Cammies.

For about ten minutes a few years ago, I was on an embroidery mission.
Then, as per usual, ADD struck.
I packed up my embroidery supplies.
These patterns from Tiny Bazaar, make me want to get them out again.
It is really, truly soothing to sit and quietly stitch.
I miss it.
I cannot stop dreaming about this dress from Lilipops Designs.
To say that I adore it would be a gross understatement.
It needs to live in the girls' closet.
Right now.
Every time I see this Through My Lens necklace from 
Lisa Leonard Designs, my heart smiles.  It is just so simply sweet.
It reminds me of the power of my camera.
The ability that it has, to capture the sweet, fleeting moments of those that I love the most.
I could eat it up.
I was doing really, really well with my Project 365 and then started to flake.  But after reading this post from Drew B, I quickly put my iPhone to work with the Project 365 Pro app.  I'm happy to say that since starting in October I haven't missed a day.  I love being able to look back on the month and see all of the random fun things that I wanted to remember.
I have been staring longingly at this Rose Teal bag from Jo Totes for much too long.  Want to know what my current cammy bag is right now?  Ready to be horrified?  A ziploc bag, stuffed into whatever purse I happen to be carrying for the day
Ridiculous right?  Especially when I could have this beauty instead and still have room for apples and books!!!  The ziploc needs to be retired.  Badly.  The ziploc doesn't have room for produce.  Or offer even a little bit of protection.
Hello lovely.  What more do I need to say about this pretty, pretty, pretty camera strap slipcover from Knitty Bittes?  Besides it would look ever so gorgeous in a Rose Teal camera bag.
This little lens, what I call the Nifty Fifty was the beginning of my journey of taking pretty pictures.  A majority of the images on this blog have been shot with this guy.  It is a very affordable way to dip your toes into the {often very expensive} land of photography.
Speaking of the land of photography, I would be remiss in telling you that a lens, or even a camera body will get you the pictures that you are desiring.   A person with a basic Rebel and a crummy kit lens, coupled with the understanding of the manual setting on their camera will beat an expensive camera/ lens combo that is shot on the green rectangle.
The other night as I was culling through this past years photos, picking out my favorites for the grandparent's calendar,  I began crying happy tears as I clicked through each image, loving the colors, the expressions, the ever so fleeting memories of my young girls' childhood.  Drew B's unManual and MomTog blog have been an invaluable resource to give me the confidence to move from the safe green rectangle and master the very scary M of the manual setting.  Each day I am still learning, but I am so indebted to Drew for sharing her vast knowledge in such a relateable way.
With that my friends, I'm off to see what my cammy can do today.
Dare you to do the same.


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20 Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 2, 2010 at 4:51 PM

    i remember when you posted before about that un manual. that was the day that i desided to just click over to manual and start trying. then i went to the wildflowers class with joy...sigh. amazing. i just use a "crummy rebel and kit lens" and am learning to take great pictures! thanks for the inspiration! i really want a new lens for christmas though....santa?

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  2. Andrea @ Knitty BittiesDecember 2, 2010 at 5:01 PM

    You my friend are sneaky ... and oh so sweet! Thanks for including my strap amongst all that eye candy ;).
    I love my nifty fifty too ...

    AND I was trying to think what the hubs could get me for Christmas ... thank you for reminding me about the Jo Tote in Aqua. My current aqua purse (from the red dot boutique) is pretty fab, but to be able to carry my camera ... swoon.

    Happy Day!

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  3. Heather @ Life Made LovelyDecember 2, 2010 at 6:03 PM

    i love that bag. it is so very, very pretty! my camera just sits at home right now because i am so afraid of putting it in my purse. i just know a sippy cup will spill on it or a kid will try to use it as a seat cushion at the park or something. but with that bag...all my fears would drift away. sigh.

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  4. Jen~ Lipstick and LaundryDecember 2, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    I just bought the embroidery cammies... I love all things embroidery and vintage cameras be still my <3...
    Thanks for posting...

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  5. Marta @ Haus of GirlsDecember 2, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    I love you and all your cammy goodness. Your knowledge is incredible and I am forever grateful for all your tips. I DREAM of buying a nice camera one day and I've been working so hard
    (9 kids a day hard!) to save a little extra each month to get one. What do you recommend or NOT recommend? Thanks cammy girl.
    PS Love that your camera is stuffed in a ziplock bag and transfered from bag to bag. That is right up my alley at the moment.... except my cammy is small, red and ghetto.

