Back to School Book Week + Friday Photo Love
Since today’s theme for Back to School Book Week is an “anything goes” kind of theme, and since the book I chose to talk about is photography-related, I thought it would be handy to just combine the two related topics into one post.
So here are my favorite flickr photos for the week:
You can click on the photo for full credits.
See that pink flower with the black frame which is in column 5, row 2? That style of photography really grabs me. For those who don’t know, it’s called Through The Viewfinder, or TTV for short, and it’s achieved by taking a picture with one camera through the viewfinder of another camera. Often the second camera is a Duaflex. I bought one on eBay last year and still haven’t tried the technique. Don’t know what I’m waiting for!
So on to my own favorite photo for the week?
Apparently I hardly took any pictures this week at all. The only things in my flickr account since last week are Project 365 photos, and I actually forgot to take one of those on Thursday (oops). So, the pickins are really slim. It’s ok – I really love this image. I was breakfasting outside, set my coffee mug on the patio fence, backed up, and zoomed in on the mug. That’s one way of getting a nice blurry background.
I also tweaked it a bit in Paint Shop Pro. If you hover your cursor over the photo, you can see what the original looked like before I played with it. I straightened the image, gave it a little warmth, adjusted the contrast, and then played with the curves to further lighten and give it a vintagey yellow look.
I’m really starting to get a feel for this post-processing thing. I’ve even created a nice little library of scripts for things I find myself doing often. Fun!
The book I want to share is:
Camera Creative by Chris Gatcum. The cover is less than enticing, but the contents are pretty neat.
The author gives you some old-fashioned tips and tricks (i.e. did you know that you can put a pair of stockings over your lens in order to get a soft-focus look?) as well as some ideas for newfangled fun. There’s a section on TTV photography like I mentioned above, including instructions on how to build the doohicky you need to connect the two cameras (doohickey = technical term).
I was very inspired by the section on High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography, and I played a little with the concept. I have yet to achieve spectacular results outdoors, but like I mentioned two weeks ago, it’s really helped me make the most of the (little bit of) light I have indoors. (And I know I promised to expand a little on that concept and tell you how I do it, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. Hopefully next week!)
There is a lot in this book that I haven’t taken advantage of yet. Which is cool. It should keep me busy for a while. At least until the new Shutter Sisters photography book hits the shelves in a week! I am so drawn in by their aesthetic.
By the way, if you’ve found any of my book recommendations appealing this week, you might enjoy my Amazon A-store. I keep it very up to date with my current reads, and anything that I am bowled-over by gets a spot in the category-specific sections.
Thanks, Eren for initiating a fun week of book talk!
Happy Photo Love Friday!
Back to School Book Week: Fiction Books
How many of you remember when I was digging around looking for podcasts to listen to, and completely forgot the fact the my own husband has a podcast that I never listened to? Ok, well you can file this post in that category, too.
I was discussing Book Week with Neil, wondering what I was going to post about today, given the fact that I haven’t read any fiction in something like five years, and he just looked at me. It was one of those “you are forgetting something very important” looks that he likes to give me.
You see, I happen to be married to the editor and founder of Clarkesworld Magazine, an award-winning online publication that delights in bringing you quality short stories every month in the genre of science fiction. (Notice the word “fiction” there?) Not only that, but the products of my husband’s other venture, Wyrm Publishing, currently occupy my van’s old spot in the garage. Guess what those books are full of. More fiction.
I’ve even read some of the short stories in the magazine. I just seem to have some kind of mental block about it. Just call me Wife of the Year.
I hope I can make up for it today by mentioning that a new issue was published yesterday, it’s free, and you should go check it out.
How’s that, Neil, did I manage to redeem myself?
Back to School Book Week: Non-Fiction Books
I can’t really pick a favorite non-fiction book for Back to School Book Week today. Last year I got hooked on the memoir thing that’s been going around – you know, the “my year of doing something really interesting/noble/crazy and then writing about it” genre? And, well, I’ve been plowing through those books so quickly that they are all blurring together in my mind.
