The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Brown.

This weeks guest judge: 

Tia from A Picture in Time and Picture Motherhood.
This weeks challenge: Brown.
The challenge:
Take or find a photo of your baby (or kid… or puppy… or kitty) wearing brown, next to something brown, eating chocolate, covered in mud… whatever brown!

Tia’s example of Brown:

The Paper Mama’s example of Brown:

A little different this week. I though I’d show some love to my little Chihuahua man, Angus. He’s my son. ๐Ÿ˜€

……………………..
There always has to be rules… I know, boring right? But, it’s to help me and you. ๐Ÿ™‚ Click on the link for more details… Each entry does need to link back to my blog… Click here to see last weeks winner… All photo entries need to be in by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on September 16th…
……………………..

Guess what…. after 4 challenges there will be a week long vote off of the winners from the 4 previous challenges… The winner of the vote off will get a small prize! 1 more challenges to go…

Winners so far:

โ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅ
If you have an Etsy shop and would like to give away an item as a prize… please drop me a line! I โ™ฅ sponsors and will show your shop some love for your contribution. ๐Ÿ™‚
โ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅ

The Paper Mama

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


AND, the photo challenge winner of "Excitement" is…

This weeks guest judge: 

chose the top 5 this week! Please go check out her blog! And, thank her for guest judging!

Now, on to the top 5 chosen by Joni:

Why Joni chose this photo: “There is something about seeing a little boy and his daddy that is just so amazing to me.  I can see the bond and the love in this photo and it actually makes me a little teary eyed every time I look at it. Such a great moment that was captured!

Congrats! Please feel free to grab a “fact: I’m awesome … #1 winner” button below. Because: you ARE awesome! And, thank you SO much for participating!

The Paper Mama

Joni says, “I wanted to be this little boy so I could experience his excitement for just one moment. Love this photo! It was a tough call between this one and the first one.

Joni says, “I just want to scoop this little guy up and kiss him.

Joni says, “If i didn’t have six children, I would want a face like this greeting me every day!

Joni says, “Adorable. Love the black and white.  Another baby I could scoop up and squeeze!

Congrats to the top 5 winners! Great job, and please feel free to grab the top 5 button below! You’re all awesome!

The Paper Mama

The Paper Mama’s favorite photos (in no particular order):

My Kid ROCKS! {explored}



Although I did not pick the winner this week, I did want to share my favorites. So hard to choose! If you’re one of my favorites you are more than welcome to grab a “Paper mama hearts me” button below!
 

The Paper Mama

And, just for fun… Joni and I both have a couple of honorable mentions:

……………………..

Guess what…. after 4 challenges there will be a week long vote off of the winners from the 4 previous challenges… The winner of the vote off will get a small prize! 1 more challenges to go…

Winners so far:

  • Flower: … A Pile of Pics
  • Self: … Simplicity
  • Excitement: … And then she snapped …
  • Brown: … no one yet…

Please check out this weeks photo challenge: “Brown.”
โ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅ
If you have an Etsy shop and would like to give away an item as a prize… please drop me a line! I โ™ฅ sponsors and will show your shop some love for your contribution. ๐Ÿ™‚
โ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅ

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


Hello baby. (and another action for you guys!)

Here you are. 8 and a half months. A LOT has changed since you turned 8 months.

{Laureli Lynn. 8.5 months}

Laureli,
You have now mastered rolling over from your back to your belly…
There’s still a struggle with trying to roll from your belly to back… but, you’re trying. You don’t like trying… lots of crying. ๐Ÿ˜€ TWO teeth have come in on the bottom row. I FINALLY got a photo of them. Every time I try and photograph them you try and lick me. Hard to see! Look below:

Have a closer look:

You started saying “Bah bah bah bah…” non-stop 2 weeks ago. Last Friday you started saying, “Da da da da.” Mike thinks that’s your first word. I tell him it’s not. “Da da da da da” is not Dada to me. You call everything “Da da da da”. I win! ๐Ÿ˜€

You like to whisper to your toys. Like your talking to them. It’s very silly! Your favorite toy at the moment is your stuffed doggy (seen here). When he dances: you laugh like crazy! It’s getting almost impossible to put clothes on you! You flip around and cry. Oh man.

We’ve been working on feeding you everyday now. It’s going alright. You mostly spit out everything. You’re trying though! What you like: Peaches, apples, nectarines, and carrots mixed with fruit. What you’re not liking: Bananas, peas, and sweet potatoes.

Love you boo.

– Mama

If you’re wondering: Ruari is wearing a bandanna bib and a heart headband from the Hi, Baby shop.

