DIY - Making a Light Box

Last year I opened my Etsy shop, Today is a Sunny Day. I experimented with photography and natural light to get photos to show off my products. The result was taking photos against my wooden coffee table on the back porch during sunset.

While they came out quite nice, I wanted that plain white backdrop that I was seeing so many sellers have. After Googling "how to make a lightbox" I created this. It's not actually a light box, but more like a light diffuser, creating soft shadows on a seamless white background.

The supplies I used:

• Cardboard box
• Scissors
• White tissue paper
• Duct tape
• White poster board
• Desk lamp

Step 1

Cut three sides out of the box, not including the open side and the original box bottom. Think about it like this: your new bottom will be one of the sides and the previous bottom will be your backdrop. Bonus: You will work on your forearm strength for sure!

Step 2

Tape the white tissue paper to the open box sides. Essentially, you are replacing the sides you just cut out with the tissue paper.

Step 3

Cut the white poster board to fit the width of the box. Slide it in to fit. Leaving extra poster board in hang out the opening can be beneficial for certain depth of field shots. Note: Since I didn't have poster board on hand, I used the back of a poster. It's not as study as a poster board and gives more of a shine in photos than I would like, but it works for now. Here's an very unglamorous shot of the inside of light diffuser box.

Step 4

Finally position a light on the outside of the box to create the brightness you desire. You'll want an exposed bulb pointing at the box. You can create different shadow effects by where you place the bulb and how strong it is. If you don't want any shadows, put lamps on either side of the box. It worked best for me in the closest corner to me.

Finally, I snapped some photos using my newly created box. I tried to take some of Twitch, my parrot, and I only got one good shot of him in the box. He kept running to the edge. Ha!

Here are some shots I took of my Etsy items. Before, I used to count of natural light for my photos, which limits when I can take them. I was able to add these items to my Etsy shop at 10 p.m.!

Learn more about Today is a Sunny Day or check out other photos I've taken at www.todayisasunnyday.etsy.com.

What's Your Love Language?

It’s Monday morning, February 13^th, and the morning radio shows are abuzz with talk of Valentine’s Day. One of the morning deejays voiced how this year it didn’t matter if there were not dinner reservations or cards to exchange. She said she understood that her husband shows love by getting things done around the house, like installing new cabinets and remodeling the bathroom. 

As my husband and I listened to this on our way to work, he looked at me and said, “He’s acts of service.” I replied, “And she’s gifts.”

Defined by author Dr. Gary Chapman, there are five love languages. I believe that it’s extremely beneficial for us to know how we as individuals receive love and appreciation best. 

Think of it as literally speaking a different language. If you are trying to show someone that they are appreciated by giving compliments and they do not receive love by “words of encouragement” they just simply won’t feel love. It’s as if you are speaking Italian to someone who only speaks Spanish and expecting them to understand. Now that’s just crazy.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by learning what love language you primarily speak. Take this 30-question quiz to learn where your love languages rank.  

http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/

Did your results surprise you?

Making Life Beautiful - DIY Home Calendar

Now that my husband and I are working for separate companies, I realized it was tricky for us to stay updated with each others schedule. I decided it would be a good idea for us to have a family calendar.

There were a few challenges:

1) It needed to be centralized in our home.
2) It needed to be cute. 


Here's the supplies I used:
-- Poster frame / picture frames
-- Colored cardstock and patterned paper
-- Ruler
-- Straight-cut / scissor


First, I choose 4 different kinds of paper - white, sea green, pale purple, and a striped pattern. Then I cut them into 2 inch squares. I have a straight-cut so this made the process very simple and each cut was perfectly straight. If you don't have a straight-cut, you can use scissors.

Next, I arranged the square in the pattern that looked best to me and used a ruler to tape them down in straight lines across my picture frame backing. Previously, I covered the photo frame backing with kraft paper gift wrap. It's very inexpensive and can be found in your local craft store. It's great for gift wrapping and can add a sophisticated, yet homemade touch to presents.

Next, I arranged everything I was going to hang on my dining room table so I could find the perfect arrangement. You'll also see some wooden frames that I tucked ribbon into and I later attached clothespins to hang loose photos, invites, and to-do lists. 

Here's the finished product!

A Night to Dream

This week I was blessed with the opportunity to showcase my business, Today is a Sunny Day, at the Girl’s Night Out event “Resolve,” put on by For the Girls International. The night was full of encouragement and dreaming. I had a wonderful time meeting new people and catching up with old friends. 

Here are some photos of the event, along with my booth display. 

Tracey Metzger delivered a great message with practical steps to keep dreaming. My personal favorite was to be fearless... or do it afraid! (That last bit was compliments Joyce Meyer)

All the women who attended. (I'm in the way back, so don't bother looking for me. Ha!)

