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.