Hey, guess what? It’s birthday week here at Crazybananas! This Thursday at approximately 7:03 p.m. I will turn 30 years old. Thirty! THIRTY!!! I know, I should be bumming out and pouting, but I couldn’t be more excited. This week is going to be quite the party here in my teeny corner of the Internet, and I thought a good way to start would be with a little birthday gift guide for the sort of nerdy, yet adorable 30 year old lady in your life. Are you excited yet? Ack, me too!
Hooray, it’s Friday! Today is my niece and nephews’ 12th birthday, so I plan on prank calling them and posting endlessly to their Instagram feeds. That’s what annoying almosty-30-year-old aunts are for, right? We celebrated their birthdays last weekend because we’re all so busy this weekend we knew it wouldn’t work out to get together. We have soccer games and grandparents in town, and they have baseball, football and dance all weekend. (Just writing that makes me want to take a nap.) Regardless, I’m so proud of them and the little almost-teens that they are becoming. I’m a lucky aunt, I do declare.
Here are some fun links to get you through the weekend. I recommend reading with ice cream cake at the ready. Mostly because ice cream cake is awesome.
– Are you as excited for the premiere of The Mindy Project as I am? I watched the pilot on Hulu and immediately feel in love. I read Mindy’s book last year and loved every, single second, but I never realized that while the book was climbing the best seller list and her show was getting picked up, her mom was dying of cancer. This amazing article on Vulture was the first I’d heard of her personal life, and it just made me love her more. And cry a little too. Okay, cry a lot.
– Two of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo and Reagan Baker of Hairdresser on Fire, have teamed up to do a series of cute, little girl hair tutorials. First up, heidi braids!
– Lucy eats lunch at 10:45, so I totally relate to this article on Today.com. What’s with the early lunches, schools? And if you’re going to make the kids each lunch in the middle of the morning, maybe they should be allowed to have a snack during the day. Just a thought.
Guess what everyone? I have a new baby! She’s beautiful, so new and clean and gorgeous…okay, so, she’s a camera. But she’s still my baby!
For those of you that are totally lost, let me give you a little backstory. Way back in 2005, I was gifted by my generous, new (at the time) husband a refurbished Canon Digital Rebel XT DSLR camera for Christmas. Man oh man, how I loved that little camera. I was about five months pregnant and was nesting like a madwoman, and this beautiful camera provided me with the outlet I’d been searching for. Within months I’d memorized the entire user guide and was spending my free time watching You Tube tutorials on photography. Within a year I’d accepted a few paid photography gigs for friends. And about two years in I shot my first wedding. I was in love. I’d always felt like an artistic person, but as someone who can’t paint or draw or sketch or knit to save her life, I assumed I just wasn’t meant to be a creative. My new camera finally gave me a way to express all that creativity that was bottled up inside. It was liberating!
But digital cameras aren’t like their film predecessors. They don’t last for twenty or thirty years. They are basically tiny computers with lenses, and about four or five years in, my little guy just died. Sure, I kept taking photos with him, but by this point my knowledge and training were at the point that my camera just couldn’t keep up with what I wanted to do. I became pretty bogged down even knowing I’d have to be taking photos of anything. I knew they wouldn’t be like I envisioned in my head, because my old guy wouldn’t be able to perform like I needed. I pretty much stopped taking pictures at all, save shots taken and edited using the iPhone.
I researched and budgeted for a new camera body, knowing that even if I bought the cheapest option in the Canon DSLR line, it would be worlds above what I was using. But I could never find a great deal on a refurbished body and I pretty much gave up on the whole idea. But then my sister called earlier this week and told me her local camera store was going out of business, and everything was up to 40% off. I headed down there not expecting anything….and left with a brand new Canon 60D!!! I still can’t believe I actually bought it.
I’ve only had the new camera for a little over a day, but already I feel like a spark has been reignited. By the time I got home with my loot, there was no time to charge the battery and get any shots, so I charged it up overnight and grabbed it as I headed out the door for work. This is the first photo I shot (straight out of the camera, with no Photoshop):
Are you kidding me?! I would have died for that shot from my old camera! DIED! And here it was, the first shot I took. (I guess it doesn’t hurt that my subject is so adorable…)
I had a meeting downtown this afternoon, and when it was over, I decided to go on a 20 minute photo walk and take my new girl for a test drive. Bear in mind, I haven’t looked at the manual or done any sort of training on this model yet, so I still have a ways to go, but you guys…I think I found my passion again. For real.
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.png00Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2012-09-13 06:00:112012-09-13 08:18:32My New Baby
The Crazybananas Birthday Gift Guide
/4 Comments/in Blond, Gimme, web /by MeganHey, guess what? It’s birthday week here at Crazybananas! This Thursday at approximately 7:03 p.m. I will turn 30 years old. Thirty! THIRTY!!! I know, I should be bumming out and pouting, but I couldn’t be more excited. This week is going to be quite the party here in my teeny corner of the Internet, and I thought a good way to start would be with a little birthday gift guide for the sort of nerdy, yet adorable 30 year old lady in your life. Are you excited yet? Ack, me too!
