CLASSES TO STOP BRAIN SHRINKAGE

MICHELANGELO QUOTE

With everything going on right now it doesn’t seem very pragmatic to be adding classes to my to-do list, but I figure I should take in a few before the baby arrives as I may not have as much time as I previously did pre-baby and also that whole shrinking brain thing has me motivated.  I didn’t sign-up for anything too challenging like advanced Calculus so maybe I didn’t prevent anything from shrinking but I am happy that I did sign-up for these classes:

CJ Nicolai’s ‘Fall in love with film’ through Clickin’ Moms.  Oh, how I cringe when I say or write that name as I feel like it turns people off, you don’t need to be a mom to participate (you could be a dad or an aunt or nothing associated with mom’s at all).  I have belonged to their forum for many years and think it’s a great resource for any photography enthusiast.  My quick review on this class, I love CJ’s work, I was thrilled to see that she has six videos on developing film at home (worth the price of the class).  I was disappointed on some of the basics like metering for film (there wasn’t a demo, or even a suggestion for a meter in this class), the concept of pushing & pulling is also still very vague to me. You do have the forum to turn to for questions though (and I did get meter suggestions). I wouldn’t recommend this class if this was your first exposure to wanting to shoot with film, BUT if you did have an interest in developing your own film someday CJ makes it seem very do able and as mentioned I think that’s worth the small price of this class.  CM has so many other classes that are affordable and not a huge time commitment (and others that look great but are more spendy), it’s a site worth bookmarking. If you are interested in film photography there’s plenty of resources in The Directory, but I recommend this book and this one and Jen Huang’s Workshop in a box.

I am having a tough time not knowing how to take more control of my blog functionality (I am on WordPress) it pains me to always have to annoy my coder whenever I need something tiny done.  I signed up for this WordPress Basics class, it’s not exactly what I was looking for but still enlightening for a WordPress newbie. For those new to Skillshare the link will get you $10 off and for those that aren’t new to Skillshare Aaron Platt the teacher is offering a 50% discount for October by using the promo code PUMPKIN. Unlike a lot of Skillshare classes that are open enrollment Aaron is very dedicated and involved and will answer your questions.  I would definitely sign-up again for any other WP class he would offer in the future.

Has anyone signed up for Mary Kate McDevitt’s class-First Steps of Hand Lettering?  It is SO good!  I love that it is a lettering class and not just a calligraphy class (where you would need special tools like nib & ink, so no excuses). All you need is a pencil, paper and some imagination.  It’s worth every penny if you are even remotely interested in lettering.

I have been wanting to take an InDesign class for a while, I was planning on signing up for this one at Nicole’s Classes but I actually hate that I can’t just sign-up anytime and I have to wait for a new session to begin. On the flip side, Alma Loveland the instructor is a great teacher and if you can wait I am sure it would be a great class! I saw that Anne Ditmeyer was teaching Learn InDesign so I signed-up!  I am an Anne fan so it seemed like a win-win.  I haven’t started yet, but I am eager too. I haven’t played around much with InDesign, but I know it is a robust program for putting together projects like books and magazines and why not add that to my skill set?

Some classes I wish I was taking/attending…

Food Photography at The Pantry with Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille. It’s sold out of course, but I am sure it would have been fabulous!

I want to take all the classes at this shop, but this shirt dress series looks especially intriguing.

What about you?  Are you signed up for any classes right now?

PINTEREST CURATOR BETH KIRBY

Pinterest Curator Beth Kirby Besotted Blog

If you are ready to fall into a visual wonderland of pins than you need to visit Beth Kirby of Local Milk. I could have gone dark and dramatic with her board above, or calm + neutral, or even deep and jewel like, she has so many options to choose from but somehow they all form a a cohesive package of beauty.  I loved her Pigment board, an ode to painters, it was refreshing and many of her choices were new introductions which is something I always enjoy–the thrill of discovery! Photons is clever and I loved seeing what she actually had in there. Her Portrait board was definitely inspiring, for someone like myself that doesn’t like their photo taken, there are so many beautiful+ unusual shots to consider for the future.

