PROJECT 365: WEEK 52

A FAVORITE FROM 2010

I'm entering this one in Kent Weakley's Favorite From 2010 photo contest. Taken July 16, 2010.

PROJECT 365: WEEK 51

YOU CAPTURE: HOLIDAY MAGIC

This week the theme over at You Capture is Holiday Magic.

Merry Christmas!

PROJECT 365

December 18, 2010: Christmas baking is in full swing! To make your own Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies, mix up a box red velvet cake mix with 1/2 cup oil and 2 eggs.  Drop onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Then you just need some cream cheese frosting for the filling. Merry Christmas!

I'm sharing @ Sweet Shot Tuesday

PROJECT 365: WEEK 50

PHOTO CHALLENGE: MY FAVORITE SHOT

I came across a fun new photo challenge over at Pastor Girl's Ponderings. This week, her theme is Your Favorite Shot.  Ever? Of all time? It's so hard to choose.  Since I've been doing Project 365 this year, I decided to choose one of my favorite 365 photos.  

Maybe this one came to mind because I attended my son's orchestra concert last night.  I took it early in the year.  January 7, to be exact.  I still think it's one of the best shots I've taken all year.  

Now go share your favorite photo over at Pastor Girls Ponderings.

FUN PHOTOGRAPHER GIFT IDEAS

I just had to share some of the fun things they have for photographers over at Photojojo.

These bracelets would make great stocking stuffers.  You can get one for $10, or both for $15.

Lenses for your camera phone.  They attach with a magnetic ring.  The wide angle/macro lens is $20 and the fisheye lens is $25.  What will they think of next?

I love these chalkboard speech bubbles.  They'd be so much fun at a party (I'm thinking New Year's Eve).  There's even a handle on the back, so they're easy to hold.  They're $29 each and come with 24 pieces of chalk.

I want this!  Just attach one of the pre-cut filters to the front of your lens and you change the shape of your bokeh.  Like this . . .



There are starts, hearts, butterflies . . . 21 shapes in all, plus 8 blank sheets to make your own designs.  The Bokeh Kit is $25 and comes with a  pouch to hold all the stencils.

This picture makes me cringe a little.  These lens mugs are just so realistic.  Both come with a lens cap lid and an auto focus switch that actually switches!  The Nikon mug even "zooms" when you twist its grip.  The Canon mug is $24 and the Nikon is $30. 

There are lots of other wacky, fun and totally useful photographer gifts over at Photojojo.  Go have a look! Be sure to check out all of their fun photo projects while you're there.

PROJECT 365

December 15, 2010: The reason for the season.

PROJECT 365: WEEK 49

HOLIDAY LIGHTS BOKEH

Darcy over at Life With My 3 Boybarians is having a Holiday Lights Bokeh Party.  Shooting holiday lights is a great way to practice getting that blurry bokeh that looks so pretty in photographs.  Darcy's got a great tutorial over on her blog.  You should definitely check it out, then join in the fun!

PROJECT 365

December 7, 2010: Homemade Dulce De Leche.  It is SO easy and makes a great holiday gift for neighbors and teachers.  You can find the recipe here.  And no, I did not eat a piece of dulce de leche topped cheescake for breakfast.

I'm sharing at Sweet Shot Tuesday.

PROJECT 365: WEEK 48

YOU CAPTURE: KINDRED

This week's You Capture theme is kindred.  Isn't that what the holiday season is all about?



It's about the way we feel when we spend time with the people we love.

This week, my husband and our three young kindred(s)? helped me put up the Christmas decorations.

Obviously, I didn't take the next picture, but these people are my kindred.  This is my great-great grandfather and grandmother.  He was a Jewish Rabbi in Latvia.  I've been thinking about him this week as Hanukkah begins. We don't know much about them--when they were born, or married, or died.  Many Jewish records from that time were destroyed.  And although I'll be celebrating Christmas this year, as I do every year, this photograph reminds me of just how important photographs are.  Especially photographs of our kindred. 

So whatever you celebrate this holiday season, I hope you'll be surrounded by family and friends and people you love. 

I'm sharing over @ I Should Be Folding Laundry