Semi-Sweet chocolate fudge topped with sea salt makes this Sea-Salted Fudge. A classic fudge recipe is easy to make & so incredibly creamy & delicious. The absolute perfect blend of salty & sweet.
I love having candles around the house, especially this time of year. They bring such a coziness to the room that is just so wonderful when it’s chilly & snowing. What I’m not too fond of is the labels on the jars. So I was sitting here one day looking at all these candles with these labels trying to figure out how I was going to remove them without making a huge mess, or a way to cover them up. Then I looked over & saw this huge box of mini candy canes my mom had bought while she was here for the gingerbread house making. We tucked them into a cabinet & then forgot to use them for the gingerbread house. I’m not all that fond of eating candy canes- but I just love looking at them. So I decided to see what I could do with them & these candles.
Stick the candy canes in the rubber band all the way around making sure they are tight.
Wrap ribbon over the top of the rubber band to cover it.
This is a great craft for the kids because it's quick & simple. Plus they are great helpers when it comes to unwrapping all those min candy canes. 🙂
The cool part is that when the candle has been burning for a little while & it starts getting warm the candy canes become more fragrant- so be sure to choose a candle scent that will work well with the peppermint. I was using vanilla sugar cookie so it worked out great. This is a super easy project to get the kids involved in. I had mine unwrapping all those tiny candy canes to speed up the process for me. The whole thing took me less than 20 minutes & that was only because I was waiting for them to get those wrappers off. 🙂
Be sure to come join me this Friday to share all your holiday goodies for the last
12 Days of Christmas- Holiday Bucket List Linky Party
Like most people, we receive a lot of cards through the month of December. We started off trying to just dedicate a counter space to them. Then it took over an entire sideboard table. Before long it was just too much to dedicate a flat space to. We decided we needed to think of something else to display them but have them out of the way. Several years ago we decided to start hanging them on the door. I took a big ribbon & made a bow- then tied it to the door like a gift. I keep a hole punch & a baggie of ribbons near where I open the mail & whenever we get a new card they get a punch & tied on to the door.
Now I know this looks sad- only 2 cards on there right now. That is because we just moved in to our cabin a week ago. By the end of the month the whole door will be filled & I will have run out of space. When I take them down I keep each year’s cards bundled with the ribbon so when I start setting up next year I can look back & see just how much everyone has changed & remember what everyone was doing.
Be sure to come back tomorrow to join me for my 12 Days of Christmas- Holiday Bucket List Linky Party
With all the changes in our lives right now, I am starting to get excited about all the new things we will get to experience in our new home. The holidays have never quite been like I had always dreamed of. It’s hard to be festive when things don’t feel like the holidays. So- now that we will have some true seasons I can really embrace the activities that come with the changing of the calendar. There are so many fun things to do during the holidays but I really wanted to go with the 12 Days of Christmas theme & not make it too overwhelming. There are already so many things to do this time of year.
Free Printable Checklist Templates
Because we are inching ever so close to moving day- I am not spending a lot of time in the office.
But I did create this 12 Days of Christmas Bucket List, Free Printable for you!!
First- before I say anything else- I have to give a MASSIVE
THANK YOU
to my dear blogging friends. Yesterday I started receiving these Target gift cards in my inbox & at first I wondered if they were legit. You know how you get those spamy emails. But one had a message that was very detailed & knew a lot of personal info about me & things we are doing. So when I asked the sender if she had sent it- she let me know that a bunch of you- my AWESOME FRIENDS- got together & decided to send me Target Housewarming gifts. That is the NICEST thing I think anyone has ever done for me. I mean, seriously- the fact that you all got together & collaborated to do that for me just has me near tears. I am so touched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just love you guys so much- I can’t even express how this makes me feel & how THANKFUL & BLESSED I am to have you all in my life.
Free Printable Checklist Templates
With all the moving & whatnot going on around here- I have not had a lot of time to take & process pictures.
I will sure be happy when we are settled. But I didn’t want to leave you hanging here.
I created this Give Thanks ~ Free Thanksgiving Printable for you all so you can have something for your Thanksgiving festivities!
Welcome to Day 7 of my 7 Days of Memory Making ~ Holiday Recipe Series
This past week I took a much needed blogging break to prepare for our long distance move. Over the past 6 days I shared with you some recipes that have been part of my family traditions & so has Danelle. We hope that these recipes become memory makers for you & your family too.
Did you miss a post this week?? You can find all the links to all 14 of these fabulous recipes here today. We have it all covered, appetizers like Beer Bread, Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip & a Green Onion Cheeseball. Cookies for every craving- Sugar Cookies, Hot Cocoa Cookies & Four Spice Crackles. German Sweet Chocolate Pie, Easy Peanut Butter Fudge, Snickers Cake Mix Bars & Chocolate Nut Clusters. These are all quick & easy recipes that are sure to be the hit of your holiday gatherings this season.
Welcome to Day 4 of my 7 Days of Memory Making ~ Holiday Recipe Series
While I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break from my usual blogging routine this week in preparation for prepare for our long distance move. I have teamed up with the FABULOUS Danelle from Let’s Dish Recipes to bring you some really great recipes this week.
