Photography

Not posted here anymore. Because I need another blog to keep up with, I started one that is strictly photography.

www.valariewithana.com

Looking for Jewelry or other Crafts?

You’ve almost got the right spot. I’ve recently separated my hobby posts into a seperate blog and I will keep my random updates and ramblings here. You can go to Valarie’s Craft Blog to see my newest creations.

Septemberfest has gone…

But I did pretty well at my booth I have lots less jewelry and some more money. I’m so glad to have that over with. I got lots of comments on my bracelet displays (paper cones) and my jewelry. One bracelet in particular, Ashley did not like at all, but I made 4 of because I thought they would sell. I sold out, and made two more, and sold one of those. I will be doing it again next year and hope to have a website up and running soon. Yay! For now, I suppose I will be posting pics of my new creations here. A couple people asked about my information, so I directed them here. I don’t have any new pics now, but hopefully I will in the next day or two. Oh, I do have pics of my booth

Septemberfest

I’m hoping to set up a booth at Septemberfest to sell some of the jewelry I’ve made. I’ve been pricing, inventorying, and working on displays recently. I’m still taking tons of pics of Austin and we’ve made two more trips to the park.

I’ve also digi scrapped a little bit recently. Scrapbook Flair has some fun challenges that gives me ideas for what to scrap. This one was for the rule of thirds challenge. I didn’t take the picture thinking of the rule of thirds, but had zoomed out enough that I could crop it to fit that rule of composition.

I also did a page of one of our engagement pictures for a word challenge. I really liked how it turned out.

Another recent photo I’ve taken is that of the FHS marching band. It took a while to get the new uniforms so we missed picture day. So on the day that uniforms were distributed, I climbed a ladder and took the picture. The band room was a mess so I removed it and put up a black background. We also had a few students missing, so I got their pictures from the same angle at a later day and photoshopped them into the group image. I just have one more person to get, but we have to get her a uniform, and the only ones left need mending. I can’t post the pic here because of the whole no parent permission thing, but I’m really proud of my work on it.

Another Austin Photo Shoot

Been a while since I’ve been around. Band camp started July 28th, so I’ve been a bit busy with that. I’ve got a few days before school starts, so I thought I’d get caught up on my blog.

Since I’ve gotten a new camera, I’ve been all about playing with the settings and getting better at manual. We went to Armco Park here in town and found some playground equipment that was fun, as well as a grassy area with a grassy hill behind it. That meant to traffic in the background, YAY! Austin doesn’t like grass. He had fun in the swing, but got irritated as soon as we put him in the grass. Here are a few of the better shots from that day.

The first picture actually had Ashley in it, trying to get him to laugh. It didn’t work, but I loved his expression, so I did a little cloning over top of him.

Dress is still in pieces, but I finally got some interfacing, so I might start working on it soon. I also bought a “little black dress” that was only $10 but 2 sizes too big in the bust and 4 sizes too big in the waist/hips, so I’m gonna have to some minor surgery on it. I liked it and it was a good price, so I thought I’d attempt it. If I were going to make it, I’d pay $10 for the pattern alone, so I thought it was worth a shot.

As for the digi scrapping, I’ve been slacking a bit. I did buy an 8×8 baby album that I hope to use as a Baby Book, documenting Austin’s first year. It’s got 20 pages, so I need to get crackin’! I’ve got some ideas for it that I just need to get down in photoshop.

New Scrapbook Pages

I’ve been addicted to following themes of challenges on Scrapbook Flair, so I’ve got a couple more pages made. The first contest is “Summertime” and you had to scrap what you are doing this summer. I used images of Austin from his pool and the big pools we visited. I used freebies from Scrapbook Flair, from their Tropically Hot Collection.

The next challenge was “Bath in the Sink”. We usually bathe Austin in his tub in the sink, or in the big tub with me. I had one picture from when he got a bath at his grandparents and he was looking down. That wouldn’t do, so we put him in the sink, and started taking pictures. Then I came up with the layout, using the Bubble Boy Kit, by Creative Chaos.

Dress update: pieces are cut out, on to the sewing.

I’m going to make a dress…. hopefully.

I’ve bought the pattern, practice fabric, the actual fabric and everything else I need. Except eye and hook closures because wal*mart doesn’t carry the little ones, only the skirt/pants ones. I figure that’s one of the last things you do anyway, so I have some time I’m sure. Anyways, here is what it looks like, I’m just going to make the straps wider to cover my bra straps. Tell me what you think.

First scrapbooking pages

Yep, I’m totally addicted to digi scrapping and I’ve got a couple pages that I’m proud of to show off. Of course they are of Austin. Well, the first on is sorta of Austin. It is a progression of my pregnancy with belly pictures and ultrasound images. I think it turned out pretty well. I used a free kit that I found online called ent’attendant by Petit Moienaux.

This second one I did was for a challenge on a forum. The rules were to use only pictures from cell phones. I thought about this one for a short time before deciding what to do, and it was pretty easy. I used the Sweet Serenity Kit by Shabby Princess for this one.

