Food Fun Family

How To Take Your Photography To The Next Level

Lolli — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 13:45:12 +0000

I love photography. Over the years, I’ve had tons of people ask me for photography tips…so I’ve put together a few of the tutorials that I’ve posted over the years in one place. My hope is that I can continue adding to these resources!

You can take your photography to the next level, regardless of your camera or experience!

Back when my oldest son was a baby, I had one of those light-bulb moments. I realized that I could capture better pictures of my young kids than the fancy (or not so fancy) photo studios at the mall. I was a stay-at-home mom with 3 very young kids at the time….and yes, this was before the age of blogging (we’re talking about 2001-2002). I loved taking pictures but I didn’t know much (if anything at all) about photography.

Luckily, I had access to dozens and dozens of books at the local library and I spent over a year researching and experimenting with settings and lighting and camera functions.

After a few years, my blog was born and I decided to share some of the tips and tricks I had learned about taking better pictures with my readers. I’ve gathered them all together for you below so that you can use this as a resource for whenever you need some photography tips.

Good Photography is Critical For A Good Blog

Now, I want to start off by saying that I am NOT the best photographer. But I do understand photography and I do know how to teach. Photography is critical in my life as a blogger. Good photos set the tone of your posts; they can often make the difference between someone staying to read the entire article versus bouncing right off your page. Good photos get pinned more often, thus bringing you more traffic.

And I promise you – you DO NOT have to be a professional photographer to take amazing pictures. Anyone can improve their photography skills….I started from scratch reading books from the library.

And now, as promised, here are the resources that I’ve put together over the years. Disclaimer: Some of these posts are old and I really need to update the photos and formatting, but the information is still good!

The Basics:

10 Tips to Improve your Photography
The Mode Dial: Get to Know Your Camera
What Are Megapixels?
Photography Tips for Rainy Days
Outdoor Photography Tips
How to Achieve Perfect Focus
How to capture a natural smile
Posing, Part 1
Posing, Part 2
Posing, Part 3

The Technical Stuff:

Shutter Speed
Aperture Explained
ISO
Exposure Triangle
Exposure Compensation
The Rule of Thirds

Extras:

Travel Photography: 10 Mobile Travel Photo Tips
The Key
Macro Photography
Bokeh
Noise
Keystoning
How to Avoid the Red-eye Effect
Best Lenses for Your DSLR

© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

How To Use Yummly: Tips and Tricks For Bloggers

Lolli — Fri, 08 May 2015 18:43:58 +0000

About a month ago, another blogger friend of mine recommended that I sign up for Yummly, a site to browse through, collect and share recipes from your own site and around the web. My initial thought was not another social site…but I figured it was worth a little bit of my time to at least look into it.

Imagine my shock when Yummly became one of the TOP 3 REFERRERS of traffic to my site within the first week.

I am now singing Yummly’s praises, and I have helped and encouraged several of my friends to sign up for and start using Yummly as well. Since several of my friends had questions about how to get started on Yummly and what to do once you get there, I decided that a post on how to use Yummly was in order.

Even if you’re not a blogger who posts recipes, I think you’re going to LOVE the site!

Getting Started on Yummly: Sign Up, Profile and Preferences

Signing up for Yummly is simple and quick. Just click the sign up button in the top right corner and choose your preferred method of signing in.

I was pretty excited when one of my recipes was showing up on the sign up page!

Once you’ve created a Yummly account, I’d recommend taking just a few minutes to fill out as many fields as possible in your profile (you can find your profile by clicking on your name in the top right corner of the page). You can link to your blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages there so that they show up in your profile.

Next, fill out your taste preferences. Add any food allergies or special diets or ingredients that you don’t like as well as your favorite cuisines.

Filling out as much as possible in your profile will make the recipes that Yummly recommends to you even better. (The other thing that will help your recommendations be a better fit is “Yumming” more recipes, but we’re not quite there yet).

How to Add Recipes to Yummly

Once you’ve got your Yummly account created and your profile set up, you’ll want to start adding recipes. All recipes you “Yum” will be filed into your “All Yums” Collection, but to get the most out of Yummly, I recommend adding each recipe to relevant categories, or Collections, such as Cookies or Desserts. I also added a “Better in Bulk Recipes” category to my own page so that I can have a place to store all of my own recipes that I’ve yummed.

To add a recipe to a Collection, click on the Yum button on the recipe you’ve just added. A menu box will drop down with a few pre-selected categories. Feel free to create a few of your own Collections to customize your page even more.

