DIY photography light box

After all my light-for-photography woes, the Boy built me a light box! He used this tutorial.
Gathering materials; cardboard box, poster board (or in my case, the back of an Ikea Billy bookcase), scissors, tape, measuring tape, baking paper.




Cutting windows in the sides, which were then covered in baking paper, and the poster board cut to size and slid in.

Taa daaa! We lined up lamps to shine in and took some test shots. I need to change the wattage of my bulbs to a) be brighter and b) all have the same brightness, but overall it's a definite improvement, and sure beats waiting for the sun!

I'm looking forward to posting my Flea Market Finds with the help of my handy-dandy new lightbox tomorrow. Yay!

Compulsive Knitting

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Compulsive Knitting by Daniela Edburg.

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For me it began to be a form of occupational therapy, even without knowing what I was doing. I started knitting long strips of fluffy pink material, and after a while I realized it was perfect to put together a brain, and a nice new fluffy brain was exactly what I needed at the moment..

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Whenever I see a person knitting I can’t help being drawn to them—it’s hypnotic. I silently analyze the texture of the yarn, the choice of colors, I imagine the sweater or the scarf already finished, how it feels to the touch, how it will look when its been worn for years. It makes me nostalgic even, reminds me of the passing of time.

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Interesting interview here.

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Thanks Joe!

eating her words

My friend Rachael has a photography blog. And photos in her flickr group. They're ace. Her photography is ace. She's ace too.

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oh, I do so mush

through the park, past the joggers and on the way to the duck pond.

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I love you so mush?

oh gosh

(pictures via I-don't-remember. oops. bad form I know, but too good not to share)

holy dooley I won

the monthly photography competition over at Amelie & Atticus, remember when I mentioned it here? and I get a prize!! Woot!

I'm stoked. When you think you're pretty mediocre at something but someone says your pretty good, actually; it's very darn encouraging!

Thanks to everyone who voted, and if you want to play along, the first theme of this month is 'eyes shut..'

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(edit) I'm all encouraged now and I do love to take photos, so I've just registered for EOS Photo5, an annual creative photography competition which all begins with a brown box. Inside there are 5 items that are separate photographic briefs to be incorporated or inspire your photos. Last year there were; umbrella, bubbles, crayon, tealight and ribbon (click to see last years finalists).

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It sounds like heaps of fun, I'll let you know when it arrives! Can't wait to see what's in it!

all you knit is love

Taken yesterday by my friend Agnes somewhere in Europe, and sent all this way to make me smile.

edit: This is the all you knit is love shop in Barcelona, check out their awesome store manifest:
-Handknit socks keep your feet warmer.
-Shrimp are a finger food.
-Winding a ball of yarn can turn a bad day around.
-Ideas can come from your hands as well as your head.
-An error is just a new technique.
-We learned all the really important stuff in kindergarten.
-Passion is as necessary as eating and sleeping.
-The path is slow.
-Working with yarn is a pleasure, not an obligation.
-Knitting is a highly sensual activity.

visit the website or you can see the store blog here! Thanks Jennifer for letting me know it was your lovely store!

well hello there Sue

I've got myself a new camera *drum roll here*, she is simple, but lovely. She needs a simple and lovely name. Like Sue. So I just wandered around the house taking random photos of knick knacks and cats. As you do.

I haven't read the instruction manual yet, I'm a fan of 'auto' settings, and this one does them well. To get me in the groove I'm going to join up with Jess from A Life So Peachy and do a Photo a Day in August (started by The Byron Life). I'm a little late, but consider this Day 4.

While I was roaming around blogs being inspired, I ran into Amelie and Atticus, so I'm going to join their photo challenge too!

And I'm still finishing off shots for this art project / exhibition co-op thingy (yes, that is the scientific term..)

When will they get around to inventing cameras for eyes? When I was a kid I would imagine that, and whenever I saw something beautiful or interesting I would blink hard and go 'CLICK!'

I've decided to not post a photo every day, but wait until the end of the week and post 'em all at once

in the post today

A Million Little Pictures is a project run by the art-house co-op, they're looking for people from around the world to take photos of an aspect of their everyday lives.

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In September there'll be an exhibition with over 24,000 photographs of the lives of a thousand artists.

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How fun. You can join here and you'll be sent a camera too!

I'm wondering what I'll take my photos of.. any ideas?

Sunday and monsters

On Sunday I went to Dub Club in the park. Love the little dude hangin out in the tree.

My friends sunnies broke. The arm broke off. So my other friend immediately scouted for a loose bit of thread from someone's shirt, grabbed a needle, and set to sewing it back on. So DIY. Love.it.

On the way I found this mystery masked man in an alleyway. He looks like he's savin the world from something. Even if it's just from another boring alleyway wall. (was on the phone to you mim, when spotted it)

Also started THE GREAT MONSTER SEW. Months ago I made a little monster. My friend R immediately claimed him, named him Weeoo and he's lived on her bed ever since.

Stage 1- Here he is amongst the fabrics of his soon-to-be friends.

(and here's his little stitched bum)

Stage 2- the feetses and ears are sewed up, awaiting stuffing and the next step.

I will keep you posted..