photography: going manual

I have a dSLR (Canon Rebel) but in the couple years I've had it, I haven't taken the time to actually learn how to use it in manual mode. It's my goal for this summer. I'm looking at some online classes to take but found this SLR simulation that is awesome for practicing manual.

Paper Heart Camera wrote a nice tutorial about going manual and included this photography cheat sheet.

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I also like the post here and here is a list of posts that help with learning manual mode and taking better pictures in general. There is so much out there to help go manual, I suppose the only excuse I have is that I'm lazy. And that's not much of an excuse.

hualapai mountains

This first shot is one of my favorite views of the Hualapai (wall-uh-pie) Mountains. I see this view everyday--it would only take a few minutes from my house to drive to the mountains in front. The larger one in back is maybe 20 minutes away. This makes me happy.

This picture is another view of the same Hualapia mountains. This one was taken today and we've had storms and rains coming in and out through out the day. The top of the mountain is hidden under the clouds and I love it.

**Today I learned if you give your kids marshmallows they will put up with you while you go home for your camera and go back out to take a few pictures (and it's time to go manual).**

photography: cactus blossoms

I've been in a rut lately so I decided I needed to go take a walk and take pictures. I love it when prickly cactus start blooming.

link up: flowers on saturday



photography: learning photoshop

I really love photoshop. I finally learned how to properly add a texture or filter overlay.

sooc but cropped to 8x10

edited using a vintage texture overlay and other color, saturation, vibrance settings

I've been wanting to learn this selective color for awhile now. There are so many awesome photoshop tutorials out there. I just google what it is I want to learn how to do and I get tons of results. This one was super easy.

sooc but cropped to 8x10

 edited using black and white, history brush, and other color, saturation, vibrance settings



Stupid blogger was down for a couple days. My post from Wednesday was restored but not the comments. I saw two comments, if there were any others, sorry I missed them!

So, to Mr. Tiny: Thanks! You can not have all the talents! I look at all the crazy amazing things you've sewn and wonder why I can't even sew a straight line. I'd love to sew more of my own clothes but it just never turns out right. I have an apron you made and I marvel at the seams everytime I see it. Why can't I do that?
To Scrollwork (I believe it was you): Thanks so much for stopping by. Thanks for your kind words, it really made my day! I knew instantly what I wanted to name my etsy shop and blog and was excited when both were available. It just fits me.

do you take credit cards?

*Repost from a post I did for the Team Arizona Blog.

How many times has this happened to you while working at a craft show:

Someone wants to buy something from you but doesn't have the cash on hand. They ask if you accept credit cards and you sadly shake your head no. You lose a sale. It's happened to me so I am so absolutely excited about the newest, easiest, cheapest way to accept credit cards. It's a must-have for any of us who ever sell at handmade events. (It's even fabulous for your teenager who babysits or mows lawns or for selling items on Craigslist!)

Ok, let's get down to business.

It's called Square and I am so stoked. Now you can accept credit cards anywhere you are! It's this little square card reader that plugs into your phone. The only catch is it only works with iPhone, iPad, and Android. But chances are that if you don't have one, your spouse, business partner, or good friend have a phone you could borrow for those few times you need to accept cards.

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The details are simple.

You sign up for a FREE account at squareup.com. They send you a FREE card reader. You download the FREE app on your iPhone orAndroid. You accept credit cards! For every payment you take there is a 2.75% fee. If you need to manually enter the credit card number it costs a little extra. Your customer signs on your phone and you have the option to email them a receipt right after the transaction. The email address is not stored on your phone or your account--it stays private. You get daily deposits into your bank account!

You can sign up as an individual or through your business.

Either way, you must give your social security number and as a business you must use your tax ID number. They must be able to identify who you are. The first time I signed up I used my tax ID number, along with my social security number as the business representative. However I was declined. They weren't able to give me a specific reason, other than they couldn't properly verify my identity. It could be that I just inputted the incorrect information, like transposing numbers, but you aren't allowed to go back and fix your application. Since I've been moving around some lately, I'm figuring they didn't like my business ID# (Indiana based) with the address I gave (in Arizona). I decided to try again as an individual. I had to use a new email address--I was told that all information is linked to that address. Once I tried with a new email and only my ss# I got approved right away and my card reader arrived a few days later.

Are you ready to sign up? Have you already signed up? What do you use it for?

apology pass-along cards

I am going to spare you all the details of my latest, horrific Wal-Mart shopping trip. The short version is: all I needed were a couple vitamin supplements and diapers. They are cheaper at Wal-Mart so I decided to make a short trip. My almost 3 yr old had a major meltdown. Screaming, crying, pushing, kicking, screaming, screaming. He's extremely loud. And obnoxious. I am used to getting a few glances and short looks. It happens; sometimes I find myself doing it to others. This time people didn't just look and move on. They stopped. They stared. They continued to watch us as we walked along. As if I was pushing along exterterrestrial offspring in my cart.

I decided it would be nice to have little note cards of apologies to hand out as I know how awful it can be when I must endure someone else's screaming child. So here are a few little notes you can all print off for your own shopping trip adventures. Carry a few in your bag and hand them out when your child becomes less than that perfect child who sits properly in the cart with a seat belt, eats green beans, and falls asleep right at 6:30pm and doesn't wake until 7am.

How I wish I had a nicely written note of sincere remorse to give the kind old gent that came up to me and told me that my blank blank child could be heard all over the blank store and was a pain in his blank. (Yes, for reals, he did.)

useless facts about kingman

Did you know that Clark Gable married Carole Lombard in a Methodist church in Kingman, Arizona? According to some legend, they continue to haunt the Oatman Hotel in Oatman, AZ (about 30 minutes from Kingman on Route 66) where the couple stayed on their wedding night and often visited after that. The hotel is now open as a museum and you can visit their old room. However this site says the couple never stayed at the hotel, ever. Believe what you will. (Oatman is an old gold mining town turned ghost town these days. We drove through it one evening but it was too late for the gunfights. We'll go again.)

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When we first moved to Kingman we noticed that in town, Route 66 is called Andy Devine Ave. It is referred to as Andy Devine and not Route 66 among the residents of Kingman. Andy Devine was an actor, mostly playing cowboy sidekicks. Route 66 was named for him after he died in 1977.

One of Pamela Anderson's Playboy photoshoots in 1992 was taken at the corner of 4th St and Route 66 in Kingman. She was taken to the police for indecent exposure, but not charged.

The movie Management, starring Jennifer Aniston, took place in Kingman. Several other films have shots taken in Kingman. Timothy McVeigh also spent some time here right before the bombing...uh, exciting, right?

And of course, don't forget, Kingman's song mention in Get Your Kicks on Route 66. For those of us who would never have otherwise heard of the little town.

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