tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038833423081114702024-03-14T00:34:08.272-04:00Verbal MélangeA mashup of style, food and anything else that interests me right now.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034234729214154096noreply@blogger.comBlogger739125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-4015117151219249782016-04-30T10:01:00.002-04:002016-04-30T10:03:05.331-04:00Some news<center><a data-pin-do="embedPin" data-pin-width="medium" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/167759154839202222/"></a></center><br /><br /><script async defer src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Warning: Very long text post ahead.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When you were younger, what did dream of becoming when you grew up? It’s probably no surprise that my aspirations varied greatly; I bounced from nun to doctor to writer to astronaut as a child. As I got older, I realized that I had a talent for writing and stumbled blindly into the world of journalism. In college, I discovered my passion: telling other people’s stories. I loved peeling back a person’s layers, getting at what they didn’t think was worth examining and showing the world just how lovely it was.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After college, I was fortunate enough to elbow my way into the world of regional magazine publishing. I was doing what I loved, even though I had to juggle three jobs to make it work, and I was busy but mostly content. </span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then the magazine got bought out. My colleagues were getting laid off or jumping ship in droves, so I seized a lifesaver of my own in the form of a communications office for a government agency. After a few years, I was making more money than I ever would have imagined making before my 30s, doing a job that I was quite good at and that made decent use of my journalism degree.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I was restless.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I dreaded waking up Monday mornings. And Tuesday mornings, and every other weekday mornings. I lived for the weekend, when I felt like my time was my own. I found myself calling off sick because I just couldn’t stomach the thought of being a cubicle drone that day. I used my vacation days liberally, desperate for any excuse to escape my life. I accepted that this was my normal, my life: Living each day as a countdown to 5 p.m., viewing my job only as a means to an end, a necessary evil that must be endured in order to live the rest of my life the way I wanted. </span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You, blog readers, can probably always guess when something big is happening in my life. I quietly disappear from my corner of the internet, either because I’m simply overwhelmed and need to “do” one less thing or because it’s the only way I’ll keep secret information from spilling out in a public forum. Such is the case these last few weeks.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I woke up. A series of perfectly timed events jarred me out of my complacency, which I realized was no way to live a life, and I took an enormous risk. It’ll be quite a while before I can be sure that it pays off, but I’m fairly certain it will.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I’m leaving my cushy government job for a gritty, difficult job with less material payoff but far greater job satisfaction. And starting in May, I’ll be the editor of my very own magazine. I’ll be the one-woman show running <i>Columbus Weddings</i>, the publication I’ve been freelancing for these last several years (and the one I was an assistant editor for right after college, back when it was called <i>Columbus Bride</i>). I never could give up my ties to that publication, even when I was making enough money to not need the freelance income. I feel like that has to mean something.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I’ll also be editor for several ancillary publications of the main parent magazine, <i>Columbus Monthly</i>. It puts out numerous niche products a year, from <i>Best Driving Vacations</i> and <i>City Guide</i> to special feature sections on the Columbus-area suburbs and several small advertising-driving features. </span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It’s going to be a rocky few months; I’m going to hit the ground running with two big projects from day one. I don’t know what that’s going to mean for Verbal Mélange in the long run; but for now, I ask for your patience as I adjust and keep things pretty low-key around these parts. I’ll see you on the other side :)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Also, because I can’t skip my attribution: The quote in my post title is from Mary Oliver’s poem, <i>The Summer Day</i>, in case you were wondering.)
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-25495846770657062882016-04-24T21:05:00.001-04:002016-04-24T21:05:11.668-04:00Weekending: Virginia Beach & Colonial Williamsburg<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hey there ladies and gents (or let's face it, probably mostly ladies), I haven't disappeared! Things have been crazy lately, it tends to be when I'm not posting much. I'll get into all of that in a few days, I swear.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos from the trip I took last weekend. Matt was working in Virginia Beach for the week, helping open a new store, and I decided that was a good enough excuse for a road trip. I drove halfway, to Roanoke, VA, Friday after work. Emily lives there with her boyfriend, Will, and I crashed with them for the night. We all got up early Saturday and headed down to Virginia Beach. Matt ended up working all weekend, but the three of us had a lot of fun exploring the area. Sunday afternoon we started back to Roanoke, but stopped in Colonial Williamsburg for dinner on the way. Will's parents gave us a little tour of the area, which was about the most adorable thing ever.</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was pretty chilly on the beach, with the wind, but we saw some surfers from the pier nonetheless.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26561479461/in/dateposted-public/" title="3-24-16b"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1631/26561479461_ff2f48064b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="3-24-16b"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was dying over the kitschy sea life taxidermy. I didn't buy this guy, but I did get a little blowfish with googly eyes and a straw hat to hang from my rearview mirror. Cam promptly ate it. (Don't worry, she's fine.) </span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26600742576/in/dateposted-public/" title="3-24-16c"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1546/26600742576_b0377a5bb2.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="3-24-16c"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We toured the old Cape Henry lighthouse, which was the first federally funded lighthouse in the country. It's not in use anymore, but the newer black-and-white one nearby is. We toured the inside of the old one.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26533866122/in/dateposted-public/" title="3-24-16e"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1469/26533866122_9f043301dd_b.jpg" width="503" height="1024" alt="3-24-16e"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Would've been a great shot without the graffiti. Damn kids!</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Colonial Williamsburg was so, so pretty and quaint in the best way. We were there just before sunset and got some amazing light as we were exploring.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26627023995/in/dateposted-public/" title="3-24-16i"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1710/26627023995_63aea93c4c.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="3-24-16i"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26627018795/in/dateposted-public/" title="3-24-16k"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1601/26627018795_4466022d7b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="3-24-16k"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I recently won a new Panasonic DMC-FC1000 bridge camera, and I took it with me to test it out. I thought it might be a nice camera to take on vacations and trips, instead of lugging (and risking) my Nikon and a few lenses. It's a nice little camera, can go fully manual, and it's super lightweight. But I felt like it just had a couple of limitations that I couldn't get past. It does do fantastic macro shots, though.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I took Monday off to drive the rest of the way home, making a pit stop in good old Athens for lunch on my way. It was a great weekend :)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I have to dive back into another crazy week. I'm hoping to get my 52 Week Challenge photos posted soon (I haven't fallen behind on that yet), as well as some good news to share with you!