TheBoyAndMe | TheBoyandMe

365 #43

October 26, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 1 Comment

Only 9 weeks to go! Don't even think about giving up now!

The 365 linky only works because of people linking to it and then contributing their thoughts to others' posts via comments. I can't emphasise this enough, it's the whole point of the linky!

Join in by entering the URL of your favourite photograph of the week (either a 52 or a 365 photo) and show some comment love to everyone else in the community. We've got a Facebook group, and now I've created a collaborative Pinterest board (if you'd like to collaborate, let me know and I'll add you).

Choose your favourite photo from the past week and link it up below.
Please add the badge to your linked-up post so that other people know how to find all the other fabulous entries.
If you can spare five minutes to comment on a few other entries I know they'd appreciate it!

Days 293 – 299 of Project 365

October 26, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 20 Comments

293-299 of 365

This week I've attempted a week of 'From Where I Stand' photographs. The last time I did one of these was near the beginning of the year and the problem is that The Boy has grown 10cm in that time and is spending less time on the floor; it's a bit tricky getting my arm high enough and the camera's focus in the right point to capture the photo, but by and large I've got there! It's rather an uninspiring week, promise to do better next week.

293. Pebble Plopper (A rather non-productive day was rescued by a trip down to the beach and a good pebble plopping session.)

294. #2 (Practising the number 2. I've learnt to angle the sheet in towards his body so that the bottom left corner is pointing at his chest, otherwise letters and numbers end up lying on their sides; such is the tricks I'm having to learn for a leftie son!)

295. Disco Lights (Playing with the underwater light show at bathtime, my feet are there honestly, but the room is dark and you can't see them.)

296. GBBO (The Great Boy Bake Off; making cakes for the school cake sale.)

297. Pointy Toes (A snap before bedtime as it's been rather a tiring day, and week. The week's not complete without a sleeping Boy photo.)

298. Spin (At the clifftop park and he's becoming quite the dare devil on the roundabout.)

299. Reach For The Rope (The Boy exploring a local timber trail.)

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365 Photographers: Mummy Mishaps

October 24, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 21 Comments

When I came up with the idea to do the Project 365 linky, there was one person that I turned to as my sounding board; the one who had consistently commented on my 365 posts during the previous year, and the one who has championed the project ever since.

Meet Jenny from Mummy Mishaps.

Capture

In contrast to the previous 365 Photographers profiled, Jenny (like I do) focuses her photography on her everyday family life, and the development of her children. It is such a joy to see the antics of Burton and Jenson, the way that they play together, the comedy antics and the adventures exploring. And now that Burton has started school, it is fascinating to see a slight shift in the content of Jenny's photographs; to see the independent boy in Jenson emerge as he finds his own way without his big brother guiding his daily path.

I'll confess that I have a vested and personal interest in this particular post, as Jenny is now one of my closest friends and The Boy adores playing with his two chums. However, I do also feel that the clumsiest mummy around is one of the most genuine and friendly people, and this shows in her photographs; personality really does come through in the way we point and shoot.

Which is why these are my favourites of the moments that Jenny has captured so far.

Mummy Mishaps

These two photographs come from different ends of her 2013 project and show the change in Jenson, her youngest son. From a toddler with many features of a baby, to a confident and daring little boy who was not afraid to zoom along at a high speed. I also think the tenderness in the first photograph is beautiful, and the motion blur in the second is spot on.

Mummy Mishaps

I simply adore these two photographs of cheeky Burton as they really show off his adventurous personality to the fullest, especially the tree-climbing photograph with his wicked grin and glint of achievement in his eye. And yet, you could be mistaken for thinking he's a rough and tumble boy; he's not. Burton is one of the kindest and most sensitive boys that we know, a true testimony to the love and care that he is shown consistently.

