well…i got up today with a plan in my head.
i would go running, take a nice hot relaxing bath at the craft house
and then make Vlog answering some of your questions.
i did go for my run but then the school called and said Scott was throwing up.
so…i am stuck at home still in my stinky running clothes and i will be writing and not vlogging today.
you guys ask great questions.
let's see….
1. Did you ever convert the attic in the craft house?
nope.
we just never had the energy and the money at the same time. :)
who knows what will happen though….we may still do it.
i have dreams for it. Maybe a store? Maybe more work space? Maybe more bunk space? Maybe a little apartment? My running buddies suggested making it a full gym so we could workout together all year long.
and i am LOVING that idea.
2. Are you on Pinterest?
ummm….i am.
but it's the only place online that i am private….i have a fake name.
i just like having all the ideas i like in one place but not sharing what i love with everyone.
that may seem weird but… it's what i am doing and i like it that way.
3. which is your favorite camera and lens?
i have a canon 50D and the 24-70 f/2.8 Canon lens.
and that is all.
i own one lens. :)
it works for my needs…i dream of the 70 – 200 and the 35mm….and a 5D camera body.
but for now and the past two years….just that.
nothing else.
so that is what is in my camera bag.
and by camera bag i mean my purse. HA!
4. How do you edit your photos?
i upload my photos into LightRoom and i use their settings to edit.
i usually bump up the exposure…the vibrance….the fill light….sharpen and that's it.
5. what settings do you use on your camera?
i almost always shoot in AV mode. i shoot at an ISO of 200 and at 2.8 or 3.5. does that help?
someome asked about my settings for indoor shots in the evening…well i just try not to shoot indoors in the evening. because i think those pictures are always bad. So i have no settings to share for that.
i love wendy&tyler from blue lily and they have helped me immensely with understanding my camera. they have workshops where YOU can learn about your camera too. you should go.
and Ashley from Under the Sycamore has an AWESOME online class that you can learn about photography…her next course is coming up soon.
i have never felt great at explaining cameras or putting it into words but both of those blogs do it well!
6. Will you come to Washington?
yes. :)
i would love to do that sometime….
also i was worried it was going to be raining for my run this morning and your quote went through my head Leann "once you're wet, you're wet" and had decided i was going anyway. thankfully… it stopped before i ran.
7. where are the glasses from in the post with the happy things to look at? And the afgans?
i found that pic of the glasses on pinterest….and it linked to martha stewart…who else? but the link was not for the pic…but i think it probably came from her site.
and the afgans linked to flikr….just plain old flikr.
that is the downside of pinterest…messed up links and not getting a real source.
8. does having a GOOD dlsr camera make that much difference?
well…
i think i wouldn't want to go without my dslr. But getting a dlsr won't make you take good pictures. there is a lot more that goes into getting good photos than the camera. instagram is great example of that. it's figuring out the lighting, composition and your angle. and that is where having a nice dslr camera comes in…and makes the shot clear and crisp. where a point and shoot may have a grainier shot? possibly.
if you just want snapshots to keep your memories then a point and shoot is fine.
if you have an interest in photography…any desire to learn more….i think you need a dslr.
9. Can i get a top ten book list of your favorite books?
this is a funny question mommyjulia.
because i don't know that i have read ten books in the last ten years!
but i will share again what i have read the past few months…
i read 7 and then Interrupted….loved.
Now i am reading "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and this book is making me think in ways i never have!!! it's challenging me. it's making me do hard things. it's so good.
i love the book Crazy Love.
i loved Calm My Anxious Heart….good for a mom.
Long Way Gone was a book to prepare for africa and it was so good.
i don't read very much….i get so distracted and i don't make time for it.
i definitely don't read fiction.
IF i am reading a book it's going to be about something that i want to learn about…change in myself…get a new direction.
and thankfully i got glasses so at least i don't fall asleep as soon as i start reading.
10. can i have your pattern for the apron? can you tell me how make all the stuff you make at craft weekend? can you do tutorials on all those things that the craft weekenders paid for? (i am paraphrasing here)
nope…sorry. :)
that would not be fair to all those Craft Weekend girls at all.
but i will be selling these things in my shop someday.
and i can't wait for you girls to get your hands on them… everything takes time.
i have five kids and i am running a business so things take a long time to get done.
i wish i could snap my fingers and have my shop filled and everything done…but i just cant.
i am grateful you are patient.
11. tell us about Lauren….you never do…she is ignored….why don't you talk about her…WHY?!?
