Some More Practice

 

This flower was in my neighbor's yard. I wanted to use it for my assignment for my class, but I couldn't because of the lighting, so I decided to just photograph it and try to get the best photo I could get. These photos were the outcome. :)

I also wanted to mention my friend Rhandi and her family here for those that are praying for her baby. Owen is still struggling in the NICU. He has had some heart and kidney issues and could really use some powerful healing from our Lord. Please continue to pray for him. We know that the Lord can heal and we keep hoping and praying for Owen to fight. Rhandi's pre eclampsia issues have resolved, but she and her entire family could use your continued prayers as they put their energies in rallying around their little boy.

Mini Pain au Chocolat

 


Hello All! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. I spent mine at work in the dreaded pharmacy fighting off drug addicts and attitudes. Not a great weekend by any scope of the imagination though both of my football teams won so that is a good thing!

A friend of mine is hosting an International Day of Peace luncheon tomorrow and asked each of her guests to come bringing something to eat that you could find in another country. It was suggested that you do something from somewhere you have lived or from your heritage. Well, I had the fortune of spending a summer in France when I was 17 years old and fell in LOVE with French pastries. My favorite was pain au chocolat (translation: chocolate bread.) I have been back to Europe and always find myself enjoying these perfect little flaky pieces of chocolate heaven and thought that they would make a great choice for my contribution.

Mini Pain au Chocolat (not quite as good as the French ones, but darn close!) This recipe will yield 48 mini pastries.

2 packages of puff pastry dough from the freezer section at the grocery store. I used Pepperidge Farm.
3 4-oz bars of Ghirardelli 60% CACAO bittersweet chocolate (or bittersweet chocolate of your choice.)
1 egg
1 TBSP water
Granulated sugar
parchment paper


Line your baking trays with parchment paper. Cut each of your pastry sheets into 12 squares. I recommend cutting before it completely thaws. Take your chocolate bar and split into pieces. I broke each of the 8 scored squares in half so that I yielded 16 pieces per bar. Place 1 piece of chocolate in the center of the pastry dough square and fold the sides over the chocolate and press to seal. Place on baking sheet seam side down. Make an egg wash with 1 egg and 1tablespoonful of water. Brush the top of each pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little bit of granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and remove from parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature. :)

Portrait/Motion Practice

 


I took Ian to AWANA this evening and Aaron and I ran over to the park to work out some kinks in my photography. Aaron wasn't being much of a sport, but we managed to get a few shots of him and the ducks! I may even use one of these photos in my portrait challenge for my photography class tomorrow. :) (Though I really need to work on my blurred motion shot. I've been avoiding it all day!)

Toilet Paper Pumpkins

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I know that I am constantly on the look out for easy crafts to do with the kids. I especially love the ones where there is no sewing, cutting, glueing... MESS involved! This is one such craft!

Supplies needed:

1. Rolls of toilet paper. (Varying sizes is great!)
2. Squares of fabric in fall colors. Just make sure they are large enough to cover your entire roll of TP.
3. Brown paper. I used rolled up lunch sacks.
4. Green felt to use for leaves.
5. Pipe cleaners. Green is good, but I had silver on hand and thought they were festive.
6. Pin or glue.

Take a square of fabric with print face down. Place toilet paper roll in center and neatly fold the corners into the center make a nice and neat wrapped roll of toilet paper. Roll up brown paper bag and insert it into the center. Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it around a round pencil or pen to make a nice spring like coil. Wrap coil around the brown paper insert and let the coil hang out the side. Cut a leaf out of the green felt. Use a stick pin or glue to hold leaf in place.

VOILA! Decorative pumpkins! So easy that even I can do it! :)

 
 

Catarina: My Muse

 
 
 
 

So I have been dragging my camera everywhere practicing my skills with photographing anything and everything that will let me. My friend's daughter, Catarina was quite a willing participant this evening at Chick Fil A. The lighting in the play area is a little wonky, but I got a few fun pictures of the little pixie with her big blue eyes!

I Love You, Stinky Face

 


Aaron and I play this game. We make stinky faces at each other. He is so hilarious! He makes the best stinky faces! Here's today's stinky face game while we were Case Ole with our friends. I love this little Stinky Face!

Photography practice

 
 
 
 


So I am taking an online course in photography. I am learning to operate my digital SLR camera in full manual mode. SCARY. I started out the week not knowing A from Auto. LOL. It started slowly with learning how to manipulate aperture. I learned quite a bit after getting some pretty constructive criticism. By the end of the week, I was shooting in full manual mode. I have some things to learn, but I feel like I am finally going to be able to use my camera to it's full potential. It's going to take lots of practice.