2011 December | I Should Be Folding Laundry

Archive for December 2011

You Capture | Festive

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

By Beth

Hi friends!

After I laid Clara down in her bassinet last night, I sat down on the couch (finally!) and looked at our Christmas tree and thought “how in the world is it December 22nd already?!?!” I also thought “I seriously can’t wait! I hope these next three days fly by!”

On to the photos!

snowman

Anna and I began our baking extravaganza yesterday. We made PW’s cinnamon rolls for our neighbors. Next up: cookies and tea ring!

big helper

Our sweet stockings for our sweetest babies.

stockings

and Merry Christmas from our house to yours! (family photo courtesy of Lauren Alexis Photography!)

holidays!

Now, it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THIS GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

I’ve decided to take the week off next week! So, come back on Thursday, January 5th:

Your ten favorite photos from 2011! (they do not have to be You Capture related.)

Happy Capturing and Happy Holidays!

Categories: you capture.

Handmade for the Holidays {yarn wreaths}

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

By Beth

Hi friends! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays. We have a very sick little boy. Noah was diagnosed with strep throat on Monday morning and he just doesn’t seem to be getting any better. I took him back to the doctor last night. They gave him pain medication just so he could drink water. I’m so sad for him, especially since he had to miss school this week. (such a fun week for all students.)

So, I’m late with my Handmade posts but better late than never.

This particular post isn’t necessarily a tutorial but more a resource for those of you who are good with a glue gun and not so much the sewing machine. (like me!)

Last weekend, my girlfriends and I had our annual handmade gift exchange. I decided to make them all yarn wreaths. They were pretty fun to make (sometimes tedious) but definitely easy. Also, the sky is the limit with what you can do with these!

wreaths

Here is a simple tip for you. The thicker the yarn, the quicker the wrapping process goes.

Aren’t these cute? So simple, cheap and very trendy right now!

Here’s a great post on how to make these. (and felt flowers, too!)

If you’re wondering how to make fabric flowers, here is a great tutorial!

And yet another post on making cute felt flowers.

And you can even make yarn Christmas trees! (I have the supplies for this in a bag in my garage the only thing I’m missing is time to make it. Perhaps there’s some in the bag?!)

Back to the wreaths, you can hang them using basically anything. I love to collect interesting fabrics, so I went to my stash and cut a 12 x 1.5 inch piece. I wanted to make it shabby (to hide my uneven cutting skills) so I just began pulling the threads from one end down to achieve the purposefully messy look. I love the purposefully messy look.

So tell me, which wreath is your favorite?

See some of my previous (EASY) Handmade for the Holiday posts:

Peppermint Bark
Ritzy Peanut Butter Cookies
Homemade Thin Mints
Ridiculously Easy and Delicous Truffles

Categories: Handmade for the Holidays

Handmade for the Holidays

Saturday, December 17th, 2011

By Beth

Hi friends! This is a repost from last year, in case you missed it or perhaps you forgot or you were hoping to crave chocolate today! I will have two NEW Homemade for the Holidays posts this week, one for chocolate chip pie and another for an easy and cute craft. So, check back!

I know quite a few people who do not like to bake, who say they don’t know how or who are just too busy to do so. So, I’ve decided to share one of my favorite recipes that is so easy, I guarantee ANYONE can do it. The best part? It’s a great gift…I promise it is.

Also? You need not turn on your oven.

First…take two cookie sheets and put them in the REFRIGERATOR. Don’t forget this step, it’s of upmost importance.

Do you have a double boiler? ( if you do not have one, that’s okay, I went without for YEARS and just used a regular saucepan with boiling water in it and a heat-safe bowl on top. It gets super hot, so be careful.

This is what a double boiler looks like:

You’ll also need the following:

what you need

Specifically, you’ll need-

16 oz (2 boxes) of Semi-sweet bakers chocolate
Peppermint extract (NOT mint, okay?)
2 sleeves of ritz crackers
some holiday sprinkles, of course!

Friends, what we are basically making is a nice little replica of thin mints…it’s not exact but they are very good. (some people say they are better, but I disagree and I am an expert.)

A cookie. Made with Ritz crackers. Can you believe it?

ritzy'

Begin boiling your water.

Cut up your chocolate, I cut each half in half

Once your water is boiling and your ingredients are ready (I believe in totally prepping before beginning the baking/cooking process, you should, too.) add your bowl or top saucepan to the boiling pan of water. I turn the heat down to medium.

Add the chocolate, stirring often. Once the chocolate is completely melted, add 1/2 tsp of peppermint (NOT MINT) extract. Stir thoroughly.

Use a fork to dip the crackers into the chocolate, scraping the bottom of the fork against the rim of the pan/bowl.

I also try to keep the flat side of the crackers as the top of the cookie but that’s just me, I prefer the way it looks.