When I first started out on Yummly, I kept my Collections very broad, but now that I’m using it more and more, I’ve started adding more specific collection titles. For instance, instead of just having one place for all Desserts, I’ve added “Chocolate,” “Cookies,” “Cakes and Cupcakes,” etc.

Note: Recipe titles and images are generated automatically from your post and cannot be changed at this point. I often have recipes that take a while to process. Some instantly pop up with the image and recipe description, and others take days. If you notice your recipes are showing up without an image or a link to your blog page (more on that below), there is not much you can do about it but wait. You haven’t done anything wrong. They are simply processing.

Add a Boorkmarklet or Social Share Button

There are 2 ways to make adding recipes to your collections (and encouraging readers to add your recipes to their collections!): social share buttons and the Yummly Bookmarklet. The bookmarklet is easy to install (following the directions here) and is handy when I’m visiting other blogs with recipes I’d like to add to my Yummly collections. Any time I find a recipe I like, I just click the Yum bookmarklet in my browser toolbar and it’s added automatically. I can either add it to a collection right then or go to my Recipe Box on Yummly later to add it to relevant collections. This is what it looks like when you’ve successfully added a recipe (like this one on NellieBellie.com) using the bookmarklet:

I also added a Yummly social share button to all of my posts 2 days after I opened my Yummly account, hoping to encourage readers who are already on Yummly to add my recipes to their collections.

If you use SumoMe, Shareaholic, Simple Share Buttons (that’s what I have at the top of my post), AddToAny, E-MAILiT, or GetSocial you can add the Yum button. If your social share buttons don’t support Yummly, then ASK them to add it! The more people using Yummly and the easier it is to share, the better! You can also add your own Yum button directly to each post if you prefer.

Another fun tool that I haven’t started using yet is the Yummly Rich Recipes Plugin for WordPress, which not only makes your recipes Yummly-friendly, but adds an easy way for readers to Yum your recipe right from the recipe itself.

How to Set Up and Customize Your Publisher Page

The great news is…if you or someone else has started yumming your recipes, then a publisher page has already been automatically created for your blog!

To find your publisher page, locate one of your recipes on Yummly that has already processed. You should see your blog name near the bottom left side of the recipe card if you’re viewing from your Recipe Box, or on the left side on top of the recipe image if you’re viewing the recipe page. Click on your blog name, and you’ll be taken to your publisher page.

The next step is to fill out this form so that Yummly can update the information on your publisher page, like a description and profile image.

Note: If any recipes that you have added are not showing up on this publisher page, it just means that the recipe has not been processed yet (is not yet live on Yummly).

Watch the Traffic Come!

Of course, there’s never any guarantee that a site is going to bring you traffic, but Yummly has been fantastic for my blog, surpassing Pinterest most days! I spend a few minutes each day adding new recipes that I find, either through the recipes that Yummly recommends to me or through Facebook groups of bloggers that I admire, etc. One of my recipes is currently on Yummly’s homepage as one of the most popular on the site (I got lucky!) but even without that popular post, I’m still bringing in several hundred new visitors a day from Yummly.

How it works: When you click on a recipe on Yummly, you’ll be brought to a page that looks like this:

Users can see the ingredients and basic nutrition facts about a recipe on Yummly, but they have to click the button near the bottom to “Read Full Directions on (Blog Name)” to get the instructions.

Why I like Yummly so much:

Traffic aside, the 2 things I love most about Yummly are:

It’s simplicity of design and functionality: It’s easy to browse through recipes or search for recipes with specific ingredients. I’m not distracted with a bunch of other things. Yummly has delicious recipes. Period.

Yummly has great recommendations for me: Because I’m using Yummly regularly, the recommendations are getting better and better. Unlike other social networks that are flooded with information that I might not want or need to see, Yummly feels like it’s customized just for me. I love that.

Another thing that I am just starting to try out is sharing Yummly recipes directly from the site, since they have several sharing options right there. I’m curious to see if I get more yums that way!

Are you on Yummly yet? If not, I highly recommend that you come join me there!

Note: The spoon image used above is from stock image site Graphic Stock.

© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Summer Memory Picture Frame Craft for Kids

Lolli — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 15:31:01 +0000

I’m not the craftiest person out there, but I do love to get creative, especially during the summer when I need to find more ways to keep the kids occupied out of the heat of the summer sun.

This summer, I participated in Skip to My Lou’s Summer Craft Camp for Kids for the 5th year in a row. It’s a challenge for me to come up with something kid-friendly and fun each year, but it’s a challenge I look forward to as we enter summer.