</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-75642108724315667672016-03-31T06:46:00.000-04:002016-03-31T06:46:00.515-04:0052 Week Challenge: Week 13<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week was another portrait week, and it should have been a breeze because portraiture is my main photography style and the one I'm most comfortable with. However, the theme was "high key" and while I thought I knew what that meant, turns out I was wrong. Kind of.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When you Google "high key portrait" or "high key still life," the first thing you'll notice is that there's a lot of white and a lot of brightness. "Okay," I thought, "high key is just a nice, bright image." I wound up shooting three different models for this one, because despite the simplicity of my understanding of the theme, I wasn't quite satisfied with how the photos looked.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I learned photography with natural light, and when I shoot indoors I'm typically working with babies and toddlers so I tend to flood the area with light. That was my initial approach for this week's challenge, but after my second shoot I decided I wanted stronger shadows. Which is how I got this:</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26056981322/in/dateposted-public/" title="week13"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1709/26056981322_d2aea1dc60.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="week13"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think it's a great shot. It achieved exactly what I wanted it to, thanks in part to the model following direction extremely well. However. It turns out my instinct to bump up the shadows was incorrect; a true high key photo has relatively low contract in terms of the ratio between light and shadows. In that respect, my second shoot was more of a technical sucess:</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/26123503296/in/dateposted-public/" title="week13c"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1515/26123503296_fddeea57e0.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="week13c"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So there you have it! Have you ever shot high key photography? What challenges and successes did you experience?</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-21923854246830521062016-03-23T06:52:00.002-04:002016-03-23T06:52:30.893-04:0052 Week Challenge: Week 12<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's an artistic shot this week, and the theme is "transportation." I had a couple of ideas, but one didn't pan out and another I didn't have time for, so we're left with my third option:</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25978770946/in/dateposted-public/" title="week12"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1679/25978770946_52faaedb63.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="week12"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This little car has lived on the outside sill of our garage since we moved in. I'm fascinated by it. Where did it come from? Who put it there? The previous tenants of this duplex lived here for five and 10 years respectively, and they didn't have kids. How long has this little guy sat here, unable to leave without a working wheel?</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In other news, I had a couple of photo shoots this weekend. If you're interested, you can check out some adorable first birthday photos and some beautiful maternity photos on my <a href="http://www.elfiephotography.com" target="_blank">business blog</a> in a week or two. Having clients this awesome makes my job easy!</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-17132436406007783642016-03-15T06:48:00.002-04:002016-03-15T06:48:27.818-04:0052 Week Challenge: Week 11<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week, the challenge was a landscape that features a reflection. Initially, all the rain we got for the week had me thinking I'd do a puddle reflection. Ultimately though, I decided that that kind of shot would fit more into the "artistic" category than a true landscape one, and after my totally lazy <a href="http://verbalmelange.blogspot.com/2016/03/52-week-challenge-week-9.html" target="_blank">portrait-as-an-artistic-cop-out</a>, I had vowed to stick more to the true spirit of each week's challenge.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I headed up to Antrim Park with Cam, attaching her leash to an old climbing harness so I could shoot with both hands, and had a nice stroll around the lake. The clouds rolled in about halfway through and I thought I'd missed my chance at any good reflections, until this happened just as we were about to leave:</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25780934626/in/dateposted-public/" title="week11"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1707/25780934626_e2db73d0d6_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week11"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How serendipitous, right? As always, there are a few things I wish I could change--my shutter speed was a little low, because it was so overcast and I was mostly shooting the actual landscape, not the birds. But hey, I'll take what I can get.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone in the Facebook group for the challenge suggested I crop it in tighter on the ducks. I thought about doing that during my initial edits, but again, the shutter speed wasn't quite right. See what I mean?</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25807017275/in/dateposted-public/" title="week11_cropped"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1627/25807017275_6843ffa698_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week11_cropped"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Close, but no cigar.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course, that wasn't the only good shot I snagged during my walk. The following was a close runner-up, but ultimately I decided that while it was pretty and well-composed, it just couldn't compare to the action in the duck shot.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25176525014/in/dateposted-public/" title="week11b"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1588/25176525014_930091c37a_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week11b"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The next two challenges are going to be pretty interesting, I think. I've got a few ideas for both (and some new gear to try out on one), so I'm pretty excited!</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-82469517281897711712016-03-09T07:04:00.001-05:002016-03-09T07:04:52.547-05:00Hello from the other side<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't want to jinx it, but I think we might have winter behind us. HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIIIIIIIIIIIDE! Yes. I did that.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm very excited about this, obviously. Not that I don't love my light therapy lamp, but I'm looking forward to some REAL SUNSHINE in my life for the next several months. And the temps! Oh god, it's 7 a.m. and the window is open right now. I don't think I can even begin to describe how happy that makes me.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, I took this photo at the dog park last night because it is officially light enough for long enough after I get home from work to take Cam to the dog park! Huzzah!</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25547902391/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0531 copy"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1663/25547902391_4210cb64bf_o.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="IMG_0531 copy"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Welp, I'm off to spend the day staring wistfully out my office window and wishing that it opened.</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-91499242356551629082016-03-08T07:02:00.000-05:002016-03-08T07:02:57.041-05:0052 Week Challenge: Week 10<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well guys, if I had any doubt about making my portraiture my photography style of choice, those doubts were erased this week. The challenge was to take an environmental portrait; that is, an image of someone in his or her "natural environment." I originally was going to do a photo at the dog park, but after last week's dud of an image I decided to push myself a little more.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After a little bit of thought, I settled on the idea of a vintage/junk shop. I liked the idea of creating layers around my subject, and a nice, messy junk shop seemed like the perfect setting. The first few I stopped into this weekend were entirely too curated and tidy. I wanted chaos and age and the sense that a treasure was just waiting to be found.