to take and how to take...{little kids} and pictures

Alot of people have been asking me, "how do you get those perfect shots?"


well let me tell yah, it is not always that easy! take my son. he has had mommy's hats on since birth, and i think quite frankly he is telling me, "mom, ok i need a break or a paycheck!"


everyone has different ways about going about it. i am going to be straight out : {i bribe}. yep, i do and i am mighty proud of it! if i can get him to sit still for 15 seconds while i snap away, i will do it!


making funny faces, and weird noises that i would never make in public is another approach. D I S T R A C T is the keyword. it may take about 100 shots until you get the right one, but it is well worth it! 


here are some of the shots from my store, and how hard i had to work to get them ;) 

trying my hardest to get him to sit upright and keep his hat on, i succeeded, for like 2 seconds.

the "i am going to take this thang off, look"

big boys stand up! and run away from this dang camera!

some of the many {adorable} pictures of my lil' owl. isn't funny that he looks sweet even in the mistakes?!

one more thing that was asked : what kind of software do you use to edit?

since i am a graphic designer, i have spent alot of time using photoshop. i actually have the cs5 adobe suite, which is just amazing. i also create alot of my own actions for the different variations and vintage look of my pictures.

now, i know that not everyone has the funds for photoshop or photoshop classes.

there are T O N S of tutorials out there, and you can get some free online editing sites like picnik.

so there you have it! the easiest part of all this is my knitting, but i have to say that taking these pictures is such a blessing {even though my lil' one may resent me for all of these later :) }

hey ya'll!

i am launching my photography props series.

i am totally {i n love} with lil' bitty heads in sweet lil' hats.

so here it is:

we are running a photographers promotion!

20% off your total purchase.

on our whole stock.

offer ends 3.22.2011

all that you need to do is go here, provide a business website or a facebook page of your business. just leave it to us in the convo box.  we will give you the promo code for your total purchase at check out.

and that's it!

there will be lots of hats, diaper covers and other goodies coming up in the upcoming week, so stay tuned why dontcha!

have an amazingly blessed and happy week!

merry CHRISTmas!

merry christmas, from us to yours!

jen

beating cancer one. thread. at. a. time.

recently, i was commissioned to do five hats for someone who was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. i immediately said, yes. how could i not?

the struggle that this disease gives a person is somewhat of a battle field- which you have to fight to win. i should know, my mother has been battling it for the last two years {almost three}. this is her second round of this invader, and well, she fights. like no other. really, why would you not want too? life is too precious....

my mom is super woman. well, at least in my eyes she is. i have never heard her once complain.

she is beautiful, you wouldn't even guess she was sick. i attribute it to her relationship to god, and that she does not give up. she is wonderful, inside and....out.

artie and his gorgeous abuelita, my mum.

she gives me hope. not only for herself, but for situations in my life that don't seem possible. i understand it now. she is a fighter, and well, she is winning.

for so long i have wanted to do something BIG for the cure of cancer. ( yeah, i think we all wish we could find a cure.) but since i am not able to do that, why not help the people suffering through it now?

my dream is to gather knitters, crocheters universally and make hats for the people going through cancer. not just any funky old "chemo" hat, but cute, trendy, chic one of a kind hats. ones that can make a "statement" and truly make that one person who is suffering feel like they are the most amazing person in the world! ( and they are ) so i decided to just brainstorm:

one thread at a time....

it's possible. it really is. i am sure we have all been touched somehow by it. let's make a difference. wouldn't this be amazing if it went viral in every community around the world?

i may be a dreamer, but dreams can come true. { just ask walt disney} and i am going make sure this one does.

life is too precious and too sweet.

if you have any questions or would love to help me create this, please email me.

lilowlgraphics@yahoo.com

hope you all have a blessed first week of December.

jen

p.s. look at her blog, and the first sponsor on the right hand side. {yes, its my store!}  she is really an amazing blogger and has alot of wonderful insight. go and check her out!

my DIY curtain rod!

