Little Miss Drama Pants

a hot asiany mess

I Am Not Amused


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Simplify

I find myself wanting to get back to my minimalist roots. Keep only what is necessary and useful. Get rid of anything that is unused or excessive. (Yarn stash exempted.)

I Am Not Amused

To be more like my animals. Loving unconditionally and with absolute faith. To always be happy to see the people I love. And to show it without reserve or fear.

You Want to Pet Me

And definitely more napping. If I have learned anything from my animals, it is that you should nap often. Even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Smiling

I should focus on the good in my life and not dwell on the negative. I am blessed. I should stop and reflect on that more. And most of all, to be content.
Now… Who wants to come over and do my laundry?

Uncropped


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Shooting in Full Manual Mode

I took my second photography class today in which we learned to go full manual mode. It was scary-awesome. Our instructor, Andrew, was really good and was great at critiquing our shots and giving helpful and useful information on how to take a better shot. I think I’d like to take another advanced DSLR class. I feel like I’ve just hit the tip of the iceberg, but there is no substitute for getting out there and actually shooting. So I think I will do both. We’re headed to the beach soon so that will be an excellent time to practice what I’ve learned.

But you want to see pictures, right? Well, here is a shot I took in the class today.

Uncropped

Uncropped

Exposure:1/4000 sec
Aperture:f/1.8
Focal Length:50 mm
Exposure Bias:0
EVISO Speed:200
Flash:Off, Did not fire

Andrew said this was a good shot, but it would be even better if I cropped it. So I cropped it. And you know what? He was right.

Empty Chairs

Empty Chairs

Both of these classes has brought one thing home for me. Well, two things.

  1. Every picture should tell a story.
  2. Lighting is everything.

So when I got home, I took some shots of my favorite subjects. The Animals.

Charlie

Charlie

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Off, Did not fire

I have mixed feelings about this shot. I can’t decide if it’s “warm” or just too yellow. I think it may be a little to washed out, though.

Chelsea

Chelsea

Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/2.5
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 100
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Black cats are so hard to keep clean when they lay around outside.

Chloe

Chloe

Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Off, Did not fire

She still hates you and is totally plotting your death, just as soon as she finishes her manifesto.

Cody

Cody

Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Stoic dog is stoic. Also, he is completely unimpressed with the camera despite constantly getting right up in it. If it doesn’t pet him, Cody is not interested in it.

Feet

Feet

Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/2.5
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Off, Did not fire

OMG, puppy feet are SO CUTE! And smell like corn chips. This is Cody in the depths of despair because I will not put down the camera and JUST PET HIM ALREADY.

Next up? I’m getting a wide-angle lens. This one to be exact. And it should be here before we head to the beach. This beach trip will be EPIC.

Dog


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Spoiled Pooches

A couple months ago I got the dogs new dog beds from Molly Mutt. These two dogs can go through some beds. Cody has chewed through every bed we’ve gotten him and Charlie can stink up a bed like nobody’s business. I think it’s because his hair is so short. Doggie BO. Whatever. Anyway, I did some research and discovered Molly Mutt. It’s a bit of an investment. I won’t lie. So I waited until she had a Black Friday sale and purchased the two beds below. I got a small DIY kit that comes with 2 duvet covers and one interior stuff sack and just added a second stuff sack to my order so each dog would have his own bed.

Dog's Life

Duvet Covers (L-R): Conversation 16 & Title Track

It is really a genius idea for several reasons. First of all, you use household items like shirts or socks or stuffed animals you were going to toss out and shove it into the stuff sack and essentially treat that like a duvet. Then you stuff the stuff sack inside the duvet cover. Everything about this bed is washable. Everything. That is genius. Second of all, everything you stuff in the sack is going to smell like you or someone in your house which the dogs will find very comforting. Three, you don’t ever have to buy another dog bed ever again. (Theoretically.) Molly Mutt FTW!

