tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67544702062113840472024-03-05T21:22:35.318-05:00One Crafty MotherFranceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-25159313683620549272013-03-31T22:25:00.000-04:002013-04-10T19:30:36.456-04:00Easter GoodiesWe were invited for Easter dinner and though there was going to be a little egg hunt, I wanted to bring some candy-light goodies for the kids. Hopefully fake moustaches, fortune-telling pens, and mood rings say Happy Easter! Put them in a zip-lock bag with a couple of Easter candies:<br />
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Stapled a decorative banner, including a cute stamped sticker to cover the staples:<br />
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Also included these Easter-themed bubbles:<br />
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Put it together in a bag to deliver Easter fun!<br />
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Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-76956849863860793532013-03-10T21:34:00.000-04:002013-04-10T19:30:36.458-04:00Pixlr-o-matic AppThis is one of my favorite photo apps for adding cool drama to photos: Pixlr-o-Matic by <a href="http://pixlr.com/" target="_blank">Pixlr</a>. I currently use the free version, but you can upgrade to Pixlr-o-Matic Plus for 99 cents either in-app or as an app purchase in the iTunes store. I will say that I'm pretty satisfied with the 25 films/filters, 30 light/textures, and 30 frames available for free, but it does appear you get a TON more for a mere 99 cents more.<br />
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Anyhoo, I start with an adorable original:<br />
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I scan through the various films/filters. I LOVE how it does live preview with your pic so you get a pretty good idea from the thumbnail before applying the effect. This is one of the key reasons it makes it to the top of my faves.<br />
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Then I scroll through various light/textures. No live previews here, which is unfortunate because I didn't quite have the seasoned eye to imagine that the result of the "Devine" effect would look like this (which I liked and felt like a happy accident--looks like sunshine!) from its thumbnail:<br />
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Then I check out various frames. Again no live previews, but with frames, which doesn't really affect the photo in an overlay way, it's not really a big deal for me:<br />
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And ta-da! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(FYI, I used the free Phonto app to write on this pic)</td></tr>
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Every once in a while I like to hit the "shuffle" button on top right. It's great when I'm looking for ideas because it will randomly apply a film, light, and frame to the pic that I wouldn't usually consider putting together:<br />
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Sure, there are few things I "wish" this app had:<br />
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- Basic photo editor: besides the crop button (that will crop it to a square only), I'd love for this app to have some basic photo editing abilities (more crop options, exposure adjustment, etc.). I pretty much need to start with a decently exposed/composed pic or one that has been adjusted in another app first (like PS Express).<br />
- Adjustable effects: depending on the photo, sometimes I'd like to adjust the effects to be a bit more subtle--especially some of the light/texture effects or the strength of some of the filter/film effects.<br />
- Layering: I wish I could layer more than film/filter effect or layer more than light/texture effect--obviously this would also be handy with the ability to adjust the effects themselves.<br />
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But I would also like to emphasize what I LOVE about this app:<br />
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- It's a great value. As a free app, it has an amazing value with the generous offerings of films/filters, light/textures, and frames. And to that end, I have to say that 99 cents seems like a ridiculous bargain for the extensive choices you'd get.<br />
- Great choices. To the end that this is a free app, it's only good a good value if I like offerings and I really like a lot of their films/filters. <br />
- LIVE previews. Some other apps (some which I still like and use) utilize a stock photo with the various filters applied but it's really hard to get an idea of how that filter will look on <i>my</i> photo without seeing it. With live previews, I at least get an idea. Without it, I tend to only try filters that I think would look good because I don't want to spend the time and see what each filter looks like and then I feel I'm limited to my guesses. <br />
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This is a great photo app to make photos more fun, cool, or dramatic. It's easy to have a lot of fun with this one, especially for a free app! Anyone who upgraded to Plus have any feedback?Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-41077945839873327572013-03-02T21:27:00.000-05:002013-03-12T16:35:39.703-04:00PicTapGo<a href="http://pictapgo.com/" target="_blank">PicTapGo</a> is one of my new favorite photo apps. It was created by the folks at <a href="http://www.gettotallyrad.com/" target="_blank">Totally Rad</a> who make awesome PhotoShop actions and RadLab. And now it's almost like having Totally Rad on my iPhone--for a $1.99!<br />
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What I love is that I can take a cute pic like this:<br />
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And see a live preview of the different filters:<br />
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So many awesome filters:<br />
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And you can adjust the strength of the filter with the slider:<br />
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And if you want to compare to the original pic, just hold the left side of the pic:<br />
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Also, it's really easy to layer the various filters, you just tap a new filter and adjust the strength of the slider to your preference. And if you want to see your pic before you applied the current filter, hold down the right side of the pic to see the previous effort:<br />
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After applying a combo of filters, you can save "recipes" of it for future photos! Here's my combo of "Skinny Jeans", "Flare Up", and "EZ-Burn"--I called it "Warm & Brighten". And bonus, you can share recipes with other PicTapGo users.<br />
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Even though PicTapGo doesn't technically have a photo editor, a lot of its filters accomplishes some editing desires (like exposure, saturation, contrast, etc). For example, this late night pic was fairly underexposed but by selecting various strengths of "Lights On" (raised exposure), "Mama's Tap Shoe's" (gave rich sepia tone), and "E-Z Burn" (subtle vignette), I was able to edit this pic:<br />
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Into something that I'd want to share and post:<br />
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I named this recipe "Late Night Bar".<br />
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My only wish for this app was the ability for some cropping/transforming options (and I will concede it doesn't offer fun frames) but overall, this shortcoming is outweighed by its amazing features:<br />
