Sunday, January 29, 2012

Crafty Ladies Get Techy

Between Naps on the Porch, Pinterest, and Be Funky.  Are they legit crafts?  I think so.  We're meeting at my house to "craft" so I'm showing these lovely, creative women Pinterst and some phot editing sites, as well as introducing them to Between Naps on the Porch.  Inspiration is crucial to crafting, so this is a legit use of crafting time.  Along the way, I also learned how to batch watermark my pictures!  Thanks to Susan for giving me ideas, and google search for leading me to a site that works for me called Visual Watermark.  I did pay for a membership, but there is a 21 day free trial.  More on VW later in the week.

Table set with pink and black.  Started with my beloved Rose Point dishes, added elements from past tables and it all came together when I found a damask runner at Home Goods.  I could have made it, but at $10, it was a wash.  It went perfectly with the black and white bandanas that I wanted to use to add a more masculine, more informal note to this pinky table.  I used them in a shower for my wonderful daughter-in-law last summer, her posse scarfs. 


















China:  Rose Point 1940's
Flatware: Community White Orchid silverplate
Linens:  Pink damask, eBay, bandanas, Dollar store
Goblets: Red Vintage Etched glass goblets, Amazon, 2009
Runner:  Paisley, Home Goods $10
Napkin Rings:  Butterflies and Fireflies, Home Goods, 2010
Ice Bucket Planter:  Hammered Aluminum, antiquing
Silver dishes:  Ebay
Candle holders:  Z Gallerie, sale
Chargers:  Dollar Store

See paisley black bandanas used in shower table, and for the shower possee.  I was so busy these month, I rarely posted, but I was tablescaping!


Wedding, Marriage, hearts, all throwing down with signs.  Love these ladies.  Crafty too!


I will be joining these fun parties; please stop by to see all the great things there!

 Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
 Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
 Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/












Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Valentines & Ode to Picnik

I started on a Valentine's tablescape, as I prepared to host my Crafty Ladies night.  I thought I had the perfect CRAFT to share with my friends and my new Crafty Ladies party (in person, not a linky party - dinner and a craft!)  My idea was to show them Pinterest and how to make a Valentine's collage or picture with words embedded, using the easy to use Picnik. Invites sent out, dates revised so all could attend.  High enthusiasm.  Then (you know already, don't you?), Picnik sends out the now famous infamous email telling all of us that they are closing, and we should all join Google+.  Susan at Between Naps on the Porch posted some alternatives.  So did Censational Girl.  Their blogs are widely read and blogtastic!

So I left my table simple (centerpiece light) and began experimenting with some of the new, sadly not Picnik editing sites.  A few pictures of the table, and then notes on Google+ and LunaPic (my favorite of the new sites.)

Found these ceramic hearts at the Dollar Store last year!

 Wanted to keep it simple, but probably would have added more to the centerpiece. I like these modern candles from Z Gallerie, but too modern with the rest of the table.  Wouldn't cherry Mojitos be lovely in these glasses with the straws leftover from Christmas?

 Filled the candles with heart shaped candies.


White Solis Plate from Pier 1; Signature red plate (set of six) form Home Good.
 Avalon silverplate with cutout heart placemats.


And now looking forward to what I will <3 in the future (fickle, fickle, ever fickle.)  Goodbye dear Picnik, and hello my new loves. 

After playing with some of the sites, including Google+, here is my humble contribution to the discussion.
1.  Google+ is making a bid to be the new Facebook offering "circles" whereby you can share your photos with different groups, and then share other photos with other groups.  They give an example of how you probably don't want your Aunt to see you partying, but you do want to share those photos with your college roommates.  Seems a bid to end "cyber-stalking" by relatives or others, but what's fun about that?  While I get the logic behind it, there is something refreshingly honest about putting your life out there for all to see, a transparency about who you are, and pride in what you do no matter who is looking.  Hmmmmm.  What do I DO that I don't want my employer/children/minister/friends to see?  Hmmmm?

2. Google+ does not do everything that Picnik does and there are numerous steps to get to the photo editor piece.  Not as many editing options, and I didn't find the collage maker.

3.  LunaPic is easy-to-use and offers MORE options than Picnik.  Here's how to use it.

            No joining or signing in
            Upload image (same as an attachment)

             Picture appears in new window with message



            Scroll to toolbar on the left side
                      Go to Edit, drop down menu to Resize Image
                      125 X 125 is a good "button size"  Looks like this now
         Click on T to add Text
         The fonts are names I've never seen before ;(

        I'll try Craftsman since I like Arts and Crafts furniture.