I gave the dogs and the beds a month to see how it would go. Turns out it went extremely well. So well, in fact, that I decided the boys needed two more duvet covers and upgraded the crate covers we had (boring, bland beige numbers you can see here) to the pretty black and white (Glory Days) ones in both these pictures. Which, by the way, are also washable. MORE WIN!

Molly Mutt Duvets

Wildcat Dog & Mr. Roboto Duvet Covers (L-R)

By now, Cody would have completely chewed through his dog bed and would be methodically pulling the stuffing out. But with the new bed that smells like family? No chewing. EPIC WIN!

I know you can’t tell from these pictures, but we have these stuffed pretty thickly and as the dogs lay on them, they flatten out, but are still nice and cushiony. There’s no issues of the filling all getting pushed to the sides of the bed and being hollow in the “center” or wherever the dogs lay the most. And yes, we crate our dogs. They love it. Cody will get in his crate all on his own to go to sleep. Charlie prefers to lay on top of a pile of pillows like the little emperor he thinks he is, but he’s happy to get in his crate. Especially when there are treats involved. It’s their safe and designated space. It’s especially handy when Charlie gets super OCD and won’t stop barking. We can tell him to crate up and lay down. He can’t really bark when he’s laying down and then we flip the top tab down so he is completely enclosed. He is laying down and can’t bark and because he can’t see out, has no stimuli. He calms down pretty quickly (for him) when we do that. WIN WIN.

So anyway. Now they keep the chewing and tearing up of things to their toys.

Doggie Carnage

SIDEBAR: Why is it that they can take toys out of the basket, but can’t figure out how to put them back in the basket? Is it because they’re boys? /SIDEBAR

Charlie


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The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Not that kind of gift, you perv! The best Christmas present I’ve gotten in a very long time has been my new DSLR camera. And it’s kind of like the gift that keeps on giving in that I keep getting things for it. Last night, my MIL gifted me with a new lens. She got me the EF 50mm F/1.8 II. I’ve been playing with it all morning and I really get why it’s so popular.

Here are some of my favorite shots so far.

Charlie I Love This Dog LOOK! Bobbing for Toys Sulky Chloe Concerned Chelsea Ornament #1 Ornament # 2 Ornament # 3

I still have LOADS to learn about white balance and capturing colors better. I did a little editing in Aperture with some of these photos, but I need to learn how to use that better as well. Luckily I’ve signed up for two classes on how to use my camera better with Chimpsy. One class in February (intro) and another in March(intermediate). I’m really looking forward to both of them. After that, maybe I’ll probably sign up for a class for Aperture.

Now, I really need to get my ass in gear and go bake some cookies.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

SQUIRREL! TV


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More Knitting, But with Dogs

Last weekend I spent the majority of it on the porch with the dogs while I finished up knitting and seaming a baby sweater.

SQUIRREL! TV

SQUIRREL! TV

HOARDER

My Little Hoarder

They had a blast watching the Squirrels! and just being dogs in general. Can you tell Cody used to be a stray? He has a tendency to hoard and steal treats.

Seaming

Seaming Trellis

I enjoyed being out on the deck, listening to my audiobook, knittingseaming and capturing the moments. Also, two tv trays and a large blocking board can make for an excellent workspace outdoors. I can’t tell you just how much I love my deck.

Doggehs

Perfect Afternoon

The dogs love it, too.

Not too long after that, I went to Chicago for work and also a baby shower. For which I made this swaddling blanket and Trellis.

Trellis

Finished Trellis on Swaddling Blanket

Buttons!

Cutest Buttons on the Planet

The presents were a huge hit.

Then on the way home from Chicago, I ended up sitting across the aisle from another Raveler whom I may have stalked from time to time, Elliebelly!

Elliebelly

Elliebelly!

All in all, it was a good, albeit tiring week. I’m glad to be back at home; I feel mostly caught up on sleep and I’m really glad to be with my family.

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