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- LIVE previews (those apps with stock photos with their applied filters just keep me guessing)<br />
- amazing value--anyone drooling to get Totally Rad's RadLab but can't invest in PhotoShop on their computer knows that getting this near-app version is a steal!<br />
- excellent filter choices with simple, easy-to-use interface<br />
- ability to view previous and original pix while editing<br />
- ability to adjust strength of filters<br />
- ability to layer filters<br />
- save and share recipes<br />
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Any other PicTapGo folks want to share recipes?Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-30099801056522102962013-02-28T21:42:00.000-05:002013-03-04T23:02:27.125-05:00Falling in love with Dymo againSo glad I brought a Dymo labeler! I love how I don't run out of any letter (like letter stickers) and I can just punch out a snappy title so easily:<br />
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Now I wish I brought more Dymo tapes!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-70194396947439599162013-02-21T21:32:00.000-05:002013-03-04T23:02:35.139-05:00Crafty in NJI traveled up to NJ to help with my mom who had major surgery and decided to pack a few crafty items (a few stamps with mini ink pads, inkjoy pens, washi and paper tapes, and a Dymo), <i>just in case</i>:<br />
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So GLAD I did. I've had some downtime at night and it's been awesome. I put this <a href="http://www.amytangerine.com/blog" target="_blank">Amy Tangerine</a> day book to use that I received as a gift from a good friend. I typed out "ready or not here we go 2013" for my cover:<br />
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Bigger letters would have probably been a better fit for the cover, but I kind of wanted to use what I brought. Inside, I printed out pix with my <a href="http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/polaroid-z2300/" target="_blank">Polaroid Z2300</a> and used my Dymo for some more titling as well as some of the stamps I brought:<br />
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One note about the Polaroid Z2300: the quality of it as a camera is a bit low but it's been so super as a portable printer for pix I take with my iPhone. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a process--download pix from my iPhone to my laptop, then connect the Polaroid to my laptop and copy desired pix to be printed to the Polaroid's memory card, then print. But it's worth it when I want to do some late night scrapping and not make a trip to the Target for prints. Another plus is that the reasonably-priced 2"x3" Zink photo paper is sticker-backed. Perfect for scrapping.<br />
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I will confess, since getting my scrap on, I made a visit to the local Michael's and acquired a few more goodies, which I promised myself to use on this trip. Bonus: everything I got was on sale-priced!<br />
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Holding myself to my word--made a simple card and decorated the envelope with my new inks:<br />
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It feels so good to be crafty again!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-74376824936534720322013-02-16T21:31:00.000-05:002013-02-16T21:31:00.977-05:00Collage Card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I found this <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2013/01/diy-instagram-magnets.html" target="_blank">Design Sponge tutorial</a> on printing 2x2 square pix (like Instagram or my Hipstamatic) on 4x6 prints--so efficient cost-wise, right? I chose a variety of pix to make a little collage for a thank you card for the family who hosted us during the holidays.<br />
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I know I'm very late with the holiday "thank you" but hopefully the cute pix will make up for the tardiness!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-66404638823759686732013-02-12T23:04:00.000-05:002013-02-15T11:05:57.773-05:00Gladys Knight inspirationThe <a href="http://www.auntiekaren.org/" target="_blank">Auntie Karen Foundation</a> is <a href="http://www.scvillagevoices.com/7u9y53/index.php/component/k2/item/39-auntie-karen-foundation-presents-gladys-knight-february-22-2013-at-the-koger-center-in-columbia-sc" target="_blank">presenting a performance by Gladys Knight</a> here in Columbia, South Carolina. The school district is hosting an art contest for portraits of Gladys Knight and my girl is working on her entry:<br />
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I'll be out of town (heading to see my mom in the hospital in NJ) when they announce the winner but I'm proud of my girl's efforts no matter what. I really do love that she enjoys drawing so much. So I hold out hope that she'll be into scrapbooking (or any other creative artsy endeavor that I have some ability too) someday...<br />
<br />Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-67171398435717685022013-02-01T00:10:00.000-05:002013-02-03T00:11:27.969-05:00Secret SantaMan, it's been forever since I posted and almost as long as since I got crafty but I at least got to do Secret Santa this year! When I was out in SoCal last month for my company's Awards banquet, I convinced folks to do four days of Secret Santa. My person listed Glee, the Nebraska Huskers, cereal, and Katie Holmes among his interests.<br />
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The first day I made a mix CD of Glee songs with a card from Katie Holmes:<br />
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The second day I made a simple fleece blanket with a Katie Holmes stand-in:<br />
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And also a little note from Katie:<br />
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It works!<br />
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The third day, I made a drawstring bag with leftover Nebraska fleece fabric. I put a box of cereal in it and Katie told him he could use the bag as a shoe bag when he travels. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a pic.<br />
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On the final day, I made a dopp kit using <a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/07/25/the-boxy-cosmetic-bag-tutorial/" target="_blank">this boxy bag tutorial from Skip To My Lou</a> and embellished it with a Nebraska "N" from leftover fleece fabric.<br />
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Instead of oilcloth, I used this cute cowboy fabric:<br />
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And inside, I put in this requested ice cream scoop.<br />
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Felt so good to be crafty again!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-634210738130096272012-12-07T19:51:00.000-05:002012-12-07T19:51:00.084-05:00Smashing Pumpkins - Christmas TimeWhile I was out and about, I came upon this song playing in the store and used the <a href="http://www.shazam.com/" target="_blank">Shazam app</a> (one of my favorite apps! ) to figure out who was singing it. It's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmastime/dp/B001NB4XNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354729559&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+time+smashing+pumpkins" target="_blank">Christmas Time by the Smashing Pumpkins</a>. As much as I enjoy the holiday spirit, I can hit Christmas Carol overload easily so it was a bit refreshing to hear a different tune:<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="playerVars=autoPlay=no" height="225" name="Metacafe_5712074" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/5712074/christmastime_smashing_pumpkins.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" wmode="transparent"></embed><br />
