Halloween Extravaganza '08

Star wars was the theme for Halloween 2008. For months Matt has been telling me about his Halloween memories. There was one family in his neighborhood that decorated the garage and made trick-or-treating an experience. Matt has spent months and months ordering supplies for the big event that include a fog machine, strobe light, black lights, posters, background, music, costumes, etc.

Here is the before picture....

We had more trick-or-treaters than we have ever had in years past. Matt was behind the streamers and when kids came up he turned on his light saber (you could only see a green light and most kids were very scared). Then Matt came out. With the hood over his head, it was kind of scary because he was in brown and black! I followed giving treats and mini light sabers. I also glowed with the black lights. We had many people ask if they could take our pictures alone, posing with their children and even posing with the adults. It was hysterical!!!! Austin, Macy, Paige and Abby loved dancing to the music, running through the streamers, and playing with the fog machine. They also had a lot of fun with the strobe light.
Here are a few pictures when it got dark.

Baby Laila and Company

playing with clay

So I picked up a bag of clay from the art teacher at the school where I teach. I have been feeling really stressed lately and I just needed to get some of that out of my system. I have always loved to play with clay and mold things, I just never felt that I was any good at it. Anyway, I took the block of clay and just decided to go for broke. I remembered a project that some of the art classes did when I was in high school that always looked really fun; they would take a lump of clay and shape it into the profile of a face, I'm sure that it has a technical term a relief or something fancy like that, but I can't remember. Anyway, this is what I came up with as I started to sculpt out a profile. I wanted it to be a bit of a caricature, and so far I am pretty pleased with what I have. I'm sure that most people will say that I looks like me, and maybe it does. If so, I guess this is how I see myself right now. What would Freud and Jung say about that? So, this is me ... playing with clay.

stage 1

stage 2

stage 3
These first three images show the progression of the piece so far. I'm not sure if you can see it very well, but in the first picture the eye is much farther forward in the face, and a bit smaller. I didn't like the way that it looked so I scraped off the first go and worked for a few hours to get the second version, a little bigger, and more true to where it should be on an actual face. It made the brow a little heavier than I wanted, but I think that the trade-off works. I think it simply looks better now. Also, I added the goatee and the sideburns. I think that I am going to turn him into a Elvis like character with a big pompadour hairdo.


close up on nose and mouth before the goatee

during the building process for the goatee, it ended out being much larger.

First attempt at the eye

Second attempt at the eye



just after finishing the ear, I liked the way it came out.

Just the ear

Aiden was helping me out as I was working on the face. He was busy with his play dough and while I was working he tried to run the face over stating the my face "needed tire marks too!"

He is too cute!

Cheers,
Price

Max

Thank you to those who were able to make it to Max's Blessing last month! And thank you, Mom, for all your "help" with his blessing outfit.

(By help i mean, of course, teaching me! And by teaching me i mean, of course, making it!)

Holga Images

I have been meaning to post these pictures for a while. Last May I picked up a new pinhole camera called a Holga. It shoots on 120 film and is really fun to play with. I am still getting used to judging distance with it, and figuring out how the focus ranges are best judged, but here are a few images from my first excursion with the camera.


I took this one while riding the Colossus roller coaster at Lagoon. I was a chaperon for the senior sneak last year and spent the day riding rides and avoiding kids. It was great!















This was the entry way to a ride. I was playing with double exposures. One cool thing about the Camera is that you control the film progression so if you want you can take several pictures all on the same film plate. Kind of cool!












Another double exposure experiment. I liked the way this one came out and the ghost
















This is Alex, he was one of the seniors that went on the sneak. I thought it was interesting how I got a bit of a light flare just over his left eye.
















This is an image of Aiden and his Cousin playing in a puddle by my parents house. Aren't they so cute!















This is a great image of my mom sitting one her porch swing with three of her grand kids. I though it was very cute.















This is a picture of some dude that I saw at Animal Kingdom one of the Disney theme parks in Florida. He was exactly what I imagined a Buffalo Soldier would look like on his free day. I loved his intensity and am hoping to write a character similar to him into one of the books I am working on. I also like the fact that I feel like where's waldo in this image. Can you find me?











Here are a few images from the beach in Florida. Holgas will do interesting things wiht colors because of the type of film that they are shooting on, and because they are pin hole cameras. One of my favorite features is the natural gradient that it throws around the edges of the image. They are shadows from the camera's apature. My favorite is the shadow self portrait. I am enjoying taking pictures of myself in interesting ways. Reflected in sunglasses, shadowed, as a pair of feet, Photography is too much fun!

The Time has Come!

