The T-Cozy

Small World!

Oak Bluffs, one of the charming towns on Martha's Vineyard, is known for having one of the largest and best known Campmeeting Associations in the country. Tiny wooden cottages adorned with whimsical fretwork are built in a circle around a central focus, the Tabernacle. This large, open structure holds a variety of cultural events and church services every summer. One of my favorite events is an annual flea market where antique dealers and neighbors alike set up tables around the perimeter.

 

I made my way around the circle until I found a table chock full of vintage goodness. Stacks of old recipe booklets from the 1920's to the 40's caught my eye. It took me a while to peruse these goodies and eventually I got to talking to the nice lady behind the table, named Claire, who is a dealer from Massachusetts. After we chatted for a while, I gave her my business card. And lo and behold, she's a fan of this very blog! That was the first time I happened upon a complete stranger who's a T-Cozy reader. What a small world!

 

Claire had an inspiring array of vintage treasures. I purchased quite a few booklets from her as well as a pretty needle case and a beautiful 1904 book about Lilacs. Great stuff! Here's a peek . . .

 

I just love the graphics and the content of these vintage pamphlets. They are  packed with great recipes, helpful tips, beautiful artwork and kitschy illustrations. These yummy items will make their way into my Etsy shop soon.

It was such a pleasure meeting Claire. I hope to keep in touch with her and maybe even visit her official antiques booth someday. It's in a New Hampshire group shop called White Home Collections.

Susan

A Martha's Vineyard State of Mind

We're back from vacation! While I was gone, I hope you enjoyed the daily pictures I posted.

I've spent all day shipping T-Party orders, paying bills, and catching up on mounds of paperwork. But these tedious tasks weren't too bad as I'm still in a Martha's Vineyard state of mind. As I'm sure you know, it takes a little while for vacation mode to wear off. Plus, we had ten days on the vineyard this time so it was extra relaxing.

 

Here we are at one of our favorite spots, the Edgartown Lighthouse. What a wonderful time we all had. Beautiful beaches, awesome shopping, delicious restaurants and more; Martha's Vineyard is always inspiring. I'll be sharing some of the highlights with you over the coming week. I'll share some of my fabulous finds with you, too. Here's a little peek at my purchases . . .

On this trip, the space in our car was tight, so I limited myself to small items that would easily fit in the trunk. I haven't even had a chance to unpack the vintage goodies in the picnic tin, below. But believe me, I found some great stuff!

I'll be listing several of my finds in my Etsy shop in the coming days. I'll even sell the vintage picnic tin I found. It's just like the ones I use for storage in my studio.

So stay tuned for more MV posts. This virtual vacation may just put you in a Martha's Vineyard state of mind, too.

Susan

Today's Picture: Old Books

Cherished books displayed on a shelf in our family room. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Vintage China Display

Some of the wares offered at Fishs Eddy, one of my favorite shops in Manhattan. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Sea, Sky and Flowers

A view of Long Island Sound from my morning walk. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Cheerful Kitchenware

1940's dishes on a shelf in our kitchen's pie safe. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Gifts from the Sea

A jar full of sea glass, patiently collected piece by piece. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Decoupage Lunchbox

I've given a classic black domed lunch box a decoupaged transformation. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Beach Bucket

A vintage sand pail perched on the rocks at our beach. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Dogwood Blossom Tray

A tole tray rests on a rustic old bench in our master bedroom. ---Susan

Today's Picture: Pretty Pottery

Just some of my collection of green and blue art pottery. ---Susan

Today's Picture: A Mailbox Fit for a Mermaid

I pass this seashell and tile encrusted mailbox on my walk every morning. ---Susan

A Picture a Day

We're on our way to our favorite place, Martha's Vineyard. My family and I vacation there every summer and we grow to love it more with each visit.

Edgartown Lighthouse at dusk.

While I'm away however, The T-Cozy won't be sitting idle. I'll be posting a picture a day of some photos I've taken that I particularly like. I hope you'll enjoy them.

Off we go to the place we love best. Have a great week,

Susan

Photography 101: Retouching Adventures

Did you know that every photo on my blog has been tweaked? Yep, every single one! I'm never entirely satisfied with a photo until I've done a bit of creative retouching. To do that, I use photo editing software. Most digital cameras come with their own editing program, but I prefer Adobe Photoshop.

Although it's a powerful application that can perform complex retouching, I'm a Photoshop novice so I use it for very basic things like improving color balance, saturation and sharpness. Sometimes I need to clean up spots and imperfections. Often my pictures need a little more contrast and brightness. And I especially like the burn and dodge tool as it reminds me of my college days developing prints in the darkroom. Photoshop lets me do all of these improvements easily.

To enhance my image, I go in and noodle with the saturation, contrast and brightness. Photoshop has a tool called "Curves" which will adjust many of these elements all at once. I play around and have some fun until my photo looks just right to me. Then the very last thing I do when retouching is to apply the "Unsharp Mask" filter which creates the illusion of a more focused image.