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Anybody got other holiday songs that are a bit off the grid?Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-3153049792678221052012-12-04T23:06:00.000-05:002012-12-04T23:06:00.948-05:00Voodoo GirlMy friend <a href="http://www.mikedegen.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> just released this song and <a href="http://youtu.be/49RhT9uCzTw" target="_blank">video for Voodoo Girl:</a><br />
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It's a hypnotically ambient electro jazz tune. After reading the inspiration behind the song, I really dig the story of the violin in it. (Side note: I'd like to think I've got the limber moves like the dancer in the video but sadly, I'm sure I do not.) <br />
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Enjoy!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-63595029412657777782012-11-22T23:04:00.000-05:002012-12-03T10:41:20.055-05:00Dallas City SatchelIt's been while since I sewed <i>anything</i>, so, inspired by a friend's upcoming visit, I decided to tackle the City Satchel from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sew-What-Bags-Pattern-Free-Customize/dp/B00336KU3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353895681&sr=8-1&keywords=sew+what+bags" target="_blank">Sew What! Bags: 18 Pattern-Free Projects</a> by Lexie Barnes:<br />
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First of all, I highly recommend this book, especially beginners. It's user-friendly with lots of diagrams and pictures with projects from "newbie" to "daredevil" levels (though I would say these levels would apply to someone who is very new to sewing). It covers a lot of basic, fun, and useful bags and organizers. And I really appreciate the spiral binding--so it lies flat when I'm working with it. <br />
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Even though this project was at the "daredevil" level, it was thankfully relatively easy to follow and sew together. After cutting all the pieces and ironing interfacing to the pieces, I was able to sew it together in about 3 hours, which included an annoying thread tension snafu with the strap. I had come across this Dallas Cowboys fabric at my local Joann's (which I'm dumbfounded that this is stocked here in South Carolina), which is perfect for my friend who is a lifelong Dallas fan. Since it was a fairly light cotton, I chose to iron on heavyweight interfacing (Pellon 931TD) to give it a bit more strength and heft. Since it was the first time I made it, I went with the measurements used in the book. Since I had bought 2 yards of the fabric blind, I decided to use it all to make the bag (versus the contrast design with two fabrics), including using it for the interior lining. It may have been a bit of Cowboys overload, but my friend appreciated it:<br />
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Regarding my stitching snafu--as I was edge-stitching on the strap, the threads kept getting tangled up. For what it's worth, the edge-stitching was for decorative purposes rather than functional, but it was still so maddening and I just tried trimming most of the tangled knots away. I fiddled a little with tension adjustment and I didn't have a problem with the rest of the bag.<br />
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I think if I make this bag again, I'd probably use the two contrasting fabrics (especially if I use novelty fabric like this). And I'd try to use thicker material to begin with rather than iron on interfacing. And I think I'd make the strap an inch less wide. But overall, I was pleased with my first run--especially that I kept all the logos right side up on the flap and bag body!<br />
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Looking forward to making another one-- Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-24353613907122338412012-11-09T07:47:00.000-05:002012-11-09T07:47:00.538-05:00Almost the most wonderful time of the year at TargetI swung by Target to pick up a few things and couldn't help strolling by the Halloween Clearance section:<br />
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Big mistake. I got sucked in and started contemplating ideas for next year with stuff they had on sale:<br />
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In the end I got a lot of Halloween gummies and boxes--at siren-calling prices:<br />
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On the plus side, gummies make great packing material in a flat rate box!<br />
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Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-28473299847089211712012-10-31T22:08:00.000-04:002012-11-01T16:10:37.723-04:00Happy HalloweenThis year I was pretty unprepared for Halloween. I just got back from visiting my mom and sister in NJ/NY on Saturday and then Hurricane Sandy/Frankenstorm happened on Monday. We weren't affected except for some high winds, but my family and friends in the Northeast were definitely affected. Some were fine with power but fairly locked in because of mass transit shutdowns and others had no electricity, water, or cell service. Fortunately, they all survived without severe damage to their health, cars, or home, though they all knew someone or lived in a neighborhood where someone wasn't so lucky.<br />
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I was encouraged to hear that, despite this, there was still a strong desire to still celebrate Halloween. One friend said that not only was it community bonding during difficult times but it's also a pleasant distraction that's fun for the kids. Besides, he added, all the candy was bought a while ago (as a fellow mom, I totally relate to this as one who tends to be well-stocked for Halloween <i>way</i> before the event). This totally motivated me to put something together--Frankenstorm wasn't going to be the Grinch of Halloween, after all.<br />
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I went to Goodwill last night and spent $8 on these items:<br />
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with a goal to become the <a href="http://www.sundrop.com/" target="_blank">Sun Drop soda</a> girl:<br />
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I didn't hold out too much hope that I'd find a blank green ringer tee, but I did find light and dark green t-shirts that I just layered. I found the Sun Drop logo on the internet, printed it out on iron-on paper, and ironed it on the light green shirt. I took scissors to the Mom Jeans, which I turned into the cutoffs. I trimmed off the toes of the red socks to make into leg warmers. For the red head band, I cut up the toddler tights and put a few stitches in to make a loop. I had black tights and I just went with sneakers that I had with green trim and hope it wouldn't be a big deal not to have red sneakers. Ta da!<br />
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Besides my annual trip to Starbucks for my favorite autumn drink--the pumpkin spice soy latte--I hit Earth Fare. I had an impromptu conversation with a lady on vegan yogurts and she never mentioned my costume, which vaguely made me wonder if she thought I was dressed as I normally do. Which is kind of awesome, right?<br />
