my last assignment before the final....

The dreaded self portrait!! I am not even going to go into what it took to get this picture or how many I had to take before it!

I turned it in yesterday & realized that my monitor coloring is off....it came out a touch too dark on the print. So now I need to figure out a way to adjust my monitor. This should be interesting.



I got an A on my last 2 pictures, so I think I am finally getting a handle on things. Now I just need to work on my final project.....

that's right...

The odd angles assignment. This one was interesting....

Our foyer chandelier ...










I was so proud I had thought of this one, but then the day I turned it in, another girl had done the same thing. So annoying.

so, where did I leave off???

I can't remember which assignments I have posted & which I haven't...anyway, here's tomorrows homework. The assignment was ad photos. One for a specific brand, and one a generic stock photo that could be used for multiple purposes. I realized this week that the longer I am in this class, the harder the homework is getting. And not because the subject matter is getting harder, but now I am consciously applying everything I have learned to EVERY picture. I realized this after looking back at my photos and having no less that 20 or 30 pictures of colored pencils in a jar. I am becoming so critical!!


















Next week I have a self portrait- which I have been dreading all semester. I am supposed to be behind the camera, not in front! I also have to write a paper (?!?) odd for a photo class, but I need to pick a famous news photo & write a one page paper on the composition & lighting etc. Part of me likes this assignment, I love looking through old photos. But then part of me thinks, "if this picture has stood the test of time & years later people remember it & it evokes memories & feelings, who am I to criticize!?!" oh well.

this weeks, last weeks & a few redos...

This was taken at the pumpkin farm from this weekend. It is a redo of the stop action shot from a few weeks ago. Once I figured out how to change shutter speed on my camera, stop action became SO much easier!!








Also from the pumpkin farm, one of 2 nature shots due for tonight's class.

















Taken under a tree looking up at football practice, second nature shot for this week.












Last week's sports action shot, I feel like I totally missed the mark on this one & I have the redo ready to turn into tonight. (see below)













The redo- it was the boys celebratory shoulder bump after a touchdown. I was so excited that I actually caught them midair! The actual shot being turned in is cropped much closer.
















The other assignment from last week- a nonaction sports shot-- still wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but the best I could do at the time.









Next week's assignment is odd angles/perspectives. This should be interesting!

last weeks assignments... people pics

I had to take one outside.....













And one inside (no flash)-- Originally the idea was to take pics of another child so the class wouldn't get tired of seeing mine. Mine didn't like that idea, but I think the one of the two of them turned out pretty cute!








Got 2 B+ on the action & pan shot (football & Addi swing)...I can't seem to make that extra touch for the A....very aggravating (an anal, I know!)

To be posted soon.....sports, 1 active 1 non active....

Cityscapes...

So, I am a little behind posting. I skipped class last week to go car shopping. But these are the pictures...

This is my cityscape with people. Downtown Plainfield, I liked the corner of that building. It was a little different.







This is my cityscape without people- downtown Arcanum. They have brick streets in the downtown, so I got on my stomach to take the pictures from that point of view. I thought it turned out okay....we will see.








This weeks assignment: people indoors & outdoors using only available light. My poor family! :)

An action shot & blur

This is my blur shot- from Brumbaughs fruit farm on Labor Day weekend.

















Action shot... not Colin, although the Packers are his team.











I don't know what I got on last weeks assignment yet, although I am not holding out hope.

We'll see!!

Shadows & Silhouettes...

are the assignment for this week. I am not all that thrilled with the pictures I took, but it is pretty time consuming to do these 2 pictures, as they require pretty specific lighting situations. And I was short on time this week-- so this is what I got. Teacher has a policy that as along as we turn the original assignment in on time, we can redo for a better grade. I am going to see what I get & then keep my eye opened for other, better, oppurtunities.

Out our backdoor....













My girls & two neighbor girls...

I got a B+...

and I have to say I am disappointed. I wanted an A. The feedback was really frustrating as well. He graded the one picture, then picked 3 more out of our 36 that he thinks are better/just as good as the one I chose to get graded. These are pictures he picked & what he had to say.

"Not to be offensive, but this looks like one of those generic Hallmark pictures on cards." (I know this & is why I didn't choose this one to be graded!)










"would work better as a square picture- but interesting."











"because of the time of day & use of the fill flash, the details are so sharp & the background blurry, it looks fake." (he never did say if this was a good thing or bad thing)








And then the B+.....

"don't you think the trees completely overwhelm the rider? Well, now as I look at it more, I think it would work much better blown up to 16X20, framed & matted"














Needless to say, I am a bit frustrated by his feedback. I didn't really find it all that helpful -- so I don't have high hopes for the grade on my next assignment. I can redo the picture I turned in to try for a higher grade. I think I am going to wait & see how the next one goes, before I start redoing assignments. Who has time for that???

Off to take pictures of shadows & silhouettes!!

-Jenni

my next assignment

So the assignment for this week is a maximum depth picture...

(one is which everything is in focus & taken with a wider lens)


taken on Brumbaugh's Fruit Farm in Arcanum, Oh. Site of the yearly Mills Family Reunion, the perfect place to host 8 boys, ages 9 & under, plus a couple girls thrown in for good measure....






And a minimum depth picture (one which only the object in the foreground is in focus)


taken in my backyard, after I explained to my husband that he needed to build a fire, just so I could take this picture. I had to drink the cider too (oh, the suffering for my art!)











These two assignments were a bit easier, since it was more focused. On Thursday we will critique the pictures from last week, which I am really looking forward to- I feel like I need more feedback.

so....which picture is your favorite??

