Playing With Color

I had this blank canvas that had been sitting on my shelf for a couple of months now.  So I decided to get it out and play.

I have this thing for color.  I really do.  I like to take pictures of spools of thread or paint chip samples or skeins of yearn all lined up neatly on the shelf according to color.  I love to organize my craft supplies in rainbow color order.  And there are few things more satisfying than mixing several different colors together to get just the shade you were looking for. 

It took me a while to create just the right shade of cheerful green.  I made several lovely shades of moldy green to puke green on my first attempts.

Truthfully, I have never really done much painting before.  My grandma is an amazing artist.  My mom had a few of her paintings on display in our home growing up.  I would love to take a lesson from her someday.  In the meantime, this is what I came up with.   

This was just one of those projects that you do for the process, not so much the end result.  It’s not the most display-worthy masterpiece I have ever created.  Let’s just say I’m obviously not the artist my Grandma is.  But, I was just happy getting paint all over my fingers and mixing colors to my hearts content.  I am convinced that even if you don’t think you are “good” at it, art in any form is good for the soul.  I am learning to find more joy in the process.  

What’s a Girl to do?

I love how this page turned out except with one little exception.  I HATE my handwriting.  So much so that I nearly ripped the journaling tab right off the page.  My handwriting is not messy by any means.  It just looks immature to me. Spencer told me that our kiddos will love to see my handwriting someday, even if I don’t think it’s particularly pretty myself.  I know he’s right.  Still, about 99.9% of the time I type the journaling on my pages.  It just looks so much better.  Any tips/ideas for improving your penmanship would be appreciated.  Can it be changed?  Should it be changed?  Anyone else out there dislike your handwriting?       

Photo Shoot

It’s been a while since I shared any pictures from a photo shoot.  This family was so much fun! 

This little girl was especially cute.  She particularly requested a photo with her cowgirl princess hat. 

Precious! 

Now that it is finally beautiful outside, I plan on spending a lot more time out and about with my camera. 

Sing a Happy Song

Happy Friday friends! 

It Is Possible…

that I have gone a bit overboard making little woodland creatures to live with the fat owls in the stump.

It kind of took me forever to make a dear that looked like a dear.  All my first attempts looked like cows.

I love her little spotted bum!  You could just pinch it huh?  Stay tuned for more little woodland fellows. 

Pennant Wreath

I wanted something cheery to put on my door for spring.  This is what I came up with.  Wanna make one?
You will need:

• foam wreath
• burlap
• fabric scraps
• ric rac
• ribbon

Take your boring ole’ foam wreath and cover it in strips of burlap (or whatever fabric you want really).  I wanted something that would add lots of texture but keep things simple enough that the pennants would still be the star of the show. 

I secured each strip of burlap with a pin.  You could glue it too, I suppose, but I pinned mine because it was fastest/easiest. 

Break out your scrap fabric stash. 

Cut your pennants.

Stitch your pennants together with ric rac. 

Pin them to the wreath.  Again, you could glue them, but this way you can change them out if you like. 

You’re done! 

Stumped

This little project has been in the works for a few days now, and I am SOOO pleased with how it turned out!  I know it sounds really nerdy, but I was just in the mood to sculpt something. 
I have always loved sculpting things.  When I was little I was addicted to Play-Dough.  It’s true.  On my first day of kindergarten, I still remember that there was Play-Dough on each students desk right next to their name tag.  We got to spend the first few minutes of class playing quietly with it at our desk.  On the second day, I was distraught to discover that the Play-Dough wasn’t set out like it had been the day before, so I asked my teacher where it was.  I was devastated when she told me that we wouldn’t be playing with Play-Dough again anytime soon.  I had hoped that school was where you went to play with Play-Dough everyday! 
I got older and graduated to modeling clay.  My dad still has a few little doggy sculptures that I made for him when I was eight years old.  They sit proudly on his bookshelf at work. 
I took a sculpting class in college with my roommate.  I discovered that I really wasn’t as good at sculpting as I thought I was.  Especially when it comes to subtractive sculpting (objects created by removing excess material to reveal a form within, for example: ice sculpture).  Wow, I have SUCH an appreciation for artists who can do that.  But, I still like working with my hands, and playing with clay, just for fun. 
So, like I was saying, I was in the mood to sculpt something so I made a little family of fat owls. 

And then the fat owls needed a home, so I sculpted them a cute little stump to live in, and a few mushrooms to sit on.  Spencer reminded me that an owl’s natural habitat is in fact, high above in the trees, not low to the ground in stumps.  I reminded him that stumps are very cute and that this stump has central air and heating and hardwood floors, so of course my fat owls would rather live there than up in some boring ole’ tree.

