She Quit

My daughter is through with me. Well, she's through with me when it comes to peering through the lens of a camera and snap, snap, snapping her picture. I had to coax, cajole, and bribe her to let me take photos at the beach last month. It was just the two of us, so being the center of attention instead of sharing it with a friend who usually goes with us made her... uh... not too willing.... But I persevered until she finally relented, and I managed to get a few quick clicks in.

It was just the two of us this year - out of the ordinary since she's taken a friend all but one year that we've been to this particular beach. But it was nice. We packed picnics for the days we spent at the beach. We read and talked. We soaked up the sun (and soaked in the pool). Because most of the better seafood places are better known for their long waits and pricey menu items, we dined on frozen pizzas, ice cream, Thai, and Mexican food, and found a little hole-in-the-wall 'dive' that served up fried catfish and shrimp with little fanfare. Our table was on a pier. There was no wait. Just good food and sweet conversation.  

Simple. Fun. with my girl.... 

Trying to Focus

My thoughts are all over the place. Seriously. I can't check one thing off my list without getting distracted and doing something else entirely. I'm sure it would be interesting if there were an app that tracked my movements during the day. The tracking would probably look like a game board (think LIFE) where I move three spaces ahead but get sent back sometimes. Oh, and sometimes the route doubles back on itself. Yep. That's what it would look like; I'm practically sure of it.

Sometimes I just need to stop myself and gather my thoughts... embrace the silence and let my breathing slow into deep inhales and exhales. Listen to the fan whirring above me. Hear the sweet breaths of my dog who naps just inches from my chair.

Life can be as busy as we want to make it. Sometimes, it just feels good to let be.... To sit and let my thoughts dissipate in the air around me. Or, when I'm really ready to say good-bye to them, I let them pop like balloons that are filled with too much air. 

Pop. Pop. Pop. Inhale. Exhale.

*sigh*

Blog Hop... The Virtual Tour

 If you're anything like me, you have your favorites when it comes to blogs. For me, they're often the ones with beautiful and thought-provoking photography or those with words that speak to my soul. Some of my favorites share the simple moments in life... photos of children, lists of gratitude, tears and laughter. Each one tends to pull me back when I've been away too long.

Recently, I was invited by Kelly Kardos at Just a Click Away to participate in a virtual tour of sorts. So, come on in... and welcome to my world!

1.  What am I working on?  
I'm always working on my photography, which takes advantage of natural light and features a variety of images - usually items that I love, such as vintage cars, typewriters, books, and flowers. 

 

My "girls," as I call my mixed-media creations, take a little more time to percolate. It's been a few months since my last one was finished, so ideas for a new girl are beginning to nudge about in my mind.

"Sparkle Girl"

In January, I committed to opening my Etsy shop, where I offer note cards, prints, and canvases that feature my photography and mixed-media art. That's been a bit of a whirlwind as I learn to juggle the many roles of an artist/entrepreneur. From packaging and mailing orders, to creating new products, I can see how devoted one must be to take a hobby or interest to the next level. 

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre? 
I think as an individual, we all bring our own unique perspectives to our photography and art. Two people may take photographs of a typewriter, but there will be something about each that stands out on its own. My mixed-media "girls" emerge from within my imagination and evolve as I add papers and paint, chalks, stamps, markers, charcoal, and text to the once blank canvas. It's that personal touch, the words that I string together, the face that only I create that make each one unique. I don't even know how the finished product will look until I put everything away and claim, "she's done."

"Fearless"

3.  Why do I write and create what I do?
I write to tell stories. To share moments in time. To connect with others. Sometimes they are stories from my life as a teacher; sometimes they are stories from my life as a parent or even stories from my past.

I create to enjoy the act of creating. I love stationery (always have), so creating note cards is a natural extension of who I am. Being able to feature images that I love - in hopes that someone else will love them too - is the cream-cheese icing on that particular cake.