These are Jenny's favourite six from the 365 Project so far.

project 365 6

25/11/12 – Burton loves water (well both boys do) and last year we had a lot of rain and the park was flooded for most of the Summer/Autumn, and he loved racing through the massive puddles on his bike and he went really fast too. This was taken one Sunday afternoon when I took both boys to the park while Daddy was watching the F1, and I had no idea this would happen! I love the look of determination on Burton's face, the bright red of his coat complementing his red bike, the Autumnal colours on display, the big splash he and his bike made, and his reflection in the puddle. It just shows off his sense of adventure and how he does not care how wet he gets in the process. We both got wet taking photos that afternoon!

project365 7a

15/11/12 – I love this photo so much. I can see it has faults like Jenson not looking at the camera and the white glare of light to the left of Burton (over exposured?) , but its perfect to me because of the fun we had. I took the boys to the tangled woods in the grounds of a nearby stately house, because when we had visited before we had nick-named them the Gruffalo Woods because they were deep and dark like the trees in the book. I decided to take Burton's Gruffalo and Gruffalo's Child toys with us so the boys could go on a Gruffalo Hunt and they loved every minute of it. It remains one of my favourite little outings I have had with them and even if they will never remember it, we have this photo to keep the memory alive.

project 365 8

05/09/12 – Taken at Instow beach, I adore how the boys were helping to fill the bucket with sand to make a sandcastle together. It was a complete fluke and bonus that I managed to capture the 'flying' sand! The beach is a great way to spend time together having fun as a family.

project 36510

06/09/13 – I love this shot of the two boys. It was taken at the end of a warm day following some rain and the boys had been enjoying splashing in the puddles; Burton on his bike (note the mud stains on his clothes) and Jenson bare footed! It marked the end of a wonderful Summer and the start of a new season and a new chapter in our lives as Burton started school a week later. I just love the carefree abandonment of my boys in this photo and it sums them up well.

project365 1

07/10/13 – Jenson and I were just going on a little Autumn walk/nature hunt one afternoon before collecting Burton from school, and I turned and just saw the most amazing vista before my eyes! It was like the heavens had literally opened up and rays of golden sunlight were streaming down through the clouds onto the river and the bridge and it just looked so beautiful! I had to capture it and I love how Jenson is up on the stile taking in his surroundings. It is views and days like this which make me really love and appreciate where I live.

28/06/12 – Burton went through a phase of just wanting to lie back and relax on this basket swing rather than sit up and be pushed really high and or fast! I love how relaxed he looks and how his eyes are closed and how the suns rays are shining down on my boy. I also love the bold red and blue colours on show. This photo made him appear older and yet over a year on he does not at all compared to how he looks now of course.

When did you start doing the 365 photo project, and why?

I started on 1st January 2012 after seeing TheBoyandMe complete her first year at the end off 2011. I watched with interest and a mixture of regret and envy that I had not joined in during 2011 too, as I loved the fact that she had 365 photos showing her son change and grow day by day. This is what spurred me on to participate as my blog is a record, a collection of memories about my boys, so what better way to encapsulate this then by keeping a photo a day diary.

Why did you decide to continue the project for a second year?

It's like an addiction, you cannot stop! I loved, and indeed love, looking back at what we got up to last year and this year and seeing how much the boys have changed. I take several photos a day of the boys anyway, so continuing to showcase them on my blog is not a problem and I like doing it. I decided to blog a weekly post this year as opposed to a daily posting last year, which I have preferred doing and will continue to do going forward.

I also wanted to improve on my photographs from last year because some of them are shocking really, due to the quality of the camera I had (an older version of a smart phone) and taking a lot of indoor photographs. It does not matter to me because they were a daily snapshot into our lives, but I know that the photos I took outside and take outside now are the ones which are the most striking – the better light and colour and I feel show my boys and their characters off best.

What's the best bit about doing a 365 photo project?

Quite a few actually:

being able to watch my boys grow and change before my eyes
think about how I can capture them in the best way
think about how I can turn an ordinary simple moment into a more exciting capture – like taking a photo of the boys playing with their toys but take it looking through the window of the farm or castle for example, to give it a more interesting angle
being part of a community. At the start of the year there are a lot of people who link up, but half way through the year most drop out and it is the same people who carry on. It is those lovely bloggers who I feel I know so well now. It's a wonderful little group and I enjoy seeing their projects evolve too.

Are there times when you've wanted to give up, why? What kept you going?

