Awesome (Free!) Apps for the Budding Photographer

Good afternoon, all!

I hope your day is going well!

For today's post, I'd like to inform you of some awesome photography apps on the iPhone or on Android devices. Some of them you've heard of, or have and have had for forever, but others are fairly new and somewhat unheard of.

I've been using one of them like all day and I hate to admit it, but... I'm obsessed! It's so much fun! So I absolutely have to share. If you're into photography, these are must-have apps for you! So check 'em out:

1. Instagram. I mean, c'mon; how could I not include this on this list? If you don't have it, or you know nothing about it, here you go - though I personally think it's more for artsy or creative photos, you can document life through the lens of this app by taking a shot or uploading a photo from your camera roll. You can edit your photo in a number of ways: crop, rotate, brighten, create highlights and shadows. The most popular part of Instagram is that there are variety of different filters you can apply to your photos. These give an old-timey feel to your photos - whether you choose black & white, or a warmer color that makes your photo appear "vintage." Above are some of my Instagram photos that I had a lot of fun with. Instagram photos, after you've gone through the whole process of editing them, come out square, unlike the ones I've pictured here. For some reason when I made a collage of them, it decided to alter them a bit. Who knows why. Not a big deal, however. But now you know a bit about the program if you didn't know much about it before. If you don't follow me already on the app - my username is "clareelisabeth" and you can check out all of my other Instagram photos. Get onto the App or Google Play store and download Instagram right now!

2. Picstitch. This app is great for when you want to make a collage of photos and put them on Facebook or Instagram, or wherever else you like. You can create a collage by uploading a number of photos and placing them into an already set framework. So if you can't decide which picture to keep or show off, make a collage of 'em! It can be a collage of similar photos, or a random assortment. Here is my example, to the left. I took these four photos in my backyard and at Buckingham Pond. I thought they were beautiful and I wanted to get some good shots of all of them. To save room on my camera roll on my phone, I put them all together into one photo - this collage - and now they take up less space and I get to enjoy their beauty just as I would in each individual photo I took. There are a million photo collage apps out there, but I think Picstitch is by far the best. The others you can do a little bit more with, but for the simplicity - I'm sticking with this app!

3. Flipagram. If you're interested in making cool montage videos with your photos, set to your favorite music - this is the app for you! You can select up to as many photos as you want, set the speed of the video, choose a song, and save to your phone. It's awesome. And if you ever want to surprise a friend for a birthday or something - make them a cute little Flipagram and they'll love it - I guarantee it!

4. Studio. This is the app I've been obsessing and fawning over all day. I just found it and I am madly in love. You can add text (your own, quotes, typography, etc), frames, doodles, the list goes on and on! And the best part is - it's all free! Here are a few of the ones I've created just today (left and below). I am having so much freakin' fun with this app, and you will, too! Download it right now and get busy with your creative side! I like to bring out my creative side by using my favorite photos of people, nature, etc. and adding some bling - such as, inspirational quotes or something you can #hashtag on Instagram or Facebook. Go to town with it! I know you'll love it as much as I do!

 There are a million and one more apps out there for photographs - shooting, editing, etc., but these are my absolute favorites. And I love to share my thoughts with you all, so I thought this would make a good blog post for today. Since I've been having a lot of trouble coming up with some stuff to write about as of late.

So that's all for now, folks! Hope you enjoyed today's post. I'll see ya around!

xoxo, Clare

All You Need is Love

Hola, amigos!

I went to the movies last night with a couple of "friends" (just kidding, guys) and saw a fantastic film called Wish I Was Here. It stars Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, and Zach Braff. And is also directed and written by Braff. It had all the feels. It was happy, sad, hysterical, tragic. I LOVED IT. So I highly recommend it. But the point is that this movie as well as one other significant factor is my inspiration for today's blog post. 

The other significant factor inspiring today's post is this: today is the one year anniversary of my grandfather's death. It has been a very rough year for my family, as you could have guessed. But we have all made it a year and on this day today, August 5, 2014, we remember him with fondness and happy hearts.

For today's post, I just want to say some really corny and cheesy things about life and love and all that jazz, and hope that you take it all in and live and breathe it everyday.

