Not just for kids: Foam Paint

Here it is, the foam paint recipe:

What you'll need

Ziploc bag (or should I be saying gripper seal bags?)
Crayola WASHABLE paints (okay, I have brand loyalty issues)
Non-gel type shaving cream (... Colgate)
*Elmer's white glue *optional

What to do:

Open ziploc bag and fold the top over to make it easier to put the shaving cream in.

Squirt shaving cream inside of the bag until it's 1/2 full or so.

Add WASHABLE (I cannot emphasize WASHABLE enough this gets messy) paint. To get the colors you see in the pictures of this post use about 1.5 teaspoons. If you're feeling brave and have a lot of sponges on hand use more paint to get a richer color.

Add Elmer's glue to the bag if you'd like to keep this project and have the foam stay in tact after it dries . Use the same amount of glue as you do paint.



Eliminate any extra air from the bag by GENTLY squeezing the bag around the shaving cream blob. (In addition to making it easier to mix the paint it also will help reduce the risk of the bag popping and spraying shaving cream all over the house.)

Mix the paint by gently squeezing, scrunching, crunching and smooshing the sealed bag.



Cut off one of the bottom corners of the bag so you can now squeeze your foamy mess (er paint) out of the bag. The bigger the cut the more foam will come out.

What to do with your foam:

If you don't mix in the glue you can put the kids in their bathing suits, give them their foam paint and put them in the bathtub. They'll love having the opportunity to wear their swim suits and will have a blast with the foam (yes, literally).

Make a foamy pizza! Mix up a batch of red foam paint with glue and white foam paint with glue. Smush the all of the red foam paint evenly over a yellow party plate. Use the bag to squirt the white foam paint on top of the red (it's the cheese). Cut out pieces of pepperoni from red construction paper, olives from black construction paper and peppers from green construction paper. Now decorate your pizza!

Make a creative pizza. Spread your favorite color of foam paint on a plate or piece of paper. Decorate with beads, glitter, pom-poms, cut up pieces of fabric or magazines, Cheerios (there I go with the brand loyalty again) or anything your heart desires.

Use 2 inch trim brushes to paint with your foam.

Use your fingers to paint with it too!

Make a bag for yourself and practice your cake decorating skills. See, foam paint isn't just for kids! Don't forget to send me pictures of your leaves (I never can get those to look right) and your roses!

As Lauren would say, watch your Monet while the kids are playing with this. Although it's relatively harmless it's an activity that needs monitoring.





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New Year New Look

Keep checking out my photography site Hadley Spagna Photograhy to see my 2006 makeover!

On display in Grand Central

Hadley's work is now on display in Grand Central Station at the Paradis Found Booth. The show started November 21st and runs through December 24th. Booth hours are Monday through Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturdays and Sundays 12pm to 6 pm.


Stop by the booth and meet the amazingly talented and friendly designer of this high quality, unique children's clothing Dana Paradis. Using chenille bedspreads, camp blankets and vintage fabrics and trims (you've got to see the buttons she finds!) Dana designs and personally sews each one of her creations. Her booth is a feast for the eyes!


To find the Paradis Found booth go to Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Station. It's in the center isle on the east side of the hall.


For more information on Paradis Found visit Hats4Kids.com

Sleeping Baby (not quite)

This is a picture of one of the most alert and mature 6 week olds I have ever had the pleasure of photographing. Her mother called me with the hopes of getting some close ups of her daughter's hands, feet, et al. for an announcement. No problem. I should have said that after I met this little girl. On the day of our session I met a wise, smart, alert, talkative six week old that was more like a 10-12 week old baby. To get the shots Mom wanted we really needed a sleeping baby. Or at the minimum a dull awake baby. This little person refused to rest even with a very full tummy. I chose to share this shot with you today because when I look at this picture I see a sleeping baby. But, remembering the moment I know it was a very awake baby that just so happened to stretch and close her eyes (for a second or two).

Tis the season!

How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was fantastic! Hosting 14 people is easy when they're all such generous helpers. We had pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie, brownies, cupcakes, a little champagne and some turkey too. I can't wait for next year.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the season has begun. No, not the Holiday season (well, okay, yeah, I guess that season has begun as well). I'm talking about painting season. My two children (20 months apart in age) literally bounce off the walls when it gets dark and cold and they get cooped up in the house. My Rx? Painting! The kids love it, they'll paint for at least a half hour and I end up with some amazing artwork for my walls. It's a win-win. The best part is in case there isn't enough to do that day there's a gigantic mess to clean up and usually a bath afterwards.

Speaking of paint. Check back next week when I post my recipe for foam paint. There's no denying it's messy, but it's fun! The best part is that there are a bazillion things you can do with foam paint!

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PS That's my son Jack having at it!

Happy Thanksgiving

Rather than a photo, here's a painting today. This is titled, "The First Thanksgiving" and was painted by Jean Louis Gerome Ferris (1863-1930).

Thank you to Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale for lobbying to make today a national holiday. Thank you also to President Lincoln for declaring Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.

I better start cooking, I've got 14 people coming over later! Gobble Gobble!

Getting ready for Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving just so happens to occur during my busy season. There are Holiday cards to be designed, ordered and printed, photos to be sent to the lab and packaged, boxes to ship, clients to call and oh yes I've got to think about making some stuffing too huh?