Shoot, I would live in a stump as cute as this one.

Especially if I could have cute fat owls such as these for roommates.

Stronger

I enjoyed spending much of the weekend, sitting on the couch with my husband and my puppy and watching General Conference.  If you are not a member of the LDS church, then I should pause and explain that General Conference is a semi-annual event, where Latter Day Saints gather to listen to instruction from inspired church leaders.  
I always take time before conference to create a list of questions that I am seeking answers to.  I have found that as I seek revelation, the answers often come through the voices of church leaders. 
Of course much has been on my mind as far as Heavenly Father’s plan for our family as it relates to someday having children.  Spencer and I have spent a great deal of time on our knees seeking help, comfort, inspiration, direction, and guidance in this matter.
I am grateful for the insights and answers that came to my mind as I listened to the words of our Prophet, President S. Monson, and other beloved leaders of the church.
One talk that touched me particularly was by Elder Paul V. Johnson.  He told a story about a little boy who had been diagnosed with cancer at just nine years of age.  The boy’s doctor told the boy and his family it was common for cancer patients to ask, “Will I be the same after this is all over?”  The doctors answer was powerful, “No, you won’t be the same, you will be so much stronger.  You will be awesome.” 
I thought of our situation.  Infertility has changed us forever.  We are not the people we would have been if we could have had children right away.  We are stronger.  We have learned so much.  And even though it has been painful, we wouldn’t trade our experiences for anything.  We aren’t the same people we were, but it’s a good thing.   
I write letters to our future baby.  I post them on our adoption blog, because I want to share them with our birthmom.  I want her to see how much I love our baby already.  It has been a very healing experience.  I wanted to share one of the letters I wrote last October with you.  (Oh, and I should probably explain that I write to Baby Lydia, not because we are sure we will have a girl, but because I wanted to write to a person by name… not just “baby.”  It makes my baby feel closer to me.  Anyways…)
Dear Lydia,
Yesterday we had an interesting experience. I had been asked to teach a lesson on floral arranging. I was ecstatic to do so, and looked up a few places online where I could purchase wholesale flowers. I didn’t have time to get to the store until after I had picked up your daddy from work. I asked him if he would like to go with me to pick out flowers. He agreed, so we typed the address of the store into GPS and were on our way.
Interestingly, the store was located on Lydia Street. It was a place we had never been to before. We didn’t know how to get there on our own. But we were confident that with GPS we could find our way. We navigated our way to Lydia Street without any problems, but we were astonished to find that there wasn’t anything at the address we had specified. No flower store. No store of any kind. Just an empty field and a vacant parking lot. We were baffled. I am certain we had the correct address. We had expected to find the store exactly where we were told it would be, but we didn’t.

On our way home, I reflected on how this situation so closely resembled our literal search for Lydia. Your daddy and I have always known what our ultimate destination would be… parenthood. We have the address. Though we weren’t entirely sure how to get there, we were certain we would and we thought that we would get there quickly. Imagine our surprise when a year and a half later we had arrived only at an empty field.
The analogy is not entirely negative, however. We decided on a new location and were delighted to discover hundreds and hundreds of beautiful flowers when we arrived. We didn’t expect to have to try a new location when we set out on our journey. We didn’t expect the trip to take quite so long or the flowers to be a bit more expensive. But the flowers were just as beautiful as any would find should we search the whole world over.
Our little journey to the flower shop is not just a parable for infertility, but for life in general. Rarely does everything go according to plan. We do our best, but I have found that life does not hold our expectations in high regard. Though it seems that our original plan would have been the preferable one, I am consistently amazed how Heavenly Father’s plan for me is far better than the plan I had for myself. Life’s little detours, though sometimes painful, have always led me to higher ground. It is so much easier to see the big picture from higher up. From up high, we can see how what seemed like winding trails lined with burrs and thistles, were really the most direct path to our ultimate destination. We realize that our muscles are toughened from the vigorous climb, and our hearts strengthened in endurance. Most of all, I do not believe we could appreciate the beauty of the view should we not have struggled to arrive there. I am certain that the things we prize most are the ones we worked hardest for.
So Lydia, I pray you will remember these things when life brings you trials. I pray that you will strive to keep an eternal perspective and continue to look for flowers, even if you have to look harder and longer than those around you. The flowers are there, and I know that you will one day find them. I love you.
Love,
Mom
And on that note, there is an awesome article in the Ensign on Infertility and faith.  You can read it here. 
Hang in there fellow infertiles!  Together, we’ll get through this! 