       You have to guess what type size is needed, so I ended up spending more time on this than I should have.

Next I played with the various editing options to change picture.  Fun!  Just a few to get the idea.


Try it out!  I will miss Picnik, but will spend time with new sites as well.  The important thing is to take the time to play, and like any workout, the exercise will be good for your brain.  It is critical to always keep learning!

Color Pencil Sketch
 Christmas Ornament - Love this idea!
Emboss - kind of a sketch look!
 Water Effect
 Water Reflection Animation
Happy Exploring in the brave new world without Picnik.  It will be ok.  Won't it?



Friday, January 20, 2012

Pinterest How-to

Pinterest is addictive.  If you were/are a magazine lover who saved pictures of wedding ideas,  decorating inspirations, vacation or travel plans, etc., you will probably love Pinterest.  Our family used it to create a shared board for our holiday family gathering.


Style Me Pretty Family Board


Tablescape Board
Retiring Ideas Board
(I want to build a barn for big family parties)

You can also check out the boards of your family and friends to see what they are interested in or dreaming about.

My sister-in-law, Stancie has boards for pins that she thinks her daughters would like, kind of a "I thought this looked like you...." Don't you love it when someone says that. It really shows they get you, and appreciate what is unique about you as a person.  Love that feeling.

 My niece Carrie has a Mason Jar Board
 Niece Cortney's Favorite Recipes Board (most are Pioneer Woman)
 Niece Ashley's Garden Dreams Board
My sister asked me to help her with Pinterest, so I decided to create a post that she could use whenever she had time.  Then, I thought, "Why reinvent the wheel?"  There are already really good sites that explain.

USA Today articleon Pinterest which just became one of the top 10 social networks.   titled http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-17/how-to-pinterest-mark-smith/52615856/1
Pinterest Beginner Guide

Pinterest is a place to organize and share online images that you find interesting or inspiring. Once uploaded or shared on Pinterest, these images become known as Pins, which the user can place on customized, themed Boards.

If you want to check out Pinterest, though, you have to be invited.

Leave a comment below (love them!) and I will gladly send you an invite.

Now get pinning!

Joining these parties.
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home



PhotobucketInspiration Friday Graphic1


 Feathered Nest Friday


link up every friday 

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Family Gathering or Cousins Compete

July 8, 1945
Pete (1924-2010) and Orlene Foss (1924-)
The annual January family get-together means people coming from hither and yon. This week we gathered in Newport Beach, California at Grandma's House, the original Gen #1.  There will be (2) Gen #1; (8) Gen #2; (15) Gen #3; and (6) Gen #4 (Gen #4 is the great-grandchildren, so you can work your way back to GG or Great-Grandma Foss, Gen #1.) That's a lot of family to coordinate.  Pinterest to the rescue (see below).


The Gen #3 cousins are very competitive with one another, so each they devise some kind of elaborate competition.  This year is was home brewed beer.  We also collaborated to create a rustic table, and dinner.

Entries and ballots - Serious stuff
Entries titled "Winter Ale,"  "Santa Baby Ale," "Yorshire Blonde," "Raucous Red Ale," "Saison Tripel," and one other that I don't recall.  Each beer description matched the brewers personality exactly. 
GG covered her deck with a party tent, planning for a dreary Newport day, but still hoping for sunshine (never came.) We started with unironed linen cloths on the folding tables (rented chairs).  Added simple sage colored burlap runners.  One of the aunts and cousins filled mason jars with epson salt, little trees, white painted animals, and candles.  We called it our beer, burlap and mason Christmas.






 Inside the mason jar theme continued with lemonade and red/white striped straws.

Bree bites made by one of the cousins, recipe found on Pinterest!  Super fun way to plan a party when people are in different locations.  See Pinterest board
 BBQ steak, Pioneer Woman rolls, fruit and spinach salad, and GG's requested rice casserole (see Aunt Stancie's recipe below.)  What a joy to be a part of this competitive and creative family.
And now Christmas is really behind me for one more year.  Diet time - Lindora or other?  Sigh.

RICE AND GREEN CHILE CASSEROLE

1 c. sour cream
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained well
3 c. cooked rice
12 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into strips
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
Mix sour cream and chilies. Layer 1 cup rice, half the sour cream mixture and half the cheese strips in greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Repeat layers. Cover with remaining rice. Bake uncovered in 325 degree oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts. 6 servings.
Linking up to these parties!

Tablescape Thursday
Inspiration Friday Graphic1


Feathered Nest Friday