So here are some cliche tips on learning to love and live with an open heart and open mind (in no particular order):

- Find yourself. Discovering who you truly are is probably the biggest part of learning to love others and enjoy life. There are a million and one ways to do this. I will discuss these further on. But for now - think about who you are, what your purpose is, etc. This is some real deep stuff, so you should mentally prepare yourself first before delving into any of it. Try settling down with a cup of tea (or a glass of water if tea isn't your thing - but something soothing and healthy), and just sit in silence and think.

- Love yourself. Once you've figured out who you are, or even if you never figure out who you are - learn to love yourself just the way you are. You were created this way for a reason. You may never figure out what that reason is, but you've got to tell yourself that there is a reason and that you will probably have to search for it the rest of your life. That being said, you should use every ounce of your being to first learn to love yourself, before you can love life or love others.

- See the world. This may go hand-in-hand with your "finding yourself" adventure. If you don't have the time or the money, look at the next tip! But if you find yourself with the opportunity to travel, DO IT NOW! You only live once; you got to get out there and SEE things. And in doing so, you open your mind to new ideas and new cultures, and new people. Traveling the world, or the country, or the state, or even your own city can show you a multitude of amazing things that are out there in the world. Let the world take your breath away; have fun, enjoy it, be free.

- Escape through books or movies. Reading or watching something heartfelt and thoughtful can both uplift you and bring you down. But when you think about it, if it's a really good book or a really good movie, it will do both. So if you can't afford to travel right now - grab a book and get readin'. Find something interesting and well-written, and most of all - enjoy it. Your love for life and love and yourself and others will grow with your love for books and movies.

- Visit family and friends often. This ties in with my story about my grandfather. He lived down on Long Island with most of my dad's side of the family, while we live up here in Albany. It's a 4-hour trip and it was a pain in the neck to get down there from time to time. We rarely went when I grew old enough to get a job and start working. And to be honest, I completely regret the fact that I did not make an effort to go down there on my own when I could finally drive. I could have seen my family more often and I didn't. And now my grandfather is gone, and my family is a wreck. So this is my advice to you - go see your family more. Even if you live thousands of miles away, visit them. And if you can't do that: call them, e-mail them. Do whatever it takes to stay close with them. I would give anything to go back and time and be told this advice and just do it.

- Show some love. Tell someone you love them - someone you actually love. Be nice to strangers, do good deeds for others. There are so many things you can do to show and share the love. When you show others the example, you feel it deep down in your heart and in your soul. You get what you give. And love is, in my opinion, the greatest gift you could ever give or receive. Just like the Beatles once sang - "All you need is love. Love is all you need."




To my grandfather, I miss you everyday and I wish I could have been there for you more - especially towards the end. I'm sorry. But I think of and pray for you often. And I hope you hear my prayers.

Love you, Da. Hope you're partying it up up in Heaven. I won't be seeing you soon, but I'll be seeing ya.

Cheers.

xoxo, Clare

5 Movies So Bad, They're Good

Good evening / night, friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful day today! And if not, it's never too late to turn that frown upside down! And I know exactly how to help! Or at least I have some ideas for you to try tonight...

And those ideas include 5 amazingly bad movies. Have you ever seen a movie so so so bad that you could NOT stop watching? C'mon, I know you have. But if not... Welp, you're in luck! I got a whole list of 'em!

Most of the movies on this list are categorized as science fiction, though I will say this: I have seen so many other non-science fiction movies that I personally felt were absolutely horrific and I often ask myself, as well as others around me, "How the hell did this movie ever make it onto the big screen?"

Fear not, friends - this list is not a list of famous movies that made it big in Hollywood. Thank God. This list consists of a variety of movies made by the SyFy network and/or any other director or producer that has no idea what they're doing. So sit back, relax, read this list, and get online, or go to your nearest library or movie rental store (do they even have those anymore?), or download that sh*t illegally! (It'll be well worth the prison time).

For the record - these are in no particular order of worst or best or whichever. They are for whichever order you prefer but you may find the first two on TV a lot this whole upcoming week...