The holidays are just not the holidays without Sugar Cookies. Yes I do make the regular kind that you roll out, cut into shapes & then frost. I swear- I do that…..sometimes. But when the hubs asks for Sugar Cookies & I just don’t feel like that kind of mess- I go this route. This recipe is easy, quick & you just roll them in a ball like you would Snickerdoodles. The frosting is quick & everyone is happy. You can make these as easy or as complicated as you have time for & that is what I love about them. PLUS they are chewy. They never last long. Hubs likes to have some with his morning coffee & then I find him grabbing a few more throughout the day.
Welcome to Day 3 of my 7 Days of Memory Making ~ Holiday Recipe Series
I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break from my usual blogging routine this week in preparation for prepare for our long distance move. But don’t worry, this blog will not be abandoned.I have teamed up with the FABULOUS Danelle from Let’s Dish Recipes to bring you some really great recipes this week.
For me- the holidays are just not the same without Chocolate Truffles. They are so decedent & rich- I can’t get enough. For years I wanted to make some. I always thought they would be too time consuming or difficult. Then I came across a recipe similar to this one & realized that these were something I could easily put together. I tweaked the recipe to fit my tastes & here you go.
I love this Chocolate Truffle recipe because it’s so simple & so quick – which makes them a must in my book. They give the appearance that I spent a ton of time slaving away in the kitchen but that is just not the case. These won’t last long- I promise.
Welcome to Day 2 of my 7 Days of Memory Making ~ Holiday Recipe Series
As I mentioned yesterday, I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break from my usual blogging routine this week in preparation for prepare for our long distance move. But don’t worry, this blog will not be abandoned. I have teamed up with the FABULOUS Danelle from Let’s Dish Recipes to bring you some really great recipes this week.
Welcome Danelle!!!! So honored to have you posting here today in my space.
I was so excited when Gina asked me to share some favorite holiday recipes this week at Kleinworth and Co. She’s always sharing delicious food, and beautiful food photography, and I can’t wait to see what tasty treats she has in store for us this week!
Today I’m sharing a German Sweet Chocolate Pie recipe that my mom first started making for the holidays back when I was a teenager. She found it on the bottom of the Cool Whip lid and it’s been a family tradition ever since. I’ve been making it for my family for the past 18 years.
Sometimes we have it for Thanksgiving, sometimes for Christmas, and sometimes for both! Which is really easy to do, because this pie goes in the freezer, which means I can make two pies at once for both holidays! And it’s so nice to have a make ahead dessert when you’re going to be busy in the kitchen with other things.
Heat chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the milk in saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted.
Beat sugar into cream cheese
Add remaining milk and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.
Fold in whipped topping and blend until smooth.
Spoon into crust.
Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
Garnish with additional whipped topping and chocolate curls, if desired.
Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before serving.
Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.
This recipe also works well with a traditional baked crust, and you can certainly make your own chocolate crumb crust, although I usually use a pre-made one. I definitely recommend using the German Sweet Chocolate though. It give the pie a very distinctive chocolate flavor. I’ve always been able to find it in the baking aisle near the other Baker’s brand chocolate.
In contrast to so many holiday desserts, this is not too sweet or rich, which means I can easily eat more than one piece! Although that may not be a good thing. I always get compliments and requests for the recipe when I serve this pie to company. I hope you and your family will love it too!
Check out another MUST MAKE Holiday recipe courtesy of Danelle
Welcome to Day 1 of my 7 Days of Memory Making ~ Holiday Recipe Series
I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break from my usual blogging routine this week in preparation for prepare for our long distance move. But don’t worry, this blog will not be abandoned. I have teamed up with the FABULOUS Danelle from Let’s Dish Recipes to bring you some really great recipes this week.
Thank you so much for joining me as I share with you some of our family’s favorite recipes during the holiday season. I wanted to kick it off with these Red Velvet Brownie Bites. I really love red velvet ANYTHING & the hubs really loves cream cheese frosting on just about anything. So these have become a HUGE family favorite in this house. They are SO GOOD! I know that when I look back on my childhood memories of the holidays most of them are tied to food in some way. I remember making gingerbread houses or popcorn balls with my mom. She also makes the very best fudge in the world. My goal during the holidays is to create those same sort of memories with my kids in hopes that they want to do the same when they are grown. These Red Velvet Brownie Bites are definitely something I know they will make with their families.
3oz.bittersweet chocolate chipsI actually used the squares
1 1/2cupsugar
3large eggs
1tsp.vanilla
1/4tsp.salt
2tbsp.liquid red food coloring
1cupall purpose flour
1/2tsp.baking powder
Icing
8oz.cream cheese - room temperature
4tbspbutter - room temperature
1tsp.vanilla
1 1/2cupsifted confectioners sugar
White sparkling sugaropt.
Instructions
Preheat Oven to 325. Use either non-stick foil or just use regular foil & then spray with non-stick spray & line a metal 9"x9" baking pan. (please do this- as it helps remove the brownies from the pan later on. This is a step I contemplated skipping & doing it how I would normally do it- but I decided to follow the instructions & I was happy I did)
Stir butter & chocolate in a heavy large saucepan over low heat until all is melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar & then eggs- one at a time. Stir in vanilla, salt & food coloring. Sift flour & baking powder (I usually just run a whisk through it for a few stirs & it works perfectly) & stir in & blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake until puffed & dry looking- or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some moist batter attached. (about 30-35 minutes). Cool completely in pan on a rack. (I was impatient & stuck mine directly into the freezer to cool it faster)
Beat cream cheese & butter until lightly fluffy. Add vanilla & lightly mix. Add confectioners sugar & beat to combine. (if it's too thick- add a splash of milk)
Using the foil as an aid- lift brownies from pan & place on cutting board. Remove foil from sides. Spread cream cheese over brownies & add sparkles. Cut brownies into bite size pieces. To get a cleaner cut- wipe the knife after each slice. In the future - I will probably cut the brownies first & make a little more frosting so I can pipe it on each bite. I think it will be more aesthetically pleasing & keep the fingers cleaner when grabbing for one.
