Organization with Alicia Day!!

Yes!!!  We are HERE and trying to get this week's organizational vid uploaded!!  We went over Youtube's 10 minute time limit by about a minute and a half so I am online trying to figure out how to break it down into 2 vids to get it up here FOR YOU!!!  If any of you know an easy way to do something like that please call me (620-222-2300) and help me out.  if not it may be tomorrow before we get our weekly Alicia fix {til I can have the kids at school help me!!-they are techno wizzes, as those of you with high schoolers probably know!}  So please HANG ON for me and I will get it figured out soon (I am a scrapbooker and blogger--not so much the tech-y type!)!!  besosbesos, dc

look what came out of the "attic'!!

so i open my email box up this morning and what do i find??  an email from "miss V." with some pictures that i'd not yet seen from past ganza's!!!  I thought i would SHARE the love - and we'd BES' be gettin' a comment from the "happy gang" on this one!! :)  enjoy!!

"don't worry be happy" ~ thats gonna be our moto for the weekend!!  ENJOY!

Ohhhh, GOOD TIMES!! :)  thank you ladies for NEVER making ANY moment with you DULL!! ;)

Birthday Goodness!!!

FIRST and FOREMOST, I want to Thank all of you for the birthday wishes on the blog and facebook yesterday!  Wow, was I FEELIN the love!!  And to Steff especially for that wonderful post in honor of my special day.  I will say that some of those pics I hadn't seen before and didn't necessarily LOVE but the words MELTED my{heart} and I am soo blessed that I have been given this opportunity in life to meet so many AWESOME, energetic, and creative women that all share my PASSION (well, maybe not to the extreme I do!!) for our hobby!!!

Secondly, to my l.fox.  She is soooo super busy right now teaching, coaching, and planning a wedding (among many other things) but she still found time to stop at the Attic and have the "angels" there (since it issss scrapbook heaven!!!!) help her pick out a few of the latest and greatest!!  Since, with me, even if I haven't used it I am ALL about trying and OWNING the NEW stuff.  What about you???  Do you LOVE to try the newest things or do you stick with what you know works for you?

Lookie Lookie at my AWESOME presents!!!  Comfy slippers for cropping---I LOVE my leopard ones but they are about to wear out so be on the look out for these to make their debut at a crop near YOU!!!

3 colors of Smooch Spritz!!!  Cherry Ice, Vanilla Shimmer, and Gold Glow.  These things are soo pretty to look at and play with----just in the bottle alone, I can't WAIT to see what they do to my paper!!  Theses photos don't do the Spritz' justice---you HAVE to go to the Attic and see them for yourself!!  They come in glass containers and are sooo super SHIMMERY!!!! I had them on my desk and played with the bottles all day!!

I am a dork for pretty things!!!

follow this link to read all about them  but buy them at the ATTIC of course!!!  Think glimmer mist with MORE GLIMMER!!!  You can't have too much glimmer in you life!!  I am thinking of doing a SMOOCH Teck-Tastik class soo so lmk (or call the store) if you are interested in learning some new/fun/funky fresh techniques with these!!

They are coordinated to go with smooch inks  which are pearl-ized inks you can apply in pretty fine detail.  If you haven't checked these out be sure and do that too!! 

And last but not least, A COLOR Catcher.  I have been eyeing these since i first heard about them.... and I used Angie L.'s all weekend at CAG so I needed my own for sure!!  If you are a mister, {not like a husband, but a person who uses "mists"----heehee!!}these are great boxes that you can use to spray your project without  making a mess of your crop space (I also plan to use mine to keep my spray adhesive at bay)!!  Cool huh?!?!  I am thinking you could even spray paint or cover the outside with patterned paper to make it unique to you!!!  

 To read more info on the color catcher click here

I hope you have enjoyed a little peek into my bday!!  Thanks girls for picking out things you KNEW I would like!!  And couple more tips for you that I have used SEVERAL times..