1. Sharknado. This is actually the reason I decided to write this article - because I watched this tonight. Like, an hour ago. And by golly, Miss Molly! It is thrilling, hilarious, scary, wonderful, and fantastic - ALL IN ONE. It is literally about a tornado full of sharks. How you ask? Like I would know. Ask the folks over at SyFy. They know how to make a bad movie while also making a ton of money and hype about it. But let me just say: be prepared for the greatest acting performance by Tara Reid. Yes, Tara Reid. Get out there and get ready to watch this epic movie just in time for Shark Week! (Disclaimer: This movie is totally unrelated to the Discovery Channel Shark Week... But just as good).


2. Sharknado 2: The Second One! Yup, you read right. That's the title of the second of this epic adventure series starring Miss Tara Reid. AND Vivica A. Fox. AND Billy Ray Cyrus. AND a million other Z-list celebs you will die laughing when you see in this movie. I also watched this tonight... (Shut up, I have a lot of time on my hands and I don't always know what to do with it - so obviously I watch movies like this for pure entertainment reasons). I gotta say - this one was even better than the first. So maybe if you're not feeling it, go for the second one. It's 100 times more epic, funny, silly, and stupid. So I mean, why not give it a try?

3. Anything with "SHARK" in the title. There are seriously at least half a dozen of these movies. So honestly, this blog post is giving you even more than you bargained for. You're welcome. Here are some awesome examples just to name a few: Mega Shark, Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus, Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus, Sharktopus, and Sharktopus Versus Pteracuda (Conan O'Brien makes a hilarious appearance in this last one). Just when you thought one couldn't mash enough sea creatures' and other animals' names together, you thought wrong. Have at it!

4. Mandrake. This was the first really bad I think I watched and can remember. It was HYSTERICAL. It is a legitimate movie with all the aspects of a parody movie. The opening scene will already have you dying with laughter. This monster lurks in a forest or jungle sort of thing and terrorizes tourists and scientists and natives alike. It brutally and viciously kills them with its long stems and roots. Oh, and the CGI is incredible. (Sarcasm, duh). Which, I should have mentioned the special effects and things for the above movies on this list - they are all horribly done, and obviously done with as little money or experience as possible. But it honestly makes it that much better. People seriously pay money to go see these movies when they put them in the theater, and it's great. I'm tellin' ya, this one though... A true keeper. Green screen, acting, all of it is just truly amazing. Please go check this one out right this very second. I've been wanting to re-watch it in all its glory all day long.

5. Killer Klowns From Outer Space. The title in itself explains a lot. I think this is an 80s movie, or maybe 90s. At least it seems that way. Who knows, maybe it's even in the 2000s. I really hope not. But it's about exactly what it says. Creepy as F*CK clowns that come from outer space to kill humans in the weirdest and most disturbing of ways. This may or may not give you nightmares. I know it did for me. I'm a pansy though when it comes to scary things. I also originally thought the Mandrake poster was scary -- and then I watched the movie and could not stop laughing at both myself and the movie. Anyway, Killer Klowns certainly makes it onto my list, even if it is #5.

There you have it, guys! Five horrific and God-awful movies that are just so bad, they're GREAT! Don't get me wrong, there are so many more out there that I have yet to even see. If you have any you can think of, please do inform me. I must look into them right away.

Before I go, I'd also like to mention a few bad movies I've been interested in watching for a while now, and I will let you know how they are once I watch them. These include: Triassic Attack (starring Emilia Clarke! - my favorite favorite favorite actress from the HBO TV series Game of Thrones!), Birdemic: Shock and Terror, Troll, and Troll 2. 

Have fun, peeps! Let me know what you think of them! G'night!

xoxo, Clare

De-Clutter Your Life in 3 Simple Steps

Hello all!

It's been a few days since I last wrote a post. No inspiration has really struck me until this afternoon.

The rest of this blog post will explain what it is that motivated me to write today! So read on, friends.
And enjoy!

My life has been a total wreck lately - and in a multitude of ways. I've literally been dirty, my room also literally dirty, and then just my mind is very messy as well (you could also say it's been dirty in a more adult and figurative sense - I am one to pull a "That's what she said" joke out of the blue, HA!)

