As a blogger, I've been known to collect cute little trinkets to make sure I have the perfect props for photographs... It's just part of the job. From having the perfect blanket to throw over my couch to the prettiest pack of straws to share my favorite drink recipe - I'm constantly investing in the best of the best so that I can share all of the absolute best with you. Today I want to share not only one of my favorite photography props, but something I love using when I have company over or try a new smoothie recipe - Aardvark paper straws are a new favorite for this gal!
Why do I use paper straws though? They look STUNNING in photographs of everything, from craft projects that call for a little straw action to cake pops with a cute little straw, to the obvious, showcasing a new beverage & drinking out of the straws... I'm constantly grabbing for a cute straw to amp up my projects and my photos!
That's why I'm asking for a handful of beautiful Aardvark Straws in my stocking this year! These beauties aren't just your regular ol' paper straws though, I've elevated my blogging (and sipping) game with Aardvark since they offer such a wide variety of straws and it's the only bendable paper straw on the market.
Available in more than 200 designs, including designs like holiday themes, your favorite NFL team, a wide range of stripes, and more. Not only are they adorably designed and bendable, they're sturdier than the old school paper straw. With no chlorine, these straws don't decompose or start to bleed color into your drink! Plus, if you're Eco-conscious, like I try to be, you'll be happy to find out that these straws are also better for the environment!
So tell me, now that I've shared why I love Aardvark Straws so much, which design will you add to your straw collection first?
Thanks to Aardvark for sending over these gorgeous straws to include in my Holiday Gift Guide!
Are you looking for more gifting inspiration? Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list here!
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
I love taking pictures, of everything from the view out a plane window on a red eye flight to the intricate plating of my dish at a posh restaurant, I'm always pulling out my phone or my camera and snapping a quick photo to share with others.
Some may say it's best to live in the moment and not take pictures, while I understand that mindset - part of living in the moment for me is taking pictures. I love being able to document the exact moment I'm experiencing. Whether it's talking with my niece about how she recently turned two or a long walk on the beach with my hubby, these are moments I want to remember forever - therefore I want to capture them via a lens, as well as my memory.
The issue with always wanting to snag a picture, as some of you fellow photo enthusiasts may know, is that the quality of the photo isn't always great straight off the camera. Sometimes you have to adjust the lighting, play with the contrast, or even use some serious editing skills to remove or add something into a picture. I've always been a big fan of using Photoshop to complete these edits, it's the best editing software on the market. Notice Chrissy Teigen and Pippa on a stroll on their way to hang out with me below - this picture wouldn't be possible without Photoshop!
I use the Creative Cloud, specifically Photoshop for almost every single photo I share. I don't always do serious edits - sometimes I just want to add my logo to the corner of a photo, which is easy to do once you create a brush! If you're a small business, a blog, an internet celebrity, or anyone that just wants to stake claim on your photo, you should be adding just a little watermark to make sure your content is claimed as yours! Want to make a logo brush and add it to all of your photos?
First you'll need to download Adobe Creative Cloud so you can have access to Photoshop and Lightroom, which retails $119 for an entire year subscription!
Next you'll open your logo in Photoshop.
Then click on edit > define brush preset.
Name the brush whatever you prefer.
Use your logo on any and all photos you share, now they'll never end up used without your permission. I circled the use of my logo below, just to display it as an example - the red line obviously won't be there when you choose your brush from the brush options!
And that's it... Photoshop is that easy to use, just a few steps and you're already a professional with watermarked photos! With so many abilities, Adobe Creative Cloud is the ideal way to create and access your vision from any device, anywhere.
Retouching, manipulating, transforming in just about any way you can imagine- it's all at your finger tips with Photoshop and Lightroom, that's why I love Adobe so much! It helps me create what I want so easily, allowing my imagination and creativity to truly flow!
Plus, you can organize, edit & share images from anywhere: on your computer, on the web, on your tablet and on your cell phone! Another reason to love the Creative Cloud, you can make an edit or flag a favorite in one place and it's automatically updated everywhere else through Adobe CreativeSync technology.
