Seven Days of Holiday Flatlay Roundup

If you missed our post before we went on holiday we set ourselves a little photo challenge. We had seven days away and we love flatlays so #7daysofflatlay was born.  Here is a quick round up of how we got on!

7 Days of Holiday Flatlay

While we are away we are planning to give ourselves a little holiday photo challenge, We thought we would tell you about it so that if you fancy doing it too, you can join in! We love photo challenges on Instagram but a month always seems a little tricky to keep up with, we also love flatlays (who doesn't) So from today until next Wednesday we will be doing 7 days of holiday flatlays!

The best thing about our challenge is that you can join in whenever you like! You can do it along with us or wait until your holiday and join in then. All you have to do is tag your pics with #7daysofflatlay and #livelovemake.

We have come up with some prompts but you can use your own ideas or swap them around to suit your trip if you like.

1. Travel essentials
2. OOTD
3. Good read
4. Fab food
5. Pool Side
6. Botanical
7. Sweet treats

Feel free to join in even if you are having a staycation or just bumming around at home too! Head over to our Insatgram @liveit.loveit.makeit for a daily reminder this week and see the rest of our holiday spam. 

Sammy and H xxx

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Mythbusting: Photography

It is time again for another Myth busting post, and we thought it was about time that we covered a topic that we get asked a lot about, Photography.

Make it: Easy Camera Strap Cover

We are easing into the New Year with an easy DIY today, one that will significantly improve the inside of your camera bag. I find the rubberised backing on most camera straps really catch on my neck and if I am out and about it can be a real pain. About a year ago I made a strap cover, now I can't live without one! I have since made lots for family, friends and anyone who has admired mine. They make a great gift and trust me, you will wonder how you lived without one for so long. 

You will need: Fabric for the outside (cotton or polycotton work well) and something slightly heavier for the inside (I used corduroy, but felt or fleece would also be a good choice) Your camera strap, an air erasable pen or chalk, scissors and a sewing machine (optional).

Start by placing your two fabrics one on top of another wrong sides together. Then take your camera strap and place it down on top, use your pen or chalk to draw around the strap, then flip it over and draw around it again. Don't forget to mark where the leather end piece comes as it will make the cover fit better if you make it to cover those slightly. Cut around the edge of your markings leaving a rough 1.5cm around the edge for a seam allowance.

On the short ends fold the two fabrics up and stitch it up with two rows of top stitching. Then fold the cover in half length ways and pin it along the seam allowance.

Stitch along the long length of the cover and trim away any excess from the edge. Turn the cover inside out and slip it over your camera strap.

There you have it a pretty, comfy strap cover which will look lovely on your camera and if you're anything like me, stop your hair getting caught in it when you are trying to get the perfect shot!

So easy right? A fun little project to try this weekend, the perfect thing to ease yourself into your new sewing machine or a good chance to fire up your machine after the new year.

As usual we would love to see if you do have a go at this or any of our projects, send us a photo on Facebook, twitter or tag us on Instagram. Just use the #livelovemake

Have a great weekend
Sammy xxx


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Love it. Sammy's Art Wall

I am not the first and I wont be the last to install a art/photo wall in my home, just check out Pinterest, but I love it so much I just had to share. It may not be the straightest, or the most thought out, but having all these memories on my wall for me to be reminded of everyday is one of the best home improvements I have ever made. It makes me happy every time I look at, even if some of the frames are a little wonky and it features our old heating control that is welded to the wall, that's just how I roll. Also, yes I store my pink fluffy headphones on the surround sound speaker, Who doesn't?

Our wall is a mix of photographs and artwork. This gold print is by Jen of Stationary Boutique on Etsy.com and makes a gorgeous centre piece.

The top frame is made up of number photos that is the date of our wedding. I was so chuffed when I found a frame in the charity shop that it fitted in perfectly. It was pine originally so I just painted it black to fit in with the scheme I had. Nearly all of the frames are charity shop finds, re-painted to match.

I have a little felt ball garland surrounding some sketches I bought a few years ago from an artist I met on deviantart.com, Francesca aka Vampire Doll was selling off some of her originals, and I couldn't resist. I have been waiting to put these 'dark ladies' up for the longest time. In the middle of those is a piece I made with my Silhouette Cameo, a paper-cut of the word 'wonderful' inspired by a shop window display I saw in London.

The photos are a mix of family, friends and our cats. As well as a photo from every wedding that we have photographed, one of our own wedding of course, and a couple of gigs Steve and I have been photographers at too. There are a couple of special pictures of My Grandpa, one of me and him when I was little and one that I took of him a few years ago.

If you are thinking of putting up your own photo/art wall and have been putting it off, do it. I love ours and am so happy that we bit the bullet and just got on with it. I can't wait to add a couple more photos to our collection this year with two of our friends asking us to photograph their weddings, it is always such an honour to be asked to do that.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go at putting up some of your favourite art and photos. Have you got a photo wall already? I would love to see, tag it #livelovemake on twitter or Instagram so we can see yours too!

Sammy xxx

Love It: Woking College Show 2013

For the last few weeks at work we have had Woking College at the museum to showcase their students work.  I started at the museum around this time last year and so aswell as seeing all the amazing work, it's a bit of a milestone for me.

The work the students do in fine art, photography, textiles and Design and technology is truly amazing and I do wish I could be as good as them now, let alone when I was their age.

They take over most of the museum with their work and so I thought it would be nice to show you what we have this year, along with a few of my favourites.

It always amazes me that these students are only 17 or 18 years old and makes me want to go back to sketching and experimenting.  I think that will be my next task, getting back to my experimenting self, rather than just the finished piece.

Love it

H

Link for the week: Niki Feijens

photo courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk

I found this article while I was looking for something else - like you do.

This artist takes photos of abandoned places, places which could entirely be lived in, if it wasn't for the fact you know that it has been years in which they have been lived in.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316987/Photographer-Niki-Feijens-eerie-images-abandoned-farm-houses.html

A bit of blurb from the article: "His Disciple of Decay series features abandoned family homes that must once have been filled with conversation and laughter, but now house only the crumbling belongings of their former occupants.

One picture shows a bedroom that remains almost exactly as it was left, from the paintings hanging on the walls, to a television on a chest of drawers and a lace covering on the dressing table.

Another reveals a darkened living room with ornaments lining a sideboard, and a pair of shoes resting on the floor in front of an empty armchair.

Other images capture buildings in far worse states of repair, from the crumbling ceiling in a once-grand piano room, to a rotting table and chairs in an abandoned farmhouse."

I think they make some very beautiful pictures, if not a bit eerie.  But sometimes that's what makes them so intriguing right?

Anyone else I should have a look at?  let me know in the comments below.

Love it

H

Love it: Sammy's Home

Last year I took the 'Life is Beautiful' E-course from the girls over at 'A Beautiful Mess' (my favourite blog like ever) in an effort to get back into real life documenting, i.e. not just shoving all my photos on Facebook. So for the last six months I have been putting together a scrapbook/photo journal of 'My 30th Year' It's coming along really well and I will share once I have finished it. I have included alot of photo collages, which I put together using Picassa. One of my favourite pages so far is the one dedicated to our Home, so I thought I would share it with you, like a sneak peak.