Pixel Perfect before and after (and my new action: Pacific NW Blend):

BEFORE:
AFTER (I used the Paper Mama Pacific NW Blend action)(and: this is my photo for TMMAPC. Favorite photo):

I’ll get this action up and ready a little bit later for you guys (on Paper Heart Camera)! I’m still learning how to set these up, so bear with me. ๐Ÿ˜€

Time for a little flashback:

{Ruari 15 weeks}

This is you at 15 weeks old. You had just started staying put when I sat you up. ๐Ÿ˜€ Look at that bald head!

Flashback Friday Button

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


Mike’s the chef!

Mike’s the chef here in this family… and he has a TON of kitchen gadgets like a couple dutch ovens, our RED Kitchenaid mixer, many frying pans, a ton of outdoor grill goodies… and many many MANY more.

I’m bringing this up because I like to plan WAY ahead for Christmas. He wants more kitchen gadgets. One thing he REALLY wants is a nice grill pan.

I think he wants this one:

BUT… that’s probably not happening because… well, it’s like $200. I just can’t imagine spending that much on a pan…

I’ll probably end up getting this one instead:

For one: it’s red! ;D And, it’s about $125. That’s a little better. Time to start saving!

Speaking of mike cooking: Would you guys be interested in Mike’s amazing cookie recipe? I think I’m going got post it sometime next week.

I’m also trying out a new comment form. Let me know if you like it! We’ll see if I even installed it properly. ๐Ÿ™‚

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


Thursday’s Three: Where’s the motivation?

{Ruari with Mike’s parents}

You know when you REALLY want to create something, but you just can’t get motivated to get it done? Yeah, that’s me right now. I was playing around with photoshop and a couple of photos I took… I just couldn’t get them to look the way I wanted. So, I stopped working on them.

I only managed to get this photo of Ruari and her grandparents (Mike’s parents) edited. And, well… I’m only “eh” about it. ๐Ÿ™‚

I’ll come back to editing tomorrow. I find that if I get frustrated with a project, I need to walk away from it for a bit and come back later. Refreshed and ready to be creative!

Thursday’s Three: Where’s the motivation?
Where will I find it? Gotta take care of me.

1) I HAVE to remember to take some “me” time. My favorite “me” time is night time right after baby goes to bed. I try to take an hour after Ruari goes to bed to just do something for me. Browse the internet… watch TV… totally space out! Whatever. Right now I’m both browsing the internet AND watching Dexter! We just finished the 2nd season.

{On Amazon: Dexter}

2) Ree from the Pioneer Woman is VERY inspiring. Whether it’s inspiring me in my photography… or giving tips on blogging. This lady is pretty amazing. Her biggest tip I need to follow right now:  

Exercise more: Blogging is an insidiously sedentary activity, and if you blog daily you should take steps to markedly increase your daily movement. Unless that movement involves eating coffee ice cream. In which case it would be better not to markedly increase your daily movement.” 

I often find myself trying not to move during baby’s nap so I don’t wake her… this means I just sit here… on my computer. Hmmmm….

3) My baby. She’s been pretty inspiring. She looks pretty dang cute in any photo I take of her… if I do say so myself! ๐Ÿ˜€ My favorite to date inspiration is the tattoo photo manipulation. Which, just so happens, is for sale in my Paper Mama shop!!! ๐Ÿ˜€ I can tattoo up your babe! Or grandma, whatever!

Reminder: Today’s the last day for the photo challenge: Excitement!

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: family


Wordless{ish} Wednesday: I see the light…

{Ruari at 8.5 months}

{I’ve been playing with my camera a bit. On Sunday Mike and Ruari were playing on the floor, and the sun was blaring in. So, I thought I’d try out a few shots.}

{Happy Wednesday everyone!}

{If you have a Wordless{ish} Wednesday, please feel free to post it below. And, feel free to link up to these blogs too… (Wordless Wednesday HQ, 5 Minutes For Mom, 7 Clown Circus, Jolly Mom, Go Graham Go,  and My Wee View.). Happy Wednesday to all of you!}

{Don’t forget to check the announcements above the posts. Giveaways and the photo challenge: Excitement!}

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


Touch up Tuesday and free action!

AFTER:
{Kim: 31 weeks pregnant}

BEFORE:

AFTER:
{Kim: 31 weeks pregnant}

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I’ve finally made my own action for photoshop! It’s the action I used on the photos above of my beautiful preggo friend Kim. ๐Ÿ™‚ If you’d like to check out this action, head on over to my Paper Heart Camera. This is where I’ll be posting any tips or actions or anything along those lines. ๐Ÿ™‚ This action is called: Summertime Vintage.

KIM’S BABY SHOWER INVITE (buy this at the Paper Mama Shop!):

BY the way: Touch Up Tuesday is moving to my photography community: Paper Heart Camera next Tuesday. ๐Ÿ™‚

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: paper mama shop