Check out Danelle’s
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
Be sure to come back tomorrow for Danelle’s German Sweet Chocolate Pie
As most of you know, my work for the product photography side of the biz has been keeping me busy. When I have 300+ processed images to produce for a client I am always looking for ways to speed that process up by finding shortcuts. There are many keyboard shortcuts that I use quite a bit. I love them because it keeps me from having to go up to the menu bar for every process that I am doing. I get asked quite often by my readers how I process images & these shortcuts are a huge part of it. I would be lost without them because my time in processing would increase & really, who wants to spend all that time in the office? I know I don’t. I do try to nail just about everything in-camera, but there are always minor tweaks I like to make. Normally that isn’t an issue- unless you are looking at doing it 300+ times. I’m sure you wedding photogs know what I am talking about here. Massive amounts of images to sift through. So anyhow- I thought I would create for you all this nifty cheat sheet for all the keyboard shortcuts – the ones in dark brown are the ones I use most frequently. The ones in light brown are ones that I have only used a couple times if at all- but I wanted to make the list complete. The cool part is that a good portion of these work in other programs too. Things like open, copy, paste, cut, select all, print, save- these I use when processing documents, surfing the web & all sorts of other things. If I am on the computer there is a good chance I am using them as much as I use my mouse or tablet stylus.
So here they are- for PC & for MAC. Free to download/print for your use.
Last week I shared with your this image of myself that my son took with his little Kodak camera. There I was photographing the caramel apples & he snapped this shot of my under the table. Look at all that noise in this shot. YIKES. His camera does not handle back light too well. But I really wanted to use this to illustrate how I set up my food shots for last week’s post. I thought I would share with you today how I was able to reduce the image noise just a bit to make it a bit more usable in my opinion.
This is what it looked like when I opened it in ACR. I adjusted the contrast, clarity, blacks & vibrance up just a bit & reduced the brightness.
This deepened those black areas that were speckled with light, giving the image a slightly smoother look.
Then I used one of my oldies but goodies actions from My 4 Hens called Superb. It’s a black & white action but it gives a nice hazy layer (vintage feel) which sort of counters the grainy areas. It gives a haze over the whole image instead of the noise being more prominent in some areas than others. The next thing I did was reduce the size for the web. The fact that it wasn’t blown up to full size made a huge difference. The bigger those noisy pixels are, obviously the more prominent they will look. I then sharpened just a bit & that was it. While it’s far from perfect- I was happy I was able to make it to where I could live with it.
One thing I get asked quite often is what my set up is for food photos. This varies quite often depending on the feeling I am trying to evoke when shooting, so it’s hard to tell you a standard, straight forward answer. However, that being said, while I was working on the images for the YUMMIES I will be sharing with you this week, my son thought my methods were funny & took this shot. I think he thought I would be upset that he took it & I’m sure he figured he could use it as some form of leverage at some point in the future. But I actually was happy he took this because it shows the lengths I go through to get the shot I am after & works great to illustrate my point here today.
So here I am in our media room. I like the light in there because these windows face north & I get the most beautifully consistent bright light all day long. So most of the time I start in there. I set up my stand with my black side of my reflector in the back. It’s propped against my tripod. (sometimes I will use white but lately I have been loving the more dramatic styling) You can see all the things I had taken off the food during prep sitting up on the pub table above me. Now I really wanted to use my 85mm for these. I love what it does to my food images. It does such a SWEET job – I just love it. Unfortunately I’m working with a cropped sensor camera & so 85mm is more like 100+. So I didn’t have a lot of room to move around while keeping the light where I wanted it on the food. So I got a bit creative & climbed under the table for a few. I also stood on top of the pub chairs to get some above angle shots. Sometimes I will set up everything on the floor so I can get those above shots. This time I knew I really wanted more from the side shots & I didn’t want to lay on the floor to get them. Although I have done that plenty of times too.
Now- given that this shot was taken with my son’s point & shoot & I’M SURE he had it on auto- this image was extremely noisy. So bad that I almost thought I wouldn’t be able to use it. So while it’s still noisy by my standards- next week I will share with you how I was able to save it so I was able to use it here today. Be sure to check back for that.
A few weeks ago I shared with you all this one image of my fall table centerpiece. I just love all the colors & textures that I had to share not only that one image again but I took a couple more to show you the rest. I had so much fun buying the Indian corn, baby pumpkins & gourds all paired with my yellow pitcher. I could have cleaned the store out I tell you. All these fabulous colors just make me so happy that fall is here. Even though we are still hovering in the 80’s- I suppose I am happy that my A.C. is getting a break & I don’t yet have to start running the furnace. I am still knee deep in product photos – counting my many blessings for that while we weed through all this other stuff. With life’s roller coaster ride- it’s nice to have these little things like this fall table centerpiece to give me a smile.
I am so in love with the color of this Indian corn. I need to get some more.