My most recently-completed of these was Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine. And although I don’t think I will be swearing off all non-essential shopping any time soon, I did enjoy the book. The conclusions she drew by the last chapter were not exactly earth-shattering to me, but they might have been eye-opening to the less “mindful-shopper” me of 3 or 4 years ago. It was more of an encouragement to keep doing what I’m doing.
If you’d like to see some of my favorite reads in this genre, I’ve collected a list of them here.
How about you? Any favorite non-fiction reads?
P.S. See Eren’s original post about Back to School Book Week here.
Back to School Book Week: Cookbooks
Today’s theme for Back to School Book Week is “Cookbooks.” I have a lot of favorites (you know I’ve talked about my can’t-live-without bread machine cookbook before) but in terms of my most recent love? That would have to be this one:
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. We’re not vegetarians, but I’ve been slowly reducing my meat intake over the last few years, and trying to enjoy fruits and vegetables more. I felt the need to expand my meatless repertoire this summer, and so I grabbed this book from the library, loved it, and bought my own copy (you might remember this amusing communication?)
This is one hugely thick book – I haven’t even made it all the way through yet. The first part has some useful general ideas, and the second (massive) part is a vegetable-by-vegetable reference that I imagine would be really handy for someone trying to figure out how to use some of the more unusual items in their CSA box. I don’t have a CSA box, but I could always do with a good idea or two that might encourage me to try something new from the farmers market.
So far, I’ve made quesadillas from the book (yum!). I’ve got a handful of delicious-sounding potato recipes bookmarked, too.
How about you? Any favorite cookbooks to share?
P.S. See Eren’s original post about Back to School Book Week here.
Back to School Book Week: Craft Books
I hope you’ll forgive me for posting twice today, but Vintage Chica Eren had a fun idea that I wanted to get in on, and it means a-post-a-day for the next five days. This book junkie just couldn’t resist.
So here’s the deal – in honor of school starting up again (just over a week to go, here) we’re going to talk about the books that we’re loving right now. Each day features a different type of book, and today it’s craft books – a favorite genre of mine, if ever there was one!
I have to admit that this summer has not been as full of crafty goodness as usual, but I have at least been reading about crafts. My most highly-anticipated read has been Alicia Paulson’s Embroidery Companion. I totally want that skirt on the cover.
The book arrived here a few weeks ago, and I really thought I would dive right into it, but I got stalled by a few things:
- I wanted to get my photo-centric Etsy shop off the ground before changing gears, and
- I couldn’t find the embroidery hoops I picked up at a yard sale specifically in anticipation of this book.
So, I haven’t actually done any of the projects yet, but I do gaze longingly at the cover every couple of days. I plan to write up a full-blown review very very soon, but I want to hold off until I’ve done at least one of the projects.
What I can tell you is the photography is beautiful, and the words poetic, in true Posie Gets Cozy style, and even if I never do get around to embroidering my initials on a pillowcase, I will still be glad to have this book in my collection.
Now pardon me, while I go tear my house apart in search of those elusive embroidery hoops…
P.S. Go check out Eren’s original post here, and get in on the action if you like!
Morning Coffee with Elaine Robitaille
Good morning! Today I am happy to present the second of three reader interviews. Grab a mug and a chair, and join me for Morning Coffee with Elaine Robitaille.
Too Aquarius
Elaine is one of a small handful of people who has been actively commenting on my blog since those long ago LiveJournal days. Our mutual interest is polymer clay, and even though somewhere along the line I went from polymer artist to ADD crafter, I’m so happy she’s stuck around.
Q&A With Elaine Robitaille
When and why did you start your blog?
I’ve had a blog of some sort for around 10 years but the current incarnation of my blog, at Tooaquarius, is 4 years and counting. Past the terrible twos. How fast they grow up!