No, not once. I do not find it a chore – how could I find taking a photo of my boys an effort or hard work?

What tips would you give to anyone who wants to start a 365 project?

Just take photos of a subject/subjects that really interests you and that way you won't get bored or feel like giving up easily. Remember why you are doing the project and even if you do not get any comments or as many as you would like, does that matter? I take the photos for me, as a record of my boys growing up, and to remind me and show them what we got up to during a certain day/week/month/year; if I get nice things said about my photographs then that is a bonus and a complement.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I would like to thank TheBoyandMe (awww shucks Jenny) for inspiring me to join in with Project 365. Not only does it give me an amazing back catalogue of memories but it spurs me on to take, I hope, better photographs and keep them interesting. Afterall, I am just a Mum with her smart phone capturing a moment she has shared with her children; I am not a photography expert. But that's the beauty of this linky – anyone can join in because anyone can take a photo which means something to them.

Can you make every day photographs capture a special moment like Mummy Mishaps does?

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Please pop back next Thursday when I introduce the globetrotting and nomadic empire of A Kilt and a Camera.

Dr. Archy For Planter Fasciitus (Review)

October 21, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 4 Comments

Around five years ago I developed a painful condition in the arch of my feet which meant that I would end up hobbling along on the outside edge of my feet; hardly safe or practical, let alone looking mighty odd.

The condition I'd developed was something called 'Plantar Fasciitis' which is essentially inflammation of plantar fascia ligament, which is the tight ligament that can be felt running along the base of the foot when the toes are pulled upwards to the body. This ligament is meant to be soft and elastic and not have any painful points along the length of it, however it can be quite common to develop inflammation along it, and while common, it is incredibly painful.

The best way I can describe it is as if there are tiny pebbles pushed into the arch of my foot and the ligament is on fire; it makes it incredibly difficult to walk on and I struggled to find a remedy for it.

I saw a physiotherapist for it who was able to give me some exercises and after around six months, my feet recovered. However, come the Summer months (when my feet were hotter and footwear was less supportive) I developed it again, and I do every year. It's meant that I have to be careful of the shoes I wear; they have to have an arch support and a slight heel of around one inch, flat shoes are the worst to wear.

Earlier this year, I was sent a product to review which helps to treat the pain of Plantar Fasciitis and I was amazed at how simple it was to use.

Dr Archy

The Dr. Archy is a simple massage device which should be used for five minutes a day to massage the plantar fascia ligament. There is an elasticated cuff which is placed onto the foot, and then one of two elasticated rollers is attached and used to massage the area. I preferred to use the ball roller as I found it was able to really access the area of the ligament which was painful.

"Dr. Archy provides the therapeutic benefits of trigger-point therapy (the release of painful muscular knots) and myofascial release (deep tissue work) by stretching, massaging, and relaxing the plantar fascia."

Having struggled to massage my own foot as I am incredibly ticklish, and also found it hard to massage a painful area, using this has been great because I could have the much needed massage without having to touch my own painful feet!

The Dr. Archy retails for £18.95 from J.D.Harris

I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Espresso Cupcakes & Cappuccino Frosting

October 21, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 15 Comments

I am a big fan of coffee flavours, but not actually of the hot drink. I adore coffee ice-cream, frappuccinos and flavoured chocolates but have a real aversion to it as a warm liquid. However, there is always room for coffee cake!

Espresso Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting

Makes: 12
Preparation time: 10 minutes & 10 minutes for frosting
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

Cakes:
- 4oz/120g self-raising flour
- 4oz/120g caster sugar
- 4oz/120g butter
- 2 eggs
- 1tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1tbsp vanilla yoghurt
- 1 shot of espresso
- 1tsp espresso/coffee powder
buttercream:
- 5oz/140g butter, softened
- 10oz/280g icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- 1tsp espresso powder
- chocolate spread
- cappuccino cream wafer rolls

Cream the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract, add a little flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
Sift the flour in with and mix thoroughly.
Stir through the vanilla yoghurt and espresso shot gently.
Fold in the coffee powder.
Divide into cake cases and cook in a preheated oven (200°C/Gas Mask 6) for 12-15 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Mix the buttercream, but before transferring to a piping bag with a star nozzle, smear chocolate spread around the outside of the bag. When the buttercream is piped, there will be a gentle hint of chocolate in the topping.
Break a section of cappuccino cream wafer roll and place on the top of the buttercream.