Since my family will be leaving on a very long cross-country road trip in a matter of days, I thought that now would be the perfect time to share this summer’s craft camp project. And since I’m all about the pictures, what better craft than a personalized picture frame?

Summer Memory Picture Frame Craft for Kids

This easy frame craft is appropriate for multiple ages – just gather a bunch of supplies and let everyone decorate as they desire. Kids may need some help applying Mod Podge evenly.

Supplies needed for summer memory picture frames:

Wooden frames ($1 at Michaels)

Stickers

Patterned paper

Buttons, ribbons, etc

Mod Podge

Paint brushes (or sponge brush – recommended)

Scissors

How to make a summer memory picture frame:

Step 1: Gather supplies (make sure to cover your work surface when using Mod Podge)

Step 2: If decorating your frame with patterned paper, trace the frame on the back side of the paper you want to use. Carefully cut it out.

Step 3: Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the frame and lay paper down. Press firmly but gently so that paper is flat and no air bubbles appear.

Step 4: Decorate frame with stickers, buttons, ribbons, etc. Buttons can be applied using Mod Podge. Apply an even layer of Mod Podge over the entire frame (front and sides) and let dry for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Apply an additional layer of Mod Podge over the entire frame and let dry.

That’s it! For just a couple of dollars, you can have a fun, homemade memory of all the fun you have this summer. After the summer is over, these frames would be perfect for personalized gifts for parents, teachers, grandparents, and friends. Just match the stickers and decorations to the occasion!

The second frame that I made ended up being my favorite – I found state license plate stickers and placed them all the way around the frame…and then all of the kids begged me to let them have it!

This craft was originally published at Skip to my Lou in June. Check out my previous craft camp projects: How to make a no-sew t-shirt bag, easy crochet headband, picture-to-puzzle craft, and easy paper kites.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Summer Memory Picture Frames Craft for Kids

Print

Author: Lolli

Ingredients

Wooden frames ($1 at Michaels)

Stickers

Patterned paper

Buttons, ribbons, etc

Mod Podge

Paint brushes (or sponge brush – recommended)

Scissors

Instructions

Gather supplies (make sure to cover your work surface when using Mod Podge)

If decorating your frame with patterned paper, trace the frame on the back side of the paper you want to use. Carefully cut it out.

Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the frame and lay paper down. Press firmly but gently so that paper is flat and no air bubbles appear.

Decorate frame with stickers, buttons, ribbons, etc. Buttons can be applied using Mod Podge. Apply an even layer of Mod Podge over the entire frame (front and sides) and let dry for 30 minutes.

Apply an additional layer of Mod Podge over the entire frame and let dry.

3.2.2708

© 2014 – 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Top 20 Tips and How-To Posts from 2013

Lolli — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 16:10:58 +0000

As I’ve taken a much-needed break from blogging and work for the holidays, I’ve been looking back at the last year of posts I’ve written on Better in Bulk. This year, I published 432 posts on my blog, the busiest month being November with 50 posts (followed closely by December with 47 posts). It’s no wonder that I finished 2013 feeling wiped out!

In the past, I’ve put together a year-in-review post at the beginning of the new year highlighting my favorite or most popular post from each month. I started going that direction this morning after I got the kids back to school, but soon realized that I had too many posts to choose from. Instead, I decided to break my “Top” posts up into a few different categories (mostly because the top 20 recipes needed their own post for sure). Here are my top 20 Tips and How-To Posts from 2013. I can’t wait to write more of these kinds of posts for 2014!

Family and Home Life

How to Stay Motivated (or Get Back on Track) With New Years Resolutions

3 Tips for Creating the Perfect Movie Night at Home

4 Back-to-School Survival Tips

5 Frugal Tips to Revitalize Your Kitchen

How to Help Kids Reach Their Full Potential

How to Turn Everyday Moments into Family Memories

10 Winter Weather Cleaning Tips

How to Create the Perfect Holiday Atmosphere

7 Simple Ways to Encourage Kindness in Children

5 Black Friday Shopping Tips

Health and Wellness

10 Quick, Easy and Healthy Snack Ideas

6 Critical Steps to Better Sleep

7 Ways to Increase Your Energy Level Without Caffeine

5 Tips for Fitting ME Time Into Your Busy Schedule

Smart Summer Snacking Tips

Photography and Blogging

How to Enhance Photos Using Fonts: A PicMonkey Tutorial

How to Capture Unique 4th of July Fireworks Photos

10 Easy Food Photography Tips

Shoot Video Like A Pro – 5 Basic Mistakes You Can Fix Instantly

9 Winter Photography Tips For the Everyday Photographer

© 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

10 Easy Food Photography Tips

Lolli — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 16:00:28 +0000

These 10 simple food photography tips work together to take any level of photographer, regardless of camera or experience, to the next level with their food photography! Try some or all of these tips when you’re taking pictures of your next recipe, but remember – The most important tip to keep in mind when choosing the “perfect” shot is that your food in focus. No amount of props or composition will make a blurry shot look better.

