5 Fandom Friday

Skipped last week, but back on board with The Nerdy Girlie and SuperSpaceChick’s fun link up! This week’s topic:

Smart Phone Apps I Can’t Live Without!

This is actually a bit tricky for me as A: I haven’t had a smartphone for all THAT long, and B: I don’t do a ton on my phone. Therefore, most of my most used/fave apps are pretty run-of-the-mill boring. Hopefully I’ll find new ones from other people’s posts!

1. Instagram. Not too shocking. It’s about 50% of the reason I GOT a smartphone (you can judge, it’s okay 😉 ). I love scrolling through pics, and I love sharing pics. Also, my little loves to scroll through the #catsofinstagram tag. Not even four, and already a cat lady.

2. Afterlight. One of the few apps I’ve paid for (I’m cheap about apps!). I love to take and share photos, even though my phone camera isn’t the best. Since I’m used to using the latest version of Adobe Lightroom to edit my regular pics, Instagram’s editing options just weren’t cutting it for me. I tried this app after reading about it on a post from My Life As A Teacup and it’s great. Definitely recommend if you want a phone photo editor.

3. Pinterest. I use Pinterest on my phone more than on my computer. It’s such a great time waster, but also can be really helpful!

4. Meow Meow Star Acres. I’m still hopelessly addicted to this game. Yup.

5. IMDB. Is that a weird one?? Well, I use it a lot! My friends and I like to discuss movies at length, especially after watching something we’ve never seen before, and I am always whipping up IMDB to look up one thing or another. Most recent use? Finding out who voices Shining Armor on MLP – he sounded so familiar yet I couldn’t put a face to him. Turns out he was on an ep of Supernatural, which is probably why I know his voice.

Life In Photos #31

A very small (and child-centric) photo post this week. The last few days I have felt quite awful (ironic as I’m getting my flu shot tomorrow!) and I didn’t snap too many other pics this week. Luckily my little seems to be doing fine, and Halloween wasn’t interrupted!

My little was so excited Eli let her pet him for a few minutes! He tends to stay away from her, but lately he’s been warming up quite a bit!

We finally got a new bookshelf for the living room!! YAY! The project is still only partially complete as now we need a smaller shelf for all my little’s books, and then we can transfer our old bookshelf to our bedroom. Even though it’s still a work in progress, I’m so excited to have a new shelf, and have much more organized book storage than the massively over-crammed system we had going on before.

And of course, pics of my little in her costume! She had a blast trick or treating and I’m so glad the weather stayed ‘warm’ for it. By warm I mean mid 40s, which is pretty good for late fall New Hampshire, especially since today it never crept above 35. Anywho, she loved her costume! This was the first year she picked what she wanted to be 100% on her own, and she was not disappointed. I think she made a very good ‘queen riding a unicorn’. 🙂 I love how the front hooves of the unicorn move when she walks, so it looks like the unicorn is walking too. All in all, costume success!

Clockwise from top left…

1. We had our first D&D session last Sunday and it went great! Plus, I finally found a use for this notebook I love. I play a Druid, and she rocks. 😀
2. Eli was much obliged to participate in snuggles for National Cat Day last Wednesday!
3. The hubs and I had a day together for a round of Christmas shopping, and we were planning to eat out for lunch. The day was so nice we decided to literally eat out, and snag our TGI Friday’s to go so we could have an impromptu riverside lunch date.
4. The little and I attend a once a week nature/environmental class and last week we got to see the pet turtle devour a worm! They kind of just glom it in like a big thick spaghetti piece. Enjoy that mental image. 😉

Today has been a day of sickness unfortunately, but it has been really nice to just laze around with my little (the hubs is judging a Magic event today!). I hope your Halloween and weekend were excellent!

 

Life In Photos #30

It’s been a rather off week on the blog! I missed yesterday’s 5 Fandom post, and only put up one other post during the week! Yikes. I’m blaming the five days straight of rain we had. Ugh. I don’t mind a rainy day, but a full week of rain just makes me want to sleep until it’s over. Also, because of all the rain, I hardly took any photos this week. I find that when we’re around the house I take so many fewer pictures. Looks like I need to get back in the swing of things next week!

