Fail.

Yeah, this is how today has gone.  I had high hopes my girl would be the perfect cake smasher and I would get kick ass pics but that was not in the cards today.  

But lets focus on what I did get out of it, some camera practice.

 Sorry but I am still learning how to get great pics with very little natural light.  Our house just doesn't get great light and on top of that, it is overcast today.  I took this pic with the AV setting (Canon) and ISO 1600 (I think).  I also edited it a bit in Picassa (because it is free).  I am using a Canon EOS Rebel T3i with 85 mm 1:1.8 lens.

A sheet draped over two dining room chairs, gold and lace banner, 2 gold picture frames and a chalkboard banner.  A cake and cake stand.

For this shot, I switched to manual mode with shutter speed 1/80, aperature F 1.8 and ISO 400.  The cake is out of focus because I had my point of focus behind it.  It definitely gave me more light and I am liking those setting for this area of my house.

The set:

I started with a bed sheet that I ironed but I am a terrible iron-er and there was still wrinkles.  But I was willing to work with it anyway.  Pinterest seems to suggest using a large sheet of paper instead of a sheet so you don't get wrinkles.  

Next, I made a banner using some wall decals and lace and twine I had laying around.

 I think I got these from Target about 6 months ago.

I cut a section of lace and twine and then applied the decals.  See below.

I sandwiched the twine between two decals then strung the twine through the lace after each set of decals I applied.

The lace is only attached where the twine intersects it.

The frames I picked up from an antiques mall on the east side of Madison yesterday.  I got them for my living room or maybe for a Craftshop project but they were gold so I had to use them.  

The little chalkboard banner I picked up at JoAnn's months ago. 

I got the cake at Metro Market and added some gold sprinkles.  

I waited alllllllllllll night for daylight and finally, it was today!

I dolled up the girl in her perfect gold hair bow (Etsy) and tutu (Carters) and set her down with the cake in front of her.

Annnnnnnnnndddddddd.....

Foiled by an uncooperative child again!!  I didn't even try this with the boy as he was highly offended by anything wet or sticky.  I had high hopes for the girl.  Nope.  Apparently I just have kids that don't have the same vision at I do.

I kept with it for about 30 minutes and got a few ok shots...

Then we called in some superheros to assist....

And then we started sticking stuff in the cake so she would take them out of the cake....

And we ended where we started.   Sigh.....

I had to do some straightening and cropping in Picassa so I lost some quality with the photos.  I don't shoot in RAW as I am afraid I am going to need a whole lot more room on my computer for this but that would definitely help keep the quality during edits.  I know Photoshop is the optimal edit software but I am not sure I have the time and patience to delve into that right now.  Meh.

Distraction

Well that Packer game was disappointing. What a letdown:(. In an attempt to block any emotional response to the loss, I immediately got to hanging my plates.

I have always wanted a cluster of plates on my wall (like for the past 3 years).  So I picked up several vintage-y plates of different sizes from 3 different thrift stores. At first I was just going to do white plates but after searching Pinterest, I was really liking the interest some color and pattern could give. Here are the ones I picked up. 

(please excuse all the iPhone pics. I didn't have time to properly photo document with my nice camera)

I was to eager to get these up on the wall so I didn't have time to get a bunch of plate holders and make it all professional and such. I saw this cool idea on Pinterest (where else?) and thought I would try it out. 

The Pinterest pinners used paper clips or safety pins but I had no paper clips and only one safety pin in my entire house(!). But I had a lot of those hooks that you can screw into your ceiling or wall and thought they would work fine. I also dismantled a few binder clips as well. So I gathered the number of "hangers" I needed and hot glued them to the backs of the plates. Then I cleared off the wall above my dining room table. 

(Never mind the birthday decor I started to put up for someone's golden birthday)

I started with the middle plate and and fanned out. Here is the end product. 

Yup. Love it. Ok, gotta get back to cleaning and redecorating before the depression sets in. 

New Year!

Happy, happy new year to all of you!!  This year holds so much hope, promise and projects!!  I will share what projects I will be up to very soon.  I know I have been a bit MIA but I was taking a much needed blog break over the holidays.  Also, there is a little project called Craftshop that Kaiti and I have been prepping for that has been taking up much of my time.

If you recall, our very first Craftshop session is scheduled for January 17th, 2015.  We have been so lucky to have had a great response of interest to our new venture.  Slots for the session were nearly all filled by the second day after registration opened.  However, we do still have one slot open in case you were hoping to get your craft on with us:)  (But if you really wanted to come and bring a friend, we can take you both.)  You can sign up on our website here under the Contact tab.  The cost for this session is $30 and you will take your projects home with you.

We will be doing 3 projects:
1.  Pallet wood LOVE sign.  Like this...

2.  Felt heart bunting banner.  This is the inspiration...

Source

3.  Bonus project which will be revealed at the Craftshop session.

As a thank you for signing up for our very first Craftshop, two of the attendees will win one arrow pallet wood sign.

Kaiti and are are SO excited to meet and craft with you!

If you can't make it to this one in Verona, WI, we will be having another one in Mosinee, WI on February 28th, 2015.  Projects lined up for this Craftshop include book page wreath, embroidery hoop orb and a bonus project.  Registration will open up on our website for this session on January 28th, 2015 at 6 am.  Our next Craftshop in Verona will be held on April 18th, 2015.  Projects for this session are yet to be announced.  Hoping to get this information on the website very soon!

Happy Crafting!!