WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (+ new banner day)

IS THIS THE BEST OR WHAT? (+ itchy feet)

Guess what I wrote? A Cinnamon Apple Upside Down Cake. Low sugar, no eggs, no dairy and all yum. With the oven fixed, I wrote a bunch of new bakes this week. 

It's wonderful.

You what's not wonderful? The in-door photography space isn't working. Plus, it's hard to keep me inside because my itchy feet keep taking me out for macro walks. Wait until you see the Marbled Orb Weaver I shot.

She's boooooteeeful.

That said, I was frustrated yesterday when I didn't have a proper place to photograph the Cinnamon Apple Upside Down Cake, and that aggravation is the fuel I'll use in the morning to make things work better. 

Tim's gonna help me hang the pegboards for vertical studio space, which should lessen the challenges of a small work room. Now I'm no longer The Grumpy Spatula and back to being The Happy Whisk.

Everyone wins. 

In other news, the new used camera arrived last week and I'm a snap happy fool, taking pictures of all things fall.

I BROKE MY CAMERA (spoilers, new used one arrives friday)

I broke my camera. Had a little cry. Tried to fix it. Failed. Then the best part, found a new used model that's only taken 1000 shots. She arrives Friday. Compatible with the lenses I already own. 

This is my happy dance. 

You can't see me but I'm smiling and doing the happy chair wiggle as I type. AND, I got a call from the appliance store and they gave me 400 smackers off the a new scratch 'n' dent washer. Not sure when that arrives. I'll know more soon when I go pay for it.

Not too shabby.

And that my Boogerbutts, is all that's fit to print.

Thanks for reading and boogie boogie.

PS: Alex asked about getting camera fixed and reselling it. I forgot to add, the video side of the camera works well. Should the shutter get fixed, I'll still keep both cameras because I'm at the point where having two cameras is gonna be sooooo helpful. One for just video, already set up and the other to go on macro walks and other projects.

Exciting stuff! 

Thanks for Alex or asking the question. 

AND..... (a good week it was)

Hello end of the week! Got a few good deals at Grocery Outlet, the repair man fixed the oven and I baked a killer pumpkin spice, sprouted spelt, no egg, no dairy all yum cake. The washer on the other hand is Frankensteined (for now), and next week the scratch n' dent models hit the floor.

Love me a scratch 'n dent room. That's what my oven is. She's not all shines and sparkles but the price was right and she bakes like a dream. With her a new ignitor, I'm back to working on the bake book and that my Boogerbutts is a good feeling. 

Two thumbs up for this week.

AND ....

I CAN ALREADY TELL...

Guess what, chicken butt? Five months ago I started using flash outside for macro and close-up photography. Now, I'm learning flash indoors. Check out my new setup. The flash is inside that soft box and the subject, Scully is sitting on a baker's rack.

It's easier for me to move the bench on wheels rather than move Big Bertha (the flash and soft box). I still haven't found a home for all the needed gear or hung the pegboards yet.

But ......

NEW JOB WENT BELLY UP (+ new banner day) (+ Friday Question)

So ... as much as I LOVED the new job, it didn't work. Once fully trained, it would have been a super duper easy gig with no weekends. However, I had my cry and I may cry again but for right now, it's all about writing, baking, photography and making room for Big Bertha (the large flash that lives in the shared office/studio space). 

Pictures to come.

In other news, it's new banner day. Another Five Below mini. I call these five dollar photo lessons because I pay a fiver, get a mini and then head outside to shoot, shoot, shoot. Today's photo was taken on a stump with changing leaves in the back. 

Did I mention I love photography? 

In other, other news, yesterday I baked with black chocolate powder for the first time. So spooky looking. Tastes good too. Stronger than the other chocolate powders I've used. Richer, maybe is the word. 

I dunno. 

I don't know much about what makes it black, just that it bakes true black, by my eye. I haven't put the bake under the macro lens yet. Sometimes, once a subject goes under the macro lens, the subject isn't the same as my regular eyeball sees. 

My regular eyeball? As opposed to my many other eyeballs? Just made myself giggle. 

Friday Question: Have you used black chocolate powder? If memory serves, I first learned about it on The Halloween Baking Championship. Curious if others have seen and/or used it. I'm thinking of baking low-sugar, sprouted spelt, black cupcakes with orange frosting. 

Bring on the spooky bakes.

 

HEADED TO MY COFFIN (but first a quick word from our sponsor)

Helloooo Boogerbutts. Popping in before I crawl into my coffin for the night. Today was day 2 of the new job and so far, it's been a lot, lot, lottttta modules and tests. That said, I think the job is gonna work well. The people are FANTASTIC. Super duper helpful and one of my best friends works there as well. 