I told you yesterday that I have been getting creative with corn husks. I have so enjoyed getting away from the computer more & doing some other things that make me happy. I have needed it. No doubt about that. Years ago I saw a wreath made from corn husks & I put the idea in my DIY inspiration folder. (Note- this was how I organized all my great finds before Pinterest) Since I was already playing with the husks to make the jars from yesterday- I decided it was as good a time as any to get it done.
1. Start with a pool noodle & tape the ends together to form your circle.
2. Separate & soak the husks to make them soft.
3. Put several strips of hot glue along the wide end & wrap around the noodle half way. Do this all the way around. It will be the back of your wreath.
4. Turn over, putting already adhered husks on the bottom & start adding more husks on this side in the same way.
5. Continue adding husks, overlapping them so it looks nice & full & you can’t see the noodle anymore.
6. Cover several husks with hot glue on one side & adhere to the inside ring of the wreath to cover the seams of the husks where they came together.
7. Add your ribbon to hang. I added a dab of glue to keep mine from shifting because it’s usually windy here. But it’s not necessary.
**Optional: I knew I wanted different colors in my husks. Unfortunately my original idea of soaking them in water & food coloring didn’t do what I really wanted. I restored to paint for this one but in the future I recommend RIT fabric dye.
Corn Husk Luminaries will bring warmth and charm to your event. You can make these handcrafted, eco-friendly luminaries made from corn husks in a variety of colors.
Corn husk luminaries are a fun, easy way to add some fall decor to your home. You can make them with just a few supplies, and they look great on a porch or table.
Plus, they make the perfect addition to any Halloween party! Here’s how to make them.
Being a photographer I like to surround myself with texture. Texture has a way of adding so much visual interest in to everything- photos included.
Fall is a perfect time for adding even more texture & richness to the things around you.
It has been a long time since I have used corn husks in my projects & I was really looking for some ways to play & add this fabulous texture & color into my home.
As I have mentioned before- we don’t get much of a traditional fall here in the Southwest- so I have to bring in as much as I can to give me that fall feeling I am so craving right now.
Here are some commonly asked questions
How to Prepare the Corn Husks for Crafting
Soak the natural husks from the bags in a fresh bowl of clean water.
Place another bowl or jar on top of them to hold them down in the water as they will want to float. Leave them in the water for several hours to really soften them up. The water will soften the husks and make them pliable and easier to work with.
Once soft, remove from the water and pat any excess moisture off with paper towels.
Cleaning Corn Husk Luminaries
Over time things tend to get dusty – especially if you intend to use these on your patio or porch. To clean the luminaries you can take some canned air or even just an air compressor or leaf blower and gently blow the dust and dirt off of the jars.
Do not wash the luminaries with the hose or bring them inside and rinse them off with water. Re-wetting the husks will make the luminaries fall apart.
NOTE: TIE THE HUSKS AS TIGHT AS YOU CAN AND OVERLAP THEM – THEY WILL SHRINK AS THEY DRY. They will eventually slip out of the twine or create gaps if they are not tight enough.
How to remove the lable from a jar
After years of spending a ton of time scraping the jar with a razor blade – I learned a trick that is so simple. I didn’t have to soak the lable in oil first, no harsh chemicals.
Just place the jar in a large bowl or pot filled with HOT soapy water. Let it soak overnight and (in most cases) the label will just fall right off by the next morning. No scrubbing or scraping. So easy!
How to Make Corn Husk Luminaries
These were super easy. Took less than 30 minutes- always a plus in my book.
Separate & soak the husks in a bowl of water so that they become pliable.
Take up-cycled jars (or new ones if you prefer) in various sizes for some added visual interest. I used 2 different-sized spaghetti jars, and a pickle jar I think.
Wrap the husks around the jar & secure them with a rubber band to hold them in place.
Wrap around the jar with the twine several times at the top and the middle or bottom portion. I started with the bottom & once I had the twine tied, I removed the rubber band & moved it to the top. I left the rubber band on & just covered it with my twine because I had folded down the husks on 2 of them to add a little extra something to each one. On the largest one, I trimmed the husks to the top of the jar.
Drop the tea candle inside and light it & you are all set.
Do I have to remove the label off the jar before adding the corn husk?
Technically no. The label will be covered by the husks. That being said – when the jar glows with the candle burning inside of it – the husks become translucent and then you will be able to see the labels. I recommend removing them from the jar before proceeding if you are up-cycling for this project.
Where can I find corn husks?
Corn husks can be found in the international food section of the grocery store. I haven’t bought any in a while, but I used to be able to get a decently large bag for around $2-5. Now they run about $8 a bag – but you might be able to find them at the dollar store for so much less. You will need at least 2-3 bags to make this wreath, depending on how full you want the end result to be.
**Being married to a fire chief means fire safety is always at the top of my priority list when it comes to crafts. I want to stress that it’s so important to make sure that your husks and/or twine do not extend past the top of the jar. Please be cautious & place these out of reach of children & in an area where they can not be bumped over easily. Remember last week was fire prevention week & October is fire safety month.
If you love these easy-to-make luminaries, you’re going to love these other crafts too. Check out the other fun ideas below!
These past few weeks I have been taking you thorough my processes using the FloraBella Colorplay action set & showing you what a few of the actions run alone does to my images. In those posts I have stopped short of taking my images to where I really wanted them to be in an effort to show you just what the action does. This time I wanted to show you not only what one does- but what layering actions will do & then the final little touches you can do to perk up your images just a little more.
