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Eightymillion

A DIY craft and photography blog. Dogs included.

February 25, 2021

Hardy, House, and Disco

Over the past eleven months, we’ve had to say goodbye to our beloved boys, Hardy, House, and Disco. We were blessed to share eleven years with House, fourteen with Hardy, and fifteen with Disco. We miss them dearly but knowing they’re together again gives us peace. Until we meet again boys…

Until the next word…

Stay safe, be kind, and wear a mask.

October 12, 2020

Halloween Photoshoot With Special Guest Michael Myers

Scrolling through Facebook my niece’s Mom came across a photoshoot that Breanna Marie Photography did with her daughter. It was creepy yet so adorable! Those who enjoy Halloween movies will totally get it.

Then the ideas started rolling. My niece loves scary movies so one thing leads to another and pretty soon we were out doing our Halloween shoot with Michael Myers. We added a few twists of our own to the shoot to fit what activities Aubrie enjoys to this present day. Adam also gifted us with a video he produced, so yes we do own the rights to this music. You can watch it below.

I hope that you enjoy the photos as much as we did taking them.

Happy Halloween!

Until the next photo…

Stay safe, be kind, and wear a mask.

May 28, 2020

Quarantine Life 2020

Quarantine Life 2020 Eightymillion

Life in quarantine has been challenging. Putting myself in a positive mindset has helped me greatly. I can’t change the condition the world is in right now, but I can change my attitude towards it. Would you believe that my word for 2020 was reset? How suitable right? And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

I’ve been spending my time completing all of those tasks that have been on my to-do list for years. Along with finishing these tasks, I’ve also been documenting them to share with you here. If DIY gardening is your jam then you’ll be in for a real treat!

Quarantine has proven that I’m an even bigger introvert than I thought I was and that’s okay with me. Naps are part of my routine. My love of pizza has grown to an immeasurable amount. More on that later. More importantly, it has given me the time to slow down. Are you familiar with the saying, there’s never enough time in the day? There really is, you just need to prioritize what’s most important, something I never did before. Honestly, I can say that I’m adjusting to this new way of life.

Don’t get me wrong when I point out all of the above in which this confinement has given me. The devastation it has caused many is truly repulsive. Everybody’s situation is different. It wasn’t easy by any means to find a way to transform the stress of quarantine through my creative avenues. And I’m hopeful that you can find a similar outlet to guide you through it as well. Confinement can affect our physical and mental well being. The World Health Organization gives their advice to help you and your family. This article is useful as we start to reenter society.

Until the next word…

Stay safe, be kind, and wear a mask.

November 9, 2017

5 Incredibly Useful How To Stay Productive Tips For Small Businesses

Do you ever feel like you will never get caught up with those day to day business tasks? Seriously, does the to-do list EVER END? Will I ever wake up and say, “I’m finally caught up with everything!” Most likely not in this day and age of entrepreneurship. Technology is forever evolving, the ideas keep coming, and the implementation period is ongoing. So if you’re not willing to take action, who will? Especially if you’re a solo entrepreneur like me.

Well, here’s the deal! I’m one of the biggest procrastinators you’ll ever met. #truestory

With so many great projects planned for this space it’s time to make a change. Basically it’s time to get my shit together.

Today I’m sharing a list of tips to help you and myself stay active with our business responsibilities.

We can do this together! Are you in?

Here’s my top 5 tips on how to stay productive. Take notes and get your phone out because there’s a couple of apps you’ll want to check out.