Last weekend (before all the rain showed up!) we took a walk around the neighborhood. I love this tree! My little just couldn’t resist the giant leaf pile waiting at the base and had to take a running leap.

She spent so much time lining up all her stuffies just right and really wanted me to snap a picture! So cute.

We whipped up some sugar cookies and then had a decorating party yesterday! She liked spreading on the frosting, but sprinkles were definitely her favorite part.

Clockwise from top left…

1. Our jack-o-lantern turned to mush already (curse you, rain!) so we had to snag a new pumpkin for our little. She picked painting instead of carving, and made this free form ladybug.
2. I let my little pick out one of those quarter prizes from the grocery store machines, and she got this grow-in-water lobster. It started out so cute and quickly turned terrifying haha! It looks like a face hugger from Alien.
3. The finished products of our cookie decorating!
4. I have been doing SO much plush sewing! I’ve since finished getting all of Princess Luna’s pieces cut out, and started her stitching.

Today we are having our first D&D session with the group we put together! I’m excited. It’s been about ten years since I’ve played D&D, and I can’t wait to jump back in. Hope your weekend treated you well!

Life In Photos #29

A week ago we went to the Sandwich Fair and my little met the most content, relaxed bunny I’ve ever seen in my life.

We also saw this absolutely fantastic breed of chicken. New life goal: attain afro chickens.

While reading outside one afternoon, this teeny tiny little bug landed on my book and, even after some gentle prodding, refused to budge. I had to blow him off to avoid smushing when I turned the page!

We took a walk at sunset and I attempted to have an impromptu photoshoot with my little…after a million silly faces I gave up. Sometimes it’s just not happening.

However, walks at sunset are now my new favorite thing as the fall leaves just look so extraordinary! So while the photoshoot with my daughter didn’t work out, I did get some fun fall themed shots!

I found an excellent reflective window (see below for the fabulous schoolhouse said window is from) which made for a fun selfie! I like how the cobwebs and window dust almost give it an old photograph feel.

This old schoolhouse is right next door to my apartment, and I have always found it to be so creepy! Definitely creepy in a good way, though I wouldn’t be caught dead near it at night by myself. I definitely want to come back here in different light and take some photos – it just screams haunted house to me. Although I don’t know when it was originally built, it has been in use since the 1800s. It was restored back in 2011, but the inside has so many class photos from the 1800s and 1900s which to me just adds to the creep factor! Chalk it up (HEH schoolhouse pun) to too many horror movies.

I think this is my favorite edit of the day. I really wish I could get that chain link fence out of there, but my PS skills are just not that good. However on the whole, I love the light hitting the tree leaves, and the paled out school house in the background.

Clockwise from top left…

1. Eli sits like such a proper gentleman kitty sometimes!
2. I’ve started the My Little Pony plushes for my little for Christmas. Coming along nicely!
3. We made some yummy fall Rice Krispie treats. This was my first time making them – I used to hate them as a kid!
4. Drafted four more patterns of plushes for Christmas presents. So much to do!

We were originally supposed to do our yearly family photo shoot today, but it is a cold and rainy mess outside, so that’s been postponed! Instead, a day of lounging and playtime awaits!

Life In Photos #28

Sunsets up in the mountains are so beautiful.

We had our first class for the fall session at Prescott Farm this week (read my thoughts on the spring class here!) and my little had to get in some bird watching before class began.

SQUEE!! Look at that little face!! This was the first time I’d ever seen a praying mantis so up close (one of my friends had it on her leg!). It started out all cute and innocent looking….

…..but then got quite grumpy and started air boxing haha! Cranky praying mantis.

We decorated for Halloween at the beginning of the week including decking out my little’s room with pumpkin lights.

And in my favorite news of the week, my little miss is no longer afraid to carve pumpkins!! In previous years, we’ve always had to paint pumpkins as she insisted that we couldn’t carve because “it would hurt the pumpkin!” which I actually thought was totally adorable. Plus, shocker, I love to paint so that was a plus! But this year, she wanted to make a jack-o-lantern! It was a team effort – I gutted the pumpkin, she drew on the face (with a bit of help for the teeth 😉 ) and then the hubs carved it. I really wish it hadn’t been so dark so I could have snapped a pic of her face when we first lit the candle. She thought it was amazing!

