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.