The journaling isn’t readable but it says “Daddy wouldn’t leave my side while I was in labor to go get the camera from the car. The only pictures we have from the delivery room are from his phone. I was angry at him not capturing those first moments. Now, 7 months later, I’m glad that he wanted to support me during a painful time. I also love using my camera phone to catch those unexpected fun moments.”

Anyways, those are some of my first pages and I’m really happy with them.

Austin is a Lunatic!

Really he is. We took him to see Luna on the 5th and he loved it. He stayed awake long past his nap time without getting cranky at all. He got to meet Luna and Chico, and Keight and Jane.

The schedule was rearranged, so we got there pretty early. A bluegrass band went on before Luna, but that gave us a chance to sit and talk with everyone. Austin likes sitting with Mary, he’s done so well with her all 3 times he’s seen her. Luna ate him up too. While we were waiting, Ashley tried to put his sunglasses on Austin, but what fun are sunglasses when they go over your eyes? Of course they are meant to be eaten.

That’s how we celebrated the 4th (on the 5th).

Austin is still digging his little pool. He plays in it so hard that he sleeps really well at night, so we all love it. I got this shot of him enjoying it last week with my camera phone.

I also got a happy face out of him when he was sitting in his carseat, waiting for Ashley to get home. We were outside on the front “porch” where we seem to get the best lighting and he was in a good mood, so I pulled out my phone again.

We took a new “blue” family portrait for the website. Austin does pretty well when we set up the timer on the camera. He likes looking at me though, so the challenge is to keep his attention on the camera, not me running to get into the picture. We usually have to take 4-5 pics to get a good shot, like this one. I feel so skinny in it

As for me, I’ve been busy with digital scraping. I’m addicted and have downloaded TONS of freebies when I find them. I made Austin’s June collage, so here it is.

I also did another photo shoot with Austin. This time I took him outside to avoid having to use a flash. It worked ok, but the shutter in my little point and shoot camera still slows down quite a bit, and a 7 month old doesn’t like to stay still for a slow shutter. So we have blurry hands/arms/legs/head in some of the pictures, but I was able to salvage a few. I might be able to do a “head swap” on the others, but there is potential.

Ashley took the camera and snapped a few shots after I had finished that day too. I really like the look of this one.

I’ve been slacking in my craftiness, just a few magnets that I’ve not taken pics of. I’ll try to get more things posted soon.

Been a while, huh?

I’ve been posting on our new website, Deckers in Blue. Don’t go there yet, it’s down at the moment. Our web server crapped out, that’s why I’m here posting. Go check it out, it’s back up! I guess I need to catch you up with what has been happening.

On Tuesday, I got in the tub to take a bath, turned on the water, and got 6 drops. Yeah, our water had been turned off. I was so mad. I hadn’t received a bill in a while, but didn’t think much of it. We got their junk (Consumer Confidence Report) but no bill, late notice, or turn off notice. Not even a courtesy knock on the door to let us know he was cutting it off. I called the water company ready to use some foul language. Luckily I didn’t need to. I think the woman on the other end got how angry I was. She looked at our account and noted that we had perfect payment history, not a single late payment (Duh?). Turns out, someone had contacted them to change the service, our account had been inactive since April. We have back-usage of about 2 and a half months that we have to pay at once. I made it clear that the water was going to be turned back on that day, and the guy showed up about 20-30 minutes later. Everything worked out, except now I’m waiting on the monster bill to arrive in the mail.

That day, since the water was turned back on early enough, we went to Dreamland. Austin still doesn’t like the big pool, and we have figured out that it’s the temperature. He’s used to bath water, and when we put him in the baby pool it’s still a bit warmer than a normal pool. Here are some pics from that day.

He still likes the baby pool much better. Here’s a picture of him in that pool on the same day. Ashley said he looks like mini-me because he’s holding his fists up near his shoulders.

Yesterday he rolled under the coffee table and had a great time! He loves being under there, playing with the table legs. I seriously think he’s gonna grow up to be a leg man.

I pulled out the black sheet for another photo shoot. I’m gonna try to do some more later, with the blue sheet and the off white one too. Ashley is getting sick of me always putting him on the black background, but I really like the contrast. I also pulled out the full length mirror. He’s been playing with it a lot lately, so I thought it would be a good photo prop. Here are the best two shots I got from then.

In crafty things, I’ve been making itty bitty paper stars. Tons of them. I have a vase that I want to fill. Here they are in a pile, then in the vase. I’ve actually made more. The vase is filled up to the narrow part now, not much further to go.

I’ve also been trying to find ways to store or display earrings. I came up with this. It is plastic canvas, about half a sheet lengthwise, rolled and overlapped a couple squares, then secured with 3 brads. It’s not the prettiest thing, but it’s cheap and does the job.

I’ve done a couple digital scrapbook pages, but I’m not too good at it yet. I’ll start sharing those when I’m more confident about them. I bought some polymer clay a couple days ago, in hopes of making my own pendants for my jewelry. I’ve also gotten on a marble magnet kick. I even bought a 5/8″ paper punch, to make it a lot easier. It is slightly smaller than the marbles, so it fits almost perfectly on the back and I don’t have to trim it. I’ll get a bunch of those made up, then take some pics.