Apps & Books

Hipstamatic

iPhone or cool camera or both?  The Hipstamatic app for the iPhone and iPod touch brings the cool factor to the iPhone.  By “changing” lenses, film types and flashes, you can create a variety of retro looking images.  The developers, Synthetic, have also create a Field Guide for the app with instructions and a break down of all of the lenses, film and flashes available for free or in-app purchase at the HipstaMart.  The Big Hipstamatic Show allows users to participate in contests and win prizes.  Check out the pictures showcased there to get an good idea of what you can do with this app.

Below are a few pictures I’ve taken with the app.  I’m just beginning to explore the possibilities that Hipstamatic has to offer.

Lens: Jimmy

Film: Kodot XGrizzled

Flash: Off


Lens: Libatique 73

Film: Ina’s 1969

Flash: off

Lens: Hornbecker

Film: AO DLX

Flash: Off

Lens: Matty ALN

Film: Cano Cafenol

Flash: Off

Lens: Hornbecker

Film: AO DLX

Flash: Off

Lens: Jimmy

Film: Ina’s 1969

Flash: Off

Lens: Matty ALN

Film: Pistil

Flash: Off

** The four legged subjects were not exactly cooperative **

Re-reading for fun..

It’s summer and I just want to chill out a bit.  One of the easiest ways for me to do that is to re-read a couple favorite books or series.  I’m re-reading the last two Sookie Stackhouse books.  They’re fun, campy and light.  

iPhoneography

I stumbled on the concept of iPhoneography a few weeks ago and thought it sounded interesting…. According to the iPhoneography Blog, iPhoneography is:

iPhoneography is the art of taking photos with Apple’s iPhone

Looking through the pictures featured on the site, or the ones posted on their Facebook page, it is clear that these people are definitely getting more out of their iPhone pictures than I am. So, I am going to make a concerted effort from now on to take my iPhone pics to the next level with some pre-pic taking planning and post-pick taking editing. 

A book that shouldn’t be read in the dark - Don’t Breathe a Word

I finished Don’t Breathe a Word yesterday during the day because it was creeping me out a bit too much to continue to read it at night.  Ever think you see something from the corner of your eye?  Think you hear something in your room at night?  It might be a fairy.  Not your cute little Tinkerbell, but Telio - King of the Fairies and his kind.  

Fifteen years ago, a young girl named Lisa tells her brother and cousin goodbye and goes to live with Telio and the fairies.  What happened to her? In the present day, Pheobe is dating Lisa’s brother, Sam.  She remembers the missing girl Lisa.

The book flips back and forth between the events leading up to Lisa’s disappearance fifteen years ago and present day as Pheobe and Sam try to discover the truth amongst family secrets and fairytales.  I did enjoy the book, but found the end a bit jumbled and confusing.

One of my favorite Apps - Let’s Create Pottery HD

This app is one of my favorites, one of my go-to apps.  It’s an app that you can pick up and be creative with right away.  You can create some pretty spectacular looking pots.  The graphics are beautiful and very realistic.

By using your fingers to stretch the clay up and pulling out to stretch the width of the pot, you can create a wide variety of shapes.  After creating the shape and choosing the material for your pot, you then “fire” the pot.  Once “fired” you can then add ornaments (tops, windows, handles), color, and brushes to complete your pot.

The ornaments menu:

The same pot with a lid instead of a window:

Some of the Greek brushes:

Egyptian brushes:

Egyptian brushes being used:

Completed pot using Islamic brushes and various colors:

Goblet with Greek brushes:

Pottery HD features quests to help you learn the game.  The quests are delivered by “email” within the game.  You try to recreate the pot that your “customer” has seen in a museum, art gallery, etc.  The customer pays you and you are able to earn money to buy more brushes.

Infinite Dreams has created a very slick, well thought out app.  I have been happy with the updates and look forward to what they bring to the game in the future.  The $4.99 is a very reasonable price tag for what the game offers.

Enjoy!

:-)

Summer Reading

Summer officially begins tomorrow afternoon and with it comes a more relaxed pace of life.  School’s out and other than a camp or two and weight training for the boys, there’s not too much going on. Nice change of pace.  I read a lot throughout the year, but definitely tend to read more in the summer.  I have a couple books put aside for the summer.

I’m currently reading Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon.  It’s definitely creeping me out a bit and making me want to stuff things under my bed so the trap door can’t open.