DIY Stop Animation with Vine #VZWBuzz

I have a confession, I have been slacking when it comes to using the Vine app. For one reason or another, I keep forgetting it is there and have not used it much since the summer months. This is going to change over winter break because I really enjoy it and wish that more people would use it for the community that could be there. In addition to that, I have a project that I want to try with the boys. I want to teach my six and ten year old boys how to use Vine to make some fun stop animation videos. We can tell a new part of the story each day and plan it out and then make it come to life.

Are you new to Vine? If you are and want to join in the fun, here are some basics on how to make a Vine stop animation video.

Step 1 – Make sure you have the Vine app on your smartphone. You can get this from vine.co or from the app store on your phone. Please note the official Vine app is now available for Windows Phone users, along with people on Team Android and iPhones. Once Vine is installed on your smartphone, take some time to link it up to your Twitter and Facebook accounts  for easy sharing.

Setting up the Vine App

Step 2 – Grab some toys from around the house that you think would make a fun animation. I know when my boys test this out, we will likely have Disney characters, LEGO items,  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Angry Birds telling some kind of tale. A tip, use items that are smaller and easier to move around that are able to stand on their own. (I learned this the hard way in some of my first Vines.)

Toys to make a Vine Stop Animation Video

Step 3 – Stop animation means simply filming with your smartphone may not work. You need a very steady video capture. You can make your own with a business card holder that will keep the phone steadied and a box to get an overhead view of the scene. More specific DIY instructions for making your own tripod are out there, just search online and on Pinterest to see what others with your Smartphone may have made. TechyDad heard about my project and actually purchased a small smartphone tripod for us to use that cost well under twenty dollars.

Tripod for Vine Stop Animation Video making

Step 4 – Now it is time to make your stop animation video using Vine. Once you launch the app, gently tap the screen on your phone to take a single frame. When using Vine, it is important to remember that the longer you hold your finger on the screen, the longer it records. The green progress bar at the top of the Vine app will help you to keep track of how much time you have left. Vine limits you to six seconds to create your animation.

Using Vine for Stop Animation Video Fun

Step 5 – If you have ever seen stop animation cartoons, you are probably aware of the time spent making them. The process is made by slightly moving objects frame by frame. Every time you move the objects, you simply tap your smartphone screen and repeat. Vine helps to combine all of the frames into a short animation.

Stop animation production on Vine

Step 6 – The best part about making a Vine and trying your hand at stop animation will be sharing it with your family and family. Vine makes it easy to email or post the finished video to places like Twitter and Facebook. The best part will be watching your child see what they helped to create.

Share your stop animation on Vine and beyond

Here is a stop animation Vine that was made by Monica Vila, aka The Online Mom while visiting the new Verizon Wireless Store at the Mall of America.

Here is another stop animation that Robyn from Robyn’s Online World made at the same event as Monica.

So will you be joining me on my stop animation adventure with your children? I would love to have you try it out with me. I will be posting more about this in the future when we have some videos to share. For now, let me know what you think you will use for your first stop animation attempt.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received different items to test out and share ways that I use them in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a single image to use on Pinterest, here it is below. Happy filming and sharing.

DIY Stop Animation Video with Vine

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December Disney Magic

Last year, TechyDad and I were able to experience the magic that is Walt Disney World in December. While we do not celebrate Christmas, the decorations in the parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney are simply amazing. You are transported into a winter wonderland where it truly can snow in Florida. Here are some of my favorite memories from our visit.

December at Walt Disney World

Focused on the Magic

Be sure to stop by Focused on the Magic by clicking on the button above to join in the Disney magic this week.

It's Me

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Shopping and Saving with Isis Mobile Wallet #VZWBuzz

As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I was asked to participate in a trial shopping experience using the Isis Mobil Wallet and a Serve card with credit already on it. In my previous post, I wrote about setting up your Isis account and linking it to a Serve card. Once my account was set up, I was ready to explore thanks to coupons that were ready and waiting for me. The timing was perfect because this was the weekend before Chanukah and Black Friday. I was able to head out and beat some of the shopping frenzy and still get a good deal. Before I went out, I went into my Isis account to make sure my Toys R Us reward number was linked and that the coupons were ready.

Once you enter your pin to activate the Isis Mobile Wallet, be sure to check the “+” area to see if there are any new offers from participating retailers.

Finding Offers on Isis Mobile Wallet

When I went out on that particular day, I knew that Toys R Us had a fantastic offer. The deal on that day has already repeated itself three times now. When I clicked on the browse offers area, I was able to see the following.

