Fiskars Craft

Take More Pictures in 2012

Designer: Katrina Simeck

Difficulty rating: Beginner

Taking photos has become second-nature to me. I’m dutiful about taking my camera to kid’s sporting events, school activities, and holiday celebrations. I even manage to snap pics of favorite foods, craft projects, and cute outfits. Despite all of this clicking, I sometimes wish that I had an easy way to track the must-have photos for each month of the year. If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to take more pics, check out these ideas for organizing your picture taking prompts-

Schedule your Photo Ops

Use Google Calendar to schedule photos throughout the month. Google allows the option of color coding your calendar entries, so you can choose a color to dedicate to your photo ideas. Adding the photo as an appointment ensures that you get a reminder on the day that the photo is due.

Create Crafty Reminders

Rolodex files – change tabs to months, and write a photo prompt on each card. The benefit of using rolodex cards is that you can move repeating prompts to the next month. For example, you may want to include a self-portrait and a family portrait every month.

Tag book – especially useful if you carry your camera bag with you often. You can use a binder clip to attach this tag book to your bag.

Office décor – use a small frame or easel to feature each month’s photo list. You’ll be more likely to complete each month’s list if you have daily visual reminder! (Tip – to create sparkling snowflakes, punch from cardstock, then spray with adhesive. Sprinkle glitter onto punched shape while adhesive is still wet.)

Participate in Challenges

Photo challenges are abundant on the internet. Whether you want to target a photo-a-day, 12 per month, or photos timed to children’s milestones – you’re sure to find a list of photo ideas with a quick search. One advantage of participating in challenges is having a group of people motivating you – think of it as working out with a buddy, but using your camera!

Feature your Photos

Taking a lot of photos can quickly fill up your hard drive, and leave you wondering “now what?”

Start the year with a plan – choose your favorite photos from each month & move them to a favorites folder. At the end of year, have a photo book printed that includes all of these pics.

Create a layout each month that highlights your photos. Many photo editing programs come with an option to print multiple photos in contact sheet format – doing so allows you to include dozens of photos on one layout.

Invest in a digital photo frame to easily sync your photo display. You’ll be even more motivated to keep clicking when you can see the results of your efforts.

Need even more ideas on how to use your photos? Check in with Fiskars.com every month to see how our designers are getting crafty with photos and Fiskars tools!

                                             

Card 7 with Lyn

How are you going with all the Card Sketches?  Have you found them helpful?

This week I'd like you to take another photo of something you love.....could be anything.....a person or object maybe something from around the home.......and then create a Card with the pic to give to someone......just to show you another way of designing a card if you don't have a sketch to follow!

Here's my card....

I took this pic of this gorgeous plant that grows near our back verandah.....I adhered it to some plain white light weight cardstcok.....next I punched out the butterfly from some paper I had in my stash...using the Fiskars Seal of Approval Squeeze Punch.

Lastly....I Journaled on the front with my White Gel Signo Pen...straight on top of the photo!!!

This is such a fun but quick way to create a unique card for someone......using your own pics and supplies from your stash........why not have-a-go today!!! If you really like the pic you take....why not run off another few copies and then make a few more cards using perhaps a different Punch on the front and maybe another patterned paper.

   xoxo Lyn

Sad it's finished

Just sharing a few more pics I have taken in this last week of my Photography Course...these were both taken in Manual Mode.....I have submitted these for my final photo critique in this last week.... Do you know what this next pic is of?

I'm going to miss the interaction of my Group...it's been a HUGE learning curve for me to finally get OFF AUTO MODE on my SLR camera.....but hey.............I did IT!!!

Now I just need to keep practising what I have learnt to make sure it sinks in......LOL!

xoxo

Lyn

I've learnt so much

Hi everyone, Just popping in to say how much I have been enjoying my on-line Photography Course the past 7 weeks.....I have one week to go.....I have learnt so much more about my SLR Nikon D40 Camera.....and have enjoyed taking more pics of Sam(grandson) using Manual Mode.

I even managed to get the Catch Lights in Sam's eyes in the pic above....

Manual Mode allows me to have more creative control over my pics.............and I love that!!

I am so glad I decided to learn how to use my camera OFF Auto Mode....it's been a HUGE learning Curve for me......but a great Journey!!! Can't wait to try out my NEW Camera Skills when we head overseas in July/August!!!