  1. Prioritize your tasks. Check for deadlines first and move those items up to the top. Once the closest deadline is at the top examine what you have left. Decide what’s more important and will be the most beneficial to your business? Move those items accordingly. Continue until you’re satisfied with what’s in front of you. Now what? Have you heard of Asana? It’s AWESOME and it’ll help you keep track of your work. Download the app and plug in your projects.
  2. Set a goal of completing 3 tasks per day. Obviously this number depends on your schedule and the size of the goal, but three is a good number for me. I’m a PC user so Google Calendar is helpful with remembering my 3 tasks for the day. I usually sit down once a week and look at what I want to accomplish. Fill in your calendar for what works for you.
  3. Organize your work space. And your passwords. LastPass is AWESOME and it’s a huge time saver, check it out here. Back to your work space. If the creative chaos of papers everywhere works for you then roll with it. I’m one to have everything in it’s place even if it means having several tabs opens at once and twenty sheets of paper in front of me. I know where everything is and where it all goes when I shut down for the night. Prep your area to what best suits you.
  4. Schedule in breaks. For me it’s a nap. You’d be surprised what a 20 minute catnap can do for you. Stay hydrated and have a healthy snack handy.
  5. Set a timer. This works wonders for me. Most smartphones come with this capability. Or if you like the old fashioned egg timers, go for it. There’s something about the ticking noise that keeps me on track. When I sit down to work on something I start the timer for let’s say 20 minutes. If I’m not finished at the end I add another 15. It’s not that I have to finish in that allotted time, it simply helps me stay focused.

Bonus tip: Stop using the word to-do lists and use goals instead. Overall the word goal just sounds better. Can we agree on that? Waking up knowing what goals you’re going to conquer for the day will add a little pep in your step.

Any additional tips to add? Leave a comment below.

Do you know another entrepreneur who would find this post beneficial? Feel free to share it with them. Be sure to pin it so you can reference back to it later if you feel like you’re falling off track.

Stay focused and go crush those goals!

Until the next word…

October 24, 2017

How to create your own hashtag pumpkin for halloween

Here’s a simple DIY project that you can complete in less than 10 minutes. That’s right 10 minutes and under $10 bucks!

Last week I was in the grocery store staring at this huge pallet of pumpkins. Surprisingly they caught my eye since I never really got into the whole pumpkin carving tradition. Perhaps because they seem to spoil so quickly once being cut into.

I’ve seen where people decorate with puffy stickers and various other characters but that didn’t fit my style. That’s when an idea popped into my head.

A hashtag pumpkin. That’s it! I’ll create a hashtag pumpkin only I’ll substitute the knife with a paintbrush.

I ran to Michaels to pick up some paintbrushes and black acrylic paint. Grabbed a 5×7 piece of white paper from the recycle bin and I was all set.

After gathering the supplies, I’ve listed in the image above, here’s what you do next.

  1. Wipe off the pumpkin with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt.
  2. Squeeze a nice amount of paint onto the piece of paper. Depending on how many pumpkins you’re creating will determine how much you need. Using the paintbrush, practice your hashtag on the paper first. This step is not necessary but I found it helpful in deciding which paint brush to use.
  3. Then simply apply the hashtag to the pumpkin.
  4. Allow the paint to dry and you’re done! You can also turn the pumpkin around and paint another hashtag on the backside.

Simple right? And the best part is that it’ll last longer than a carved pumpkin. #winning

Total cost for this project was approximately $8.85. The pumpkin was @2.99, paint .89 cents, brushes 2., and the various gourds were .99 cents each.

Stay tuned for more creative DIY projects. I’ve got several ideas where I focus solely on my obsession with hashtags. 🙂

Until the next project…

July 3, 2016

Happy Birthday Hardy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARDY!
This past Thursday Hardy celebrated his 10th Birthday.  We did our first cake smash session (using pupcakes)…and of course the event was documented with a photo session.

 

 

 

June 13, 2016

Motley Crue The End – My Final Show (Concert Photography)

Tomorrow is Motley Crue’s cinema debut of their final show!  I’m traveling, with my boyfriend and a group of friends, to Rockford, IL to see the film. SO EXCITED!  Click here to see if there’s a theater near you.

It still feels a bit surreal that they’re done performing as a band.  But it’s okay they left us with a library of music to last a lifetime.

I was lucky enough to see them from the front row of their final tour.  My girlfriend is a master at scoring the best seats in the house!  It was there that I experienced my last Motley Crue show…ever.  And if you know me I was fully prepared to capture every single moment of it.