Not too shabby.

In other news, tomorrow, after work we're gonna do a little photo walk. Not long, just a short spin through a graveyard, park or where ever the wind takes us.

In other, other news, here are two shots taken tonight after work. My gosh, I love learning about light, shadow and all things photography. All the time, effort, money, stained jeans, classes and learning. 

Worth it. 

Alrighty. My coffin calls and morning rolls around quick. Be back over the weekend to catch up on your adventures and blogs. 

Until then, huggs and bugs, Me.

A TOMATO AND A POTATO MAN WALK INTO A BAR (stop me if you've heard this one) + NEW BANNER DAY

Sometimes I like to stick stuff in the freezer and then the next day take pictures. Other times I like to put Thing on Potato Man's head to see Thing fits. Other, other times, I like to use monster lighting to create a new banner and call myself The Spooky Whisk. 

Welcome to the nuthouse. All are welcome.

SUNDAY POST (now with more minions)

Poppin' in to show you my new lens along with a few minis. 

The story is, I stopped at Five Below for makeup wedges to use for propping up bagels and other foods I shoot. They didn't have the wedges I wanted and I was just about to leave when I spied Nightmare Before Christmas die-cut minis (and others minis), for a fiver each and lost my dang mind. 

True story.

For the purple photo (see below), I used two light sources. Continous light and sunlight. I also used the purple deck to frame our balancing Jack. 

I went with monster lighting which is shot from below. Think Monster of Frankenstein and/or using a flashlight/torch under the face/chin when telling spooky campfire stories.

Instead of directly under his face, I used the monster lighting to hit the bottom of the branch and then shoot up to Jack's face, showing off the stitches around his mouth and sinister grin. What's also fun is Jack's motion pose. Sorta looks like he's trying to balance on a branch.

I love this shot because the brief I gave myself was to use two light sources, framing and whatever I found in the yard to pull it all together. There's something fun about using what's available and free. 

The two shots above are of the 12mm Rokinon/Samyang manual lens. Really enjoying learning the new bit of kit. Excellent sale price of 200 smackers. 

Perfect toy for our 10-day Yaycation.

Then on the 2/September I start a new office job. Business casual. Nooooooo weekends.

Nooooooo weeekends. 

Lastly, it's Dunkin' bagels along with two Minions. In this photo, I ran out of runway near the back of the photography board. Next time I'll bring the bagels up closer to the front of the board. Plus the second mini is a little blur. Which is a choice, though I'd like to see them both in the plane of focus. And, and, and, the DIY board under the bagels for me, don't work with this lighting. When I switched out the board for another, I liked that board better. 

I'm showing you this because not all photos work out. And that's okay. I'm not fussed about that because it's how I learn. 

And I love that.

GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT?

I'M NOT SAYING I BOUGHT A NEW LENS (but I'm not saying I didn't)

I'm in a goofy mood. I dunno if it's the sunshine, the bagels, the minis, that vacation starts Friday, the homemade photography board, OR that in TWO MORE sleeps my new 12mm Rokinon/Samyang fully manual lens, arrives. 

For 200 smackers, this lens can do astrophotography, liminal space photography, is a good walk around lens AND can even shoot close up with a little funky character to boot. This is not a clinical lens. 

This is a play lens. 

TWO MORE SLEEPS.

PS: If you're wondering if a Minion can fit inside a bagel hole, why yes. Yes he can. If you're further wondering if Thing can sit on top of Potato Man's head without falling off ....

Also a yes. 

I LOVE A GOOD GRAVEYARD CRAWL

Dig this angel. Each time I shoot her she looks different and I love that. This time, I brought off-camera flash and moved that sucker all over the place and looky what I shot. 

I love this photograph and I can't wait to go back and shoot her again.

Pretty flippin' cool.

PHOTOGRAPHY BTS + NEW BANNER + PLUS BERRIES = FUN

It's new banner time. These are berries shot inside the new shooting area. The new space has some issues, more on that another day, for today, dig this BTS (behind the scene), photo.

See that board?

It's made with a homemade stain of cooked beets. No formula/recipe because I make it up as I go. Same with the darker wood from the last post. That said, an upcoming tutorial coming to a blog feed near you.

In other news, I scored excellent deals at Label Shopper. Just under 100 smackers for a pile of groovy new clothes. I LOVE that store. Even got a cute new bag. Which weren't part of the 100, just a fun add.

Love that store. The deals, ROCK.

In other, other news, yesterday I wrote a new pumpkin spice bake with soaked organic raisins and baked in the pressure cooker. This method is quickly becoming my new fave for bakes. 

