Today I met up with Traci Shupert, a VERY talented photographer I met this summer at a photowalk in Chicago. I’ve been following her adventures this summer and was instantly drawn to her crisp, clean images.
We met up today for a mentoring session. It was so great to be able to talk about light and aperture, shutter speed & ISO without sounding geeky! She had so much to share and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from her!

Cate and Claire, for the most part, were willing models. Cate more than Claire, but what else is new? When I ran out of Phineas and Ferb fruitsnacks, Traci saved the day with orange Tick Tacks!

Here are a couple of shots from our time today! I had such a great time. Thank you, Traci!

This little man is certainly one of the reasons I don’t have much time these days.  Puppies take a lot of love and a lot of attention.  He’s a bright spot in my day and I love having him as a part of our family.  And look at that face…what’s NOT to love. 

I’m entering Coop’s mug shot in the I Heart Faces “Pets Only” photo challenge.  This week’s judge is actually a teen who happens to be a pet photographer.  

Enjoy! 

http://www.epiphaniebags.com/#/details-red/

Check them out!

I love this coat.  It was Cate’s and Claire has sported it well.

I’m fairly certain of this fact.  I’ve never “won” anything before.  Never. Ever. 

I enter contests almost weekly, via my favorite blogs.  Nothing has ever come of it.  Until now, baby!! 

I won the “Compositor” from Moirai Tools, a cool website that provides creative tools to be used with Adobe Photoshop.  The Compositor is a unique tool that allows you to create different layouts for storyboards, collages & photobooks. 

The contest was hosted by Two Photogs, a fun website for someone like me.  I love the contests, tips, tricks and collaboration they provide.  What a great site!

I can’t wait to play with this tool a little more, but here’s a quick look!

Actually, that’s not true (just a little fib).  Frankly, I don’t like iceberg, EXCEPT in your conventional wedge salad.  I ONLY have romaine or spring mix on hand, ever.  This weekend was no different, and I found the romaine to be a worthy substitute.  It was just as crisp, if not crisper and I think made for a nice presentation.   You be the judge. 

The “Unconventional” Wedge

Blue/Bleu Cheese Dressing

4 oz crumbled blue cheese (I love Maytag or Roquefort)
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 buttermilk or milk (use to get it to the consistency you like, this can be more or less depending)
2 tsp apple cider or WHITE balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste, blue cheese contains salt)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Crumble blue cheese in small mixing bowl.  Add ingredients as listed and stir to combine.  Let marry in the fridge for about one hour before plating the salad.

To Assemble the Salad:

1 head of romaine (Washed and shaken, per the instructions below)
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
2 slices of bacon, rendered crisp and crumbled
1 T blue cheese

Take one romaine hear and trip the bottom end and cut it in half lengthwise.  Holding the lettuce so it stays nestled together, run it under cold water to clean.  Holding it tight, give it a good shake to rid excess water.  Top the clean lettuce with dressing, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

Enjoy!

Seriously.  How am I supposed to show this face boundaries?  Discipline?  Forget it.  You rule the roost darlin’, there’s no denying it.

I just finished my second piece of this little tasty treat.  The first piece I ate yesterday, warm, fresh out of the oven and fresh off its photo shoot. It was whispering to me…. “Just one little bite”.  I got’er done.  The second piece I ate tonight, at room temperature and I must say it was just as good.  Possibly even better.  The chocolate had a chance to solidify and just seemed more dense than yesterday’s slice.  Heaven, I tell you.  Pure Heaven.   

I had a pie very similar to this once in my youth and clearly haven’t forgotten it’s exsistence.  I found a recipe from a Nestle Classics Cookbook and decided to give it a try.  I put my own little spin on it, opting for the refridgerator pie crusts, a few more chocolate chips, substituting walnuts for pecans (cheaper!) and a little vanilla and salt. 

Chippy Pie

Ingredients:

2 Pillsbury Refridgerated Pie crusts, with some dusting flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Steps:
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Take both pie crusts that come in the package and layer them one on top of the other, making sure they are aligned perfectly.  With a dusting of flour on the countertop and on your rolling pin, roll the crusts out to fit (generously) a deep dish pie plate. 
Gently transfer the pie crust to the dish and gently fit it to the plate.  Using the technique of your choice, create the top edge of your crust.  I like the “one knuckle, two knuckle approach”, but that’s just me. 

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.  Could take 1-2 minutes of beating on high.

Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter.

Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.  Or, eat it a day later, with your hands, over the sink.  Up to you. 

Enjoy! 

I’ve joined this photography community for both amateurs and professionals alike, called I Heart Faces. Every week they host contests with varying themes, but almost always incorporating a human face. It is a great community to find tips, techniques and otherwise random facts about photography. For me, it’s a great source of inspiration as I learn more about my new camera and photography in general.

This weeks theme is texture. Cate was feeling a little under the weather when I took this shot and had wrapped around her, the blanket that Grandma Barb crocheted. I added a texture I found on a Flickr group that adds a really subtle texture and sort of sets the mood at that moment in time.

Enjoy!

This girl makes my heart flutter. She makes me so proud…on a daily basis, this girl. She’s my girly girl and my goofy girl. She lights up my days with her smile and her song.