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The topper was coming in 2nd place (to a killer <a href="https://twitter.com/ErikWeigand/status/263774471838654467" target="_blank">Fierce Five 2012 USA women's gymnastics team</a>) at the costume contest at work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHDRrSLt3jZkYw3knjA6Erd9xcw-i8Y6sT3CLmDA0a4lX4MBPU5YSW03YP1UrZ4brxPP5-2jQB2okc6oiFuy4CqyOmb48O73ULFxfxLJ0z3qLoFFdIJg_JhZl7jNLJZN5IpqpKhY6ZcM/s1600/photo+4-764957.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5805578012652574738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHDRrSLt3jZkYw3knjA6Erd9xcw-i8Y6sT3CLmDA0a4lX4MBPU5YSW03YP1UrZ4brxPP5-2jQB2okc6oiFuy4CqyOmb48O73ULFxfxLJ0z3qLoFFdIJg_JhZl7jNLJZN5IpqpKhY6ZcM/s320/photo+4-764957.JPG" /></a></div>
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And I was able to squeeze in carving our traditional barfing Jack O'Lantern:<br />
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Hope everyone had a happy Halloween!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-66672978584048313352012-09-20T20:14:00.000-04:002012-09-24T10:20:18.309-04:00Draw Something: Pop versionStill hooked on <a href="http://omgpop.com/drawsomething" target="_blank">Draw Something</a>. Usually when one of the choices is a pop reference, I usually shy away from it and go for a broader word like "tow truck" or "thorn". But every once in a while, if I think the person I'm drawing for is aware of the pop reference, I give it a go.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT1jOXUJ6ZLE-hD-ICBUeSpjY7t0dS8pbPIS3q3C5kOpKyNd3Lcb4k6cC6Z7V7LNL3VtYsc7YwF5g_4oIBWk7e9NkSSmPW6xnp4zr6TdshQMJen6XNaVog-KnhIEKymaIsta61Wkm-J0/s1600/photo+1-732283.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791474056715060562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT1jOXUJ6ZLE-hD-ICBUeSpjY7t0dS8pbPIS3q3C5kOpKyNd3Lcb4k6cC6Z7V7LNL3VtYsc7YwF5g_4oIBWk7e9NkSSmPW6xnp4zr6TdshQMJen6XNaVog-KnhIEKymaIsta61Wkm-J0/s320/photo+1-732283.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Gangnam"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8o38f95Khm27NlgYVpvZazi8vc14HL0KVcdXHoxAN-0KU_W2PDBc1Oa6lKcjWmq812yGiM1rEQz5pbh0EoOVzqmxmSlbAnqEzJJQQCv9SdogUjZ34CUkOY1xzS2o4wctyabNvfY3XN-c/s1600/photo+2-734390.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791474065327549106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8o38f95Khm27NlgYVpvZazi8vc14HL0KVcdXHoxAN-0KU_W2PDBc1Oa6lKcjWmq812yGiM1rEQz5pbh0EoOVzqmxmSlbAnqEzJJQQCv9SdogUjZ34CUkOY1xzS2o4wctyabNvfY3XN-c/s320/photo+2-734390.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Jaws"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9PUS1g5qBFzwWgxlS7kv-ahaVKgOAUValaFJkC13HPSqXVkrKs-pkHrSf7gKF-7gCYa7_DaCXjDXPwri27fs7qBME7MxriUQCE-Ym5iXHN3xv3Uq89p65GlUJJQirA3nW9aNdeqfW28/s1600/photo+3-737118.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791474080036179890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9PUS1g5qBFzwWgxlS7kv-ahaVKgOAUValaFJkC13HPSqXVkrKs-pkHrSf7gKF-7gCYa7_DaCXjDXPwri27fs7qBME7MxriUQCE-Ym5iXHN3xv3Uq89p65GlUJJQirA3nW9aNdeqfW28/s320/photo+3-737118.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"StarWars"</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XkhuiDADCVWRvW3kq1SMQZWbxum1evRxOWZwGqFtuB_Tdz5FsmyK96Y4htd0miM2IDNqsdp587EG4gA8WLN4jB1eQxPAX5V5Fi2M_2H5L5uc9Ev1zVPDEZC5dfyIyf9cTd1RFQplR9Q/s1600/photo+4-739087.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791474085529673106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XkhuiDADCVWRvW3kq1SMQZWbxum1evRxOWZwGqFtuB_Tdz5FsmyK96Y4htd0miM2IDNqsdp587EG4gA8WLN4jB1eQxPAX5V5Fi2M_2H5L5uc9Ev1zVPDEZC5dfyIyf9cTd1RFQplR9Q/s320/photo+4-739087.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Twilight"</td></tr>
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<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PeAHhjgy1QntilVJrdJtogq4Nu_6T7VBUhGWwPxqCr_5IrPalP44C5vzavgRMpJ91Qx5hKCRqpe4XuDVI5jIixEouDGFzniRNHs2MobmKly6V_YkjYjG8lUb-vwp8d2eIpW64f1HYOg/s1600/photo+1-793777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791473893441749410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PeAHhjgy1QntilVJrdJtogq4Nu_6T7VBUhGWwPxqCr_5IrPalP44C5vzavgRMpJ91Qx5hKCRqpe4XuDVI5jIixEouDGFzniRNHs2MobmKly6V_YkjYjG8lUb-vwp8d2eIpW64f1HYOg/s320/photo+1-793777.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Spock"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurBX7np6zW7WMCK00h7tR1sEnlEZ6Qomy39X8j0x6js5drpwgi7P2zuYBFqDv2xaSu9eQumwPp9DfmUA2r2PmWOc08QHNH8L5QUAnv7iygb8YCVFYhkU1SYPi9fXWelNvDgEmRmxp8O4/s1600/photo+3-797595.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791473905295733170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurBX7np6zW7WMCK00h7tR1sEnlEZ6Qomy39X8j0x6js5drpwgi7P2zuYBFqDv2xaSu9eQumwPp9DfmUA2r2PmWOc08QHNH8L5QUAnv7iygb8YCVFYhkU1SYPi9fXWelNvDgEmRmxp8O4/s320/photo+3-797595.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"IronMan"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqME_i0l4qmIG_R9qvpwAxBM1t6PXaoGBUZNmHzUuCo0DkrWd8YG56t06oHapwwVc2XmAF1kMqT6CI1AOXBE5BLtYpfAtA2XW84kwIwbqh0jP-63LdwHVSlMTZsNXQBJMiFrcS2lTDzg/s1600/photo+5-702107.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791473929683248946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqME_i0l4qmIG_R9qvpwAxBM1t6PXaoGBUZNmHzUuCo0DkrWd8YG56t06oHapwwVc2XmAF1kMqT6CI1AOXBE5BLtYpfAtA2XW84kwIwbqh0jP-63LdwHVSlMTZsNXQBJMiFrcS2lTDzg/s320/photo+5-702107.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Beavis"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
And some of my friends are pretty darn good at drawing pop references too:<br />
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<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8daosbHWDqLvuVqSkPnwKMA_oyZDcjWBM4tsysXnoYN4AAWBc4G_iIK2briyI4L6MNo3coB0I04zNqs44HxXnSqYHL-cGZBWdgvgukqOcl6QZFYwdpUJ4pd0P0ttEGe-GFgkt3hIisE/s1600/photo+2-795776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791473899738867682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8daosbHWDqLvuVqSkPnwKMA_oyZDcjWBM4tsysXnoYN4AAWBc4G_iIK2briyI4L6MNo3coB0I04zNqs44HxXnSqYHL-cGZBWdgvgukqOcl6QZFYwdpUJ4pd0P0ttEGe-GFgkt3hIisE/s320/photo+2-795776.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hulk"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<div class="mobile-photo"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUnuuwFqFe0fwuTm6D_S2RUSI_axgy-2wNW5B38WtEW1geI2AVHEsX9E8DiJM8PXGB6KWo-_GASZ3JxwHZaNxPiuFO5uPrVEcTIwyjcWnZw-_UHkntoxqMa6yVT1Ev8uWGslpVRqdce8/s1600/photo+4-700007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791473918569559442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUnuuwFqFe0fwuTm6D_S2RUSI_axgy-2wNW5B38WtEW1geI2AVHEsX9E8DiJM8PXGB6KWo-_GASZ3JxwHZaNxPiuFO5uPrVEcTIwyjcWnZw-_UHkntoxqMa6yVT1Ev8uWGslpVRqdce8/s320/photo+4-700007.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Naruto"</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAclixufjPPflDnCZogCJnTMoHPWPk2TYdv01_3ONJ83kkSpq3kjt8hoyDiPdrBo6Lt7IBa2_dqYm_kXSQLvFbp_dAaEwX6Sfv9Bn86F2kTpkhz3Zf7Mzprt_A6i2l0ocCYfjS9jKb6Q/s1600/photo+5-740786.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5791474090249388034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAclixufjPPflDnCZogCJnTMoHPWPk2TYdv01_3ONJ83kkSpq3kjt8hoyDiPdrBo6Lt7IBa2_dqYm_kXSQLvFbp_dAaEwX6Sfv9Bn86F2kTpkhz3Zf7Mzprt_A6i2l0ocCYfjS9jKb6Q/s320/photo+5-740786.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"LOTR"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"></div>Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-78115068687956364142012-09-10T22:18:00.000-04:002012-09-11T00:18:58.408-04:00Criminal DefenseLooking forward to watching the pilot episodes of a documentary series on the Nat Geo channel premiering tomorrow (Tuesday, 9/11) at 10pm and 10:30pm, <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/episodes/and-justice-for-all1/" target="_blank">Criminal Defense: And Justice For All</a>. The series follows public defenders from the Legal Aid office in Brooklyn as they represent clients who have been accused of various crimes. A producer says this series is eye-opening and illustrates how important it is to have hard-working, dedicated public defenders in our justice system.<br />
