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!