day 3 - neighborhood

L - iphone / T - iphone

I think she's right, some photos don't lend themselves to being cropped so narrow. But what do you think - which format is best?

Notice the Bradford Pear trees are in bloom already. Last week the highs were in the mid 70s, tomorrow we're supposed to have a freeze warning - I think it's only the second one we've had this winter.

historical fiction / fairytales

L - Nikon / T - iphone

New reading - a book I received at Christmas - a great white elephant score. I thought it was interesting that I ended up with this book. I love historical fiction, especially when it's about an artist. What about you - what type of reading do you enjoy? / my children's lit reading list - grimm's fairy tales, frankenstein and dracula to name a few. should be fun.

adorn / ornament

L - Nikon / T - iphone

I've had this tree topper for many years. It's not your typical angel, but I love her - I see her as a caregiver to nature and animals. Do you put a star or angel on the top of your tree - or something completely unique? / 60 individual petals - 12 flowers - finished ornament (photo put together with picstitch app). the process was therapeutic as a break from studying for finals and i love the results.

intricate / simple

solo post - L, Nikon

"Trust that your intuition is your supreme inner intelligence." - 54 keys to happiness

No matter how much knowledge we gather, sometimes it's simple intuition that gives us the answer we need.

warm bread / warm chair

solo post - L, Nikon

Today it is chilly outdoors – lots of wind and pending snow in the forecast. But inside it is toasty warm – the warmth of the fire, and the sunshine on the chair invited me to sit and read... but I had work to do. Not dreaded work like laundry or vacuuming, or even taking down Christmas, but finally a chance to get down in my studio and work. After a slice of cranberry bread, fresh out of the oven, I set to work. I'm happy to say it was a very productive day. And honestly, I'm hoping for that snow that is in the forecast. It's just as exciting to miss a work day now as it was to miss a school day in days past, don't you think?

evening black / winter white

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

I don't "dress up" much - the office Christmas party is about the only evening I buy a special dress, get out eye shadow, stockings, and my patent leather shoes. And because Taylor wasn't home to critic my outfit I had to take a photo and send it to her for approval. (wish i could take better self portraits) She said, "it looks cute, especially with the awesome necklace and shoes". I'm not sure cute was what I was going for but I guess it will do. Do you like to get dressed up in fancy clothes? / people always tell me i look too dressed up for the errands i'm running. i just like wearing pretty things and am too impatient to wait around for the perfect event. i've gotten very good at dressing nice things down with thrift store belts and worn boots, haha. i hope i didn't make too much of a faux-pas by wearing white this winter day.

colored lights / white lights

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

I'm behind on getting my tree up this year - I just got the lights on it last night. However, it looks like Taylor is very festive at her apartment. She has her little tree decorated and her bike is all decked out for the holidays too. I'm wondering... do you use colored lights or white lights?

a girl / her dog

solo post - L, Nikon

I know you're probably tired of seeing this dog, but it's all I have tonight. As you may know, over the weekend Taylor brought home a little dog she had been fostering so that my brother could take him to Alabama and give him a permanent home. My brother is so happy with the way Copper is adjusting. I think at first he thought, "what am I getting myself in for?" For the past 10 years he's had a nice routine with his dog Emerson who is very well behaved and settled in as just the two of them... now he's got to train a new dog, and make sure his fence is secured - you know how beagles will follow a scent no matter what. My brother said Copper is doing well, adapting to his schedule and is fun to play with, but almost too much for his older dog to handle. Taylor said that dog was a magnet for her - he really does have a cute puppy dog face with his heavy eyeliner. Maybe my brother will benefit in more ways than he anticipates... in the way of meeting a nice young lady perhaps? I'm wondering, has anyone ever had a beagle?

delighted / happy

L- Nikon / T - Nikon

I was out of town, walking amongst formal rose gardens, natural wildflower gardens and through a museum with great pieces of American art - Grant Wood and Georgia O'Keefe, just to name a few – captivated by the beauty around me and I received a photo text from Taylor. It was a painting that she had started working on. I had no idea she was even painting again - and just for fun. Do you know how happy that made me? I was looking at the work of famous artists but the work of this artist is what gave me delight. On the subject of art - I'm wondering who is one of your favorite artist? One of mine is Pierre Bonnard / i had an idea in my head so i got out my paintbrushes. i'm really please with the way it's turning out and i'm enjoying doing it. and guess what else - Lilly got adopted today. so happy.

