52 Weeks - WEEK 8

So, yesterday I hinted to the fact that this week's instax photo didn't exactly turn out as planned....and that's OK! I started the 52 Weeks project so I could get practice shooting with my Instax camera... so its all part of the learning process.

I was trying to shoot a picture of a sketch that I did for the kiddos last week...

The instax photo was, well....blank. I didn't have the flash on, but I guess the pencil on the white paper just didn't show up enough, so.....

I just drew my own picture!

I just used a gold sharpie. I love how it turned out! In fact, I may be drawing on my instaxes more often! Can't you just imagine an instax photo of a pretty background, and then drawing your own scenes or objects? Fun!!

Hmm...maybe I'll make that a project today, instead of doing all of the homework I should be doing today.....

P.S. To all of my new readers (hi!!), you can join in the 52 Weeks project any time! See previous weeks here, and check out the Flickr pool! And, if you play along, make sure to grab a 52 Weeks blog button from the sidebar and link back here!

XOXO



52 Weeks - WEEK 2

(Click for the Week One post)

So! Here is this week's photo for my 52 Weeks project - I hope you like it! That's me, standing in the snow in my yard. We have close to a foot! I'm pretty much over it and ready for Spring now, hehe.

Is anyone else doing a 52 Weeks project? If you are, you should join our Flickr pool! I love seeing the different things that other people have chosen to document throughout the year...I'm taking one instax photo per week so I can practice using my new toy! Some people are document their cats, or their style, or their relatives....

Are you doing a 52 Weeks project?

Its never to late to start - do it today!!

Check out the Flickr pool

Share the love - grab a blog button from the left sidebar!

♥

52 Weeks - WEEK 6

Week 6 - Daisy!

Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I'm running a better this week, compared to last - I was actually prepared for today's 52 Weeks post! As a matter of fact, this post was written yesterday, and scheduled for today! See? Totally prepared. :-D

So that's my dog, Daisy. Looks like a Scottie, right? She's not! She's a faux-Scottie: half-Westie, and half-black lab. Her beard and eyebrows crack me up because they make her look like a little old man...and she's only, like, 6 years old. She is my sweet girl - probably the laziest "lump" (as I like to call her) that ever lived, but a sweetheart nonetheless. She's a compulsive licker, too, and she walks around licking things...she'll walk by the refrigerator and lick it as she goes by. haha!

To anyone new to my little blog, (Hello!) you should join in Project 52 Weeks! Grab a blog button from the sidebar, take some pictures, and add them to the group photo pool! :-D

Project 52 WEEKS

Ta-da!

I was so inspired by Kaylah's 52 Weeks project, I just had to get in on the action. ;)

Since I got an Instax mini 25 for Christmas, I've been practicing taking instant photos....what better way than to take 1 each week, all year long? I think it'll be fun to see what different things I can photograph, and (hopefully) a progression in my awesome photo-taking skills!

I created a Flickr group pool where I'll be uploading my weekly photo, every Friday. The group pool is intended for instant photos, but.... anyone can participate.  ; )  I can't wait to see other peoples' weekly pictures! I even made a little '52 Weeks' blog button (over there on the left!) that you can grab for your own blog. Just be sure to link back to me. ; )

And be sure to leave a comment and let me know you're participating! :)

52 Weeks - WEEK 3

"Do the best you can and don't worry"

This week's 52 Weeks photo is of a postcard that I bought at the antique mall

today, dated 1910 and sent from the city that my University is in.

I love it - what a great mantra!

Are you doing a 52-Week project, or a Project 365?

I'd love to hear about it! Or, better yet, join in now!

See the Flickr pool here

And previous weeks' photos here and here

52 Weeks - WEEK 4

Well, now that I've shared my glittery shoes that I made, I can post this week's 52 Weeks photo. ;-)

I had so much fun making these, and I can't wait to wear them soon!!

You can see my previous weeks' photos here, and the group pool here,

or by clicking on the link in the sidebar :-D

Don't forget to grab a sidebar button for your blog if you're participating!