If you are looking for a gift for a special crafter in you life but don't know what to get her...

1. GO TO THE STORE!!  I give Kristy and Renee an idea of what I am looking for (ie new patterned paper, a fun blank project, the newest tool/organizational product, something functional, or maybe just something FUN!!) and they take me STRAIGHT to what I am looking for!! and offer me several products to choose from that fit my needs!!

2. Have them look up the product for you if you aren't sure if your friend has it or not.  For example, for Christmas for my Karagirl I wanted to get her a TINY ATTACHER but I wasn't sure if she had one or not.  I had Steff look up her name and she hadn't ever purchased one!!  PERFECT!!  So convienient--I have used this trick several times cause I HATE to get someone something they have and I don't always go the gift certificate route.  I also think this is perfect for your hubby or family member wanting to pick out a personal gift.  Just send them to the store and let the girls suggest a few things you don't have and let them pick!!  That way it is still a surprise---but one you will LOVE!!! 

3.  Finally, sometimes I DO go the giftcard route (especially as a Thank you--I did this for my baby shower hostesses, even if it is just $10, trust me, every crafter LOVES to get a surprise of the pink envelope!!) and I will mix that with a little something--Like a STAR punch (lfox!) or 3 stickles tied with ribbon!  Just think of the HUG you are getting for that one!!!  Oh and don't forget---MAKE your own card using scraps...you will save $$$ and the recipient will most likely treasure it for years to come!!!  I NEVER throw away a homemade card!

besosbesos, dc

Happy Birthday DC!!!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAAAAVORITE BLOGGING PRINCESS!!!  

 

Your smile, giggle, laughter, passion, and excitement are contagious!!  We are all better women from knowing you!! :)

We hope you have a WONDERFUL day!!  Make it YOURS!!!

psssssst.....now you guys go and post your birthday wishes for DC!! :) 

MIA

Sorry if you have been feeling a little NEGLECTED the past few days, my BEAUTY-FUL blog followers.  So as a SPECIAL treat, you get TWO posts from me in ONE DAY!!!!  WHOOPEE!!  I am feeling so grateful with the AMAZING response we have received on youtube!!!!  We have over 2,100 hits so far and have only posted a handful of videos!!!  The word is getting out there....the Attic girls ROCK!!!!!  And when I say "Attic Girls" I am refering to ALL of you---not just those of us lucky enough to work here!!!!


And not only is the Second post a special treat, it is your 5th Organizational Video w/ Alicia!!!

This past Friday night we were invited to crop in Kathy Johnson's awesome scrapbooking hideaway so we decided to film our weekly vid there to mix it up because Alicia has personally helped to get it organized!! We hope you LOVE it!! We were having some fun times that night!! ;)  besosbesos, dc

Natural Light Photo Session

Did you read last week's post (if you didn't click here) on the Attic blog with Guest Blogger Laura McPherson of Elephant Juice Designs? Well, if you didn't go check that out really quick then come back and read this one!!

To make a long story short, this weekend I COULDN'T wait to grab my little baby girl and try out her techniques.  I posted a picture I took below.  In order to save TONS of time follow this link to my personal blog and ready the whole story.  Also, if you haven't had enough run over to Laura's Blog and read the tips she has for those bloggers out there.  Also, take a minute to check out her photo blog.  I want to be Laura when I grow up...she is THAT good!!!  Thanks Laura for the tip on using natural light----I'm LOVE-ING IT!!  I can't wait to keep working with it to iron out the kinks.

besosbesos, dc

Senior Boards!!! Here's your REMINDER to get these done EARLY!!

Renee is our EXPERT at these Senior Boards!!  We Do CUSTOM SENIOR boards!!!  Come in or call the store to have us give you all the information!!

