Spraytastic Flair For Buttons sneaks and photo watermarks- yea or nay?

Happy Friday folks!
Mother's Day weekend is here.

We have no plans- everything gets mobbed here so we are thinking maybe we just go with the flow and get some pizza- stressing over crowds and reservations right now defeats the purpose.

I made a page which is up over at A Flair For Buttons blog.

Some sneaks:

Scrap FX cityscape border chipboard with silhouettes of a lot of different
recognizable buildings including what I think is  nuclear power plant?
I trimmed it- there are no nukes in Michelle's scrap world THANK YOU.

A Flair For buttons has lots of funky new chalkboard buttons.
This one is from the Chalk Words Flair pack- super cute.

Today is the last day you can go get your poster made by Project Inside Out NYC.

If you have some time swing by Times Square- 47th street to be exact.
Some waiting in line is required.

The images will end up on a website and possibly in a book but if your pose is as goofy as mine you are sure to remain perfectly obscure.

My thought was- I want to look fun and spontaneous.
This happened.
oh well.

I've been debating if I should add watermarks to my images for a while.
I think most watermarks are pretty ugly but how else do you let people know where to get a product they see if you don't have the info directly on the photo?
Especially if they first see it via Google image search or Pinterest.
What do you think?
Yea or nay?

Pretty flowers in an outdoor cafe after the rain- romantic no?

I wish I had taken more photos!

I made this one with the website www.watermark.ws
I have no idea if it's a legit.
For all I know they've collected my photo for sale in some random image gallery.
I don't recognize the suffix- a bad sign.
What country is ws???
I'll let it go for this experiment's sake but I need to do more research in the future.
This website requires the image be 500dpi or lower so I can't use this for my scrapbook pages.
There are also many options for images taken on your smart phone.
My favorite?

iWatermark is an app developed by a photo journalist that allows   

you to add watermarks in your iPad or smartphone.  

There are a few ugly designs included but also a lot of font, style and  

color options for you to make your own text based mark. 

Best of all, you can save the actual mark as well as the 

marked photo so it's easy to have different mark styles for different uses.

Have a great weekend- take it easy- it's YOUR day!
Michelle

Friday Inspiration- NYC photo walk-about

Hiya!

Yesterday was my day off.
Naturally I had a TON of errands to run so even though the day was freezing I decided to walk around and visit some of my favorite mural spots to see if anything new was up.

So. GLAD. I. did!!!

Here is what I found most inspiring this week:

BAST at Soho- not sure if the artist defaced his/her own mural- this was hella cool.

If you listen- the walls speak.

Ryan Russo's "Out Of Context" at the Charles Bank Gallery.
Acrylic spray paint and newspaper collage on canvas.

Meanwhile over at Nolita... (Kenmare and Bowery)

Crash AKA John Matos over at Bowery Mural
Also? POPEYE!!! TOO AWESOME!

Abandoned building across from
The New Museum has some of the best old school poster graffiti.
These are all letters cut out of ads.

Must go back and shoot this one again!

Detail of Ryan Russo piece- canvas was 8 x 8 feet.
Newsprint, paper, photographs- collage- amazing.

Layered oblong hexagon vellum over at the Anthropologie store window.

I freaking LOVE New York!
Michelle

December Daily- A photo post

Every year I struggle with Christmas themed crafts.
I just started thinking about DYI ornaments and a family card.
It's December 4th!
Then there's the shopping or lack thereof.

Last year's DD album cover- Ormolu tag, American Crafts Thickers,
Crate Paper printed chipboard (the stocking are my favorite. I wish
 they had different versions!),  Fancy Pants coffee filter paper (LOVE!)
This year the color palette will be red, white and silver.

Every year I promise "THIS year I'll start early!" and every year I end up a wreck with 20 unfinished projects.

2012 is no different.
Except for one project I love above all.
December Daily.
I'm taking the photos.
I have the transparent dividers I will make into covers for my book. (At SOME point!)
I have an idea of an abstract and paint friendly layout which is more about emotion and craft play than actual recording of events.
I let the photos do the talking for me.
I'm waiting for my Christmas themed collections to arrive- no amount of pre planning was going to get those to me on time- the hurricane totally screwed up the postal system here in Brooklyn and deliveries are taking even longer than usual.

Day 1- We put up the tree on December 1st. Lola fell in love with the lights. Some unexpected "Bokeh" from the lights reflecting off the flat cover over my iPod camera lens. 

I'm using the "Hispstamatic" app which has both "lens" and "film" filters and allows for more variety in effects. I'll be using the "Jane" lens which is a "no effects" filter and BlackKeys B+W film" which adds that funky marker border, date and washes out all color except for the very brightest shades. I can then add saturation in Photoshop, giving the photos a painted holiday movie look.

Day 2- Chicken Soup on a cold day. I could do a smiling shot but I suspect when I look at this later, Lola hardly reaching the table, clutching that soup spoon for dear life, opening her mouth the widest possible, this shot is gonna make me laugh like a LOON!