(again…paraphrasing)
lauren is 17…almost 18. She requested quite a few years ago for me to not blog about her.
so i don't.
i love her. she is crazy smart. she works on the weekends. she is an awesome volleyball player. she wants to be a doctor.
maybe someday i will be able to talk more about what it's been like raising our first teenager but for now she doesn't want me to talk about her here.
and that is that.
12. Kirsten J asked all these at once: do you make lists? yes…very messy lists Do you ever ask for help? yes. a lot. YOU HAVE TO or you will drown. Do you ever future trip? i don't what that is…dreaming about the future? not much i guess. Will Lauren go away to college? yes she will. we don't where yet but she will. Did you ever have a penpal? YES! i used to write letters constantly. when craig got home from one year of college he had TONS of letters from me. i had two from him. ha ha haaa. also my sister got letters from me constantly. My grandpa and i wrote too. i always signed my letters to him Love, Megan the GREAT!! i would tell him my grades and about my boyfriends and my dance recitals and he would send me money for good grades and call me out on my bad ones. my 101 year great aunt and i wrote for my entire marriage until she passed away this year. i love writing letters. Do you ever just veg out in front of the tv? Reality tv? Or talk shows? NCIS? i do occasionally veg with tv… Parenthood of course, Office, Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy and Saturday Night Live. NO reality tv. i can't take it. NO singing shows…or dancing shows…or dating shows. it makes me want to poke my eyes out. i did like Amazing Race and Survivor…in the beginning…but not anymore. AND i miss Oprah…really really miss her show. What blogs do you read regularly? Julie, Ashley, Kimberlee, Shauna, Jess, Megan, Leslie, amy, shannon, sarah, lisa and michelle just to name a few….i have over 50 more in my reader. :)
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i wish there were some pictures to go along with this post.
how about some george?
yes…i did just take 15 minutes and made a george collage in picmonkey.
don't judge.
just enjoy….it's easy….
there over 100 comments on that post so it will take me awhile to get through them all.
hope you made it through all those answers.
ok…i am going to make all the appointments i have been putting off forever since i am stuck at home.
you know what i mean…. dentist, eye doctor, exterminator, ob/gyn, sewing machine guy, specialist and anything else i can think of.
the part i hate more than making the appointment….GOING to the appointments!
wish me luck.
Heidi Jo the Artist - Such a happy post! Love thrifting! Such a fun coffee cup! Especially love the stack of plates, kicking myself for not getting some at a garage sale now, the story of my life… I do have plenty of broken pieces I’ve been saving for a mosaic piece though, just need to make time to make something now. 😉
faye - i really like the coffee mug.
Lindy - Such happy photos! loved the inside of the coffe mug so much it’s my screen saver—thanks
Heather S. - I totally have that Katie Daisy print in my kitchen right now! Have a great week!
Sandy - LOVE the coffee cup with the surprse inside! 🙂
Katie - You could make garden flowers with those plates/dishes You have to have a special drill bit to drill through glass though!
http://www.etsy.com/search?includes%5B0%5D=materials&q=flower+plate+recycle+glass&ref=related&page=1
but I am sure you mosiac idea will be beautiful too!
pretty pics – thx for sharing!
Lisa - I think this is the happiest blog entry I’ve seen ! I’m saving it for when I need an “upper”. I love all the bright colors, and the fact that you save random china plates – I LOVE random china patterns. I’m excited to see what you do with yours some day. Thanks for the smiles. Your blog is always fun 🙂
amy jupin - i’m feeling so emotional lately.
and just crying at everything.
and of course i get to the part where you made the pillows and i just burst into tears!
i’m a total dork.
all this crying has to stop! it’s exhausting! 🙂
i love the pillows.
and i love you.
mean it.
Mary - such happy things you find!
love em all!
xoxo
Penny - My maiden name is “Freel”. Everytime I see Free! I think it is my last name!
Alicia @ La Famille - you make me want to go to Goodwill. but i never find as cool of things as you do. maybe today’s the day?!?
jen - okay i love that you are smashing plates for mosaics but did you know…that in the top photo with the basket weave around the edge was {and is mine although it’s across the country in storage} my grandmother china pattern and she has the whole set! and in the second photo the plate with the needle point is her tea set – again has the whole thing and it’s my sister’s. i couldn’t imagine smashing that! {although they are NOT my style!} but i know they are probably chipped and worn so go ahead…just know i will be wincing in quebec! ha!
mama lola - that mug could not be more perfect! great find!
and the quilt pillow… genius! old quilts can be hard to salvage as a whole piece, but making something small out of it is fantastic; and what a great way to make something personal as a gift for someone!
tiffany gardner - just wanted to say how much I still love your blog. Yours was the FIRST BLOG i ever read!! And I have to say…. it is still my very favorite. thanks for bringing joy to a life you don’t even know. honest.