if you know me, you should know that i {l o v e} to recycle. i find great pleasure in finding things that i can revamp into something else. recently, i was on the lookout for some new curtain rods for my sons room. i did not only not like anything out there, but couldn't believe how expensive they are. really? curtain rods? i ventured out into my backyard and found these. yes a tree branch. now before you go and think i am crazy, look how amazing they look. it totally matches his nursery and i spent a total of {$0}. i used old paint that i found in my basement. why spend so much money? we all know what money doesn't grow on trees....but branches do! here is the tutorial i followed to make them. not rocket science and it took a whole ten minutes to do it...

we have a big backyard, and TONS of sticks. grab one that will suite the length of your window frame.

just get an old paint brush, and some old paint. no need to go crazy shopping, check in your basement for the goods!

the finished product! our house was built in the late 1800's. so to say the least, it is VERY vintage, and i love the ruggedness of it!

i had these curtain rod hinges from an old rod we had, just drill them in, and  hang the branch!

there yah have it! a new curtain rod without breaking the bank!

i HAD to add this. look at my son trying to escape? i love this, this also means {trouble}.

 

 

 

 

 i am totally encouraged by DIY-ing everything i can from things that i already have. just because you don't spend money doesn't mean that you can't be classy {and sassy}! 

hope all of your thanksgiving were gobble-lishess !

{ jen }

amazing blogs...and DIYS!

we ALL love good giveaways. in my blogging adventures i have found some pretty amazing blogs. i have spent a good time ( yes um' time i should be knitting!) looking at all these fabulous people with amazing ideas. i am going to start writing all these down in a notebook so i don't forget em'!

this lady has some awesome giveaways, not to mention some pretty incredible DIY's. one of my favorite of her DIY's is this wreath that is made with some yarn, and some felt. pretty simple and it makes for a nifty wreath for the holidays or just for whenever. i ventured out to joanns and got the supplies to make one. don't worry, i will be showing all of you when it's done.

this week her giveaway is to the glided bee. check sasha's blog out, she has some unique and may i say adorable tutorials, plus she sells some of her goodies on etsy.

my favorite tutorial i found on her blog was the spiral rose tutorial. i also took some inspiration from take heart's DIY wreath. i absolutely LOVE this. i added a few felt flowers to one of my whimsie bonnets and here is the outcome:

OMG talk about an obsession coming on. i love them. if i could sit at home and make felted roses all day i would. ( oKay, maybe a few hours a day).

i was even thinking of taking a few ol' t-shirts and making some flowers out them. i think i may post my results on the next blog!

so if you want some good DIY's that won't empty out your bank accounts, go visit these ladies.  go ahead and follow them, and i promise you will find something you love.

happy monday, only four more days until the weekend!

knitting isn't just for the ol' grannies out there.

i am a knit-aholic! yes, i admit it. i live and dream knitting. never did i think i would want to stay home on the weekend and well, knit. but i do, and i love it. people often ask how i knit. well the answer is fast. i have been knitting for about five years now. i started off just making a simple scarf. while i was pregnant, i really got down and dirty with my knitting needles. i would literally knit about 3-6 hours a day. a little bit fanatic? i think so. but i wouldn't have it any other way. so here is my explanation on knitting:

first. i am a whiz with multiple needles. give me a crochet hook and i am as lost as a blind man in a maze.

second. always keep calm. seriously. knitting goes alot faster if your not all tensed up. just drink some wine, kick back and knit. before you know it you will have a nifty piece and not even know it!

third. just practice. that's all there is to it. you can't become a pro- knitter over night. but, you can get good at it-fast. make a scarf, a hat, a doily for your grandmother, anything- just practice.

fourth.  if you want to sell your stuff, make it worth buying. i don't mean use the most expensive of everything. be original. come up with something neat. just knit your own pattern, the best pieces i have seen are the imperfects or "mess" up pieces. people value originality.

fifth and last. don't be afraid to flaunt your stuff. you made it, be proud! its quite an achievement, and show it off- who knows you could make some cash from it.

 

also, if the cash is tight, why not use what the good ol' lord above gave you?

finger knitting, love this!

the possibilities are just endless...i am just sayin'. 

 isn't my pooch just amazing? meet rusty::my two year old boston terrier.

rusty says, "have a good weekend, ya'll!"