iphone photo apps

As I mentioned in a previous post, the minute I got my iPhone I downloaded a bunch of photo manipulation apps. Some are great and some are so so. My favourite is

Classic TOY




I stumbled across the free version by accident and then loved it so much I bought the full version for $1.99, which was totally worth it. This little app gives you 17 different film settings, each with 3 different variations (Original, Supertoy & Grunge) and 11 different lenses. The two photos at the top were taken with the Mikkers and Shinoks Edition lens. I've only started to experiment with this, but it's very fun.

I also bought Hipstamatic after seeing that it is the top selling photo app, but I must admit that I'm very disappointed in it after using Classic TOY. The full version doesn't give you half as many lenses or films and each one comes with a cryptic hipster style info section that doesn't explain anything about the item. In comparison, Classic TOY gives a brief, but informative explanation about each thing in your camera bag. You also have to pay an additional $0.99 for new hipster packs, which usually consist of one new lens and a couple of films. Hipstermatic feels like it  is really just for those people out there who think they are too cool for school. I'm not even going to bother posting a pic.

I then also got Tilt Shift Generator which creates the same miniature effect in your photos that a tilt shift lens does. It's fun and super easy to use and just a bit of creative fluff.


I also picked up Label Box, which lets you add cute labels onto your photos and Instagram, a great free app with different photo effects and frames.


If you want some more control over your iPhone camera, I suggest getting Camera+, which turns your iPhone into a mini SLR (sort of). You can adjust focal points, switch on the stabiliser and in the editing more you have a lot of cool options, from white balance, crop and adjustment to effects and borders. This is definitely a  worthwhile app for $0.99.

If you have any cool photo apps worth trying, just let me know. I'd love to test them out :)

designer showcase: Stanley Chow

Names: Stanley Chow
Claim to fame: Illustration
Website: http://www.stanleychowillustration.com/

holiday

Well, this week Rudi and I have taken a long overdue break. We drove up to Colesberg on Friday to visit his dad and I have done nothing constructive (except blog) for the last couple of days. It's wonderful. My days have consisted of sitting outside in the sun reading the Carrie Diaries (really a must if you liked Sex and the City), watching tv and eating. It's great to get away to somewhere were there really isn't a lot to do as it forces you to just take it easy. I'm going to be wonderfully recharged by the time I get back to work :)

pink + yellow

The pink and yellow colour combo in these rooms is just so unexpected and fun. Another great idea that I'd love to try in my own home. And I love it so much I've decided to use it in my new website :)

big ears

This pup is too cute. He definitely still needs to grow into his ears

food porn

Food porn is a provocative term variously applied to a spectacular visual presentation of cooking or eating. And these image from Evan's Kitchen Ramblings is a perfect example of this. Aren't they fantastic? I can't decide whether I like the food or the photography more. One thing I can say is the colours in these are wonderful.

frozen bubbles

Spectacular!

what am i chasing

Some days I just feel like this :P

iphone love

Anyone who knows me could tell you that I'm a gadget girl. I'd own all the latest fads if I only had the money. So, with much anticipation and glee, I finally got an iPhone today! And it's fabulous. I just can't put it down.

The first thing I did was download all the free photography apps I could find and I'm having a ton of fun with them. I'll be doing a post about my favourite ones soon so watch this space.

There's no going back now. I will always be an iphone girl :)

around cape point

Saturday was such a beautiful day that we thought we would take a trip around cape point. I could almost imagine it was spring, with the bright blue sky, no wind and warm vibes. We stopped in Kalk Bay to stroll around the shops, had lunch in Simon's Town and just took a slow drive back home. The one thing I couldn't get over was how flat the sea was. Not a wave or a ripple. It looked like a lake. What a great way to spend a Saturday.

head scarf heaven

I'm loving this vintage head scarf look. And it's so easy! Just check out the quick tutorial here. Keiko Lynn's blog is also just divine and I love her style!

Now does anyone know where I could get a beautiful silk scarf?

stunning illustrations

Aren't these illustrations by Brittney Lee just beautiful. I wish I could create something like this. It makes me want to dig out my old sketch book and get drawing.

Check out more of her wonderful work here

vampire diaries

I know this show is old news, but when it started I was quite frankly completely uninterested in another "Twilighty", weak whiny girl meets brooding whiny vampire. One Bella and Edward is more than enough for me. I even watched the first episode just to give the show a fair chance, but it didn't strike me as something I'd get into.

Then a friend of mine encouraged me to watch some more and stick it out until at least episode 8, when, she assured me, it would get much less high school drama and actually become quite cool. And I must agree, it's definitely improved and become quite fun to watch, if for no other reason than to watch Damon's wise cracking deviously evil ways. And Stefan's not bad to look at either ;)

Why dogs don't live as long...

I saw this pinned on Pinterest the other day and I thought it was so adorable that I couldn't help crying. I'm a sucker for animals so anything cute/sad/wonderful having to do with them usually illicitness some tears from me. But can you blame me after reading the following. I dare you not to :)

Our little boy seemed to accept our dogs transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after his death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are so much shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.” Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long."

cute shoes

These are my latest indulgences. I looooove beautiful shoes, but don't get to wear them too working from (slippers are much more comfy ;). But when I saw these I just had to have them. The camel one's are from Woolies and my wonderful hubby bought the purple ginger mary ones from Trueworths. So pretty...*Sigh*