10 Basic Tips to Improve Your Food Photography

Remember – you can implement these tips with any camera, even a smart phone, regardless of experience. As always practice makes perfect! Play around until you start getting shots that you’re proud to show off!

1 – Shoot a LOT! – In this digital age, there’s no reason to hold back and EVERY reason to snap away! When you’re taking pictures of food, the focus and focal point make a huge difference in the aesthetic appeal of the picture and small changes (keep reading for ideas!) can make an ok picture into an unforgettable picture. Even professional photographers take a ton of photos and throw out the majority. Remember – you can always delete a dozen or two bad photos from your computer, but you can’t un-eat food after the fact.

2 – Use natural light whenever possible – Natural light (ie, light from the sun, through a window, etc) is the best light to use in almost ALL photos, from people to landscapes to food. Flash is relatively taboo in food photography as it makes food flat and very unappetizing. My rule is that if my house is so dark when my food is ready that I need my flash, then I’d better just save a portion and take pictures the next morning. Remember – it’s ok to set up a miniature photo shoot in another room (don’t limit yourself to the kitchen!). Find your available light and use it!

3 – Composing shots – Experiment with multiple angles – rotate the food around and rotate yourself around, too! See how your food looks from straight above, from different angles, each side, and from the level of the food. Think about what colors are in your food and how to “play” off those colors and make the dish look as appetizing as possible.

4 – What’s in the background? (Get rid of visual noise) – Don’t be so focused on the food you’re shooting that you forget about the visual “noise” going on in the background. Clear off counters and tables and be aware of reflections in dishes and glasses.

5 – Be comfortable and confident with some basic photo editing – You don’t have to own Photoshop to be able to edit your pictures like a pro. I recommend using a free program like PicMonkey to adjust a few key aspects of your pictures – especially white balance, exposure, and sharpness/clarity. One of the things I notice frequently about my food photos is that the coloring is “off” in the straight-out-of-camera photos. Colors – and the entire plate of food! – really come alive (and look more appetizing) when the white balance is properly set. Don’t be scared off by a term like “white balance” – just adjust your colors so that your food doesn’t look too green or blue or red. Try to match the colors on your screen as closely as possible to the colors in the original food. PicMonkey is also great for adding a recipe title to your photo (hint – this makes your pictures extra Pinterest-friendly!)

6 – Take advantage of props…but don’t go overboard! Use simple solid-color napkins as an accent color under your plate, add a cute wooden spoon, or use a white foam core board for the backdrop. As I’ve gotten more into food photography, I’ve gradually collected quite a few simple props – solid-color plates (small salad plates work best!), place mats, wooden cutting boards, cake stands, and backdrops. This is something I’m still working on! Remember – “props” can be as simple as a glass of milk next to your plate of food or a rolling pin and scoop of flour in the background. Props can add character and interest to otherwise boring foods.

7 – Details, details, details – Before you shoot, check your plate and table for stray crumbs or drips of sauce, and clean off smudges and finger prints on glasses and dishes. Sometimes you need to get rid of messes…and sometimes you need to add some “messes” to create texture and interest. A drizzle of sauce, when added on purpose, can look great (it also makes the food seem more “real”). Don’t forget the value of garnishes, as well, such as parsley, cilantro, or a lemon wedge. I also love adding a few of the individual ingredients to the shot. Don’t forget that the cooking process itself can lead to some wonderful shots, too. Take pictures of the chopping, the stirring, and the mixing!

8 – Dig in! – I love to take several shots of the “whole” food and then dig in…and I’m not talking about eating it all before I’m finished taking my pictures (my kids all know better than to eat anything until I’ve given them the go-ahead!). Slice a big piece of cake and show off the texture, or cut into the roast. Remember that sometimes the inside of your food shows your recipes off better than the outside.

9 – Work quickly – When dealing with food that is hot or cold, be sure to work quickly. The faster you take your shots of food, the fresher it will look. You can get your shoot ready with props and plates all set out and then serve up the main feature as soon as it’s ready. No one wants to see melted ice cream, drippy frosting, or wilted lettuce.