This week I am working on an image from the set I posted back on 9/30 from my mini-session with Mr. Man. I had processed those with FloraBella’s Classic Color set so I was pushing myself to then process this one for this post using the Colorplay set instead & be just as happy with it.
Since I have shown you my process for getting to the clean edit a few times I figured I would just start there this week.
I ran the Clean Base action & the image on the left shows what it looks like before I started adjusting the layers. It’s clean & bright & brings out the highlights in his hair. The image on the right shows what I ended with after adjusting the layers to my liking (basically reducing nearly all of them) I left the black & white layer off at this point.
For the purposes of this post I turned on the black & white layer so you can see what that will do after I adjusted the other layers. I didn’t want to go the black & white route this time so I then turned it off & merged my layers. I then ran the Ocean Air action & reduced all the layers considerably to get to this image on the right. Nice, fresh- but it wasn’t popping for me yet.
I then merged those layers & then ran the Summer Peach action – again reducing all the layers to my liking. Still not quite popping for me.
So I ran the Color Depth action & reduced the layers slightly. Now we are getting somewhere.
(Keep in mind that there are many different ways I could have gone about getting to this point. The whole purpose of this was to play with this action set & see what I could do with it & most importantly- get familiar enough with it that I know what each one does & the result I will get from it.)
So since I was in a playing mood I decided to add a sun flare layer on soft light to see what that would do. Brought out the highlights in his hair a bit more- good. Then I was itching to play with the awesome textures that Kristy from Life n’ Reflection sent me from the driftwood collection – so I added a touch of that.
Sharpened & called it a day. You can see the difference between the clean edit & the final here.
Here it is- the final edit alone. I love his sweet nature. Always willing to give a hand- no matter what it is.
Make cute cupcakes with these Fall Cupcakes & Life n’ Reflection Fall Transfers – printable cupcake toppers for the holiday season.
I won’t be participating in Scavenger Hunt today. Unfortunately, we had something happen this week that shook our foundation & has us scrambling. You can read all about it in yesterday’s post.
I will try my hardest to not let this alter my posting schedule or my photo-taking too much. But unfortunately, the fact that I am not posting for Scavenger Hunt today due to lack of time with all these wrenches in my schedule & that I have literally lost my desire to pick up the camera right now- I suppose it already has changed quite a few things.
Anyhow- before all this happened I had baked these cupcakes. I had started with trying the Nutella swirl cupcakes I had found only I just did a quickie by mixing it with a butter pecan box cake.
They totally didn’t come out like they should have but I really did it for the sole purpose of showing you all these adorable transfers from Life n’ Reflection.
I originally was going to use them as printed recipe cards but then decided I wanted to scale them down & print a bunch for cupcake decorations. I love how cute they are.
I will probably do the recipe cards another time when my head is more in the game. But for now I have these.
If you want to print these cute cupcake toppers for fall – you can find them over at Life n’ Reflection. Be sure to head over there (link below) and check out all the amazing ideas Kristy shares.
As I mentioned yesterday in my FALL FASHION post- since I don’t have many early fall colors happening naturally around me, I like to infuse fall colors into not only my wardrobe but in my home as well. I believe this all starts from the front porch. I think people should get a sense of who we are & what they can expect when they walk in from the moment they knock on the door. This is why I always have a wreath or some other decorative piece on the door. It’s a great way to express myself without saying anything. For this time of the year I created this faded sunflower wreath. I think it’s perfect for this time of the season (late September-early October) where the flowers are fading & withering off & the colors are taking on a more burnt hue.
Only parts of the dried grapevine show – but just enough to keep the textures noticeable. I also added this vine of beads to add a bit of sparkle.
The pop of bright burnt orange ribbon makes me happy. It has just enough golden sheen in it to really perk up the porch.
This was super easy with my glue gun & a little bit of time to just get in my zone. The finished product just makes me smile.
Plus it stands up well to the dry, dusty, windy conditions & even spruces up well with a quick rinse of the hose. (a must for desert living)
I love it when a project comes together & just makes me smile every time I look at it.
Don’t forget to come back & join me on Mondays for Project 52
Like most of you I have a bag full of different lenses. Some are on my camera most of the time & others I rarely grab. I have a deep affection for my primes- the 85mm being my “go-to” lens that is on my camera the majority of the time. But you know what-I put my kit lens back on for a recent scenic drive & ever since I have been falling in love with it all over again. I have a BUNCH of reasons why I love it but let me tell you my top 10 reasons for loving my 18-55mm Canon lens.
1. It’s super light weight. While most usually see it’s plastic body as cheap construction in comparison to the heavier metal bodied upgrades, this lens is great when you are in for a long day with the camera. (think amusement parks & sporting events)
2. It has circular aperture which creates some beautiful bokeh.
3. With a super wide angle of 18mm – it’s almost like having a panorama lens. This is great for all the wide open spaces I like to capture on our travels. (like this view of Death Valley salt flats)
(you can see more images of Death Valley Here)
4. Because of the wide angle I can slow my shutter to about 1/50 handheld & still be sharp. This is great at capturing as much light as I can given its aperture of f/3.5
5. Has image-stabilization built in which compensates for camera shake by providing the equivalent effect of a shutter speed up to 4 stops faster. This adds to #4 & it’s something that isn’t always available on lenses this inexpensive. (My 75-300mm doesn’t have it & it’s noticeable)
6. Not a lot of distance in the focal range so it’s fairly quick to focus. It doesn’t hunt nearly as much as my long lens or even as much as the 50mm f/1.8.
