How incredibly cool is my daughter? Instead of dressing up as Katy Perry or Miley Cyrus she picked Regine Chassagne from Arcade Fire to dress up as. Regine is definitely the kind of role model I’d like my daughter to have. She’s an artist, musician, singer and philanthropist. While taking these photos she was humming the tune Sprawl II.
I’ve been sewing for years. I absolutely love it but have never really learned the basics. Slowly over the years I’ve managed to teach myself some of the most important techniques you need to know to be able to sew the absolute basics. But there’s one thing I’ve had a mental block about for years. An irrational fear of. Something that has held me back in my sewing adventures. The zipper. So this morning I decided that I would have to try to sew a simple lined zipper pouch. I dug out my zipper box. Over the years I’ve accumulated all sorts of different size and colour of zippers. Waiting for this moment.
Here are all the pieces I’ll need to make my lined zipper pouch. Doesn’t look too intimidating yet.
Wish me luck.
{update: the zippered pouch didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked. There were a few minor hitches along the way (how did one of the interior linings end up on the exterior?). I’m going to try again today. I WILL succeed at sewing a zipper!}
I live in a very small Italian town. I think the latest population count was around 3000. Usually Halloween isn’t celebrated or even known in Italy but in our little village it is the most awaited evening of the year for at least 150 of the 3000 inhabitants. I guess the fact there are a few North Americans living here has helped the adoption of Halloween (fun fact…we are 3 North Americans with twins in this ever so small paese…something in the water?).
Halloween is my opportunity to make all sorts of delicious North American specialties for the locals to try. So far they’ve been very fond of all the new desserts. Cheesecake, cupcakes, pumpkin pies, Hello Dolly squares….it’s possible they all went to bed with a bad case if indigestione.
Black and orange aren’t my favourite colour palattes to work with so I’ve decided to use the colours that inspire me. Plus, we’re in Italy…it’s not like they know Halloween is all about dark and dreary.
It’s amazing what kids can do with a few used greasy pizza boxes.
Week number 2 of my photography class in Milan. Again it was very interesting. Lots of confusing talk about “stops” of all different nature but in the end I left feeling like I’d learned a lot. Part of this week’s assignment was to do some movement shots. One action shot with a short shutter speed (which would freeze the moment), one with a longer shutter speed (which shows the movement but still makes it recognizable) and an attempt at a panning shot. I’m not really satisfied with my photos but I’m slowly on my way I think. I hope.
Short shutter speed photo…
Longer shutter speed action shot…
Attempted panning shot…
So last night I started a much anticipated photography course in Milan. It is indeed a bit far and the hour is a bit scomodo but in the end I decided to go for it because I feel as though my photos could use some more depth (and technique). It’s possible this course will ruin my ability to take spontaneous photos due to the constant thinking of apertures, light readings and white balance, but I’ll give it a go and see the results later (whether good or bad). The fact it’s in Italian is both positive and negative. Positive because I get to enrich my vocabulary in Italian. Negative because I most likely miss a bit of what is being explained. In any case, the enthusiasm is definitely there and the teacher seems to be very in gamba.
One of our first assignments was to take a photo of 2 objects (placed one in front of the other). In the first photo the object in back has to be in focus, in the second the object in front has to be in focus and in the third both objects have to be in focus.
Here’s my first attempt at the object in back in focus…
Here’s my first attempt at the photo with object in front in focus…
Our sage green eggs from the Araucana chickens above. Some days they are robin’s egg blue. Other days a misty grey. The bordeaux coloured eggs are from our Marans chickens. Oh, and that amazingly chubby in the photo is now 9 years old and as long and lanky as they come.
Daily findings from the coop. A colourful heap of delicious fresh eggs.
About
Jillian in Italy Interview by Classic Play!
Jillian In Italy interview on Pret A Voyager
Embroidery With Kids
Father's Day Origami Garland
Miniature Bulletin Boards
Surprise Activity Garland
Italian Crostata Recipe
Snail Mail Booklets
Doily Fairy Lights
Jan Fabre Exhibit With Kids
Japanese Handicrafts
Miniature Waffle Cookies
Jillian In Italy 