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The second I walked into Down Memory Lane, I knew I'd found it. It felt like walking into a grandparent's basement. Boxes of seashells or buttons were stacked on the floor, piles of jewelry and jars of marbles were tucked into shelves. Little piles of kibble were hidden away to satisfy the shop cat. I was in love. I waited until a few customers cleared out, then approached the women who had been helping them. She directed me to the older gentleman puttering around the store; her father, the owner.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I tried a few posed shots, which didn't work as well as I'd hoped, then eventually wound up just following him around the store as he continued to putter.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24984577733/in/dateposted-public/" title="week10"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1446/24984577733_8ee5663972_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week10"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That was the image I shared as my official photo. It immediately became the most popular photo I've shared in the challenge to date, with more than 100 "likes" in the first 24 hours I posted it to the challenge's Facebook page. On Instagram, the challenge creator "liked' it and I literally dropped my phone in excitement.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's just been such a relief to finally nail a shot; I haven't felt this good about a challenge image yet.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had a few other favorites from this shoot, but I liked them all so much that I decided to share them on my photography blog. You can check them out <a href="http://elfiephotography.com/blog/" target="_blank">here</a>. (Sorry for the clickover. It sucks, I know. I promise not to make a habit of it.)</span></span><br /><br />
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<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25077498650/in/dateposted-public/" title="week9"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1585/25077498650_5446d79322_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week9"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If I have time this weekend, I might try to do my artistic shadows shot anyway. After all, this is supposed to be a challenge. I want to keep pushing myself, instead of just checking shots off the list.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Week 10 is a portrait, and the prompt is "environmental." I have to take a photo of someone in their natural environment. I originally was going to do a photo of Cam at the park, but now I feel like I have to do something different. Maybe I'll do a little photo walk on Saturday with my new zoom lens (a 70-300mm, which I absolutely LOVE) and see what I can come up with.</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-6583812638037595032016-02-29T06:57:00.001-05:002016-02-29T07:02:27.787-05:00Budgeting Bloggers: February<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Soooo I know I said I was going to try not to spend any money on clothes this month, because I went over last month's budget by about $80. I tried. I failed. Hard.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25280059711/in/dateposted-public/" title="2-29-16"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1704/25280059711_d5e8349935_o.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="2-29-16"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. OU sweatshirt from College Bookstore in Athens. I went down to visit my sister for Sib's Weekend early last month, and the first place we stopped was the bookstore for some OU apparel. I found this gem for a steal, and it's the comfiest thing ever. | $18.04 (the year OU was founded, natch) {<a href="http://store481.collegestoreonline.com/ePOS?this_category=8&store=481&item_number=E13419&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=481" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. OU flannel PJ pants from College Bookstore. Speaking of comfy...woah. I love these pants and have been wearing them pretty much nonstop. | $26.99 {<a href="http://store481.collegestoreonline.com/ePOS?this_category=49&store=481&item_number=E16146&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=481" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was going to make the above my only purchases for the month and still try to save some face in terms of my budget...and then I discovered ThredUp. It's an online consignment store and I swear it will be the death of my clothes budget forever. I snagged a first-time shopper discount and used it to get the following steals:</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. White House Black Market dress. I've realized that peplum is just My Thing. I had a huge aversion to it at first, which is unfortunate because us hip-less gals need a little oomf in our figures. This one has a great cutout on the back. | $13.80</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Ab Studio dress. Wrap dress ftw! I can't believe I didn't already own one of these. | $8.10</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. Saks Fifth Avenue skirt. This was totally unnecessary and I wasn't even sure it'd fit, but I loved it and that was enough for me. Bonus: It does fit! | $17.08</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Grand total, with tax: $93.47. So I mean, I'm *technically* under-budget for the month. That's something, right? Right??</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's hoping you all did better on your spending goals than I did this month...or if you failed like me, here's hoping you at least got some good deals :)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">P.S. ThredUp gave me an "invite friends" offer. I can send you a link to get $10 off your first purchase (and I get $10 off too). Shoot me an email at verbal.melange {at} gmail {dot} com if you'd like one! (This post isn't sponsored by or affiliated with ThredUp. I just found something I really like and wanna share it.)</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Week 7 was a portrait (my favorite!) and the prompt was "faceless." I snagged this shot during an unnaturally warm weekend that I spent at OU, visiting my sister. We went bouldering in the hills with her boyfriend and his sisters. (It was Sib's Weekend, natch.) This is one of the boyfriend's sister's tackling a tricky little slab problem.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/25164582026/in/dateposted-public/" title="week7"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1717/25164582026_f08235b541_o.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="week7"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Week 8 was a landscape (my least favorite, if only because I have no idea what I'm doing) and the prompt was "panoramic." I do panos all the time on my iPhone, but I'm really pushing myself to do this whole challenge on my DSLR. So I got to learn about Photoshop's panoramic stitching feature! This shot is of downtown Columbus. I had scouted a location via Google Maps, and arrived only to find out that it had the <i>perfect</i> elevated walkway from which to take my shots.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24823215319/in/dateposted-public/" title="week8"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1499/24823215319_1023ef3137_o.jpg" width="600" height="192" alt="week8"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(I realize that photo is very tiny; <a href="https://flic.kr/p/DVVczU" target="_blank">here's a link</a> to the full-size if you'd like to see it.)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This challenge also has me getting out my camera more in general, not just for challenge photos, so I'm hoping to put together a post or two of just random things I've been shooting. I've caught some really cool stuff at the dog park lately especially; shooting there is really great practice because you have to be <i>fast</i> or you'll miss your shot.</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I bought the Sigma to be my new walkabout lens, and the main lens I take to Europe later this year. The Tamron is my first telephoto lens, and I am in love with its macro work. While the Sigma does have macro functions, I found the Sigma to be just a bit more of what I was looking for. All three of the photos below were taken with the Tamron.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24929272746/in/dateposted-public/" title="week6"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1471/24929272746_395a7ec26c_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week6"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's my main image for the challenge. I used my favorite candy — a dark chocolate bar with freeze-dried raspberries in it — and some fresh berries to add a pop of color and texture. I'm not 100% on this image, either, but it's possibly the best from the two separate shoots I did.