Mom Tried It: 12/01/2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

People’s Choice for December 2011

Every week an overall winner is selected for SHOOT.EDIT.SUBMIT. At the end of the month those winners go up for voting. You get the say in who is the winner for the month. Not only is it cool bragging rights, but there is also a prize up for grabs!

The winner's photo will get a free month long feature in the side bar of my blog and Misty’s blog. Which gives them more exposure thus driving more traffic to their blog. Not only will the winner win a free month long feature but we also have some wonderful people sponsoring prizes for our winners each month. This month's sponsor is the lovely Gina from Chic Homeschool Mama!

“I am a 30 something homeschooling mom and devoted wife to a fire chief. I have 3 children - ages 13, 10 & 8. We live in Southern Nevada. I have been blogging for many years now but just recently (about a year ago) really started following my passion for photography. A few months ago I finally upgraded my camera to my first DSLR. It wasn't too long after that when I started searching for a camera strap that really spoke to who I am & had some style too.

I started this shop because I figured I couldn't be the only woman that craved more style in my accessories! I know that many of my photographer friends feel like I do when it comes to personalizing their gear. I hope you find that perfect accessory you're looking for.”

Gina has generously offered any one of her stylish camera straps she has in stock to this month's winner. So if you are one of this month’s winners you need to get your friends to come and vote for you!

If you weren’t one of this month’s winners, there is good news. Gina’s shop is full of beautiful camera straps at awesome prices. I mean, really awesome. SHe honestly understands that not everyone is going to spend $70 on a camera strap. Head over to Stylish Beach Bum to see her fantastic selection of pretty camera straps. Here is a sneak peak at the kind of quality you will be seeing over there:

Voting closes at midnight on Wednesday. Winner will be announced on Thursday.

A Rural Journal

Danelle M Photography

Jaromir Ka

Pioneer Photography

Live, Love, Travel

Friday, December 30, 2011

SHOOT.EDIT.SUBMIT. 12.30.11

Well this is the last SHOOT.EDIT.SUBMIT. of 2011. Can you believe it? It really seems like the year flew by. Don’t get me wring, some days just drug on and on, but the year slipped by so quickly. With the holidays I know everyone has been spending time with friends and family, I know I have. So if you haven’t seen me around visiting blogs, trust me I have been there (sneaking some blog reading in on my phone) I just haven’t been commenting. I have thoroughly been enjoying my kids and husband at home during the break.

Here are this week’s winners.

Maboe

The details captured of the ice crystals is just amazing. Very well done. {Kim}

Pretty Pix

This photo was titled "Serenity Is" and I couldn't think of a more accurate name for this. Incredible details and gorgeous reflections. An overall marvelous landscape. {Misty}

Serendipity is Sweet

I love the creativity of this shot. The composition is nice and balanced. I just kept coming back to it. Nice!! {Kim}

Picking Poppies

Absolutely insane! I mean...wow! This would have definitely been my winner of the week. Everything about this photo is absolutely incredible from the lighting to the reflections...it's all gorgeous! {Misty}

Congratulations, winners! Grab your button!

And this week's #1 winner is:

Live, Love, Travel

Food photography is so much harder than it looks. Jaymi did a fantastic job with depth of field, varying textures, and using the plates and placemats to add geometric form to keep the shot interesting. This looks like it came straight out of a magazine! {Kim}

Congratulations on being chosen as this week's #1 photo. Grab your button! You will be in the running to win a fabulous prize at the end of the month.

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Well, it's time for you to submit your entries! Be sure to grab the button below to include on your post.

1. Photo must be taken this week.(Sat - Fri)

2. Only one entry per person.

3. "Shoot. Edit. Submit." button or a link back to this contest must be on your post in order for it to qualify.

4. Link only to your blog post not your main blog url.

There is no theme, just the shot you feel is your best of the week. I would love to see it, so don’t be shy.

(If you submit a photo you are granting us permission to copy and paste it onto our blogs if you win.)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Saving Money and Buying for Yourself

I have to admit I am not really a resolution kind of girl. I don't like to make goals, either. I am a "just do it or shut up about it" person. I know you are shocked. But so many of my friends are already talking about resolutions and making lists. Every one of them seems to have something in common, too. They all want to save more money by spending less and they want to splurge a little more on themselves.

I think both of these are very good ideas. If you do not treat yourself like you are worthy of time and energy, then how do you expect anyone else to?

It is tough to splurge on yourself while trying to save money, though. I love to shop on the internet. Let's face it, any mom should love to shop on the internet. You are guaranteed not to have the child screaming in the store. Over the holiday season I read a lot about a site called nomorerack.com. Usually when I come across something with that much buzz behind it I get skeptical.

So I checked them out. They really are a pretty neat site. I looked into the nomorerack reviews and the reviews were positive. I will tell you that I have not bought from them yet. But now I am planning to. I have some Christmas cash that is probably going to get spent on something for myself. I am thinking boots, but you don't really care about that.