Day 3- Lola and I went to Rockerfeller Center with NO STROLLER. !!!
The stroller was locked in my MIL's house along with my spare keys. Well Miss Thang was a TROOPER. We walked for 3 hours straight and she only tried to run into oncoming traffic 3 times. I will need a child tether (BABY LEASH!)  if I am ever to do this again- my sanity requires it.

Day 3- Legoland was a HUGE hit. She played here for an hour - never mind there were
hundreds of people walking around her private kingdom. 

Day 3- Encountering the tree- she liked it but this didn't yield the appropriate shot.
I will bring her back at night for the full effect. This year it will just be Lola and I  running about for photos since my husband is working over-time (Yay! or Booo! depending on the day of the week).  Last year's family December will be cherished. I must remember to count my blessings- paying bills is a good thing.

Day 3- This might be my favorite shot. She only sat for half a second before freaking me out by standing up and running along the fountain edge but here she looks positively introspective.

It truly is a wonderful life- sort of- I WILL IT SO.  :)
So off to the scrap desk to make this year's album cover...

How about you?
How are your plans shaping up?

Have a great holiday month!
Michelle

Photo Inspiration Post

Hello there!
Happy wednesday!
All my current projects are awaiting publication in other blogs so I thought I would share some photos I've been saving for "inspiration".

I'm pretty whimsical in my scrapbooking.
Not in style but as in I tend to scrap what I feel like now- this very second.
I don't do it to record particular memories or moments- that's what my photos are for.
Most of the time I'm trying to capture a specific emotion or design idea and many of my pages are literally scrap for scrap's sake.
Sometimes this method works.
Many times it doesn't.

I'm also currently working on an organizing and scheduling system so I can "create" in a more consistent fashion and get those theme pages in because I think most people scrap for the joy of it but also to keep birthdays, anniversaries and vacations alive in their photo albums.

So here are some photos I find inspiring.
I took these but that's not why I like them- it's the subject matter that makes me sit up and take notice.

For color, layering and texture ideas.

For texture and doodling ideas

For rethinking the pie chart motiff (all rights reserved to it's designer )

For color blocking and page design ideas

String art! From a book! So trying this in my next page! 

For kinetic energy and message

For color and design 

Modern fussy cutting idea- Old Navy Tshirt

For message

Most of what I like about these photos is the cropping- the information that's included and the hints at what is left out.
I feel like I need to play with more of that in my work.
Also- I think it's time to get a new camera- shooting with an iTouch is getting OLD.

Lola at 13 months! Always an inspiration.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

11 random things- a post

I LOVE these type posts!
I love reading them. I love writing them.
Thanks Kristy and Leah for starting up the latest run.
Here goes:

There are five rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you’ve tagged them.

Random things

1. March is the hardest winter month for me. I just want it to be SPRING already!!!!

2. I love math symbols and equations- they are so mysterious and beautiful.

3. My favorite writer is Terry Pratchett. Neil Gaiman is a very VERY close second.

4. I can't wear high heels, ice skates OR flats. I have flat feet. Shoe shopping SUCKS for me.
Before you ask- the tape is from the Labelbox app. You're welcome.

5. I stopped being able to watch graphic movie violence the second I learned I was a Mom.

6. I love ferns. How's THAT for random?

7. I love the New York Yankees but if they play the Mets I root for the Mets.

8. This is my tattoo. It's a Taino Cemi.
Can't believe I've never blogged about it before!

9. My idea of a good vacation involves hiking, my bicycle and possible burro riding. 

10. I love Laffy Taffy grape candy but only the big bars- the minis taste like corn syrup.

11. I'm easy to prank but tend to punch arms and yell a lot when it's over.
Also, I like this fish toy.

Questions from Leah:

1.  If you could cure one disease what would it be? Greed.

2. Your happy place is.. ? On my bike.

3. Favorite summer/winter activities? Summer- riding my bike and walking. Winter- scrapping and eating (I know but that's what summer bike riding is for!).

4. Most asked for recipe? My Guacamole- I put mango in it.

5. Person you admire the most? My sister Leticia.

6. Biggest crush when you were a teen? Ralph Macchio (grinning!)

7. If you could only listen to one band the rest of your years, who would it be? Oh SO EASY- U2!

8. Favorite time of day to get crafty? Anytime Lola sleeps!

9. When is the last time you got a traffic ticket? What was it for? I don't know how to drive (grinning again)

10. Your dream home is? 4 bedrooms with a garden larger than the actual house, lots of windows and closet space and there's a tree with a swing in it and my Mom lives near by and we have a dog and a cat and a chicken coop and maybe a goat. And the house is somewhere warm. And there is a scrap shop within biking distance. And my daughter can walk to school alone. And my husband has a garage to himself so he can wild out on his toy helicopter fetish.

11. Where do you want to live when you retire? Dave and I want to be wherever Lola goes. We've already talked about it.

I tag Misty, Margrethe, Miae, Gabriella and Cheryl. Guys please answer the questions above. I forgot to post my own and now am drawing a complete BLANK. 
If you want to participate or have already leave me a link so I can visit! I LOVE reading these posts!!!

