {::SMILE}. I also still have a few of the Friendly Forest stickers from Colorbox and since the colors fit I used them too. I like adding none related things to page. I just think it makes the page more fun.

Oh, the ripped edge… accident. I added a staple under the red scalloped paper. Ended up not liking the staple and stuck the AC camera on it instead. The rip… well, a bit of paper curling made the rip more like a part of the page.

Ok, for the blog candy winner… congrats AMY!! Please post a comment here or send me an email using the Contact Me form on the top of my page and I’ll let Dawn and WPlus9 that you’re the winner. You can then pick a favorite set!! Congrats again and thank you all for the comments and for playing along!!

Lucky

Posted on | July 19, 2010 | 6 Comments

The girls are very lucky to have this dude as a dad. He not only loves and cares about these two girls but he’s also fun, funny, sweet, and approachable. He’s the kind of dad who looks forward to Jovie napping on him for hours or putting aside his own fun so that he can help M learn to ride her bike. Hugs and kisses from the girls are what makes him happy and even though he hates doo, he’ll go change Jovie’s poopie diapers.

When the girls grow up they’ll also realize that daddy’s a great person to talk to. He’s open minded, a great listener, not judgmental, and worldly. As long as it’s not underwear or PMS talk he’ll sit down with them and have a daughter and dad serious talk whenever they need him. They’ll know that they can be themselves, have their own thoughts and ideas, and not be afraid to share. Daddy’s not going to get angry (or get his feelings hurt) because they don’t share the same idea or the girls see things differently. As long as they have a valid and reasonable explanation he’ll listen and talk. He’s also not going to be upset either if one of them calls at 2 a.m. needing a ride because she’s had too much to drink. He’ll mumble and stumble trying to get dressed (half awake and all) but he’ll gladly pick his girl up. He’s been there done that, he knows what young adults go through. They’ll also one day know that dad knows a lot of useless knowledge… stuff that you don’t need to know on a day-to-day basis but great to have for social get togethers – he can join in on a lot of conversations or give people a good laugh or two with his info.

Hubby’s a great daddy. He’s strict but not at all scary. He can punish M but five minutes later they’d be hugging, tickling, laughing, and kissing again. M seriously adores him and I know these two will be close for the rest of their lives. Jovie’s still little but I think she will be too. Watching these three interact makes me very warm and fuzzy inside – reminds me of my grandpa and I.

Before I go into the details of the page I want to share my first iPhone app project for Clear and Simple Stamps. You can download this baby from iTunes! Here’s a sneakie peakie of it:

Page details:

The page design came from Pencil Lines Sketch, sketch # 196, I’ve been wanting to use these pieces of paper, some Sassafrass and Cosmo Cricket, that I got from a Studio Calico and Dirty Dozens kit (no longer sells). I thought the paper and color combo would be a tad bit too much, bright and loud, but I think I kind of like it. I trimmed the owl and cloud from a 12×12 Sassafrass paper and added some more ink splatters — I really like my India ink and cheap calligraphy brush! The fonts are Making Memories and American Craft. I LOVE the MM little alphas. I got a bunch of them when they went on sale, three of each color, and wish I got more!! I like the Cosmo little alphas that I grabbed at Archivers before our move and the KaiserCraft ones but the MM are still my favorite!

Then I added this piece of fabric tag from K&Co. It’s an Amy Butler collection that I’ve had for a long time now. I did adhere the tag with glue but on the left I punched a hole with the Crop-A-Dile and tied a twine through it and on the right I did some folding and sewing. I am very “happy” with this little piece! I was going to just let it be. It was looking just fine but these brads were gawking at me and so I grabbed a couple and stuck one here and another on the top right of the page. You can’t see the hand writing on the bottom but it just said: “So VERY lucky to have this guy as your dad. Father’s day, 2010.”

Ok, that’s that for this morning… or now afternoon… does it take forever for you to write a blog post when you have a little kid around?

Two-Steppin’, Funnies, and Budgeting

Posted on | January 17, 2010 | 10 Comments

Hi y’all, I two stepped. Oh yeah, me, Savitri, two-stepped. How? Cause hubby let me lead. I’m not good with music. I have to read sheet notes to be able to play any songs on the keyboard where my sister can just memorize and/or listen. But I can listen to rhythms and beats and that’s what I did. I wasn’t awesome but I two stepped! Oh, I did the Electric Slide (it was rough starting but then it was like riding a bicycle… it just came back) and who knew what else. There were all sorts of Electric Slide-ish types of dances, stomp here stomp there and when things get too confusing I just make my own moves. It was fun.