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24587949229/in/dateposted-public/" title="week6c"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1522/24587949229_fa74da4c46_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week6c"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That was from my first shoot. I got some feedback from other challenge members on it and used their suggestions to style my second portrait. Mainly it was about removing those crumbs (which I actually liked, womp womp) and adding the raspberries. I might still like this photo more. What do you guys think?</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24660066620/in/dateposted-public/" title="setup"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1686/24660066620_23152c5de6_o.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="setup"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And just for funsies, here's my setup. I made my own light tent by cutting out the sides of a box and taping tissue paper over the holes. Then I set up my two flashes on their stands and put them in slave mode so they'd fire when my on-camera flash went off. (The on-camera flash had little to no effect on the image itself, thanks to the camera's distance from the subject and the brightness of the off-body flashes.) The backdrop is just two pieces of computer paper that I layered inside the box. Viola! Easy-peasy.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-17872513523159334052016-02-01T06:48:00.001-05:002016-02-01T06:48:43.898-05:0052 Week Challenge: Week 5<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Welp, they can't all be winners, and last week's photo proves it. I posted this photo in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogwood.52/?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook group</a> for the challenge and asked for feedback, with the intent of going back to re-shoot it. But then the snow/ice all melted and I went to a crazy wedding this weekend that left my Sunday a bit...unproductive, to say the least. So I guess I'm stuck with this. Womp womp.</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24382667579/in/dateposted-public/" title="week5"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1702/24382667579_62edaf5e4c_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week5"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'll be the first to admit that landscape photography isn't my "thing." I've seen a ton of great landscape photos, but I have a hard time defining why I think they're great...and it's next to impossible to incorporate those unknown elements into my work.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you like landscape photography/take a lot of those images yourself? Any tips for me in the future? (Every third week is a landscape theme, so I have lots of opportunity to improve!)</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-92224978296727226652016-01-29T06:54:00.003-05:002016-01-29T06:54:37.876-05:00Budgeting Bloggers: January<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh man you guys, I was bad this month. My clothes budget is $100; I spent $186.30. And I spent it all in one place: At REI's Garage Sale on January 2. I mean, I guess it could have been worse; I managed not to spend any more on clothes the rest of the month (despite several Target excursion). And I did score some sweet gear!</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24059650663/in/dateposted-public/" title="1-29-16"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1665/24059650663_a4dae23590_o.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="1-29-16"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. REI Co-Op down jacket. I've been wanting a midweight down for a while, and something like this is <i>perfect</i> for a trip to Europe that Matt and I are planning for later this fall. We'll be flying in to Reykjavik, Iceland, and eventually making our way down to Italy and Barcelona, so I needed something that would be both warm and easily packable for when it's not needed. Bam. | $60 {<a href="http://www.rei.com/product/878094/rei-co-op-down-jacket-womens" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 & 3. REI Merino wool socks. These were a total impulse snag as I was waiting in the 20-plus-minute checkout line. (Garage Sales get CRAZY.) But I only have one pair of Merino wool socks for hiking/camping, so they weren't an unwarranted purchase. I got one of the long pair and two of the short. | $9 long, $7 short {<a href="http://www.rei.com/product/759900/rei-merino-wool-hiking-crew-socks" target="_blank">exact long</a>, <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/759896/rei-lightweight-merino-wool-hiking-quarter-socks-womens" target="_blank">exact short</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Mammut Traleika soft-shell pants. So the whole reason I braved the Garage Sale was to find a good pair of winter-weight soft-shell pants. These babies are PERFECTION. They're windproof but breathable (with vents in the sides in case you get too warm on a tough hike) and they're <i>super</i> comfortable. They're great on their own when the temps are near freezing, and layered with a pair of leggings (fleece-lined or regular), they're indomitable in colder temps. They've been a lifesaver at the dog park and on walks when the thermometer is in the teens. Best purchase ever, and they're still on sale! | $70 {<a href="http://www.rei.com/product/884548/mammut-traleika-soft-shell-pants-womens" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not pictured: A light purple Columbia down vest that was in the Garage Sale simply because it hadn't been sold first round. Most Garage Sale mega-discounts are on items that have been returned, but not this one. It was such a sick find. And it was only $20! {<a href="http://www.columbia.com/womens-mighty-lite-iii-vest-WL1471.html?dwvar_WL1471_variationColor=100" target="_blank">similar</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(It's worth noting that in addition to sale prices, I got an additional 10% discount on my purchases because Matt works at REI and spouses get to share employee discounts. I hope Matt never quits this job, haha.)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So there you go. Way overbudget, so I probably won't spend much (if anything) on clothes in February. #worthit</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How did you do on your clothes budget this month?</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-79108970502728890122016-01-25T07:01:00.002-05:002016-02-01T06:49:14.970-05:0052 Week Challenge: Weeks 1 through 4<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm caught up on projects for the moment (literally for the moment; I have to delve back into things later this week) so I thought I'd share my first few weeks of the <a href="http://dogwood.photography/52weekchallenge.html" target="_blank">52 Week Challenge</a> I'm doing this year. You might remember that in the past I've attempted a photo-a-day 365 challenge, and it was <i>hard</i>. I missed a lot of days. I'm hoping that this one-a-week format might be a little easier for me to adhere to; I plan to shoot mostly on the weekends when I have a little more wiggle room in my schedule.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Each week, I'll take either a portrait, landscape or artistic shot, with each category featuring a smaller set of guidelines to follow. I'm the most confident about the portraits, because that's 90% of my paid work, and I'm least confident about the artistic shots because that's about 1% of the work I've done since getting a DSLR.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Week 1 (portrait). Theme: Selfie.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24234765039/in/dateposted-public/" title="week1"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1548/24234765039_c0f3733395_o.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="week1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: Not a bad shot overall, and I achieved most of the look I wanted with the natural light coming through my glass storm door. Could have used more fill on the right side of my face via a reflector, but somehow I managed to nail the focus (which is hard to do with a remote).</b></span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Week 2 (landscape). Theme: Traditional landscape.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24520286421/in/dateposted-public/" title="week2"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1627/24520286421_49b7b2fb22_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: Great sky and reflection, though I wish I'd had a wider lens on me to avoid cutting off the bridge on the left and the reflection at the bottom. Also, I could have made the grass a touch greener in post-processing. Shadows are a bit harsh, but my only chance to shoot this scene that week was on a lunch break during a work day.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Week 3 (artistic). Theme: Red.