This has been my challenge for 2011.....to improve my Photography Skills.....do you have something that you would like to challenge yourself to learn for this year? Leave a comment below here telling us all......maybe it's to learn to sew,knit,crochet,make cards,embroidery,journaling,etc,etc.

Please share with us!!

 

xoxo

Lyn Dwyer

 
 

Calendar Layout by Robyn

REMEMBER last year when Dawn Stan started the Calendar Challenge....well Robyn Wilkinson has sent in her October Calendar Challenge Layout .....don't you love how Robyn has included so many pics from the month of October 2010.....

Robyn has also designed the Blog Banner that we have up the top of our Blog for this month......cute hey!

xoxo

Lyn

Getting more creative with my pics

Hi everyone,

Well I'm half way through my Mastering Manual Mode Camera Course and am loving it! This week we are playing around more in Aperture Priority Mode and taking pics on different planes......I took this pic of our wind chimes out the back with my camera tilted..... I also used my new Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens.....loving it.....

I'm starting to really understand my SLR Camera now and just what it really can do....still have plenty to learn.....I'm baby sitting Sam(grandson) tomorrow so I'm hoping to do one of my Assignments by taking some portrait shots.......mmm.....might be interesting......LOL!

Do you have a SLR Camera? Do you use AUTO all the time? I must admit I had been using AUTO most of the time until I started this Course 4 weeks ago......and I think it's fair to say that  my pics are now improving...... I would highly recommend taking a Class at Big Picture Scrapbooking.....the classes are so well organised and the Tutors are very passionate about what they are teaching!!

There is so much support,videos,audios,daily emails -photo tips and fun assignments......this is an 8 week course but the beauty about doing it on-line means you can pace yourself and do the assignments and field guides at your leisure.....with me working 3- 4 days each week at the WATERGARDEN until end of March.....I am often doing things at night or early morning before I head to work....so it's perfect for me!

 My added incentive is of course being able to take great pics in Manual when we head overseas in July!

I'll post some more pics soon!

xoxox

Lyn

He lights up our world

Thought I'd share this pic of Sam (grandson) I took last Sunday when I was baby sitting him.....he looked so darn guilty .....I sprung him about to fiddle with the TV cord.....LOL!...What ME Nana?

Sam is now 17 months....hasn't the time flown by.....? We have him again next week for an over night stay.....he is such a lovely child to look after.....he occupies himself really well...loves to chat and absolutley adores Picture Story Books..........we might just have a few of those in the house.....LOL!

 

xoxo

Lyn

Getting off AUTO MODE - yeh!!!

Just popping in to share a few pics with you all......I am in Week 3 of my Mastering Manual Mode Photography Course at Big Picture Scrapbooking On-line Classes and loving it......even shouted myself a new lens for my Nikon D40....it's a little beauty 50mm f1.8 lens so I can take pics at a smaller Aperture now...I'm still learning....but at least I'm now starting to GET IT....you know ....ISO,F-stop(Aperture) ,Shutter Speed .....and what does what....LOL!

I'm also teaching myself how to use my GIMP Photo Image Program...it's a FREE Program...not as versatile as Photoshop though.....but it's FREE!

I love taking pics of our garden but I also need to take some pics of people....so that can be my task for the rest of the week.

I'm having fun learning though....just need another 24 hours in the day at the moment!

So what do you think? I'd love some feedback .......this is my little TREAT to MYSELF to start the year!! I want to be able to get the best out of my SLR Camera when we head overseas in July! 

 

xoxo

Lyn Dwyer

photo Card share from Robyn

Hi guys,

I have been playing with a few ideas and making cards with my photos. This photo was taken at a mate's place and I manipulated it a bit with Photoshop and then printed it as a standard 6 x 4 print.

To make the card I grabbed my cardstock, using my trusty Fiskars trimmer, I cut my card and scored it,

I also used my trimmer to cut about 5mm from each side of the photo, I like it to look like it's matted, but you could make your photo fit your card to fit it perfectly. I ran my stazon ink pad around the edge of the photo to give it an edge, added some ribbon and the tag and it's done.

Why not take some photos of your favourite flowers and make your valentine a card from it. I would love to see what you come up with.....I will be back with another idea soon

Robyn

ANZAC Day Poetry

Grandpa, What Did You Do In The War?

I’d been mowing the lawn and pulling some weeds, and slipped inside for a breather
I picked up the paper and turned on the news, not paying attention to either
When my grandson came in with a look on his face and a question that hit me full bore
An innocent question, no intention to hurt, “Grandpa, what did you do in the war”?