1 – “Everything Was Beautiful” Print by sinansaydik on Etsy – $25
2 – Voluspa Japonica Candle Tin in Baltic Amber from Anthropologie – $18
3 – Two books on my wishlist, Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly and Gretchen Rubin’s Happier at Home. – $13.99 and $16.99 (hardcover)
4 – An iPad 2 – $399
5 – Support Public Radio Retro Embroidery Hoop Art from Hey Paul Studios on Etsy – $40
6 – Washi Tape from Madewell – $4
7 – Camera Shoulder Bag from Shoemint – $80
8 – Women’s Slouchy Red Knitted Hat from Zukas on Etsy – $35
9 – Donation to Charity Water – Any Amount
Happy Weekend!
/5 Comments/in follow friday, Photos, web /by MeganHooray, it’s Friday! Today is my niece and nephews’ 12th birthday, so I plan on prank calling them and posting endlessly to their Instagram feeds. That’s what annoying almosty-30-year-old aunts are for, right? We celebrated their birthdays last weekend because we’re all so busy this weekend we knew it wouldn’t work out to get together. We have soccer games and grandparents in town, and they have baseball, football and dance all weekend. (Just writing that makes me want to take a nap.) Regardless, I’m so proud of them and the little almost-teens that they are becoming. I’m a lucky aunt, I do declare.
Here are some fun links to get you through the weekend. I recommend reading with ice cream cake at the ready. Mostly because ice cream cake is awesome.
– Are you as excited for the premiere of The Mindy Project as I am? I watched the pilot on Hulu and immediately feel in love. I read Mindy’s book last year and loved every, single second, but I never realized that while the book was climbing the best seller list and her show was getting picked up, her mom was dying of cancer. This amazing article on Vulture was the first I’d heard of her personal life, and it just made me love her more. And cry a little too. Okay, cry a lot.
– Two of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo and Reagan Baker of Hairdresser on Fire, have teamed up to do a series of cute, little girl hair tutorials. First up, heidi braids!
– Lucy eats lunch at 10:45, so I totally relate to this article on Today.com. What’s with the early lunches, schools? And if you’re going to make the kids each lunch in the middle of the morning, maybe they should be allowed to have a snack during the day. Just a thought.
– Photographer Candice Milon put together this awesome collection of outfits from iconic films throughout history. I could figure out about 4…how many can you guess on first sight?
– Things I Learned at the Democratic National Convention? “The best way to save your seat is with your giant, homemade American pride hat.”
– Things I Learned at the Republican National Convention? “Mint Romney is a brilliant name for mint lotion.”
– Make someone happy.
– This blog post had me in tears. And not just a drop or two…more like the Oprah ugly cry. All moms of kids 5 and under must read.
– Have you heard of Armommy? It’s a great website with pretty much everything you need, from meal plans to awesome printables to health advice. Score!
– Have you ever wondered what happened to Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez? Well, he’s a hot fireman now. No joke.
– Elise of the Elise Joy blog came out with new stamps this week! Snatch them up before they are gone! (And trust me, they will be gone quickly…)
Here are some Instagrams from this week. Follow our fun over there at @crazy_bananas!
My New Baby
/4 Comments/in Photos /by MeganGuess what everyone? I have a new baby! She’s beautiful, so new and clean and gorgeous…okay, so, she’s a camera. But she’s still my baby!
For those of you that are totally lost, let me give you a little backstory. Way back in 2005, I was gifted by my generous, new (at the time) husband a refurbished Canon Digital Rebel XT DSLR camera for Christmas. Man oh man, how I loved that little camera. I was about five months pregnant and was nesting like a madwoman, and this beautiful camera provided me with the outlet I’d been searching for. Within months I’d memorized the entire user guide and was spending my free time watching You Tube tutorials on photography. Within a year I’d accepted a few paid photography gigs for friends. And about two years in I shot my first wedding. I was in love. I’d always felt like an artistic person, but as someone who can’t paint or draw or sketch or knit to save her life, I assumed I just wasn’t meant to be a creative. My new camera finally gave me a way to express all that creativity that was bottled up inside. It was liberating!
But digital cameras aren’t like their film predecessors. They don’t last for twenty or thirty years. They are basically tiny computers with lenses, and about four or five years in, my little guy just died. Sure, I kept taking photos with him, but by this point my knowledge and training were at the point that my camera just couldn’t keep up with what I wanted to do. I became pretty bogged down even knowing I’d have to be taking photos of anything. I knew they wouldn’t be like I envisioned in my head, because my old guy wouldn’t be able to perform like I needed. I pretty much stopped taking pictures at all, save shots taken and edited using the iPhone.
I researched and budgeted for a new camera body, knowing that even if I bought the cheapest option in the Canon DSLR line, it would be worlds above what I was using. But I could never find a great deal on a refurbished body and I pretty much gave up on the whole idea. But then my sister called earlier this week and told me her local camera store was going out of business, and everything was up to 40% off. I headed down there not expecting anything….and left with a brand new Canon 60D!!! I still can’t believe I actually bought it.
I’ve only had the new camera for a little over a day, but already I feel like a spark has been reignited. By the time I got home with my loot, there was no time to charge the battery and get any shots, so I charged it up overnight and grabbed it as I headed out the door for work. This is the first photo I shot (straight out of the camera, with no Photoshop):
Are you kidding me?! I would have died for that shot from my old camera! DIED! And here it was, the first shot I took. (I guess it doesn’t hurt that my subject is so adorable…)
I had a meeting downtown this afternoon, and when it was over, I decided to go on a 20 minute photo walk and take my new girl for a test drive. Bear in mind, I haven’t looked at the manual or done any sort of training on this model yet, so I still have a ways to go, but you guys…I think I found my passion again. For real.