I don’t know about you, but I love to look at other people’s crafting rooms and how they take photos of their creations. I’m still a total amateur photographer who likes to shoot in Auto mode. But, Lisa Spangler‘s recent blog post (Tutorial: Photo backgrounds for crafty projects!) made me wanna share how I do mine. I still have sooo much to learn and improve my photo skill!

Above photo is my main crafting area.

I use my husband’s camera, Canon EOS 30D with EFS 17-55mm lense. Normally, I take my photos at night. For tutorials, I just turn two desk lamps. And to take the final project, I turn my flash on (Canon Speedlite 430EX. Yeah, camera is my hubby’s but the flash is mine =). I know everybody tells you to turn the flash off, but I like it on. I don’t like the built-in flash light as I can’t control the direction.

Last year, I made my husband install this cork bulletin board right in front of my desk. I wanted to use it to put stuff like sketch or note for me to reference to while I craft. He does a lot of handy man work for me not because he values my crafting skill, but because I complain about his parents. Bigger the complain, bigger the return. Poor guy~ heehee. He would still do things for me regardless of my complaints, but things just get done faster if I let him know how wonderful his wife is who would put up with his parents. Yeah…

I used to cover up the wall to shoot projects, but I got to like the corky background look on the photo.

If I don’t feel lazy, I put patterned papers on the bottom.

I made this panda and friends cake last summer.

Sometimes I like the plain white surface even when I don’t feel lazy.

I made this cash envelope clutch for theHybridChick blog tutorial. It’s little bit different from the IOU clutch that I made last month.

Almost always I edit my photos on Adobe Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS3.

Few places I learn about photography.
Sideoats + Scribbles
Pioneer Woman
Clickin’ Moms <– I just joined this community to improve my photo skill. So far so good. If you’d like to join too, here’s a 10% off coupon code: FRIEND

THANK YOU~~~

When I saw Purple Onion Designs‘ newest stamp, Cornucopia, I wanted to make a tag with it and decorate it on a basket.

So I made the perfect basket with Kelleigh‘s Perfect Pumpkin Template. Yup, I still haven’t made a single pumpkin with the Pumpkin Template yet. But, I couldn’t help it. This template is so versatile and I get easily distracted while putting pieces together, I end up with something different than the original. Heehee.

Stamp: Cornucopia from Purple Onion Designs.
Coloring: Tombow markers on watercolor paper.
Digital papers and flowers: Heart of Thankfulness by Sugarplum Paperie.
Inside basket: Perfect Pumpkin Template (Small bottom);
Outer layer: Small lid (fan the taps out, poke the lid in).
Kelleigh put a nice Perfect Pumpkin Template tutorial. And she made an apple box!

While I was brainstorming for the basket ideas, I thought why not make them for my family, too!

WARNING: This is a very long blog post with lots of photos. And some may contain disturbing images, heeheehee.

So, first I made one for my son…

 
The Candy Stealer! Heehee.

Digital kit: Autumn Silence by JM Designs JM Designs.
Basket: Small bottom.

The Gold Digger! Heehee.

Digital kit: Cazbah ViVa Artistry.
Inside basket: Small bottom (fan the tap out);
Outer layer: Small lid (fan it out, poke it in).

The Shopaholic!

Stamp: Willard Hanging Lights by Purple Onion Designs.
Coloring: Copic markers.
Sunglasses: Off the internet.
Digital papers: i do. Paper Pack by danielle young
Inner basket: Small bottom (Fan out);
Outer layer: Small lid.

Heeheehee. I couldn’t help it.

Template: Favor Bag Template Set (Reduced it to teeny weeny size) by Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs
Font face: Engravers MT.

Added gems to brads and attached them to the bottom basket to create legs.

A perfect receipt holder!

And a basket for my dear hubby…

The Alcoholic! Heehee.

Even the sticky tape would not hold the clear cup/basket together. It kept falling apart. So I ended up melting the taps (just the top) using a hot tool.

Stamp: Willard Sipping Cocoa by Purple Onion Designs.
Coloring: Copic.
Digital paper: Toot Toot Woo Woo by Simply Scraps.
The perfect head: Marvy Uchida Liquid Applique.

Heeheehee, Can you see I LOVE my family!

Here’s another cute family.

Native American couple by their hut.

Stamps: Aime and Squanto by Purple Onion Designs.
Coloring: colored pencils (Prisma and Koh-i-noor).
Digital kit: september days {elements} by Michelle Batton (Used the bark to create the paper. Altered color).
Door: Coffee filter.
Template: Perfect Pumpkin (Large) by Kelleigh.

And how about…

A Pilgrim family! Heeheehee, the poor turkey doesn’t know that he is needed for Thanksgiving meals.

Stamps: Tom Turkey, Myles, Priscilla, and Thanksgiving Table by Purple Onion Designs.
Coloring: Tombow markers on watercolor paper.
Digital kits: Midnight In The Garden by Gypsy Couture (for wood textured paper); Autumn Silence by JM Designs (Dried reed for the perfect thatched roof). 

Normally, paper peeling is very annoying when you use markers or watercolors on papers. But, I used this “paper peeling” technique (heehee) for the fur.

Heeheehee. Did you like all my perfect baksets and houses? Okie, okie, okie… I WILL make a pumpkin with the Perfect Pumpkin Template.

How about…

A pumpkin pie! Heehee.

I wanted a photo of a little girl’s tiny hands holding this cutie pie, but my 22 month old didn’t cooperate.

Pie filling: Small bottom, reduced to 50% (Cut away the outer/bottom flaps);
crust: Small lid (Fan out);
pan: Small lid (roll the outer flaps).

And a turkey pot pie.

Templates: 3 small lids.

The perfect turkey eggs!

I plan on posting tutorials for these projects on the HybridChick.

Happy Thanksgiving!

THANK YOU for leaving me comments on my very first the Hybrid Chick blog tutorial post. I felt very loved. THANK YOU!

I made another project for THC blog. It’s Pyramid Lollipop Holders. I had fun making it, and hope you enjoy it, too.

THANKS!!!

Hello~!

Heeheehee, please check out my very first tutorial on the Hybrid Chick blog. Urmmm… You might notice that my writing is soooooo much better on that post. That’s because I got some help, heehee. THANK YOU KATHY!

It’s about how to make robot favor boxes using Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs’ Top Heavy Box template. These robots will go on Kyle’s birthday party table. Gotta make some more.