January 31, 2012

Light Box

I finished my light box last night. ^.^ Yay me!

Anywho, it turned out really nicely. I picked up a piece of white & a piece of grey poster board for the backgrounds. This way I have a choice on what background I would like in my photos.  I was actually tempted to buy a random bright color like pink or orange... but I decided to keep it rather tame for this first attempt. I can tell that it is going to be really nice for our product photos for the Pins&Needles shop. The box I used was about 2'x1.5' roughly... so I'm seriously considering making a bigger one. But for the time being, this first one will be fine.  Here's an example of a photo taken in the light box:
Family Strip Hat
I think the lighting came out really good- not too bright. I will definitely be using this light box a lot. And it was very inexpensive: the box was free; the tape & hot glue were already in the house; and all I had to buy were 2 poster boards & a wooden dowel. Those small purchases cost me about $3.65. Not bad to get a professional looking photo result. Dusts off shoulders!

January 29, 2012

Crafternoon


The lovely Ms. D, came over for crafternoon & she made a bunch of cute bracelets & rings. =) She did a great job stash-busting my beads.


(close-up of her bracelets)


(close-up of her rings... she said she's going to find a small photo inside the framelike ring on the left. cool huh)

I didn't finish anything, but I started making my photo lightbox for the Pins&Needles product photos. I just have to pick up the lights & a poster board to use as the seamless white background. I found a really good tutorial here. Anywho, D was really excited to come over & make things. She said next time, she's going to bring more people (YAY!) The more the merrier!

On my hooks

Crocheting at Lamar's intramural basketball game :)

It's a striped beanie. The pattern was really easy to work up. I finished it while watching his team play their first game. Sadly, they didn't win. Better luck next time. (shakes cheerleader pom-poms)

(peek-a-boo tattoo ^.^)

Last progress pic & modifications made to the boy beanie pattern found in "Stitch-n-B*tch Crochet: The Happy Hooker."

I had my hair in a twist out today & it fit over it. That's really good, especially since its hard to fit all of my hair under a hat these days. I like the finished product & I'm going to make myself another one in more 'everyday' colors.



January 27, 2012

Favorite spaces

This is my favorite section of Books-A-Million. From here, I'll nestle down in a comfy cafe chair with a stack of crochet books & a chai latte... I haven't done this in a little bit, though. I should really have a BAM date soon. Maybe bring along a ball of yarn & do some crocheting :)
I hope your weekend is starting out nicely.

January 24, 2012

My first Tagging ^.^

I am very excited to have been tagged for this post by Lisa of LesapeaMusings. I hope you all can participate! To anyone reading this, you are welcome to participate in a comment if you like. :)

The Rules

1. Post the rules.
2. Post 11 things about you.
3. Answer the questions the tagger asked you.
4. Write 11 new questions for those you tag.


11 things about me
  1. I love DIY. I do a lot of crochet work, sewing, & clothing refashioning. I also refin
  2. My favorite TV channel is HGTV, but I hate the fact they run hours & hours of House Hunters... -__-
  3. I enjoy shopping at thrift stores. My favorite is ThriftMart. It has some way of easing any stress.
  4. I wish I was a "stiletto gansta"... meaning I wish I could wear high heels for more than an hour... *shrug* a lady can wish.
  5. I like writing to do lists with check boxes. One of my friends said it was weird that I didn't cross each item out. I just think that's too messy.
  6. (hmm... half way there) I use to want to be an English teacher, but then I decided I wanted to do communications... looking back, I probably should have gone with the teacher idea. *chuckle*
  7. I have 2 dogs. One I adopted from the pound & another that I was keeping for a friend who never came to take her back. They keep me on my toes...
  8. I love photography. In college, I majored in Communications- Photojournalism & ended up doing a lot of studio work. I firmly believe that everyone needs photos.
  9. I was (am) a member of Art&Soul Poetry Club of Oakwood University. I was president for 2 years & published a book of poetry during that time. I must say that the friendships I developed & the experiences I had were amazing.
  10. I collect mugs. My collection started on my 24th birthday. Two of my friends planned a surprise party for me & everyone that came had to bring a mug. Ta-da! And that's how you get cupboards overflowing with mugs! lol. ^.^
  11. My favorite number is 12.

11 questions for me
  1. What do you regret most in your life? Not staying active with photography after graduation.
  2. What's your dream vacation? I love the beach, so I'd have to say somewhere sunny, colorful, & on the beach.
  3. What's your fave color? Orange, yellow, & green.
  4. What is your major achievement in life? Graduating college & being able to support myself afterwards.
  5. Who do you love to go shopping with? I would have to say Lamar & my roommate, Cherie. Lamar because we always see some foolish shenanigans & Cherie because she always finds the cutest thrifted things.
  6. What is your dream job? I'm not exactly sure on this one... certainly something artsy... something with children...
  7. What is your all time fave movie? 10 Things I Hate About You. I love sappy 90's love stories :)
  8. If you could have a dinner party, where would you have it & which famous persons would you like to invite (whether alive or deceased)? I would have a casual cookout at a park. I would invite my college poetry club & as special guests: Sunni Patterson, Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, & Jill Scott... Common, Mos Def, Shihan & Langston Hughes to tone down the estrogen overload I just created, lol.
  9. If you had one wish, what would it be? I... would... wish... for all of my & my family's bills to be paid for life. I hate thinking about paying bills... it makes me want to pull out my hair.
  10. What is your fave dessert? Cheesecake. The classic kind... not the kind with strawberry syrup & all manner of extras.
  11. If you could exchange lives with anybody in the world for a week, whose life would you want to live? I think I'd switch with Sunni Patterson. She's a poet & I could only imagine the places she gets to visit for performances. I remember the rush of being on stage performing my pieces, & to do that as a living would be amazing.