My skin went all creepy, I had sweat on my brow, my mind shot back fifty years
To bullets that thudded and whined all around, to terror, to nightmares, to tears
I was crawling through mud, I was shooting at men, tried to kill them before they killed me
Men who had wives and children at home, just like mine, just like my family.

“What did you do in the war?” he had asked, a question not meant to cause pain
But it brought back the horrors I’d left far behind in a deep dark recess of my brain
I remembered the bombs being dropped from the planes, the explosions, the screams, and the loss
Of a friend - or an enemy - but a life just the same, replaced by a small wooden cross.

The visions attacked me of tramping through jungles, hot and stinking, with leeches and flies
Of orders that seemed to make no sense at all - of distrust, of suspicions, of lies
I lived once again all those terrible storms, the dysentery, fever, the snakes,
The blisters that lived with me month after month, all those blunders, and costly mistakes.

But how could I tell the boy all about that, ’Twould be better if he didn’t know
It’s a part of my life that I don’t talk about from a good half a century ago
So I gulped, took a breath and tried to sound calm, and bid him to sit at my side
Then opened my mouth to say a few words, but the tears welled up and I cried.

He cuddled to me with a look of concern, and I mumbled of feeling unwell
Then took hold of myself, blew hard on my nose, while I thought of some tales I could tell
“What did I do in the war,” I began, then the stories began tumbling out
And they flowed with such ease I felt better again, and got over my pain and my doubt.

I told him of how I had made many friends, how I’d trained and had gone overseas
Made a joke of how seasick I’d been on the way, almost dirtied myself when I’d sneezed
I told of the joy of the letters from home, of the hand-knitted socks and the cake
That I got for my birthday but three weeks too late ’cause it went somewhere else by mistake.

We talked about mateship and what it had meant to trust someone else with your life
And of when I came home to my family again, to my kids, Mum and Dad, and my wife
Of the crowd on the wharf, the bands, and the pomp, and the pride I felt in the parade
But I’m not ashamed that I hood-winked the boy, a decision I’m glad that I made.

He can grow up without seeing fear in my eyes, or know of the terror I knew
For he’d not understand - and neither he should - all those memories that hit me anew
But maybe some day when he’s older than now, I will tell him what war did to me
But with luck he won’t ask me ever again, about wars that never should be.

Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook has written this poem as a tribute to the fallen and the returned. For many years Jeff has recited at least one of his poems at the ANZAC Day Commemoration Service at his home town of Minlaton in South Australia.

Photo taken at our schools ANZAC parade last year.

Lest we forget.
 

ANZAC Day Poetry

With Anzac Day being honoured this Sunday, we thought we would share some Anzac poetry with you.

There is some lovely meaningful poetry that would be perfect alongside ANZAC day photos that most of us would have in our photo collection from School and Community ANZAC Day parades.

 
   

A Tribute to ANZAC Day

With their hair a little whiter, their step not quite so sure
Still they march on proudly as they did the year before.
Theirs were the hands that saved us, their courage showed the way
Their lives they laid down for us, that we may live today.

From Gallipoli's rugged hillsides, to the sands of Alamein
On rolling seas and in the skies, those memories will remain.
Of airmen and the sailors, of Lone Pine and Suvla Bay
The boys of the Dardenelles are remembered on this day.

They fought their way through jungles, their blood soaked desert sands
They still remember comrades who rest in foreign lands.
They remember the siege of old Tobruk, the mud of the Kokoda Trail
Some paying the supreme sacrifice with courage that did not fail.
To the icy land of Korea, the steamy jungles of Vietnam
And the heroic battle of Kapyong and that epic victory at Long Tan.

Fathers, sons and brothers, together they fought and died
That we may live in peace together, while at home their mothers cried.
When that final bugle calls them to cross that great divide
Those comrades will be waiting when they reach the other side.

by Ken Bunker

Debbie Buckland begins her Quilting journey

Hasn't Debbie Buckland done a fabulous job of her first quilt? Debbie lives in Christchurch,New Zealand.

Thank you for sharing with us all your quilting journey Debbie!

Here's what Debbie had to say:

"Since there are so many lovely quilts and sewing projects going up on the blog I would like to share with your the baby quilts I've been doing for underprivileged babies. They will be distributed through my church to the appropriate families. All fabric on the top is donated to me via various means. Inners are either polar-fleece or sweat-shirting given to me. Backs of the quilts are either old table cloths or duvet covers cut down.