I do what I can to enrich a photo's best aspects. My ultimate goal is to capture the feeling of the original subject.

Even if you don't have Photoshop, your photo editing software should allow you to perform most of these basic functions. Just be sure to work on a duplicate of your original shot. There's no need to be afraid to play around with retouching. It really can be fun.

Have you enjoyed my Photography 101 series? I do hope it has inspired you to make your digital photos all they can be.

Susan

Photography 101: Cropping

Back when I took photography in college, we were taught to shoot full frame. Now with digital photography, there is no need to accept the image as it comes out of the camera. Most pictures benefit from a little cropping which can improve their composition and impact.

This shot was taken at a farm stand near where we stay on Martha's Vineyard. I love this picture, but I wanted to keep the tractor and lose the white pick-up truck on the right.

Here's the cropped image. Much improved, don't you think?

To me, cropping is fun. Once I've downloaded my photos to my computer,  I sort through them and select my favorites. Then I crop away. Most often, I crop my photos into squares because it's the shape I find most pleasing. I think the square preference stems back to my love of the Hasselblad camera I once used in college. (By the way -- squares also works best for listings on Esty.)

Here is another photograph from the Vineyard. It was taken last year at the farmers market.

Great flowers, but I how did that person's foot get into the picture? Gotta lose that shoe!

Ah, much better!

Cropping gives me a second chance to better frame the photo's subject. In my photo editing software, I can center an image or cut out distracting parts of the background. A vertical shot can become a horizontal. The cropping possibilities are vast, so take your time and enjoy the options. Just be sure to always crop on a duplicate of your original shot.

These two Martha's Vineyard pictures have helped to get me in a Vinyard state of mind. I've been thinking about the island a lot lately as we'll be leaving for our annual trip there later in the week. I can't wait! So tomorrow will be my last installment in this Photography 101 series. I've saved the best for last; photo retouching.

Susan

Photography 101: Don't Be Flashy

Today, it's time to get back to my week-long photography series for bloggers and other camera enthusiasts.

One of the most important tips I can share with you is about flash photography. And that advice is to never, ever use a flash. OK, maybe "never" is an exaggeration. You may need a flash if you are taking photos outside of fidgety kids in the darkest of night! Let's just say that I prefer not to use a flash because it creates two problems; washed out images and harsh shadows.

Here are some examples I snapped in my studio this morning to illustrate my point. The pictures on the left were shot without a flash; the ones on the right were shot with the flash on.

Can you see what I mean?

If possible, I try to use natural light. When inside, I open the window shades and turn on lots of extra lights. But remember; without a flash to help stop any movement, it's that much more important to use a tripod and timer to keep the camera as still as can be.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about cropping.

Susan

Etsy Finds Decor: Spotlight T-Party

Every weekend on Etsy's blog called The Storque, Christine writes a column about home decor. And today, she was kind enough to feature my home!

How sweet is that? Thank you Christine! I am truly flattered.

Click here to read her article. And be sure to check out all of Christine's "Etsy Finds Decor" pieces spotlighting inspiring and creative home decor.

I love Etsy!

Susan

Rambling By the River in Rowayton

I'm half way through my Photography 101 series. Today I thought I'd take a break to share some moments from a cherished tradition in my town. Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the Rowayton River Ramble. It was a day of food and fun in beautiful Pinkney Park.

 

This annual fund raiser helps finance some of the wonderful events in my town; the Memorial Day Parade, July 4 Fireworks, Summer Music Festival, Labor Day Swim Races, and much more. There were games and activities for kids, a live band, silent auction, great food and an array of local vendors selling a variety of beautiful wares. Lots of cute dogs, too! What a lovely way to spend a summer afternoon beside the scenic Five Mile River.

Susan

Photography 101: Timing is Everything

When time permits, remember to use your camera's timer. Whether your camera is set up on a tripod or you are composing a hand-held shot, the timer will help eliminate camera movement that can result from manually pressing the shutter button. Most cameras have at least two timer settings; a longer one which is useful for when you need extra time to get into the picture yourself, and a short 2-second one. I use the latter most often when I'm at home photographing still objects or rooms.

When I'm out shooting, even if I don't have my tripod along I still use my camera's timer whenever possible. I've become an expert at finding places to set my camera down; park benches, stone walls, fire hydrants. Whatever is handy. Almost every photo I took on our honeymoon back in 1988 had both John and me in the picture. I found places to perch the camera with the timer on all over Quebec City! In this picture of us from that trip, my camera was balanced on a railing along the St. Lawrence River's Samuel de Champlain Boardwalk. Good thing it wasn't a windy day!

Tune in next time for my thoughts on flash photography.

