Photo Styling Challenge | Part 4 Morning

I honestly cannot believe it is already month 4 of the challenge.  I remember having a skype chat with RedesignedbyM and planning out the rules and categories...  Times flies and I'm getting old (less than 3 months to go until the big 3-0!!!).  What I also can't believe is how long it is since I last blogged, I think I said that last time, but seriously, some people blog everyday!!!  Truth is, I'm probably going to switch over to wordpress (ssssssshhhh, don't tell blogger) as it seems much more flexible for what I need.  I am also looking to change my name and pretty much everything about my blog making it a bit more pro.  I originally started this for people back home to keep up with my travels but now I want something more work related with 'lifestyle' attached.  ANYway, I've gone on major tangent here so I present to you this month's Photo Styling Challenge... Morning !

I'm dedicating this post to the love of coffee.  I LOVE breakfast time more than any other meal time in the day and I often start off my weekend with a big breakfast and cup of coffee.  I try to limit myself to drinking coffee only at the weekend at fear that I will get addicted to it if I drink it during the week (weird I know but it's my thing).

I have my London favourite coffee from Fortnum and Mason: Kings Blend and I also have my US favourite: Handsome Coffee Roasters.

Anyway, these photos are the best pick of the bunch and as my own worst critic... they could be better. Although as I write this post the night before it's set to launch I am finding myself craving coffee so I mustn't have done that bad of a job right?!?  I think if I'd had more time I'd have done things differently  (like everyone).  

My weekends (and weekdays) also consist of waking up next to two puppies of which I could have totally photographed but I would have had to style them, and they aren't the most stylish looking pup's that's for sure (don't tell them I said that though).  I had already done posts about breakfast food here and here so I had to feature coffee it is for this months theme.  I do wish I'd tried out various angles but hey, we live and learn and this challenge is for fun so I'm not trying to be too precious about it.  However, I would love to know your thoughts...

You can also check out other participants:

RedesignedbyM

Happy and Harried

My Food Tapestry

Inge Kathleen Photography

Pies and Puggles

A Woven Life

City Girl Searching

The Delicious World of Chefette Spicy

You can also see my previous posts here:

Week 1 | Food

Week 2 | Table Setting

Week 3 | Vignette

There is still also time to join in.  We are only a quarter-way through the list so get on board by leaving your details in the comment box below... 

Next month Bedroom!

Gosh I just realised how much I miss blogging, more to come soon...

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Things I Love Thursday

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Photo Styling Challenge | Part 3 Vignette

I'm quite ashamed to say that it's now September and my last blog post was August 19th!  Apologies people I have been somewhat busy of late.  No excuses I know but I'm back, and returning for the third instalment of the Photo Styling Challenge!  And here it is, this month is... 'Vignette'.

If you can't tell from looking through these photos, we have a Shakespeare nerd in our family.  No it's not Thelonious, although I think he also has a passion for the English playwright.  It is in fact PC who has a fond appreciation for the talented creator of Romeo and Juliet.  We literally have shelves upon shelves stacked with books by ole Billy Shakes, with Hamlet appearing more than once, twice even three times over.  So this month's Photo Styling is dedicated to all things that PC loves...

... except for my painted rabbit skull, Pepsi.  He HATES this with an absolute passion.  I think he finds him a wee bit creepy and it also makes him a wee bit sad.  But to me it's taxidermy perfection in its true form. My friend Little James found Pepsi as collects rabbit skulls from his back garden, and when I say back garden I mean acres of farmland.  He picks them up, cleans them off and them paints them black.  I really would like on in gold (of course), so maybe he'll send me one... Ok I'm off on a tangent here but for reals I just had to get Pepsi into this scene... Say hello to Pepsi everyone!  It's also a play on the skull in Hamlet:

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar?"
(Hamlet, V.i)

So here we have at least three of the Hamlet books... and some brass charms from Thailand that are said to ward off evil.  These are something that PC picked up on his travels...