GRATUITOUS ABUELA/ TODDLER PHOTO:

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle

When your mojo goes on vacation- shoot photos!!!

The wall- I've hit it.
All my former "no mojo" fixes are out the window.
I'm supposed to be working on a page for Punky Scraps that is due by thursday- so I will TRY to eek something out tonight- it might be hideous.
I'm determined to work through this dry spell!!
Here is an attempt to stamp my way out:

Foiled AGAIN by the ipod's low resolution camera! 

THANK YOU to Adele H. for recommending I check out Nat Kalbach's Creative Jump Start. I joined up today and was rewarded with a GREAT video from fave artist Louise Nelson (YAAYYY!)
If you guys are also hitting a wall, I suggest you swing by and check it out- it's free. (best price ever!)
Today I took photos at a place I have ALWAYS wanted to visit-

Keith Haring's "Crack Is Whack" mural in East Harlem. This is a DREAM COME TRUE! I've been wanting to go for YEARS. It's right next to the FDR so it's hard to get there via public transport but we managed it.

The 80's in the Bronx were like the wild west- with zombies. Burned out apartment buildings, crack vials littering the playground, junkies with half closed eyes walking in circles on the sidewalk. Our neighborhood is actually one of the better ones in the area and my parents did their very best to shield my siblings and I but we still saw a lot. So this mural has a lot of meaning for me. And it's freaking AWESOME.  Can't you just HEAR "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash playing softly in the distance?

I have to keep reminding myself that there are many ways to stay creative. There's no need to panic. Creativity ebbs and flows- the ebb part sucks.
I also finished my December Daily! YAY!!!

12/24/11 My brother treated us all to the Christmas Ever performance of
The Nutcracker Suite at Lincoln Center- AWESOME!

BY this point the pages had stopped matching- I just grabbed the prints I liked best.

My FAVORITE image from this year's holiday take. I didn't have space inside
so I added it to the back cover.

There's 4 more pages but these are the best bits. Years from now I will look through it and laugh at the first pages being so beautifully detailed and the last so obviously slapped on quickly. I did make sure to take time to journal. I really enjoyed the process of making a holiday mini book. I see many more in my future- if for nothing else- to have a reason to buy KEUUTE holiday themed stash.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

December Daily- getting into the ZONE!!!

So I'm groovin' along the December Daily project- it's been great at keeping me in the spirit of the holiday even though I'm not actually making any Christmas presents (like I said I would).
I have to keep in mind that:
1. This is totally voluntary.
2. I don't have to break literary ground with my journaling or take a splendiferous image every single time.
3. I don't have to work in sequence! Just break the rules.

Day 5and 6- I'm finally using some American Crafts glitter paper I loved but was too thick for punching stars from. The small alphas are from Lily Bee- I should have bought 3 pages of the Memorandum ones! Slowly using up my Studio Calico woodgrain Thickers- I really need to get those from the shop before they sell out forever.

Here's my goal- capture the emotion of each day and be present in the moment. I'm usually the kind of Mom who's like "WHAT? Lola can count to 10? Who taught her THAT????" (The answer is ME- I taught her that- but not on purpose)
Yup- disconnected.
So these days I'm paying more attention- not just reading the book aloud but pointing to the pictures and asking "What's that?" Wouldn't you know it- she has all the answers!

Day 7 & 8- you seen page 7 already. I added page 8 and I'm STILL loving those Ormolu tags!!! The 8 is a 99 cent store yellow kraft paper stencil set I LOVE.

Lola is counting to 20 on her own- it's easy to learn when you have 3 flights of stairs to climb each day.
She also knows the basic colors and has favorite shapes! (red square- blue circle- she's not loving hexagons... YET)
She's finally understood the concept of "me". Now it's all "ME ME MEE!!!" when she wants something or "I'm tired!" when she wants attention.
I'm trying to get her to say "I'm hungry" or "I'm thirsty" but she just yells "Me CHICKEN!" or "Me JUICE!" at random moments- it makes for some seriously funny pauses while my brain plays catch up.

Love page 11 where I CHEATED and used a photo from day 5. I hated the whole lot of day 11 photos! Also page 12 is blank because I messed up and made 13 first- oops!

Page 13 and journaling envelope. I haven't written anything in the journaling page yet. I want to come up with something meaningful. Page 13 is my reaction to the current meme on real versus manufactured trees.

The other day Dave and I took her to the park. Out of nowhere Lola says "DID YOU SEE THAT?" Nope! We missed whatever it was.
She says "COOL!"
We say "AWESOME!"
Then I try to get funny and say "RADICAL!" and Lola responds with "BITCHIN'!!!"
Dave and I (and half of the park goers that day) all GASP in unison.
Where did she learn to say "bitchin"??? I've never said that- ever! Plus how did she know it goes with awesome and radical???
A mystery!!!
Then it hit me- what happens at Grandma's STAYS at Grandma's. I KNOW Mom has a copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!! I've seen it!!!
No wonder she's been jumping on the couch so much- she better not try to use my cooking spoons as nunchucks!

Some photos for a Light Challenge over at One Story Down:

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle