Sunday, February 28, 2010

Facebook and their new stupid rules

Facebook is now no longer letting businesses run giveaways or competitions on their facebook page. Which I think is a lot of hogwash. As a small business (and working from home too), I find to get more clients is to do giveaways and do competitions. People like to get things for free (just don't abuse it people :D )

So from now on I will do my giveaways and my competitions from here.

But I will have a code saying. That code saying will be

BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP

When you see this you know to come to my blog to check out what is running.

Please note that you have to be a follower of my blog to be legible for any of my prizes.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Day 58 - 28th Feb 2010

I was sitting at the sewing machine finishing off some unfinished sewing projects. My camera was right in front of me so I thought I would take a photo of the sewing foot (just for something different). As I was manual focusing, I noticed the beautiful bokeh. I left it unfocused.

Image sooc, no changes other than watermark and resizing for the web.

Day 57 - 26th Feb 2010

Kayla wanted to go to the playground, and because it was school time we couldn't go to the school playground. So I put the kids into the double pram and we walked over to cato park.

This image is part of the pillar of Central Park. It's where the Stawell Gift is held every year.

Day 56 - 25th Feb 2010

Miles just loves the swing (as I mentioned in a previous post), but the look in this photo is just classic! He is just so cute!

Day 55 - 24th Feb 2010

Street sign of our street. Not really adventurous but really it will have to do, it's a photo at least.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Day 54 - 23rd Feb 2010

We live on a corner, and this is one of the many signs around our house.

Day 53 - 22nd Feb 2010

Was walking home from the supermarket in the double pram. I had to stop to cross the road, and I really like the way the road sign looked against the sky.

So this week it's all going to be about signs.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Day 52 - 21st Feb 2010

I needed some time out, so I drove up to the Grampians (20km away), and decided to go for a walk. I did the 'boronia peak walk', it's on the other side of the grampians.

The walk took 3 hours all up. It took about 1 hour 10 mins to get to the top, and I stayed there for about 20 mins, and then it was quicker on the way back, but I slipped and twisted my ankle so then I rested and had a chat to this lovely girl (she was from brunswick) and it helped.

While up the top I took some pano's. This is a 3 shot pano. It was 6, but I couldn't get the other 3 to blend very well, so I just left it as 3.

Day 51 - 20th Feb 2010

Miles woke up at stupid o'clock and well we all decided to play outside. I put Miles in the swing and he just loved it! He did not want to get out.
The morning light was just beautiful too.

Day 50 - 19th Feb 2010

This was the 1st picture I took for the day, and the only decent one, just as well I like it.

Gave it a black and white tritone effect in photoshop.



it's part of the roof of our house.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Insert

I've now listed the camera bag insert in my store on my website.

Once I have created a few more I will list them on I made it.

I think I have found a winner with this :D

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Day 49 - 18th Feb 2010

Took only 3 shots for the day, but 3 shots that I really love!



The light outside our house (we live on a corner). Processed it in black and white as I thought it would pop more.

Day 48 - 17th Feb 2010



Extremely minimal editing in photoshop, pretty much just adjusting exposure.

This is part of the roof of our house. I just love the angle, and the sky.

Day 47 - 16th Feb 2010

I've been a bit slack at taking photos, but in saying that I'm really liking the photos that I have been taking.

This image is part of out back fence



and then the bonus image is of my wonderful daughter Kayla

Monday, February 15, 2010

Hand Bag Camera Bag Insert

As I had mentioned in a previous post I plan on making a camera bag insert for a hand bag. I would buy a hand bag camera bag, but no one in Australia sells there for a reasonable price. I'm not forking out $300 for a hand bag camera bag!
So I bought a hand bag and now I'm making the insert.

The Handbag

It's aubergine in colour, not black.

Friday
Made a paper insert to make sure it fits and is suitable.


paper pattern


making sure it fits into the handbag

Then I measured and cut out my pattern.

Then I measured and cut out the fabric. I should mention crappy fabric for a trial.

Then I started to sew it together. It was then I realised that pattern no 1 would not work.

Slept on it, woke up with a new idea.

Saturday
Modified the pattern. Cut out more trail fabric (it's just as well I kept remnants! Hooray for hoarding!).

Started sewing it together, and realised, nope this pattern wont work either.

So modified the pattern again.

So now I'm onto my 3rd pattern and my 3rd lot of fabric trials. I decide that I want to get it done so after the kids had a nap I head over to Horsham to go to spotlight.