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  6. KatDecember 2, 2010 at 6:31 PM

    Thanks for sharing that fabulous app! I can't wait to check it out. Oh how I love taking pictures too, I am hoping Santa has a new Canon for me this year...

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  7. JeannettDecember 2, 2010 at 7:05 PM

    And just so you know, I just bought that print. Because it belongs in my house.

    That, and you can tell me to buy anything and I pretty much will.x

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  8. CharleneDecember 2, 2010 at 8:48 PM

    here's the perfect tutorial for you, that is if you have the perfect bag already on hand. I did, and loved the outcome!

    http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2010/10/camera-bag-insert-tutorial.html

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  9. ragamuffinbeautiesDecember 2, 2010 at 9:47 PM

    I like this, I like this a lot. Need to get my behind in gear with my iPhone and my sad, sad point in shoot.

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  10. CherylDecember 2, 2010 at 10:04 PM

    Oh, I am guilty of being too comfortable with the green rectangle . . . I need to learn more, but I am super intimidated!!
    I want a bag like that and I neeeeed that strap cover. . .
    xox
    cheryl

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  11. eliseDecember 2, 2010 at 10:38 PM

    is yo hubby by chance in STL right now playing with Reliant K? weird, i know but my sis & bro-in-law went to a concert of their friends Deas Vail and said they thought the drummer from Supertones was playing with them tonight.... but that seems weird?!
    inquiring minds want to know.... well, really, just me:O)

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  12. eliseDecember 2, 2010 at 10:49 PM

    j/k! looks like it was Ethan not Jason:O)

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  13. Simona WaltersDecember 3, 2010 at 4:20 AM

    Okay Julie, I'm sitting in my car bored out of my mind,I check back every couple of days, this was the post for me!
    I've been eyeing DrewB's un-manual since you posted it forever ago, its now at the top of my wishlist. Believe it or not I spent about an hour looking at those bags last night I can't make my mind up on which color. Good for you to at least have your baby in a ziplock. I just throw mine in my bag an say a quick prayer it'll be okay. My daughter is a little bit older so I don't have to worry about fruit snacks or goldfish getting on it but in general I just don't want it to bang up on doors or me to drop my bag suddenly. I am thinking the teal one but maybe the bronze one.... Grrr. Still don't know.
    And oh that necklace charm! What a cute thing! My daughter(7) takes pretty decent photos and I just recently got a new lens, her response was that she now needs to practice so she will know how to use it(my other was a 50 so no zoom, now I've got a 28-80). I think she'd love the necklace just as much as me.
    You should go see Crystals (little bit funky)embroidery of her kids art! What a great idea, you could make magic with your girls art.
    Well off to dream about my wish list. Thanks for making my morning not so boring anymore.

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  14. HollyDecember 3, 2010 at 5:04 AM

    I have that same lens, it is my old faithful and by far my favorite lens that I own. I want to find one that is somewhat similar, but I don't know what that might be.

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  15. Christy @ MCH PHOTOGRAPHYDecember 3, 2010 at 6:27 AM

    I have that camera bag and it's awesome. I have an obsession with turquoise like you. I had a little photo shoot with my bag. I loove it!!

    http://mchphotography.blogspot.com/2010/08/thats-my-bag-baby.html

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  16. {live.a.life.of.love}December 3, 2010 at 6:42 AM

    mmmm. yes. i like all the cammies in this post fo sho! :) happy friday friend! i have an email coming your way this weekend!!!

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  17. jord,ali,hal,kam and grae too!December 3, 2010 at 9:29 AM

    I bought the Unmanual. Really should not have...can't really afford it but I am at my wits end with my camera. I have been considering getting a Nikon. I have a Cannon that is only 2 yrs old and it was not cheap! I know its user (me) error!!! but the pictures aren't what they were when i bought it...praying that this is the solution to loving it again!!

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  18. SarahDecember 3, 2010 at 2:05 PM

    This may be my new favorite app....and its free! Thanks for sharing! Ive already added my photo and I am super stoked to do it everyday! LOVES IT!

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  19. danielle @ take heartDecember 3, 2010 at 5:52 PM

    i love this post. sharing for sharing it all. currently adding the un manual to my christmas wish list :)

    so excited about the work you are doing with project 320, getting everything together for my giveaway this week! :)

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  20. DawnDecember 6, 2010 at 5:28 PM

    I loved this post!

    I also have that little lens and LOVE it! It creates perfect Bokeh.

    Thanks for the links.

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