So anyway - just this afternoon (about an hour ago maybe), I decided that I should clean my room. It was a hot mess. I have two beds in my bedroom (one that I don't even use - UGH, MOM!), and I tend to pile all on my clean laundry until it's one big heaping mound. And if I don't get around to it even then, my mother will come in and put it all away for me. Which I am very grateful for, but she puts things in strange places I feel like, and I can never find any piece of clothing I am looking for in particular. I have had enough of the volcano of clothing about to erupt and spread everywhere, so I figured putting it all away would do me some good. Not only that, but I emptied out all my drawers in my dresser, folded everything into neat piles and placed them into the drawers quite carefully. Now it looks wonderful.
Here is a picture right below this sentence. (Reppin' the Tri-City ValleyCats gear, obviously).

 So they're not perfectly folded, but you get the point. And now I feel so much better about cleaning it all up and folding it as nicely as possible and putting it all away.

The point of this post is to give you some ways or steps, or whatever you wish to call them, to clean up your surroundings, your appearance, and your mind!

So here they are - your 3 simple steps to de-cluttering your life:

1. De-clutter your space = de-clutter your mind. Just like me, cleaning your actual surroundings can make you feel a hell of a lot better. Usually when you see a whole messy bunch of food, stains, clothes, garbage all around you - you get stressed. And we can't have any of that. So, first things first - grab a broom, a mop, or use your hands (the best tools around!) and get to work. If you feel that you can't handle as big a project as this, grab a buddy too. Tell them you'll pay them in gum. Or hugs. Or whatever. Once you've got your space (your bedroom, your bathroom, your house, your car) all cleaned up, you're ready to take on the world!

2. Take a break. If you don't feel like cleaning or doing anything right now, start off by relaxing! Sleep in a little late, or take a nap. Take a hot bath or shower, wash your face with warm water. Meditate or pray. Do whatever it takes to just sit still and be alone and be quiet. We all need these breaks in our lives to just contemplate life in a desolate place in complete solitude and peace. Make the most of this time, and instead of thinking about the next thing you have to do, live in the moment and enjoy it! This step could also mean taking a vacation. Which we could all use. All the time.

3. Get rid of those bad eggs. I mean this literally and figuratively, of course. Literally - if you have bad eggs around... Throw those nasty things out. But seriously, this step really means to get rid of all those bad people in your life that are bringing you down or getting you into trouble or doing anything negative to you and your life whatsoever. We don't need Negative Nancy around us all the time. So get rid of that b*tch! She's no good for you. You got to know that by now. And if you don't know who these people are in your life by now, the next time you hang out with a friend or group of friends, be aware of what they say and do. If all they do is talk about themselves, or complain about everything, say goodbye. Surround yourself with happy and positive people as much as possible!

Well, that's all I have for now. I hope this was helpful. If you can think of anything else that helps YOU de-clutter your mind and your life, let me know! I'd love the input! Please + thank you!

Have a great rest of your day!

xoxo, Clare

8 Inspirational Quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello again, everybody.

Tonight I'd like to bring you some awesome and inspirational quotations from one of my favorite writers, Ralph Waldo Emerson. If you haven't already, check out some of his work! "Self-Reliance" and Nature are just two of my favorites of his. He has plenty of other great stuff that plenty of other people have and still do enjoy.

So here you go - end your day with a sweet list of quotes from an exceptional man.

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” 

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” 

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” 

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” 

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” 

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” 

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” 

And there you have it - eight of some of my favorite quotes for you to ponder for the rest of the night. Have a great night; sleep tight and sweet dreams!

xoxo, Clare

How to Have a Lovely Day

Good morning!
Guten morgen!
Buenos dias!
Bonjour! 

It's kinda / sorta late morning (almost the afternoon, in fact), but it still counts! Right? I hope?

I'm in a fairly decent mood this morning (if you couldn't tell!) and I thought it would be fun to write a post today about how to have a good / great / lovely / wonderful day! At least, my way to have a good day. Which, I can't guarantee anything, but maybe some of these ideas will spark up some other ideas for you to try. So why not give it a try? Get ready, get set... Vamanos! Let's go!