I create my mixed-media girls to express my own feelings and to encourage and inspire others at the same time. For instance, women of all ages can relate to "Sparkle Girl" who claims that it's "your turn to sparkle." "Dream Girl" evolved after a blog sister-friend of mine launched her own business. "Fearless" evolved one night as I fought my own fears when my daughter headed out with friends one night. And "Heart on her Sleeve" - perhaps my favorite to date - was about me 100%. My feelings were hurt, so I gathered up my paints and papers and went to work. 

"Dream Girl"

4.  How does your writing/creating process work?
I'm not a big planner, but I will mull ideas over in my mind before sitting down to work. As a writer, I tend to let the words flow, editing as I go. As a photographer, it's a lot of trial and error as I look for the best angle and the best light. As an artist, it's all about gathering lots of materials, placing them this way and that, and then seeing where they lead me. Writing comes rather easily to me, but the art is the most challenging. I spend hours and hours trying to get my girls just right. They will usually evolve over the course of several days, but "Heart on her Sleeve" took months to complete having finished part of the background but not finding further inspiration until my own spirit needed a little TLC. I'm always a little amazed and a little exhausted when I've completed one.

"Heart on Her Sleeve" in progress.

"Heart on Her Sleeve" features a hand-stitched bird and other embellishments.

I had intended to steer you to other artists and photographers as part of the blog tour, but this turned out to be a busy time of year for many of my blog friends and acquaintances. Many of my favorites are on my sidebar though, so I invite you to visit as many of them as you can.

In any event, thanks so much for stopping by. I'd love to hear from you, and I hope that you'll visit again soon!

Giclee Prints... ooh, la, la!

When my giclee prints arrived in the mail, I could barely contain my excitement! I had been waiting for this day for quite a while, so to actually see the prints - live and in person - was a pretty special moment for me. I think I actually let out a squeal and even did a happy dance around my table.

I didn't want to offer the prints in my Etsy shop until I had a chance to see them myself. I wanted to be sure the quality was what I wanted. And I was not disappointed! I described them as yummy.... the quality of the print, the texture of the paper. Just right!

I'm getting busy adding a variety of sizes and prints to my listing. So come on over when you have a chance and see what's available. 

I'll be adding a few new note cards featuring summertime photography within a couple of weeks, too.

 

Today's mantra:

Take a deep breath

Release

Repeat

I remember this place

this spot here on the sand 

where summer days unfold 

like a quiet melody

Colors blend 

from brown to taupe to white 

as the surf rolls onto the shore

Blues and grays meld together

darkening with the depth of the ocean

The wind lifts my hair

birds cry out in a cacophony of chorus

In the distance

ocean meets sky

The edge of the world 

or the curvature of its spine

Snow Lovely....

I was seeing gray like never before. A gray sky met by gray trees anchored in gray earth. I had decided that winter in the South was not a pretty thing. Barren branches had lost their color giving my world a rather dreary look while friends up north had been posting photos of deep snow, swirling snowflakes, and colorful knits. 

And then it hit. The snowfall that tied up traffic in Atlanta and Birmingham - that had been forecast for us but appeared to be moving away leaving all manner of chaos in its wake - finally reached us. A steady snowfall throughout the night left our landscape bedazzled and bejeweled and beckoned us to come outdoors to see our world in a new light. 

Somehow that white snow transformed the dinginess into a magical landscape. I was reminded of Narnia and the 'spare oom.' I imagined the White Witch with her icy headdress rounding the bend in front of us. 

I really do love how the woods look in snow.
In fact, everything was picture perfect.

It's gone now. This snow.

We've experienced 

within one week

freezing temperatures

and temperatures bumping

up against 70.

But at least we got to see it.

And for a little while

the landscape

was transformed.

It's kind of like birthing a baby...

well, not exactly, but I'm still pretty excited to introduce this little baby to the world!

 

This is my Etsy shop, and it's finally open for business. I've thought about doing this for quite a while, but I discovered that it takes time to get everything in order. Taking photos, checking postage rates, and finally opening the store has been a learning experience. I can't wait to see how it goes.

Right now I'm offering cards that feature my mixed media girls and photography. Later I'll add prints and other goodies to the site. I'm starting small. Baby steps. But it's a start, isn't it? 