Clockwise, from top left.

1. I made mini apple crisp pies! There will be proper photos and a post coming soon!
2. Edgar loves to snuggle on the arm rest of the couch.
3. Made three batches of homemade tomato soup – yum!
4. More shading on Mr. Cumberbatch here. There’s even more done now (you’ll see on WIP Wednesday) – he’ll be complete soon!

Today we’re off to a fair, and I can’t wait to take more photos!

Life In Photos #23

Full disclosure – this was a crap week in pictures for me. We had plans EVERY SINGLE day of this week, and my picture taking took a backseat to running around and having playdates and such. All of these pictures are actually from the same day, the one day we managed to take a long walk together!

These lovely purple flowers looked excellent adorned with morning dew drops.

About a fifteen minute walk up the road from us is an adorable little farm. We see the owner walking all the time, and last time she let us know that they have a new baby donkey, and we should just let ourselves in the gate and go visit! I was just as excited as my little. Mama is up front, baby is to the right and Daddy is to the left. Just look how fuzzy that baby is!!

The donkeys were so friendly, nuzzling right up to us, and letting us pet them. Mama (pictured here) was all about getting some attention! The baby was a bit skiddish, and tended to stay close to mum or dad. But eventually he(she?) warmed up too.

My hubby actually took this one for me. I am terrified of spiders, but I definitely can appreciate their value and even yes, sometimes, beauty. I love the yellow and black contrasts on these orb spinners. . .however I was NOT trudging into spider laden territory to get this shot. His back was away from us, so my wonderful hubs climbed up the bank to snap a picture for me. I wish it had been closer, but the angle was really awkward, and I didn’t have my zoom lens. While my hubs isn’t afraid of spiders like me, he wasn’t about to get too close either!

Clockwise, from top left. . .

1. We started our Labor Day morning with pancakes.

2. This little moth decided to join me in a late night painting session.

3. The hubs was out at the MTG Judge Conference this weekend, so we spent Friday and most of Saturday at my bff’s place. They have a great park to go to!

4. I’ve posted lots of book photos as the September edition of Books and Cupcakes Book Photo Challenge is in full swing! The prompt list is below – hop in and join the fun with #booksandcupcakes #bookphotochallenge, and (if you’re taking part in it) use #novelteabookclub to share your snaps with members!

 

Life In Photos #21

I love taking morning walks with my little miss, especially as the weather cool and autumn approaches. Watching the sun silhouette the tress is such a lovely way to start the day!

She loves to collect feathers we find on our walks. We love walking up to a little farm nearby, and she trades feathers with the woman who owns it! So cute.

Love these little flowers – they grow everywhere along the roads up here. And so fragrant for such tiny blooms.

Spotted this growing over a rock wall and it was so beautiful! I love the leaves that look like lily pads.

All our carrots were ready to harvest this past week! They turned out great. Some were a bit tiny, but most of them were about 5-6 inches long and very hearty. Yum!

It’s been awhile since I posted some black and whites! I have a few from this wagon ride (though this one with the hubs pulling and her laughing face makes me smile the most!) but I didn’t want to bombard you with all of them. I’m thinking of going in and putting the red wagon back in color – I love reds that pop on a black and white photo!

Going clockwise…

1. Love my snuggle cat.
2. It is so fabulous that my daughter is old enough to do art WITH me, meaning we can each work on an independent project together. On this particular day, we took over the table with collage things and my paints!
3. Milkshakes were a spur of the moment fabulous decision.
4. Yesterday we took a trip to Boston to visit my brother and take my little miss on her first trip to The New England Aquarium! Expect a photo-heavy post on that this week.

 

Life In Photos #17

This series is supposed to be posted on Sundays, but lately it’s been totally random! Luckily, all our major weekend trips are done for the year, so I can start getting back on schedule with it!

My goal this year was to have my little not be afraid of bugs. She was terrified of them in spring. Now, she’s a bona fide bug lover! At least of ‘non-bitey’ bugs, as she calls them. But if it’s a beetle, butterfly, or caterpillar, she adores it. She is constantly building little bug shelters out of sticks, leaves, and grass for her bug friends!