Place on cookie sheet. If you do not put your cookie sheets in the refrigerator, your chocolate will pool up and your cookies won’t look as pretty, so keep em’ cold. If you do not use wax paper, your chocolate will adhere to the cookie sheet and you will not be able to get them off of the sheet without breaking them. I know this because I’ve done this. This is also known as FAILURE.

You should stir your mixture up nicely after every sixth cookie or so. K?

If you have a broken Ritz, do not use it, just cover it with Cheese Whiz and pop it in your mouth. The last thing you want are crumbs in your chocolate mixture.

ready for cold

I do not decorate all of the cookies because some people prefer non-decorated cookies but if you do decorate them, this is the time to do it, while the chocolate is still nice and melty.

Have your sprinkles ready. That’s important.

cookie decor

Once you have filled up the cookie sheet, place back in refrigerator. Take out other sheet and fill up that bad boy with more of the ritzy, chocolate, peppermint (NOT MINT) goodness.

Once the chocolate is all used up…you’re done. That’s it. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for approximately 30-45 minutes.

Remove and place in muffin papers and place in cookie tins. I was able to fill up six muffins liners, five cookies high and then filled up the other side of the cookie tin with Dove chocolate.

Who wouldn’t love this gift?

tin of yum

*if you use mint extract and not peppermint extract, your cookies will taste like toothpaste and that is disgusting.*

Categories: Handmade for the Holidays

You Capture | Light

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

By Beth

Hi friends!

Light is everywhere. And yet, I struggled.

Last night we took the kids to see Santa. Eli really loved the whole experience. It made me realize we should probably take him out more. Right now he basically goes to the Walmarts and also well, that’s it. Just the Walmarts.

So when we took him to Bass Pro Shops with the boats and the four-wheelers, the fishing poles, the lights and the Santa, well, he didn’t know what to think.

Eli

I adore the look on his face as he watched other children climb in and out the cart, paying special attention so that he, too, could someday complete the same obstacle. But the colorful bokeh in the background is beautiful.

ruffle bum

And I love the way the light from this window pours into our living room. We always had a TV in front of it (no other way to arrange our TV) but then we bought a flat screen and put it above the fireplace and now we have SO! MUCH! LIGHT! I just love it.
And I also love the lights on the tree.
And Clara’s ruffled bootie.

That’s it for me, now it’s your turn to share!

(oh and sorry for not getting the new look done, this whole four kids thing is hard work, yo.)

Festive

Happy Capturing!

Categories: you capture.

You Capture Workshops

Monday, December 12th, 2011

By Beth

Life is not

a someday thing

or a one day thing.

It is a right now,

everyday thing.

I can remember sitting on my couch while Anna and Noah would nap six years ago, I’d be on a laptop browsing photographer websites. I would be so inspired to do the same thing. I’d dream of walking into a client’s home and photographing a child, delivering a gallery to the parents and giving them something they could not have gotten anywhere else. Something cherished and beautiful, important and lasting.

I can recall sharing images with Brian. “Look at this image! Look at her eyes! They way she does her black and whites. This photo makes me cry, does it affect you the same way?”

I’d take thousands of photos of Anna and Noah. Each year, it seemed, I was able to get a new camera, something newer, faster, a bit more shiny and expensive. I can remember talking to my brother on the phone about someday opening a business.

Years have gone by.

I could have continued to just dream that dream. Instead I started to live that dream. Countless photos taken, over fifty session (many unpaid), local classes, online courses, workshops in other states.

click learn click learn click learn click learn click learn click learn click learn click learn

I’m ecstatic with where I’m at, I’m looking forward to learning so much more, whether it’s through different workshops or just shooting everyday.

Although the journey has been long, it’s been worth it.

Many months ago I realized I wanted to teach photography locally. It’s missing from our area. I took a class at the local university and I learned nothing of value. I sit with moms during my newborn sessions and they ask where they can go to learn photography and I can’t give them anything.

So, I’ve decided to put these things together and teach. To take my idea and GO.

My first workshop will be held in February. It’s a photography class for Moms. Moms just like you, you have kids, you have cameras, you just want to take better photos and I’m going to help with that. (instruction on lighting, composition and how to captivate your subject. And of course, it’s open to everyone, not just mamas!) The class after that will be a two day workshop teaching DLSR user how to shoot in manual.

Check out more information here!

I’m excited. Scared. Nervous. But mostly? I’m happy. I’m happy the idea came to me, that it flourished inside of me and that I’m taking the LEAP. And maybe this will be the only one, maybe I’ll only teach to two people in my lifetime but I’m just happy that I’m trying and praying that it leads to great things and great relationships with great people.

Categories: You Capture Workshops

Archive for December 2011

You Capture | Festive

Handmade for the Holidays {yarn wreaths}

Handmade for the Holidays

You Capture | Light

You Capture Workshops

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