7. Again with the short focal range, this also helps with sharpness. It’s almost as sharp as my primes & outperforms the 75-300mm by a landslide in this department.
8. Colors are always vivid & true. The latest models have reduced chromatic aberrations than in the older models. This means that there is less of distortion in which there is a failure of the lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point.
9. I can get very close to my subjects with just this lens. Add to it a macro attachment & I can get as up close & personal as I like without having to invest in an actual macro lens for the time being. (granted one day I will make this upgrade- but as long as this is a hobby, this works well for me)
10. It’s relatively inexpensive at about $160. So it’s a lot easier to replace than the primes.
So there you have it. Go give your kit lens some love. It really can do amazing things.
…you saw me standin’ alone Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own I know that the Blue Moon doesn’t really look any different than a regular full moon- because by definition on Wikipedia…
A blue moon can refer to either the third full moon in a season with four full moons, or the second full moon in a month.[1] Most years have twelve full moons that occur approximately monthly. In addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains roughly eleven days more than the lunar year of 12 lunations. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years (7 times in the 19-year Metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon.
But I had to take the opportunity last week to capture is anyhow since it doesn’t happen all that often.
Then I went out the following night & did this one…
Which then looked like this when I got up the next morning.
I love it when I can capture it against the blue sky.
Chocolate Frozen Yogurt recipe a healthy treat to satisfy the summer cravings. Definitely one of my favorite frozen desserts. Yummy frozen yogurt!
Now- You know- I love all the things I find on Pinterest. I love trying out what other people make for their families. But you know what I really love – that it inspires me to first try but then create my very own. Not really adapting someone else’s recipe- because I do that plenty to make things work for our tastes. But really just get in the kitchen & work through trial & error & create something we love.
I did this while the hubs was out on the fires in Utah. When he’s gone I usually spend a considerable amount more time just being creative. Whether it be in the kitchen, the craft corner in my office or with my camera. Keeps me a bit busier than normal & my mind off the fact that he’s out there. This time I wanted to tackle my own chocolate frozen yogurt. I was so pleased with the results & it was gone in a flash.
I was doing so good. I was keeping my food journal, watching my caloric intake & getting back in the habit of exercising every day. I had not seen a change in my body yet- I had only been going for about 10 days straight THEN my mom showed up with the birthday cake for the Munchkin. She has done cakes professionally- sort of on the side all my life & so I put in my special request for a pink Ombre cake. I had her watching my Pinterest board closely because I was gaining inspiration nightly. I was so excited for this cake. I think it may have been a little bit for me more than Munchkin because she had no part in deciding what we would do. My mom showed up with the tiers already baked, filled & crumb coated. We stayed up until about 1 AM working on it & it was so much fun. I don’t think I can do a regular one color cake ever again. I am so happy it’s finally out of the house though. Back to the diet & hoping to actually get somewhere this time.
Can you believe my mom made this out of gum paste??!!
I was so thrilled that we did Ombre on the inside too.
I whipped up some of my Strawberry Cheesecake frozen yogurt & some chocolate chip homemade ice cream to compliment it. I was also super thrilled that we made everything from scratch. No preservatives or additives. That has got to count for something good right??!!
If you need photography tips to capture all those spectacular thunderstorms this summer, these 10 Tips for Capturing Lightning will help you do that.
I have long been in awe of images of lightning. It’s such a raw & powerful thing & since it happens so quickly, it can be difficult to capture. But I think this is why I was so drawn to learning how to capture it. There are many ways to do it & each photographer might have different tips. But these are the ways I have found most successful with my own photos.
1. Start with the sky relatively dark. I have tried as early as 6-7 p.m. & this still wasn’t quite dark enough since the summer nights start so late. You are going to have your shutter open for a long time- so obviously if it’s too light out you will capture nothing but white.
2. Use a tripod set in an area with a sturdy surface preferably with some cover in case you start to get rain. The last thing you want is to have to abort your time capturing because you are getting wet.
3. Use a wide angle lens. For these I used my kit lens (18-55mm) because it is the widest one I have. Because it doesn’t have too much range in it’s focal length, it’s still pretty sharp. You never know where the strikes will hit. I can’t tell you how many times I saw one come down & it was just outside my frame. I was bummed.
4. I also like to find a wide open spot. I know that most places are not so open as we are here in the desert- so finding a wide open view that also has cover can be hard. But sometimes capturing what the lightning looks like through trees & having that view of the “whole scene” can really make the shots something special.
5. I like to set my ISO low so I have a nice sharp image- usually either 100 or 200.
6. I set my aperture to f/7 or so to make sure I am able to capture everything I see in focus. I have made the mistake of having it too open & ended up with the foreground in focus & the actual lightning was out of focus. So this is something I really feel is imperative.
7. Shutter- set to 30 seconds. For these images I was just pressing the button every 30 seconds- I have just recently started using my remote to set it to bulb & leave it open longer. That is your choice & depends on the frequency of the bolts. All of the shots in this post are from the same evening. The storm was very active & so I was capturing at least one bolt with every 30 seconds the shutter was open. That totally helped & it went on for hours. So if you are like me & you think you might miss something spectacular if you go inside- have a battery backup charged & ready to go. I sat outside for 4+ hours with this storm, leaving my shutter open every 30 seconds for the entire time. I pulled up a stool & just enjoyed the show.