At spotlight I buy cotton drill fabric. And foam (used in ironing board covers). Total cost $17. But I bought 1m of fabric, which ends up being enough to make 3 inserts (also to allow for stuff ups). the foam comes into sheets of 10 of about 45cm by 35cm. If the kids didn't sleep for so long I would have gone to clark rubber they have the foam on a roll and it's 120cm wide for $9.95.

Get home and pre-wash the fabric.

Sunday
I cut out the fabric and cut out the foam. I realise that I have to cut the foam smaller than my pattern but I have plenty of foam so it's no loss.

It took about 2 hours to do all the sewing and putting it together.

Hand Bag with Insert - front view


Hand Bag with Insert - side view


Insert with gear


Insert



If you would like one then it will cost $25 +postage. This insert is 30cm x 10cm, and will fit, DSLR camera with lens attached, 2 lens/flash as per pictures

Day 46 - 15th Feb 2010



Kayla on the trampoline again. You can just see the joy she gets out of it.

but that's going to be my bonus image.

The image that I'm going to classify as the photo of the day, was the 1st photo I took of the day. It's the roof of a house in town. We were walking to the bank from the leisure centre, and I just really liked the rusty look against the bright blue sky.

Day 45 - 14th Feb 2010

Valentines day!

And did I take any 'love' theme shots? Nope... opps. I only took 3 photo's, and they were all documenting my sewing project.

Photo kinda crappy, but meh, I still took a photo.

Day 44 - 13th Feb 2010

Kayla just loves the trampoline.

My dad has been bugging me about getting some photos of her using it. So that's what the image of the day is.



Not the best action shot in the whole world, it's more of a happy snap, but I like it all the same.

Day 43 - 12th Feb 2010

Ok so I have been a bit slack at updating my blog.... opps. so I have a few days to post.



This is one of the studs that holds the security screen to the frames. I really like the angel and the texture, and the rust.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Hand Bag Camera Bag Insert

As I had mentioned in a previous post I plan on making a camera bag insert for a hand bag. I would buy a hand bag camera bag, but no one in Australia sells there for a reasonable price. I'm not forking out $300 for a hand bag camera bag!
So I bought a hand bag and now I'm making the insert.

The Handbag

It's aubergine in colour, not black.

Friday
Made a paper insert to make sure it fits and is suitable.


paper pattern


making sure it fits into the handbag

Then I measured and cut out my pattern.

Then I measured and cut out the fabric. I should mention crappy fabric for a trial.

Then I started to sew it together. It was then I realised that pattern no 1 would not work.

Slept on it, woke up with a new idea.

Saturday
Modified the pattern. Cut out more trail fabric (it's just as well I kept remnants! Hooray for hoarding!).

Started sewing it together, and realised, nope this pattern wont work either.

So modified the pattern again.

So now I'm onto my 3rd pattern and my 3rd lot of fabric trials. I decide that I want to get it done so after the kids had a nap I head over to Horsham to go to spotlight.

At spotlight I buy cotton drill fabric. And foam (used in ironing board covers). Total cost $17. But I bought 1m of fabric, which ends up being enough to make 3 inserts (also to allow for stuff ups). the foam comes into sheets of 10 of about 45cm by 35cm. If the kids didn't sleep for so long I would have gone to clark rubber they have the foam on a roll and it's 120cm wide for $9.95.

Get home and pre-wash the fabric.

Sunday
I cut out the fabric and cut out the foam. I realise that I have to cut the foam smaller than my pattern but I have plenty of foam so it's no loss.

It took about 2 hours to do all the sewing and putting it together.

Hand Bag with Insert - front view


Hand Bag with Insert - side view


Insert with gear


Insert



If you would like one then it will cost $25 +postage. This insert is 30cm x 10cm, and will fit, DSLR camera with lens attached, 2 lens/flash as per pictures

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Day 42 - 11th Feb 2010

I walking to Southern Cross Station to catch the train back home. One of the buildings. I just love the reflections on the window and the contrast of the sky.



and i'm going to show you the one sooc as well

Day 41 - 10th Feb 2010

Melbourne Central Dome. It's a well photographed bit of architecture. But It is pretty cool. Converted it to mono (it was practically in mono anyway lol).

I love the lines, and all the different angles.

Day 39 - 8th Feb 2010

ok so I posted day 40 before day 39, but that's only because I couldn't find day 39 in photobucket, but I found it so I'm posting it now.



It's the Stawell Leisure Centre. I like the lines.

Day 40 - 9th Feb 2010

This was the 1st image that I took of the day, and ended up being the best.

All the other shots were of the kids playing on their new trampoline.