Beth was a recommendation and I apologize my brain is not working as well as before to give proper credit where it is due . I heard terrifying news that my brain will shrink up to 6% with this pregnancy, so be prepared for me to just drool on my keyboard in the ensuing weeks. I feel like my brain shrinks a little more every day. Any advice on how to prevent this from happening or to combat baby brain?  Is it even possible?  I signed up for a bunch of classes recently, which I promise to let you know more about, because I want to exercise my brain as much as possible before she (my baby with currently no name) arrives. Wish me luck!

Author / Miss Tristan B

Miss Tristan B. is the proprietress of Besotted Brand and the writer of this delightful blog. She recently re-located to sunny Seattle with her handsome husband and two pups, they are expecting a baby girl in December (possibly November). Her lofty goal here is to make this a creative resource repository and to inspire you to fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your life.

BESOTTED BRAND NEW OFFERINGS!

WREATH_MADEWITHLOVE_Ia_BESOTTED BLOGI am very excited to be adding some new offerings before holiday!  I know from how many times the hand drawn wreaths have been downloaded (a mind boggling amount) that people want a hand drawn wreath in their life so I decided to pair it with Miss Jess’s amazing Jacob Riley font.  I usually don’t disclose the fonts I use in my designs but this is one that I just love and I think may get overlooked in all her beautiful script offerings, you need to own it (and hopefully my stamp), also take a peek at Saltpetre as well!  I think this stamp will be perfect when prepared with your homemade cookie recipe, I made it so it could fit on the large parcel tags where you can write a note to your recipient on the back! I believe it will have a longer life than just holiday so it’s an excellent addition to your stamp arsenal.

SPECIAL DELIVERY NORTH POLE I BESOTTED BLOG

Our postmark stamps have been a favorite since I launched them way back when with my first shop.  I have never done a separate cancellation stamp before but thought it would be a sweet addition to this new offering, I hope you like it as well!  You can always get your own custom postmark stamp here and add your own creative text! I have a few more pieces and a new ink color to reveal but I think in the interim I should be giving away one of the above stamps, don’t you?

Just answer the following question by, Sunday, October 27, 2013:

What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday song?

The winner can choose their fave stamp from above!  I always announce the winners on the bottom of my Monday posts so if you played last week then please check to see if you won the prize has not been claimed yet!

P.S. Mrs. Limestone has unveiled her new Halloween decorations for 2013, it’s out of control creative (as always!)

Author / Miss Tristan B

Miss Tristan B. is the proprietress of Besotted Brand and the writer of this delightful blog. She recently re-located to sunny Seattle with her handsome husband and two pups, they are expecting a baby girl in December (possibly November). Her lofty goal here is to make this a creative resource repository and to inspire you to fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your life.

MODERN MATERNITY UNDER $100

modern maternity under $100 besotted blog

As I roll into my 8th month or actually 9th, since technically you are pregnant for 10 months (unless of course you give birth early), I am happy to say as of today I have not purchased any maternity clothes besides my ever present ‘belly bra’. I have been on such a tight budget since I got sick that having to add a new (expensive) wardrobe to the mix would not be a good thing. I have stopped wearing pants that zip, although I can still button and zip my pre-pregnancy jeans which has my best friend noting, “It is more a testament to how inappropriately low you wear your jeans than anything else.”  Well, there’s that I suppose.  I have stopped wearing the jeans because when I sit my belly rubs against the buttons and that’s no fun for anyone.

