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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
I did a thing. When I was online today a new lens JUMPED into my cart. Just like that. This cute little 2x magnification macro lens jumped in the cart, paid for itself and arrives in three more sleeps.
Three more sleeps.
Insert happy face here.
Look at this little thing. How does something so teeny tiny cost 160 smackers? How? I dunno. I will say though, totally worth the cabbage. So much so that I'll likely get one for my other camera.
Not today though.
This is enough money for today.
Plus, I'm saving for a new macro lens. All manual features. Old school style. Cannot wait to play.
In other news, due to classes, writing the book and exploring the world of flash photography, I'm behind on reading blogs. Sometimes I feel funny about posting a new blog when I've not given time to reading others. That said, I must press on with the learning and also, the once a week post here.
I have a horrible habit of missing a week of posting and then before I know it, six months have gone by. I don't want to do that this year. I want to keep with at the least one post a week here and one post a week on my class feed.
The goal: Consistency.
Now onto New Book Day!
When my teacher said the word composition I didn't know that word. Composition. As a macro photographer, I shoot to explore. As a food photographer, I just shoot what looks pretty to me. When she mentioned composition, I didn't understand. Sometimes I don't know words. That's okay. Because now, I with this book, I get to learn things like weight and other photography wonderfulness.
Speaking of photography wonderfulness, SmoochieFace bought me a used copy of Mastering Composition by Richard Garvey-Williams from Abebooks, based on my teacher's recommendations.
We love Abebooks. It's a fun little world of bookworm deals. Or, it has been for us. It's our go-to online hunting ground for out-of-print, used and sometimes new, goodies.
And that my lovely Boogerbutts is almost all that's fit to print. Last night was date night but after writing about food, shooting food, taking classes and exploring the outside macro world, I didn't want to actually make any food. So we ordered in and now there's leftovers with my name on them.
Get in my belly.
PS: Something funky on a branch. Sooooo fun!
Say that ten times fast.
Speaking of photography and all things wonderful. Last night I ordered a Godox V350 flash with a small diffuser. The flash connects to the top of the camera and the flash can point up (for bounce), or shoot directly at the subject. That's where the diffuser comes in. If I shoot the directly at a tiny bug or flower, the light is hard. Once I slap that diffuser on there, the light becomes softer.
Think bright sunny day, no clouds = hard light.
Think cloudy (with a chance of meatballs), with sun = soft light.
I can't hear cloudy without also hearing with a chance of meatballs. I dunno why? Just like I can't say the word lightbulb, without also saying it in Gru's accent.
"Lightbulb."
Love that line.
"I hate that guy" and "It's so fluffy" also excellent lines.
What kind of blog am I writing today? I dunno. I got zero focus. Can't keep a thought in my head other than, is it Thursday yet? And how do I attach this flash?
Speaking of Thursday, over at Shug's blog she does a TRY IT THURSDAY. I love the fun! Trying new things, rocks.
Click Shug's Blog to play along.
In other news, I cannot say this enough. I'm soooooo happy that the video camera gear is OUT of the kitchen and almost everything kitchen related is back in place. My world makes sense again.
Heaven I say, heaven.
In other, other news, I just made a single serving, non-dairy mac and cheese in the 3qt Mini Instant Pot. Everything in one pot, five minutes on high, no leftovers and easy to clean. This is a spin on my mom's mac and cheese, only with non-dairy cheese and instead of tomatoes I used water and salsa.
Get in my belly.
And that my Boogerbutts is all that's fit to print.
Huggs and Bugs, Me.
