New Update!

 

 

Welcome to my new intro/title thing. I don't know what you call it but it is new and I love it. If you haven't already checked it out, using your cursor, hover over the tabs and a colored line should appear under the words. I'm crossing my fingers hoping that it works, so if it doesn't, please let me know.

 

Basically I spent the entire weekend with my eyes fixated to the screen. I've dabbled with coding before but never this intense. For those of you that are pro coders, this may sound pathetic, but I was quite proud of this accomplishment given that this was all self-taught. My experience with coding consisted of just putting some pictures in but I think I just reached a new level.

 

I had wanted something like this for a long time. I knew I wanted a very simple intro/title thing but also wanted color. So I search all over the web to find how to change images by hovering over things. Finally, I figured out how to do it, at least I hope. I don't know if there is a more simple way to do this, but either way it works. The way I did it was adding an image overtop the original (without the underline).

 

Anyways, this is just a simple and quick blog post to document this (in my book) accomplishment. Again, please let me know if it doesn't work for you or if it looks kind of wonky (*do people still use this word?)

 

x Katherine

D.I.Y. Light Box

Do you want professional quality photos without the professional price? This cheap alternative makes your photos bright, light, and most importantly shadow-less. Just find good natural light, make this simple light box, and shoot away!

A while ago I came across a post via Flax and Twine and knew instantly I had to make this. The materials were very simple, all things I could find in my house (no going to the store). I gathered all the materials and started. I will say that it definitely took longer than expected, probably the whole afternoon. The longest part was cutting the cardboard.

MATERIALS

< cardboard box >

< tissue paper >

< tape >

< scissors >

< pen >

< X-Acto knife >

< ruler >

PROCEDURE

With the cardboard box flat, on one side of the box, draw a rectangle with each side 1" from the edge. (* From the pictures you can see I did 1/4" and that was way too small). Repeat for 3 of the four sides, ignoring the top and bottom of the box.

Using an X-Acto knife, or similar blade, cut out the box

Repeat for the other sides, so only one side is left uncut (* You can use the scrap cardboard as a cutting board so you don't scratch your surface)

On a tissue paper, trace the scrap rectangle that you cut out. Cut 1" from the sides (like the 3rd picture). Repeat 3 more times

Cut the top flaps  of the box off. Set up the box, so that it is now 3D. With each of the 3 tissue paper rectangles, tape them on the box covering the cutouts. (* I forgot to take a picture of this part, but find a white paper and just tape the one side of the paper to the back side and the other side of the paper to the bottom side of the box)

That's it! Add a little brightening in Photoshop and you're done! 

~  ~  ~

This was my first D.I.Y. Tutorial and hopefully not my last. Taking the pictures and editing them was actually not that difficult. The most difficult part was probably explaining the step. So I apologize if each step was not that clear and that some steps didn't have an accompanying picture to follow along, but I hope you find this tutorial helpful. If you try this, don't forget to write in a comment below.  

Review: Essie Bahama Mama

Overall Grade: A

 

Consistency: very nice

Application: very nice as well

Color: these types of oxblood/maroon color are my favorite so I might be bias, but the color is AMAZING! Very true to color and on the nails it looks exactly what it looks like in the bottle.

Longevity: fairly good. Day 2 there was a small chip on my right hand but that was it. The seventh day it did chip more but I was doing a lot with my hands (DIY project requiring cardboard, an X Acto knife, tape, etc. - - upcoming blog post)

How Many Coats: probably 2 (*** my left hand has two medium coats while my right hand has one coat. I liked how one coat wasn't as dark and more of the red was apparent, but asking others, they like two coats better than one)

Top Coat/Base Coat: Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat / Julep Nail Therapy (per usual, I don't tend to switch up my top coat and base coat very much)

7-Day Wear: sorry, I forgot day five and six, but I did get day seven. *Day seven was the first day I saw any chipping