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23975732183/in/dateposted-public/" title="week3"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1658/23975732183_8a0b802780_o.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="week3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: My first-ever attempt at light trail photography. I loved making this photo, though the limitations of the bridge I was on were pretty frustrating. I wound up having to kind of dangle my camera on the tripod out over the freeway, which was terrifying. I could do without those headlight artifacts in the red lane, and I really wish I had been able to stand directly over the tail light section of road instead of off to the side.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Week 4 (portrait). Theme: Headshot.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/24602518135/in/dateposted-public/" title="week4"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/24602518135_e630edee03_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="week4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: My favorite one so far. This is my awesome friend Emily, who obliged when I surprised her with a photo shoot at lunch. I added the steam in post-processing, which was another first, and I think I got the angle a little too harsh in an attempt to avoid covering her eyes. I kept the rule of thirds but intentionally had her looking out of the frame to prevent the photo from being too rule-following. Overall, a really nice shot.</b></span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week is landscape/black and white. I shot a few frames this weekend, but I'm not 100% sure I love them. We'll see how they turn out, I guess :) Have you ever done a photo challenge like this? Any words of wisdom to share?</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(P.S. You can follow along in real-time via my photography Instagram account, @elfiephotos. That's also where you'll find highlights from all my paid photo shoots!)</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-81589654859522046482016-01-15T13:31:00.003-05:002016-01-15T13:31:48.679-05:00Where to go from here?<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hello out there in blogland! I hope everyone's been doing well since the last time I popped in with a post. Did you have a lovely holiday season and a sparkly New Year's Eve?</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I wanted to take a moment to type up some thoughts I've been having lately about Verbal Mélange and blogging in general. I started this blog in April 2011, when I was not-quite-23 years old and about six months in to my first Real-World, Big-Girl job. I had practically zero sense of style and almost zero budget to expand said style. (True story: When I got my first RWBG job, I opened a New York & Company credit card and frantically threw $200 of semi-professional clothing on it...clothing that I ended up barely wearing because I had no idea what I was doing.) My point is, I needed to figure myself out, sartorially.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I'm nearly four years in to my second RWBG job. I have a semi-carefully curated closet of easily mixable business casual basics. I have a decent clothing budget, but over the last few months I've been using it on a few high-quality "investment" type pieces instead of trendy flash-in-the-pan statement pieces. I started this blog, in part, to help define my style, and I think I've done that. (Not that I could put it into words for you, but I know what it is and I like it, so that's all that matters to me.)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The other reason I started this blog is because for the first time in my adult life (really, since I was about 15 years old), I had a lot of free time to fill. I was working full-time and doing a small amount of technical freelance writing on the side. I needed a hobby.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I changed jobs in 2012, my main hobby became freelance writing for the magazine I had just left. And I loved it. Then I took up photography as well the following year, and I loved it even more. Now, when I'm not at work, doing housewifey things like cleaning, taking Cam for a walk or to the dog park, or cooking (another hobby of mine), I'm usually working on a magazine article or taking and editing photos, either for my <a href="www.elfiephotography.com" target="_blank">portrait business</a> or just for funsies. Blogging has very much taken a backseat for me, particularly style blogging.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So where does that leave Verbal Mélange? I'm really not sure. I don't want to let it go just yet, mostly because of the fantastic people I've met (virtually or IRL) because of this blog. And if I'm being honest, I also just like talking about myself. #sorrynotsorry</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you come here just for the outfits, you might be disappointed. That, I am sorry for. But if you come here for my rambling, and for weird little peeks into my life like what I made for dinner or how I redecorated my living room or the weekend trip I took with Matt and Cam, then I guess you're still in luck. Because I'm always down to ramble. (And who knows. From time to time I might get really excited about a random outfit and decide to photograph/post it.)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That said, I feel that I'm freeing myself up quite a bit here to showcase my photography. Yes, I have a <a href="www.elfiephotography.com/blog" "target="_blank">blog over at my professional site</a>, but I think I'd like to keep that less personal for now. So you can expect to see more of my funsies photos around here, from trips to the local botanical gardens to the <a href="http://dogwood.photography/52weekchallenge.html" target="_blank">52 week photography challenge</a> I started this year. (More on that in a future post.) And if there's anything in particular that you think would make a nice addition here, let me know! I like knowing what you guys like reading.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So...that's it, I guess. Thanks for reading this rant all the way through to the end, and thanks for sticking around as I figure out what I'm going to do with my little corner of the internet.</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-37284718850455577542015-12-29T06:48:00.001-05:002015-12-29T06:48:25.819-05:00Budgeting Bloggers: December<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Another month, another <a href="http://franish.blogspot.com/2015/12/december-budget.html" target="_blank">Budgeting Bloggers</a> linkup! This month was more or less on target, though considering how underbudget I was last month, a little wiggle room is fair to me. Shall we, then?</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23747493090/in/dateposted-public/" title="12-29-15"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5708/23747493090_a6939bc8b7_o.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="12-29-15"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 & 2. Forever 21 sweatshirts. Why yes, those are identical to the sweatshirt I bought <a href="http://www.verbalmelange.blogspot.com/2015/09/budgeting-bloggers-august.html" target="_blank">back in August</a>. It was just so comfy and all-purpose, I had to have more colors. I like dressing them up with a pretty, delicate necklace and skinny jeans (outfit post to come, whenever I get around to taking some photos). | $10.90 each {<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=sweater&productid=2000181665&SizeChart=" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Hunter fleece boot socks via Nordstrom. I wound up replacing the Original Tall Hunter boots I bought <a href="http://www.verbalmelange.blogspot.com/2015/09/budgeting-bloggers-september.html" target="_blank">back in September</a> with a pair of Huntress boots, which are made for gals with wider calves. Turns out that rock climbing gives me big calves in addition to big biceps. Who knew. Anyway, these Original Tall socks should still do the trick this winter. | $30 {<a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/hunter-original-tall-fleece-welly-socks/2990240?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=Cream+Fleece&resultback=730" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Target sunnies. Because I love my cat-eye sunglasses so much that I'm constantly losing/breaking them. | $16.99 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/round-cateye-sunglasses-with-stripe-temple-detail-black/-/A-15391407#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=090011455" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not pictured: I hit up the "seven for $27.50" table at Victoria's Secret, but no one needs to see that. I also bought a $5 pair of yoga pants at Forever 21, which promptly ripped on the side seam. I'm still wearing them, because the hole is small and I'm lazy, but it was annoying nonetheless.