December Photo Project - Day 24

Going to be playing a little catch up on my December Photo Project posts. This picture happened completely by accident! I am borrowing a 50mm f/1.8 lens from a friend. I was intending to take a picture of our tree, but didn't even have time to readjust the settings on the camera before I pushed the shutter button. After doing a quick edit in Lightroom, I have to say that I just love my accidental picture!

 

One thing I am considering doing in 2013 is a Capture Your 365 challenge. It is not really a challenge, but in a way it is. It will be a way for me to challenge myself to take at least one photo everyday. It will give me a chance to try some new things with my photography. After all, if I can accidentally capture pictures like the one above, I am thinking the challenge will be a lot of fun!

December Photo Project - Day 23

This year, we changed up the traditional Christmas chocolate fudge recipe. Kelsey thought it would be a good idea to experiment and try to make cookies and cream fudge.

 

We started out with the basic fudge recipe: sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. So just follow the recipe for heating up those ingredients. I have always used the stove top version of the recipe, so make sure you have a candy thermometer on hand. Make sure you have a bag of white chocolate chips, one jar of marshmallow creme, vanilla extract, and about 16-20 crushed up oreos ready. Once the sugar, butter, and milk mixture has reached the right temperature, take the pan off of the stove top and add the whilte chocolate chips. Stir until the chips have melted. Then add the marshmallow creme and vanilla. Once the mixture is nice and smooth, stir in the crushed oreos. I like a pan with aluminum foil to make it easier to remove and cut up the fudge.

 

You can leave the pan on your counter to cool, but I really like a nice cold piece of fudge, so I put the pan in the refrigerator to cool.

 

Hope you enjoy the recipe!

December Photo Project - Day 21

 Homemade Christmas gifts for friends - Sugar scrubs and bath salts

 

Are you making homemade gifts this year?

December Photo Project - Day 20

Tried a new recipe tonight - Chicken Potpie Soup

 

Since my husband had two servings, I think this recipe is a keeper... :o)

 

Have you tried a new recipe lately?

 

December Photo Project - Day 17

Gifts for Kevin to take to his work

 

Today I was able to bake some biscotti to go with the chai tea mix. While I was out shopping a couple of weeks ago, I found some cute 1/2 cup containers which I thought would be perfect to give the chai tea mix in. Kelsey helped me bag up the biscotti and get the bags ready. Each bag contains one printed copy of the recipe, one container of the chai tea mix, and 2 pieces of biscotti in a snack size bag. We took some fancy scissors to cut the top of the paper bags, folded them over and put two hole punches toward the top of the bag. Threaded some red ribbon through the holes and tied a bow.

 

What homemade gifts are you making this week?

December Photo Project - Day 15

 Today was the last meeting of the photography class I have been taking. The instructor brought along a couple of his former students. They helped us with some posing, lighting, and tips on when to use fill flash. Taking pictures of water using a slow shutter speed was one of the first assignments we were given back in August. Well, weeks later, I think I finally got a good one today! The photo above is straight out of the camera.

 

I did just a little bit of adjusting in Lightroom and came out with this second photo.

 

I am so glad I had the chance to take this class! Using the manual settings on my camera is not nearly as scary as it was months ago when I started the class. In fact, I hardly ever have my camera set on anything but the manual setting now.

 

I am thinking a day trip to Yosemite needs to happen soon to practice some photography :o)

December Photo Project - Day 13

Our generous church family has been donating their spare change to purchase treated nets to help prevent malaria through Compassion's Bite Back program.

 

Are you looking for a way to make a difference this Christmas? Compassion has a whole gift catalog to help you make a gift purchase that will last a lifetime for a family living in extreme poverty. This is one gift that doesn't need gift wrapping or a trip to the mall.

 

 

December Photo Project - Day 12

On my knitting needles: a new Pinterest project, wrist warmers!!

December Photo Project - Day 11

Joseph and Mary are on their way to Bethlehem

 

Years ago, I found this book, Celebrate Jesus at Christmas, to use for our daily readings during Advent. In this book, you set up an empty stable under your tree (or another area of your home). At the end of the daily readings, you move the nativity pieces around your home as they journey toward Bethlehem and the stable. I looked everywhere for just the right nativity set to use that my kids could enjoy moving around the house. We don't read the daily readings from this book every year now, but we still move around our nativity pieces. Baby Jesus will arrive on Christmas morning wrapped in gold paper and is the first 'gift' the kids open. This has been one tradition we have enjoyed.

 

What Christmas tradition do you enjoy as a family?

December Photo Project - Day 10

I just love this chicken enchilada recipe!! It is even easier to make when you have shredded or chopped already cooked chicken in your freezer.

December Photo Project - Day 9

The tree is done...and it is a real tree this year!!

December Photo Project - Day 8

Happy Birthday to me from my family! This will go great with brownies and winter white chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins tonight :o)

December Photo Project - Day 7

Compassion filled day!

Letter from Abner!

New Compassion shirt arrived!

77 Compassion kids sponsored at the MercyMe concert tonight!

December Photo Project - Day 6

Flowers from daddy for the birthday girl

December Photo Project - Day 5

A little joy outside my front door on a rainy and foggy day...

December Photo Project - Day 4

My husband and I were able to attend a Lightroom seminar in Sacramento today. At first, my husband thought it was funny that I decided to bring my camera along. I am so glad I did!

 

This Christmas decoration was between the escalators. I had to do a bit of maneuvering to get between the up and down sections at the top of the escalator to get this shot! Did just a little bit of editing in Lightroom and voila!...my day 4 December Photo Project photo!

December Photo Project - Day 3

Another Pinterest project completed!

December Photo Project - Day 2

white lights + canning jars on my kitchen window sill = simplicity

 

Are you participating in the December Photo Project?

December Photo Project

 

 

I just learned about a fun photo project for December! Since I just found out about this, I will start posting a photo a day for this project tomorrow.

Anyone want to join in the fun?