Super Flash Extravaganza BM 1.0 Flash Attachment

Problem:

1) I’m cheap. I don’t really like spending money on stuff unless I really need it.
2) When I take pictures, I want them to look as good as possible.
3) I live in an apartment whose lighting resembles that of a cave.
4) The built in flash on any camera is anything but flattering.
5) I’m a dork and I like to build things from household parts that function less efficiently than product they are trying to replicate.

Easy Solution: Buy a flash. This violates rule number one and five, therefore this solution is not viable.

Dorky (but cheap) Solution: The Super Flash Extravaganza BM 1.0 flash attachment. This little gadget will give you soft lighting for your indoor pictures using the built in flash. It resolves every one of the above problems. Not only that, but it is sleek and stylish.

The results: Here are three pictures with different flash settings.

No Flash: The natural light looks good, but the shutter speed is slow and the ISO is all the way up to 1600, making it both noisy and blurry.

Standard Built in Flash: As expected, the shadows are harsh and the lighting is very unnatural.

Super Flash Extravaganza BM 1.0 Flash Attachment: Soft natural lighting without the noise or the low shutter speed issues.

Not too bad. I wouldn’t say that it can replace having a solid flash, but for pictures taken in my cave of a home with a low white ceiling, it works quite well. Costing a total of a few cents, basically to cover the cost of hot glue, there’s no real harm if I happen to lose or break this thing.

Oh right, here's a picture of it. Notice the modern sharp edges.

Cat's Meow?

Not quite the same...

In Just 18 Years

can you tell who's who?Of course, add a few of these too:alright, well ok 4 of them aren't Smith grandchildren (cousins and Stam grandkids), but you get the idea.

Time Flies!

Dressed for a Wedding

My little sister, Marissa's, wedding that is. Her colors were cobalt blue, cornflower blue, and yellow. There was A LOT of sewing involved in this wedding. Very very little of it was done by me. All Marissa's neices present had coordinating dresses, so I can't take credit beyond having sewn together Elyette's.
Elyette with her closest cousin, Callie (they are 6 weeks apart). Callie's mommy, Elisa (my sister), made her dress. Aren't they sweet! --ha I'd like to point out that Elisa not only has a newborn, but also made her 3 other daughters dresses and had them all done before I even started Elyette's :). You go wonder woman!

This is what I made for me. Nothing fancy here, just straight from the pattern in pale yellow eyelet, add a cobalt blue ribbon, and viola! I look like part of the wedding :). It was surprisingly comfortable and served me well with all the running around I did in it (Boz and I did the photography- um, I should say are doing the photography. We're still in the editing process, hence the reason I haven't done a single post on her wedding yet.)

Slimsterina's Tutu

There was plenty of work to get done during naptime yesterday, but what did Elyette's mom do instead? Made her a tutu...

So if ever you are feeling bored and don't feel like cleaning or whatever it is you need to do, pop in a chic flick (or listen to a conference talk online- for a more uplifting day) and whip up a tutu. Of course you'll have to have tulle lying around (from your daughters last birthday that you never got around to using) and some elastic or ribbon. NO SEWING NECESSARY!

Click here for a tutorial like the one I did with elastic. (its the same with ribbon, just don't sew it in a circle. Use about 3 yards and tie it on around your little ones, or your :), waist). I also used a softer tulle and cut the strips 3" wide, alternating colors (gives it a more curly wild look than stiffer tulle).
hmm...so my laundry room/patio isn't the best for photo ops, but hey.

"on pointe" prep?

A Weekend without Mom

Up to no good?

HUGE Kudos for how good the kids looked for church daddy!

Although I'm not sure about the perscription glasses.

getting loopy?

Are those tanning goggles?

I'm just amazed they were wearing clothes at all.

I wonder what wasn't photo documented? :)