If you know me well, you know that I just love DIY projects. I’ve taken on plenty in my life, even from the time I was a little girl. I must have learned to love DIY watching my mom, who wasn’t afraid to pick up a hammer or saw around the house. I can’t say that all, or even most, of my projects have turned out in perfection. A lot of the time, my projects just turn out OK. I’m usually glad to have done them but probably could have done better just by buying the real thing.

Then, there are the times when DIY just turns out so badly that I just have to say, “What was I thinking???” Case in point: a few years ago, I decided to make my own muslin backdrop. You know the type that are dappled and blurry and blue and gray? They are classic “mug shot” backgrounds. Legions of dutiful corporate employees and real estate agents have marched forth to sit in front of them to get their mug shots taken.

Well, I decided to try to make one of those. After all, how hard could it be, right? And if I was going to be a proper photographer, I had to take pictures of people in front of a background like that. My subjects—mainly my kids—would look like they were floating in a blurry, blue and gray cloud. A reliable, trust-eliciting bluish gray cloud. You might hire my kids right away, if you saw them in front this blue and gray backdrop. You would definitely buy a condo from them.

I made one with a blank muslin and some paint. I was pretty proud of it back then. I even sent several framed prints to various family members.

Here’s Nathaniel in front of this soft, corporate marshmallow of a backdrop.

Suffice it to say, my tastes have changed since then. When I look at pictures with this backdrop, I realize it’s not even blurry or soft! It’s mottled and splotchy, stiff and crunchy.

Hideous. And yet, perfect. For entering into Ugly Backdrop Contests.

So, guess what I won?? A backdrop from Drop It Modern! I entered a portrait of my little guy with the squishy cheeks into the July contest on the Drop It Modern Blog—and won! Cool!! I love their backdrops and can’t wait to receive mine. They are so posh, but also modern and graphic. I can’t wait to try one out. If I ever sent you any framed prints of portraits like the one above, I owe you some new prints .