Guest Post: Natural Light for Natural Photos

Hap-Hap-Happy Thursday LADIES!!! My, how much faster a week goes when we have Monday off (my school was out for President's DAY- YIPEE!) I am going to try to keep this BRIEF...I am SOO VERY excited to bring to you the Attic's first guest blogger LAURA MCPHERSON!!! Laura is a Winfield girl (like me!!) who is just an amazing photographer and graphic artist. She is SERIOUSLY one of the nicest people you will ever meet! She helped me so much with Blogger Layout (for both the Attic and my personal blog) that I only hope I will be able to reciprocate or "Pay it Forward" one day!  And I HAVE to say that I think this first guest post from Laura is soo informational and inspiring---I hope you feel the same way.  Laura has even agreed to return from time to time with new ideas!  We are such lucky girls here at the ATTIC BLOG!!!  Soo, without further delay....here is the "lady of the hour".........

I was so honored to be asked by Danelle to do this. I have tons of things I would love to share with you, so it's been a challenge for me to narrow it down to one tip for this time, and keep it somewhat simple! I am going to share a basic photography tip that everyone can use, whether you have a point-and-shoot camera or a DSLR.

I have always loved photography, and have been through many cameras in the last few years. I purchased my first SLR (Canon Rebel Xsi) in March 2009, and learned SO MUCH from it. I even took a basic photography class at The Attic!! My Rebel was an awesome starter SLR, and I would highly recommend it to anyone that currently has a point-and-shoot, but wants to have more control with their photography. After my semi-pro photography biz started to take off, I upgraded to a Canon 50D. I am a natural light photographer, which means I shoot without the use of studio lights and equipment. I prefer to shoot outdoors, but indoors by a big 'ol window works just as great.

So...my most important tip would be to TAKE ADVANTAGE of natural light, and TURN OFF that flash! Compared to photos taken with a flash, natural light is beautiful and soft. NOT that flash is always bad...there are some circumstances when you've just got to use it! That said, I NEVER use direct flash on any of my client photo sessions! Of course a lot of you readers are scrapbookers, and that means you're always taking pictures to document the events of your lives, and use in your layouts. This tip isn't necessarily something you need to utilize for your everyday, spur of the moment shots. Maybe just those times when you are purposely planning to capture some indoor photographs... a special occasion, like your baby is 3 months and you want to take some pictures of her to document this stage.

{3 month old baby: Indoor shoot}
Okay, you've got your baby in her cute little outfit, and you're ready to get some pics! Find a spot in your house by a big window, sliding glass door, etc. Morning and late afternoon hours are best...you don't want the sun to be pouring directly in on you. Having the natural light from a window will allow you to be able to turn off the flash. Turning OFF the flash does these three wonderful things: {1} Not using the flash allows you to shoot fast! When you don't have to wait for your flash to fire, you won't miss those adorable moments that happen quickly. This is something I hear from moms with point-and-shoots all the time..."my camera is so slow, I miss everything the baby does." That is because you're probably using the flash. {2} Not using the flash will eliminate that harsh shadow around/behind your subject, and the bright washed-out skin tones. {3} Not using the flash will eliminate annoying red-eye.

Here is a sample of what bad flash can do to a photo:
There is a horrible shadow/halo behind his head, and he has red-eye

Here is an example of using window light, from one of my 3-month sessions:
Notice the difference in the EYES from this photo and the photo above.
Flash can create red-eye, but the natural light creates beautiful catch light {those white spots in the baby's eyes below}.

This is how the set-up was...

Very simple...Boppy pillow on floor, blanket thrown over it, with enough blanket at the back for baby daddy to hold up as a backdrop.

*If you have a point-and-shoot: you can shoot in the green square or ISO modes, just be sure you manually turn your flash setting to "off"
*If you have an SLR, you will get the best results if you venture away from the green square! The green square is the "safe mode" where the camera does all the thinking for you. This is perfectly fine, but if you're lucky enough to have an SLR, it would be a shame not to learn a little about the manual modes! Try the AV mode to get you started, then make sure your pop-up flash is down.
*If you are more experienced with your SLR and have worked with AV mode before, set your aperture/f-stop wide open (as low as the number will go). That low f-stop will depend on the lens you are using. If you're using the 18-55mm kit lens, it's probably something around f/3.5. I shoot primarily with the 50mm 1.4 lens...so I usually set my Aperture to around f/2.2. Wide open aperture/low number f-stop will give you that blurred background everyone loves.