You can click HERE to visit. And please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you.

4Square

That's what I'm calling these little cards I had printed, and I have to tell you that I was practically dancing around the house when I saw that package on the counter. Thirty-six cards all 4"x4" in size.... complete with little Kraft envelopes. And all for my Etsy shop! 

I still have some work to do before the grand opening, but it's close. It's really, really close.

Love Knots

Cozy. That's what I'm looking for today. It's cold outside, at least the inside of my house is making me think that. Sometimes, I get all bundled up before heading out somewhere, only to find out that it's warmer outside than it is in my house. In the summer, that's a good thing. In late fall and winter, not so much!

If you're with me on Instagram, you've already heard the story about the quilts in the photo above. You heard how I was always nosing around in antique stores looking for old quilts. I didn't mind a little wear and tear because that's what made them special to me.The two on the bottom of the stack came from my mother-in-law's yard sale before I joined the family. Freebies and in wonderful condition. The one second from the top was an antique store find, and the one on the very top is extra special because I actually got to meet the person who made it.

He was Uncle Olen on Craig's side of the family. He pieced quilts in his older age sitting with his wife in their small apartment in Atlanta. He made two for Hannah when she was a baby. One with pink tones and one with blue because I didn't want to know whether we were having a boy or a girl. And he made this top one for us.

The quilts remind me of childhood years at my grandmother's house on my father's side. I didn't spend too many nights there, but I do remember being deep in the middle of quilts on a cold winter night in their white frame house. The quilts laying heavy on my body but keeping the cold out.

They remind me of a poem I read with my students each year.... "My Mother Pieced Quilts"
and of Alice Walker's masterful story.... "Everyday use." Mama and Maggie might not think my displays are necessary, but I think they would be glad to know that the quilts have seen a lot of use. Everyday use. If not now than at least in the past.

It's getting close to the anniversary of my mother's death. December 11. She didn't quilt, but she did spend hours and hours making clothes for her three girls. Easter dresses, school clothes, even when I was grown, she would make clothes for me. So, although she didn't piece quilts, she sewed and with every tiny stitch a little love was added.

Inspiration and a Card for Kelly

This river is not too far from my home. When people drive over the bridge, you can usually see their heads turning left, then right, to catch a glimpse of the view. Sometimes I walk down to the river to see it and take pictures. Today, I was a little on the lazy side. I drove down and parked not too far away. I was glad I did. It was cold! My hands were freezing by the time I got back into my car and cranked up the heat.

It's a quiet weekend here. My husband took a friend to a college football game. He likes to indoctrinate people to his way of thinking when it comes to football. My daughter was up early for the ACT. And other than my little trip to the river this morning, I've been pretty quiet, too. There's plenty to do around here; I just haven't quite gotten into the mood to get things done.

Several blogs have been inspiring me lately. One is Jennifer Belthoff's blog, Giggling in the Rain. In this post, her poem asks those of us who consider ourselves writers, artists, or photographers if we are "living it." Since I'm also a teacher, it's difficult to live that life 100% of the time, but I'm trying. Yes, I'm a writer; I've been a writer for as long as I can remember. And although I enjoy photography and creating art, I don't feel comfortable calling myself a photographer or an artist. Not yet. After reading her poem though, I feel a little closer to claiming one of those.

More inspiration comes from Caroline Manrique, a photographer whom I have followed for years. Her beautiful photographs are like eye candy, and her posts dig deep making me stop and think a little deeper myself. She is also posting inspirational photos and quotes on Tumblr. I know some of you know Caroline, but if you haven't visited her before, you're missing a good thing.

After visiting Caroline's Tumblr, I decided to create something for another blogger who is going through a difficult time. I searched around for a quote until I found this one. It spoke to me, and I hope it will reassure her that time does heal our wounds and that we never lose the memories and love we have for our mothers.

I love autumn months.

I love the slight chill in the air,

the smell of burning wood

and the sight of golden leaves 

littering the ground.

I love long sleeve t-shirts

made of soft cotton

and socks and real shoes.

Not those flipflops

that scream of

summer.