8. Because of the low light- you are going to want to focus manually. This can be a pain- but I usually find something to get my focus on in the foreground & do a few test shots. Then I zoom in to my maximum I can on my screen to make sure everything is crisp before spending all the time capturing for hours only to find out they are all out of focus & should go in the trash. Once you get that focus- don’t move unless you have to. Otherwise you have to start all over with getting your focus & then you might miss something awesome.
9. Be patient. I can’t stress this enough because while I had many captures in this particular storm- they don’t all come with multiple bolts within a 30 second period of time. There is a suggestion in the link I mentioned above that you can layer your images in processing if you like to get the desired effect you might be after. I have not tried this. I like to leave my images as true to what it really looked like, so I don’t enhance them in that way. Which leads me to my next point…
10. Don’t over process. All of these images I opened in ACR & adjusted the clarity & sometimes the temperature if needed. Sometimes the lights from houses can come out very orange or yellow when the shutter is open that long- I feel it detracts from the real excitement of what I was out there to capture- so I always try to tone those house lights down. Other than that- I sharpen & that is it. Sometimes I will crop in as you have seen in some of these- but for the most part I really like to have the foreground showing to give scale to the storm over the neighborhood. That is my personal taste though.
One day the hubs came home with 2 watermelons. They were left over from a gathering at one of the stations & no one else wanted them. I immediately thought that there was no way we would get through it all without having to throw some away. I can’t stand wasting food. I was determined to figure out a way to use it all. My mind first goes to freezing & then how I can change that into something cold & tasty. I came up with this Watermelon Lemon Sorbet.
Watermelon Lemon Sorbet
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar
8 cups cubed fresh melon
1/4 cup lemon juice
Place the water & sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil & cook until sugar is dissolved & you have your simple syrup. Remove from heat & allow to cool while you cube & prep your melon.
In a blender, mix together the watermelon cubes, lemon juice & your syrup. Blend until smooth. Pour into your ice cream maker & churn for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container & freeze for another couple hours. So good!
Choc-O-Cherry Ice Cream is a smooth & creamy homemade ice cream recipe packed full of bing cherries & chunks of milk chocolate. It’s the perfect frozen dessert to enjoy all summer long.
Hi everyone! I originally shared this tutorial on paper Heart Camera years ago because of my fascination with Smoke Photography. I have always been intrigued by photographs of smoke. Learning how to do it has been on my “to-do” list for forever. So when Sarah asked me to be a contributor on Paper Heart Camera, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to finally take a stab at it & create this Smoke Photography Tutorial.
This was really fun!
Please excuse the watermark- this was my personalized watermark for contributing on Paper Heart Camera.
You will need a black background, a spotlight or reflector, off camera flash WITH a snoot, incense & plenty of space. I tried this in my office. I probably could have used some more room & when I try it again, I will definitely choose a different location.
The thing to remember here is to keep the light OFF the backdrop. Don’t let it shine there & don’t let your flash bounce there (which is why the snoot is so important).
The other thing to remember is to be far enough away from your set up so that you are not getting flare in your lens from the flash. Being that I had limited space where I was- I trashed a ton of images that otherwise would have been great if I didn’t get the flare in there messing the whole thing up.
I set my settings at ISO 200 (probably would take this down to 100 though), 1/160, f/7.1
I switched back & forth with my 85mm & the 50mm trying to see which one was better for me.
I think all of these were captured with the 85mm.
I had seen this done before & so I asked my son to insert his hand in there so I could try it out. As it turns out- this gave the camera an added steady point to focus on rather than the smoke- so I ended up liking more of these with his hand than without.
When processing- I shoot in JPG but opened in ACR & adjusted the blacks to deepen the background, brightness to pop the highlights in the smoke & the clarity. I also upped the vibrancy but didn’t touch the hue/saturation- although I have heard of people really liking the effect. In this case it would have messed with the skin tone- so I left it as is & I like it that way.
Don’t forget your patience.
It’s a lot like capturing lightning- you get a bunch that you end up tossing & a handful that are amazing keepers.
When my dad & step-mom were here we went to good ol’ Walmart so they could “spoil” the kids a bit with some things they needed & wanted. I was so grateful because they all needed shoes. Literally- every pair they received for Christmas & recently again in April when my mom came with new shoes for them- ALL WERE OUTGROWN. I was so bummed- they still look brand new. A couple pair only worn maybe 3 times at best. So when my dad offered to pick up the tab on new tennis shoes & sandals for all 3 of them I WAS THRILLED. Plus- he let them choose whatever they wanted. Here I was looking at prices & trying to steer them in one direction or another based on price & he quickly put a stop to that & let them have what they really wanted. I was so grateful! Saved me a good chunk of cash. THANKS DAD!
So they spoiled the kids (they got toys & craft supplies too). I was not left out in the dust here. I mentioned I wanted to add some new shapes to my Popsicle molds. I really intended on just getting one new set to add to my already growing collection. What I didn’t know is that they would have 4 colors to choose from & I then remembered something about my step-mom. She always has to have the whole collection of whatever it is. If she buys something & it comes in a variety of colors- she buys ALL the colors. This is true with everything she buys. If she buys one pair of flip flops- she also buys every other color available. So I didn’t even have a chance to take a look at what was on the shelf. I said I wanted new molds & she promptly grabbed every color they had & threw them in the cart. I didn’t even have time to check prices or see what else there was on the shelf. It was done. She is so much fun!
