photography: macro friday

I really can't decide which one of these I like better. I love the purple points in the first picture but the lighting on the second is cool, too. I'd love to know your preference.

(click to enlarge)

Link your own and check out other macro shots here: 



check me out

I recently hooked up with Nichelle at Vintage Wanna Bee. I decided to give her the pleasure of my presence on her side bar. Actually I begged and paid her to be my friend. How nice of her to oblige. So get check me out over at her place. She also has an etsy shop with super-cute schtuff.

photography: i love the sun

I love sunsets. 

It's my sign that I've made it through another day.
Alive.





And right before the sun sets, the sun does that awesome flare thing.

And if you want to fake the sun flare, Photoshop has a super-easy way to add it to any photo.

Open your photo in Photoshop. Make sure you are on your background layer. I tried adding the sun flare on a new layer and it didn't work. Go to Filter - Render - Lens Flare. Drag the point where you want to add the flare, choose your strength (brightness), choose your filter type, click OK.
Done.

Before:

Flare added on the right, behind the tree. 

Flare added to the left, behind the mountain.

Before:

Small amount of flare added:

 A brighter flare added:

Super easy!

a mini photo shoot. with my children.

I love my children. What else can a momma say? They are mine. And as awful as they can be, they are still mine. No matter how much I deny it. I wanted a few Christmas pictures. Too much to ask? Yes, yes it is. (And becuase it's too much to ask, I spare the cost and take them myself.)

Most of the time I got their back-sides.

And this not-looking-at-the-camera business.

Sweet little boys, why do you terrorize me so? 

But I love taking pictures and they loved the trains so we had a nice little evening out anyway.

a couple last minute stocking stuffers for daddy

I finally finished Christmas shopping yesterday. It was long and it was hard. I haven't really been in the shopping for lots of "stuff" mood this Christmas. But I did get a few little things for my husband that I'm super excited about.

This ratcheting wrench. Get it at Sears or just Wal-Mart. My husband is an all around fix-it man. From household to cars to his mountain bike and dirt bike. He needs this. And it was only $27.



This sweet little number. It's for your car. The one I got actually has 2 USB ports, becuase 2 is better than 1. They also come in a USB/regular plug combo. Just head to Best Buy, or better yet, Fry's. They range from $10-60. (Fry's has better prices on these.)

This bike seat. It's Troy Lee Designs. It's only his favorite designer for all things mountain and dirt bikes. It's not really a last minute gift unless you have a bike shop close by or want to pay for overnight shipping. My son helped me buy this several weeks ago for daddy. (Bad picture.)

He only wishes, wishes but some items are licensed/patented/copyrighted/whatever and so Santa can't make them.

merry 2 days until Christmas!

is there anything better

on a cold, rainy day?

mmmm...butter

(whipped cinnamon honey butter would be so much better but I'm trying to cut back, ya know?)



happy Christmas week

little white lights

I love the little white lights on a Christmas tree. I'm not a fan of the colored ones or the headache-inducing blinky ones. I always keep the tree lights on all day and night and love looking at the tree throughout the day.