Canon Rebel

I haven't mentioned my 101 in 1001 list in a while, so let's check in on that. I actually accomplished a list item here recently, but it wasn't until I glanced at my list again that I remembered it was on there.

59. Buy a nice DSLR camera.

Done! I had been planning on saving up for one at some point, because the one I wanted with the lens and everything it needed was going to run me well over 1000 bones. But I hadn't started saving, and Rand gave me a strange look when I said that on top of selling our house and everything else we want to do, I wanted to drop that much money on a camera.

Sometimes he doesn't understand the needs of an artist.

Then I walked into work the other day and saw an ad from a coworker in the teacher workroom. A Canon Rebel DSLR, a few years old, $100. He even let me take it home and try it out first, and whoa. It was amazing. And when I told Rand that it was $100, his exact words were, "$100? Sold." 

Sold.

So this brings me to another 101 in 1001 list item.

49. Take a photography class.

I really want to do this. I've noticed lots of e-courses and online tutorials that I would like to check out, since that would help me figure out all the millions of buttons on this camera, but I'm also hoping to find an actual, in person class to take somewhere.  I plan to look into non-degree seeking classes at Missouri State, since Rand's job means I get some free classes. If anyone reading this knows anything about auditing university classes, please let me know!

In the meantime, don't laugh, but here are a few photos I've taken with it so far. Keep in mind, I KNOW NOTHING. Seriously, I know nothing about the settings on this camera or composition or photography in general. But I want to learn, and I really think I learn best by doing, then failing, then redoing a little better each time. These are all just straight from the camera and were taken around my house, walking around my neighborhood and in the car running errands. Practice, practice, practice.

So there's my first session of playing around with my new camera. I like it a lot.

I already own two vintage film cameras, a Minolta and a Kodak Retina Reflex, both from the late 60's. I love using film (I don't love how much it costs) but I'm really excited to learn what all the fancy buttons on my new camera do.

And if I end up getting frustrated and losing interest, I didn't invest too much money in it! I always have to keep that possibility in mind, too.

Goodbye, Bedroom Carpet!

Hi, there. This post is about my bedroom makeover, and I'm participating in the One Room Challenge linking party with Linda from Calling it Home and lots of other amazing bloggers.  If you're interested in seeing my previous posts on this project, click here. And thanks for being here!

So, this happened:

Ahem. You may remember me saying this about our bedroom makeover:

"I know I can't refinish the hardwood floors under the carpet yet,  and I won't part with my ceiling fan that I love to sleep under in the summer, but I've got big plans for the rest of this room."

Yeah, well.

I've been reading lots of blog posts by ORC participants and a lot of them mention that this challenge is exactly what they need to motivate them or to "light a fire under" them to get something done. I've concluded that I walk around with a fire lit under me all the time, and link parties like this must just push me over the edge. I may try plumbing a bathroom in here pretty soon.

This all happened the same day we started talking about it. Max Cat had decided a corner of the carpet was his new wee-wee pad, so we'd decided to rent a heavy-duty carpet shampooer. Then a conversation started that snowballed like this:

"We should just get rid of the carpet."

"Yeah, we should have done that when we first moved in."

"The guy we bought the house from said there were nice wood floors underneath."

"You know, if it needs some repair, we could do it."

"I would love to have white painted floors, anyway!"

"This would be so easy!"

"I'm sold! Let's do this!"

Yes, my iPad is opened up to a YouTube video on how to remove carpet tack strips. I figured it out myself before the video loaded, though. Pry and pull!

We just worked our way around the room, moving furniture, pulling, prying, sweeping, mopping, and moving furniture again. It wasn't too hard, but it wasn't perfect.

This is a really small hole, and it looks like where an air grate used to be. I've seen lots of tutorials all over the place on how to patch a spot like this, so I think we can tackle this. Or put a rug over it.

As you can see, the floor is not yet lovely. It is painted brown and has paint splatters all over it. 

The plan that's bouncing around in my head right now is to give it all a light sanding, prime it and paint it. I'm just torn between white floors and gray floors. Rand votes for gray, since he thinks it will show less dirt and he doesn't think the floors should match the walls and the ceilings. I'm pulling for white, because this:

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and this:

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and this:

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Oh, Mylanta. So what do you think? Team White or Team Gray? Would I regret white floors for any reason? Any thoughts?

Also, I already own a gallon of BM Rockport Gray Porch and Floor Paint, if that makes a difference.

Linking Event + Guest Posting

Hello!

A couple things. First:

I'm a little late to the party, but hopefully they'll still let me in. During one of my daily hours-long blog reading sessions, I stumbled upon an linking event called the One Room Challenge from Linda at Calling it Home. Basically it's lots of bloggers reimagining rooms in a short period of time and then sharing it all at once. This is really my thing.

I decided to jump in because I just coincidentally happen to have started redoing a room of my own recently, and you know I want to talk about it. Plus, I love link-ups and discovering new blogs, but it's hard to find link-ups for decorating blogs (at least for me it is, is it easier for you?). And seriously, room makeovers put me on the edge of my seat. I'm really into this stuff.

So I'm joining in with my bedroom makeover. In case you missed it, here's my inspiration post for that room. It's already looking a lot different, so I'll share my results October 10th when everyone else does. In the meantime, that lovely button up there is now sitting on my sidebar, ready to send you straight to my bedroom makeover posts.

Next thing:

Are you seeing that "Featured On" button over there in the sidebar?  I've got a guest post up at Answers.com today! My husband's grandfather's sixties-but-not-swanky-modern bedroom set got a serious facelift this weekend, so click on over and take a peek. Please leave me a nice comment while you're there. I'm scared some jerk will leave some rude comment like "U Smell" or "Ron Paul 2012."

Oops! Bedroom spoiler alert! Here's the finished product:

And finally, I just want to say THANK YOU so much for reading this little blog. Blogging is so much more fun when you think someone's reading it. I really appreciate it.