1. Start the day off right! With FOOD. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And I gotta say - they're probably right. Whoever they may be. I know I always seem to have a better day after I've had a full and hearty breakfast. And I'm not much of a breakfast food person (Crazy talk, I know. And very un-American of me -- Oh, well). So if you're anything like me and you don't love breakfast food, go for a simple bowl of cereal or some toast. These are the go-to foods for a quick and acceptable breakfast. Add a cup of coffee with some milk or a glass of OJ for something extra. If you're a huge breakfast person, go all out! Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage: all great foods to give you that boost in the morning and start your day off the right way. Disclaimer: do not skip this meal. You will regret it a while before lunch time. And then you'll be trying to catch up on food for the rest of the day. Which makes you feel fat and gross and you'll be wishing you had had that muffin or bagel earlier in the morning.

2. Wash up. After breakfast, or even before breakfast (it's up to you), wash your hands and face, brush your teeth, comb your hair, or take a shower in lieu of the previously mentioned (but don't skip the brushing of the teeth or combing of the hair!). Wiping away all the bacteria and garbage that builds up in and on your body while you sleep will give you a better start to your day. So don't forget this step!

3. Dress up. Dressing up will make you feel like a million bucks. Put some make-up on (but not too much, please!), hop into your best Sunday dress, wear some pretty shoes, do your hair up all nice. Do whatever it takes to make yourself feel beautiful (or handsome). Feeling good about your outside will make you feel better on the inside! Take a look at your gorgeous self in the mirror and be proud of who you are! You are always beautiful, just so you know - no matter your shape or size - and this step is just to help you accentuate your beauty. Don't ever forget that!


4. Get out into the world! Once you've finished up all your getting ready for the day, get up and out into the world. Slap a smile on your face, say hi to strangers, hold the door open for others, say please and thank you, etc. There is plenty you can do out there in the big ol' scary world to make it that much better. Getting out there is also a thousand times better than staying in for the day. Even if you have nothing to do all day - get out of the house and go for a walk, meet up with a friend, do whatever it takes to get yourself outside. If it's raining, grab an umbrella! Or it's raining - and ONLY if it's raining - curl up by the window, and then read on to step #5.

5. Read a good book while sipping a cup of tea. 'Nuff said. But if you're not into tea, grab some juice or milk or something HEALTHY and enjoy yourself.

6. Stressed is desserts spelled backwards. If you're having a tough day, grab a treat. Chocolate is my favorite stress-free dessert. Don't overdo it however, keep it moderate. But if you're not feeling all that great, feel free to reach into your fridge or freezer or pantry and grab something that will make you feel better. For me, food always seems to make things better.

7. Slow down. Don't rush! If you're late for work or something, take your time; try not to stress. It will only make things worse. If you can't do anything about it, why worry about it?

I'm sure there is plenty more I am forgetting... So - leave me something in the comments that helps YOU have a better day and maybe I'll put it into this post!

That's all for now, folks!

Have a great day today!

xoxo, Clare

Avoiding the Racing Thoughts at the End of the Day

Hey, peeps.

I figured I'd write a post tonight because I need to get some of the thoughts out and into words that actually make sense. And what better way to do so than to write about something positively distracting!

I'm a thinker - my mind is always going. There are times when I'm coming up with a million and one great ideas, and other times when my brain will just not shut off - when I really need it to. Like at bedtime.

Every night, right as I climb into bed to read a book or just sit here and text my boyfriend, the ominous thoughts come lurking. They hide in the shadows, and in the crevices and corners of my bedroom. They wait for me to finally get settled in and relaxed. And then, like a scary monster or killer, they pounce. My brain becomes infested with thoughts about anything and everything; you name it. I look back on my day and think about everything that went wrong, everything that went right. I think about tomorrow and everything I have to do, what time I have to get up, etc. I create these long and seemingly endless lists in my head and I have no idea what to do with them. All I can do is lie down and stare at the ceiling, hoping and praying that the thoughts will just go away and I will fall asleep already. I usually give it a fair amount of time, a fair amount of tossing and turning, opening and closing my eyes, sitting up and laying down, etc. before my brain finally decides to just settle down. Now, I'm not one for patience, so this is excruciatingly frustrating...