The map is of Galway which is where PC's family are from in Ireland.  We have that framed in our office.  I kinda like it because it reminds me of home (even though I've never actually visited Ireland yet!)  And here is PC's head of Billy Shakes.  This is a very special piece because it was given to him by a one of his tutors Jane, who also became a dear friend of his and sadly passed away a few years ago.  They both shared a great love for our dear William and she kindly gave him this as a gift when he graduated Uni.  He and Pepsi get on really well.  The rock in the middle is a part of the Getty Museum which he won in a competition.

The weird bulb-shaped thing is a sun catcher that I got here in LA.  The black and white squares at the top rotate when the sun shines directly on them.  Pointless but I love it!

I've waffled on enough about my objects but let me know what you think of my images, this time I focused more on my... well... focus, I hope you can tell that from the images.  Would love to know what you think.

Tune in for next month's challenge... Morning! 

Also check out the other people participating in the challenge:

Redesigned by M

Happy and Harried
My Food Tapestry 

Pies and Puggles

A Woven Life

You can also see my first two challenges here: Challenge #1 | Food and Challenge #2 | Table Setting

There is still plenty time to join in with the challenge.  Just comment below leaving your blog link so we can find and add you to next month. Happy September everyone, I'm so excited for Autumn to be upon us :)

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The Weekly Dozen Vol. 4

Over the last week I've not had as much chance to get out with my Nikon DSLR but managed to grab a few snaps with my iPhone 5.  We were house-sitting the past couple of weekends in Silver Lake which is an area of East LA and set up in the hills.  We spent most of our time on long walks with the dogs, and cooking.  We are hoping to move this way in the near future so it was great to spend a weekend here living like a local.

The view from the top deck in the back garden {Taken with iPhone5}

Flowers on a walk up in the residential neighbourhood of Silver Lake {Taken with iPhone5}

A hidden door to one of the houses up in the Silver Lake hills {Taken with iPhone5}


If you haven't already got bored of my brunch foods, here is another frittata.  This time I made it with white onions, potatoes, parsley and feta cheese.

{Taken with Nikon D80}

{Taken with Nikon D80}

{Taken with Nikon D80}

Another brunch favourite of mine are soft boiled eggs with Vegemite toast soldiers... {Taken with iPhone5}

Mr Theo Curran {Taken with Nikon D80}

An afternoon sugar hit whilst I'm working {Taken with iPhone5}

Knitted cacti on sale at The Holy Grounds Coffee and Tea {Taken with iPhone5}

Project in progress Hudson Bay Inspired Blanket {Taken with iPhone5}



Hitchhiker scarf {Taken with iPhone5}

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The Weekly Dozen Vol. 3

I recently had a friend in town from the UK, so we spent the last Saturday at The J. Paul Getty Museum.  I'd only ever been there once before (February 2012) and it was raining so it was great to go on a day where is was sunny.

It was a really great way to test out the camera in full daylight.  I mainly took photos of the exterior building and the flowers in the Central Garden.  I'm quite obsessed with trying to photograph bees whenever I can so there are a few of those that you might be able to spot.  I didn't do any touch-ups on these as I felt they didn't really need it.  The hard part just like with the Photo Styling Challenge is being able to see the shot in the viewfinder screen... that is so hard especially when working in broad daylight.  But I'm pretty pleased with these images.  I'd really to go on a course or be able to spend more time with a photography who knows what they are doing. 

On Sunday we went to the Hollywood Bowl to watch Edward Sharpe which was pretty spectacular.  I have been to lots of outdoor festivals back home but more than often not it's raining.  It was really cool to be able to take a picnic, drink a bottle of wine listening to an awesome band whilst the sun is going down.  I tried to have a go at taking some night shots here and just like the day shots, they are pretty hard to get right. 

I was fairly happy with them when I reviewed them on screen... What are your thoughts the images? :)

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