Taking better photos for your blog

Taking better pictures has always been a challenge for me. I bought myself a Light Box years ago and when I got it I didn't really understand how to use it properly. I still have a slight learning curve (i.e. I suck at taking pictures) but I think I'm starting to get better.
I set up a picture taking station in my craft room which consists of a small foldable table (I like it because I can adjust the height) my light box (for small items) and numerous fabric backdrops ready to go. I have them clipped in binder clips and hung on command hooks. this comes in handy for the bigger projects that can't use the light box. *although I still use the lights.

This is what that looks like...pardon the mess.

If you click on the picture you can see where I labled all of the parts. Now, from this setup, I was able to get this photo.

not bad right?

 

And here is my light box set up

 

The key is to keep trying. Experiment with different things. Maybe you have a perfect spot in your yard, (nothing is better than natural light, IMO) Keep playing around until you are seeing what you love show in your photos. Let your work shine! Aside from making the project itself I get just as much joy when I can capture it's beauty in a good quality photograph.**

 

I am in no way saying that I am a pro photographer, far from it. This is just a very small, IMO easy way to get started with taking better photos. 

 

Crochet Baby Cocoon

I got this simple pattern from Ravelry and changed it up a bit. I just love how it came out and can't wait to make more colors.










Making baby photo props has become one of my go-to projects when I'm looking for something quick. A cocoon like this one takes about 2 hours, less if you use a bigger hook. You could also tighten this up and use a smaller hook to create more of a basket effect. I love the white but I am looking to try it in a brown.

I was lucky again to have my work photographed by the very talented Laurie Brandt at Laurie Brandt Photography. She is amazing!

Huggy Bear Amigurumi Pattern

 

After taking a pretty awesome Craftsy class and lots of practice I have finally finished my first Amigurumi pattern! It was easier than I thought, and while it's not perfect I'm pretty proud of this little bear and my 4 year old is the proud owner of the very first one.
So here it is, the Huggy Bear Amigurimi pattern. It is free, and available for download here.

 

 If you make one of these little guys (or girls) I'd love to see pictures.

Amigurumi Olws

I saw this owl on FreshStitches and instantly fell in love. "Nelson" is his name and I just love owls and have incorporated them into my daughter's nursery and also, they're just too cute so I can't resist. Up until now I have kept it pretty basic with my amigurumi skills, I made these owls before my daughter was born and I still love them, but to have another pattern in my arsenal is awesome. Now, the pattern is $5.00 but it is so worth it. This pattern looks intimidating but is also very do-able. The pattern has lots of help and pictures so if you do get stuck it's no big deal to get out of a jam.

Here are a few "Nelsons" that I have made so far!

 

Diaper Cover Sets

Diaper cover sets are becoming one of my favorite things to make for a couple of reasons.
#1 They're pretty quick, I can whip up a set in a couple of hours including sewing (which is the worst part of any crochet/knit project IMO)
#2 You don't get much cuter than a baby butt in a homemade diaper cover.

The first diaper cover set I made was for my Mickey Mouse Crochet Set (the patterns I used are included in that link- and yes- they're FREE!)









Since then I've made quite a few sets and this past weekend I finished some of my favorites yet. It goes to show that you can take the same pattern (in this case the diaper cover) and re-work it to suit whatever project you have in mind.
I tweaked the pattern slightly but I pretty much stayed true to the original. Adding embellishments is the quickest way to change up any pattern.
Here are some of the sets I've made recently: (some of these are for sale in my Etsy shop ^^)

 

Avengers...do your chores!

 

I didn't forget about the boys!!
Here is the Avengers version of my behavior chart! Free to download here

Hello Kitty Printable Behavior Chart

I have a four year old, and sometimes she needs a little motivation. I saw some behavior charts online but since she's obsessed with Hello Kitty I thought that I would whip this up to put on her door.
My plan is to laminate it and use a dry erase marker so that I only need one copy and it can stay on her door with a command strip.

**** If you have already downloaded this, you can now download the new version with customizable fields****

Get the new version here!

Enjoy!

Zig Zag Ombre Cowl

This cowl pattern is adapted from a free pattern I saw on RAKJ Patterns. Instead of making an entire scarf, I just stopped after 6 repeats of the pattern, and sewed up the seam. *UPDATED with better pictures. 5/22/14*

Now, because of all the color changes it does take awhile to finish, but I think it's worth it. I love the colors. For this cowl I used Bernat's Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) yarn in Tealish, Turquoiseish, and Robin Eggish. This created a beautiful Ombre effect. There are a few colorways in this yarn that would make a beautiful ombre look.
If you do not want to deal with the color changes it would also just make a pretty texture effect. I do love the original pattern but this was a fun way to change it up and still get the look I was going for.
The lesson here is,don't be afraid to experiment with existing patterns and make them your own!

A Quick Time Out for: Nerium International

A very good friend of mine, Elisa has embarked on a new journey in her life. She has become an independent brand partner for Nerium International. What? Never heard of it? Well, I hadn't either until she told me about it and while I haven't tried the products (yet!) I'm intrigued. If you have heard about it then you know just how great Neurium is , the company has a stellar reputation for being so young (Launched in 2011).  Their products have been featured on many news and print outlets.
What I found most fascinating are the Before and After photos. They are just amazing.
Please check out and like my friend Elisa's Facebook Page and whether you need some products or are thinking of becoming a brand partner for yourself, it's worth the few minutes of your time to look into a wonderful line of products and a wonderful company.

Back to your regularly scheduled crafting-and don't forget our giveaway!!

Giveaway!

It's that time for another giveaway! I am a little frustrated with Facebook, in that a lot of my posts are not being seen by my readers and they want me to pay for my posts to be seen. So, if you happen to already be a fan of my page on Facebook, please make sure that you check the option to "see in my newsfeed"

With that said, on to the giveaway!


Now that we've reached 800 fans (I know, right!?) I wanted to do something special for you guys.

^^^ The giveaway info is up above! ^^^

It lasts for one week starting tomorrow 2-25 and runs until 3-4. Good luck!!

Update!!!
We've now reached over 1,000 fans and I've also decided to add another prize for the winner to choose from.
Our 4 choices now are:
-A Photography Prop ( a baby cocoon/nest or hat)
-A Crochet Cowl- choose from one of the styles from my Etsy shop
-A "Nelson" the Owl Amigurimi, colors/details winner's choice also...I haven't decided yet if I am going to start selling these so if you want one, enter the giveaway!

"Nelson"

-A choice between a Baby Stats or Wedding custom Subway Art digital file. (all examples of these are on my Etsy shop as well)

Winner will be posted here and on FB/Twitter so be sure to check it out!