10 – Zoom in – Don’t be afraid to get in close! Grab some zoomed-in pictures of your dishes. The entire plate doesn’t need to be visible in each shot, and it’s totally ok to cut food out of the frame. I love to cut a slice or grab a spoon or fork full of food and take a close-up of a “bite” of the food that I’m featuring. Readers will feel like you’re offering them a taste test!

What do YOU love to see in food photography? What shots stand out the most to you? If you have any additional tips, please share them below!

Note: This is the photography tips portion of a workshop I am presenting this weekend at the Digital Family Summit in Baltimore. I do not consider myself a fabulous food photographer, but I do know how to handle a camera AND I know how to cook delicious foods, so in that sense I am an expert, right?

Food photography has been one of the main things I’ve been working on this past year, and although my food shots are nowhere near the gorgeous shots I see on Pinterest, I am still thrilled to share a few of the things I’ve learned…and am still learning. All the photos included in this post are my own and may not be the ideal examples of each point, but should help give you some inspiration.

As a bonus, each of the pictures above links to the recipe. Enjoy!

Now who’s ready to take some pictures of food?!

© 2013, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

How to Enhance Photos Using Fonts: A PicMonkey Tutorial

Lolli — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 04:42:18 +0000

A few years ago a fellow photographer called me out for not including photos in my older recipe posts. Yep. Me. A professed lover of photography (I never claim to be great at it!) would write posts – recipe posts, even – and not include pictures.

Back in the early days of blogging – the days before Pinterest and Instagram and before everyone used Facebook and Twitter for blog sharing and promotion – images within blog posts were simply not as important. Or at least that’s what I thought. I put up pictures to show off my cute kids and the adventures we’d been on. I certainly didn’t consider how an image could enhance my blog posts, improve my SEO, and drive mega traffic to my blog.

I am now convinced that the quality of the images that I put up in my blog posts is perhaps the number one determinant of how well the post does. A strong image can catch the attention of a Facebook fan or a Google+ reader or a Twitter follower or (especially) a Pinterest enthusiast…and lead to more clicks and more shares of your content.

BUT. Not every blogger is a strong photographer. And, even as a photographer, not every picture that I take is top quality. I realized, particularly with the growing popularity of Pinterest, that a good picture wasn’t always enough to carry a post.

Side note: Of course, I realize that blog post content is a huge factor in blog success, but in this case I’m just concentrating on that first impression and what motivates readers to both click over to read and then stay to finish. Good content will ensure that people keep reading and keep coming back for more.

As Pinterest grew, I noticed a trend growing in popularity as well – the trend to add text to a blog post picture. Particularly with my tutorials, tip posts and recipes, I found that adding the right text and using the right fonts in a picture not only enhanced my photos AND posts, but it increased my traffic significantly. This post about 7 Simple Ways to Encourage Kindness in Kids went viral on Pinterest, and I attribute it to the right combination of photo and font:

I started going back through my old posts that I felt were Pinterest-worthy and have slowly added pin-friendly photos like the one I added below which ended up reviving a 4 1/2 year old post on tips to improve your photography. This one took off on Pinterest as well.

How to enhance photos using PicMonkey fonts

Despite the fact that I own and know how to use Photoshop, I turn to PicMonkey DAILY to add text to my blog post pictures. I used PicMonkey’s free service for months (no strings attached, but limited access to fonts and other design elements) but recently upgraded my account to PicMonkey Royale (on my own dime) because I proved to myself that I would use it everyday. It was worth it for me.

It’s easy to add fonts to your pictures using PicMonkey. Simply click “Edit a Photo” to upload the photo you want to enhance, click on the “P” in the menu on the left side to select fonts, and then click “Add text.” Click within the text box to start typing. You can move the text box to a different part of your picture, change the size of the text box or the font, change fonts and colors, etc. Get creative!

But just plopping down a few words and mixing and matching fonts is not a guarantee of success. There is an element of design that must be followed. Here are a few tips that I try to follow:

Match the “mood” – try to match the theme or feeling of your photo and blog post with the style of font that you use. If your post is kid-related, like the post I wrote about Back to School Tips for Parents and Kids, then a child-like font is perfect to use (I especially love PicMonkey’s chalk font for “writing” text on chalkboards!). If your post is more sophisticated or serious, stick with a font that reflects that and stay away from the cutesy fonts.