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Grand total this month: $108.24, just a few dollars over my $100 budget.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Usually, I end these posts with a "So how did you do on your budget this month?" thing, but today I'm going with a different question. Do you guys enjoy these posts, or are they kinda boring? I'm not sure if I feel like keeping up the series in 2016, though if you all find them interesting I'll obviously do so. Let me know :)</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-15553123254534548372015-12-23T07:06:00.000-05:002015-12-23T07:06:46.995-05:00Happy holidays!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well howdy. How's everyone doing this lovely (extremely warm) holiday season? Life has been super crazy these past two weeks, of course. Between Christmas shopping, making and sending our cards, a freelance assignment, making props for a newborn shoot and actually conducting a few photo shoots, this winter is shaping up to be anything but the hibernation period that winter usually is for me.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Still, I wanted to drop in and wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy (belated) Hanukkah, joyous Kwanzaa, pleasant solstice and just general peace and love to all!</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23298221963/in/dateposted-public/" title="christmascard2015"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/23298221963_eb49cfea5e_o.jpg" width="600" height="297" alt="christmascard2015"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I hope you all have safe travels and lots of great times with family! And happy new year if I don't pop in around these parts before then :)</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-75475084849989545712015-12-09T06:42:00.000-05:002015-12-09T06:42:18.138-05:00Pattern mixing<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23261165769/in/dateposted-public/" title="12-9-15a"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5667/23261165769_f2d370fe79_o.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="12-9-15a"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br /><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23261165789/in/dateposted-public/" title="12-9-15b"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/756/23261165789_0f474eb609_o.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="12-9-15b"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br /><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23333402420/in/dateposted-public/" title="12-9-15c"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/725/23333402420_60322846e0_o.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="12-9-15c"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br /><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23333402410/in/dateposted-public/" title="12-9-15d"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/744/23333402410_55ea2e884d_o.jpg" width="600" height="896" alt="12-9-15d"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<span style="font-size:75%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">dress/belt and heels: Target
cardigan: thrifted
necklace: Jane
watch: secondhand (Coach)</span></span><br /><br /></center>
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you guys remember when pattern mixing was A Thing? A few years ago, it was all the rage with bloggers, right up there with color blocking and arm parties. I personally wasn't disappointed to see color blocking go the way of the dodo, as they say, but I think pattern mixing is a fairly classic trend.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I bought this dress back in early summer when it became apparent that I had five weddings on my calendar for 2015 and no appropriate dresses that hadn't already been seen by those particular social crowds. It's great for work too, though, and in the winter it's perfect with a pair of black tights. Although we're still facing unseasonably warm temps, so I feel like I could still get away with wearing this with nude hose if I wanted to. Craziness!</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In other news, I now have a second blog (because maintaining one lately isn't enough). You can follow my adventures in portrait photography over at <a href="http://elfiephotography.com/blog/" target="_blank">Elfie Photography</a>, my business site. And hey, if you're looking for a newborn or family photographer in Columbus, Ohio, I'm your gal! Mention this blog to get 20% off your first session :)</span></span><br /><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-7682622963418842442015-11-30T06:50:00.002-05:002015-11-30T06:50:39.698-05:00Budgeting Bloggers: November<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">November has been nuts, and it really reflects in my spending habits for the month. Usually this would be a really negative statement, but today I'm happy to say that it only means I didn't have much time to shop this month!</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23393774086/in/dateposted-public/" title="11-30-15"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/564/23393774086_e241daf737_o.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="11-30-15"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Mossimo flannel shirt from Target. I was in the store to buy dog food or something and I mysteriously wound up in the clothes section. Funny how that happens, isn't it? Anyway, I saw that the plaid shirt I bought <a href="http://www.verbalmelange.blogspot.com/2015/11/budgeting-bloggers-october.html" target="_blank">last month</a> was back in stock in other colors, so I snagged a blue one too. The Cartwheel app gave me an extra discount so I felt a little less guilty about the impulse buy. | $18.53 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/women-s-flannel-plaid-shirt-mossimo-supply-co-junior-s/-/A-18782697#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=017024022" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Merona messenger bag from Target. I carry a messenger bag to work with a few notebooks, my iPad, my lunch and sometimes my laptop in it. My old one finally gave out, so I snagged this one online with a $10 off coupon. | $15.31 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/merona-men-s-canvas-messenger-bag-brown/-/A-14359549" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Grand total for the month: a whopping $33.84! I did want to pick up a pair of boot socks for my Hunter boots, but since my car is in the garage (<i>again</i>), I guess I'll just put that on the list for December.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How did you guys do on your clothes budgets this month? Find any great deals?</span></span><br /><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/22944991000/in/dateposted-public/" title="11-23-15b"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5721/22944991000_90ab46682f_o.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="11-23-15b"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br /><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/23214674286/in/dateposted-public/" title="11-23-15c"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5699/23214674286_4bcfb278d1_o.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="11-23-15c"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<span style="font-size:75%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">sleeveless button-up: New York & Company<br />
pants: secondhand</br>
heels: Target<br />
necklace: gifted (Kate Spade)<br />
bracelets: don't remember :(<br />
</span></span></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've been a bad blogger lately; these photos have been sitting in my queue since late July. July! Now they just look ridiculous. I mean, no one would be wearing flowy pants and a sleeveless shirt this time of year...unless they lived in California or something. Can we just pretend I live in California? Ok. Thanks.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ah, if only that were true. But alas, I live in central Ohio, where this time of year I only get to see the sun through the window of the office that's next to my cubicle. Maybe if I'm lucky, it won't be overcast on my commute in to work and I'll get a tiny bit of vitamin D, but it's always dusk as I'm heading home. It's been a struggle, mood-wise, since daylight savings time, so I bought a lightbox to help offset the worst of it.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The upside to the lightbox (aside from its mood- and energy-boosting properties) is that it forces me to sit still for an extra 30 minutes in the morning. It's too bright to do my makeup by, so I can use that time to sip some coffee and cuddle under a blanket with Cam while I work on blog posts, or edit photos, or research for freelance stories...Thank goodness Cam (like me) isn't a morning person, haha.