Building sweet block castles for her dinosaurs!

We saw this cloud while driving, which I totally think looks like a bull charging with his head down. Do you see it? Or something else?

She loves to ‘read’, and I am adoring her being of the age where she knows stories by memory! It’s so cute listening to her read to herself.

A caterpillar friend she found while camping on our annual family reunion this weekend.

Going clockwise…

1. My little has been practicing her writing lately. Not bad for three and a half!

2. More radishes ready for picking! YUM! I love adding them in to tuna salad instead of onions. Adds great flavor!

3. Saga. So in love with it! My awesome neighbor has lent me the first two, and I can’t wait to read the third!

4. We took our first raspberry picking trip last week! So much yummy goodness – raspberries are my absolute favorite fruit!

 

Life In Photos #16

Since I have an Instagram that I post to quite regularly, I’m adding in a new section to Life In Photos. Check it out down there!

I finally hung my Funko POP! shelf! I say finally as I’ve had this shelf sitting on the floor of my living room for a good two weeks. Why? I couldn’t decide if I wanted to paint it or not. I love the plain wood, but it matches nothing in our living room…but since nothing in our living room actually matches at this point, I decided to keep it plain for now. I can’t wait to have more full size POPs for it. The litte Star Wars guys are actually mini papercrafts – they came in a NerdBlock. So. CUTE!

All the lilies in my front yard are blooming and they are beautiful! Lilies are definitely my favorite flower, and I love having bunches to bring in. Especially in that dark blue vase – I just love the contrast.

I know I say it a lot, but it’s just so true: I love my state. And where I live IN my state. We are right before the White Mountains, and these are some of the views we have while driving (or passenger-ing, in this case).

And just one more lovely sky pic, with trees as it was too lovely not to share! Beautiful day.

And lastly, a farewell photo of my beloved Jeep. Tune in tomorrow for more info!

 

Going clockwise…

1. My latest Indie Gift Box which I adore!!!

2. Tomato basil grilled cheese with my own homegrown basil…omnomnom.

3. Snagged six new hardcover mystery/psychological thrillers at a yard sale for $5. Love yard sales. Though reading about serial killers RIGHT before bed isn’t always the smartest move.

4. I bought and printed Campfire Chic‘s Three Sixty Five eBook and it’s been such a great resource for blogging! Packed with tips and post ideas. Really gets the ideas flowing!

 

 

I Joined The 21st Century

By which I mean I finally cracked and bought a smartphone. I’d never really needed one (and being 100% honest, I still don’t NEED one) but this summer we have plans packed with trips to places we’ve never been. Fun fact about me – I have ZERO sense of direction. I’m relatively sure I could get lost in our little three bedroom apartment. Seriously. I have quite a few talents, but finding my way around is NOT one of them. I can read a map perfectly, and follow it, but when I’m by myself in a car with a potentially cranky three year old and lost – I don’t want to have to read a map. I want some new-fangled technology to literally tell me where to go. Which the GPS on my smartphone provides. Yay! Plus, my hubs was available for an upgrade on his phone plan so we said, yup let’s get them.

Anyway, the whole point of this now ranting post was to let you know that I joined Instagram, wheeee! I know many people consider Instagram to be awful and lame, but I love it. I mean, it combines taking pics, sharing them with friends, and looking at other cool pictures. Which is something I do daily anyway. So what’s not to love?

As you can tell from above I post pics from my daily life (read: child shenanigans, yummy food, crafts, art, and outdoorsy stuffs), and this June I plan on following along with Lu & Ed’s creative daily prompts! Check them out below!

Feel free to play along too – no Instagram required! Just take a pic for each daily prompt, and post it to whatever social media (or your blog) you wish with the hashtag for the prompt, and #creativedaily. I love seeing what everyone comes up with.

So if you want to follow along with me on Instagram, click here. There will be a handy dandy button added with my other social media buttons at the top right, but I’m redoing those along with an upcoming layout change so I’ll save the new buttons for the new layout!

The new layout is going to coincide with my one year blogiversary so be on the lookout for it, and a giveaway!