My set up featuring my favorite props! Lace fabric scraps I found in the AS IS section of Ikea for $2, my family's vintage, fully-functioning Westinghouse fan, and my family's green vintage sewing box in the background.

I love my new page corner bookmarks!

Recycled confetti. See the listing here.

Learn more about For the Girls International and their upcoming events by clicking here.

"I Love You Because..." Dry Erase Message Board

Excited to put this in the mail today!

 

See it on Etsy here!

Handmade Gift Giving

With the start up of my Etsy shop, Today is a Sunny Day, I created two goals for my gift giving. I want to mostly give gifts that are handmade and that are useful. Here are a few things I purchased for friends and family last holiday season.

Onesies
 

For the new additions to our extended family I bought two onesies from Brown Owl Designs. A close friend saw them for sale at a market in Orlando and passed on the contact info to me. The joys of word-of-month advertising!

Desk Calendar

I love this desk calendar from Shannon Blue Photography. There were lots of 2012 calendars to choose from online, but I choose this one because of the neat stand that can be used for display purposes once 2012 is history. The photographs are all taken by the seller I purchased it from.

Soap

This soap was purchased from one of my favorite Etsy shops, Rocky Top Soap Shop. Handmade soaps from a gentleman from the Northeast with a kickin’ beard. I got a variety pack through him and made sure to save one for myself. I got the rooibos tea shampoo and it’s fantastic!

Coasters

Ignore my “fat baby” in the picture. The coasters in the foreground are handmade from Geek Details and inspire by the BBC’s Doctor Who.

Address Labels

I purchased adorable address labels from Moxie Paperie for a present for my mom. I love adding beautiful details to life and stylish address labels definitely dress up a letter and make bill paying glamorous.

Tea

When visiting USF for a random event, I sampled roasted almond tea made by the Kaleisia Tea Lounge. To those of you local to the Tampa Bay area, it’s a tucked away tea lounge on Fletcher Ave. by the Brass Mug. For those of you not from the Bay Area, you can check out and order their selection online at www.thetealounge.com.

What is your favorite homemade, handmade, or locally-made gift?

Bucket List - Rock Climbing Trip

It all started when I was dating my husband. During his high school years, he worked every year for a rock wall vender at the Florida State Fair. I must say, as an impressionable teen, it was a plus that my boyfriend worked as a carnie for the State Fair. Ha!

Now fast forward a *few* years to December 2010. I purchased an online deal through Living Social for a belay class for two and admission at a local rock climbing gym, Vertical Ventures. Little did I know this would be just the beginning of a recreational activity that we would both immensely enjoy for years to come.

Now, for Christmas this year, my husband and I got memberships to Vertical Ventures until May and additional admissions, new climbing shoes, harnesses, new chalk bags, and (thanks to Vertical Ventures!) a crash pad. Turns out when I purchased Corey’s Christmas present, my name was entered to win a crash pad and I got it. I no longer can say that I never win anything.

(For those of you who don’t know, crash pads are portable mats you bring with you for outdoor climbing, mainly bouldering, to break your fall. Bouldering is a type of climbing that is lower to ground than sport or traditional climbing.)

Basically, the crash pad was the missing link for a climbing trip for us. Now we are just a full gas tank and a long drive away from climbing in the great outdoors on some elevation. This year, we are hoping to take a climbing trip and get our hands on some actual rock face. Since we’ve been actively indoor rock climbing in Florida, we both have had limited (and not ideal) opportunities to climb outside.


Here are two places we have on our radar that we would like to visit:


The Crash Pad – Tennessee

I’ve followed this business start-up on Facebook through their building updates. They are branding themselves as an affordable, boutique hostel in Chattanooga, TN. From what I’ve gathered, they pride themselves on three things: loving the outdoors, cheap rates, and clean bathrooms. I absolutely love the style and details. Check out their website to see their ‘superbunks’ and communal atmosphere.

HorsePens 40 – Alabama

Horsepens is known as one of the world’s most concentrated boulder fields! And it’s a mere 9 hours away. Entrance to climb in the park is around $5 and camping is $10 (read: night climbing!). One of the best times to climb is early spring, so I hope a rendezvous to Alabama is in my near future.

For the record, this one is a bit too 'high ball' for me.

See more photos here.


Little Rock City / Stone Fort

From my research, LRC is one of the most diverse places to boulder, with great routes for all skill levels and tastes. There is not camping on the grounds like there is at HorsePens, but since it's near The Crash Pad, we would definitely sleep there. Something interesting is that LRC is located on a golf course. The owner has been gracious enough to allow climbers to invade but just asks that they register online everyday before climbing and park in the designated spots. If you are interested in LRC, you can learn more about specific routes here.


What does this year have in store for your weekends?