Photography Blogs

I received this in the mail yesterday.

  

Isn't she beautiful?!  My brother, Tyler, decided to give her to me as a birthday present.  It previously belonged to him.  When he heard my desire for a DSLR camera, he decided to surprise me and send me his for my birthday!

Here are some of the shots I've gotten with it already.

Good news: I have a very cute subject.

Bad news: I have no idea what I'm doing!  

I took about a million shots just to get these few!

So, I went asking around to find out some blogs and tutorials that would help me figure out my camera.

Here's what I was given.

I Heart Faces

A Mom and a Camera 

The Adventures of an American Mum

If you are at all into photography, go check them out!  They have awesome skills and awesome tutorials for people new to DSLR cameras (I don't even know what DSLR stands for)!  

Thanks to Lisa from ElleBows for sending me their links!


What I really wanted one of these cameras for is to achieve the focused subject and blurry background image.  Like this from The Adventures of an American Mum:

Turns out I might need a new lens to achieve that.  Good thing I got some birthday money!

And as if I weren't the luckiest sister to have such an awesome brother, my OTHER brother bought me this to go along with my new camera!

 Oh Amy Butler Fabric... how I love you!
Camera strap found at this etsy shop!

So, there you have it.  LOTS of "Found it Fridays" to check out and keep you busy this weekend!

See you back here on Monday!

(hopefully with lots of pictures I took this weekend)

Grammy's Here!

It's Found It Friday and we have a special treat today...

We found someone at the airport yesterday:

Grammy!!!!

Needlesstosay, we are going to spend time with Grammy, so this is all for today.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Handstamped Necklaces

 

I have been a little bit addicted to searching for things on etsy lately.  There are so many creative people out there!  It blows my mind...

My newest favorite thing are these handstamped necklaces I've seen everywhere!  It seems like everywhere I turn, a handstamped necklace shop owner is advertising on a blog I read.  I love them and decided that I needed one for my birthday from both my Bugs.  

Here's the one I finally decided on after searching 105 pages of handstamped necklaces on Etsy (they have 202 pages, but I had to draw the line somewhere).

 

 

Of course, it doesn't say "ps, i love you", but instead says the name of my precious Little Bug.  I picked this one as my birthday present because of the font.  It was the only one out there that had this vintage looking script writing, and I fell in love with it.  I can't wait for it to arrive in the mail (it shipped today)!!!  Thank you underhercharm for making my birthday so sweet (and to my husband who actually purchased it for me).  Go check out her stuff or her blog - it's incredible... and tell her I sent you!

 

 

I also searched and searched Etsy for a simple handstamped necklace for a friend's birthday.  I had it stamped with her son's name, too.  What mother doesn't want to wear her baby's name around her neck?  I chose this shop because of her fast turnaround (I was already late for her birthday) and because of her reasonable prices (Em, you know I'd spend $100s on you if I had it!).  It was shipped fast!  And I think my friend likes it.  :)  Please check out her store and her blog ... and tell her Better Life Bags sent you, too!

By the way, I think both of these ladies came out with tons of new items since I bought my necklaces a week ago!  Way to keep things fresh, ladies!  I'm proud to sell alongside you on Etsy !

 

HoneyBear Lane

Something came in the mail yesterday that is SUPER CUTE!  I special ordered it for a baby shower coming up.  And I knew just who I'd ask to make it for me:

Heidi from HoneyBear Lane!

You guys seriously need to go check out her stuff.  Not only is it really cute and really affordable, she's really quick and professional!  The onesie came packaged so nice and cute with a personal thank you note... don't get those much more these days.

Isn't it adorable?! 

Here are some items she has for sale in her shop:

 

This one has a matching apron skirt that every girl I know needs!

  

Isn't this one sweet for a little girl? 

OR ask her to embroider something like "Chicks DIG Me" for your little guy!

She's great with custom ideas!

  

 Her embroidery is done by hand and is just exquisite!  I'm so impressed.

I just know that your little person needs a handmade onesie from her, right?  If you haven't bought handmade before, Heidi will surely get you hooked!  Who wants their little people walking around in the same outfit as 100 other kids?!  Didn't think so... :)

She has long sleeve and short sleeve options, as well as sizes up to 3T!   

Here is my all time favorite item of hers... I'm saving up my money and trying to decide on a color scheme I'd like her make!

How gorgeous is this blanket?!  She hand stuffs each little puff.

Heidi, you make awesome stuff.  

Go check out her shop or follow her blog 

... and tell her Better Life Bags sent you!

Paper Flowers

So, I've been waiting about 2 weeks to post this!  I'm so excited because this was SO easy and SO cute!  I can't wait to see the projects you complete with this tutorial from Inspiring Creations!

Here's what I did this week - continuing with sprucing up my bathroom.  (It's almost done.... I think!)

Aren't those paper flowers super cute?!  They were so easy and so quick.  I can imagine them on so many different things... lamp shades, more picture frames, etc...

{fyi} The tutorial calls for "distressing ink".  Didn't have that, so I just used black stamp ink with a paper towel.  Turned out just as cute I think!

Here's a picture of the entire frame that is adorning my bathroom wall...

(I think that's the spot every picture dreams of hanging, don't you think?!)...

 

That photograph was taken by my amazing friend and college roommate, Laura.  She takes the best pictures!  I'm currently asking her for more to decorate my entire house!

Have a great weekend (can't believe it's already Friday), and see you back here on Monday!

... it's in everyone's best interest to become a Facebook Fan this weekend... I have something super cute up my sleeve that will be revealed there first! ...

A Holy Experience Blog by Ann Voskamp

I am so excited to share with you today's "Found it Friday".  I JUST discovered this blog via a friend.  I think I lost myself in it for the first few hours after I opened it.  This woman is an incredible writer and really reminds me that life is about so much more than crafting, blogging, and sewing.  There is purpose and meaning and LIFE beneath all the fluff of everyday to-dos.  

Please check it out.  

Get lost in it.

Walk away refreshed and encouraged.

A Holy Experience

To tempt you if you weren't already:

 

  

  

  

 Seriously, check it out.

What's my Decorating Style?

Looking for the bag giveaway?  Click HERE

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So, I've been perusing blogs, magazines, and pictures to come up with what I consider to be my decorating style.  I had no clue.  I love dark wood, white painted wood pieces, light blues, yellows, fun lamps, interesting wall art, things I can find at thrift shops and craigslist to redo... all I could come up with was "country inspired shabby chic".

THEN, I stumbled upon an online "quiz" to help you determine your decorating style!  I was so excited to take it.  Basically, you look at pictures of rooms and then click "hate it, don't like it, don't care, like it, or love it".  At the end... (enter trumpet sound here)... you get your very own decorating style!

It got me right on the nose:

Introducing you to...

Rustic Revival!

Here's the description:
"You can take kid out of the country but you can't take the country out of the kid... or is your theme "you can take the kid out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the kid?" Either way you play it, you are one of the unique individuals who loves a mix of modern and country. The clean lines of the modern softened by rustic /vintage elements is the perfect mix in your mind. And can we blame you? You've taken the best aspects of two popular designs and mixed them in a manner that appeals young and old alike. A subtle background of white or light colors provides a nice canvas for all the wonderful flea market, eBay or garage sale finds as well as the classic modern pieces that you love."

So true of me!

Go here and take your own quiz!  (but be careful... at the end it suggests pieces of furniture that match your style... very addicting and tempting to buy)!