If you're reading this now and you can completely and totally relate, then the rest of this post is just for you. So read on, friend. If you have no idea what I'm talking about and have no feelings or emotions at the end of the day whatsoever, then, well, you're a robot. Or a heartless red-headed stepchild. Either way, you have no business being on the internet and/or reading such things.

So anyway - there's honestly not much to it. You gotta do a number of very obvious, plain and simple things and you'll be waking up the next morning before you know it. Here's what you gotta do to keep your brain calm and cool and collected:

1. Wash away the day. Literally wash up. Spend a fair amount of time in the bathroom washing your face and hands and even feet, as well as brushing your teeth. Get rid of all the dirt and food and grime that collects on your body throughout the day. Once it's all gone (or most of it at least), you'll feel clean and refreshed and ready to take on anything - but in this case, make that "anything" your bed and your sleepy-time.


2. You + Bed = Pure Bliss. Hop into your comfy bed and under the blankets! Unless it's too hot, of course. And it is summer, so... In this case, invest in a fan if you don't already have one. Turn that sucker up to high and then hop into bed. Fluff your pillows, or do whatever you gotta do to make it perfect for sleeping in. Your bed should be your sanctuary at night. And if it's not, then you need to re-evaluate some things in your life at this current moment in time. But in all seriousness, who doesn't love their bed?!

3. Lights out! Turn all lights, electronics, or whatever else, OFF. There have been studies that say shutting down your iPhones, computers, etc. a decent amount of time before you call it a night will give you a better night's sleep. Give it a try. Try it first, try it last. Keep reading and then you can decide when you want/need to turn off your lights and other things.

4. Close those pretty little eyes. Cut right to the chase! I ain't wasting any time and neither should you. After you've done all the necessary things to get ready for sleep, SLEEP. After laying down in bed, closing your eyes is the next step to falling asleep. Let your body relax, and let the Sleep Fairy do the rest!

Now all of the above steps sound simple and easy and will help you avoid all the ruminating. But of course these simple steps will not always work - or maybe they'll never work. And sometimes you've done all of this and you think you've made it through without any problems and then BAM! The thoughts come flooding in. Here are some other options if you have trouble with the above steps and/or the thoughts have already invaded your brain:

- Open up a good book. Preferably a happy one. Or one that you will enjoy without having to do much thinking or emotional or mental work for. A children's bedtime story may be your best bet. No matter how old you are, they are always great. Goodnight, Moon is my all-time favorite children's book (Okay, my favorite BOOK ever). Read something simple, maybe even something with pictures. Get yourself engaged in the story and before you know it, those awful thoughts will be gone and/or your eyes will be get tired and your body will be signaling to you to get to sleep.

- Watch a funny video clip, tv show, or movie. Depending on how much time you want to give yourself, watch any of these three and you'll surely forget about any bad thoughts you may previously have had. Whose Line Is It Anyway? is the greatest option ever. Laugh your ass off and before long, you'll be thinking about what funny quotes to share with a friend or co-worker in the morning.

- Lather up. Put some soothing lotion on your arms and legs, or a facial mask on your face. Let the cool liquid or gel soak into your skin. Lather, rinse, repeat (last step optional). This step should also include the option of taking a nice hot bath or shower. Soak in the tub for however long you deem fit, and just enjoy the thought of the great physical feelings it brings you. You'll feel relaxed and ready to settle down for the night.

- Massages are heavenly. If you live with someone else, ask them to give you a nice back or neck rub before calling it a night. Just like the lotion, a massage or body rub will relax your muscles and in turn, relax your brain. If you live alone, try a back or head scratcher. You may not think it's the same thing, but it's seriously just as good.

Well, that's all for tonight. I'm headed to sleep myself. Writing this post really made me feel a whole lot better. Would ya look at that? Maybe even doing something productive before bed will help calm your brain and ward off those yucky thoughts.

Goodnight, friends!

xoxo, Clare