Espresso Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting

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Sunday 20th October 2013

October 20, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 32 Comments

Sunday 20th October 2013

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365 #42

October 19, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 2 Comments

Week 42 means we have only ten weeks left of the project! I have also worked out that I have now done 1023 days of Project 365; not sure I know how to stop even if I wanted to!

The 365 linky only works because of people linking to it and then contributing their thoughts to others' posts via comments. I can't emphasise this enough, it's the whole point of the linky!

Choose your favourite photo from the past week and link it up below.
Please add the badge to your linked-up post so that other people know how to find all the other fabulous entries.
If you can spare five minutes to comment on a few other entries I know they'd appreciate it!

Days 286 – 292 of Project 365

October 19, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 24 Comments

286-292 of 365

286. Bubble Catcher (Blowing and catching bubbles in Leigh Woods with Capture by Lucy and her family. The graininess of the background might give a little hint as to just how torrential the rain was. )

287. Angels (Boy Cousin and Girl Cousin came over for tea tonight, and The Boy played for around an hour outside with them. The two boys play so nicely together and really adore each other.)

288. Proud Moment #1 (Tonight was parents' evening and while we were waiting, we read through the book of work bound together from when they went to the church for a Harvest festival the week before. Of the 18 children who each coloured in a sheet and 'wrote' something underneath, The Boy's was the only one which wasn't translated by the teacher; that's a 'd' not a 'b' by the way. Can you read what it says? Apparently he didn't copy the words out, he sounded them out with the teacher and wrote each letter independently. Words failed me.)

289. Proud Moment #2 (This is at the Harvest Assembly where each year group took a 'turn' on stage. Reception sang 'Big Red Combine Harvester' and it's fair to say that the teacher and I were both concerned that he'd refuse to get on stage due to fear. He did and, while he didn't sing, he did all the actions whilst fighting off the urge to cry. I was so proud of him for being so brave.)

290. Proud Moment #3 (The Boy came home with a certificate of achievement having featured in the Golden Book during the school's praise assembly. He was picked out for always being a kind friend at playtime.)

291. I Am A Shape (I bought The Boy a Melissa & Doug pattern board set which has pictures made up from different coloured shapes, and he has to match the picture from spare blocks. He loves it and it's just the ideal activity for after school.)

292. Determination (We went to Roath Park late this afternoon and fed the geese and ducks. The Boy was determined to climb this wall, and after working out how to reposition himself, he managed to find a foothold and pulled himself all the way up. Children are amazing!)

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A Welly Walk Through Leigh Woods

October 18, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 26 Comments

It was a brilliantly sunny day last week when Lucy and I decided to meet up in Leigh Woods on the weekend for the boys to play together, and for us to play with our cameras. And then we developed this idea further and hatched a plan.

Sunday morning dawned grey and dreary, and Mr. TBaM looked at me quizzically. I responded by handing him our wellies and macs, and pointing at the car. Unfortunately when we hit Bristol, the torrent against the windscreen meant that I had to avoid eye contact with him for a little while.

But Lucy and I had a plan, which needed adhering to.

We had fun racing around Leigh Woods, finding sticks and playing hide and seek.

Playing in Leigh Woods

And then it was time for the plan to come into fruition.

Coming together in memorial, we threw pink and purple flowers to baby Tilda, and then squealed with laughter when they fell on our heads!

Flowers

We broke out the pink bubbles and sent them up to her in the sky.

Bubbles for Matilda Mae

And then due to the monsoon, we had a thoroughly British picnic in the car.

A very British picnic

But most of all, we remembered a wonderful little baby girl who is no longer with us.

Remembering Matilda Mae

On Saturday 2nd November 2013, you too can join in on a Welly Walk in memory of Matilda Mae; the beautiful daughter of Jennie and David who died suddenly, and without warning, in her sleep. She was nine months old. The 2nd will be nine months since that dreadful night, and the Welly Walk at Beale Park Wildlife Park and Gardens in Reading will be a magical memorial to remember a little girl who meant so much, to so many.