I picked up a few items that I have been rotating that I think were well worth the meager investment.  I bought a couple pairs of faux leather leggings, I feel like they look a little more polished than a cotton legging, but they are equally as comfortable, the slight sheen is also very slimming (optical illusion). I didn’t know these had a name but I picked up some thin knit ‘cascading cardigans‘* in black, heather and camel (they didn’t have the ones I got on line but I linked to something similar), they are so versatile, you can dress them up or down, wear loose or belted, the flowy thin material is perfect for a growing bump and doesn’t add any extra bulk (at 8 months, no one wants/needs extra bulk). I already owned a few Splendid sheer tee’s (a fave) but I also picked some similar ones up at F21 (for a fraction of the price), which again have a nice flow and don’t add any bulk. Since I always wear my belly bra (I love it) under my clothes I don’t have to worry about the material being see-thru. Lastly, unless you are super tiny at this stage of the game (whatever), bending and tying your shoes is probably not happening.  I picked up these super cute riding boots with zippers for under $40!  They are not leather which means I can wear them out in the rain and because my feet are changing sizes (mostly to swollen ham hocks) I don’t need to feel too guilty for the purchase. I think they completely tie my outfit together keeping it from becoming too casual.  Granted, I am not going out often right now, mostly doctor appointments (thrilling I know) and the occasional business meeting, but I don’t want to show up in sweats, so I think this little capsule wardrobe has been good to me. Best part?  I can wear these pieces long after the baby arrives!  It pleases my multi-tasking, minimalist heart to no end. Heck, you don’t need to be preggers to take advantage of these steals and of course you don’t need to go all black, many of the items above have alternate color ways!

*The Cascading Cardi shown is from Rachel Zoe’s collection.

P.S. And the winner of Torrie’s stamp is… Mel!  Please email me with your shipping address so I can send your beautiful stamp out!

Author / Miss Tristan B

Miss Tristan B. is the proprietress of Besotted Brand and the writer of this delightful blog. She recently re-located to sunny Seattle with her handsome husband and two pups, they are expecting a baby girl in December (possibly November). Her lofty goal here is to make this a creative resource repository and to inspire you to fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your life.

STILA CC CREAM REVIEW

Stila CC Cream Besotted BlogAs a pregnant woman (have I mentioned that? I feel that’s all I do now), I have been very conscious of the cosmetics I wear and I have been using a lot of mineral bases and natural blushes, trying to keep any unecessary chemicals at bay. Sometimes though I feel like I need a little more uhm, assistance.  I have hyperpigmentation and thankfully it has not gotten worse with my being pregnant which I was very worried about, but it is something that I am self-conscious about. When I had the amazing opportunity to shoot with Elizabeth Messina (I promise more to come on that soon) I knew I wanted a base that would even out my skin tone but not look like I was wearing a bunch of make-up. If you know Elizabeth’s maternity work the mother’s have a beautiful, ethereal natural look so I didn’t want to be the one mom-to-be that looked all tarted up (full disclosure, I did wear individual lashes). I am a fan of BB creams since they are multi-tasking and not as heavy as a traditional foundation, but when I heard about Stila’s new CC cream that has color correctors in it I was one of the first to line up and get myself a tube.  It did not disappoint, it is so easy to use, it is one of those new technology types that comes out of the tube a color that is far from anyone’s skintone (it comes out green) and once it is blended into your skin it starts to match your complexion.  I have no idea how this technology works but it is a small thrill that it does.  I have dry skin and this stays nice and smooth without turning matte (Stila’s claim is 72 hours of hydration), it leaves just a beautiful natural glow.  You can build on coverage, but it is not a foundation so if you are looking for something to camouflage you should definitely go the traditional foundation route. I did do a little spot concealing for my shoot, but it was very light. I used my fave concealer. The CC cream is easy to use and I can even put it on without a mirror while I check my emails in the a.m., it’s that goof proof. I haven’t been using it as much as I might if I wasn’t pregnant but it’s definitely a purchase that I am very happy with.  If you have oily skin it may not be for you, but Stila does have some wonderful oil-free, light balms and tinted moisturizers that have very high ratings from both editors and consumers.

Have any of you tried this product yet? What are your thoughts?

P.S. Sephora has a new (free) service where they can match your skin via a hand held computer and it will compute your best color foundations (bb creams, cc creams and tinted moisturizers). I tried a few of the suggestions and the colors were spot on!

P.P.S. One of my fave beauty blogs just got a makeover making it super easy to access all of her wonderful tutorials, stop on by here!

Author / Miss Tristan B

Miss Tristan B. is the proprietress of Besotted Brand and the writer of this delightful blog. She recently re-located to sunny Seattle with her handsome husband and two pups, they are expecting a baby girl in December (possibly November). Her lofty goal here is to make this a creative resource repository and to inspire you to fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your life.