No matter what type of camera you use, make sure to hold it steady and focus on the eyes! If the eyes in a photo are out of focus, the image will not have the same impact. When using an SLR in the AV mode, you can manually select your focus point.

*******

Here are some other samples {from my client sessions} of using natural light sources when you are shooting indoors. Please note that my client shots HAVE been edited in Photoshop. You have to have great lighting to get a good shot to start with, but don't be disappointed when your shots don't come out of the camera looking just like this :)  The lighting and lenses I use are what gives me tack sharp and creamy images. No matter what equipment you have, you WILL notice an improvement in your photos with some practice!

This shot is of the same little boy show above, in the same room, with the same set-up, only he was sitting in the doorway facing directly towards the window light, and he was 6 months!

For this newborn shot, the natural light {coming from a sliding glass door} was directly behind me. Baby was propped up on a Boppy pillow again, and Dad was holding the fabric up behind her.

You can see more samples of my work on my photoblog

*******

Here are some samples of my son, Barrett! The best place for natural light in our house is the entry, right inside the front door. ALL of these shots were taken there! The first two were lightly edited in Photoshop, for sharpening and b&w conversion.

My own at home set-up:

The green circles show where I had Barrett sitting in these next images. The lighting on the wall directly across from the door is not as soft, so I scooted him down a bit. Where I position him depends on the amount of light coming in, and the look I'm going for. For the b&w shot above, I just taped some fabric to the wall for a different backdrop.

These next two DO have some shadowing on the wall behind Barrett's head, but that is true shadow created from the natural light. A flash shadow would be more harsh, and in unnatural places, like a halo around the head (shown above). These two shots are SOC (straight out of the camera), and have not been edited.

You can see more of my personal photography & everyday shots on my family blog

I hope I haven't made this sound too confusing, and I hope this is something some of you are interested in trying. Just get out your camera and have some fun trying things! Experimenting with your settings is the best way to learn. There are so many things your camera can do outside of that green square! IF they have me back for anymore future posts on photography, I will share with you an AWESOME (and inexpensive) little tool for getting AMAZING indoor shots like this, when you have little or no natural light, and you have to use that flash. This is for SLR's only though.

I could go on, and on, and on, and on about my love of photography, and all of the things I've learned over the past year. But I have no idea what you all are interested in, and I know that everyone is probably at different experience levels...so instead, I'd be happy to answer specific questions you have. You can post them in the comments section here, or email me: elephantjuicedesigns@gmail.com

I {LOVE} sharing things that will hopefully help someone else. THANK YOU so much for having me!

catchin' up on some pictures to share with you!

okay - MAN this has taken me ALLLL DAY LONG!! Here is some EYE candy - some IMPORTANT information and some SNEAKS for you!! I hope you enjoy!

Sneaks from the MARCH Chicks in the Attic kit club - remember - these are allllll things you can't purchase in the store - only in the kit!! monthly subscriptions OR one kit at a time - you decide! We DO still have a FEW of the FEBRUARY kits available if you're wanting to start with that one!!!

We have the new SMOOCH Spritzers in! LOVE THEM - come try those out!! The 17X32 mats are in!! :) AND the smooch inks - LOVE this photo!!

WRMK hippity hoppity - love the fresh fun BRIGHT colors!! EXCLUSIVE to independent retailers ONLY!! LOVE THIS!

And the GANZA photos begin!! ENJOY!!....................

In our Ganza Raffles we raised $400.00!!!! YEAH!! that's awesome!! (might be the best yet, mom's checking on that!), but we'll split that in 1/2 and donate to Victory in the Valley and Leukemia/Lymphoma Society!!