Oh, before the dance hubby’s friend and I had a conversation. It wasn’t word for word but it went more less like this:

Friend: You going to cut a rug tonight?
Me: What (looking at him funny)?
Friend: You going to cut a rug tonight?
Me: (hmmmm, did hubby tell this dude that Max, our Lhasa Apso, puked on the rug this morning) Why?
Friend: Just curious if you and Drew are going to cut a rug tonight.
Me: (hmmmm, I washed the rug before we left. Hubby knew that. Why would we cut the rug?) Why would we want to cut a rug? It’s clean.
Friend: (gave me a weird look) You don’t know what cut a rug is?
Me: (me giving him a weirder look and thinking, of course I know what cut the rug is, but why would I want to cut our rug?)
Friend: It means to dance it up (or something like that)
Me: Oooh, uhm, maybe. If he drinks enough.

So folks, don’t ever talk slang with me cause who knows how I’d interpret it. Hubby said I am the smarter dumb person he knows. Trust him {::SMILES}. Just FYI, hubby drank enough to want to dance. We had fun!!

Today we had all day event at the city. Sushi at our favorite place, some grocery shopping for Jovie’s meals (check out the WOW of the day!!)), dinner with lovely friends, and ARCHIVERS!!! Yes! I got a few goodies which are great (of course) but my Mint account is going to kill me. Do you have one? It’s like an online version of Quicken or Microsoft Money. I like it a lot because it’s online and I can quickly look at all our accounts in one place. If you have an iPhone you can get a cool app for your phone. It’s pretty neat.

I set it up some while back when one of my friends from work mentioned it. Lately I’ve been using it more, the planning portion, to get us used to a budget. With two income, small town living, and not a lot of bills we have been somewhat carefree when it comes to spending for our hobbies. The UK, with one income and the possibility of still owning a house, we’d have to cut back and really watch our spending. But this month’s not a good month to budget. Mint has been screaming at me because we’ve overspent already on eating out. This January’s special. It’s our last time seeing families and such and so we’ve been eating out or buying food to cook for them.

Anyhow, just the other day I gave myself a craft budget. It’s a reasonable amount but this month I already have my last SU order as a demo, some PTI goodness, and then Archivers. It’s going to get some getting use to since after the UK I’m only allowed a scrapbook club (Scarlet Lime) and specials on holidays and birthdays or worst case scenario (if we still have the house and I am completely jobless) nothing at all. Technically I should be ok with nothing because I already have a lot of stuff but being able to get whatever whenever now will make it harder. It’ll all be good though. No worries… at least I’m not.

Oh yes, I did a scrapbook page. Just cut-outs from Sassafrass Lass. It came with my 2008 Studio Calico kit. I’ve been hoarding it.

Have a nice one I am off Monday, yippee!!!

Did You See?

Posted on | May 4, 2009 | 4 Comments

The new 2Sketches4You DT? WOW! Special congrats to Clouds. You’re awesome and can’t wait to see all your work this summer!!!! Uber uber talented girls have been selected at 2S4Y and I can’t wait to see what each of them come up with each week and of course play along as often as I can. I was hoping to get into the summer team. I submitted two cards with a different name, blog address, gallery, etc. but I didn’t make it. Darn! Ha ha… ok, just kidding but I did think about it since I had so much fun there {::GRIN}.

How’s your weekend? My friend’s baby shower ended up being at PF Changs due to Cheesecake’s reservation policy (none at noon) and waiting 30-45 was not an option. Had a wonderful time! I did some errands, felt great, but Sunday I was laying down A LOT. Sciatic nerves!!! Hubby gave me a really nice rub and I took a higher dosage of B12 and I’m all better now. I swear that B12 is magic!!!! The doc recommended it when I had M and had the same issue.

Ok, here’s a page that I did over the weekend. I used a GSD paper for the background and Prima stuff (LOVE the flower! One of the many I bought at Michael’s for 50% off). The “create” is Making Memories, the pink tree and birds are Hambly, and the fonts are Sassafrass and MM.

Just a Page, Pencil Lines #90

Posted on | July 9, 2008 | 5 Comments

It’s Wednesday! Wow, this week went by quick! How about you?

Here’s a quick page that I did using Sassafrass Lass paper, American Craft chipboard, Primas, K&Company chipboard, Martha Stewart’s butterfly punch, and some paint. I bought three pieces of the Sassafrass paper I think and I’ve created three LO with them. I am either stingy or just using these papers to the max! I believe I even have enough for a card or two. I’ve been liking using a little bit or a variety of pattern paper in my LO. That’s why my pattern papers have been going a loooong way. The layout is based on PL sketch #90. Awesome sketch be Debee Campos! She’s one of the fashionista at ScrapinStyle aka SIStv. If you haven’t checked SIStv out, oh you should. You’re missing out. All the talents in there. WOWSER!!!

This was my best friend’s wedding four years ago in AZ. It was a wedding and a reunion. Since we graduated, this was the first time us girls got together again. It was fun, fun! My friend is Filipino but she grew up in American Samoa. She’s an awesome dancer and that there is her dance group performing. They were great! I wish I can move my hips the way they do!!! Yeah, that’d be the day, hee…

I am suppose to receive some Stampin’ Up! stuff today. I CAN’T wait!!!