Nomorerack.com sells closeouts, overstock items, and canceled orders. Their shipping is only $2. Ah, my kind of number! Deals are limited so if you see something you like you should act fast. Turns out one of my blogging friends has been shopping on this site a lot. She has actually bought from them so I know there is not a normorerack scam floating around in cyberspace. We have been scoping out the deals. I could be in some serious trouble with this site. At least they offer a wide variety of items, so I might be able to redeem myself by getting my hubby something, too.

You should check them out and see the site. It does look neat and I am sharing my thoughts from one friend to another. Who doesn't love a site with great deals?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

You all bless me so much. I thank you for your support and inspiration. You keep me motivated and most importantly sane. I look forward to another fabulous year with the friends I have made. Even those of you that just read and never comment, I know you are there and I love that you continue to come back to be a part of my day and my life.

Smile

Friday, December 23, 2011

SHOOT. EDIT. SUBMIT. 12.23.11

Friday always seems to get here in a hurry. Now Christmas is about to be here. If you are blog reading I hope that means you are all set to go. ;) Misty and I had a lot of the same picks this week. It really should come as no surprise by this point. So, check out our choices below!

Snapshots of My Life

The emotion captured in this photo just really gripped me. Great choice of black and white. {Misty}

AJ Kreations

I could easily see this printed. It is a work of art. The soft tones and varying textures make it so interesting. I just want to keep looking at it to see everything in it. {Kim}

Danelle M Photography

This reminds me of an Ansel Adams photo. Snow is a hard to get the white balance accurate on but the black and white contrast is spot on! {Misty}

The Moments in Between

I love the bright colors in this shot. The details that were captured are amazing, too. Jessi put that it is SOOC (straight out of the camera, too), crazy! {Kim}

Congratulations, winners! Grab your button!

And this week's #1 winner is:

Pioneer Photography

Insane details! Almost looks to good to be real. I am amazed with the clarity and sharp contrast. A real stunner!

Congratulations on being chosen as this week's #1 photo. Grab your button! You will be in the running to win a fabulous prize at the end of the month.

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Well, it's time for you to submit your entries! Be sure to grab the button below to include on your post.

1. Photo must be taken this week.(Sat - Fri)

2. Only one entry per person.

3. "Shoot. Edit. Submit." button or a link back to this contest must be on your post in order for it to qualify.

4. Link only to your blog post not your main blog url.

(If you submit a photo you are granting us permission to copy and paste it onto our blogs if you win.)

Remember, there is no theme. Just link up and share your favorite (best) shot of the week. I would really like to see it.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Santa Hat Cupcakes

I love Pinterest. I actually limit myself to only an hour a week because it can suck you in so fast. I saw this original idea on someone else’s board. I modified it a tad, because it seems I must always.

Cut the green off of the strawberry. Stick a toothpick through it so that there is a little on each end sticking out.

Now stick the strawberry on a very lightly frosted mini cupcake. Place a mini marshmallow on the top of the strawberry where the toothpick is sticking out.

Now take some whipped cream and make a ring around the strawberry. Ta-da!! You have a Santa hat!

I made these this morning for my daughter’s preschool class and their holiday party. That is one of the reasons the photos are a tad blah. I had two sets of little hands “helping” me make these. It was still easy, even with their help. I love the healthier alternatives for decorations. There is so much candy around as it is, plus it is super cute.

If you are not on Pinterest and would like to be, please send me an email to momtriedit@gmail.com. I can send you an invitation. But fair warning, it is cool.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Politics and Social Media

Okay, this has nothing to do with my usual posts. I will give you fair warning. But something crazy has gone on in my facebook feed. Most of my facebook friends are friends from back in the day and most are in my home state of Texas. Facebook is an easy way to keep up with each other.

But recently people have been flooding my feed with Ron Paul 2012 buttons. I mean a lot of them. It is their profile and it is social media. They have every right to post what they want. I love freedom of speech and other freedoms that this great country gives us. The sheer number of them is a tad much, though.

I admit, I don’t know who I will be voting for in the 2012 elections. Heck, I don’t even know who I will be voting for in the primary election. I had a candidate that I liked, but he withdrew (for good reason). There are the candidates you like what they say and there are the candidates you think could win. It is a weird situation.

It almost seems like a Texas battle going on. If you don’t know two of the Republican candidates are from Texas. I actually have a lot of international readers here (p.s. I love that my blog gets to see such cool places and connects all over the world, so please keep reading and sharing with me. Love you guys!) so many of them don’t keep up with our pre-election circus.

I am not going to use this as a soap box post, or get off on some political rant. That just isn’t me. You are going to think what you think and believe what you believe. I admire that about you. But can you just maybe post about just once a day on facebook/twitter and not once an hour? Please.

I linked to some sites if you are wondering what kind of stuff they are posting and another to keep up with election coverage. A well informed voter is the best kind.