So we HAD TO put them to use before they headed out of town. I had lots of raspberries & a pineapple that wasn’t going to last much longer. Way too much fruit to eat in the time we had. So I made fruit pops. The best part is that I was able to make so many with all the molds I have- that we are still eating them. Both my freezers are packed with all these cool treats I have been making lately- so we are set for a while with a great variety.
Like I mentioned on Friday- I have been making frozen treats like crazy. Not only because it’s flippin’ hot here- but I’m sort of obsessed with creating the photos afterwards too. I can’t help it. I see something of inspiration & then all I can think about is getting in the kitchen & making whatever it was. Literally the entire time I am making the treats I’m thinking in my head exactly what I want to do with the styling for the photos. I have an addition to food photography. I totally admit that. It’s so much fun from start to finish & it makes me happy.
Like everything else this summer- I am trying to streamline things & make them simple.
I don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen & so these pops are perfect w/ less than 10 min prep time
Blackberry Pops
3-4 cups Diet V-8 Splash Berry Blend
1 handful of blackberries
Pulse in blender & pour into pop molds. Yes- that simple. They are SO GOOD.
And the kids don’t even know or care that they are healthier too.
Have a fabulous Sunday! I have family in town so I will be hit or miss for another couple days.
Catch up with you as I can get into the office.
You know- there are some things about summer that I really look forward to. One is that the fruit selection at the store gets so much better. I always have a wide variety of things to choose from in the house to keep me satisfied. I love eating mostly fruit throughout my day – cherries being one of my favorite “go-to” snacks.
I had so many of you asking how I achieved my coffee shot last week that I decided to share with you what I did. It wasn’t all that difficult & I admit, I did have 2 helpers. That made all the difference- believe me.
So I brewed a pot of coffee. I used the gross canned stuff that I keep in the freezer for cooking so as not to waste the good stuff because I knew it was going to be messy & I was going to dump it. I went out back , working on the grass in case it got really messy. I set up in the open shade so I would have plenty of light but not direct sun. I set up my white boards on top of a TV tray & then had Mini-Me hold the reflector behind the set up with the silver side showing. I then set up the cup & saucer & sprinkled some extra beans for good measure. Set up the tripod a few feet away & had Mr. Man standing just outside the frame with a cup of ice cubes to make the “ker-plop”.
Camera settings were at…
ISO 400, 1/4000, f/3.5, 85mm because it’s so tack sharp even from farther away.
Here is the set up- I’m sorry I didn’t think to take a pull back as well.
Coffee was still hot- I literally grabbed it right after it was done brewing.
Then I got behind the camera, set my focus on the cup, shutter half depressed & ready to go.
Then it was literally 1,2,3- drop & I clicked. This was take #1.
You can see that the boards are still clean as nothing had hit them yet.
I was happy with it but wanted to make sure- so we did it again- this time it was messier.
I liked it so I didn’t clean up the spills between takes. This was take #2.
I didn’t share this one before- this is take #3.
You can see I must have finished pressing the shutter a bit slower than I did in the others.
It’s also much messier- you can see all the spills in this one.
So that’s it- literally. I don’t have any more shots- this was all I took.
I know I know- I post pictures of treats a lot. I told you all that I was practicing my food photography this year. It just so happens that in my mind- treats are the most exciting thing to photograph. I love making them- no matter how everyday they seem & I love to photograph them. It’s so fun to see just how yummy I can make them look in my photographs. I love practicing with styling & I even went prop hunting this last weekend. Love doing that!! I found some really great things that I am looking forward to put in my pics- so be ready to see more treats coming your way.
So, the other day the kids asked me what my favorite flavor of ice cream was. When I said “coffee” they looked at me confused. They didn’t know that there was such a flavor. They immediately thought that it must taste as awful as a regular cup of coffee- awful in their opinion. I love all things coffee- ice cream included. I grew up on it- my whole family loves it. I want my kids to love it too. It brings back so many wonderful childhood memories of curling up on the couch with my mom or grandmother to share in a treat. Those are special memories that have stuck with me & I hope that some of the things I do for my kids stick with them the same way.
So I sent the hubs to the store to pick up some coffee ice cream so they could try it. But I wanted to make it SUPER special. I started thinking I could crush up cookies or candies on the top- but that just didn’t seem like enough. It needed something more. Ahhhhhaaaaaa! COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. That ALWAYS makes everything we make – those everyday desserts- more special. I had it- I was so excited. I knew they would love it.
You know- honestly, I turn to COOL WHIP whenever I want to give my family that feeling that we are sharing a special moment. Even if it’s just a dollop on top of a cookie- it’s something that makes the kids Ooooooo & Ahhhhh. Really- as a mom, who doesn’t want their kids to think you are the coolest mom ever because you prepared a treat that they think is elaborate. Really- nothing elaborate about it- just simple treats like chocolate chip cookies, apple pie & that strawberry shortcake that I shared with you a little bit ago- all would be a bit dull if it were not for the fact that I added a nice dollop of COOL WHIP. Heck- I even put a dollop on my morning fruit if I am in the mood.
When the hubs came home we set everything up. The kids watched me put it all together & then we shared a moment where we all just enjoyed each other’s company & the treat. It was a great thing to add to our Memorial Day weekend. Quality family time & a cool treat.
Ummm- yeah- I took a swipe during the shooting process. Food photography is hard 🙂
Coffee Ice Cream Cream Filled Sandwich Cookies COOL WHIP
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