Photo Booth Fail

I had wanted to do a little DIY photo booth at our housewarming for the guests to have fun with, but I never quite got all the technicalities worked out. 

I downloaded a free trial version of Breeze System's photo booth software for DSLRs and hooked my Canon 7d up to the computer via USB. I was going to have the live view on one monitor and the snapped photo on the other. I even bought a remote control for my camera so guests wouldn't have to run back and forth to take photos. A good flash is nice to have. I'm using my Canon 580EX II Speedlite which is *awesome*. It's turns most of my photos to gold, I tell ya.

Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to keep the camera from running out of batteries since it wouldn't go into sleep mode while connected to the computer. I also wanted to use it to take photos of the housewarming party (which I ended up being WAY too busy to do, though I did manage to get some food photos).

For more information on setting up a photo booth, this tutorial was very helpful

Despite my failures, we were able to do some testing :)

Housewarming Party

We threw a housewarming party this weekend and it was crazy and SO much fun! I didn't take many photos, but here are a few of the food and other party details.

Moscow Mules! Recipe from Shutterbean (slash, Oprah) 

Man Cookies, special recipe from a college friend.

Thank you, Boyfriend's mom for this idea!

Recipe here

Pulled Pork Sliders with Carnival Slaw! Recipe from Shutterbean. 

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies. Recipe here.

Friends brought good booze!

And beautiful flowers!

Food not pictured: 

Sherry-Glazed Chorizo with Manchego Cheese skewers

Cheese, meat and cracker plate

Veggie and fruit tray

Succulent Collection

My succulent collection is growing! I'm obsessed with these things so I did a little photo shoot with them this weekend. I did my best trying to match the names (thanks gosucculent.com!), but at some point a girl's gotta sleep!

Echeveria Blue Wave. These are my favorites

Aeonium pseudotabulaeforme or Saucer Aeonium

Kalanchoe Luciae. I can never seem to keep these flapjacks alive.
This one appears to be dying from too much rain and lack of sun  :(

Sedum Adolphi or Golden Sedum

Echeveria Lilacina?

Aeonium Garnet?

Graptoveria Opalina?

Haworthia Fasciata?

I picked this little furry one on a morning walk at the old place.
It was just a tiny thing then, now it's flowering!

Baby Graptopetalum paraguayense?

Mom brought me these hen and chicks from her New Mexico garden

Senecio Serpens or Blue Chalk Stick 

Echeveria Geranium

Oscularia Deltoides.

Aeonium Simsii?

Aeonium Subplanum 

Flowering crassula campfire

My Summer in Pictures

Went to my first ever wrap party! Celebrating the completion of Cars 2

Joined the Monsters University crew as a shader

Conjured up some steak with blackberry sauce and baked potatoes

Attended the annual Big Wheels race on Easter in SF

Escaped to Wine country for some tasty treats

Stayed at the cutest little B&B

Used Aurelia's Chorizo in a Triple Sherry Cream Reduction
(tip: wear lose-fitting pants while eating)

Saw my dream car at Pixar's Motorama event

Met Finn McMissile in person

Escaped to Tahoe

Shared a junior banana split at Fenton's Creamery (the one featured in Up)

Got a crew gift for my time on Cars 2 Promotional
Check out the State Farm commercial!

Made some damn tasty skewers on the grill

Cracked open some Ying-Yang eggs

Did some laundry

Went to the SF Farmers Market

Attended the Kite Festival in Berkeley (and also learned some tricks on a stunt kite)

Made some AMAZING Blueberry zucchini bread and
zucchini hash (Tracy, if you're reading this, thank you for
sharing your brilliant cooking!)

Bought myself a bike, which I promised I would if Pixar offered me a
full-time job after my residency. It's beautiful and FUN!

I think summer is my new favorite season. Hope you all had a fun one as well!