No heat. Set it. Forget it. Come back when done. Bing, bam, boom. One bake going in our bellies. Yes please and thank you.

And ... in other, other, OTHER news, I woke with idea for an upside down raspberry lemon honey kissed bake. Haven't written the formula yet. Right now it's just in my brain, knocking about. 

And that's about all for now. Wishing you all a Berry Merry Week.

I LOVE DIY (love it I say, love it!)

Dig this DIY photography board I made with cheap wood and homemade stain. The stain is a combination of wet coffee, tea and chocolate powder. Brush it on and let it dry. I repeated those steps a bunch of times until I liked where I ended. Once fully dried, I applied a clear matte topcoat. 

Including tax, the timber was 9 bucks. 

9 bucks. 

Crazy good deal. 

For those interested, at the end of this post, I've included details on shadow, light, fill and bounce.

In other news, this week I went over the food budget for the first time in a long time. I'm okay with it. Funny thing is, last week I was under. In the end, it all washes out. I'm not fussed about it because it's the overall progress and improvement that matters.

One week or two over, no big thang. 

In other, other news, tomorrow is Friday and me and a friend are going on a photo walk. Not sure where yet. Maybe a graveyard, those are always fun. Maybe along the water, that's cool too. Either way, I'll bring my pancake lens and have a good time.

Also, I love saying pancake lens. 

Pancake lens. 

For those wondering if it's as fun to type pancake lens as it is to say ... why yes, yes it is. 

And that my Boogerbutts, is all that's fit to print. 

Talk again soon. 

Huggs and Bugs, Me.

Photo One: The light spills across the photography board.

Photo Two & Three: The white card stops the flash (coming from the left), and bounces light back into the scene PLUS helps fill in some of the shadow along the front facing right side of the magazine. 

Note the placement of the bounce card in photo two and three and how we can change the shadow along the edge of the magazine. 

Pretty freakin' cool. 

And, and, and, black cards to help create shadow, drama, mood and remove hot spots. My gosh, playing with light and shadow is crazy fun. Crazy fun I say, crazy fun.

REMEMBER BEING LITTLE AND ....

Summerween Continues ....

Dig this little dude that I snagged at HomeGoods/HomeSense. Got him tonight. His eyes light up AND there's MORE books under him. This is a phone picture. I'll snag a bigger picture of him later to show you all of him. Twenty bucks happily spent.

Happy Summerween and Boogie Boogie. 

FLOATING BRAIN + (another new banner)

It's Saturday and right now I don't wanna go ANYWHERE. Just wanna be home. However, I'll probably go out later for a photo walk and maybe get some timber for a little DIY photography board making fun. Right now though, home, home, home.

Home.

In other news, Silk brought back my FAVE non-dairy creamer. It's a half and half. I don't have a photo ready but if anyone's interested, I'll snap a shot and post it next time. Really good. Even Tim likes it. Not sweet, which I love. Just simple non-dairy creamer. Enjoying a cuppa now.

Delightful.

In other, other news, the ingredient budget goes well at 60 smackers per week with a 15 flex. Haven't used the flex yet. I like having it there though. 

Doing dish as I go is going mostly well. Sometimes I catch myself slipping and the kitchen table as of this minute is loaded with bake dishes in need of a better home. Something I hope to solve with a new under the work bench build. Something to hold the newer and newish bake dishes longways and then have it on wheels to tuck away. 

If I do make it, I'll share it. Right now it's an idea floating in my brain.

Lasty, in other, other, other news, new goodies landed on the porch yesterday. I love that these soft boxes are light (no pun intended), enough to easily carry out back. So that's what I did. Here's a few of the shots along with the Summerween banner. 

Happy Summerween to those who celebrate! 

Turtles, Bugs and Banners (oh my) + DIY Photography Goodies

Hello Boogerbutts. 

Check out my GIANT photography soft box. It's HUGE. A light goes inside and shoots out. The fabric diffuses the light, creating a larger spread over the subject. Soft boxes work with continuous light (the lightbulb that stays on), or a flash, that fires when the shutter button is hit. Both methods have pros and cons. Then there's natural light. My all time fave.

However, over the last two months it's all about the flash. 

And I love it.

A lot. 

Like a lot, a lot, a lot. 

Know what else I love? DIY.

Dig this V-Fold I made or V-Flat if you fancy. This one is black and it absorbs light. Helps create dark and moody vibes. The goal here was to make it with ONLY dollar tree items. Total cost: $7.50 (pre-tax). Not too shabby. And, later if I wanna add white to the back, that's an easy fix, for not a lot of money. Best part, it folds away, which for small spaces, works.