Tickets cost £9.99 for 11years+ with children younger admitted free. There will be an abundance of activities available throughout the day, with the proceeds from the entire event being donated to The Lullaby Trust in memory of Tilda. It will be a wonderful day with a huge amount of activities in both the Beale Centre and the main park itself. We're very much looking forward to the steam train ride, and the sparkler farewell around the lake.

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Linking to Country Kids and Flashback Friday

365 Photographers: Point & Snap The World

October 17, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 10 Comments

There are some people who take photographs that are so intriguing that they make the viewer ponder them. It might be because of the content, or it might be because of the editing style. Steph from Point & Snap The World is a person who makes me react in exactly this way for both those reasons.

Selfie

Tilt-shift, accentuated colours, monochrome, HDR filters. These are all features of her photographs, and it always amazes me how Steph can photograph so many different subjects, edit the photographs with varying finishes and still retain her definitive style. She likes her trees, 'stealth photography' with human interest, alleyways and architecture, close-up flowers, converse trainers.

I've been following Steph since she first started doing the 365 Project in the first week with the most amazing shadow, greyscale shadow picture. The blog she was using then is no longer online, but a thumbnail is available in that first week's linky; she's number 58.

The Instagram feed of Not So Slummy (as is her twitter and IG name) is a recognisable one with quirky and sneaky photos of the world around her; definitely one to follow!

Point&SnapTheWorld 1

I absolutely love the photo of the two 'old dears' having an afternoon cuppa together under the shade of the parasol. The lady whose side profile we can see is chuckling away, and I can only imagine what was said to her by her companion to make her life in such a way. The less sneaky photograph of the poppy is simply stunning and needs no further commentary.

Point&SnapTheWorld 2

The police car above to me epitomises Steph's photographs; classic high definition shots with perfect framing. I'd love to know what that old car was doing there, because I'm pretty sure that it's not still in service! The boisterous colours of the quirky canalboat are a wonderful contrast to the murky brown waters of the river behind.

These are Steph's favourite six from the 365 Project so far.

photo(1)

27/03/13 – I was walking home one day and I saw these 3 ladies having a good ol' proper chinwag! They brought such a smile to my face!

photo(2)

22/04/13 – I visited York for the first time earlier this year, and I had such a lovely time there, this was just a tranquil shot.

photo(3)

01/06/13 – My boy, this is him in his element, just having fun! He's my world and brings my joy.

photo(4)

04/07/13 – A simple picture of an icon!

photo(5)

25/09/13 – This was taken just as summer was turning to autumn. One of the last balmy evenings we had and the rowers look so graceful gliding down the Thames.

photo(6)

29/09/13 – I go through moods of taking colourful pictures, but on this foggy morning, colour would never do it justice.

When did you start doing the 365 photo project, and why?

I started in January 2012, after I saw a few people tweeting about it, and liked the idea of taking a photo a day.

Why did you decide to continue the project for a second year?

I really started getting into taking photos of people, places and things and set up a blog strictly for my photos. And despite going back to work full time, I was really determined to see it all the way through 2013.

What's the best bit about doing a 365 photo project?

I love looking back and being reminded of the places I've been or taking me back to a moment.

Are there times when you've wanted to give up, why? What kept you going?

Absolutely, there are some days when I just feel uninspired and think to myself 'does anyone want to see another flower or some scenic shot?' And life is busy for me, so it's very easy to get into that frame of mind, when I think, 'I'll do it tomorrow'. But it's good therapy just to start snapping and see what photos appear.

What tips would you give to anyone who wants to start a 365 project?

Pick up your camera or smart phone and just take photos! I've only ever used my iPhone to take my pictures and do a bit of editing with the snapseed app. I love the instantaneous element that can be captured. It's also good to look at others taking part in the project for inspiration. And most importantly, have fun with it!

Here's the challenge; can you HDR your world like Point & Snap The World does?

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Please pop back next Thursday when I introduce the wonderful and loving family life of MummyMishaps.