I love hot chocolate

with mini marshmallows

floating on top

and sweet potato casserole

with its marshmallow topping darkened

by the warmth of the oven.

I love hearing the crunch of leaves

as I walk through the woods

and seeing how they swirl and dance

in the breeze as they

pirouette to the earth.

Sometimes

there are leaves

with kamikazi attitudes.

Darting toward

my windshield

with reckless abandon.

I love early nightfall

and how it practically demands

that I settle in early for the night.

With lights shining through windows

and dogs curled up at my feet.

 Food baking in the oven
steam rising off the river.

Fall
Autumn
Colorful world
at my fingertips

I Met Him and ...

he stole my heart
 
It was this little fella

at the fair

who did it.

It was during the fireworks display

when the loud noises were scaring him.

He nestled down into the hay

to get away from the sounds.

 My daughter nearly cried.

 I talked to him and said

everything would be alright.

Yep. I'm the crazy lady

with the camera

who talks to

goats.

At the fair.

Learning, Growing

I have a confession. When I went on that photo walk in a cemetery not long ago, I used my program modes on my camera instead of shooting manually. I was a bit embarrassed because everyone else talked f-stop and aperture. I just chose portrait, landscape, or sports mode and shot away. Actually bumbling through a conversation because I didn't want to admit that I was clueless about those things.

In fact, my automatic, portrait, and sports modes on my camera have been three of my best friends. They have rarely failed me although I know, deep in my heart, that my photographs could be better if I would learn how to use my manual settings. So guess what? I signed up for a class. And I'm already learning.

Now my f-stop is my new best friend, and I tend to like it on the lowest setting. That's what I used to create this photo of my bobbin jar.

There's still so much to learn, but at least I'm tackling it head on this time. And not hiding behind my easy buttons.
 

Hello Fall

Fall has not yet arrived here temperature-wise even though the calendar says it has. I decided to go ahead and welcome it with open arms anyway in hopes that my enthusiasm will make a difference. I love cooler weather. I love seeing the leaves change colors and dance their way from tree top to pine-laden black top. I love that slight nip in the air. Not so cold that you have to bundle up, but just enough to make you settle into your jackets and sweaters with cozy comfort. I love a fire place and an outside marshmallow roast. Football games and brisk morning walks.

Speaking of walks, I decided against using the Elliptical machine this weekend even though it pretty much guarantees a 600+ calorie loss. Instead I opted to walk to the river. My reward, I convinced myself, was the opportunity to photograph the water and sky without having to park in someone's driveway or risk a car coming up behind mine as I scoot to the edge of the bridge. That reward at least took care of the first half of the trip. Trudging home I decided that getting to look through my photos would be my reward for making it back. I had purposefully left my glasses at home.

Did I tell you that my neighborhood is full of very steep and very long hills? Which is why I took this photo.

It may not look all that steep here, but it is. Believe me. And the bad thing is that when you're standing at the bottom of the hill looking up, all you have to do is turn around to see another hill just as steep and even longer on the other side. 

I can't tell you how many times I've considered sitting down and waiting for someone to come by and give me a lift. I've imagined myself going back and forth between the two hills and never reaching the top of either one. And the best plan I've come up with involves a helicopter hovering overhead and sending down a ladder for me to climb up.

But when all is said and done, my mama always told me not to accept rides from strangers, so waiting for a ride is out of the question. Going up and down each side hoping I'll gain momentum like on a carnival ride won't work. There's no generator or electricity to keep me going. And the helicopter.... That's.Not.Happening. 

What it takes to climb that hill is to put one foot in front of the other. And then do it again and again until I reach the top. 

As I made my way up, step after step, it occurred to me that reaching the top of that hill is a metaphor for everything that happens to us in life. There's usually not going to be an easy way out. That's for sure. What it takes, without any ifs, ands, or buts, is to just do it. So I did.

I hope you reach the top of whatever hill you're trying to climb. And that your hills aren't falling too close together.

Dig in!

Those are pretty good words to live by, don't you think? Sometimes we want to forget the 'work hard' part. We want things to come easily. Who doesn't? But it's when you dig in and work hard that you can get the most joy out of your accomplishments.