11 questions for you.
  1. What do you do to relax?
  2. If you could have any job & know your bills would be paid regardless, what job would it be?
  3. Where is your favorite place to be?
  4. What is your favorite decade?
  5. What is the best thing you ever ate?
  6. Who do you admire the most in your life?
  7. What is one place you want to visit before you die?
  8. What is your favorite book?
  9. What was your favorite birthday?
  10. Who are you inspired by & why?
  11. What advice would you give to children growing up behind you?

Tag you are it!
  1. Cherie @ Sarah-Bellum
  2. Dre @ Cuttlephish
  3. Lamar @ All Grown Up
  4. Dee @ 21
  5. Nikia Phoenix @ Model Liberation
  6. Lucy @ Attic24

Sorry I don't have 11 people to tag yet.

Good luck Everyone. Let the tagging begin.

January 16, 2012

When your best friend gets married...

My bestsisterfriend is getting married this May & I just want to write some things out.

Sooo... I've also been feeling rather disconnected from the whole wedding shebang... because Im the only out of state bridesmaid. AAAANNNNDDDD its not like im a few hours away, Im 14 HOURS away... so all the fittings... i miss, & the little get togethers... i miss, and the bridal shower... i'll likely miss... and Im bummed out about that. We've been friends since we were like 11 & 12. We've been through SO stinkin much together & I just want to be able to be there with her... I want to see her smiling about her gifts & laughing at the shower & I want to help her pick household things for her registry... I just want to be there. I want to be there for the times when she realizes that she's getting married for real real, like taxes... I want to be there when she sends out the save the dates & invitations & gets all misty eyed but then tries to hide it but I wont let her cuz Im trying to take a picture of it... lol... I wish I could just be there...

Sometimes growing up & moving away gets really hard. Its hard being so far away from family & the friends that are just like family. Sometimes phone calls arent enough. Sometimes you need to be in the room, not saying anything. Sometimes you just need your best friend close by.

Ugh... so now Im all weepy & have cried onto my laptop :/ I love you Ambs & I wish Alabama was at least 12 hours closer to Delaware. :-*

December 31, 2011

2011: A Year in Review

Over the last few days, I have been marveling at the fact that the year is almost over... The phrase "the days are long, but the years are short" is really beginning to apply to my life. Im sitting here trying to think of the events of this year & honestly I cant think of much... So Im going to try to go month by month to chronicle this year.

...2011 Year in Review...
January: Lamar & I built the most awesome snowman ever during our town's "blizzard."
February: I turned 25 this year & had a mild quarter life crisis, lol. It led to a lot of thinking about what Im 'suppose' to be doing. Unfortunately, I havent exactly figured that out yet.
March: My college roommate & I finally moved in together. This was great for me because I could get out of the hood & not go broke. It was great for her because she could save money on rent? Yay for win-wins! We moved into a great apartment in a quiet part of the complex within walking distance of stores & such. It is soo much better than my place in little mexico! Sometimes I stop while walking in & marvel at the fact that I actually live there. lol.
April: Southern Tornado Outbreak: On the 27th numerous tornadoes tore through Alabama & the surrounding states. I was stuck at work bunkered down in a classroom in the call center. I remember thinking, "God, if this is my time to die, please dont let me die here!" Living in northern Alabama has taught me the signs of potential tornadoes or bad thunderstorms, but these came out of the blue, it seemed. Once all the storms passed, we were without power for a week. But the good thing about it was, it brought people back to the simple things. Kids were playing outside & the parents were calling them in at sunset. Hanging out with friends was sitting around candles with a guitar. Church was a meeting at the park. We cooked over tealights or fireplaces & experienced what night really looks like. But when the power came back on, I took the best hot shower ever! lol :)
May: My bestsisterfriend got engaged ^.^ She'll be getting married in May of 2012. Congrats darlin!
June: Lamar & I went to Nashville to visit the Gaylord Opryland hotel. It was quite impressive. We rode the tour boats around the building. If you're ever in Nashville & want to do something really touristy, ride the boats at the Opryland hotel.
July: Lamar's birthday. I made a cake for him & it was delicious!
August: "Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, & devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose & meaning."(Tuesdays with Morrie) I found this book at my favorite thrift store & decided to read it since it got such great reviews from my bibliophile friends. It was an experience & has earned a place on my list of books I'd re-read, alongside The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin & Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.
September: My roommate & I decided to start an Etsy shop called Pins&Needles. We currently have only one piece for sale, but it really gave us both something creative to do with our spare time. I have really delved back into crochet & enjoy creating all the pieces that Ive done so far. My plan for the new year is to get production going so that we can have stock for the shop. Then maybe my crocheting & her knitting will make us some money. Fingers crossed. :)
October: October was a big crochet month for me. Working at West gave me a pool of people that were very willing to pay for handmade merchandise. I ended up selling 3 scarves. I also began challenging myself with the patterns & stitches. I guess you could call this the month of crochet education... or something.
November: This was a good month. I was blessed to be able to quit my job at West & begin working as a church secretary. That was the highlight. The way everything came together for that change was pure God. That is all that can be said. Im very grateful & appreciative for the new position because it is infinitely better for me personally. :)
December: My "baby" brother was baptized by our dad. It was a beautiful family moment & we took a picture with both of my parents together. This is great especially since theyre divorced. That was one of the best moments of this year.

After going through each month & writing about an event, I see that this was a really good year. Next year, however, Im going to try to keep a better record. ;) Happy New Year, everyone!