BLOG HAS MOVED
new address: Haath Se [By Hand]
All.Things.Mama. has MOVED!
What’s in a name?
For some time now, I have been debating changing my blog name. I don’t know why it really matters since my blog is not huge and I think most of my visits are from links, not people typing in the name… but for some reason, my current name is just not sitting right. Probably because most of what I write about is not specific to being a mom, it is just specific to me. I basically find myself sharing the different things that I like to create and make – whether it be photography, sewing or knitting or anything else.
SOOOOO…..
I have decided to change the name of the blog. This was the next big step, is what to change it to. Most of the names I came up with were already taken. Then my husband suggested incorporating our background (Indian) and using a simple set of words in Hindi. I didn’t want it too long, but again, since most of my visits come from other links, I doubt it will make much of a difference (I hope!).
So given that I write about things I make, I have decided to go with: “Haath Se” or haathse.wordpress.com
Haath Se means “by hand” – i.e. things I have made, done or created by hand.
Pronunciation: Haath – “aa” is like saying HOT but keeping your mouth wide; “th” is kind of like “the” but a little more breathy
Se – is pretty much just like it looks =- with a short “e” sound
So keep your eyes open – it will change the address later today..i’m not sure if that means you would need to resubscribe…but if so, PLEASE DO!
Thanks!
Subha
A view from a skylight
Perhaps the biggest selling point for the house we moved into last summer, was the skylights. I remember walking through the main hall (where the entire ceiling is a row of skylights) and seeing the trees outside and feeling peaceful. I thought to myself: I can only imagine what this is going to look and feel like in the fall with the leaves change colors. Well, i am sad to say that although I have many pictures of the tree and their beautiful color leaves, I don’t have any of them from the skylight (I will not make that mistake again =)
Today, however, I bring you the view of the trees as seen through the rain and snow dripping down the skylights. I like that it looks like a reflection in water…but it is actually a view through water.
For some reason one side of the house has water dripping down the skylights, whereas another as mostly single drops that have not yet started to slip and slide down their path to meet the pile of un-raked leaves sitting at the base of the house.
One of my favorite things to do with photographs is to play around with the crop and various effects to make an abstract image that you wouldn’t really be able to see with your eyes.
i CAN”T believe it is snowing…
Didn’t spring technically start last week?
And you wonder why I think about moving to Miami?
Don’t get me wrong, snow is beautiful and fun at times…but I do not like having winter last into April. By now I should be enjoying the outside with my daughter, playing and running around and not worrying about her little hands burning from the cold!
Ok…lets focus on the Cup half full:
Snow is beautiful. My husband loves it – so it brings a smile to his face. Snowmen. Snow angels.
Sorry, haven’t seen sunlight in a few days…this is what it does to me =)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Ocean
I read about the weekly photo challenge on Robin’s blog, and decided I’d like to join in on the fun. Apparently I started subscribing to The Daily Post just after this week’s challenge was posted, so didn’t know about it. Thanks Robin!
- This is actually from the Chesapeake Bay…which is of leads to the ocean…
- The Manuel Antonio coast of Costa Rica
- Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio beach view
- Mexico, near the Mayan ruins
Uncomplicated
Yesterday Radha and I went out for some fun in the sun…and cold =) This is her learning to finally make bubbles on her own, which she was very excited about. I Love this picture because I think it captures how fun does not have to be complicated. Children have this amazing ability to find enjoyment in simple pleasures. We have a lot to learn!
Spring is coming!
Although it is still cold, the emergence of the sun is motivating me to actually go outside for a bit every day with Radha.
It feels so great to walk around outdoors…although it is also making me realize how MUCH there is that needs to be done to the land!
We don’t live on a lake, or a beautiful coast, or mountain’s edge…but we still have some beautiful sights that I have been having fun taking pictures of!
I am debating getting a lensbaby so I can have more fun with pictures like there. Any readers out there with advice or opinions about lensbaby lenses?