I like writing, chatting and showing what I’m doing. Having a theme to it – in this case, my polymer clay art and business – helps me be more coherent and creative and still get the therapy and networking jolt.
How does blogging (reading and writing) fit in to your daily life?
I read my feed list every morning. Religiously. Some of it indepth, some of it is a quick scan but every morning. So that I’m ritualistic about. And usually before everyone else is up, with coffee cup in hand.
Writing my blog is something I TRY to schedule in but invariably it’s a by-the-seat-of-my-pants thing.
What kind of a reader are you?
I read a lot. Online, offline, books, magazines, cereal boxes, blogs… you name it. For blogs specifically, I read primarily in Google reader. I do visit blogs to leave or read comments but I read the feeds first.
I love the variety you can have with blogs. There are news items in my reader. There are market research (shop feeds for colleagues) ones. There are comic strips. There are blogs by artists I know (like Lisa!) in fields I’m a part of. There are artists, moms, comedians, computer geeks, productivity bloggers, personal finance bloggers, who I read just to fill my brain up with good things.
I also tend to read the corporate blogs of about a dozen sites I sell on or buy from just to keep an eye on my work world.
How important are reader comments to you?
I would blog without comments though I love comments. Discussion is important. Networking is important. I am a reclusive craft-geek and at my worst I am downright hermit like. I find that blogging is good communication.
I try to comment on a few blogs every day though I find it too easy to just read and move on. I watch people without talking, too. Working on that.
In what ways has your involvement in the blogosphere enhanced your life, if any?
oh boy! The short list: I’ve met many, many customers at shows who found me through my blog so that rocks. I’ve met friends I made online through blogging. I’ve been picked up for promotions, product testing, gallery showings, classes because I am a reasonably prolific blogger.
Most humbling though, is that I’ve been able to see that I have a nice chatty spot in a whole world of nice but different chatty spots and that all of this talking, chatting and visiting will truly shape the world. It is hard to hate or even to really dislike people once you learn about them and get to know them. And the blogosphere brings that right to you.
If you could only visit three blogs today, what would they be?
Boringly then, because I read the “”work”" related ones first:
- Polymer Clay Daily by Cynthia Tinapple
- The Storque, Etsy’s mix of articles
- The Art Bead Scene
Do you have a theme or a reason to blog? Like are you a tech blogger or a mommy blogger?
I blog about my work as a polymer clay artist. I try to keep my personal life sort of as the side notes. I try to keep my technical work out of it for the most part. So the bulk of my blog is craft related to keep it cohesive.
Just like you’ve found some of the good of the blogosphere, have you noticed negative aspects?
Sometimes the blogosphere is like any group of highly opinionated people (given that bloggers are going to be people who have opinions AND the willingness to express them). It’s loud. It’s rude. It can be mob-like. Rumours get spread. It amplifies the worst parts of gossip and blaming. And once you write it, it’s out there, so your reputation follows you.
Thank you, Elaine, for taking the time to answer my questions! It’s been fun reading your answers and recognizing some of my own tendencies in the habits you describe…
Want more? You can find Elaine in the following places:
- Blog: Too Aquarius
- Artfire Shop: Too Aquarius
Friday Photo Love. and gadgets.
I’m feeling like some kind of addict for the last week or so – I can’t get enough of widgets and gadgets and refreshing my pages… it’s getting out of hand. So, I’m just going to show you my favorite photos for the week, point you to a few of the widgetey things you might want to know about, and then turn this computer completely off. Usually I just leave the laptop on, and walk away from it. Today, I think it requires an actual shutdown to keep me honest.
I don’t know what it is about this week, but I almost feel the need for a social networking 12-step program! Geez.
Maybe it’s the crisp air these last few nights & mornings talking, but I see some colors of fall creeping into my favorites… Note to self: a vase of late summer wildflowers would really hit the spot – maybe some zinnias?