After sorting through somewhere around 400+ images (I kid you not) here’s 20 of my favorite.  All captured with my cellphone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until the next photo…

April 8, 2016

Happy Birthday Disco

happy birthday pet photography rescues mutts senior dogs
Happy Birthday Disco!
Yesterday we celebrated 10 years with this boy!
happy birthday crazy dog parents eightymillion photography
Happy Birthday Disco dog pet photography

October 29, 2015

Last Minute DIY Halloween Treats

Halloween is four days away.  Remember that sign up paper that circulated around the office for the upcoming party or the flier that your neighbor gave you reminding you of her annual Halloween neighborhood get together? Or how about the note that still sits in your child’s backpack?  What ever the function it’s creeping up fast.  So, before the cuss words start flying, have a seat and relax cause you’ve got this under control.
Here’s my Top 10 List of EASY, last minute Halloween treats.
  1.  Candy Corn M&M Fudge Brownies
  2.  Easy Witch Hat Cookies
  3.  Chocolate Dipped Candy Corn Treats
  4.  Clementine Pumpkins
  5.  Candy Corn Punch
  6.  Candy Apple Cake Pops
  7.  Mummy Juice Boxes
  8.  Witch’s Broom Sticks (Peanut Butter Cups & Pretzels)
  9.  Candy Corn Jello Shots (child/adult)
 10.  Mummy Pretzels
And don’t forget the four legged ones!  Yesterday I shared some simple dog treat recipes so they can celebrate with their very own treat.  Read that post here.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

October 28, 2015

Top 10 Halloween Treats for Your Dogs

My three dogs and I will be celebrating Halloween this year by baking some homemade treats. It’s Fall so turn on the oven, roll up your sleeves, and dig out the cookie cutters.  In other words, make a mess in the kitchen.  Trust me, your four legged friends will thank you for it.

If your passing out candy this weekend package up some of these treats as well.  That way you’re prepared if anyone shows up with their beloved pet by their side.  Here’s a free printable treat bag label for those baked goods.

Below is ten recipes to spoil your pooch(s) with.  Keep in mind that these work great any time of the year, not just Halloween.  (hint: stocking stuffer)

1.  Banana Carrot Dog Treats

2.  Homemade Dog Treats

3.  Mint Buckwheat Dog Biscuits

4.  Healthy Homemade Dog Treats

5.  Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Coconut Oil Dog Treats

6.  Dog Cookie Recipe That Makes Dogs Go Squirrely

7.  3 Ingredient Vegan, Grain Free Dog Treats

8.  4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Dog Treats

9.  Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats

10. Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Treats

AND, my personal all time favorite, Two Ingredient Organic Dog Treats.  My boys LOVE these!

Looking for even more treats to make for your pup?  Try these.

 

June 30, 2015

National Camera Day 2015

Happy National Camera Day! Truth be told, I’ve never heard of it until a post showed up in the Facebook feed this morning.
What better reason does one need to take some pictures.  Adam peeked inside my closet and came up with an idea for a photoshoot using my personal collection of vintage cameras.
Twenty nine images later…  Ironically, that’s the number of images we ended up with in the end. Read more here about this awesome day.
Photographer:  Eightymillion Photography
Wardrobe/Stylist/Model:  Adam
Props:  Jennifer’s precious collection
Audio Producer/Videographer:  The Mixologist DJ AA
Track Title: Flash

June 15, 2015

Quick and Easy DIY Flower Pots Using Crocs

Pull out that old pair of Crocs, from the closet, that you don’t wear anymore because I’m going to show you how to recycle them into flower pots.  An easy DIY that takes less than ten minutes from start to finish.
I scored this pair at a second hand store for $1.  Last week I planted some annuals into cement bricks and had four leftover plants.  This project will use up those four so that there’s no waste.
Supplies needed:
*tarp (easy clean-up)
*annuals
*pair of Crocs
*top soil
*twine or fishing line
Pack a nice amount of top soil in the toe portion of the shoe.  Place the annual inside the shoe and add some additional top soil around the top and sides to hold them in place.  Attach a piece of twine to the strap and tie it into a knot at the end.  Once you hang it up give the plants a good drink of water. Some dirt will seep through the holes of the shoes, but don’t worry about it.
Use the fishing line, in place of the twine, to create a floating effect.
Find a location in your flower garden to hang the new planters.  That’s it!
Mine have had a nice little home on these doors.  I adopted this vintage door display from my Mom and they already had the hooks, so I just needed something unique to hang there.
As you can see from the photo below the doors are definitely due for a fresh coat of paint.  Next year is what I tell myself.  It’s been five years and I keep saying that.  Although I kinda like the distressed look.
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