Flowers for Mom

Thinking my husband had let Mother's Day scoot by he came back with a very large bouquet with a mix of flowers. Of course the girls wanted their share (and their petals ended up all over the floor in their room) and the flowers were quickly moved to the counter from the table (out of small fingers reach), but the beauty and the magnificent smell is more than worth hiding them on the counter. They are there and they are beautiful. Thank you honey!

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Take a look at Theme Thursday for more Mom inspired photos.

Pink Before and After

I must admit I was not prepared today. I have my Theme Thursday post up, though so I was kind of prepared. Well, I have been thinking about how I have not been sharing projects that the girls and I have been working on. We still work on them, but I can't always get the camera in there because my hands are either busy or dirty. Today, I am sharing our bowls that we made. It was just flour and water with tissue paper. We wrapped the bottom of  one of their favorite bowls with saran wrap (after spraying it with Pam) and I let them layer away. It took most of the day to dry (mostly because they really coated it). At the end of the day they did get to snack in their bowls, which they loved!

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Before & After: Make A Splash

Lorelei and I were out throwing rocks into the water after a short walk the other day and she just so happened to giggle and laugh while picking up one of the biggest rocks she saw and tossed it into the water. The first toss, she didn't quite make it and the second toss she said "look mom. I can just do this." She walked into the water in her sneakers. Oh, well. She had fun and so did I!

Searching for the best rock on the beach of course.

Hmmm. To throw or not to throw. That is the question.

Well, lets think about this. This rock kind of looks like a baby dolphin so I might keep this one. 

(She was filling my pockets full of rocks that, well..looked like baby dolphins.)

You Capture: Smile

Ah. Now there's a rock. "Look at that mom."

Kersploosh and we have a winner.

Here is that before and after I promised.

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f/5.6 ISO 100 Shutter Speed 9.38 

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Picasa, I'm Feeling Lucky

Picasa, I'm Feeling Lucky + Plus 4x6 crop

It was probably the easiest fix ever known. I certainly was "lucky."

Before & After: Lorelei

A simple before and after today. If you feel like you've been seeing a lot of Lorelei and not as much of Hannah there is one quick explanation which is Lorelei can physically stand still. Hannah is so fast and is always on the move and I haven't quite mastered the art of capturing the moving child. Here is a perfectly still and beautiful Lorelei.

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For more before and afters click over to Pixel Perfect.

Make sure to take a look at todays Theme Thursday. The theme is A Touch of Spring.

Before & After: Sweet Pink to Black & White Contrast

I feel like my creative juices have stopped at least for the night. I haven't been really enjoying any of my finished products lately, but I have to say I like a lot of my originals (SOOC) which is a great sign that I'm learning! Yay for learning about my camera. Anyway, my before and after share today is from a photo I like in its original. Yes, it needs a little tweaking, but I wanted to do something completely different and really contrast it mostly because I've been off lately in my editing skills. Hopefully after some sleep it comes back! I hope you like this change up never the less!

Please be sure to check out Theme Thursday too!

Before & After: The Mushroom Cottage

I have to say that I love entering into the before and after challenge. I like playing with new edits and colors so it's fun to show where it started. This edit came pretty far I think. This is called a Mushroom House. Yes, that is actually what they are called. This particular cottage is actually the guest house to a much, much larger house and I loved the quaint little gate it has. I hope you like my capture and the edit!

Take a look at more Before & Afters at Pixel Perfect.

Before & After: Tutus and a Chocolate Bribe

The girls spent a good half of last Monday in the Tutu's their Aunt Julie gave them. They both absolutely adore those tutus. There has even been a time or two where the girls get dressed in these tutus to watch ballerina videos on youtube. Funny, but true. We enjoy youtube for Elmo videos too. On to the point though. This first shot is just a simple capture of Lorelei playing with her dog Bones. I thought she looked beautiful. (Her hair is swept to the side in front because she exclaimed "I want bangs like Hannah! I want my hair cut!" She settled for an adorable hair do.)

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Take a look at more Before and After edits at Pixel Perfect.

A few extra shots of my silly, fun loving girls!

Silly Faces are being made people. 

The girls were putting on a show... tutus and funny faces included!

Did you catch this shot in my collage from Monday?

Hannah and Lorelei were sneaky getting out of the door behind me.

It only lasted a few seconds before they realized it was WAY too cold!

The next two shots were top runners for my JUMP shot for Theme Thursday, but

they didn't make the cut. Even with the blur, I enjoyed the whimsy of the shots.

Fast action is not easy to capture without the blur.

Did you happen to catch the wardrobe change? Lorelei changed shirts from the first couple of shots to these last two of her. This is a daily routine; changing clothes numerous times.

My cutie Hannah eating a snack. (Okay, it's chocolate and it was a bribe for something I can't remember for the life of me what for. She sure looks like the winner in this photo too.)

Before & After: Snow and Ice

Everyday I play more and more with my camera and I'm learning more interesting things. Mostly because my husband tells me them because I'm too lazy to finish the manual or check out the many links he has sent me to view on the subject. I don't think I'm lazy, well....anyway. I hope you enjoy my before and after for this week. I was actually really surprised with how it turned out. I actually got out my tripod and shot in RAW and edited in Picasa 3. If you don't already know I'm one of the rare few I'm sure that doesn't really get along with Picasa. Not yet anyway. Practice, right. Without further ado...my shot and its "fix."

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*Note: It's not noise you see, but snow!

Take a look at more before and after shots over at Pixel Perfect!

Before & After: An Autumn Walk

 A few days ago if you may have already read Lorelei and I went out and about going for a walk and around our home to take some shots. This is one of them. The walk didn't last too long, but it was fun and Lorelei rode on my back the whole way back. I hope you like my shot and its edit. Thanks for stopping by!

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Check out more shots and link up at Pixel Perfect.

Before & After: Indecision

Okay, so after too much time spent on trying to decide on what capture I really wanted to share with you today (and a much irritated husband while chasing around too rowdy children) I have decided. Here is shot of the lake. I hope you like it!

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Be sure to check out more shots by clicking the link below.

A Trendy Treehouse Touch Up: Watering the Garden

Hannah patiently awaits for her watering can to be filled back up. Lorelei and Hannah were watering Grandma's garden and themselves at that. I had fun with this edit and really tried playing with the curves. Can I say how much I love that tool! I also saturated the color and changed the hue and of course brightened the photo. I also can't edit without adding contrast. I hope you like this edit and capture! I'm also using this for the Trendy Treehouse: Shutter Love Tuesday for Babies. Is Hannah still considered a baby? (Hannah at 16 months.) 

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For more Trendy Treehouse Shutter Love Tuesday shots of babies and Touch Ups please click their button below and have fun!

Before & After: Look to the Sky

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Click below for more captures shown in their before and after forms. Have fun!