How To Take Silhouette Shots

We live in a somewhat brown little town in Texas.  I love where we live, but sometimes the scenery around me isn’t very inspiring.  It isn’t the most photogenic place.  But, we do have GORGEOUS sunsets, so I find myself taking lots of pictures of the sky.  Hence, my love for silhouette photography. 
Taking silhouette photos is really pretty easy actually.  You really only need three things: a well lit background, a subject, and a camera.  You don’t even have to have an expensive camera, pretty much any camera will take these kinds of pictures. 
First step: turn your flash off. 
Second step: frame your shot.  This means making sure your subject is as back-lit as possible by placing them directly in front of a bright light source (the best time for these photos is sunrise or sunset). 
Third step: focus your camera on the brightest light source in the shot (but don’t blind yourself looking at the sun through your lens okay?).  Then, shift your camera slightly so that the subject is framed in the shot just how you want it.  Point and shoot camera’s usually have an auto-focus which allows you to focus your shot by holding the shutter-button half down.
Fourth step: take the picture. 
It might take a bit of practice.  If your subject isn’t dark enough in the photo, no worries!  You can always adjust the exposure later while editing. 

Silhouettes are some of my favorite pictures to edit because the simplicity of the subject allows you to play with all kinds of fun backgrounds without distracting too much from the focus of the shot.

 

Something to keep in mind: silhouettes obviously don’t pick up on the detail that normal shots do, so you want to make sure that your subject is recognizable.  For example, a silhouette of boy hugging a tree might just look like a shapeless blob.  Just thought I’d throw that out there for all you folks who like to take pictures of people hugging trees.  I know it sounds simple, but sometimes poses that really work for a regular shot, will not work as silhouettes. 
That being said, there are lots of poses that work especially well for silhouette shots.  I like photos that capture movement and energy.  These kind of shots are especially dramatic when you can only see the outline of your subject. 
In an attempt to get a more interesting shot, I told Spencer to do something dramatic with his arms.  This is what he came up with:

See?  The YMCA is INFINTELY more dramatic when captured in silhouette form right? 
Happy snapping!

Love Story

Lately, I have been really into reading love stories.  I’ve been doing lots of babysitting and needed something to do during naptime.  I recently re-read Icing on the Cake my favorite chick lit book of all time.  I’ve read it a hundred times.  You haven’t read it?  Go.  Read it NOW.  It is funny and cute.  Plus, Elodia Strain (the author) is super nice.  The sequel Previously Engaged is awesome too.
Then, my friend posted the new Jane Eyre movie trailer on her blog, and after watching it I had to go back and read the book again.  I think the last time I read it was freshman year of high school.  The problem is, I’m almost finished and am on the hunt for another romance novel.  Anything delightfully sappy will do.  Suggestions?

Therapy

Yesterday we went exploring.  We got in the car and drove until we felt like stopping.  I brought my camera along. 

We ended up at the lake.  I sat on the dock, closed my eyes, and listened to the waves.  The wind was blowing and the air was cool and I could imagine that I was at the beach. 

It had been weeks since I had picked up my camera; I didn’t really take any pictures during my creative slump.  I had forgotten how much I missed it! 

One of my favorite things about photography is that it makes me really pause and look at the beauty around me. I notice things I might not have noticed.  And then I can look at that beautiful flower or sunset or face that made me so happy again and again. 

The world is really such a lovely place. 

Hello HELLO Hello HELLO

Has it really been almost a month?  I would say I’m surprised that I haven’t posted in so long, but I’m not really.  I mean, this is me we’re talking about.  The most inconsistent blogger in the universe.
I could feed you some lame excuse as to my absence.  Like, my dog ate my laptop.   
But the truth is, I haven’t been in the mood to write lately.  Or scrapbook.  Or take pictures.  I have been completely uninspired.  I don’t usually go more than a day or two without making something or other, so this was kind of unusual.  Lots has been going on, but I can’t really talk about it.  Not in an “I’m trying to pique your interest and appear mysterious” kind of way.  Just stuff with jobs and stuff with adoption and stuff with life.  I’m sure you all know how that goes.
On Saturday, I FINALLY burst out of my creative slump and made something. 

Our friend’s little girl had her first birthday.  So, I made a little dress to give as a gift.  It felt so good to be sitting at my sewing machine again.  As I  worked, I couldn’t help but wonder how long I would have to wait to make little clothes for our baby.  Surprisingly, the thought didn’t make me sad like I thought it would.  Now THAT, my friends, is progress. 