by sea / by land

solo post - L , iphone

I had a fun weekend away and of course took a lot of photos. But I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. I took almost as many on my iphone so I'll share a couple of those right now. Maybe you can tell where I was. Any guesses? (No fair if you're friends with me on FB and have seen some hints there) Different towns - both historical.

upstairs / downstairs

solo post - L, iphone/Nikon

By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer's best of weather And autumn's best of cheer. -Helen Hunt Jackson

This time of year the shadows dance lively as I get ready for work. I see them upstairs and downstairs. I'm lucky that I don't have leave for work before the sun rises - I get to see the pretty light show on my walls. I love how the house has a cool autumn feel in the morning too. We're moving into my favorite season. What about you? Do you look forward to cooler days ahead or are you wanting to hang on to the summer?

happy earth day

solo post - L , Nikon

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." -John Muir, Preservationist, 1838-1914

My favorite time of day is at dusk when the light is changing and wildlife is rustling about. I enjoy sitting down by the creek and just letting the stress of the day fade away. Ours is a dry creek bed, but one day I would like to create some sort of water feature down there to give the impression of a real creek. However, I might never come in if I do that. I would build a fire down there and sit for hours with a cup of tea just enjoying the trickle of the water, and the bird song...
Did you get a chance to get outside today- to feel the sun on your face, maybe a breeze through your hair and to appreciate the beauty of nature around you?

revealed

solo post - L

I've been working on this painting for the auction I told you about, but I'm a little hesitant in showing it. I haven't painted in a long time and was feeling somewhat intimidated in picking up the brush - a feeling somewhat like Anna Weaver was talking about in this post. So I'm putting myself out there for critique by you. I'm not sure that the painting is complete - I think I have some little touches to make on it before I turn it in. I'd like a place to get feedback from people besides my family so... To you artists out there - do you have any suggestions?
I look at the painting now, in this photo, and I don't think the details are showing up. I should try to get a better photo in daylight. Anyway you get the idea of it. Thanks

segments / dividing my time

Nikon D40x / phone pic

I have a question... How do you prepare your grapefruit for eating? Every year at Christmas we get a huge box of pink grapefruit as a gift - they are SO delicious and we look forward to this shipment each year. So at Christmas, when we are all together, we serve up grapefruit for breakfast. Sometimes I am the one preparing the grapefruit and sometimes it's my mom who does it. She cuts hers one way and I cut mine another way. She claims her way is better - sometimes even saying my way is "wrong" - kidding of course. This morning I tried it her way - cutting all the way around the half, separating the pulp from the skin and then cutting from the center to the outside, separating each triangle segment. It's probably the proper way, but I prefer my way. I cut each individual triangle segment leaving the membrane attached to the skin. I think I just like the repetition of it - going around each triangle, one by one -then I put a little sugar on it. Does it really matter? : ) How ever you slice it up, it taste delicious! / today it was so mild outside - it felt good to be outdoors at my neighborhood starbucks again. before i start dividing up all my time to spend with everyone on my list i took a little time to just be with myself and my drawing journal and my favorite starbucks drink - soy chai latte, no water. it was nice.

10am / 5pm

trying to be patient until she joins me again

10am - This morning when I was eating my oatmeal, I noticed the backyard was full of robins. It looked like the leaves were jumping there were so many of them. So I went outside with my camera to see if I could capture them - of course they flew away. But there is always something outside to take a photo of - these 3 little sweet gum balls for one. I found out they make a good fire starter that burns blue, so I'm collecting them for my winter fires.
5pm - still working on my printing dilemma. I took another set of files to have printed at office depot and they are still too dark in areas, whereas on my epson printer they are just how I want them. But I feel like I am going to have to get some of these cards printed outside of printing them at home because the epson ink is expensive. So here I am tweaking yet again - using channels and selective color adjustments. It's fun in a way but its tedious. Does anyone know of a good source for printing bulk quantities of greeting cards?