Moravian Star: 4/366

We hang this Moravian star every Christmas. It was a gift from Y's mom on my first visit to Winston-Salem, NC. The Moravians had a large presence in Winston-Salem and traditions still influence the town. Old Salem is still preserved with all of its historic buildings and roads. There are little shops filled with all kinds of traditional goodness.

I wanted to show off the star without any of the background competing. Turing it into a black & white image was the best way I could accomplish this on my iPhone.



Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  Camera, Camera+, iWatermark



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At The Wheel: 3/366

We had just dropped off my computer at the Apple store. I had planned to take a photo at/in Apple as my photo for the day but totally forgot once we got all wrapped up with the Genius Bar peeps discussing what was wrong with my computer.

Literally stopped at the red light, as I lamented what was I going to do for my photo, I looked up and saw the beautiful street in front of me with all the trees lit up with little lights. I then saw it through my steering wheel and scrambled for the phone. Only enough time for one photo and my flash went off. Doomed.

This image was seriously pushed and prodded with to get it to look like this. The funny thing is, as I worked on it on my phone, I thought those were stars in the night sky. I worked so hard to get them to show. Hah! It turns out, now when looking at it on a bigger screen,  those are actually dust particles on my windscreen.




Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  Camera, Snapseed, Retouch, Camera+, iWatermark




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Zira: 2/366

Our Sweet Baby

Zira was a bit perplexed as we tried to get her to look in certain directions. She's looking at Y in this photo who is distracting her from the fact that I'm snapping images to rival paparazzi standards. She's so sweet that most of the time I try to take closeup photos of her, she just sniffs and rubs on my phone or my head while purring.

Both my loves have the most beautiful blue eyes.




Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  Camera, Snapseed, Camera+, iWatermark



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Home: 1/366

Home sweet home, it really is. We love every minute here. It's our first home together. We were married in the house as well. Loads of love inside these walls.

I woke up to a new year and sun! A miracle in this part of the world. I snapped up this shot knowing it might be awhile before the sun comes back out. Plus, it seemed an appropriate photo to being this project.

I really love how the miniaturize effect makes the house look like a tiny model of itself.




Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  Camera, Camera+, iWatermark

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Project 366

I will be participating in Project 366 beginning January 1st, 2012. I plan to use only my iPhone 4s & a few apps, as I believe this will allow me to get through the entire year without any excuses.

Hope your holidays have been merry & bright.

Wishing you a very happy new year full of happiness & good health!

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Momchil Hristov's Alice

Photographer: Momchil Hristov


Love the mod look and colors of this take on Alice.

Smooches,

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Ramdaq's Alice

Photography: Ramdaq

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Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Hime Doll

Model: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Photographer: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Intricacies

Model: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Photographer: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Together Joined

Model: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Photographer: Patrick Purcell

The Otherworld . White Stag . 

Model: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

Photographer: Kassandra Leigh Purcell

What a beauty and talent this girl possesses. I love that she rocks her glasses.

xoxo,

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Parrot Tulips

I scored these last Saturday while at Pike Place Market. Three bunches, 30 tulips, for $20! I love tulips but these are my favorite variety. The colors and shapes are just so incredibly beautiful.

 

I love how they open up. Just dreamy!

My favorite flowers are these parrot tulips and stargazer lilies. I think I want parrot tulips for my wedding bouquet.

Parrot tulips, butterflies and cupcakes need to be part of our big day.

I found these wonderful place cards

 

from Timeless Paper.  You can order a minimum of 12 which is perfect for our tiny wedding. They will even print the names of each guest onto them for you. You can also visit their Etsy Shop.

As for cupcakes...unfortunately, we have not found any we are totally happy with in the Seattle area. None have measured up in flavor to Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank, CA. If any of you know a place, or someone, who does delicious and beautiful cupcakes in and around the Seattle area, please do send along that info.


Toodles,

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A Beautiful Day in Seattle

Y and I took advantage of the beautiful day today and went out for brunch.

I took my camera with us.

 

He's growing a beard at the moment.

I like him both with or without.

The food at Lola was yummy! Y had the stack of golden brown pancakes with pork-maple sausage and spiced maple syrup. I had the house cured gravlax with chive cream cheese, tomatoes, capers, onions and rye ficelle. They were so good that I didn't even remember I had my camera until long after our empty plates were taken away, oops.

Lola is located at the Hotel Ändra. 

It's under consideration as a possible wedding venue.

We strolled over to Pike Place Market taking advantage of our $5 all day parking score.

I could eat this everyday!

The daffodils were everywhere.

They made me feel like spring is definitely close at hand.

I scored a big load of my favorite parrot tulips.

I'm sure I'll have photos of them during the week.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Kisses,

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Wednesday Cravings: Paris

Paris on my mind.

Seriously craving a trip to Paris.

[sigh]

Electric Memories by Marisa Williams

visit her Etsy shop: risamay

xoxo,

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Over The Top!

The Trendy Fashionista has honored me with a very fun award! 

                            (how cute is that apron!)

Thank you!!! Definitely check out her blog for all things fashion.

Rules for this award:

A. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back, check.
B. Respond to the following survey using only ONE WORD answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Your hair? thick

3. Your mother? survivor

4. Your father? past

5. Your favorite food? maguro

6. Your dream last night? cheeky

7. Your favorite drink? pellagrino

8. Your dream/goal? happiness

9. What room are you in? studio

10. Your hobby? crafting

11. Your fear? spiders

12. What do you want to be in 6 years? better

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something you aren't? nosy

15. Muffins? cupcake

16. Wish list item? knobs

17. Where did you grow up? San Francisco  *I can't help that it's two words. No way am I saying the F word. I'm a native. We do not use that word, ever! BTW, you all should not use that word either. It gives us San Franciscans the willies.

