(Flowers for New Year’s Eve.)
Wow, this has been a really, really long Christmas break, and this weekend marks the end of it for our family. Ryan returns to work on Monday and the boys don’t go back to school until Thursday, but it will feel good to resume our regular schedule after a relaxing break. I wrote about it last year, but I always feel more reflective in the fall, and September feels like the start of a new season to me, much more so than the beginning of the new year. I’m not big into resolutions, and our family had a few major changes last autumn. Next fall will bring about more, with James entering kindergarten full-time, so things are basically the same until then.
Tonight is brew night and this weekend we’ll take down the Christmas ornaments and stow them away until next year. That’s one chore I always seem to enjoy, and it does feel nice to start the year off with a clean slate. Anyone else feel the same way? Here are a few things that caught my attention this week.
A nine-year-old boy climbed a mountain, with his dad.
“What I learned about freedom from hitchhiking around America.”
On clothing manufacturers’ responsibility to their supply chain.
One couple celebrated their 61st anniversary with an adorable photo shoot inspired by the movie, Up.
And why we love Sherlock Holmes so much. (I prefer Benedict Cumberbatch to Robert Downey, Jr.)
Have a wonderful weekend!
(My new-to-me side table, a lucky Craigslist find.)
So we got our new furniture, which meant a few minor updates were needed for the living room. I decided a round pedestal table would work really well in the corner space between the couch and loveseat, and luckily, the perfect piece happened to be for sale on Craigslist. We picked it up over the weekend and I’m so thrilled with it.
(New succulents waiting for permanent pots.)
Of course, a new table in a window out of the boys’ reach is the perfect place for plants, which I love like my own children. I’ve been hoping to add more indoor plants now that the boys are older, and succulents are perfect for indoor use and don’t need a lot of water. I tend to have a heavy hand when it comes to watering, so I’m learning to be very gentle with the new “babies” I bought at Home Depot on Saturday.
(My Christmas cactus isn’t looking so hot these days.)
Succulents are trendy plants, but I think most of their appeal comes from their interesting shapes and textures, which are quite artful. They aren’t delicate like orchids and African violets, both of which I’ve raised and killed, and they require very little care. I’ve been doing research on succulents here and there, and I decided to add a few to my indoor assortment of plants. I’ve ordered a few from Etsy, along with some pretty pots, and I hope to show those to you once they arrive.
(I rescued this small ivy from Home Depot.)
Since my house is armed against the brutal Texas summers with solar screens, I don’t have a ton of natural light in every room and I congregate my plants in small groups where the sun shines most often during the day. The majority of my plants are at the front of my house, and I’m hoping my new additions in the living room will flourish with the ample afternoon sun.
(Plants at my front door. The larger two are over five years old.)
I think growing plants is a lot like raising children. There’s always a steep learning curve, and just when you think you have something figured out, they go and change on you. But I’m having a lot of fun with their quirky ways and their beauty, too, and I guess that’s part of the fun.
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve, and I wish you a fabulous 2014!
(The light box set-up.)
It’s no secret that I struggle with photography, and Ryan patiently helps me with most of my pictures. He is a much better photographer than me, and for Christmas, he made me a light box using this tutorial. When we opened presents on Christmas morning, I was really confused to receive a desk lamp and then two work lamps, all in a row. But then I opened the third present, which contained the light box, and it all made sense. It was an awesome gift, and since he made it himself, it’s even more special.
(The first picture was too yellow.)
Light boxes, which are like tiny photography studios, are wonderful for photographing small objects, and since we’re having a really wet winter, it’s hard to find a lot of natural light. With this set-up, you can photograph things any time during the day or night without worrying about a bright light source. So Christmas night, we got to work and took a few pictures, just for fun.
(Adjusting the white balance.)
I grabbed a few gifts from my mom, who always spoils me with beauty products, and we practiced adjusting the light and finding the right white balance to make things look presentable. We actually need a brighter bulb for the desk lamp, which sits behind the box, and that will help brighten things up. But it was a fun experience, and I know I’ll get lots of use from my new light box. And Ryan likes to photograph beer for his blog, so he can use it, too.
(The best picture we took.)
Do you use a light box for your photos? I’d love to hear your experiences.
