365 project: Day 9

healthy summer snack

Today I decided we would make use of the excellent fruit of the season and take a healthy box of fruit to the park. I added the cucumber and tomatoes so that I wouldn't have to worry about cutting up more stuff for dinner later, when they would be tired from playing outside. Guess what, after this nutritious snack, Noam asked for and got bread with chocolate spread for dinner. I wonder if that cancels out any health benefits he got earlier.

365 Project: Day 8

French is easy if you have the right tools

If I'm not going for dark red/purple heavy-metal-rock kind of look (which I haven't lately), my favorite is a french manicure (I do my feet as well). I used to pay a manicurist to do it for me, but then I realized that it was just a waste of money.
I bought white nail polish with a thin brush, the really sheer-see-through-light pink nail polish for the slightly blurring effect and a quick drying top coat. I like CHIC nail polish because it gives great value for money, they cost only about 10-15 NIS a bottle, and they're smooth and durable.
The thin brush makes applying the thin white line so easy, and the top coat ensures everything dries before I have a chance to ruin it by touching anything.
Now, after several months I've been doing it on my own, I usually get it right at the first or second try. Not too shabby.
On the other hand, the picture was taken really late at night, the lighting was impossible and I couldn't get the camera to focus without the flash, so photography-wise, not the best item. Still, gotta take one a day, I'll do better next time...
Maybe I'll make this a recurring thing as well, "beauty Tuesday".

365 Project: Getting Started

The 365 project is a photography project where you document a year of your life by taking a daily photo. I came across this concept in one of the many blogs I read (though I'm not sure which).
The idea really grabbed me, though I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Then, I started noticing things around me I thought would make a good picture, and soon after that I decided that I would start. Only I didn't. I kept "seeing" things, but just didn't jump in. Then, one day, on the way back from the park with the kids, I saw these trees and flowers growing from a neighbor's garden. There was a strip of sunlight on some of the flowers, and the whole thing was just beautiful. I took a picture of it with my cell phone, but it didn't come out very nice - the light was all wrong and the flowers didn't show very well. Now, I know I'm a terrible photographer - but I thought I could do better than that.
The next day was partly cloudy and the lighting was much better. I took a few pictures of those same flowers & trees, only this time it came out pretty good not bad. And that's how I started (I'm writing this on day 8 of the project, the earlier photos are actually back dated).

For me, this project is about seeing the little things in life which we don't always stop to notice. I want to take pictures which I wouldn't otherwise take: i.e. (1) no photos of my children (who really get plenty of camera time) and (2) no photos of things I make. My last "rule" is that I will only take pictures of good/pretty things, (3) no funny signs or sarcastic scenes (which I like in general, it's just out of scope for this project). I also hope it will improve my photo-taking skills ('cause I really need it), even if most of the pictures a taken with the cell phone I mentioned before...

I keep calling it project 365 (instead of 365 project), I guess I have project runway on the mind...

See my 365 project photos here.

Project 365: Day 7

city skyline in the morning, 

from our only west facing window

We don't really have a good view of the sunrise, there are lots of buildings in that direction, but I've got to say that even the other direction is pretty this early in the morning, even if you can't hear the birds through the picture.
This reminds me a bit of my childhood bedroom, which faced west, but for a few minutes every morning - the sun would shine on the windows of the houses across the street and reflect straight into my room.

365 Project: Day 6

Boys have cool toys, but this is really about the colors

Boys have the best toys. Girls have the best clothes. One of the things that makes Lego (or Duplo in this case) so great is the way the colors go together. Sometimes it's intentional (you should see my boy purposely putting only bricks of different colors one next to each other), and sometimes accidental (when he wants to build something REALLY BIG AND TALL), but always interesting. It could almost be used as is as a fabric design.

365 Project: Day 5

city skyline at sunset, from our only west facing window

There's just something about the sunset which makes everyone a little emotional and kind of nostalgic (to what?). I wonder if there is some evolutionary root to this, something like: Hey, the sun is going down, I guess we'd better get back in the cave, cuddle and protect each other from wild beasts. Or maybe it's just pretty.
It's nice having this kind of view, even if it's only from one window (our next apartment will definitely face south-west, no doubt about it).

365 Project: Day 4

שבת שלום

I'm thinking this should be a recurring item: It's Friday afternoon, everything is quiet. The food is all ready, the house is clean and the table all set for Friday evening Shabat dinner. Maybe this will inspire me to put some effort into designing the place settings differently each week.