18. Last thing you did? giggle

19. What are you wearing? cuteness

20. Your TV? fabulous

21. Your pets? purrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect

22. Your friends? far

23. Your life? glorious

24. Your mood? chipper

25. Missing someone? nope

26. Vehicle? Mini

27. Something you're not wearing? shoes

28. Your favorite store? Anthropologie

29. Your favorite color? pink

30. When was the last time you laughed? minutes

31. Last time you cried? days

32. Your best friend? Y

33. One place where I go over and over again? dreams

34. One person who emails me regularly? M

35. Favorite place to eat? Kozue

C. Pass this award onto 10 other bloggers:

1. Beautiful Things to Share
2. Brabourne Farm
3. Pink Lemonade Design
4. Style Obsession
5. The Lemon Cottage
6. Beautiful Things to Share
7. Design*Sponge
8. Diary of a Young Designer
9. Pinecone Camp 
10. Tea & GingerSnaps

These are just some of the blogs that are Over the Top for inspiration. Check them out!

UPDATE: Oops! I just noticed numbers 1 and 6 are both Beautiful Things to Share [blush]. That's why blogging at 3 am should be avoided.

***On another note:

After drooling over the fabulishiously cute Lost Cupcakes Bri whipped up for the Lost premier,  girl has mad skillz, I had to have cupcakes for this week's episode. For reals, that was my excuse, heh heh. I bought ours, no major skillz in the cupcake department around my kitchen, thus far.

I also experimented with my newly acquired camera techniques and attempted to capture the cupcakes in pretty much the worst lighting possible. Direct overhead incandescent light, which barely lights up the room, in front of the plasma on the coffee table, at night. I had to push my settings to the max. Very hard to get an in focus shot since I wasn't willing to pull out the tripod. I had cupcakes to eat ya know. Here is my best photo straight out of the camera:

So you can really appreciate this, here is what the original settings produced:

 

No joke, worst lighting.

I wish all of you a wonderful weekend filled with twinkles and whatever makes you happy. Remember you are always the key to that happiness.

xoxo,

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Ocular Edibles: 02.09.10

The most

magical, inspiring, beautiful, sweet 

flickr photostream I have encountered.

slideshow

Photography by: Anna Inghardt

[swoon]

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F-Stop, Shutter Speed, ISO, O My!

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the Seattle Photo 101 Crash Course instructed by Nicole Hill Gerulat. An intensive one day workshop covering the entire normal four week Photo 101 course which left me a bit braindead but excited and much more confident with my Nikon D80.

Lacking perfect natural sunlight and knowledge, I have been struggling to make the most out of my camera and decided that this course was a worthy investment. I was right. Nicole was able to not only explain terminology and techniques in an easy understandable manner but the hands on real-time shooting using the new techniques made everything come together. I had light bulbs flashing above my head like crazy. The weekly homework assignments I have been left with are sure to reinforce all this knowledge and give me even greater confidence.

This was Nicole's first time in Seattle and we hope she comes back. She and her friends teach photography, Photoshop and Illustrator classes around the country. Can't make it to one of those? Starting tomorrow, Wednesday at 6PM PST, you can sign up for the new online four week classes. The first 5 people to register in each  class, Photo 101, Photoshop 101 and Illustrator 101 will receive a free textbook. March and April registrations will be open at that time.

I also purchased the Photo 101 book and I am so happy I did. Not only does it fully cover the course in Nicole's words but all the examples are included. It's also small enough to carry around with me and my camera for a quick refresher until I have this all locked down in my brain.

We had a lighting demo using natural light. Seattle did not disappoint, it was fully overcast and raining. It was perfect for me as this is what I have been fighting with and losing against. We took photos of our beautiful model next to the window, just like I always have to do.

The price of admission was nothing compared to being able to go from this:

 

to this:

just by using my camera settings, no additional light and knowing how and why! These are straight out of my camera. Here is another photo:

 

There wasn't even this much light in the room!

If you would like to understand your digital SLR and all those buttons, can't figure out your F-Stop, Shutter Speed, ISO and light meter or know why you should, or just need an all around basics in photography, I highly recommend any of Nicole's offerings. Simple understandable explanations and clear examples are what you will get. Please note, Nicole uses Canon equipment and camera descriptions are done on a Canon. However, all you need is your camera's manual to find the relevant button and settings.  That's what I did with my Nikon.

Smoochers,

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Excitement!

 

I hope to learn the secrets of this baby tomorrow.

I am super excited!

I'll update you all after.

Have a lovely weekend!

Kiss Kiss,

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Hello

 

Photography: Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

xoxo,

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Lavazza 2010

I love the yearly Lavazza calendars. (2009) Since the new year is at hand here are my favorites from the 2010 calendar:




Photography: Miles Aldridge

I love everything about that second photo. I totally want to rock that look. A bit overkill just to go to the post office in Seattle though, heh heh.

I'll have what they're having.

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Had the best two weeks

My future-mom-in-law was visiting and we had the best time. Got to explore Seattle a bit more and discovered some little treasures along the way. I'll be posting about them through the coming week.

Here's the first spot: Golden Gardens Park


The combination of beach, waves, boats, trees and autumn leaves was sublime. Located in Ballard, this was such a jewel to discover. Worth a stroll if you ever have the chance.

Hearts,

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