DIY Tabletop Pallet

I had a few ideas, that would need a "floor," and my boyfriend agreed to make said need for me!
We went to Lowe's and picked out the type of wood I wanted, nails, and stain. This all varies on what you're wanting. I wanted a dark-toned, smooth surface. So we got the darkest stain I could find, and pine, which turned out to be so smooth that it needed minimal sanding. Which is always a plus, if you're on a time-crunch (which I was)!
My platform ended up being 4'x4'. For this, I had 4 pieces of 8' long wood cut in half (they don't come out even, so be sure you get them to trim the pieces to 4' each if you don't have a way to trim them later). So, that turns it into 8 pieces of 4' long, and 6" thick wood. Mine was 2 inches deep.

Line them all up to be even on one side. James trimmed the other side with a saw later on.

We got two extra 4' long pieces to screw along the bottom. Remember to screw into each piece of wood if you're securing it from the bottom.

Then he sanded it. Make sure you sand it completely down! The stain will clump and look funny if there are raised rough spots.

Especially sand the edges. This is meant to be portable, and getting splinters every time you pick it up is no fun.

I wanted a little more character, so I had James nail nails in the top, as if it looked like that was where the bottom part was fastened. He set the nails in, as well. That's all preference though, of course. They looked just as good raised. But I was going to being shooting food on it, and I didn't want it to be distracting or snag on the food.

And the finished product!! This is after sanding, staining and setting the nails in.
I am beyond pleased with it, and James is such a handyman!

One problem I had was that I completely didn't think about the spaces between the pieces of wood when I stained it. So it took overnight to dry, since the drips and clumps between the wood were hard to dry without messing up the rest of the stain job.

But there you go! For about $45, you can get your own set. And you can always make it bigger, for not that much more money. I definitely will be investing in making more of these, especially since I have the help from James.

Ballet Still Life

Although I thoroughly enjoy it, I do not see myself as a still life photographer. Whenever I get the chance to do it, and finish with something that I'm proud of, it's a pretty good moment for me.

Below is a photo that I'll be turning in as a final for my still life class.

I dance on and off for 5 years total. I loved it, and was eventually on pointe. I miss dancing (I had to give it up for school) every day, but I'm so glad for the time I had dancing, and all that I learned. I was even able to go on a mission trip to Europe, dancing through the streets of Rome and Porto. 

Ballet will always hold a special place in my heart.

For the lighting setup,
I used one light with a softbox,
and a white reflector opposite the box.