<br />
Which producer? My old NYC roommate and longtime Freedom Cooler co-creator, Dan!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJ0ssTkuC1565cJHTQsTn5Xc71NyBuMaeHxErfhnsZfUxqPHZtdjZU7ylSaRbKH1OPq7U9PFywVnai2Mc95rOlB4JqnXMDlHrKXdTmxxnzEJ89rXrGB6sjpwAUXZGMejfgUXfgdbGoH0/s1600/Dan&Fran_July1996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJ0ssTkuC1565cJHTQsTn5Xc71NyBuMaeHxErfhnsZfUxqPHZtdjZU7ylSaRbKH1OPq7U9PFywVnai2Mc95rOlB4JqnXMDlHrKXdTmxxnzEJ89rXrGB6sjpwAUXZGMejfgUXfgdbGoH0/s320/Dan&Fran_July1996.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July 4, 1996</td></tr>
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Can't wait to watch it!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-14336133188666495612012-08-05T21:16:00.000-04:002012-08-09T18:17:25.407-04:00The girl draws somethingMy daughter joined the Draw Something fray and this was her first drawing she sent me:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvVC6BIFQxrNsfA2fD8zSFgG9kMurLrXO5CYENcBovjtiDKHND0xgETmo5Vc7ZRdgGMFUEOABA5KxmQceJiK4eXsVkTaweUBqY6aTrCYcp9yCRLkWZ5mOwB-pqLJW7wlemwvwjsqKDlU/s1600/photo+1-753391.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774282258009886514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvVC6BIFQxrNsfA2fD8zSFgG9kMurLrXO5CYENcBovjtiDKHND0xgETmo5Vc7ZRdgGMFUEOABA5KxmQceJiK4eXsVkTaweUBqY6aTrCYcp9yCRLkWZ5mOwB-pqLJW7wlemwvwjsqKDlU/s320/photo+1-753391.JPG" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
I loved the detail and all the work she put into it but had to laugh because my adult friends draw something more like this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJl5CDRrOwLMJ8OmXVuZ7_kd7yA3Kx5o_89ElPkt-2McQDFbLiLO4rRwplCHozhfle5RSqdA0dBX40XV6pURg8edV4yfGy89DFdpvEj-nBxqdwFT4N1AV3rtBPGyMJFeOWP2s6LGUEWQ/s1600/photo+2-755225.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774282265103597522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJl5CDRrOwLMJ8OmXVuZ7_kd7yA3Kx5o_89ElPkt-2McQDFbLiLO4rRwplCHozhfle5RSqdA0dBX40XV6pURg8edV4yfGy89DFdpvEj-nBxqdwFT4N1AV3rtBPGyMJFeOWP2s6LGUEWQ/s320/photo+2-755225.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The word was "shrimp" BTW</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
I like to think I'm somewhere in-between:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzNdrRenL1SU-5e3Z1jCYBCXLR38k0wqhC2Hcre1QI03eW5r4S4Wsdxa3wXsbM4-qeR10MvpSFf_fskwQ6F-y6xZPmoOU2FBCc3v-RRu7YTySmJIBNMRzgSOvLkGIviGlkQsuZ1r2gXg/s1600/photo+1-744995.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774790311936917922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzNdrRenL1SU-5e3Z1jCYBCXLR38k0wqhC2Hcre1QI03eW5r4S4Wsdxa3wXsbM4-qeR10MvpSFf_fskwQ6F-y6xZPmoOU2FBCc3v-RRu7YTySmJIBNMRzgSOvLkGIviGlkQsuZ1r2gXg/s320/photo+1-744995.JPG" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
But my friend was much more generous:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlpX-_QHlCVl7_l0SuZc4OlrdYke_moIxVAXWWeaP5Xpf8izNTv6R9pICjf0XTjuMjCq-UiPyqigzXewk0egYo1j3ahX-gpDMNiUxfmkx9UhfE-ZzSBX1UHtk_qIJ2wV0lwvBZDBGokE/s1600/photo+2-746372.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774790319127331202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlpX-_QHlCVl7_l0SuZc4OlrdYke_moIxVAXWWeaP5Xpf8izNTv6R9pICjf0XTjuMjCq-UiPyqigzXewk0egYo1j3ahX-gpDMNiUxfmkx9UhfE-ZzSBX1UHtk_qIJ2wV0lwvBZDBGokE/s320/photo+2-746372.JPG" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><br />
PS - Is everyone still watching the Olympics? Can't believe how fast it goes by.Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-7801865165739345572012-07-10T06:28:00.000-04:002012-07-10T07:34:23.561-04:00Using Sketchbook MobileX to write & draw on phone pixSince it's kind of fun to write and draw on phone pix, I thought it'd be handy to do a quick tutorial on using the (currently) free <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-mobilex/id327376639?mt=8" target="_blank">Sketchbook MobileX</a> on the iPhone since it's not the most intuitive app if you're not used to drawing programs in general. BTW, though I use an iPhone, Sketchbook is also available for Android. <br />
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When you open up the app, you get this screen:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguatJ2NeQQ9GqUNMcVqoPfQXp6FGP9BI6bssqqKkB0DZ9hgXY5e_hVu5fAXiLCQnCpZuCV8RxEy-G2yX52rXRqwuupMMF2eRYUm6H9X0Ewg7tMCSFpWC4R00RBxVjYyFS-qFv_Cr9Wbqw/s1600/photo+3-746625.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763488970366979426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguatJ2NeQQ9GqUNMcVqoPfQXp6FGP9BI6bssqqKkB0DZ9hgXY5e_hVu5fAXiLCQnCpZuCV8RxEy-G2yX52rXRqwuupMMF2eRYUm6H9X0Ewg7tMCSFpWC4R00RBxVjYyFS-qFv_Cr9Wbqw/s320/photo+3-746625.PNG" /></a></div>
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Yup, just a white screen with a little cog at the bottom. Hit the cog and a palette of options will open up:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYqVnVrN6VZQPYK7XllupZ_T0_NKHtPQt5rviiSmIZ2ocMKXeveF5WS_5a-7UFdim8QjF7OXhKQ3ziW_Ed6vRW2AG5oRxY4mwMMq6Ln1Mkx7ixNbCV7ERIKDUlQCAm49uPls_XC_O6QQ/s1600/photo+5-749504.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763488982307485954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYqVnVrN6VZQPYK7XllupZ_T0_NKHtPQt5rviiSmIZ2ocMKXeveF5WS_5a-7UFdim8QjF7OXhKQ3ziW_Ed6vRW2AG5oRxY4mwMMq6Ln1Mkx7ixNbCV7ERIKDUlQCAm49uPls_XC_O6QQ/s320/photo+5-749504.PNG" /></a></div>
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The writing/drawing tools (pencil, airbrush, brush) are circled in orange. The color wheel is circled in purple. The layers options is circled in blue. The black arrows are pointing to the Undo (red arrow) and Redo (green arrow) options. And the green arrow is pointing to the option when you want to export your pic to the photo library or start a new sketch.<br />
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To draw on a picture, hit the layers option, and you'll get this screen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fnyqy_bJ6eJD-cPulFnk2siA6a7n6bACJYQfPQJu0seXoFbvS41QnAa46oaaHx09GTBr-VQ3_8G0HAsx2LvlXyP1i3BpDt3vi8SOBQOerZWA8Qa6jMi9WxCI7k9wLpCKxyFit_UASlA/s1600/photo+4-748735.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763488980293593218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fnyqy_bJ6eJD-cPulFnk2siA6a7n6bACJYQfPQJu0seXoFbvS41QnAa46oaaHx09GTBr-VQ3_8G0HAsx2LvlXyP1i3BpDt3vi8SOBQOerZWA8Qa6jMi9WxCI7k9wLpCKxyFit_UASlA/s320/photo+4-748735.PNG" /></a></div>
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Hit the plus sign with the flower behind it to import a pic from your photo library:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRdjEI_fgopkVQ0qNexg-s9IwWDi-Gpa6VWQZodOivIAMbP28bb2701BYZAaSrDFV2AZfLZclHYWOiBRDu1YEF4VIPqwfAPBxzAwlb401f4yum13PAOV-8tm_B0uQKY-TCtGK-Ln9lE4/s1600/photo+1-738988.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763488937850596194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRdjEI_fgopkVQ0qNexg-s9IwWDi-Gpa6VWQZodOivIAMbP28bb2701BYZAaSrDFV2AZfLZclHYWOiBRDu1YEF4VIPqwfAPBxzAwlb401f4yum13PAOV-8tm_B0uQKY-TCtGK-Ln9lE4/s320/photo+1-738988.PNG" /></a></div>
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The pic should pull up in the Layer Editor. Then hit the Back button at the top:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYomnFcPHaA-ak31q1LxKPXl5Vf3yoUEsvlNX8kh-62KRhrTAspfiqu3z3SHLEr8tmMa0wjWvbL_bcKACv34grxpUvoj8W3pIuqVHegv32XxcU9d9atEOvBu0pQQyP1BmZ0G7mjhhwQNw/s1600/photo+2-745686.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763488965379045570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYomnFcPHaA-ak31q1LxKPXl5Vf3yoUEsvlNX8kh-62KRhrTAspfiqu3z3SHLEr8tmMa0wjWvbL_bcKACv34grxpUvoj8W3pIuqVHegv32XxcU9d9atEOvBu0pQQyP1BmZ0G7mjhhwQNw/s320/photo+2-745686.PNG" /></a></div>
