OBSERVATIONS: Okay, maybe looking at this first shot, you're thinking, "Peeshaw! 88 ain't no heat wave!" But people, I am here to tell you that it got hella hot in Minnesota last week and continues this week as I type. For reals. Heatwaves notwithstanding, last week I struggled to find pics for the album. In fact, looking at the spread itself, it's visually one of my least favorite weeks. Isn't that terrible? That real life didn't provide the perfectly coordinated spread in Project Life?
Of course, I jest. But I am serious about not being in love with the images I got this week. Not through and through, anyway. And I think that's going to happen when you're documenting 52 weeks in a row. Shall we take a look-see?
Maybe part of it was because my lovely daughter was gone all week at Musical Theater Camp (ergo the two photos taken at the camp showcase.)
One thing I loved from last week was how Cole customized his swim pass card. I gave him a key ring and he found a picture of Aquaman to complete the look. That boy is nothing if not completely focused on the details that make something totally awesome.
I took a few more screen grabs from my iPhone (hold down the Home button and hit the On/Off button on top of the phone at the same time until you hear a shutter click sound and voila, you have a photo of your phone's screen). I love the Find My Friends app. It'll track anyone you have added to your list, anywhere in the country, and show you exactly where they are. Dan thinks it's stalkerish, and Aidan won't add me as one of her friends. Still, it's pretty cool for a mama who likes to know where her flock is.
And here's the weekly recap:
Now if you'll excuse me, me and my hot flashes are going to sit near the air vents in my house, and not move for a few solid hours.
SUPPLIES:
Kendra B says
You stalker!! LOL I asked you the other day if you’re going to do MMEH again, so now I’m curious if you’ll continue doing project life once this years over? I still haven’t started doing project life myself, but you don’t have to start January 1st right???
cathy says
Im definitely planning on doing PL again. I love it so much. Love the results. Love the mindfulness it creates to document our lives. And you can start any week of the year!
Kendra B says
I’m glad you agree that I don’t have to wait until January!! LOL I’m one of those people who feels like there are certain times when you start things . . . Diets start on Monday, PL starts January 1st π Maybe I should freak my system out by starting something today, a THURSDAY!!! π
Kimberly says
I hear ya on the hotness in MN….holy heck it is hot out there – literally difficult to breathe.
Mel says
I am in MN too…yes – so over this heat!
Debbi g says
I’d join the stalker list, if I had the app π
I’m in Chicago and yesterday the outside temp read 108!! High today is supposed to be 104! But I get it, hot it hot, no matter where you are!
Welcome summer! HA
Kim H. says
Ok, I’m a stalker too, because I LOVE Find My Friends app. I even have my 18 year old son on it and I try not to abuse it, but I have such peace of mind knowing I can find him if I need to.
Design Editor says
Can we talk about how awesome the Crayola suitcase is? I mean, really.
cathy says
Okay, Aidan got that for Christmas when she was five. She packed for an entire week in that thing. She LOVES it.
Petit Pixel says
Love that you included your Find Friends screenshot of Dan…I did that just last weekend when I was in one corner of the state and my husband was in the other for work…furtherest we’d been apart for a long time…saved for project life (waaay behind!)
Julia R says
I hope Aiden didn’t get stuck in the tiny tiny rooms of Kildahl and that she enjoyed her time on The Hill. Class of ’95 and still miss me some STO π
Chris-Ellyn says
I love that Crayola bag too! I can’t believe she packed for a week in it!
cathy says
Julia, she was in Melby Hall, I believe. But still no AC and it was TOASTY when she was there!
Shes got STO on her list of possible schools. : )
Julia R says
I lived in Mellby my sophomore & junior years. Still an old dorm, but great location, lots of character. The super old single-paned casement windows tend to get icy in the winter though LOL
St Olaf is a fantastic school. I loved it when I was there and I love it even more now. The faculty is incredible and it’s a wonderful place to live. Such a creative haven too. I only visited to humor my mom but had my heart set on Swarthmore. But I became an Ole on my campus tour and never looked back.
Good luck to Aiden in making a decision π
Clare D'Onofrio says
Cathy if its alright I have a question about adding text to photos video you did a couple of weeks ago. When I open my pictures they are huge, so when I add type I can’t see anything, I have to zoom a million times to see it at all. I don’t know how to reduce the picture file in photo shop so it is normal size. Help………
Mandy Robek says
Cathy,
I have been following you for quite some time and appreciate all your posts with such honesty. I have been juggling using various cameras and recently decided to use my camera phone, which is a droid x. I know you use the iphone but I was wondering if you had a post about printing your iphone pictures. I was really frustrated this weekend when I printed my first batch as 4×6 and they were pixel-ly. I know you print yours and am looking for any insights. Thanks for your inspiration.
cathy says
Hey Clare, when you open your photo, you need to first change the resolution from 72 to 300. You do this by going to Image Resize Image Size, and then make sure the Resample Image box is unchecked. Then, in the resolution area, change that number from 72 to 300. The actual size of the photo should change in the measurements. Very likely to around a 5 x 7 or something like that. Then you can click on the Crop Tool, and enter in 4 and 6 (or 6 and 4) as the size to crop too, and when you crop your photo it will be a 4 x 6. Then when you go to add type, you wont have that issue.
And actually, another way to get a 300 resolution 4 x 6 is simply to open the doc, grab the Crop Tool, set your numbers in the size field (4 and 6, or vice versa) and just crop the photo. But, then you need to go in and make sure the photo is 300. I just tried it on a random shot and my newly cropped photo was 433 resolution. So i checked the Resample Image (you have to do this to preserve the size of the photo) and changed the resolution to 300.
Clear as mud? ; )
Its all about working in a 300 resolution (print quality) document!
cathy says
Hey Mandy, im looking to find something that would be helpful but I can only find posts about using DropBox to transfer my photos. All I know is that when I upload from my phone via dropbox, the images are usually high quality resolution. Can you email your Droid shots to your computer and if yes, does it give you the option for Full Quality Image? or something like that?
cathy says
Clare, I found a better way!
In PSE, when you open your photo, simply slick on the Crop Tool, then go up to the upper bar and enter the width, height and resolution (I didnt realize you could control the resolution in the upper bar, at least in PSE 10 you can.) Then when you crop your photo, it will be the right size and you can add your text and you wont have that tiny text on a giant photo issue!
: )
I think ill do a video post about this. Im sure its frustrating to a lot of people.
Clare D'Onofrio says
Thank you so so so very much Cathy. That sounds simple enough just couldn’t figure it out and it was so frustrating. I was in Minneapolis last weekend for a wedding and I thought of you, kind of feels like I have a friend there but then we’ve never met. Also, I have been following your dieting challenges and wanted to know if you’ve ever heard of the HCG diet. A friend of mine lost almost 100 lbs on it and has kept it off for the past year. It is very restrictive but you lose an average of .8 lbs a day. I have about 20lbs to lose and I am doing it now, I have lost 12 lbs in the past 3 weeks. Check it out on the Web it is called Pounds and Inches by Dr. Simeon, his entire manuscript is online for free. When you get to a certain age your body just will not cooperate.
Mandy Robek says
Cathy, you are a doll for helping me figure out new things. I can send my photos to my email and then I opened it there and it looks great. Previously, I put them in Lightroom – which I really don’t understand but my photobug husband uses for all our sport photos and such. That’s where they got pixel-ly. What do you do with drop box and after, maybe I could do something like that for ease and better quality. Thanks a bunch.
cathy says
Mandy, I go from my phone, through the DropBox app, then download those photos to my computer via DropBox. : )