Once you download the Creative Cloud, you'll have access to so many more programs than you can imagine. Not only can you create amazing work, you can showcase your work, organize images in web galleries or share them on your favorite social site! Adobe Slate mobile app is the best way to craft visual stories and animated videos and you can use the Adobe Voice mobile app to add your own voice for narration.
Are you ready to gain access to your Creative Cloud? Find the plan that's best for you here. I'd love to hear what you would create with Photoshop and/or Lightroom, tell me all about it in the comments below!
I absolutely love social media. From Pinterest-inspired DIY projects to Facebook contests, the world of social media has provided me with a web of amazing things. One platform that really stands out in a creative sense is Instagram, I love how inspired I can get after flipping through some amazing feeds and I really love when I can inspire others with my own feed.
So that's what I've been working on lately, trying to "perfect" my Instagram feed in a sense. You may have noticed this if you follow me (ahemmmmm, if you don't follow me then you probably should, so just go ahead and click here). I'm trying new things out, using creative new ways to enhance my images and just really trying to make sure that I put my best foot forward on that platform, I even changed my profile and updated my profile picture.
Then I realized, there's lots of Instagrammers out there trying to gain a following as well. We all love sharing photos on Insta, that's why we use it, right? Well, today I want to share five steps to perfect your Instagram feed and gain real, engaged followers quickly.
Step 1 - Get a Clear Focus + Establish Your Aesthetic: This step is a combined step because both parts of it are so easy to accomplish. Getting a clear focus for your Instagram profile over all will help you establish a following and guide you on your photo taking journey, but in this case I'm talking about choosing what the focus of your camera is on. All you have to do to adjust the focus and hopefully make your subject more vivid and clear is touch where the subject is located. Now, on to establish your focus on your actual profile, this is establishing your aesthetic and is so important! Whether you want to establish yourself as a pupparazzi for your new puppy and only post pictures of your pooch or serve up only fitting room fashion photos, it's up to you. Personally, I post about a little bit of everything but my food, fashion, and fitness posts seem to be the most popular.
Step 2 - Follow The Light: This step is even easier than learning to focus your camera, all you have to do is "follow the light". What do I mean by this? Simply take your photos in natural light whenever possible. If you are photographing food, set it on a window ledge or on your patio table. If you are photographing people, I suggest taking pictures around twilight so it's still light out but you don't have to worry about squinty eyes or the like. No matter what you are taking pictures of, know one thing, it's going to look a thousand times better in natural lighting!
Step 3 - Use Hashtags Correctly: Using hashtags is an art form. Whether you think they are annoying or not, they actually serve a very real purpose and can connect you with other people and maybe even companies you love. Some of the hashtags that I've been loving lately include: #NothingisOrdinary | #ThatsDarling | #ABMlifeiscolorful | #LiveColorfully. If you are looking for more hashtag inspiration check out the Tags for Likes or other fun hashtag apps!
Step 4 - Be the follower you want to gain: This is a bit like the famous quote, be the change you wish to see in the world, adapted for Instagram. You want followers that are interactive, that comment and like your content, and that genuinely want to get to know you. You need to be that type of follower in return, like photos, comment, and follow like it's going out of style and you'll notice you'll get some love in return.
Step 5 - Stay Consistent But Stay True: If you browse some of the most followed 'grammers you'll notice that their photos stay consistent to their style. Whether they are a rainbow themed account or a mainly muted pastel based account, you'll notice that a lot of the best accounts seem to edit each and every photo in the same fashion and they typically post similar content everyday. While posting similar content seems to drive in more followers and likes, always stay true to you...
A photo posted by Lauren Paints (@sunkissed_sweetheart) on
Now that I've shared some of my instagramming tips today, I'd love to make some insta-friends! Leave your username in the comments below, or you can always follow me on the gram (and let me know how you found me) and I'll follow you back!
