Fall DIY Home Decor and TFT Link Party

Happy Thursday, and happy almost Fall.  I'm feeling a little sad that our pool will be closed within the next couple of days.  (If you remember, my husband calls it the "work basin." He's not sorry to see it closing...)  I'm not quite ready for fall yet, and neither is our weather, but I can't be in denial much longer.

Welcome to another Thursday Favorite Things link party!  If you're new to the link-up, Thursday Favorite Things is a link party, created by Katherine, from Katherine's Corner, for blog writers and blog readers.  Join us every Thursday (through Saturday.)  It's a wonderful way to find new ideas, meet bloggers, and bring new readers to  your blog!

Please take a moment after you are done today, and click back to last week's party, to see what you might have missed.

I haven't done much fall decorating yet, but I enjoyed all of the fall DIY decor ideas from last week's party and featured some of them this week:

I learned how to re-purpose an old fall wreath at The Crowned Goat.  The end result has a soft blush hint of color that is so beautiful. I'm going to try it.

Thursday Favorite Things #356

Welcome to another Thursday Favorite Things (TFT) link party!  I hope you have had a great week.

If you're new to the link-up, Thursday Favorite Things is a link party, created by Katherine from Katherine's Corner for blog writers and blog readers.  Join us every Thursday (through Saturday.)  It's a wonderful way to find new ideas, meet bloggers, and bring new readers to  your blog!

Please take a moment after you are done today, and click back to last week's party, to see what you might have missed.

Here are my features from last week's party:

I love the topiary tree and printable that Julie from My Wee Abode shared.  The colors are soft and pretty, and so is the style.  

Choosing the First Lenses for your DSLR

If you have a DSLR, you may be wanting to take the next step and start learning about lenses.

Although the lens that came with your camera may be all you need, a prime lens with a wide aperture would be a great next step.

Ok, back up.  Some of you are nodding, and some of you are audibly saying, "what the heck does she mean by that?  Prime lens?  Wide aperture?"

Simply put, a prime lens is a lens with a fixed focal length, so it will not zoom. You zoom with your feet!  Prime lenses tend to be sharper than zoom lenses.  And a wide aperture lens (or "fast" lens)  will let in more light than a narrow aperture.  So if a lens has a maximum aperture of 1.4 or 1.8, for example, it is considered a "wide aperture lens."  Better depth of field and the ability to shoot in lower light are the main reasons I love a wide aperture lens.

Beside the kit lens that came with my first DSLR, my 50mm 1.8 is my go-to lens for most photography. It's a fast (wide aperture), prime lens, and it's relatively cheap.  It was the first additional lens I purchased.

Several of these photos were taken in 2008, with the 50mm  1.8 lens when I had only had my first DSLR for a few months.

Nikon D80 DSLR with 50mm 1.8 lens (2008)

Thursday Favorite Things #355

Hello!  We've had two birthdays here at our home this week and multiple home projects.  So the blog has gone a bit unattended!  No worries -- I'll be sharing some of my projects soon.

I'm glad, though, that it's time for another Thursday Favorite Things (TFT) link party.  I really enjoy all of the new surprises that blog writers share every week, and I'm excited to see what you have for us this week.

If you're new to the link-up, Thursday Favorite Things is a link party for blog writers and blog readers every Thursday (through Saturday.)  It's a wonderful way to find new ideas, meet bloggers, and bring new readers to your blog.


Please take a moment after you are done today, and click back to last week's party, to see what you might have missed.

Here are my features from last week's party:

Thursday Favorite Things #354

Hello!  Welcome to another Thursday Favorite Things link party!

I've been a bit under the weather this week, and the weather is still doing it's hot, cool, hot, cool thing.  Here in Missouri, there is a saying that goes something like, "If you don't like the weather in Missouri, just wait 5 minutes."  I don't think we Missourians own that, though...  Maybe you have a saying like that where you're from too?

Anyway, I've finally been digging through my craft storage, gathering some ideas for new blog posts.  I've been a little overwhelmed with putting together a functional art/crafts space since our move in November.  I'm getting there, though!  It's been fun to find some of my partially finished projects that need attention. I'm going to finish them!

How to Heat Emboss

The first time I saw heat embossing, I was at a craft fair, years ago, in southern Missouri.  A woman was demonstrating it at her booth.  I felt like I was watching magic as the powder melted and created a beautiful raised image.  I was mesmerized and walked away with several pots of embossing powder. (Her demonstration was successful!)

Heat embossing is one of those craft techniques that has that wow factor for sure. You can heat emboss a rubber stamped image, or you can heat emboss your hand lettering.

These days, most of my heat embossing is for lettering, but I've done my fair share of embossing stamped images as well.   It's an easy way to add dimension and texture to your projects.

Here's a baby photo book I made years ago.  The rubber-stamped image style looks kind of dated, but it's still one of my favorite projects.

The stamped image was embossed with a silver detail embossing powder. The effect really doesn't come through on photos very well, but the outline of the image is raised.  (I made quite a few of these little books as gifts!)

Want to try heat embossing?

It's Spring Again at Thursday Favorite Things

Happy Thursday friends!   It's a gorgeous day here today -- so cool,  and the humidity is low.  We seem to have switched our seasons and are having our spring now, in late summer, that we didn't have in the spring.  (I refuse to call this early fall!)

I'm so glad to be here for another Thursday Favorite Things link party with Katherine from Katherine's Corner, and all of the other co-hostesses.  It's such a pleasure to co-host again.  Thursday is my new favorite week day!   I hope you had a good week, and I'm anxious to see what you all have to share this week.  Please take a moment after you are done, and click back to last week's party, to see what you might have missed.

If you're new to the link-up, Thursday Favorite Things is a link party for blog writers and blog readers every Thursday (through Saturday.)  It's a wonderful way to find new ideas, meet bloggers, and bring new readers to your blog.

My Sunny is curled up asleep right here next to my desk, and I'm ready to get the party started. I
realize I shared a picture of Sunny last week too, but even after having her for 8 years  (we got her when she was a 4 year old rescue from a puppy-mill),  she steals my heart every day.

She is old and gets chilly, so she looks pretty cozy right now!



Here are my features from last week's party.  (Remember, all of the hostesses choose their own features, so you have 9 opportunities to be featured each week.)

Be sure to leave  a comment with your link number, for a chance to be featured.  



Pam, from EveryDay Living, shared some beautiful photography and a beautiful message.