Happy Meal Toys

May 9, 2015
9/365

For years and years I collected Happy Meal toys.  Some I just saved after the kids were done playing with them, some I specifically went to McDonalds and bought because I was pretty obsessed with them!  I'm a toy momma...  I have always loved toys and have saved oodles of the kid's toys from back in the day- Fisher Price Little People (the REAL ones...), Micro Machines, Legos, Star Wars figures, Polly Pocket, Care Bears, and many more.  Yesterday Henry got a Happy Meal Changeables out of the toy box and was fascinated by it.  I knew I had more so I hunted them down, cleaned them up, and now they are ready for Monday when we will once again "play toys."

I did not pay for my kids to go to college on the proceeds of my Happy Meal toy collection, but making Henry (and the future littles!) smile is much more fun anyway!  

Upside Down? Rightside Up?

16/365

I've been a little remiss in posting my pictures...but I've been taking them.  Last Saturday we headed out to our camp on Black Creek in Churchville, New York, for an evening of fun and games with friends.  We got there just as the sun was setting, which gave me a chance to take a nice silhouette of the trees along the creek and the reflection in the water.  Is the picture upside down...or right side up?

Below is the original picture.  If you guessed upside down...you're right!

Ho Ho Ho...Ho...Ho...Ho...

14/365

Oh I have missed painting!  Santas are my most favorite thing to paint.  I'm sharing a table at a craft show next week with my darling daughter and this week I've been painting some ornaments.  I had forgotten how much I love painting until I got started.  Who doesn't like Santas?!  Well I surely do...

Silhouette

11/365

They say that the best camera is the one you have with you.  It's pretty lame, but generally what I have with me is my iphone so today is another quickie- but I did plan it.  I've been wanting to learn how to do silhouette pictures.  I read on a blog that on a cellphone you set the exposure ring for the bright area- outdoors or the sky, and the focus on the person or object you want silhouetted.  Hey...it works!  You've got to be pretty fast with a 14 month old...I'll try again but I think the concept works.  Now I just  need to figure out how to do it with my big camera!

Amazed by Apps

9/365

I find myself saying more and more often, "What's it going to be like in 10 years???!!!"  Technology is advancing at an incredible speed.  10 years ago I got my first digital camera, an Olympus, and it cost about $600.  It couldn't begin to do the things my $1.99 app from the iTunes store can do!  I took the picture below at my son and daughter-in-law's farm this morning.  I thought when I took it I might play around with black and white some more... oh my goodness...THIS is what I came up with...all for $1.99...


My original shot taken with my iphone 4S.

 

 

My edits using the BeFunky app...

 

 

 

My edits using Hello Camera's Art section...

 

 

 

 

So, I repeat... "What's it going to be like in 10 years?!  Maybe I'll think to myself, "I'd like a picture of that..." and it'll happen!  I'd be happy if my big camera "apps" were a little more user friendly!  Picture taking with an iphone is fun!

 

 



Sad Little Kitty

7/365

This is Dexter...well I don't really know what his name is but I'm going to call him Dexter.  He's a feral cat who has come into our neighborhood.  I find myself wanting to know what his story is.  Was he born in the wild?  Did his family abandon him when they moved?  Was he out playing when they left and they couldn't find him?  Whatever his story...I'm very sad for him.  He's not friendly but not really unfriendly either.  He'd really rather I don't touch him so I don't.  I saw him a few days ago in the back yard- although I didn't see any injuries, he was moving kind of slow and looked tired.  I put some food out and the next day it was gone, but wasn't sure who actually ate it.  More food the next day and by the next morning that too was gone.  Yesterday I took the food container out in the early afternoon and shook it and he came running and ate and ate.  That's when I discovered he'd really rather not be petted...  I asked my husband if he would build a feral cat house and with no hesitation he said, "Of course."  I've put posts all around to see if somebody knows Dexter and is missing him, but so far no luck.  Winter is fast approaching.  I'd love to take him in and try to give him a nice home, but I've already got 2 cats who would not be happy about that.  What to do...what to do?  If I take him to the Humane Society I know they will euthanize him.  Would that be a kindness?  It doesn't feel like it... For now I guess I'll just feed him and try to keep him warm.  Sad...

Lousy quality cellphone picture, but it was the camera at hand...