black and white and light all over

julia::ordinarysaturdays — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:54:04 +0000

February has been the month of new computers for me. Until this month I’d only had two computers in my life. Ever. One in 1999, which had a huuuuuge 6 gig hard drive. Then a few years ago it reached its compatibility limits and my mom took pity on my poor self, passing on her old PC when she upgraded to a laptop. So I’ve been noodling along on a nine year old Dell, previously used by my formerly-teenaged brothers. Yup, it was sloooow. I have enjoyed teasing the Kids about finding evidence of *activities*. They get all blustery and defensive, which is fun. Though fortunately I have never actually found any such evidence.

Then DJ gave me the little baby netbook for Valentine’s Day. And today DJ’s brother, our resident computer expert (by trade, too) dropped off my brand new custom built PC, complete with a movie screen for a monitor. We’ve been planning this for a while, but I feel like I’ve hit the computer lottery! It’s so very fast!

I’m still trying to find my way around, and I’m lacking a few key things. Like Photoshop. As I have said many times, I am not good enough with a camera to do without some strategic fixing and blurring. Today I used Picnik to blur out some, ummm, dust bunnies hanging from the lampshade in the pic below. You never see ‘em until you snap a photo. They’ve probably been there a while, I only had the camera in hand because I’d done some rearranging to improve my view from the sofa.

I wanted more candles. Maybe I miss stockpiling candles for my wedding. Before it looked like this. I liked it, but it’s kind of bleh. Not that exciting, and the lamp is all wrong.

And now - That’s a new lamp, but everything else was stashed away around the house. My stationery lives in that metal box, but I don’t mind moving a lamp as infrequently as I write letters these days. The big black frame has been hanging out empty since I smashed the glass a few years ago. I ripped off the back and hung a smaller frame inside it by a ribbon. Plus a wedding photo* in a pewter frame, a sculpture of a bathing beauty from my mom a few Christmases ago, and three pillar candles in glass vases I thrifted for arranging wedding flowers. Can’t do a thing about the thermostat, DJ tells me we need it to keep the house comfortable.

Too many candles? Be gentle, this girl has quite a week coming. Three bosses and a maybe-promotion, I’ll be on wheels!

*A quick print, Kim. Permanence yet to be decided/ordered.

Filed under: domestic bliss, lighting

light a little light

julia::ordinarysaturdays — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:50:00 +0000

I’m a little bit afraid that my candle-lighting helpers are going to off me after the wedding. In addition to the many (many) votives for the barn beams and tables, I’d like to light the bannisters to the balcony. (Hay loft?)

(Source: Byron Colby Barn)

Here’s one level of the bannister. There’s another where the photographer is standing. I like the light aspect of the Christmas lights, but I’m not a big fan of Christmas lights at any time but Christmas. And no, you cannot convince me that they’re “fairy lights.” Those are different.

(Source)

So, more candles? I really like this, with the different jars and lipped votive holders.

And these, which might be baby food jars. Did you know that you can buy clean, empty baby food jars on eBay? Seriously, someone will sell you anything there. Incredible.

I’m not sure how to attach them to the bannister, though. Giant twist-ties? Ribbon? Pipe cleaners? (Of course you remember pipe cleaners.) I am less concerned with the aesthetics of attachment than I am with my bridesmaids not killing me before the honeymoon, so I’d have to choose ease over beauty if there’s a choice to be made.

Posted in I like this, lighting

Ordinary Saturdays » lighting

black and white and light all over

light a little light