Fearless

After dropping the kids off in care (daycare/kindy and then their nana moo's) I jumped on the bus and then the train, and headed into Melbourne.

By the time I got to the hotel I was STARVING. Sure I had some snacks and an early lunch (more like brunch as it was 10.30 when I had something), but by 3pm I was ready to chew off my arm. I didn't cave in and go the junk route. Could easily had, but decided nope, I'm going to go to my favourite Vietnamese restaurant Mekong. Ordered a char-grilled pork noodle soup and a (home made) lemon iced tea. Total cost $13.50. I should mention that the soup was huge, and I didn't finish it.
Was stuffed after my linner (lunch/dinner). Walked over to Melbourne Central to go to borders. Picked up 2 books 'french women don't get fat', which I have been wanting for ages, but every time I go there to get it they never have it! And another book, but for the life of me I can't remember... I'll update this when I remember the name of it.
Then walked over to QV to go to big W to get some photo's printed. However as it was already 5pm (yeah i know where the hell did the time go?) and printing was going to take a min of 2 hours, I decided that I wasn't going to order them and just continue walking around town.
Ended up going to DFO at Southern Cross station. I should have gone there when I got off the train, but I didn't want to lug my backpack around and I didn't want to get fast food, so I caught the tram there. Picked up a bag to convert into a camera bag. It's purple :D, got a free matching coin purse with it as well, which I will put my memory cards in.
I hear you saying 'convert into a camera bag?' Yes that's right, I'm going to convert it. I want a stylish camera bag. I will still use the one I have when I'm going on bush walks, but it's just too daggy for going out. No one in australia Makes camera bags for woman. Sure Camera's Direct have the Jill-E Bags but I'm not forking out $200-$300 for a bag!
So I got this bag and I'm going to make a lining so that my camera and lens fit in it. I'll let you know how it turns out when it's done.

Ok so back to the story.

So after I got my bag I decided to go back to the hotel room and have a rest, as it was nearly 6pm by this stage and I still had to get ready for Taylor Swift.
Rested for a bit had a shower and at 7pm left. Caught a chockers... I mean sardine can full of people tram, to Rod Laver Arena Got in, and waited inline to get some merchandise. I wont tell you how much I spent o_O lol. I felt like I was in line for ages. It ended up being around 30 mins. As I could hear the support act Gloriana, and by the time I got to my seat, they had finished.
Taylor came on stage at around 8.30pm kicking off with 'You belong with me' which i recorded (as I just love this song).



She sang all the songs of her 'Fearless' album and about 4 songs from her debut album 'Taylor Swift'.



She is such a genuine person. I can see why so many young females look up to her. I can also see how many teenage girls love her. Her songs are real, she sings what hundreds and thousands of us girls have felt during puberty and what we go through in high school with boys :p



Three Quaters through the performance she shook it up a bit. We were looking at the stage, and we could hear singing, but she wasn't on the stage. She was actually in the audience! She gave bracelets to some lucky fans, and many, many many fans got to get hugs! (Damn those fans!!!!!)



So after 2 hours, the show was over, but it was AWESOME!!!!





Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Consent - Release Form

I put this on facebook, but i'm also going to put it here.

Some of you have given me your written consent to use the creations I have made for you on the web ie, facebook/website/blog.

I consent for Matilda @ MiCreations to use the image/s of myself/family in MiCreations.

I also assign full copyright of the said creation together with the right of reproduction either wholly or in part.

I agree that MiCreations can use these creations either separately or together, either wholly or in part, in any way in any medium.

I have read this release form carefully and fully understand its meaning and implications.


If you agree to the above statement please post your consent.

*Release form maybe modified in future

Monday, February 8, 2010

Contact Button

Thank you Coffee Shop (link in side bar), you are wonderful, for all your wonderful actions and all your wonderful tutorials.

Thanks to Rita at coffee shop for helping me create a CONTACT BUTTON. You have no idea how excited I am over this. I have been trying to figure out how to do it for a couple of days. Google was no help, maybe I was typing in the wrong words, any how, today I log in and look at the list of blogs that I am following and there on Coffee Shop update is a tutorial on adding a contact button.

So now I have one :D

So if you would like me to create some memories, or make some memories for you. Then give me a holler!
<------------------------------------- use the contact button :D

A bit of this a bit of that

What a day today!