Try ’em out! – I rarely use the first font that I try on a photo. I always change things around until I am satisfied with the way the font and the picture look together. One of the things I love most about PicMonkey is how easy it is to try things out. If I don’t like it, I just try something else. On my latest recipe post, I tried several fonts before I found the combination I liked the best.

Mix ’em up – I enjoy mixing up the fonts. Sometimes. Using different fonts can enhance your image by adding emphasis to a word or two, as in the picture of my two boys (looking so little here) in a post I wrote about turning everyday moments into family memories. I wanted to emphasize “everyday moments” and so I used a curvier font AND changed the color of the font as well.

Just beware: not all fonts go together well. Two cursive fonts tend to be too much to put together. Two thin fonts may not stand out enough. Make sure that the styles are complimentary but contrast enough to add that zing you’re hoping for. Since there’s no hard fast rule that says “use A and B together but not A and C” you just have to use your best design eye. Don’t trust your eye? Ask for a second opinion!

Know when to use fonts – Remember that not every post needs a text-enhanced photo. Don’t over-do the use of titles on your pictures, but use sparingly for the best impact. PicMonkey fonts are also fabulous for tutorial posts, like the Popsicle stick puzzle tutorial that I posted a few weeks ago. I was able to put directions directly on each step of the tutorial as well as a title on the posts’ main image.

Go forth and share – After you’ve enhanced your photos with catchy titles, (don’t forget to add alt and title tags to your pics…alas, that’s another tutorial) be sure to share them wherever you can. Pin the post to Pinterest, use Tweetpic to post to your twitter account with a link back to your post, add it to your Facebook page….etc (and always chose that photo with text added!).

How do you use fonts in your blog photos? What style (from other bloggers) has the most impact for you – what makes you want to click over?

© 2013 – 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

How to Capture Unique 4th of July Fireworks Photos

Lolli — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 15:02:32 +0000

Have you ever wondered how to capture amazing, unique fireworks photos? You may have tried snapping a picture or two with your smart phone, or you’ve seen fellow fireworks-watchers trying to capture fireworks using the flash on their camera. I’m guessing that most of those pictures fell flat.

I came upon this method on accident, simply by experimenting with different techniques over the years. Now, Independence Day is one of my favorite photo-taking holidays because I can not only capture the essence of the fireworks display, but I feel like I’m creating art. I love it…and I hope you do too!

I know that the holiday is over and everyone is probably sick of seeing fireworks photos after being barraged last night on Instagram and Facebook, but I couldn’t help but post a few of my favorite shots from last night’s fireworks show:

The 4th of July (and specifically 4th of July Fireworks) really is one of my all-time favorite days of the year for taking pictures. I discovered quite by accident a technique for capturing fireworks shots that look more like Spirograph pictures. I call it painting with fireworks.

How to create unique & stunning fireworks photos

If you’d like to try this technique, it really is simple. You just need a camera that has a manual mode.

Here’s what I do: Set the camera to manual mode. Last night I set my shutter speed to one second (1″) and my aperture to 10. I keep my ISO at a low 250. {Click any of the links in this paragraph for tutorials I’ve written to explain the technical terms.}

And here’s the fun part. When fireworks go off, point your lens in the direction of the fireworks, click your shutter button and wave your camera around to make different designs to create spirograph-type designs OR hold your camera still to create images that show the motion of the fireworks.

Play around with different settings and get creative! You’ll get hooked on painting with fireworks.

© 2013 – 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Harry Potter House Scarves {Free Crochet Pattern}

Lolli — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:13:28 +0000

This crochet pattern has been months in the making. My 13 year old, Necco, decided in January that she wanted to crochet scarves for each of the Hogwarts houses from Harry Potter. She began with a yellow and black Hufflepuff scarf and worked her way through each of the Hogwarts houses – Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. She’s been posting pictures on Instagram of each of her Harry Potter house scarves as she has finished them, and has received a ton of requests for the pattern. So for all of Necco’s followers, and for all of mine, here’s the free crochet pattern!

Necco made this pattern up (she is so like me that way!) and it is very forgiving. You can change up the hook size or the yarn weight for a different look. She has made some scarves a little wider, and some a little thinner. Don’t like half double crochet? It will work just as well with a double or single crochet stitch (just remember that the stripes will be more thick or thin depending on the stitch, yarn, or hook used). There’s no wrong way to make this scarf!

Supplies needed:

2 colors worsted weight yarn (4 ply) for each scarf (approximately one skein each).

For Hufflepuff: yellow and black; Ravenclaw: blue and grey; Slytherin: green and silver/grey; and Gryffindor: deep red and gold.