Well, after seven years the time has come...Matt and I are expecting our first child. We went to the doctor today. The baby was hard to see as he/she was laying in a strange position but there was a very strong, healthy heartbeat. We are expecting our new addition in April. Matt is extremely excited. I am still getting used to the idea that I am now in charge of someone for my entire life!!! We think Molly is going to have the toughest time with the transition - she is my baby right now and expects my FULL attention when I am at home. Any bets...boy or girl???

My Beautiful Models

When Sarah and Heidi were in town last weekend, we went to Wheeler Farm to take some pictures.  I think they turned out so cute!  I put a ton of them on my photo blog if you want to take a look.  I'll send you each a CD next week with all of the pictures.  It was fun visiting with you.  You are both such patient, cute, smitten mothers.  It's always so inspiring for me to observe so much love and dedication.  Love you guys!

Peppermint Brownie Recipe

Jeri asked me to post this recipe. I made them for Max's Blessing (i didn't have peppermint so i just used mint and green food coloring instead) and I think they're FABULOUS!!!

P.S. The (parentheses) below are from Megan Morris

Megan’s Peppermint Brownies:
from Amber Morris
Brownie:
3 cups flour
3/8 cup powdered milk
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Mix together and then add:
2&1/2 squares (1&1/2cups) margarine or butter
4 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
Bake in a greased 12x18x2 inch pan at 325 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. The middle may be slightly moist, but the edges should come out clean and the whole surface should be firm. Let brownies COMPLETLY cool, then frost with peppermint butter cream frosting.

Peppermint Frosting:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar (3&3/4 cups)
1 capful peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 drops red food coloring
a little milk to make it the right consistency for spreading
Let this set in the fridge for a while, then top with chocolate layer.

Chocolate Layer:
12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cube butter
Melt together in microwave checking every few seconds and stirring until melted. Stir until really smooth and shiny. Quickly spread it over the mint layer. Let it all set in the fridge for a while. Take out of fridge about 30 minutes before you want to cut them. They freeze nicely! (I think they are easier to cut when frozen or cold)

Max's Blessing

We will be blessing Max this coming Sunday (aug 31st) at 7:00 PM. You are all of course invited, and I would love to see you if you can make it! I relaize that's Labor Day weekend and I apologize. But Matt (Curtis's twin brother) will be blessing Max for us and that happened to be the best weekend for him to come to SLC. Hope to see you!

Book for Grandma and Grandpa

I guess I am committing to doing this, and I can't believe that I am actually thinking about Christmas already, but I did a memoir-type book a few years ago for my Grandma Shaffer's 80th Birthday, and I am going to do one for Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas.  Several years ago, when I took a Biographical Writing Class, I interviewed Grandma and Grandpa quite extensively about their childhood.  I know I still have all my notes, and I'm pretty sure I have a couple of the tapes of our conversations.  (Now, if I can only find a tape player!)  Anyway, I think I have quite a few memories from before Grandma's memory started slipping.  

But, I do need a few things from each of you: 

• Any memories of Grandma and/or Grandpa or our "family traditions."  I know we did this before, but I wanted to put a few tidbits in this book as well.  I thought it would be fun if you had some specific, more detailed stories.   But, anything you have, even if you already wrote it, I would greatly appreciate it.  
  
• Any pictures you have of Grandma and/or Grandpa or us as a family.  You can scan them in and email me (gremily2@aol.com) or send them to me if you don't have a scanner.  I probably won't be able to use EVERYTHING, but it would be so great to have quite a few to choose from.
• An updated family picture if you have one. 
• "Family Genealogy" Info: Full names, birth dates, marriage dates, and please include all of your children/grandchildren
• Jeri, Linda, and Jan (and maybe your husbands): Any memories you have from your childhood.  Any memories you have of your grandparents and/or extended family.  Any pictures from your childhood.
• Any ideas of anything I may have missed!!!

When it's done, it will be hard-bound with color pictures.  I don't know how much it will cost yet, but everyone will have the opportunity to get a copy if you want.  I know the cost will go down the more we purchase.  But, I'm not exactly sure what the breakdown will be yet.  I'll let you know as soon as I know.

My Plan:  Have it ready to go so that as soon as Sarah and Christin have their babies, and we get that info (and hopefully a picture) into the book, I'll send it to the press.  I think we can get it in time for Christmas.  By the way, what are those due dates?  I know they are both November, but I don't know exact dates.  

What do you think?  PLEASE let me know your thoughts.  This really is a huge project, so I need all of you to help.  Also, I'm not sure who reads this blog, so could you please leave a comment so I know who knows.  Pass the word along.  Thanks!  - Emily

More Con Pics

Here is a slide show of Comic Con. Enjoy!