I'm the gal that always brings her camera with her everywhere. Family vacations with all my in-laws, random road trips with friends, short little walks to the beach, on the patio with my pups; no matter where I am, I love being able to capture the moment. This means I have hundreds of awesome photos and by hundreds, I mean more like hundreds of thousands.
While I love having the ability to look back on all of these memories, I really don't have the time to sort through each and every one of the photos, organize them by location and date, and share only the photos I like, that's where RealTimes comes into the picture. Now I never have to worry about losing a favorite photo, they are all stored on the cloud and accessible anywhere and easy to share!
RealTimes is an awesome new service (and app) that offers cloud based storage for all of the photos I take, as well as the ability to make all of my photos into personalized photo montages!
Instead of taking the time to choose the best photos and make them into a video yourself, RealTimes chooses the best of the best for you and puts them all together in a pretty amazing video. I know what you're thinking, what if RealTimes grabs that picture your hubby snagged of you while you were stuffing your face with a piece of cake at your little one's party? Luckily, you don't have to include every single photo they choose for you. It's easy to pick and choose the images it uses, change the music playing in the background, as well as customize the videos in a few other fun ways, all just by clicking a few buttons.
I know I'm not the only one that's a fan of being behind the camera and taking TONS of photos, I'm well aware of the fact that several of my mommy friends are known as paparazzi in their homes. If you are guilty of using your camera a little too often, you need to check out RealTimes. Now, at your fingertips, you have the ability to store 2GB FREE (+ 5 GB more of free storage, if you choose to auto-upload)!
Since I take a lot of pictures, I'm excited about the 7GB of storage that I received for free, but I know I'll eat up that space quickly over the years. If you are on my level and don't think that's enough storage for the long run but you still want a deal, you can always subscribe to the Premium RealTimes subscription plan with the code "COUPONSCOM15"! You'll receive 30 days FREE (normally $4.99/month or $49.99/year). This discount is only available through August 30th though, so act quickly! Still looking for a deal? Check for RealTimes coupons on Coupons.com.
Now that you know where you'll be saving your pictures and turning them into awesome movies, I have even more to share with you today! RealTimes, a bunch of my blogger friends, and I have a little surprise for you! We are celebrating one lucky reader and giving away a $300 Target Gift Card!
If you want to win, simply enter with the giveaway form below:
Disclaimer: Still Blonde after all these Years, Modly Chic, and Fashionista Events
bloggers are not responsible if prize is not delivered. We will make
every attempt to help you claim your prize.
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
Have you heard the hype about drones lately? Specifically, have you heard about the Solo™ Drone by 3DR available at Best Buy? It's a "smart" drone capable of capturing whatever you want and navigated by a video-game style controller to go wherever you want. These fancy drones just arrived in over 400 Best Buy stores on June 8 and are the first-ever drone powered by two integrated Linux computers, making capturing the perfect shot easy!
Solo is designed for you and made to capture the memories and adventures of your life hand-in-hand with a GoPro. Documenting everything and allowing you to see the world in a whole new way, this is a gadget that everyone needs to capture each and every epic memory perfectly.
What makes this drone smart?
Let's start with the fact that Solo has the ability to shoot the most epic selfies, flying up and away but keeping the camera centered on your beautiful face, allowing it to expand into a beautiful aerial shot of your adventure. Can you imagine taking your Solo to the Grand Canyon or Vegas? Can you say the words "bucket list"?
Solo also has a follow mode in which you become the star of the show while Solo follows you wherever you go and captures your every move. If you've ever wanted to start your own reality/adventure show, I suggest grabbing one of these and shooting some footage today!
Not only can Solo play a part in making videos of you even more amazing, it's capable of shooting an iconic wrap around shot of any landmark. Making one of a kind memories, easily adjusted with the handy little controller. Solo can even control it's own flight, allowing you to always capture the perfect shot of any setting. Where will you take your Solo?