The green/blue one is my first quilt ever....

The colourful quilt is my second...

my aim is to do ten this year...

Planned out 3 more this morning.... I've found another addictive craft!!!"

What fabulous Quilts Debbie and what a wonderful thing for you to do for others!!

Debbie also used the Fiskars rotary cutter and Donna Dewberry square ruler to cut up all those squares and strips.

She said that she spent many  hours cutting up all those squares.... 8", 6" and 5" with 2.5" strips and 2" strips for binding fun fun fun

xoxo

Lyn

Twenty ten...bring it on!!

 

Hello :0))))

 

I hope your Christmas and New year were all that you hoped :0)

Our traditional chrissy at the beach was enjoyed by our family and as we speak is still being enjoyed with just under 4 weeks still to go down here at the caravan, spoilt and loving it!! ;0)

The weather has been perfect up until last night of course!! What would New Years Eve be without copious amounts of rain to see the New Year in, not to mention the wet season!! However our spirits were not dampened and a fine time was had by all:0)

I haven't been doing any paper craft while i'm away, but have been taking lots of photos, so thought i would share some, might inspire you to get the camera out and start snapping and maybe even scrapping!!;0)

 Amongst other things, one of my goals this year inspired by the lovely Ngaire Bartlam is to take an image a day for each day of 2010. It is something i WILL do and have started with my first one for 2010.  A walk up the beach to find amongst other things this....

wild hibiscus 01/01/2010 

If you would like to check out Ngaires pics you can do so by clicking here.....Ngaires 365 image a day, from 2009 . Have a look, might inspire you to get some creativeness happening in the new year.

I have put together a collage also of some happy snaps taken over the last couple of weeks.

The vivid blue sky against the sand and rainforest background just NEVER ceases to amaze me down here, love it :0)

Enjoy your new Year.

Hope you are finding time to enjoy the little things that make each day special.

A :0) 

Well colour me Happy....................Pink

Okay how are you coming along? Isn't it amazing where you find the colours, are you noticing that you look for it everywhere, lol!! 

Well our second block of colour is none other than

PINK

 

So you have from today, Wednesday 5th until Saturday 8th to chase the colour PINK. 

Remember post it on your blog and leave a comment at the end of this post or if you don't have a blog email me your photo so that i can pop them onto the Fiskars blog and at the end of our 4 pink days i will create a photo collage like the one above of pretty pink photos from everywhere!! 

My email in hanigans@bigpond.com .

My pink photo for today is...

 

..this bromelaid from around our pond, which has a gorgeous pink centre.

Happy shooting

Annette :0)

A photo a day

HI,

I haven't been playing along really- but I not long ago got a new camera- and I heart it :) It is a Nikon D 700 and it is amazing. We also got carried away and bought 2 very expensive but awesome lenses. These being the f2.8 70-200mm zoom and a f2.8 24 - 70mm mid range zoom. Oh my goodness talk about 2 very heavy lenses lol. But I am loving the results- just need to work out how to be a good photographer now lol

Anyway I wanted to share this shot i took of Molly at the Park the other day. It could probably be cropped a bit - but i wanted to share it just the way it is :)

HAppy day to you all

:0

Love SHell

Dawn's Photo A Day

How's everyone enjoying the photo a day. I have been busy taking photos but a little slack in sharing them.

My photo a day is based on images taken around my home. I want to remember appliances, ornaments etc and and snippits of what surrounded us at this stage in our lives with a teen and tween.

I have started printing my photos off and adding them into my book. You can find Annette's instructions

here,  

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I'm tempted to continue a photo a day each month. How about you?

Cheers, Dawn

Photo a day - 23rd April

Yay I made it back today!  Today we spent the day watching the kids sailing... just for a change LOL!  This is a regatta on the river in Perth and the kids are competing as teams for their respective schools.  The weather in Perth took a drastic turn to winter today so we froze all day and the wind was a little heavy for some of the smaller children.  Emily didn't have a good day but Haydn and his partner did quite well. 

We have another day of sailing tomorrow and then just for a change we will have sailing again on the weekend for the Anzac Cup... stay tuned for more of the same!

Miranda's photo for today was this:

"At our friends house today, and thought how beautiful this flower was!!!"

Not long to go now, I'd love to know how many people we have playing along with us.  E-mail your photos to me at kgeling@iinet.net.au.