Started off just after 6am when Miles woke up. Around 7 Kayla woke up. By 8am she was ready to go to play gym to play with Noah and Clara. 9.15am rolls by and I load the kids in the double pram and we walk to the leisure centre.
Jackie who runs the play gym is a lovely lady and the kids love her (she also teachers water familiarisation). After play gym we walked up to the main drag and watched the excavation going on at Safeway/Woolies (aka supermarket). Walk over to the other supermarket (IGA) as safeway is closed today because of the renovations. Pick up bread as we were down to 2 slices. Get there no wholemeal! What the hell? No wholemeal! Normally it's no white. I don't want toast, I want sandwich slice. I could have gone multigrain, I don't mind the stuff, but kayla is a bit iffy so if I can get wholemeal into her yay! So I picked up a more expensive brand like $3 yeah not happy, get to the check out and of course the wheelchair one is not open. I have to go through the wheelchair lane as the double pram doesn't fit through the other lanes. Ended up waiting about 10 mins just to pay for 2 things! While waiting though I found the last loaf of wholemeal bread. Sweet! Took it.
Went to the pharmacy to pick up my script and to get miles bepanthan. He has got bad nappy rash (you'll find out later why).
After that stopped at Chris n Di's and Kayla had 2 party pies. Early lunch, but hey, she had been good. Then we walked to the railway station (only a slight detour home). Would have taken Kayla too the park but Miles was so tired, and it was getting hot.
At the train station paid for my train ticket so I can get to Taylor Swift on Wednesday! Yay me!
Kayla wanted to see a train, but alas none came :(

Walked home, Miles was dead to the world by the time we got home. I parked the pram at the back/front of the house, as it's under cover and a lot cooler, and let Miles sleep the rest of the time there. (i normally park him at the front/back of the house, but it's not really shaded).

Back/front: really the back door, but everyone comes to this door hence why it's the front door.
Front/back: really the front door, but no one comes to this door as it's at the back part of the lot.
If you saw our house you'd understand. In fact go here and you'll see the real front of the house, but no one comes to this door.

So after Miles had his nap, we all had lunch and icy poles. As I was filling up the pool with water the phone rang. Grabbed it and it was the guy delivering the trampoline! Woot! 5 mins later he was here with the boxes! Yay! Kayla was so excited.
I grabbed some scissors and opened the cartons and started organising things. Looked at the instructions, very simple to follow, but obviously no one did a spell check as the spelling is so bad! like rake instead of take etc.
Didn't set it up straight away as I had to fix the gazebo for the pool. We had bad winds a couple of nights ago and it ripped it apart, nothing too bad, just as well there was water in the pool or the whole thing would have flown away.
Changed the kiddies into their swimmers and we had a good splash around. We had a great time. Kayla had a bit too much love for Miles and he was sooking. As I was picking him up I noticed (as his mouth was wide open), another tooth coming through! His top tooth still refuses to break through the skin! It's there you can see it, but it wont come through. I bet his bottom tooth (the one that I saw) will come through before this top one comes through. It was then the light bulb went off 'oh so this would explain the disgusting nappies the last 2 days and the nappy rash'! Just as well I picked up some bepantham.

I let the kids play some more in the pool while I set up the trampoline. It says 2 to 3 people need to set it up. Hogwash! I did it myself. Ok 95% of it. I got the frame up and put the mat up with 90% of the springs. I would have continued with the springs, but I was tired and my hands hurt from pulling the springs into place. I'll finish it off later. See I don't need a man :p

So now we are all back inside enjoying an icy pole. Ok mine is all gone now, but it was still damn good. Kayla is watching hi-5 must say don't like the new presenters, but such is life. Miles well he is cleaning the toilet. It loves the toilet brush and loves to put it in the toilet. It's his new thing to do lmao.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Day 38 - 7th Feb 2010

Went over to the primary school playground with the kids and we had a play. Image for the day is the sun sails. This image is pretty much sooc, only minor editing (exposure correction) done.

Day 37 - 6th Feb 2010

Didn't take any photo's until the kids were in bed.

There are 2 that I really like. The 1st image is my entry for the day.



It's the primary school across the road. Exposure was 92 seconds. I cropped it down as I had a lot of dead space up the top.



This is my bonus image. I took it around 8.30pm. The sky was a lot bluer, but my exposure came out a lot darker, even though the light meter was reading correctly. I forgot to over expose it, but I like it either way.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Day 36 - 5th Feb 2010

Day was pretty ordinary this morning (not this arvo however). While Miles was sleeping I set up the light tent to take a photo of some of the toys (just to do something different). Got the tripod out as well.

Kayla then decided 'mummy take my photo', and so I did.



It is one of the best portraits I've ever taken of her. Sure her hair is in front of one of her eyes, but I simple don't care. I just adore it.