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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Tips and Tricks by Kelcy of Sweekit Photography

Get the most out of your Camera!!!!

It’s that time of year again, and maybe I should mention… my favorite time of the year! I wait all year long to be able to go pick out the perfect Christmas tree and the moment I get it home, it is up in the house. Ahh, the fresh smell of pine is the best. The kids and I were listening to some Christmas music and they were singing Jingle Bells as loud as could be while I sat back and took pictures of their progress and the final masterpiece.



I, like most people, always take that typical picture of your Christmas tree but doesn’t just seem so bland? Are you looking to add a little pizazz to your pictures this year? I have a few helpful tips to make your pictures stand out a little more than previous years! If you have a DSLR camera, you are just in luck!



Don’t you just love the starburst in the lights? To achieve this look, it is so simple! First, if you have a tripod, put your camera on a tripod so it can sit still for a long period of time without any movement. If you do not have a tripod, you may place your camera on a chair or something sturdy (if you have a rice bag, that works great to stabilize your camera). Next, we need to set the settings on your camera… which means you will need to put it in the dreaded (for most haha) manual mode. You want your shutter to be very long, in my pictures, my shutter was set on 20 seconds (see why it is so important to have your camera on a tripod or something similar). Crank your f-stop up to 16 or higher! The higher you put your f-stop, the more starburst effect you will get on your lights and I had my camera set on F22. Then just turn your ISO down low to about 400. Now, if those words sound foreign to you, don’t worry. It is mainly two different knobs on your camera that you turn and it is much easier than what it sounds like. Finally, turn all the lights out in the house so it is dark and the room is just lit by your tree and start practicing!




Now that you have tackled the tree, you want to get some pictures of your family in front of it too right?!? How fun is it to turn your tree lights into different shapes? Easy peasy and no time at all!



You just need black construction paper (or I only had white printing paper so I colored it with a black sharpie) and some scissors! Cut a circle the size of your lens so it can fit over the end. I cut a strip of paper and taped it to the side of the circle so it would sit on the end of my lens. For the shape in the middle… it can be anything you want it to be! Paper punches are also fantastic, you can punch a shape in the middle and the size of the punch does not need to be big. My heart that I cut is probably ¾ of an inch tall. Just place the paper on the end of your lens and start shooting away :) For better results, set your camera to a higher aperture (lower number) to create more bokeh (the circles or shape on your paper) in your photograph. These particular pictures were taken at F2.8. There are no other requirements to create this effect! I happened to take these pictures at night so they are a little darker but I have created this same photograph during the daytime as well and you will create the same results.







There you go! I hope you will be able to successfully have a little fun with your Christmas tree this year! The possibilities are endless and I would love to see how your pictures turn out! Skip on over to my page, Sweekit Photography and share your best pictures with me! Let’s share the holiday cheer together! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~Kelcy 
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Friday, November 22, 2013

To Ombre or not to Ombre :) -Carly

I have been going back and forth in my head for months about whether I wanted to give the Ombre look a shot or not. I was afraid I missed the boat on that one but heard back from many stylists that it is still a look that is "in"
Long story short is I found a new stylist that I love!!! Her name is Krista.
She made me feel comfortable about chopping some of my hair ( I had some nasty split ends) and giving the Ombre look a go.A more subtle ombre look for the first round and she assured me that I can always go more drastic in my next appointment. She works in Davenport so all you local ladies are in luck!!! If you are looking for a new stylist, give Krista a call!!!!
Ok so here it goes...
Don't mind the Before picture selfie (in my car on the way to the appointment)

BEFORE: Longest it's been in a long time

BEFORE: just for a visual on how it look when it was "done"

Drum roll............................................................................................................................................................
When I have some Va va voom Volume!!!
Here is a pic that Lindsay took when I was out and about in the nasty weather.

What do ya think? I'm loving the cut and color! Krista said the ombre is a honey color and she used my natural color as the base/darkest color so that it would be lower maintenance and not look cray cray when it starts growing out. YAY for low maintenance color (didnt know it existed!)

Anyway, here is Krista's business page (she also owns a spray tan business!) 
You should "Like" her page and tell her TCOT sent ya!

Here is her personal page:


:)





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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Everything but the kitchen sink COOKIE recipe by Libby




Mash 3-4 bananas
2-3 cups old fashioned oats
1 scoops vanilla muscle gain

1/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup honey
Skin and chop 1 apple
Then add whatever (literally)
I added raisins, pecans, flax,
Sliced Almonds, sunflower seed kernels..
Mix all together and make on cookie sheet.. Bake 20-25 min on 375


YUMMO!
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Don't Just Chase Your Dreams, DO IT!

Here's a little different spin on the regular blog...

Take a peek at this video from Libby, GET INSPIRED!!!



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Monday, November 18, 2013

DIY Home Design by Sherri

Lindsay and I both call this mama a friend! Meet Sherri, she has 2 sweet lil girls and a great hubby. Sherri's hubby is actually a longtime friend of both of the TCOT hubbies. Gotta love our Small Town Guys!!!
Anyway, Sherri has an awesome eye for design and now we are lucky enough to hear some of the TRICKS OF THE TRADE! YAY!