Size J crochet hook (or any size that you prefer)

Directions:

Begin: With color A, chain 26.

Row 1: Beginning on the third chain from the hook, Half double crochet (hdc) in each chain across. Ch 2 and turn.

Rows 2-5: Hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat until you have 5 rows of color A. Fasten off.

Rows 6-8: Attach color B where you just left off. Ch 2, hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat.

Rows 9-10: Attach color A. Ch 2, hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat.

Rows 11-12: Attach color B. Ch 2, hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat.

Rows 13-20: Attach color A. Ch 2, hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat for 8 rows.

Rows 21 and up: Repeat the pattern (Rows 7-20) until your scarf is the desired length, ending with the [2 rows of A/2 rows of B/2 rows of A] pattern.

Last section: Attach color A, Ch 2, hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. Repeat until you have 5 final rows. Fasten off.

Fringe: Cut 50 12-inch pieces of yarn (you can mix colors or use one color). Hold 5 pieces of yarn together and fold them in half. Holding the fold of the yarn, insert through the beginning stitch of your scarf (it may help to use a crochet hook to grab the bundle of yarn and pull it through). Take the ends of the bundle of yarn and pull them through the loop made by folding them in half. Repeat evenly across the end of your scarf until you have 10 fringe sections.

Necco does something unique with her striped scarves. Instead of fastening off with each color change, she leaves the yarn to the side, without cutting. When she’s ready to use that color again, she just grabs the hanging yarn, leaves a little loop so that she has enough yarn to tie a knot at the end.

So which Hogwarts house is your favorite?

© 2013 – 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Monster Valentine’s Day Cards Craft Tutorial #Printables

Lolli — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:33:04 +0000

My kids and I are just a little bit excited that Hotel Transylvania is available on DVD and Blu-ray today (shh…don’t tell, but someone who’s having a birthday tomorrow is getting this!). To celebrate the release of the DVD, my kids and I came up with a super-fun and easy craft inspired by the movie. And what better craft is there at this time of year than handmade Valentine’s cards??

Not only was the timing perfect for us to make DIY Valentines, but this coming weekend is the perfect time for the rest of you (hint: this project will keep the kids entertained for a good long time while YOU watch the Super Bowl this weekend).

Monster Valentine’s Day Card Supplies:

Card stock (any color)

Patterned paper (scrapbooking-type paper is perfect, and left over scraps work great!)

Googley eyes (we found a pack of 200 at the Dollar store)

Scissors

Glue

Hole punch (fancy shapes are fun!)

Pencils for tracing

New pencils to add to cards (optional–I got packs of 12 at the Dollar Store)

Markers for accent touches

Stickers (optional)

Monsters template

Valentine’s Day messages and sayings

How to make your own Monster Valentines Day Cards:

Print Monster templates on card stock and cut them out carefully.

Print Valentine’s Day sayings on plain white paper and cut them out.

Trace monster templates onto the BACK (non-patterned) side of your patterned/scrapbook paper.

Cut out your monsters!

Cut various-sized cards from plain colored card stock.

Glue your monsters, Valentine’s Day sayings and messages, and any other special touches onto the cards stock.

Don’t forget to add some googley eyes (FYI – the eyes are easier to attach using Elmer’s school glue rather than glue sticks).

Make them your own! And don’t forget to have your kids address each card to their friends.

Punch two holes to pass the pencils through. If you’re using a traditional hole punch, you may need to punch twice in the same spot to make the opening large enough for the pencils.

Attach pencils and admire your handmade Valentines!

How to adapt for younger kids: Since cutting can be tricky for younger kids, you can easily adapt this by simply letting your kids color each monster before cutting them out. Just eliminate the template-tracing step. An adult can help cut out sayings and finished monsters and the kids can glue and decorate the cards however they chose.

Have your kids seen Hotel Transylvania yet? This weekend would be the perfect time to pick up the movie for the kids (they can make some Valentines cards and watch the movie in another room while you watch the Super Bowl. You won’t hear a peep from them for hours!).

Connect with Hotel Transylvania:

Website (includes games and printables): https://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/hoteltransylvania/

Buy Hotel Transylvania on Blu-ray or DVD (it’s available today!! 1/29/13)

Facebook: facebook.com/HotelT

Twitter: @HotelT

Pinterest: pinterest.com/hotelt/

Instagram: instagram.com/HotelT

Hotel Transylvania Apps:

MONSTER PARTY APP: The Hotel Transylvania Monster Party app for your iPad, iPad Mini and iPhone lets you create your own monster, play a memory match game, and explore the hotel.