♥ ♥ ♥

52 Weeks - WEEK 5

Week 5 - Birthday cake!!

Weeks 1, 2 , 3, 4

Well, its a few days late, but here is this week's contribution to the 52 Weeks project!

Thursday was my birthday, but I had class until 9:15 p.m. so we didn't celebrate until Friday night. I spent all day doing work on campus Friday, so I didn't get to post then.... Saturday was spent in Harrisburg at a meeting-of-the-minds with some important folks: the executive director of the Wallops Island Marine Science Consortium, our MSC - NASA liaison (NASA was supposed to be there but couldn't make the 5-hour drive because of the icky weather), the manager of the Chincoteague Natl Wildlife Refuge, and faculty from several other PA state schools who are doing research for NASA....and me :)

I just typed up a rambling couple of paragraphs all about the project, but I think I'm going to save it for another post...let's get back to the catching up!!

Anyway. So that's why I'm just now posting week 5! Haha.

What else? Umm... gee, it seemed like there was a bunch of stuff I needed to catch-up on here, and now I can't remember! I even checked my little notebook.... I've got nothing! Hmm. Scatterbrain.

Well, today is going to be spent doing some schoolwork... I feel so much more organized and focused now that I know exactly what I want to be researching, and have a timeline going. That's the way I like it to be! I really felt like I was floundering until yesterday... I'm used to having 6 classes PLUS research. That's pretty much how my undergrad years went! Now as a grad student, I'm down to 3 classes (which are only once a week, so I have wayyyy too much free time) and didn't have a clear picture of where I was going. This is so much better. :)

Along those lines, I know that a few of my readers do work in similar fields...archaeology, environmental science, biology.... I'd love to hear more about what you guys study! Have you done any research? Do you have any specific questions you'd like to research? I'm a huge nerd, so I think it would be fun to share a little bit about what we do!

What do you guys think? If you like the idea and want to nerd-out with me, leave a comment or shoot me an email [crack_the_sky17@yahoo.com] and maybe we can do a blog-party where we all do a post about our research interests or what we study on our blogs to share.....

Camera talk - digital vs. old school!

I have a growing fascination with cameras. For years I only used my digital camera...right now I use an Olympus Stylus Tough 3000. Its pretty great! ♥ But... there is something about an actual print photograph that is simply magical... you just never know what you're going to get when you snap that picture!

That's the reason I embarked on my 52 Weeks of Instax project... I got an Instax Mini 25 for Christmas, and I wanted to figure out how to capture moments with it. So far, so good... until yesterday. hehe. I wanted to snap a picture of something I sketched for the kiddos the other day while babysitting, and....well, it didn't work out so well. More on that tomorrow with this week's installment of 52 Weeks!

Anyway! Back to the camera talk. Lindsay made a post today about some cool cameras she spotted on Poketo. Well, I got pretty excited about the Slim Angel, and for only $25 on Amazon, I had to snatch it up! (It helps that I had a $25 Amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket!)

source

How cool do those pics look?! I'm so stoked to try out a 35mm camera again... it has literally been probably 20 years since I used one!!

What do you prefer - digital or old-school?? 

52 Weeks - WEEK 7

Week 7 (See the Flickr pool here)

Aren't these birdies so cute? They're on a little rug/mat that my mom gave me for Valentines day, but since I don't really have enough floor to constitute putting down a rug (silly mama), I decided to hang it on my wall. Those little birds make me feel happy. ♥

As always, I encourage you to join in on the 52 Weeks project! There's a button in the sidebar for you to grab, and you can start adding your pictures to the Flickr pool anytime. :)

T.G.I.F.!!

My second outfit post!

Brrrr! You guys.... it was 22 degrees outside when I took these!! And windy!

Hence the funny eyes-closed face in the third picture, below. ;-)

Sweater - Target

Skirt - U.O.

Tights - Rue21

Socks - thrifted

Boots - U.O.

Belt - Kohls

Hat - Volcom

I think I'm going to go to the antique mall in a little while to browse...and hopefully find some things for the shop! Thrifting has been pretty "meh" lately. But half the fun is in the search, right?