Friday, December 16, 2011

SHOOT.EDIT.SUBMIT. 12.15.11

It’s here again, SHOOT. EDIT. SUBMIT! Am I the only one that can’t believe next weekend is Christmas? Holy cow that snuck up fast! I love all of the holiday photos that are being shared here and all over on other blogs. You guys are really getting my holiday spirit in full swing. Here are this week’s winners.

Ramblings and Photos

This shot captures the Christmas feel perfectly. I love the softness and glow of the tree.{Kim}

Mumma Made It

Such incredible colors and details! I haven't picked a bug photo in a couple weeks so I'm allowed to pick another bug picture as my favorite. :) {Misty}

Misty and I are both suckers for bugs, too. We both had this on our list.

Living Outside the Stacks

Self portraiture is so hard. I think she nailed it! I love the emotions in this. {Kim}

Homesick

Henrietta always blows me away with her artistic displays within her photographs. Gorgeous! {Misty}

Congratulations, winners! Grab your button!

And this week's #1 winner is:

Jaromir Ka

I love the entire feel of this. The processing is just fabulous. {Kim}

Congratulations on being chosen as this week's #1 photo. Grab your button! You will be in the running to win a fabulous prize at the end of the month.

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Now I can’t wait to see what you are sharing this week!

1. Photo must be taken this week.(Sat - Fri)

2. Only one entry per person.

3. "Shoot. Edit. Submit." button or a link back to this contest must be on your post in order for it to qualify.

4. Link only to your blog post not your main blog url.

(If you submit a photo you are granting us permission to copy and paste it onto our blogs if you win.)

Remember there is never any theme, just what you think your best shot of the week is. I always love seeing the photos that my friends submit, but I do love meeting new people. So stop lurking and join in. It’s fun!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

How to Make a Book Christmas Tree

Let me start off by saying that this is not my idea. I saw this in my December 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I immediately fell in love and knew I had to make it.

This was actually really easy and fast. I used a 145 page book and it took me less than an hour. Perfect for getting some crafting in during nap time.

Things you will need:

Paperback book (about 150 pages)
Glue
Ruler
Binder clip or clothespin

Remove the front and back cover from the book. Fold the top outer corner of the page over across the page. Use a ruler to make the fold nice and crisp. This will help it stay in place, too.

Now fold the paper again across the page. Be sure to use the ruler again to make the fold flatter.

Fold the excess hanging out of the bottom up to make a straight line. I tucked mine inside the fold, but the picture above shows it out so you can see.

When you are done with a page simply use your binder clip or clothespin to hold the pages together. This keeps them out of your way.

After you have folded all of the pages, glue the first and last together. I used a glue stick to keep the glue from seeping through the paper onto other sheets. Isn’t it sweet?

If it looks a little too plain for you this is the part where you can jazz it up. Grab a hot glue gun and some embellishments. I grab some trim and rick rack, but only ended up using trim.

I glued on the trim and ta-da! It is pretty plain and simple, but I like it that way. The magazine suggested using glitter spray paint to give the tree a dust of glitter. I really like that idea, but I wasn’t going to the store just for that. The whole point of this craft to me is to use things around your house to make an awesome decoration for free.

Put your spin and flair to it. I would love to hear from you if you try this. It really is easy. Older children could easily do this, too.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

New Writing Spot

Hey Guys (um, Gals) I just wanted to share with you my new gig. I am a contributing writer for the online magazine Blissfully Domestic. My first article is up today. I will write educational activities for children.

Here is the link to my Christmas themed math activity. I would love it if you swung by to check it out. If you have kids, I think you will like it. ;) It is super versatile and can be adjusted for any age. Can you tell I am a tad nervous?

By the way every month I also write a kid’s craft post for Everything Mom. Twice a month you can see a young child craft/activity of mine at No Time for Flash Cards.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Furry Faces

This week at I Heart Faces is animal faces. Here is a shot of Ranger as he was sitting at my feet while I was shooting some photos of the kids playing outside.

God really knew what we needed after Roxi died. We waited a while and God gave us the kind of companion we got used to with Roxi. Ranger is loyal, playful, happy, and always has a goofy smile.

By the way, his ears don’t normally look like that. He is looking up at me so they flopped open.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Christmas Bokeh and a First

As usual, I am a little late joining up to a linky. Hey, at least I am joining. I have all of these challenges and link ups I want to join, but they just don’t make it on the web by the end of the day.

Last week I took some shots of friends and family for Christmas time. I took some shots of my cousin’s (technically my husband’s cousin, but who cares) children. She just had a new baby. So you guessed it, I did my first newborn shoot! I left their house feeling discouraged because I didn’t think I got many good shots. At that point I was hoping for decent. But, I think most of them turned out pretty good (could just be that my expectations were incredibly low).

Here is a shot of her daughter that I am joining in for Life with My 3 Boybarians Holiday Bokeh party. I got her laughing and she crinkled up her nose. It was so cute!

Those of you wondering what in the world is bokeh, it is the pretty out of focus stuff in the picture. It can be in the front of or behind the focal point. Some pictures use bokeh on the entire image.

Now here is a newborn shot.