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You'll have your pic on your "canvas":<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhZxd36NIguc4URAuqZnTTC3eo-KklqTyoiEVB9zIm5j96agQVkACE1R0T26oVtQJAtQA8RSD9ere9BF4WY-ve0xsWDKTlWJkYCGRfapgXjNcvbQjZPS9KpDgNvcrUwO6ziFbM1I8wXM/s1600/photo+1-778619.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763489111996252642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhZxd36NIguc4URAuqZnTTC3eo-KklqTyoiEVB9zIm5j96agQVkACE1R0T26oVtQJAtQA8RSD9ere9BF4WY-ve0xsWDKTlWJkYCGRfapgXjNcvbQjZPS9KpDgNvcrUwO6ziFbM1I8wXM/s320/photo+1-778619.PNG" /></a></div>
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Hit the little cog at the bottom to pull up your options:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7czai9poHYx_2Emo_G8DJyJnKTadj6gcFZEl15iGn-s1guy6zGFgLbOfqJHj8OqJbjtcu-bUWFomE0p1RIq02Z-AJcywOJ0YBdjNY2aHBbMaaSQIlyTplP7lZ1_wwKAsyd2fPG8i_5bw/s1600/photo+5-785718.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763489137160472034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7czai9poHYx_2Emo_G8DJyJnKTadj6gcFZEl15iGn-s1guy6zGFgLbOfqJHj8OqJbjtcu-bUWFomE0p1RIq02Z-AJcywOJ0YBdjNY2aHBbMaaSQIlyTplP7lZ1_wwKAsyd2fPG8i_5bw/s320/photo+5-785718.PNG" /></a></div>
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Select a writing/drawing tool --it will highlight in blue as above (I selected the brush). Hit the color wheel and pick a color:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5YPJ_G5_nwdhf4MkdMNiPsnBaKwLPtSFYRQHY8Utso1TZ5NSSZjtk13-YQuhKzo_LePIYx-nZ8GAkimrhbQ2op53laQpxEX77tu1ZDATJNYGd_i3o7nCVQHVXvcoaclq2OKZEYFtWds/s1600/photo+2-780704.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763489117423586338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5YPJ_G5_nwdhf4MkdMNiPsnBaKwLPtSFYRQHY8Utso1TZ5NSSZjtk13-YQuhKzo_LePIYx-nZ8GAkimrhbQ2op53laQpxEX77tu1ZDATJNYGd_i3o7nCVQHVXvcoaclq2OKZEYFtWds/s320/photo+2-780704.PNG" /></a></div>
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Now you'll probably want to change the brush size (the default on mine was HUGE). Put your finger in the center of the the center option that's labeled "Brush Properties" and slide horizontally to adjust brush size (sliding vertically adjusts opacity).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUQVXlwiq30TFKUFzUeit2uYyUmfbn3J5ZplI4VrYkejEc0s9t-KlMJDP0n2AWEDdvz3hjXdb2d0bgoE0pUnsW_8LZmUp9pWwOOdtK9CAumgTbezobuJiletY2478PNr_8JoNi0WZRVw/s1600/photo+3-782136.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763489124331551666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUQVXlwiq30TFKUFzUeit2uYyUmfbn3J5ZplI4VrYkejEc0s9t-KlMJDP0n2AWEDdvz3hjXdb2d0bgoE0pUnsW_8LZmUp9pWwOOdtK9CAumgTbezobuJiletY2478PNr_8JoNi0WZRVw/s320/photo+3-782136.PNG" /></a></div>
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Hit the cog (to make the palette of options disappear) and start drawing/writing. If you want to hit the Undo key, you'll have to hit the cog and pull up the palette of options. BTW, hitting the eraser tool here will not just erase writing, it erases the picture--this eraser tool is more handy when you're doing multiple layers. When you're done, hit the cog again and hit the "+" in the upper left corner to export your new pic to save it in the photo library.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA-_y3CFeXOUau0WK1a1lxBqZ_EiUZMcceJYeXHfaQWKjK3MVKaXC00iWjNhMFVv8dkmsZ273PKCMbNi03tuHBXraiQ81PMw_z9z_ZrVYHlHttb0wQGul6n5emtgiNksMrelO9ayPl5E/s1600/photo+4-783754.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763489134587576434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA-_y3CFeXOUau0WK1a1lxBqZ_EiUZMcceJYeXHfaQWKjK3MVKaXC00iWjNhMFVv8dkmsZ273PKCMbNi03tuHBXraiQ81PMw_z9z_ZrVYHlHttb0wQGul6n5emtgiNksMrelO9ayPl5E/s320/photo+4-783754.PNG" /></a></div>
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Ta da! This is the gist of drawing/writing on pictures with Sketchbook MobileX! It may take a little trial and error the first time you're using this app, but it's pretty easy once you know how to pull stuff up and adjust color and size. Play around with it--there's plenty more you can do with this app!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-27160628784347608222012-07-09T22:31:00.000-04:002012-07-09T22:43:40.457-04:00Drawing and writing on iPhone picsEvery once in a while I like to write on pictures on my iPhone. Like this pic could use a little direction or explanation, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivR61fumRPbJay_A1XDuz9w6kLh7-Hcg88jnIUA8eeUQu5ZgCU7drCLa39G06xYjFEg1iRQR094IPVYlVoXglB9nio6MpSHbI3-SAvBslXw46XEr2OsJV0Z1WXCdrIIBNQyPdCfRTe7lU/s1600/photo+1-717003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763316617026329234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivR61fumRPbJay_A1XDuz9w6kLh7-Hcg88jnIUA8eeUQu5ZgCU7drCLa39G06xYjFEg1iRQR094IPVYlVoXglB9nio6MpSHbI3-SAvBslXw46XEr2OsJV0Z1WXCdrIIBNQyPdCfRTe7lU/s320/photo+1-717003.JPG" /></a></div>
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For handwriting, I use <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-ideas/id364617858?mt=8" target="_blank">Adobe Ideas</a> (which was free when I got it last year). Drawing on a pic comes in handy when you want to highlight something:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW9oZQJa9_fz971hM-SKLkxTwj_fVbTiRQDonBuW1art1Kn1BtUEshbvLgeFzHjNZh8fYME5r6Ot2CAy43U4mhxo_CosEivj-SHkyCWRhP-ojtmKi9KOjy-zjy3NLl4bb1KLt8vKn4QY/s1600/photo-710239.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763335486527127570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW9oZQJa9_fz971hM-SKLkxTwj_fVbTiRQDonBuW1art1Kn1BtUEshbvLgeFzHjNZh8fYME5r6Ot2CAy43U4mhxo_CosEivj-SHkyCWRhP-ojtmKi9KOjy-zjy3NLl4bb1KLt8vKn4QY/s320/photo-710239.JPG" /></a></div>
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But sometimes my handwriting (especially on a tiny iPhone screen) can be a bit lacking:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpUfFryAMqmydW06MEVQ2QbsAm607OdM3aX5Umc7trM215_ejQ7p_KOloe5gGrDXxRh6VLgyFWzQeQPnYe5YIVnpFUWMr52deDX6JE34vUAbOWDb8vQwy2scWuxGlAZH-5lYBQVFvEjE/s1600/photo+2-719189.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763316623642379074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpUfFryAMqmydW06MEVQ2QbsAm607OdM3aX5Umc7trM215_ejQ7p_KOloe5gGrDXxRh6VLgyFWzQeQPnYe5YIVnpFUWMr52deDX6JE34vUAbOWDb8vQwy2scWuxGlAZH-5lYBQVFvEjE/s320/photo+2-719189.JPG" /></a></div>
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So I erase the handwriting, save the pic:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzQ4iMakqeEkpI_qRXVCNvsWJl7P8Perh8ZO7RgK5qV0Y0TMjeKHYSl5ks7y_ijybU6M11iB-P5D066B6ra6VXzElkInWYkVnA2PTs8pscIYSOPyzrIa7WxOgb5sihHTAlfr5lyxpseA/s1600/photo+3-720931.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763316632772162402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzQ4iMakqeEkpI_qRXVCNvsWJl7P8Perh8ZO7RgK5qV0Y0TMjeKHYSl5ks7y_ijybU6M11iB-P5D066B6ra6VXzElkInWYkVnA2PTs8pscIYSOPyzrIa7WxOgb5sihHTAlfr5lyxpseA/s320/photo+3-720931.JPG" /></a></div>
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And open it in <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/phonto/id438429273?mt=8" target="_blank">Phonto</a> (which is currently still free) to add text: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLsDA8D-qOvmwwhPj-XdBw4PUyHkjI-07CXubhbyTTmU0NZiwKXSE9NPPh8QC9fLNV8COkaKzzoEYc3NE4WVeJwTgDAPKzl8_LVmkK0Q1wtw5-nunwERaUsIWnXlzny2Sf1L5B5gg4I8/s1600/photo+4-722935.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763316644210734866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLsDA8D-qOvmwwhPj-XdBw4PUyHkjI-07CXubhbyTTmU0NZiwKXSE9NPPh8QC9fLNV8COkaKzzoEYc3NE4WVeJwTgDAPKzl8_LVmkK0Q1wtw5-nunwERaUsIWnXlzny2Sf1L5B5gg4I8/s320/photo+4-722935.JPG" /></a></div>