These daffodils were a complete surprise. We moved into this house late summer last year, so we didn’t even know these were around, till we started seeing the sprouts come up!
The title of this picture should be “PERSEVERANCE.” If you look closely at the base of the flower, you can see that it grew right through a dried leaf. Unfortunately, neither my husband nor I truly understood the amount of leaves that had fallen on our property and that needed to be cleaned up, until now. We sort of forgot about all of them when we had 1-2 feet of snow on the ground for a month. I think we thought that they would somehow magically melt away with the snow.
NOPE
Now they are just slimy and wet and matted into our grass and slowly killing the entire lawn. Yeesh. We have a lot of repair work to do!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Slice of Life
I recently discovered iheartfaces.com via another photographer’s blog (Photos by Holly) and was more than eager to join the weekly photo challenges!
So for this week’s photo challenge: Slice of Life, I submit the above picture. I know we are supposed to try to take new pictures for the challenge, but I think this on really fits it well and thus went with this one. In India, my grandmother does a yearly event at the village temple where she invites all the children from the village to come and eat. Many of these children’s families have little or no money, and this is a great chance for them to get a big meal. This was the first time that I had the opportunity to witness and be a part of the event. Whenever I look at this picture, and specifically the look on the face of the girl in the foreground, it makes me wonder how difficult her life must be. What she must go through every day. Hopefully this event can at least ease some of her worry and/or hunger for the day.
No more feeling guilty
Soon after I bought my first DSLR (about 9 years ago) and then especially after I bought my first L lens (about 5 years ago), I found that I was much more inspired to take pictures when I had my “nice” camera with me as opposed to my dinky point and shoot. I feel guilty saying that because I feel like I should have fun taking pictures no matter what, but the truth is that sometimes, half what inspires me is how I can put my own twist on what I see in the world through the camera I use. And I have much more control over that filter when I use my SLR than when I use a point and shoot. My point and shoot was a Canon Power Shot – on which I could actually manually control the shutter and aperture, but still – the effects just weren’t as impressive.
All of that being said…I can’t always have my SLR with me. Space and time don’t always permit. Sometimes (many times) all I have is my iPhone. Back to the guilt. I often feel so guilt only taking pictures on my phone. Granted, it has it’s advantages, since it is easy and quick to make videos on the phone (and they auto-focus as opposed to my SLR), but still, I tend to feel guilty.
Recently, on my “girls” trip with my college friends, we went to Sedona. I brought my camera with me, but when we went out for food, I only had my phone, and I came across this scene:
Unfortunately it is very noisy, but it is otherwise not half bad! So I decided: NO MORE FEELING GUILTY about taking pictures on my iPhone. It’s better than nothing, right? Sometimes you really want to just capture the shot – no matter what you have on you. And in those cases, something is better than nothing!
Already behind…
Since I started this blog, I have been trying to do a post a day…sometimes I do several at a time and schedule them because I know I’m not going to have a chance…but at least something small. So, friday night I read about wordpress’ initiative to do “A post a day” or “A post a week.” So of course, I ambitiously sign up for the Post a Day. And what happens? I am working this weekend, I get SUPER swamped, and end up not writing a post on my first day! Ack!
Well, here I go trying to make up for it. We will see how it goes – I may have to move over to the Post a Week…but I’ll try =)
This is a picture I stumbled upon from our trip to the Grand Canyon a few year’s back.
Wish I could be there right now…
What’s your angle?
Lens distortion can be a good thing.
We bought the Canon 5D Mark II shortly after our daughter was born (we were just waiting for a good excuse =). Once we recovered from that financial blow, we saved up for an amazing piece of glass: the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM. Combine that with our new full sensor camera, and you get a WHOLE lot of distortion (see above).
The fun thing I discovered however, is that this does not have to be a bad thing! Distortion can be exciting and open doors to a whole new type of creativity.
So put one on and have some fun experimenting!
All.Things.Mama. 