</span></span><br /><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/22614038593/in/dateposted-public/" title="11-23-15d"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5802/22614038593_d05b5a5e82_o.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="11-23-15d"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm also making sure to carve out time in the evening for the gym to help combat the dreary Ohio winters. I never really WANT to go to the gym when it's gross out, but if I can force myself to get there I always end up feeling a hundred times better.</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you have any go-to methods to beat the winter blues?</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size:75%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">t-shirt: secondhand<br />
capris: Target<br />
sneaks: Converse via Famous Footwear<br />
necklace, bracelet: Etsy<br />
watch: secondhand Coach</span></span><br /><br /></center>
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You guys, I've only done two style posts since the beginning of June. TWO! I have no real excuse for June or July, but I will say that it can be a bit difficult to do outfit photos when you have a puppy running around the backyard, so that's my excuse for August, September and October. Actually, these photos are, in fact, from June...I just never got around to posting them. But we've had a pretty warm November so far, so maybe we can just pretend I wore this semi-recently?</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Actually, if we're being honest, I kind of lived in outfits like this over the summer. A casual tee, a nice pair of denim and some comfy Converses...what more could you want?</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I haven't taken any great outfit photos since July, really, partially because I've gotten into a groove (NOT a rut!) in my wardrobe and as a result, I'm not wearing a whole lot of "new" outfits. And partially because of aforementioned puppy running around-ness. Not sure if I'll keep up with outfit photos, especially in the winter when taking them indoors with a backdrop is even harder than taking them outside, but who knows. This blog has been a little outfit-heavy in the past few years, mostly because those were the easiest posts for me to do. But I really want to bring the "mélange" back into Verbal Mélange, so expect more variety in content moving forward :)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Similarly, I'm going through a lot of other changes in my day-to-day lately, which is to blame for my lack of posting frequency. Not 100% ready to announce anything yet, but I stay tuned! (And no, Matt and I are not expecting a baby. Just gonna clear that one up right away, haha.)</span></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How about you guys? Anything new and noteworthy going on, or are you all (like me) hunkering down and bracing for winter?</span></span>
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<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/22064354554/in/dateposted-public/" title="11-1-15"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5688/22064354554_343919ea56_o.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="11-1-15"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br/><br/>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Mossimo flannel shirt. I have no idea why it took me so long to get a nice flannel, but I've been wearing this one constantly. Obviously I'll need to get more. | $15 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/flannel-plaid-shirt-mossimo-supply-co/-/A-18782684#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=490170240045" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br/><br/>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Denizen jeans. I've had a great pair of Denizen boot-cut jeans for a while now — the fit is perfect and they come in a long inseam option. They started wearing out, so I picked up a new pair (on sale thanks to the Cartwheel app). | $20.99 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/denizen-women-s-essential-stretch-bootcut-jean-celestial/-/A-14532453#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=052176190993" Target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br/><br/>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Denizen jeans. While looking for a pair of medium-wash every day perfect-fitting jeans, I saw this dark wash too and totally caved. Fortunately this, too, was on sale with the app! | $20.99 {<a href="http://www.target.com/p/denizen-women-s-essential-stretch-bootcut-jean-limo/-/A-14533377#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=052175551320" target="_blank">exact</a>}</span></span><br/><br/>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Grand total, with tax: $61.48...nearly $40 under budget. It's been a while since I could say that, haha!</span></span><br/><br/>
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-82843868146580046682015-10-14T15:07:00.002-04:002015-10-15T10:51:39.830-04:00Décor: Bar cart basics<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So last week, I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.chairish.com/" target="_blank">Chairish</a>, a "curator-approved online marketplace for vintage and used furniture"...right up my décor alley. I'll admit, most of the items on the site are pretty far out of my typical budget, but word on the street is that some items in the lower price range are available, too.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All of that to say, today I'm collaborating with Chairish in today's post to style a <a href="https://www.chairish.com/collection/bar-carts" target="_blank">bar cart</a>. In true indecisive fashion, I couldn't pick just one...so I styled two carts for two purposes! One is a fancypants cart for the wine aficionado, and the other is a more laid-back setup for a cocktail queen.</span></span><br />
<br />
<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/21530987703/in/dateposted-public/" title="wine cart"><img alt="wine cart" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/742/21530987703_1cd9bb4a3c_o.jpg" width="600" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. This <a href="https://www.chairish.com/product/99396/mid-century-brass-bar-cart-3" target="_blank">Mid-Century Brass Bar Cart</a> is where it all begins!<br />
2. I have a <a href="http://www.target.com/p/houdini-corkscrew-silver/-/A-10252241#prodSlot=medium_1_10" target="_blank">Houdini Corkscrew</a> myself and it's like magic. Just squeeze the handles, dip the lever and your cork is out!<br />
3. Wine classes come in all shapes and sizes, and it's not just red and white — but this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/riedel-vivant-pinot-noir-tumblers-set-of-2/-/A-10618832#prodSlot=medium_1_6" target="_blank">Riedel Vivant Pino Noir Stemless Glass</a> is a great basic option for your reds.<br />