My own favorite photo for the week:
I don’t really know why I like this one so much – I took it on a day that felt gloomy and gray, one day in a string of several rainy days, but I don’t get that dreary feeling when I look at it. It has a softness to it, and yet the raindrops on the leaves are still crisp.
Ok, so quickly before I cut myself off here, these are a few things you might want to know about:
- A new “sharing” area at the bottom of each post. I attempted to include the most obvious social bookmarking options, but if your favorite is missing, let me know. You can also just hover over the green ShareThis button, and it will give you a larger list of sharing sites.
- I added a Google Friend Connect gadget to the sidebar. I don’t know if any of you use that regularly on other sites, but if you do, it’s there for you. At least, it’s there unless I decide it is being under-used. Then it goes. That sidebar real estate is precious!
- I am thoughtful lately about Facebook’s role in my life. I’m leaning towards less is more, at this point, and a personal page should be a personal page. In that spirit, I decided to create a separate fan page for this blog. If you read Polka Dot Cottage via my Facebook profile, and would miss it if it went away (which it likely will), then you should “like” this page. Actually, any of you who are active on Facebook (whether you have friended my personal profile or not) are welcome to like Polka Dot Cottage on Facebook.
Ok, that’s it. I am going to obsessively reload this page for 30 minutes waiting for comments and seeing if anyone added themselves to the fan boxes. Er, I mean I’m going to shut down the computer and do something in the Real World.
Definitely the second thing I said. Probably. Maybe? Definitely. I think.
Argh. 
Peek-a-boo!
I never showed you the photo books I made earlier this summer, did I? Fresh from our annual Ocean City trip, Flickr’s “Print & Create” tab sucked me in and forced me to have an album of our adventure printed and delivered to my doorstep. I was powerless to resist, I tell you!
It was kind of a rush seeing my photos in print – I rarely have printed anything since switching to digital when Eamonn was an infant – and before I knew it, I was having another book made. This time a baby book for Eamonn. Yes, I know the poor boy is seven already, I just never made the time to do it before.
Anyway, those two books whet my appetite and got me thinking about all of the other albums that would be fun to print: family photos (an album for every year since going digital), my project 365, favorite blog photos…
I like the two books I got through Snapfish via Flickr just fine, but I recently came across Picaboo, which kind of blew me away a little bit. Want to see a few pages from the book I ordered from them last week? It is here already!
Unlike the other online photo processors, Picaboo has software that you download in order to create your book. I like this a lot better than the online interfaces I’ve used elsewhere. It’s nice to work locally, I think, and speedier. Plus, it seems easier to take your time and do it in bits and pieces – a few pages today, a few pages tomorrow. It’s nice not to have to do it all in one sitting.
I was curious to see how some of my favorite blog photos from this year looked when blown up to 8×10, so for this book, I filled each page with a single large photo.
If I had wanted to, though, I could have fit several photos on a page, and arranged them in any number of ways. The software has very few limits in terms of layout.
It all strikes me as so very versatile, with something for all skill levels (and levels of patience!)
I am so thrilled to have this book full of some of my favorite blog photos from the past year! And here’s the coolest part: it was free. Yep. Picaboo has a coupon right now for a free 20-page photo book. You do still have to pay shipping, but even so, it feels like a bargain.
I’m a happy customer, and I definitely plan to make more books, starting with a family album for 2009. I’d really like to make one for every year since we went digital, but I plan to work backwards and take my time with that.
By the way, the coupon expires on August 31st, which is less than a week away, so if you think you might like to make a photo book, you should probably hightail it over there.
And on a completely unrelated note, thanks for sharing my van experience with me yesterday. I’m happy to report it was only the glass of the window that was affected, and I’ve already had it replaced. Whew. I’m out a few hundred dollars, but we’re all safe and sound, and no longer have a precarious branch hanging overhead!
Damage Magnet
Remember the infamous Huge Tree Uproots Itself and Deposits Branch Through Van’s Back Door event from 2008?