I also need to stop at Michaels and pick up a paint brush for a secret Project Restyle mission! I started it yesterday, but the paintbrushes I have weren't working for my purposes.... (are you curious yet?? hehe)

And then I have to pick the kiddos up from school at 2:30 and babysit for a little while. The girls must have been inspired by Ethan's "Valintin" box; they both had little handmade presents for me yesterday. So cute.

Check back later for this week's 52 Weeks roundup, and my contribution for the week!

It pays to love me...

...well, my blog anyway ;)

Just a quick little note to let you know there's a new button in my left sidebar

<-----------------------------

See it?

10% off all orders from my shop for my blog followers!

That has always been the case, but...well, I just got around to making a button. Oops. ;)

I realize there's not much in the shop right now.... but I plan on remedying that very soon!

*******

I woke up to more snow this morning (it snowed yesterday too).... I was just saying to my sister the other day that it has felt like Spring lately... so of course it would start snowing now! : /  It wasn't too bad, though, just a few more inches of light, fluffy snow. Still, I didnt enjoy shoveling the driveway at 7:30 this morning so my parents could leave. Bleh.

Well...I guess I should get a start on the day soon.... no big plans for today, just doing some brainstorming for a super-exciting bloggy surprise (!!) and.... I don't know what else. Maybe going to see a movie later?

Oh! And don't forget to visit my 52 Weeks Flickr pool, and add your own photos! Grab a sidebar button, while you're at it. ; )

Join in the fun!

I'm so excited - tomorrow is Friday, which means it will be time to post this week's photo for the 52 Weeks of Instax project! I took my photo yesterday....its a good one!!

(read the Week One post)

I'd love to have more people join in!

Just click the link on the right side of my blog to visit the Flickr pool, and be sure to grab a button for your own blog!

Spotlight on: VioletGiftShop

Good morning, everyone!

I discovered a pretty pink package on my livingroom table this morning... my stickers from VioletGiftShop!

I have always loved stickers....who doesn't?? So when I stumbled across these on Etsy, I nearly died of happiness! Seriously, how cute are they??

All photos are from VioletGiftShop's Etsy shop

I had such a hard time deciding which ones to order....I went back and forth between about 5 different styles, but I finally decided on the Rainbow Market pack and the Polaroid Deco pack. The Rainbow Market stickers I bought specifically for my daily planner...they're cute and little, and have little inspirational sayings like "You can do it!" and "Have a great day!". Sometimes I need those reminders!!

The Polaroid deco pack is for my 52 Weeks instax photos! I'm not quite sure exactly what I want to do with all of my Instax (I've been putting them in my art journal thus far), but I definitely know that I'll be able to fancy 'em up with those stickers!!

I will definitely be stopping by VioletGiftShop again! The shipping was super-fast (especially since it was international!), and Violet even sent along an extra little gift! So sweet. :-)

Here are some other cute things I have my eye on from her shop:

Lace deco tape

Little Daily Deco sticker set

Antique letter stamp set

Click here to shop VioletGiftShop

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Good morning!

So, I woke up at 4:15 this morning. Wide awake at 4:15! I don't know what's up with that, but I do love waking up bright and early! I'm a little anxious to see if I'll be able to keep my early bird schedule with this new semester... all of my classes are in the evening, so I probably won't even get home until close to 10:00 p.m.! I might have to set my alarm for a little later, anyway.

Anyway, this morning has been great already - I had an email from Smitten & Hazel, letting me know that I won their giveaway!!  I'm so excited - that necklace is so pretty!!

Image borrowed from Smitten & Hazel

♥ ♥ ♥ 

In other news, I'm officially done playing with the blog layout now. There's a new banner, all new sidebar buttons, and links to my current projects: 52 Weeks and my Art Journal (I finally uploaded all of the pages onto Flickr). I spent wayyy too much time over the past 24 hours messing with it! What do you think? I think...I love it. :-)

Click the button on the right to see my art journal!