Susan

Photography 101: My Trusty Tripod

I rely on my tripod to help me produce sharp, jiggle-free pictures. When I'm at home photographing still objects or rooms settings, I always use a tripod. Then I have no worries about shaking the camera. I've learned that rescuing a photo that is blurry due to camera movement is next to impossible.

If you are out and about, it may not be practical to set up a tripod. That's when you'll need to point and shoot. Be sure to keep the camera as steady as possible. While shooting, you are more likely to move the camera when holding it away from you and framing your picture within the LCD screen. To keep my camera from shaking when I press down on the shutter button, I look through the camera the old fashioned way, through the view finder. Having the camera resting against your face will keep it steadier. Just remember to hold your breath while releasing the shutter.

If you don't have a tripod, it's worth investing in one. Used in conjunction with your camera's timer, a tripod will enable you to join the picture, perfect for when you want to be a part of family group photos.

Although it may seem easier and certainly quicker to grab your camera and start shooting, it really is worth taking the extra time to set it up on a tripod. Just don't forget to use your camera's timer, too. I'll talk more about timers in my next post.

Susan

Photography 101: Have Digital Camera, Will Travel

I love my digital camera. I take it wherever I go. My constant companion is a very basic point-and-shoot Pentax that I got for free by cashing in credit card points. Though it's a bit dinged up, it has served me well for the past six years. It would be nice to have a fancy SLR one someday, but they are a bit pricey. I prefer "free," so I'll wait until I have more points to cash in on my credit card!

What I like most about my camera is how small it is --- about the size of an Altoid tin. My Pentax fits easily in my purse without adding a lot of extra weight. I try to always have it with me in case I pass a great shot begging to be captured.

Once I do start shooting, I take lots and lots of pictures. The beauty of digital photography is that you'll never run out of film. And you shouldn't run out of memory either, as long as you have an extra memory card in your camera. However, your camera shouldn't be confused with a photo album. It's not meant to hold all of the photos you've ever taken. Once I'm at at my computer, I download my photos to my hard drive and delete them from the memory card.

To keep my photos organized, I create a new folder on my desktop for each set of photos so I can easily find them again. I also back up my photos on a portable flash drive in case my hard drive ever crashes. I take that handy flash drive over to my local pharmacy whenever I want paper reprints for family or friends. (Or you can order prints online. But I prefer to sit at the fun photo machine and do them myself. Then I can crop and enhance them as I go.)

Lastly, remember to charge your camera's battery often. I charge mine every evening so I'll never run out of battery power.

Tomorrow, I'll discuss my good friend, the tripod.

Susan

Photography 101

I've always enjoyed photography. I even minored in it in college. Back then, I spent many hours in the darkroom perfecting my black and white printing skills. These images are from my college days.

For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of blogging is how it has allowed me to get back into photography. In this age of digital cameras, some of my former darkroom skills are no longer needed. But the basic principals of cropping photos still come in handy as well as keeping an eye tuned to what makes an interesting picture. Having been a graphic designer for over two decades helps, too!

The last two years of blogging have made me a lot more comfortable taking digital photographs. I've even honed a few new skills and techniques. So I thought it would be fun to share them with you in a series of posts over the next week or so. I am by no means an expert, but I do like to pass along useful information. And if you happen to put these tips into practice, please let me know. For those of you who blog, I'd love to see any before and after photos that have been influenced by this upcoming series. I'll even post a list with links back to your posts so everyone can view your pretty pictures and we can have a little art show.

Susan

Teacup Transformation

Remember that less than perfect Royal Grafton teacup from a few posts back? I've given it a little makeover . . .

I followed the instructions for the teacup pin cushion in mmmcrafts' link in my post. It was so easy!

Using vintage yellow chenille, I embellished the center of the cushion with silk petals and a great old flower button. Pretty!

Now this transformed teacup is patiently awaiting a new home in my Etsy shop.

(This post is linked to Kimba's DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land. Check it out!)

Susan

Pretty Patriotic

Hooray for the red, white and blue! Wishing you and yours a very happy Independence Day,

Susan

There's No Place Like Here

Did you know that Etsy has home decor videos on their site? I got a heads up about them today from none other than Tara Young, the talented Etsy employee who is responsible for these fabulous videos. Not only does she shoot them, she produces and edits them, too. Now that's a talented lady!

There's nothing I like better than seeing where creative people create and live. The video below features Alice Saunders and Francesca Zmetra, two roommates who share a house, and even a studio, in Massachusetts. Have a look . . .

Aren't they interesting? Love their home! And kudos to Tara Young. She definitely has the most fun job at Etsy.

To see more of Etsy's awesome series of "There's No Place Like Here" videos, click here.

Susan

Light Show

Sun at your back, falling rain ahead, refracted light, and numerous sized wavelengths creating a spectrum of colors. When all this occurs in the summer sky, you get treated to this . . .

After a dinner out last evening, my family and I arrived home to a spectacular light show. What a beautiful sight!

Susan