4. Similarly, white wine glasses vary in size. I don't like chardonnay, but I love the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/riedel-vivant-chardonnay-tumbler-set-of-2/-/A-11309577#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=Riedel+Vivant+Chardonnay" target="_blank">Riedel Vivant Chardonnay Stemless Glass</a>. (Stemmed glasses are always an option too, but my clumsiness goes full-scale when I'm drinking wine so stemless for me, please!)<br />
5. A good decanter, like this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/riedel-vivant-balloon-decanter/-/A-10618828#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=decanter" target="_blank">Ridel Vivant Balloon Decanter</a> is a must for red wine lovers.<br />
6. Sometimes, you just can't finish a whole bottle. Don't let it go to waste — pump out the extra air to save what's left with something like this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/oxo-vacuum-wine-preserver-with-2-stoppers-black/-/A-14901114#prodSlot=medium_1_42" target="_blank">OXO Vacuum Wine Preserver</a>.</span></span><br />
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<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/verbalmelange/22162284291/in/dateposted-public/" title="liquor cart"><img alt="liquor cart" height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5822/22162284291_9357238f73_o.jpg" width="600" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. This <a href="https://www.chairish.com/product/163887/hollywood-regency-brass-faux-bamboo-bar-cart" target="_blank">Hollywood Regency Brass Faux Bamboo Bar Cart</a> is a little more casual than the one above.<br />
2. What glasses you need really depends on what kind of cocktails you prefer. We're a bourbon household, with an occasional rum drink thrown in for funsies, but I've picked a few basics here.<br />
a. A standard double rocks glass, like this <a href="http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/luigi-bormioli-classico-double-old-fashioned-glass-set-of-4?ID=584924&CategoryID=3865&linkModule=1&cm_mmc=social-_-pinterest-_-organic-_-buy_pinterest_0a6302d48-ab13-4549-a0f9-6ae1766b22c7#fn=spp=7&ppp=180&sp=1&rid=&spc=87&cm_kws=old%20fashioned%20glass%20&pn=1" target="_blank">Luigi Bormioli Classico Double Old Fashioned Glass</a>, is my go-to. It's a great all-purpose glass for cocktails and drinks served straight-up or on the rocks.<br />
b. I almost didn't include this, but as an avid mule fan I had to throw one in. This <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/moscow-mule-mug/s187461" target="_blank">Moscow Mule Mug</a> is great...though I prefer the Kentucky variation.<br />
c. Once upon a time, I was a sucker for a margarita. (Who am I kidding, I still can be.) It'd taste fine in a double rocks glass, but it'd look so much better in this <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/glory-margarita-glass/s193453?b=1?affiliate=1552&adpos=1o18&creative=44897458136&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjw1_KwBRDEz_WvncL4jGwSJAAEym0d8vBAX_WRhEXFRkqA50R_KCZdOZNZHVjFzCFTPRKCKhoCD2Lw_wcB" target="_blank">Glory Margarita Glass</a>.<br />
d. I've never liked martinis much, but if you do, you can't go wrong with this <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/viv-martini-glass/s240745?b=1?affiliate=1552&adpos=1o1&creative=44897458136&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjw1_KwBRDEz_WvncL4jGwSJAAEym0dTf9Po9BDNNFEgfCoa2PkEIRM25aCwVP4BhR1eRVZURoClBDw_wcB" target="_blank"> Viv Martini Glass</a>. Also great for cosmos!<br />
3. A stainless steel swizzle spoon isn't a necessity, per se, but it'll make you feel like a real bartender. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Swizzle-Cocktail-Stirrer/dp/B00CAKOOPK" target="_blank">This one</a> has a fork on one end for spearing garnishes.<br />
4. A muddler is a must for mojitos, not to mention a number of other tasty cocktails. I love having this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/oxo-muddler-silver-black/-/A-12063141#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=oxo+muddler" target="_blank">OXO Muddler</a> in my arsenal.<br />
5. I never used a jigger in college, but then I grew up and realized that yes, proportions do matter and no, more liquor isn't always better. This <a href="http://www.target.com/p/oxo-double-jigger-silver-black/-/A-12147330#prodSlot=medium_1_30" target="_blank">OXO Double Jigger</a> has a 1.5-ounce side and a one-ounce side, each with smaller incremental measures for more accurate pours.<br />
6. Shaken, not stirred. (I couldn't resist!) No bar cart is complete without a cocktail shaker, like this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/shaker-cocktail-shakr-chefmat/-/A-14771329#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=SHAKER+COCKTAIL+SHAKR+CHEFMAT" target="_blank">Chefmate</a> one.<br />
7. An ice bucket doesn't just look nice; it also saves you from running between the bar and the freezer. Get one with a scoop or tongs, like this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/threshold-hammered-metal-ice-bucket-with-tongs/-/A-14588390#prodSlot=medium_1_1" target="_blank">Threshold Hammered Metal Ice Bucket</a>, so you don't have to stick your fingers in peoples' drinks.<br />
8. A divided serving dish doesn't just look nice; it helps keep your lemons, limes, cherries and/or olives from mixing into a nasty flavor mélange. I've got one of these <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/easton-2-part-stainless-steel-server/s442415" target="_blank">Easton 2-Part Stainless Steel Server</a> on my shopping list now!<br />
9. This cart lacks a drawer, so I picked out this <a href="http://www.target.com/p/threshold-acacia-tray-with-metal-handles-large/-/A-14911460#prodSlot=_1_4" target="_blank">Threshold Acacia Tray</a> to keep all the bits and pieces corralled.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And there you have it: My bar cart basics, split up based on whether wine or liquor is your libation of choice. What do you think...anything I missed?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Disclaimer: This post does NOT contain affiliate links. I was not paid or perked for this post. Content created in collaboration with <a href="http://www.chairish.com/" target="_blank">Chairish</a>. Not sponsored by or affiliated with OXO, Chefmate, Riedel Vivant, Target, Crate + Barrel or Amazon.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00574714395460043419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1903883342308111470.post-79411918201750360702015-10-03T14:52:00.002-04:002015-10-03T14:52:40.579-04:00Wedding stuff: Video preview<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Last weekend, our wedding videographer emailed me with a "teaser" for our wedding video! I loved it so much, I teared up in the middle of tailgating. (Go Bucks!) It was honestly that good. So I thought I'd share it with you all, too!</span></span><br /><br />
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wvYEoQ0tEqI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br /><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Special thanks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SpellBenderMedia" target="_blank">Spell Bender Media</a> for putting it together! I can't wait to see the long cut :)</span></span>
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