Using offers on Isis Mobile Wallet

The boys and I went around Toys R Us. While I had no specific deal in mind, something caught my eye. The night before our shopping excursion, I purchased Disney Infinity for our Nintendo Wii as a surprise for the boys. We had been trying to avoid getting into this, but the deal caught my eye. So here we were at Toys R Us, with a fantastic coupon from Isis and a SALE on Disney Infinity characters. Needless to say, TechyDad and I opted to surprise the boys a little early and let them select their new figures in advance of Chanukah. When all was said and done, the three boys (hubby included), each picked out a character.

Deals with Isis for our new Disney Infinity at Toys R Us

When we were finished shopping, we went to the registers. I have never used an NFC device like Isis Mobile Wallet in the past. This was something new and everyone was watching because it was new to them. I selected the Toys R Us offer, clicked on the green bar, and held up my phone to the credit card machine. The next thing I knew, my phone shook, and I was prompted to ask the cashier to check her end. Sure enough, it registered my Toys R Us loyalty card and took off the $15 from my purchase that was over $30. Next, it asked me to press a button on my phone and then scan to complete the sale by paying with Serve. Once again, the phone buzzed and just like that I was finished. Seconds later, the cashier gave me a high five for sharing something new and we were on our way.

While I was compensated to use Isis for my shopping experience, my opinions are my own. I am definitely a fan of this app and like how quick and easy the process was to use when in a busy store. Is it perfect? No, but my complaints are not with the app itself. I simply wish there were more retailers in my area that signed up with Isis to store their loyalty cards and offer deals. My first experience was so nice, that a few days later I noticed Toys R Us had the same deal back on Isis and I went back to get a surprise Chanukah present for the kids. Oh and another nice surprise when you use the American Express Serve Account with Isis, you get 20% back on every tap for up to $200 credit from now to January 31, 2014. I know I have already gotten this back quickly with my first two shopping trips.

Have you used Isis Mobile Wallet yet? If you have, I would love to hear how you have used it to save money while out and about.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a complimentary Serve starter kit with some money loaded onto the card to share my experience using it with the newly revamped ISIS app. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

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Chanukah Wishes for 2013

Tonight, my family will gather around our dining room table to light our menorah and celebrate the Festival of Lights. Yes, it is Chanukah and on Thursday we will also light our candles on Thanksgiving. While we get ready to share the holidays together, I wanted to take a moment to wish all of those that celebrate a wonderful Chanukah.

Happy Chanukah from our LEGO family

This year, my boys are extra excited to share their traditions with classmates. NHL and JSL keep talking about Thanksgivukkah and it seems to be getting the attention of a lot of people. While it is a fun experience, we will also be focusing on the meaning of Chanukah and why we celebrate and keep our traditions alive. So while I get ready to bring our our menorahs, get ingredients to make latkes (or buy already prepared ones), I leave you with the new video from the Maccabeats that seems extra fitting heading into the holiday season.

I would love to know how you will be celebrating Chanukah and/or Thanksgiving during this very special week.

It's Me

BTW – If you are wondering where I made my LEGO family, you can make one here.

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Thanksgiving with Pete the Cat

My youngest son, JSL, is in first grade and has fallen in love with a cat that does not make me sneeze. Last year, while searching for a book at the Book Fair, he asked to purchase a Pete the Cat book by Eric Litwin. He recognized it from his kindergarten classroom. From that day on, we all became big fans of Pete. We would sing along with the songs and smile while reading thanks to the illustrations by James Dean. Over the summer, we added some new I Can Read! books about Pete that are written and illustrated by James Dean. JSL adores those, but I was looking forward to some new holiday books that were coming out.

Pete the Cat - The First Thanksgiving

Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving is by Kimberly and James Dean. We begin the book while Pete is getting ready to perform in his class’s Thanksgiving play. He is nervous about his role as a Pilgrim and his friend Callie tells him to do his best. The rest of the book shares scenes from the play that Pete and his classmates are in. Pete the Cat and his Pilgrim friends head to the New World in 1620. We see their voyage, learn about the landing at Plymouth Rock, and watch them plant crops with the help of Squanto.

Inside Pete the Cat - The First Thanksgiving

The familiar illustrations by James Dean take us into the world of Pete the Cat. We see Pete’s familiar face throughout the book. While the story is cute and does tell the tale of the first Thanksgiving and Pete’s experience in a play, there is something missing. When I asked JSL what he thought of the book (he read it with Nana), he said it was alright. He love, love, loves the original Pete the Cat books, so I was a little shocked. As I read the book, I started to understand why my little guy lost some of his enthusiasm. Sure Pete was there, but his fun loving, groovy style was missing. While the Dean story is nice, it was not the literary style that we had grown to love thanks to Eric Litwin. If you are a Pete the Cat fan, I am sure you will like seeing your friend in this book and will enjoy it in your book collection, but know that groovy, hip, and happening Pete is taking on a new more mature role.

Have you read Pete the Cat books? Which is your favorite and why? I would love to know what you think and if you have other Thanksgiving stories that you read during the holidays.

It's Me

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