GOLDRUN MOBILE APP: With this virtual photobooth app, you can take a photo with your favorite characters from Hotel Transylvania. Share your photo on Facebook, Twitter and more. Available for both iOS and Android devices.

MONSTERIZE YOURSELF ON FACEBOOK: The Facebook app Monsterize Me allows you to alter your picture with monster-inspired teeth, eyes and more. Upload a photo or choose one from Facebook. Add Hotel Transylvania characters alongside yourself, as well as “monsterizing” your picture with hats, eyes teeth and more. Save it to your computer, print it, or share it on Facebook.

Note: This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and craft ideas are my own. I found some adorable Monster templates at SeeCateCreate.com and linked to her post here, but you can always draw your own! Hope you enjoy!

© 2013 – 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

How to Create a Festive Facebook Cover Photo Collage with PicMonkey

Lolli — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:46:15 +0000

As a photographer, I own and know how to use Photoshop….and yet when I want to make an image Pinterest-friendly by adding a title with fun fonts…or when I want to edit a photo while I’m on the road, I always turn to Picmonkey. In fact, I’m there almost every day. Why would I NOT take advantage of a photo-related site that is so easy to use AND FREE?!

Just last night, I designed a Christmas card for a friend of mine by using the Winter-themed overlays and fonts on Picmonkey. I was so inspired that I decided to create myself a new and festive Facebook cover photo for Better in Bulk’s fan page.

Not only am I enjoying my new cover photo, but I’m determined to keep updating my photo to fit with the current season. Now that I know I can…why not?

How to make a Facebook cover photo collage with Picmonkey

Gather photos – I wanted to find some of my favorite Instagram photos from 2012 to do a year-in-review type collage. I saved the photos in a folder on my desktop so I had them all in one place before I got started.

Go to Picmonkey.com and click on “Create a Collage.”

Add photos – On the left of the page, look for a box that says “Open Photos.” Click that and select all of the photos that you’d like to use in your collage.

Create your layout – You’ll see a generic collage in your “workspace.” Click the second icon down on the left-most side of the page. You’ll see a bunch of layouts. Picmonkey has some ready-made Facebook templates that you can use (just look for the box that says “FB Cover”). I used “Square Deal” because I wanted to add more photos.

Make sure your image is the right size – if you use a different sized layout like I did, you’ll need to adjust the size so that it fits the Facebook cover photo space. Your image should be approximately 851 x 315 pixels. Don’t worry – in Picmonkey, it’s super easy to change the size. Simply drag the bottom of the image “up” until you reach 315 pixels, and then do the same with the sides (drag the left edge to the right until it’s 851 pixels). If it’s a pixel or two off, that’s totally fine.

Change the background – Click on the very last icon on the left side of the page (the one that looks like an artist’s palette). I reduced the spacing between the images and then chose a background color (just use the slider to find your perfect shade).

Add textures – Picmonkey has several Wintery-fun textures (like pretty papers). I added a bunch throughout my collage. You can add textures to any of the available boxes in your layout OR anywhere within your image. Just drag the texture you want to use to your image-in-progress and you’ll be able to see where you can insert it.

Adjust! – I moved my columns and rows around (hover over your image and you’ll see where you can slide to make your boxes bigger or smaller.

Add photos to your collage! This is where I added my images. I went back up to the Photos tab and inserted my pictures by hand, but you can also click “Autofill” right above your workspace and Picmonkey will add your photos for you (don’t worry – you can always change where your pictures go).

Save your work – At this point, I saved my photo using the Save button above my workspace.

Return to the main Picmonkey.com – Now click “Edit a photo” and chose the image that you’ve just been working on. Here’s where it gets really fun!

Embellish – Click on the “P” icon on the left side of the page and click “Add Text.” A text box will appear on your image. Click within the text box and type your message. You can adjust the font (I love Picmonkey’s fonts, especially the seasonal options!), the size and color of the text, and the location of your message. Next, add some seasonal embellishments (check out the Winterland section by clicking on the snowflake on the left). Just like the text, you can change the size, color, opacity, and location of any of the overlays.

Save and share! And then upload it to your Facebook page and wait for the complements to come rolling in!

Connect with Picmonkey

Picmonkey site

Picmonkey blog

Picmonkey on Pinterest

Winterland creations on Pinterest

Note: I was inspired to create this festive Facebook cover photo in connection with a compensated campaign with Picmonkey, but all ideas and photos are my own.

© 2012 – 2013, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.