I learned... Manual Mode.

Not so long ago I got brave (about my camera that is) and after reading only a few pages of this book, switched my camera over to manual mode.  I had LOVED the pictures I was getting from my new DSLR but I quickly got restless and wanted even better pictures.  I set the Fstop to 5.6 like he said and started to shoot.  I couldn't believe how easy it really was!

Here is one of my first attempts.  On auto my camera would generally be taking pretty dark pictures in this room.  I had my son stand by the window and I metered his face and... ta da!

(March 2011)

I couldn't believe that it actually worked!  I have been practicing in manual ever since and just this last month I went to visit my dad.  He said he had some lenses and I said, "Yea, but not for a Nikon."  He said, "Um, yes they are."
  

AND GUESS WHAT?

HE GAVE THEM TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it? 

So right now I'm practicing on a lens that has a much higher aperture range (not sure if that is how you actually say it).  I love that I can get a blurry background now.  The only problem is that the lens doesn't really match up with the camera and it doesn't auto focus.  I'm really working hard trying to do everything myself.  The kit lens works better when I'm trying to get the kids on an outing but this new lens works nice when I can take time to figure it all out.

Here is a picture from just the other day.

(settings: ISO200, F2.8, ss1/2000)

This is a repeat from my last post but I love this one.  I don't think that it is completely in focus but I think that the blurriness makes it look soft.  What do you think?  What settings would have made this better?

To check out some other really great photos go here:

(who knows, you might be tempted to try manual mode too!)

A Dress by Sunday

I haven't been blogging all summer.  I have some thoughts on that.  I might share, not sure.

*BUT*

being on vacation for 3 1/2 weeks really set off my rhythm.  Only part of it though!  Now on to the post!

When I saw this I knew I had to make it.  Here is mine!

I've had this fabric for a while.  I bought it at the thrift store for a $2.50.  I've kept it on the shelf wondering what I was going to do with it.  I knew I had to have the perfect pattern for it and here it is!  I still have enough to make another dress if I wanted to!  Yay.  The fabric is sheer so I needed to line it with white cotton.  I makes it pretty thick but still comfy and cute!

And like the last thing I made for my little one we had to do a photo shoot.
 Not so sunny this time.

Oh, and just to keep it real...

This is why her face is not in any of the other pictures.  I think that she is getting tired of me taking her photo all the time.

And these are cute but don't look to closely at the hose on the deck or the weeds.  Yikes.

Hope to see you soon!

My Favorite May Picture

Wow,  I haven't been around in a while. 

I haven't been taking many pictures.

I haven't had much to say...

But I wanted to share my favorite picture from May.  Courtney from Click it up a notch (awesome website) is hosting another contest. 

I chose this picture because I learned something new this month.  How to meter someone's face.  I think that I was a little off and got it too bright but I LOVE that her face isn't dark!  I can't wait to keep trying!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge :: Ruffled Halter

Last week Elsie Marley hosted a Kids Clothes Week Challenge where you are to sew for an hour a day and make some new spring/summer clothes for your kiddos.  Last year I got a shirt done.  I am a very slow sewer.  This year I totally fudged on the rules.  I still only made one shirt but I did it the week before and in two (maybe three) nights.  I have no idea how much the whole thing took but my husband was on a trip and after the kids went to bed I could do what I wanted without feeling bad that I was ignoring my "better half".

If you want you can check out the flickr pool.  The things that these women pump out are amazing!  I do wonder if they really only sewed for an hour each day.  I don't think that they are counting all the prep work like washing the fabric and laying the pattern and cutting the pieces out. I could never work that fast!

So here is what I made:

It is the Ruffled Halter from Oliver+S.  I've always wanted to make something from one of their patterns and this one is free!  I also want to make her a pair of matching Knotted shorts.

Bethany is so willing to have a photo shoot.  Enjoy!

Ten on Ten :: Take Two in May

Last month was my first time trying the Ten on Ten.  It was hard.  Lugging my camera around on a Sunday was awkward.  I was looking forward to this month to try again. 

Tuesday!
Then I found out that this month's ten on ten coincided with our churches pastor's conference. Ugh.  I was hoping for some outside time.  A little nature would be nice.

Turns out that the conference only went until lunch and it was the hottest day!  I did manage to get some outside shots.  I had to fudge on the times.  I really couldn't do one every hour.

So here we go...


6:30ish

I crept outside when the dandelions were still sleeping.

The lilacs are almost there.

7:00am

Made it over to the pastors' conference to have breakfast with my eldest daughter.

7:30am

Driving to school.  Gotta love the shoes.

During the conference.

This note fell out of the pew Bible.  Gotta love it.  NOT even from my own kid.

Picture of the shoes.  Just like last time.

After the conference.

I got home and we all dashed out the door to spend our time in the yard.
We were out there a good couple of hours.

 The rhubarb is going crazy!

 

This is why we don't mow our lawn until very late spring.

The seed pods look ready to burst.

My favorite kind of play.

Arboretum

I love the MN Arboretum.

It took me a year or two of living here before I finally visited to see what it was all about.  I really didn't think that the kids would like it.  I was wrong and I am so glad I was wrong.  The kids had such a great time.  I was grinning from ear to ear!  Don't you just love it when the kids enjoy something that you enjoy.

One Christmas we were given a family year pass by a dear friend that has since past away.  I've been buying family passes ever since.  Last year I had this strange feeling when I was buying the pass.  It felt like paying the heating bill or the grocery bill.  Not in a bad way of paying the bills.  More like you don't have to think twice kinda paying the bills.  Of course you are going to pay for heating your home, you can't go cold can you?  Of course you are going to pay what you need to in order to feed your family, you can't go without eating can you?  Of course you are going to get that family pass to the Arboretum, you can't go without seeing the crab-apple trees in bloom and seeing the dahlia's bloom and...
 

See what I mean.  Easy as pie.  As simple as breathing.

Now that it is spring I will be posting about our adventures in this lovely place more often.
Stay tuned!

Hello from Skating show land.

Just wanted to show you a few pictures of my skating girls.  The first show was tonight and we have two more to go.

Emma is a twins baseball player and Caitlyn is Lucy from The Peanuts Gang.

Pretty gorgeous.

"Mom, can you hurry up.  I want to get inside."

"Snap all you want."  (This one is a ham.  She gets it from me.)

I'll be back again soon!