Snow Days

After two days off of school and my husband stuck at the farm, we are back to our more routine life.  The snow we got on Monday morning was truly beautiful albeit a bit annoying for those who had to get out in it.  (ahem...my farmer husband)

I decided our snow days would make for a fun home movie.  I've been inspired by Xanthe Berkeley for years with her Time Capsules and Mini Movies and hope in the near future to take a course from her.  But, first I had to learn to use some software and the video aspect of my camera.  My first project was a little film of a visit to my new great niece.  For me when I'm learning something new, it's better to have a focus on a specific project that I for sure want to bring to completion.  When we knew Sunday that the snow was coming early Monday morning I had the focus to do this film and was ready to begin filming.

There is so so much to learn and some more equipment to acquire to help improve the video quality,  but if  a person waits for perfection, you won't get started.

So I've started.

Here is a glimpse into our two snow days:
(There is music if you want to turn on your sound.)

I see a heart in the hot chocolate. See if you do too!

SNOW DAYS from Jill Ruskamp on Vimeo.

If you were wondering, my daughter was working on posters for her speech for the upcoming high school speech contests.  Also, we could use a bigger hill around here!

Before I got started with this film making endeavor, there was much reading and debate with myself (I actually paced the floor for awhile.) about which software to use and how to find music that I could license. I ended up buying PowerDirector 16 by Cyber Link for the video editing and subscribing to Soundstripe for music.  I have been so very pleased with both of them.  Xanthe recommended Soundstripe and has a discount on her blog.

I hope this is just a beginning of many more and eventually improved films.  

I Fish You'd Read This

Last year about this time, I became a little obsessed with fish.

I made a wire fish, a fish sachet, and these.  Valentine fish. ♥  For my family and a friend.

I'm still obsessed, just haven't made any recently.  I cut these little "sweethearts" out of lathe boards on my scroll saw and then I wood burned and painted them.  All along while making them I was thinking about fish puns.  To send along with my Fish Valentines. It was hours of entertaining myself. :) 

So these little cards went along with a stringer of three fish to my Valentine's.

I didn't know I would think a stringer of little wood fish would be so fun!

I just thought of another one!

"Don't string me along, will you be mine?"