And that's the goal. Using stuff that fits for the space and the photos I'll take AND not over-spend on things that can be easily made. That said, last night I ordered two more smaller soft boxes plus a tool that may allow me to make my own foldable soft box as well. 

Pretty cool.

In other news, think I'll toss a new banner up as well. Really, it's Summerween time only I don't have a cartoon done for that. So fun. Summerween. Ha! Love it. For now, here's a follow-up photo from the last flower to her new stage. That's what's fun about photo walks, seeing nature in stages.

Speaking of photo walks, dig these guys. Found the turtle under the stairs and the bug inside, though took her outside for a beauty shot. 

Up next, get outta my jammies, find grub, hit the post and then two stores for a few more DIY photography goodies! Got a gift card to Starbucks so I'll probably get a drink too. Oh yeah, life is fun. 

Chat again soon. 

Huggs & Bugs, Me.

LOCKED & LOADED (now with less buffalo poop)

Guess what Boogerbutts? I'm baaaaaaaaaaack. Yeppers. And today, I'm reporting live from the outside cafe of a coffee house. It's a perfect day under the umbrella, writing a blog.

Delightful.

Today's drink is strawberry lemon with coconut milk, over ice. 

Also delightful. 

In other news, I'm happy to report that I'm in my third week of cleaning the kitchen as I go. Which I've never maintained for this long. 

Ever.

And, and, AND, we're also smack dab in the middle of week three of budget ingredient shopping. Years ago we had a food budget and then it fell off. I like having a budget again. 

A lot.

We spend 60 per week with a flexible 15 extra if needed. It's about having fun, creating new meals/snacks/bakes AND making ingredients stretch. It's not about squeezing a nickel so tight that the buffalo poops. 

In other news, I'm locked and loaded with DIY photography craft-like goodies, from today's Dollar Tree run. Sticky-back marble, foam boards, a sturdy box that I thought was groovy and then I decided to take a punt on the purple sparkly paper. Will this DIY work for photography boards and backdrops? 

Dunno. 

That's the fun part.

And in other, other, OTHER news, the adventures in non-dairy yoghurt making at home, continues. I freakin' love it. As I write, there's a batch fermenting at home, in jars, in the pressure cooker. The budget didn't allow for cashews this week so today's batch is oat-based, only. 

Excited to taste it. It'll sit for eleven hours or so. Oh my gosh, I had to look up how to spell eleven. Nothing I wrote looked right. Still doesn't look right. 

Eleven.

Looks funny.

And that my Boogerbutts is all that's fit to print. This is Ivy, reporting live from the coffee house, outdoor cafe. Headed home to take pictures of what I bought and post this blog.

Write again soon.

Huggs & Bugs, Me.

Bug Died (I'm sad)

Last week Bug died. She's the little one to the right. Nose covered in dirt. Then the next image was taken on a wee early morning as I passed the screen doors in the kitchen. 

Little Bug. 

Just looking out at the world. With those teeny tiny shoulders and little head. Too cute. 

We miss her.  

BEFORE & AFTER - MINI STUDIO (hot dog, it's done!)

Yesterday I finished the mini studio space. Now there's plenty of room for light stands, a C-Stand, saw horses, a folding table and soon, one BIG HONKIN' Godox AND a whole lotta play. 

That makes me, a Happy Whisk. 

Thanks for the kind words about the photos. They are fun to shoot. Rained most of the day today. Only ran out for second between rain drops to play with the new ultra macro lens. Very different than my other macro. Gonna enjoy learning this new bit of kit.

And that my Boogerbutts wraps up four posts in one week. Whhhaaatttt? I never do that anymore. This is why I enjoy unscheduled posts. Just write 'em and shoot 'em out. 

Huggs and Bugs, Me. 

GUESS WHAT ...?

And... it's also new banner day because after I drew the cartoon, I figured I'd work on a banner. Once I get the new lens, I imagine the banners changing often. 

So fun!

PS: Next week I get back to writing bakes.

Also so fun! 

 

BELLY DOWN (plus 2 more sleeps)

Two more sleeps and the 2x macro will be in my hot little hands. 

In other news, this is me playing with a 22mm pancake lens, belly down on the soggy ground all because I liked the slight curve in the stem. 

That was it. I saw the curve when I let Bug out and had to get the shot. And whilst this isn't food photography for my book, it is practice and I love that. Plus, I love crawling around outside for shots.

In other, other news, by the end of the week the new photography space will be done and it'll be time to start shooting food again. 

Pretty cool.

And that's about all from here. Second post of the week. Hot dog! 

PS: I posted this for Wordless Wednesday because so many of you do that and I think it's a neat idea, only I couldn't be wordless today. I'm too excited about the lens.

Two more sleeps.