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It's kind of pain using two apps, but I love the selection of fonts and flexibility (in terms of sizing, color, and placement) of Phonto. It's really easy and intuitive to use and you can even upload your own fonts to it if you want. Plus it's hard to complain when both apps are free!<br />
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Unfortunately, <a href="http://graphicssoft.about.com/b/2011/04/29/adobe-ideas-for-ios-price-change.htm" target="_blank">Adobe decided to charge for Adobe Ideas</a> now and I can't really recommend it simply for handwriting for $9.99. But when it comes an app where you can draw and write on a picture, I've heard great things about <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-mobile/id327375467?mt=8" target="_blank">SketchBook Mobile</a> (which is currently $1.99) for where one can write on iPhone pix (and more). I downloaded the (currently) free "lite" version, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-mobilex/id327376639?mt=8" target="_blank">SketchBook MobileX</a>, and it gets the job done for simply writing on a pix (though I'll say it wasn't the most intuitive when I wanted to re-size the brush):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TYQXZwUUuz1tI-ViAfaCZ1wpip21sQPseeuU2h09z9HB2X-3ZKthzKM7fmaWazQoyjsLYGaYBglzGy2XDseN6ZykCwLenrZCxy572CtDN98scYdnHt7TsT-1mOOIvHcd5j5gcGt-hJY/s1600/photo-714856.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763360844488710514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TYQXZwUUuz1tI-ViAfaCZ1wpip21sQPseeuU2h09z9HB2X-3ZKthzKM7fmaWazQoyjsLYGaYBglzGy2XDseN6ZykCwLenrZCxy572CtDN98scYdnHt7TsT-1mOOIvHcd5j5gcGt-hJY/s320/photo-714856.JPG" /> </a></div>
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If anyone can suggest any cool apps that one can both draw and add some excellent fonts, I'm all ears! </div>
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</div>Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-7152265173240337672012-07-08T07:52:00.000-04:002012-07-08T07:52:00.890-04:00Moonrise KingdomI was excited to see Wes Anderson's latest movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/" target="_blank">Moonrise Kingdom</a>. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265666/" target="_blank">The Royal Tenenbaums</a> is one of my favorite movies. But I think what I love overall about his movies is the art direction of them. I love this color palette pic someone assembled:<br />
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I enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom but I have to say the art direction trumped the story. It was a story of two young pre-teens who "run away" together on a New England island on a stormy night. I did enjoy the performances (especially Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton), but I really enjoyed the look and feel of the film. From the fabricated books and phonograph young Suzy carried around, to the scout camp setup, to Suzy's home, to the fantastic cast of the Noah's Ark play at the church, to the each character's style and makeup, the look was magical and mesmerizing to me.<br />
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I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates unique art direction. Frankly I want to see it again so I can enjoy the it again--so imaginative and inspiring!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-66661820257561481952012-07-03T06:52:00.000-04:002012-07-05T01:53:41.641-04:00Me and You in Draw SomethingStill enjoying <a href="http://omgpop.com/drawsomething/" target="_blank">Draw Something</a>, especially when you get to personalize it. I love this one my friend did of me--I look way cooler in Draw Something than I do in real life:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6pI_YBFCPw0ed3ZmMxBEbAwuUCDp0-5neTeL9_RmZURlAcXRJCmE1LUnYmL3cHxYbYU4MLcnQmIAynpNLSgKkEOk9za1FDLr4FpHh2NDxwL0hPqcnqok7JE-ZZWfcNkrhGbBj5irhuc/s1600/photo+1-760310.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761339397153772930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6pI_YBFCPw0ed3ZmMxBEbAwuUCDp0-5neTeL9_RmZURlAcXRJCmE1LUnYmL3cHxYbYU4MLcnQmIAynpNLSgKkEOk9za1FDLr4FpHh2NDxwL0hPqcnqok7JE-ZZWfcNkrhGbBj5irhuc/s320/photo+1-760310.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tattoo</td></tr>
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Though it seems it's less flattering when I do myself:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1J_WGZ_ShSUMU_OIEr5uxF4MuoZdvIheaJ1QbKeFVFwiEHTcFopQuoyAqOwrpNNqgl0bgWFQT5YH8cvAG8latU9TQW-5_XqTKlGOf7ep0eR0qp8y_gqA23bSS74o0tUNAIX-FEhFnVA/s1600/photo+3-762641.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761339406049575234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1J_WGZ_ShSUMU_OIEr5uxF4MuoZdvIheaJ1QbKeFVFwiEHTcFopQuoyAqOwrpNNqgl0bgWFQT5YH8cvAG8latU9TQW-5_XqTKlGOf7ep0eR0qp8y_gqA23bSS74o0tUNAIX-FEhFnVA/s320/photo+3-762641.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponytail</td></tr>
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Yeesh--not the most realistic self-portrait--I don't even have a blue bikini!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4BuQpUOT0-kZsNl5q1pOEWx5-vQuJQxzX1tpdKhVMBi_TtE_jKhMlbqDVQIXXicyXuAwY1RfzaFtw0QWR1Q2mElgiUj2vwSFjgQB9zC8hw1dx4ljuZMKAY6H0We1p0QHPuNcpJQVOeo/s1600/photo+2-761904.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761339404536873026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4BuQpUOT0-kZsNl5q1pOEWx5-vQuJQxzX1tpdKhVMBi_TtE_jKhMlbqDVQIXXicyXuAwY1RfzaFtw0QWR1Q2mElgiUj2vwSFjgQB9zC8hw1dx4ljuZMKAY6H0We1p0QHPuNcpJQVOeo/s320/photo+2-761904.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikini</td></tr>
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But I do enjoy personalizing it with other friends:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCFb3g9vK6C3d_kmiIAKktSaxyJtO2iXNLfvGJ6LaAD8_muSPQ1O_MHHiRqcCORmLLg-Ghyphenhyphens-cOc4UcVO1LldCA3BvlM07dJ73cDlNCh6ocoJq-8uFsLU4srOg9qgtJSC6qOzrbYdjb8/s1600/photo+4-763452.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761339413529788562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCFb3g9vK6C3d_kmiIAKktSaxyJtO2iXNLfvGJ6LaAD8_muSPQ1O_MHHiRqcCORmLLg-Ghyphenhyphens-cOc4UcVO1LldCA3BvlM07dJ73cDlNCh6ocoJq-8uFsLU4srOg9qgtJSC6qOzrbYdjb8/s320/photo+4-763452.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacos</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golfcart</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tequila</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJHd6qVORsUeBvlOQdGZKOJa5fjlndtyX_sdBzqZ-0BbdOUL5KWtWpBbEhgt0hsZYC2AtEzOFjpxYXyU8mxEeuSldttGA5Xm03KSCURtmyZ1_hP6JM8Z5OFQ7p_lp4EPCFLU2F7HHY9o/s1600/photo+1-775201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761339462872507666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJHd6qVORsUeBvlOQdGZKOJa5fjlndtyX_sdBzqZ-0BbdOUL5KWtWpBbEhgt0hsZYC2AtEzOFjpxYXyU8mxEeuSldttGA5Xm03KSCURtmyZ1_hP6JM8Z5OFQ7p_lp4EPCFLU2F7HHY9o/s320/photo+1-775201.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crib</td></tr>
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When responses are slow on my Draw Something queue, it's fun to get a little more elaborate and personalize these when you get an opportune word. It makes it a little more fun and creative, right?Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-81459635266522421682012-06-25T23:37:00.000-04:002012-07-05T01:53:41.650-04:00Best Dumpster RocksWhen I went to <a href="http://www.ilovenicecream.com/stores/AbboyKinney" target="_blank">N'ice Cream</a> with some friends, there was a dumpster full of rocks in front of it. But the best part was that someone (or some folks) got a little creative with the rocks:<br />