Get your hands on a Solo from Best Buy today! Want some awesome news? You'll receive a FREE Solo Smart Battery (RV: $149.99) with your purchase! Act quickly though, this offer is only valid through July 11th, 2015!
Best Buy has to be one of my favorite stores, especially when I'm on the market for new electronics! I've been eying all different types of new gadgets each time we visit... because I'm a bit like a kid in a candy store inside a Best Buy - I guess you could call me a techie for that reason! I love the finding the best products on the market and recently I've noticed my current camera just isn't holding its own anymore...So with that said, I'm pretty sure I want to invest in a new camera soon! I'm currently using an older model and I think with the grainy quality and it's inability to focus on occasion, that it's pretty much a goner.
After browsing through Best Buy recently, I think I have my sights set on The Canon EOS Rebel T5i! It's actually one of the
best-selling DSLRs, so obviously I'm not the only one with upgrading on my mind!
The Canon T5i makes advanced photography easy and fun,
and gives you exceptional image quality, along with a host of features
to enhance your creative expression - the DSLR for any level, since you can shoot in a preassigned mode or shoot manually!
Another benefit that The Canon EOS Rebel T5i has over my current camera is the ability to capture video - I still can't believe my current camera doesn't have video while T5i has a HD video camera with the ability to capture Hollywood quality footage and also hosts the ability to autofocus constantly while taking video - imagine the videos this baby could make! With an 18.0-megapixel sensor and 5 image processor, you are assured vivid, crystal-clear images; something I think everyone strives to achieve...
If I haven't sold you on buying The Canon T5i yet, the amazing deal they are offering on it at Best Buy will definitely seal the deal! Head over to Best Buy and buy your Canon EOS Rebel T5i and save $150 (from now through 12/20/2014)!
Can you believe it's November already? I can't, maybe because this year is just flying by... which means Christmas is coming quickly as well! I'm so excited to have teamed up with a fantastic group of bloggers, we're bringing all of our readers a rockin' giveaway hop that will feature prizes valued at $100+ for every single winner!
Now let's get to the good part:
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I went on a fantastic little road trip last month to see family. We drove all the way from our little suburb in Florida to North Carolina to visit my husband's brother and sister and both of their families.
The road trip was fun over all, but I learned that I get bored when there isn't much to look at... and that I much prefer a road trip where we take the time to stop and walk around and explore things vs. just "straight-shooting" to our destination. I also learned that if you're really bored in the car and you are an artist, you'll find a way to make art... You can view my abstract creations made with my D-SLR while being deliriously bored on the road late at night below.
But what I really learned on this trip is that family time is invaluable. I learned that laughing with my family and feeling a bond knowing that we share more than just a last name is the best joy in life. I love hearing stories about when they were young, listening to them recap huge family milestones and hilarious mishaps. All while making new memories watching the babies of the family run around, these are the moments in life that really matter. Hanging out with the twin babies, going to the renaissance fair, watching the oldest get creative, petting some wild animals at the drive-thru zoo, getting a beginner's education about natural healing and essential oils - this road trip was an incredible experience full of so much fun packed into just a few quick days.
Road trips, family memories, days spent driving around the family - it's all fun.. and something we all need to have fun and go on road trips is fuel for our vehicles, right? Well, almost everyone needs this commodity and lucky for one lucky reader I'll be giving away a $100 Shell Gift Card to help one lucky reader fuel their fun this holiday season. Whether you need the gas for an upcoming road trip over the holidays to see family or to run errands to make sure your family has everything for Turkey Day, I'm here to make one readers pocket a little fuller this holiday season by treating them to a full tank, a few times.
Enter to win the $100 Shell Gift Card using the giveaway tools form below:
Disclaimer: I may have received one or more of the products mentioned above or compensation to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through November 17th at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not the party held responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.
in my stocking this year! These beauties aren't just your regular ol' paper straws though, I've elevated my blogging (and sipping) game with Aardvark since they offer such a wide variety of straws and it's the only bendable paper straw on the market.
