cupcakes.

one of my favorite images from the party i shot last weekend.

cupcakes and party hats, what's not to love?

my diy camera bag.

when i went to amarillo recently, i searched for a bag that would hold my tenba insert. i actually had a few at home that worked, but they looked more like computer bags than purses, which is not what i wanted. also, since i'm a cheapskate, i didn't want to spend much. like... less than $30.

luckily, at our last stop (kohl's), i found this cute, shiny red bag that looked to be big enough (i carried a small tape measure just to be sure). it zips down the middle, stands up on it's own and has an opening on either side (so it's more like 3 sections instead of 1) with zipped and open pockets inside those. i think it's supposed to work like a computer bag, but it looks nice and feels sturdy. and more importantly... it keeps my camera gear out of sight. oh, and it was $20. so, total i spend $40 on my camera bag instead of $90+.

so... how much stuff does it hold? i used it this weekend, and i carried with me:

nikon d60 + kit lens attached

telephoto zoom (70-300mm)

prime lens (33mm)

fisheye lens

sb400 speedlight and diffuser

a few memory cards

+ inside the bag

car keys

wallet

cell phone

and, i still had some extra space. i'm telling you, this thing is pretty big. but, if you're only taking the camera and one extra lens, there's plenty of space for a bottle of water or something. and the great thing? i can just take out the insert when i'm ready for a new bag or i've worn this one out.

thriftyness!

i feel like i actually accomplished a few things this weekend! we put a heavier comforter on our bed this weekend. i've had this green one on our guest bed forever, but thought it would be perfect in our new gray room. and one of my finds this weekend? that retro pillowcase. i bought it thinking i would just use it for the fabric, but i stuck it on a pillow and i think it's going to stay there for a while...

and what else did i find? a headboard! the acb was having a 1/2 off sale on saturday and i was lucky enough to find 3 queen size headboards to choose from (this never happens!) it was marked $10.91 down from $19.91... so, yep, i got it for $5 with the sale. it's missing something on the posts... looks like there was brass that broke off... but i'll figure something out. my thought right now is to paint it matte black (should i leave the swirly thing gold?) and i've also considered painting some sort of type or graphic over the black... and yes, our garage looks awful, please don't judge.

friday link love.

it's getting cold, my friends. and last night i woke up thinking our house was going to blow down... oh well, i guess the semi-warm weather couldn't last forever!

i've got some fun stuff going on for this weekend. i'll be taking photos for a little boy's birthday party (dragon themed) and hopefully getting some crafty stuff done as well.

oh, and i did try out my new flash a few times this week, and all i can say is wow! it helped me take the most color accurate photos of our bedroom ever. i have a feeling this will always be with me in my camera bag.

here are some links from my week:

my friend katie has a new website, blog and etsy shop! congrats katie, everything looks amazing (as usual...)

compiled list of useful photography tutorials on snappyshutter.

pretty rose wreath from the pretty poppy. i need to decide what kind of wreath i want this year and make it! this is beautiful though, and would be great for all year.

this diy painting on ceramic is beautiful and would make a great personalized gift. i've actually seen a few other variations of it, but ashley ann's turned out just perfect!

this casserole dish carrier tutorial is really smart. would definitely come in handy the few times a year i do take food somewhere outside my home! from little birdie secrets.

i've been looking for an inexpensive way to build an outdoor table rather than buying a cheap, ugly one or spending tons of cash on something prettier... this pallet table from sewing in no mans land could be finished so many ways and done very inexpensively (aka free) depending on what you already have on hand.

another pretty felt flower tutorial, this one from lorajean's magazine. i would skip the glitter and make a bunch in pretty colors!

these apple rolls sound really good! i don't think d would eat them though, do i'll have to save that for a get-together... from little birdie secrets.

brown paper bag popcorn from our best bites. cheaper and way more healthy than the store-bought stuff. and yes, you microwave it!

anthro knock off belt tutorial on a lemon squeezy home. there are so many cute belt tutorials lately, but this one looks easy - basically an upgrade on an existing skinny belt.

grosgrain has been posting cute cardigan tutorials all month, but i think this one is my favorite. i've got a stack of sweaters that were headed for the thrift store, but i think i'll try to make them into cardigans instead.

images 1/2/3

mellow yellow.

i wasn't sure what to think of this color combination when the order first came in. i'm cool with yellow and gray - it's the light blue that threw me off.

but as i started cutting ribbon and paper for the cover, the more i knew this was a winning combination. i absolutely adore how this book turned out, and i hope the couple does too. i would love to see the photos from this wedding and how these colors were incorporated.

i feel like my composition in my photographs is getting better... but at the same time it seems like my technical skills are getting worse (how does that happen?). i can usually fix/adjust most of my mistakes in photoshop... but the point is to not have to do that. but, as with most of life, you take one step forward and two (or more) steps back. i understand i need to be patient and practice more.

friday link love.

oh, weekend... how i am looking forward to you. this week has been an odd one. but with all the things going on that i want/do gripe about, i try to remind myself of all the other things in life that i am thankful and grateful for. so with that...

i am looking forward to

learning to use my new flash

finding the perfect bag for my new photo insert

spending time with family

helping out a friend

here are some links from my week:

a welcome reminder to pick up some spaghetti squash from hot and healthy mom. no need to tell my husband.

this diy fabric ball would make cute, fluffy ornaments for your tree. i would imagine it would also be a cool wreath... found on fresh crush.

crochet pattern roundup over at luvinthemommyhood. not that i can crochet. a girl can dream, right?

really smart portfolio book. found on design work life.

these buckeyes sound delish. a homemade version of the reeses. from smitten kitchen.

this falls under the "why didn't i think of that?" category. and while i have made baby books for a few friends, none have been quite as cool. you can win one at prudent baby.

loving these pasta skeletons! from the coterie blog.

great tutorial on prudent baby on how to sew with bias tape.

leather bow tutorial on made by me. shared with you. these would be great gifts!

this ruffle scarf is really cute! will have to make one someday... found on living with punks.

photo credits 1/2/3

flash!

aaahhh, so excited! new photography stuff! i've really been wanting an external flash to use on my camera for a while and couldn't decide between this SB400 or a lightscoop... and i really felt like the flash would do more for me long-term. it's gotten great reviews, and i can't wait to try it out. it showed up yesterday, and i still need to get some batteries for it... technically it's my christmas gift, but d is generous enough to let me play with it now.

for those wondering why i would buy another flash when i have one built-in... well, this one tilts and is a lot more powerful. basically, i can bounce the light off of the ceiling or a wall to create more light without giving my subjects a pale, deer/headlights look. and, i pretty much never use the built-in flash unless i have to because of the reasons above. that doesn't mean i like jacking up my iso and praying nobody moves. this will help me get better photo indoors with low-light situations...