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Pretty cool what a little rearranging will do, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI0WeM6MR01iJabgqD02MEpMG5rbXoNHR1zRuO47ZBW10getnp-my9uhah1oBX4TxTA6rDsk_72Wwl2v1FXXzdDPv6aWoeikU26ylwWdZPVDRy5VODt2RMCD2eK4YjjHGrB6ISOtWMqo/s1600/photo+2-722972.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5761447903714072834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI0WeM6MR01iJabgqD02MEpMG5rbXoNHR1zRuO47ZBW10getnp-my9uhah1oBX4TxTA6rDsk_72Wwl2v1FXXzdDPv6aWoeikU26ylwWdZPVDRy5VODt2RMCD2eK4YjjHGrB6ISOtWMqo/s320/photo+2-722972.JPG" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, they didn't allow taking photographs, but fortunately, they sold a catalog of the exhibit so I could remember some of the great pieces like this one (which was folded from a single piece of paper!):<br />
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If you happen to be in Los Angeles before August 26, I highly recommend a visit. The exhibit itself (and the museum as a whole, frankly) is very doable in an afternoon. The one thing I strongly recommend is wearing layers--we were freezing! Ironically while I was checking the permanent Japanese American history exhibits (great pieces in there--if you're warm enough), a docent approached me and asked if I had any questions. Reflexively I asked him, "is it always so cold in here?"<br />
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He answered, "Well, the air conditioning help preserve some of the artifacts," I nodded, <i>sure, sure</i>. Then he added, "And the afternoon sun can make the second floor warm," I keep nodding, <i>yup, yup</i>. And then he finally says, "And we find that the cooler temperatures keep the visitors moving along." <i>AHA! Mission accomplished, JAMN</i>.<br />
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Anyhoo, thanks to my lovely friend for a great time especially in the warm sun, post-visit!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-9639294425156767872012-05-31T22:03:00.000-04:002012-06-10T20:27:39.404-04:00Les Miserables trailer!Does anybody else get teary when watching the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnLSG5t_dc8" target="_blank">trailer for Les Miserables</a>?<br />
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First, this song by Fantine ("I Dreamed a Dream") alone just gets me teared up. If you're familiar with the musical, this song nails the cruel and harsh realization of dreams and hopes dashed. Abandoned by a lover while pregnant, then forced to put her daughter in the care of greedy tavern owners (who abuse and use the girl as labor), Fantine's life spirals downward as she is fired from her factory job (exposed for having an illegitimate daughter), sells her hair, forced into prostitution to keep supporting her daughter's upkeep, and eventually dies without seeing her daughter ever again. It's a very sad and cruel tragedy that plays out in various ways through history but man, this song just captures the essence of how innocent and pure trust turns to hopelessness when so cruelly abused in greedy, selfish, and merciless hands. I cry EVERY time.<br />
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Second, how much is Hugh Jackman going to KILL it as Valjean? I love him in this role. I can't think of better casting. <br />
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And finally, when I think about the musical and all that it inspires--kindness, mercy, and justice--I can barely wait to see this film adaptation. With the ability to use sets and scenes beyond a stage (which was wonderfully staged on Broadway), I can just see the imagery being more powerful. Can't wait until this movie comes out.Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-82264054940655836332012-05-15T13:14:00.000-04:002012-05-15T13:15:12.269-04:00Duct Tape BeautiesYesterday, I received a late birthday present from <a href="http://1craftymother.blogspot.com/2012/03/duct-tape-inspiration.html" target="_blank">my friend's son</a>--a beautiful surprise of handmade goodness! Check out this wallet--don't you love the gold trim detailing and clear window?<br />
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And this bouquet! The uniformity of size and pattern of the petals and detailed construction are really awesome.<br />
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Totally worth the delay--I love these!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6754470206211384047.post-63542963906726307432012-04-28T23:10:00.000-04:002012-05-15T13:15:12.266-04:00CraftyFeast!Today the girl and I hit <a href="http://www.craftyfeast.com/" target="_blank">CraftyFeast</a>, a craft fair here in Columbia, SC. It was a blast--a variety of vendors and full of inspiration.<br />
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I loved this vendor, <a href="http://www.nanabysally.com/" target="_blank">nana</a>. She makes bags and bibs from vintage and vintage-inspired material--all of it unique and well-crafted by hand. Really lovely and unique bags!<br />
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The girl loved <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ramenneedles" target="_blank">Ramen Needles</a>. For hand-crocheted stuff, her prices are crazy reasonable. And adorable:<br />
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I couldn't resist getting this crocheted fried egg for a <a href="http://www.poundofglue.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fried-egg loving friend</a>. Now she wants toast and bacon to go with it--I told her to check out this vendor's etsy shop--she makes custom items!<br />
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Ramen Needles has a great assortment of hand-crocheted stuff--I highly recommend checking them out for unique and cute gifts.<br />
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There was a variety of humorous and well-crafted welded metal art available by Jamie Chapman/<a href="http://www.happyscraps.net/" target="_blank">Happy Scraps:</a> <br />
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We fell in love with Sparky and brought him home with us:<br />
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We got these adorable <a href="http://www.crankypantshome.com/hand-knit/boo-boo-beastie/index.html" target="_blank">Boo-Boo Beasties</a> (cold/heat pacs) for Velina's little cousins at <a href="http://www.crankypantshome.com/" target="_blank">Crankypants</a>. Lots of cute stuff and very reasonably priced--great gift ideas for those with little ones:<br />
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I had to get this fridge magnet from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/shopnotmadeinchina" target="_blank">Not Made In China</a> (which features goods with a lot of specific North and South Carolina humor) since we live in Rosewood:<br />
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I also picked up the can opener versions of these as gifts for a longtime Columbia resident:<br />
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We also picked up some cool glasses from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PhoenixFireStudios" target="_blank">Phoenix Fire Studios</a>. They feature awesome screen printed and etched glasses as well some screen printed paper goods. They have some really fun motifs and also, very reasonably priced--perfect for unique gifts!<br />
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We loved another vendor, <a href="http://www.limegreener.com/" target="_blank">Lime Green</a>, which featured so many cool re-purposed funky items. Totally cool and inspiring. We had a great time roaming this craft fair--can't wait to hit it again next year!Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18327734374242283279noreply@blogger.com1