Kim ♥

Photo a day - 20th April - 22nd April

Oh geez you will all be ready to sack me!  I am keeping up with the photos but just not getting a chance to post them here.  Once again I'm really sorry!

My day on Monday was a real let down.  We had planned to meet friends at the zoo for a long overdue catch up.  After spending ages looking for a car park and then over 20 minutes in the queue to get in the door we finally met up with our friends.  The kids wandered off for a while then came back for lunch but shortly after lunch Taylah came back crying that she was feeling ill... After sitting her quietly for a while and seeing no improvement we had to cut our zoo visit short.  I was most upset that I didn't get to see a singe animal (the seagulls in the picnic area don't count).  I only took about 5 photos so this was the best of the bunch...

Tuesday the 21st was a big improvement, we dropped Taylah at a friend's house to play for the day and the two bigger kids and I headed in to the city.  Haydn had an appointment in the afternoon so we decided to make a day of it doing lunch and some shopping.  Emily was the person who scored the most from the shopping and was very happy with her purchases but these were her absolutely favourite!

And that brings me to today.  Emily and I are both fighting off a bit of a cold so we had a quiet day catching up on some housework and relaxing.  This is where Emily spent most of the afternoon, tucked up on the couch reading a book...

Here is another photo from Miranda, this one for day 20:

"Can you tell I have done nothing today??? Well domestic stuff, but I thought
tonight... OH NO!!! What type of photo can I take for today??? Well, this is
what I have been doing today, so this is what you all get to see, yet
AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! (sorry)"

Thanks everyone for being patient with my tardiness.  I'm going to challenge myself to really get back on track for the rest of the month so feel free to slap my wrist if I am late posting again!  While you are at it why not send through your photos!  Leave a comment with your link or e-mail them to me at kgeling@iinet.net.au.

Kim ♥

Photo A Day - A Catch Up...

Oooops I'm so sorry everyone!  It has been a totally crazy but super fun weekend and I've just had no time for posting here.  My biggest apologies to anyone who has been following this challenge.  I hope you've still been taking your photos!

On Friday we went out at 5pm to collect our girls from their friends' house and ended up having a fantastic night drinking wine and eating the yummiest BBQ noodles on the balcony overlooking their pool. It was such a warm balmy night, quite unusual for April!  I didn't have my camera with me while we were out so I snapped a quick shot of my three kids playing (for 5 minutes) with Haydn's lego after we came home.  It was after 10pm hence the very quick time span!

On Saturday my DH and I had some big decisions to make so we went out alone.  We had a look at a display home that we like and Tom asked me to take a photo of the pool so he could remember something at a later date.  The photo had to be taken with my i-phone but I'm quite impressed with the quality...

And finally to catch me up to date tonight's photo was Taylah and her friend outside just before dark.

I have received photos from Miranda for the past few days - thanks so much Miranda and I'm so sorry I didn't get to post them sooner for you!

April 18th:

"We went to a 2 yr olds birthday party today... Lots of messy, sugary fun!!!"

April 19th:

"My reflection in my new ipod, which finally arrived 2 months after my first

one was stolen..."

Robyn has also sent through her photos and what a fantastic job!

Thanks so much to everyone who is playing along - we are on the downhill run to the end of the month now and your albums will be looking awesome!  Don't forget we'd love to see your photos!

Kim ♥

Photo a day - 16th April

Today I finally got around to taking a photo that I've really wanted to do for such a long time.  Before I show you I'll just fill you in a bit on the story behind this shot....

This fellow has been sitting on the side of the road, not far from where we live, for as long as I can remember.  We have lived here for 9 years and he's been sitting there since long before then.  I've often wondered who looks after him and have never seen anyone near him although every now and then he does have a change of clothes... sometimes dressed as a scarecrow, sometimes as Santa, other times a workman - you get the picture.  Well yesterday I drove past him with the kids and my son noticed that this fellow was now dressed as a fireman.  With the huge fire that went through last weekend the poor thing was a bit singed and blackened but he seems to be in good spirits regardless.  I realised that I actually felt sad that the fire could have destroyed him!  Isn't he just gorgeous???  Yesterday he actually had on a fireman's hat but today when I went back with the camera he had changed his hat to this very glamourous purple hat...

Miranda sent through this gorgeous photo for today:

"In the eyes of a child!!!"

I hope you are still taking photos!

Kim ♥