A big thank you to Ashlyn at Triple Thread for letting me put words with her photo. I wrote about her back in February and continue to be impressed with her photography, writing, and independent spirit. 

So go on, let your hair down. Dig in to something you're passionate about!

It's About Time

You can thank me later. I just deleted a whole post about how I'm not (NOT) going to work ten and a half hour days any more. Of course it took many words and sentences to get my point across, but I finally decided that a sentence or two would be quite enough.

These are a few more photos from my trip to Michigan this summer. I just loved the flowers blooming everywhere and those glass bottles in the window. Even those flowers that had hit their peak and were fading were beautiful to me.

For us, the calendar and temperature may still be in summer mode, but we're back in school already. This summer break had to be the shortest one ever. I could have used a few more weeks (or even a few more days) of down time. I'm already feeling a little bit like that droopy sunflower.

I Spy....

Remember playing "I Spy?" when you were a kid? My daughter and I would play that game every time we ate at a local 'home-style' restaurant when she was little. With heaps of vegetables on our plates, we would take turns saying "I spy something.... " until the other one guessed it. 

The other day, I spied a cluster of Black-Eyed Susans basking in the golden sunshine.

 And last year I spied this sunflower doing the same thing!

What have you spied lately?

The Girls Got Glow....

Actually, I had a difficult time grabbing the glow of sunset this year on the beach. I got the girls out there a little too early, but we took pictures any way. Boy was I hot out there.... Then we realized that the sun and sky were brighter than it was glow-y, so we sat in the car with the air conditioner blasting for a little while trying to cool off a bit. Then we hit the beach again for more glow time.

If you've been with me for a few years, you know that my daughter always takes a friend to the beach, and except for one year when scheduling was an issue, it's been the same one. They've been friends since third grade even though they haven't gone to the same school since they were fifth-graders.

Being able to make good friends and keep them is a trait my husband and his family have passed on to my daughter. And this friendship is definitely a testament to that. I just call her my other daughter....

Just Beachy!

We're at the beach this week. My annual trek to Destin with my daughter and her friend in tow. It's our little ritual, this trip, and I love it.

Those legs don't belong to any of us. I loved the colors in the swim trunks and on the board, and oh, yeah, the colors of the ocean beyond him. So I was snap, snap, snapping from my chair.

The water yesterday was the most beautiful I've seen it in several years. We often have sea weed in June and that horrible oil mess a few years ago.... But yesterday the colors were phenomenal. All those variations of blues and greens that make me want to paint my whole house these colors were back.

I hope your week is off to a great start....

Adjusting, slowly....

There's something about summer break that takes me a while to adjust to. Having days stretch out before me, unplanned, is such a luxury after working 10+ hours a day during the school year that I just can't adjust to it very easily.

Curriculum is still swirling around in my mind although I shove it and literally kick it back out. I have teacher books scattered throughout my house.... It's difficult to let go, even for these two months.

But I'm trying.

I was in a bit of a funk on Saturday. Even a bit depressed it seemed. I just had no interest in doing anything. Other than sitting. Just sitting. Playing with my phone some. I finally took a walk before bedtime and that seemed to make me feel better.

This morning, I took advantage of the natural light in the sun room and took my camera on a little photo shoot. I had taken pictures of my grandmother's buttons with my iPhone and edited the photos to blur the edges, but today I wanted to try doing the same thing with my Canon's macro feature.

Here's a photograph taken with my Canon, unedited except for the watermark.

The spoons had to get in on the action, too.

I've only been home for summer break for three days, so hopefully I'll start getting into a routine soon. I definitely have projects around the house that need tackled, and I can actually cook some meals for my family now. I'm thinking of lots of vegetables with thick slices of fresh tomatoes on our plates. 

Silver Queen corn
fresh green beans
new potatoes
broccoli casserole
sauteed squash
corn bread
Oh, and freshly brewed tea. 
(I'm totally over the convenience of buying a jug of tea from the grocery store.)

That, my friends, is summer eating....