Sophia wanted to color. I needed to make a business call. I told Sophia I would color with her after I made the call. While I was on the phone she found some diaper rash cream. I'm still trying to figure out where she found it because I'm worried about what else is there. I'm hoping that she discovered the secret location where all stray socks go to leave their partners. Who knows? Maybe socks and diaper cream like to hang out together? I've heard of crazier things.

The picture you see here is what happens when a busy photographer mom gets distracted on a business call. Like any good photographer mom my first instinct was to grab my camera and take a picture. When I look at Sophia's face in this picture I see, "this is what happens when you talk on the phone when you should be coloring with me". Lucky for me (and Sophia) it came off as quickly as it went on. Even better, she hasn't had a diaper rash on her face all day!

trust

trust
Originally uploaded by hadleyspagna.

I titled this image trust because it was taken as I was building a rapport with this sweet little girl. She had come a long way to have her photo taken by me so she knew this was a big day. During the car ride she had taken a nap only to wake up in a new and strange place. I had a feeling it might take her a little while to become acclimated to her new surroundings. What I didn't realize is that this little girl was going to make me work very hard to earn her trust. This photo was taken at the turning point in our session. Shortly after I snapped this photograph she gave me her trust.

Meet Your Photographer

IMG_1531
Originally uploaded by hadleyspagna.

A big thank you everyone who has written me with your compliments and encouraging words! I love getting your emails. Keep them coming!

Here are some of the questions I am asked most frequently:

What kind of equipment do you use?

I have lots of equipment, but more often than not I shoot with Canon digital cameras . I'm committed to bringing the latest technology to my clients. So, I'm constantly buying new cameras. The latest member of my camera family is the 5D.

Which lens is your favorite?

The 50mm 1.4! That lens gets used 80% of the time on my shoots. Sometimes I'll use it for the entire shoot. When I'm not using the 50mm, I may be using my 24-70mm or the 17-40mm. I even use a fisheye lens and a lensbaby to keep things fresh and fun.

How do you get the eyes of your subjects to sparkle like that?

I look for sparkly light and then photograph my subjects in that light.

Do you have a question you want to ask? Send me an email and you might get your question answered on this blog.

Miles and Milestones

As a member of The International Guild of Children's Photographers, Hadley is dedicated to the promotion of honesty, artistry, and dignity in children's portraiture and proudly participates in Project Miles and Milestones.

What is Miles and Milestones?

Miles and Milestones provides sessions and print packages to families that are separated from their children due to respectful situations beyond their control. So many parents, for reasons beyond their control, are missing out on their children's births, first steps, and other once-in-a-lifetime milestones. Seemingly insignificant everyday moments we so often take for granted are painfully out of reach for mothers and fathers.

If you know someone who might be eligible or think you may be, contact Hadley right away. These sessions are available on a limited basis.

Here's The Scoop On Goop!

This is such a cool thing to do. I made it for the kids and found out that I liked it as much as they did. The properties of Goop are incredible! The possibilities for the imagination are endless. Here's the scoop and have fun!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 rounded teaspoon 20 Mule Team Borax
• 8 oz. white school glue (Elmer's glue, for example)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 15 drops of food coloring (optional - can be messy)
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

• In a glass bowl, stir together 1 cup of water, the white glue, and the food coloring.
• Dissolve all the borax powder in the remaining 1/4 cup water.
• Add borax mixture to glue mix and stir until a slimy lump forms. Stir vigorously for another 30 seconds.
• Remove the lump of slime and kneed it with your hands to dry it and complete the reaction.
• In 2 minutes or so, you should be holding a ball of wonderful slime that pulls clean from your hands.

THINGS TO DO WITH GOOP:

• Push into small kid-size cups. This will make funny noises and the giggles will last forever.
• Try sticking a straw into part of the Flubber and blowing a bubble.
• Let your hand ooze into the Flubber and watch it act like a liquid.
• Then remove your hand and punch the Flubber. It will act like a solid.

Wicked Cool.

Word To The Wise: Goop is child safe but personally, I wouldn't give it to very young children. They might want to eat it or laminate it to something priceless like your Persian rug or favorite Monet.

Confident Cami

This image is from one of Hadley's last beach sessions. It just so happens to be one of our favorite images too. I love the attitude and confidence that this little friend is exuding in the image Hadley captured.

And that smile!

Wry and controlled. Sweetly suspicious? It lights up her face just as much as she let's it. Like Mona Lisa, one can't help but wondering just what she is thinking. There is so much character in her posture and expression. A great shot, to be certain!

Welcome

Welcome to the premier issue of my new photoblog!

This is a blog you'll want to bookmark! Here you'll find all kinds of interesting information, not just photography stuff. I've got a recipe for goop that I 'll be posting soon so you'll have something to do during the dark afternoons of winter. The atmosphere here is upbeat and fun (much like my sessions!).

Keep checking in often because I might even post special invitations for my clients. For example, book your 2006 session before December 31, 2005 and get my 2005 prices! Yeah, and I may just sneak it in like that so you have to read ALL the words.

You won't be hearing just from me though. My blog partner Lauren will be helping me out (and already has helped so much!).

Lauren and I encourage you to write in with your own ideas, stories, pictures, recipes, whatever! Send us the latest news, your favorite images... Your favorite restaurant! If you’re a fellow photographer, I want to hear from you too. Send your favorite images or tell us about your latest award. Maybe we’ll dedicate a post to you!

So stop by often and dish!

The face of Hadley Spagna Photography

The cutie you see here is my daughter Sophia. This picture is what inspired my Eye-Catching Photography campaign.