Just Checking In

Another day, another page.  Be back soon. 

Dum Dee Dum

I haven’t been the best blogger lately.  I just haven’t had much to say.  Sometimes, I go through phases where I write down everything I am thinking and going through and have lots to share.  Other times, I am feeling more private.  Though I’m not in a chatty mood, I did want to share a few layouts I have created recently.  Here’s one of my favorites to start us off. 

I Feel It In My Fingers

I took the above photos a long time ago for my friend, Erin.  The concept was totally her idea, and she was the lovely hand model.  I loved her idea so much I asked her if she wouldn’t mind if I made one myself one day.  Hasn’t happened yet, but here are the photos I took for her.  I thought today was an appropriate day to share.  

Happy Valentines Day! 

Life is Hard and Then You Die

That is one of my dad’s favorite expressions.  He is not a negative person, I promise.  Mostly, he just used to tell us this when we would whine about having to do things were were supposed to do, like help clean up the kitchen. 
I don’t know why, but Sundays are the hardest day of the week.  For some reason they are really discouraging. 
Yesterday I was crying for no good reason and Spencer asked me what was wrong.  For some reason I have a hard time saying what is really bothering me so Spencer has to coax it out of me.
The thing is, I didn’t know exactly what was bothering me.  It was a lot of things.  I have been stressed over job hunting.  I am anxious to move forward in life.  I am worried about finances.  I am frustrated that my fibromyalgia has really flared up lately, and I haven’t felt well.  I am annoyed that even though I try to manage my stress in healthy ways, my body is really reacting to the strain it’s under.  I am tired because I can’t sleep.  I am emotional because the clomid is messing with my system and my hormones are really out of whack. 
Eventually, I burst out yelling, “I AM JUST SO SICK OF THINGS NEVER WORKING OUT FOR US!!!  I DON’T THINK THINGS ARE EVER GOING TO WORK OUT!!!” I probably looked like a two year old.  I even pounded my fist on the bed while my face was buried in my pillow.
Spencer didn’t tell me to grow up (that’s what I would have told me, I think).  Instead, he calmly suggested, “You don’t really think that, you know things will get better.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.  Then after a long pause, “After we die…maybe.”  Then I laughed because my extreme pessimism was so ridiculous.  Spencer laughed too because suddenly the situation seemed a little funnier. 
A good nights sleep and a fresh day can do wonders for a bad attitude.  I’m a little embarrassed by yesterdays tantrum.  Today I feel much better and have spent a little bit of time this morning happily typing away at my laptop.

There is a most lovely blog that makes me want to get out my camera and play:

{via farmgirl in flipflops}

{via Simplyhue}

{via Simplyhue}

I am just so in love with everything she does.  Her work is too dang beautiful.  :: sigh:: Go take a look!  And I am now on the hunt for a yellow and white striped umbrella. 

Not Much of Anything

More ttv (through the veiwfinder) effects.  

I got an e-mail asking how to edit a photo using ttv effects.  There are TONS of ttv frames online that you can use for free.  Just ask your ole’ buddy google.  Flickr has an AWESOME selection, by the way.  Once I selected a frame, I just layered it with the photo of my choice.  It’s really that easy.   
Yesterday we got snow for the first time since we’ve lived here.  Surprisingly, I have NOT taken pictures of it yet.  I ventured out for only a moment yesterday (to try and coax Lizzy to go potty outside- she does NOT like the snow bless her heart) but it was too cold to linger.  We spent our day snug and warm inside.  I had the most pleasant evening.  I watched The Importance of Being Earnest (I almost called it The Trouble With Being Earnest.  That makes me feel like my mom.  Hee hee.)  while scrapbooking!  I haven’t scrapbooked in ages.  It was delightful. 

Paper Sculpting

 
I’ve made these roses for scrapbook pages before, but I thought it would be fun to use them on jewelry.  Because heavens knows I DON’T have enough rose jewelry. 
…
Okay, so maybe I have enough frilly jewelry to accessorize an army.  It still doesn’t stop me from making even more frilly jewelry.  But come on, this one’s made out of PAPER.  That’s pretty cool, right?  Am I just obsessed? 
Don’t answer that. 

I’m thinking of doing another giveaway.  I need input.  What should I giveaway?  I mean from past projects that I have done, is there anything I have made, that you liked so much, that you thought in your heart, “I WANT that!”  The sky’s the limit people.  Except for quilts.  WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY to much work for me.  Anywho, I’d love your ideas!