Or how about 2009′s laugh-a-minute escapade, Distracted Driver Plows into Van’s Recently-Replaced Back Door?
Well, allow me to present, brand new for 2010, If I’d Only Parked a Few Inches to the Left, I’d Still Have a Passenger Side Window.
Ah, yes, the tradition continues. I’ve never known a vehicle to sustain so much damage so often merely by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This was the scene shortly after a craaack/THUD woke me at 4:57am. That’s a sound combination that we’ve come to easily recognize around here as the shedding of tree limbs, and is almost always followed by someone uttering the words, “I hope that didn’t hit the van.”
These van damage posts are starting to become such a predictable series that perhaps I should consider making a sidebar button for them. Geez!
Cold-Press Coffee, or, How I Reclaimed Some Precious Counter Space
I recently took my coffeemaker off of the counter top and regained about a square foot of space. In my kitchen, that’s a big deal. It’s not that I’ve given up coffee – I still have my morning cup most days – it’s just that I’ve found a new way to make that cup, and it is about as low-tech as it gets: cold-brewing.
I make mine a concentrated strength. Add 1 part of the concentrate to 2 or 3 parts boiling water, and you’ve got a deliciously smooth cup o’ joe. The usual methods of dripping and percolating can bring out bitterness in coffee, but cold-brewing keeps bitter flavors at bay. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to use the resulting concentrate in cold drinks (it is the middle of August right now, after all). Add it to cold milk, throw in a couple of ice cubes, and you’ve got a nice iced coffee. Blend it with milk, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup, and you’ve got a simple Frappuccino substitute. Mmmmmmm!
Gather your supplies
First you need coffee, naturally. I just recently discovered Equal Exchange, and my first order showed-up yesterday. It’s fair trade, organic, and it saved me a trip to the grocery store. What’s not to like about that? You can, of course, use your own favorite brand. Course grinds are recommended, but I often ignore that with no ill effects aside from the occasional specs of coffee grit in my cup. This current batch was made with Equal Exchange Organic Breakfast Blend, and it was quite good.
You also need a french press. I have a Bodum Brazil 8-Cup
Cold brew your coffee concentrate
Put about a cup of grinds into the press, and then fill the rest of the press with cold water until it’s about 3/4 full – just enough to leave some room for the plunger.
Stir the grinds with a plastic or wooden spoon until they are all wet. Put the plunger on the press, but only push it down until it reaches the water, no further.
Put the press into the refrigerator and let it sit 12 hours or so. It’s not an exact science. I have left mine for less and for more. Different steeping times result in different strengths of concentrate.
Process the concentrate
Once the steeping is complete, press down the plunger as far as it will go. This will trap the grinds on the bottom of the press while letting the brewed coffee flow freely out the spout. Fill up your coffee cup about 1/4 of the way with the concentrate, and pour the rest of it into an airtight container.
Label the container so you know what type of coffee is inside, and add the date, just so you know when it’s over-the-hill. Keep the container refrigerated, and discard the contents after two weeks. (Tomorrow, you’ll take the container out of the fridge and pour about a quarter cup of the concentrate into your mug, just like you did today with the freshly-pressed stuff.)
Enjoy your cup
Add boiling water to the concentrate in your mug, and there you have it – a piping hot cup of cold-pressed coffee. Add whatever it is you usually add to your coffee to make it palatable (I’m a whole milk or half & half girl, myself) and enjoy!
This process really has improved my morning coffee experience, saved me counter space, and made it super easy to whip up a frozen coffee drink cheaply and on demand. I also imagine that it will be useful during get-togethers. Having two containers of make-ahead concentrate in the fridge (one regular, one decaf), requires me only to boil water – something I do anyway for the tea-drinkers.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you tried something similar? Have any tips? Have a great recipe that requires cold coffee? Leave them all in the comments!
P.S. My thanks go to whoever it was that tweeted about this article, which led me to this one, and got me interested in trying this cold-brewing thing in the first place.
