Little Scraps of Magic

Mmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnn....Delicious!

This spot looks promising...

 

Searching, searching, ...

 

Acquiring target...

 

Got ya! Delicious!!!

 

Joining in on the fun over at Focus 52, where it's Week 21, and the theme is "Delicous!"

 

Week 20: Nurture

Week 20! So far, I've manged to post, some pics obviously better than others, but I've done it. I'm looking forward to doing a book of these at the end of this year, and if I'm smart, I'll start putting it together now!

Kara and Alex in the black and white version - taken during our usual Friday night mayhem.

You can lots more pics here, over at Focus 52.

 

Morning Light

Early Saturday morning...

Everyone else is asleep, and one tiny fellow sings his heart out in my back yard.

I love these mornings; they're such a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the workweek. I have time to pause and drink in the light.

Everything's new, freshly washed and rinsed by last night's showers. I can smell the green.

And, Who-Dey waits patiently to come back inside, watching and wondering why his crazy human stands outside in her nightgown photographing the back yard.

Signs of Spring

Over at Focus 52, it's week 17, and the theme: "Signs of Spring."

To me it's open toed shoes, the closest I can get to go barefoot to work! It's also painted toenails, but, it's raining and cold out there at the moment, so my toes remain indoors and warm.



 

 

Re-entry, aka, Week 16

Confession #1: I'm not sure how I navigated from Point A to Point B. I do know it involved filters and such in photoshop, but I had so much fun pushing a button to see what I happened, that I quite forgot to "map" my buttons.

Confession #2: I thought the theme for Focus 52, Week 16 was "Where I Live." Well, not quite! You see, it's "Our Town." And, my creativity low level light was lit, so thinking it was "Where I Live," and not finding much inspiration at the moment, thought to myself, "Well, I live at school." Which I do since I'm there a minimum of 9 hours a day, and most days find myself occupying the building more like 11 hours. And, I've always thought that I'd love to get a shot of the one hallway and the lockers when the kids weren't present. (If the kids were present, you'd hardly see the lockers!) There's something about the stillness and quiet, which you don't generally experience in a middle school.

So, I'm going with this shot; it's just plain fun, and I like the graphic look of it. I'll be playing some more with the original shot, thinking it's going to be a great background for my other art.

Possiblilites. It's really got some possibilites!

Keeping Things in Perspective

"From the top of a mountain, we are able to witness life from a different perspective bringing us a new perspective." (Daily Om)

Or, as Janice writes over at Focus 52, shoot from a different angle and you have a whole new photograph.

Well, I couldn't shoot from every angle, since I sat in the front seat hampered by a seat belt, and "Bam Bam" rode facing backwards in his car seat. But, with a bit of angling of bodies, and a great deal of chuckling and babbling, we both definitely enjoyed ourselves!

Here's the typical straight on baby is being buckled into to his car seat shot:

And, then, the fun began!

Pretty much a "blind shot" here - I pointed the camera, clicked the button, and hoped for the best. I also managed to yank the camera back before he planted a finger on the lens.

This poor child seems to lack a torso...

I really didn't have much of a chance to change my angle, but being the very cooperative baby that he is, Bam Bam kept shifting his position.

Definitely no torso here...it's a head on a set of legs!

Bam Bam is constant motion; luckily for me, the seat belts held him more or less still, and I had the chance to get some "different photos!"

 

Just a Touch...

Just a touch...of color, that is.

Soft pastels wrapping chocolates in a layer of yummy color.

Thinking spring.

Savoring newness and lightness.

Can you believe it's week 14 over at Focus 52? We're just a bit over 1/4 of the way there. What a lovely memory of my year this is going to be, a gift to myself.

I'm learning so much - different ways to capture the every day,especially when I need to get that shot done today, because there's simply no time to seek out something "new" and "exciting." I'm learning to see.

I'm learning to edit, and during this next week of vacation, of me time, I plan to delve into the mysteries of photoshop elements. What a treat!

 

Stack It Up!

Over at Focus 52,  Week 13's theme happens to be "Stack It Up!"

After a visit from the flu bug, and a week of finishing up third quarter grades and such for report cards, I'm just about out of creativity.

Well, not so much out of creativity, but certainly out of energy to execute much.

So, no artistically stacked goodies, just a peek into a corner of my art studio.

And, you have to admit, that stuff is stacked!

 

Currently...

Listening to early morning birdsong

Drinking my second cup of coffee in my dad's old mug; it gives me a connection that I've missed

Wearing a faded blue night gown

Feeling quite content and rested...I "slept in" until 7:30, a 2 hour difference for me

Weather: crisp spring morning, blanketed by a soft gray sky

Wanting a souffle from Panera but settling for a banana from my kitchen

Needing an artist's date...maybe to go look at goreous spring tables, full of color and texture or wandering through an antique mall

Thinking about playing with photos and working in my art journal

Enjoying meandering through blogs, gathering inspiration, and jotting down ideas!

I'm sharing this image with Focus 52, where Week 12's theme of minimalism has sparked quite a few ideas. I'm not quite there yet with this shot, but I'm on the jouney with ideas being noted for when I have a bit more play time!

 

 

Green

Over at Focus 52, Week 11 showcased green...natch! I'm a bit behind in posting and processing, but I shot this within the alloted time frame.

I've always loved the truthfulness of this quote. "Blossoming" can be quite painful; it involves stretching yourself, courage, and taking a leap of faith. Generally, it's hard work, but the result? Worth it for sure.

This little guy is unfurling outside our back door. I noticed the small tightly fisted green bud a week ago. It's progress makes me smile, and I'm enjoying watching this hydrenga come to life.

I'm learning about blossoming, sometimes quite reluctantly. Change, even when we want it, causes chaos, whether it's in our soul, or in the world surrounding us - and sometimes, both. It often seems far easier just to go with the status quo; we know it, after all - nothing unexpected to throw us for that loop. We can manage it.

But, I'm pretty sure that I want more out of life than simply "managing it." Well, no, scratch that - I know I do!