I am in the beginning of my photography class, which I am very excited about (and nervous...I won't even get into the vocabulary lists & midterms!) The first assignment was to take 36 pictures to print & turn in....then pick our favorite to have graded. I can't decide...so I have narrowed it down to a few....tell me what you think....by tomorrow night!

Thanks!

long time, no blog

So with the move, end of the school year & all the birthdays, I haven't been feeling too creative lately...but I have been inspired a bit by having the new, neutral space to decorate. I just want something that feels more like us. Anyway, this is Colin's bathroom (I'll get to the bathroom layout later). The lightning isn't very good (it is 10:30pm as I am finishing this!) But I painted the bathroom a light green, kind of bright color. For the dots I used self adhesive vinyl. It was so great & easy to work with! (even Jason helped!)

I found this patterned vinyl that had 2 shades of green, navy blue & orange & I matched the solid color vinyls to that pattern.

To complete the bathroom, I bought solid color towels in navy & orange (which made us look like Bears fans, which we are not!), a solid navy rug, clear toothbrush holder & cup & a white plastic trashcan. I used the rest of the vinyl dots to put some color on the toothbrush holder & trashcan.

More about the bathrooms...the new house has 4 1/2. The girls share one, Colin has his own, the master, the guest bath on the main floor & then the 1/2 on the main floor. I have painted the guest bath (its just yellow, not exciting, not even really sure I like it). The 1/2 bath is green stripes & as soon as the mirror & picture get hung, I will take pictures. Hopefully, I am going to start on the girls bath later this week. I have no idea when I will get to the master bath. First, I need to figure out what I am doing...I am starting to think I need to subscribe to a home decorating magazine, this is so out of my realm!

Any ideas?? send them my way!

-Jenni

disney outfits

This started out as basic pillowcase-inspired dresses. http://www.jenleheny.com/pillowcase-dress-instructions
Then I decided I needed to add something to the shorts underneath. So, I went to the Once-upon-someone-else's-child store & bought the girls jeans to alter. The older one, I decided was maybe too old for ruffles, so I took the hem band instructions from this tutorial http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com/photos/twirly_skirt/
and put them on her shorts.

I must have measured the little one wrong, because when I sent to put it on her, not only was it too small around the tummy, it was too short as well. I didn't have enough fabric to start all over, so I added same materials panels to the sides & then the contrasting hem band (also from the above tutorial). I almost like it better with the side panels, I think it hangs better, although you can't really tell from these pics.



These are the twirly skirts I made (tutorial linked above) I really liked them & once I made the first one, it was pretty easy to do. For the shirts I appliqued a Mickey head on the Old Navy tee. I think it turned out pretty cute.

(don't ask me about their faces- I have no idea) These shirts were really easy to do....got the idea from Susan's blog

http://chaosensued.blogspot.com/ I just cut the shape I wanted out of contact paper with my trusty Cricut & then painted. Sunday was A's birthday, so she got the Mickey head with a 3 (can't tell too well from this picture). C's turned out cute- its hard with an almost 8 yr old to know what he will think is okay & what he won't.

I have my last (for awhile anyway) rag quilt on the machine & I am trying to finish that up before summer!

I made a trashcan!!!

So, I have had the material to do this for quite awhile. I used my cricut cutter & vinyl http://www.cricut.com/ and my sure cuts alot software http://www.craftedge.com/index.html and a Star Wars font I already had on my computer (yeah, a little geeky I know. But I have a 7 yr old boy in LOVE with Star Wars! What are you going to do???)

All I had to do was cut the vinyl to mat size, hook up my laptop to the cricut & figure out what I wanted to cut. It was really easy & now I am trying to figure out what else to cut! I need some white vinyl so I can decorate my laptop!

More rag quilts

This is A's quilt. She LOVES nemo, so when I saw this flannel- I had to get it & make her a quilt. I couldn't find the right shade of green flannel, so I had to use a fleece. It posed a few problems, mainly the thickness under the sewing foot, but all in all it worked out okay.

This is E's quilt. She LOVES Hannah Montana...so I got this for her. I used the fleece for her as well. I think they turned out well- I love these owls!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

So, I got this idea from my friend Susans (check out her blog http://chaosensued.blogspot.com/ )

sister in laws blog (since I don't really know her, I don't think I should link her blog)

Anyway, this shirt was for E to wear to her Valentines party today. Its a good thing she goes in the afternoon, since I just started it this morning. But it was pretty easy. I drew the heart shape, cut it out & then fit the long sleeve tee under it. Using embroiery thread, (and my rusty hand sewing skills) I stitched around the heart.

Then I decided I wanted the backs of the shirts to also be sewn together. So, I wrote what I wanted and then stitched the lines using embroidery thread again.

All & all, I think it just took a few hours to get it all done.

Since we are heading out on the Disney cruise in March, I have a few projects in the works for the kids to wear. And I have another rag quilt in process......

Notes to myself for Christmas 2009...

I am tired of running around the month of December trying to finish up all the fun little traditions/crafts/things that I want to do. So, I have made a decision- this year is going to be different. I am going to enjoy Christmas time by preplanning- ALOT. I am talking crafts in July, cards in August & gift buying in October (Jason will be thrilled!)

This is my list, so in a few months, I can look at it & think about what I need to do.

1. Teachers gifts-- early fall
2. Matching PJ's for the family--maybe I should start that in August!
3. Making gifts from the grandkids to the grandparents
4. Helping the kids make presents for each other
5. Christmas card & letter-- to be sent out in early December. Maybe I should try & make a few this year.
6. baking, I should do it.

Well, that's all I can think of for now....any other thoughts?