365 days project - week 30

Day 210 - Whirlypop

I bought these for the shoot I did yesterday. I thought they might be good to keep the children occupied.... except I only remembered I had them once I'd got home!

Silly me! Still, I thought they'd make good props for a self-portrait for today's 365. I'm feeling in a colourful mood.
 
Day 209

One of my good friends asked me a while ago if I'd take some pictures for her and her sister of all their children.  They wanted to give their mum a picture of all her grandchildren for her birthday.

They have 5 children between them - all 3 and under!  It was hard work but the mums were just so great at keeping all 5 entertained and letting me get on with just snapping away.

They were all brilliantly behaved and let me get some shots I was pretty pleased with, including this one of my friend's lovely little girl, Hannah.  I hope they're pleased with them too.

Day 208 - Nature's Jewels

After the rain.

Day 207 - Bouquets

Day 206

Yay!  Lots of yummy veg coming up in my garden now.  I've made a delicious potato salad, but not quite sure what to do with my courgettes now.

Day 205 - Not so whoopie pie

I really wanted to make whoopie pies this weekend as I keep hearing about them and how they're the latest delicious thing (and I do love cakes!)

However, these didn't turn out quite so great.  I think the cake mix was far too dry (not sure what was missing) and so they looked not very whoopie at all, and they tasted pretty heavy.

Does anyone have a failsafe recipe or should I just write this one off and stick to the good old fairy cakes and cookies?

Day 204 - Summer Sun

I saw these in the market today and they were so bright and sunny that I bought them to cheer up the living room.

Five have plenty of fun!

My lovely friend and her sister asked me to take some photos of their children as a surprise birthday present for their mum.  They were hoping to get some prints made up and possibly a photo book with all her grandchildren in it.  I was quite nervous because five children aged 3 and under seemed like no mean feat (including one 3 month old, and one year old twins).

Still, I needn't have worried.  There were toys and games all over the garden to keep them all occupied, and both mums were brilliant at getting the children's attention.  The children were all so lovely, so I'm hoping they'll be happy with some of the shots.

Here is a selection of my favourites:

Beautiful baby Hannah (check out those amazing eyes!)

Loving sisters - Hannah and Rebecca

Fun on the see-saw - Rebecca and her cousin Joe

One of the twins, Thomas, in the ball pit

... and his sister, Katie.  Pretty in pink.

Ten sets of tiny toes!

365 days project - week 29

Day 203 - Sing off

Hooray!!  School's out!!

It's the end of term so we had our summer bash tonight.  Lots of delicious food and drink.

A friend also brought along her Playstation with Rock Band.  We were properly rocking out and now I think we need to form our own band we were that good.

Day 202

I bought these frames ages ago and have had them lying around the living room for ages.  So, the other day I decided to get something to put in them and put them up to fill the big empty wall behind my sofa.

I didn't realise what an awkward size they are, though (thanks Ikea!) and had to get them specially ordered.  Still, I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.

Day 201

This year I've had such a good crop of cherries from my tree, and they are so delicious - I can't give them away fast enough!  I had to get up the ladder and pick this little lot before the birds got them.

Day 200

Day 199

This was just a quick shot of my neighbour's flowers which are growing through my garden fence, but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out considering how quickly I grabbed it.

Day 198 - Gawjus!

I took a school trip to the London Dungeons yesterday.  It was very cool but I've never screamed so much in my life!

Anyway, we also squeezed in a little sightseeing to calm our frayed nerves.  On our way to Covent Garden we came across these drag queens promoting the West End performance of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.  The girls insisted on having their picture taken, and were so amused when this guy told them they were "Gawjus!"

I had an even more amusing picture of me screaming with my hair flying everywhere on the 'gallows ride' in the Dungeons, but as I didn't take it myself, it can't count (and I do look really shocking!!)

Day 197 - Broad Bean Pate (not snot!)

I know this looks really gross, and a bit like snot, but it's my delicious broad bean pate that I made from all the yummy broad beans I've got growing in my garden.

365 days project - week 28

It's been a busy week.  Next week is the last week of school before the summer holidays, and I really can't wait to have the time to really out and about with my camera.  In the meantime, I've been getting on and taking pictures where I can, so here is this week's selection...

Day 196

Day 195 - Eyes down

Day 194 - Leap!

We're having elections at the moment for Principal students and one of my tutees is frantically putting together her campaign at the moment. We took some pictures today for her campaign posters and this was one a particularly liked to show the fun side of her personality. It was a fortunate coincidence that her cardigan matched the carpet (and school colours) so well!

Day 193

Day 192 - Found something tasty

Day 191 - (Almost) blackberry

Day 190

365 days project - week 27

Day 189

Day 188

Nothing better at the end of a hot summer day!

Day 187

My cherry tree is abolutely full of gorgeous, ripe cherries at the moment. I can't get up high enough to get them, even with my ladder!

Day 186

These were reduced in the garden centre a few weeks ago. I planted them up, and have now got these beautiful, bright pink blooms livening up the garden.

Day 185 - Tender

I took some photos for a friend today.  She wanted some shots of her 9 week old boy and her 4 year old.

They were such sweeties and so great in front of the camera.  More photos will follow I'm sure.

Day 184 - All Tucked In

Mmm, first broad beans of the season!

Day 183

My neighbour asked me if she could plant her courgette plants in my vegetable beds as mine were so good last year!  Well, after that flattery, I couldn't say no, so these are not really my courgettes, but they're growing in my garden.  I love seeing the bright colour from the yellow flowers as they start opening up.

Gorgeous boys!

A friend of mine asked if I'd take some photos of her boys for her this weekend.  She's got a 4 year old and a 9 week old and was after some photos of both of them.  I found it quite a challenge, but hopefully she'll like them.  Here are a few of them...

365 days project - week 26

Day 182

Day 181

My broad beans are nearly ready!
This little lady was catching the last rays of sun on one of the shoots this evening.
 
Day 180
 

 
A bit sad, I know, but I was getting ready for my bath and remembered I hadn't taken my 365 shot today. I'd just opened up a new tub of coconut body butter and I just love the smooth, thick texture of it, so I thought it'd do for today's shot.
 
Day 179 - Half Pint
 

 
Day 178

This is one of my birthday presents.

I'm going to try to make some pretty cakes from in here.  Hopefully they'll turn out awesome and be good enough to grace the pages of my 365 in the future!

Day 177 - Oh no!

Time to fess up!  It's my birthday today, so I had a party last night.  We had a bbq at my house with friends and family round.  I was going to get lots of pictures of us all while we celebrated and had fun...

Except.... I had too much fun and forgot to take any photos until this morning.

So here is my sorry little piece of cake from the morning after.

Bad times.  Must try harder.

Day 176