Looking for a new printer

I'm in need of a new printer, does anyone have any recommendations? I'd like to be able to print images, but also work from home once a week so an all-in-one is helpful as well although if I had to choose, I'd say printing images is more important than a printer I can use for work. Has to be mac compatible and most importantly must still print in b/w when the color ink is out. My current Epson piece of annoyance won't print in b/w when any of the color cartridges are out. I really, really, hate that.

How to take a good picture

Decorno has a really helpful post on taking good pictures, she went straight to the source and asked primo photographer Paul Costello for advice, I will let you read the full post on her blog but some tips that really hit me were never use the camera's flash, try to get by with natural light, and don't be afraid of a 30 second exposure. We were at Golden Gardens the other night and I could have really used a longer exposure in these shots. I guess I'll have to put a tripod and light meter on the shopping list.

I didn't buy the necklace

Last month while on shopping ban I couldn't wait until March so I could buy myself this necklace. Well March finally arrived and I allowed myself to shop again and I did not buy the necklace. Instead I bought this necklace from Zula Surfing on Etsy:


I'm a sucker for that shade of blue, I admire anything made of glass (a medium I'd love to be an expert in) and its the symbol for Aquarius. The little box it came in makes me happy as well, for some reason I have a thing for tiny boxes. And best of all this necklace was $22 while the other necklace would have cost me $110; of course I spent what I saved on some books from Powell's, a moleskine and some ebay finds but altogether I think spending $132 and getting nine items is much more frugal than spending $110 on only a single item. (can you say justification?).