Shelly - Frei is my last name. No wonder Friday is my favorite day! 🙂 When we were in Austria for our 10 year anniversary a few years back, we saw our name everywhere. “Free!” 😉
Beth - You always find the BEST stuff when you go thrifting! Why are your stores so much better than the ones around here? haha I very rarely find great stuff. 🙁
shauna - love your pillows!
Terrie G - Can not wait to see your mosaic project. Always wanted to do something like that!
Lots of pretty things to look at tonight!
All of that would make a super Happy Friday!!
You find the best quilts & fabric!!
Happy Painting!
betsy - Meg – I had to tell you this story that happened in my classroom last week. Every month, I decorate for the season or holiday in that month. Each month, I have new decor to hang from the ceiling: leaves, snowflakes, conversation hearts, Chinese lanterns, etc. In August & September, I hung the bunting you made for me a few years ago in the bright fabrics & ribbon. On Friday, I stood up on a stool while my 4th graders were working to take it down (for the 8 foot spider web that went up in it’s place) and my kids all started to whine that I was taking it down. “No! Leave it up! Why are you taking it down??” I told them I loved it, too, but next month’s decorations were awesome, too. They asked if I made the bunting, and I happily said, “Nope, my friend Meg made it for me!”
Thanks again … I love it!
Tiffany - I took German through collage. Funny words in that German language! 🙂
Kristin S - I drive through Kansas every two years on my way to and from Colorado for the summer. Next summer? I’m getting thrift store ideas from you and MUST STOP on my drive. Gracious, we have nothing like these amazing finds at ours.
I went to an auction preview this afternoon for an entire “estate” for a woman who passed away. I had high hopes of a quilt or two. She had some but they weren’t well made enough to last much longer. Though it was really weird to see a person’s entire home contents all organized for auction – down to a half used bottle of B&BW Warm Vanilla Sugar hand soap.
Mommyjulia - LISTENING to you’ve got mail? Oh you are too cute. (I wouldn’t know how to work a new tv either.) and, you are so good at the fabric combo-ing!
Becky K. - Another use for the vintage plates is to give them to a friend with some baked goods on them. Much prettier than a paper plate or rubbermaid container.
Amy K. - eee! That top plate in the first plate photo is the Spode pattern I inherited from my grandma… I do not take use it nearly often enough, so this little reminder was a breath of fresh air!!
Suzanne - I love all the bright, happy colors. glücklich Freitag!
Karen Gerstenberger - Did you ever visit my blog and see my glass- and pottery-topped table? I made it from found beach glass and pottery. I’ve made a bathroom countertop the same way – it’s a joy forever. Your thrift store dishes reminded me. Those projects are a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too – worth it!
rachel - love all your pretties. 🙂 i can never find lovely dishes when thrifting. …boo. happy weekend!
EmilyK - That’s sounds a lot more exciting than the work I’m doing today! 🙂
Lindsey - Lovin’ the tablecloth and also the quilt pillows! That is an incredible idea for old quilts with holes! I am so inspired now!
happygirl - Friday in German is very random. I’m working on Friday, too. Not nearly as pretty as your work. 🙂
Debbie Hargadon - I actually LOVE this idea. I’ve been saving favorite clothes of my kids for years — this would be good — even if it were very random in appearance, the familiarity of it would make it okay. I’m curios as to how large her rectangles were? or how thick the strips.
seriously sassy mama - German in the 8th grade is pretty random!
jerusalem - oh craftiness delight. wish i was working with you at the craft house!
Amy@littleforalittlewhile - love this! I hope to find a sweet little quilt when I come to craft weekend, among other things 😉
Tanya H - My grandmother made quilts like that! Not that pattern, her’s were rows of rectangles, but every rectangle was made of scraps after making clothes, or when the clothes wore out, she’d cut them into rectangles. Every one of her children and grandchildren got at least one- I have three twin size from when I was a kid and one king that was a wedding gift. They’re kinda funny to look at, but they’re all warm and excellent quality. My mom can go thru them and say this was her skirt, this was dad’s pants, on and on. 🙂