A few weeks ago a friend of mine that recently moved was asking me about curtains/draperies for her house.  Where do you hang them?  At the window?  At the ceiling? What is the latest rule?  And before we get into it, let me make a confession…I can be cheap budget conscious (although my husband may disagree). At times I have a hard time looking at two things that serve the same purpose and buying the more expensive one, designer or not.  That is kind of like drapes.  The purpose is obviously to provide privacy and obviously more fabric means more $$$.  When we first moved into our house seven years ago I just bought the 84” panels because they were less and called it a day.  Once I realized we were going to have them forever I kind of changed my tune started buying the taller panels; it really does make a difference.  Hanging drapes at ceiling draws your eye up and gives the appearance of a taller ceiling AND another thing that is a MUST even if you just go ahead and buy the shorter panels, you MUST be sure to extend your panels closer to the outside of the window.  Create a larger ‘frame’ on your window.  It will add so much more light into the room and make it appear larger. 




The next time you are looking and switching up your space and decide to buy panels, consider going to the ceiling; the design police aren’t going to show up if you don’t but you may be surprised with the difference. 


     One of my favorite places to get panels is West Elm.  Check them out.  Let me know if there are any design questions on your mind; I am looking forward to getting to know you and sharing a bit about myself!
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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

City Living by guest blogger Marcy

A long time ago in my past life, I lived in Chicago and ran around like a crazy woman with some of my bff's. I had some of the best times with these girls. My best friend, Marcy is still living in Chicago with her man. She writes a lifestyle blog at www.onawhym.blogspot.com. check it out for awesome pics of trendy and "hot spot" restaurants and lounges. She finds the best places!!! Read the post below for a taste of the Chicago city life!!!!

Guest blogger:Marcy from www.onawhym.blogspot.com





Sometimes, time really does fly. Last week I felt like I looked up and October was halfway gone, maybe its the beautiful weather? It's been hovering in the 70's during the day and in the 50's at night. I am in no rush for a change! Here is the last week in pictures and in no particular order.

                   I enjoyed a Chicago Style lunch


                                          Good to the last bite!


Took a stroll over the river to meet the girls for a long overdue catch up


We chose a new Tiki place in River North


Quickly ordered up some cocktails




If you're hungry, there are only a few small plates but everything we had was delicious


I did a lot of walking


Food Truck Friday!




Fall is in the air...


Movie Night!


Took a stroll


Bad Happy... It's a real place. The best poutine I ever had! Their burgers are pretty amazing as well and its BYOB.

           I tried the Filbert's Blackcherry soda and it was Oh so refreshing!



The Quebecer


Chick-Fil-E...Yup, there's a fried chicken in there and it's topped with frosted flakes! It seemed strange at first but it was the perfect combo of sweet and salty.


                                                      More walking...





                  Looks like a storm is brewing!




Time for a movie and some cozy leggings!






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Monday, October 14, 2013

Obsessed! ~ October addition





Last month we did a list of some of our favorite things, but one list just wasn't enough...
we still had more!!!




1. My new riding boots!!! They are going to be PERFECT with all my new TCOT outfits! I found both pairs for less than $40 each at DOTS.

                                                                    















2. Hy-Vee deli and bakery...did you know that both give out free snacks for your kiddos while shopping? What kid wouldn't want yummy cheese and cookies!? And the gas saver card is pretty amazing too!

                                                         Bettendorf Hy-Vee Facebook page




3. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish. It comes in many pretty shades and dries almost instantly! The perfect polish for a quick mani pedi or for those impatient little girls!

                                                                Sally Hansen website




4. One of my favorite blogs to follow is Single Dad Laughing. My favorite post is 16 Ways I Blew My Marriage. If you haven't heard of him, you should!

                                                           16 Ways I Blew My Marriage




5. Grilled Pizza! Mmmmm, have you tried this!? If not, you are SERIOUSLY missing out! Here is my favorite dough recipe, so simple! We have tried so many toppings...spinach artichoke with cheese, garlic and olive oil...shrimp alfredo...buffalo chicken...bbq pork...the list goes on and on!


 
 

                                                        Bobby Flay Pizza Dough Recipe





6. Thirty-One...bags, bags, bags and more bags!!! This is becoming a serious obsession! They have everything, purses, thermal bags, make-up bags, home organizers, bins...oh, just look at the website!


 


                                                               Thirty-One Gifts Website







7. Jimmy's Pancake House, to say this place is amazing is a serious understatement! I have been visiting them for a few years now and have never had anything that wasn't outstanding. They have something for everyone, my personal favorite is the Greek Skillet, melt in your mouth mmmmm! They are busy, so you may have to wait for a few minutes to get a table, but it is most definitely worth the wait! Or you can do carry out like we usually do!

 


                                                   Jimmys Pancake House Facebook Page






8. The Olive Tree Cafe is another one of my favorite local places to eat. Best gyros in town! They specialize in healthy Mediteranean cuisine...who knew healthy could taste this delish!? This hidden gem is located off of 53rd and 18th street and you can usually find a spot to sit.

 

                                                       The Olive Tree Cafe Facebook page


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