236-241/365 Hi I'm Back (really really long post)

I am sorry I decided to take a little break from the computer - not from taking pictures just the computer. My schedule is always so full and sometimes I just need to step back, rest, re-focus and get a creative break. The stress of life sometimes catches up too. So today's post will catch me up to the past weeks missed post.

Interesting
236



Dramatic
237


This is what I enjoyed the most at the campground -
The Hammock
I read and then I napped - it was wonderful.


The view
from the hammock that is.


Dave was so relaxed he played:
Air guitar 238


On our way home from the campground we pass Dave's moms house and this is what we saw - LOL
Dave said, "Lord, that's me!" LOL


In order to get the whole family group (minus my son & nephew who live out of state)
we had to go outside

Group Shot 239


He had to take several deap breathes to blow out ALL of his candles 240




What is it 241



I believe that brings me up to date on my post. I will now try to catch up with your 365's.

Also, I promised Elli I would share my "camping" style - which is much different that hers. I don't really rough it. Here are several images that Dave took of our "camper."
If you've kept up with this post so far, thanks for your patience.

The outside of our camper



Kitchen/Dining Room


living room


Loft on the top & bed room on the bottom

235/365

">This is who I spent the evening with last night.

She was singing "You are my sunshine" and "TWinkle twinkle little star" it ended up being "Twinkle My Sunshine"
Obvioulsy we think she's a super star! LOL

232-234/365 Catch up . . .

There were some questions about my lighting in the last post. Honestly, I set my speed light on a stand, camera right with the sun setting in the background. I miss spoke when I said 2 speed lights. I only used one. I played with the light until I liked how the image looked. Not very scientific but it's all I got. Thanks for the comments everyone.


Just because - I think diamonds need special lighting and I haven't figured it out.

Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary and Dave & I took off for the day. We went to Saugatuck, Michigan and found this amazing garden full of roses. Just awesome.




I had the opportunity and the privilege to second shoot with Shawn Reimers from Artistic Photography in Iowa this Saturday and here a just a couple of the many great images.

231/365

A bit of off camera flash using 2 speed lights

More paper stuff

I also posted this on my other blog
my inlaws celebrated 52 years of marriage! That's just amazing to me.
Titled: True love stands the test of time!
against all odds - they've made it work. They are my hero's.

229/365

Reesee has found a new "baby." I don't know where it came from, all I know is that when I came home from work she was already carrying this lamb around and protecting it fiercely. She has gone for a walk and a ride and has not let go of the baby yet. The worst part is that it cries. Maybe that's why she's protecting it so much -
wha, whaaaa, whaaa" enough already!
She's sleeping with it tucked under her neck right now.

228/365

Here is another layout for my art journal. It's about my recently acquired relationship with God.
I made a card with those colors and since I had everything out already, I just kept adding embellishments to it.
It's a smorgasbord of things on this page. It's supposed to be a bit more artsy than I'm used to but I like the way it turned out.

227/365

For the last 2 weeks I've been making cards and layouts and entering all kinds of challenges. Remember my little "purse" I won that challenge, the layout about my daughter it didn't win but it was placed in the slide show which show cases their top 20 pick.
Well, here is another challenge. This one requires you to use vintage items and incorporate them in your "art" Now I wasn't sure if it was just paper art or whatever.
So here is a vintage ceramic bird my mom gave me

and a vintage necklace I bought at an antique store a very long time ago

I made some jump rings and then just played.

The results?

What do you think? Does it work. It's not exactly what I had in mind but . . .

224 - 226 of 365

Friday, June 12, 2009 We went to a presentation, of sorts. Izzy, my youngest was introduced, along with about 40 other students, as participants in H.O.P.E. Hispanic Organization Promoting Excellence, Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy. Basically, this summer the group is going to Indiana University Bloomington (College Campus) and staying there for 3 days and they will be learning Leadership skills. I am so proud of him.


These 2 images were taken at the camp ground. Just a wild flower/weed.
However, both images were taken at the same time of day just the camera settings were different.


and last but not least, this little toad made me scream like a little girl and my mother in law just thought that was the funniest thing. Even while holding him, I screamed - hey he was kicking and thrashing. I put him in a safe environment, back in his home, away from my dogs.

Another paper craft

I think I'm getting hooked on these challenges. This card is for a challenge and since it's past 1:00 am over here this picture counts for Friday's picture!
See, I told you I wasn't sleeping much.

222/365 Summer ready feet!

LOL - well I hadn't had a pedicure in a long time so I treated myself today. I don't usually get all that fancy with it but today I did. So here it is in my reality, once I start wearing sandals I continue until the end of fall.




My life seems to continue getting busier and busier - if that's even possible. I work full time and every day of the week there is something I have to do, somewhere I must be (other than home), some meeting I must go to. My weeks have started running into each other and I'm getting very little sleep. I'm going camping again this weekend - it seems like life really slows down there and I can sit and think and read and just be. Well, if you can't tell, I'm tired. Hopefully I'll be able to post tomorrow but I'm not sure. Other wise I'll catch up with everyone on Monday.

221/365 Another paper craft project

Today's picture is of a paper craft project I made and entered into a challenge.
It's a portfolio type project I turned it into a brag book with images of all of my kids and my grandaughter.

How many images . . .?

How many pictures does it take to get a family of 20 all looking picture perfect? LOL



It was a pretty easy shoot.

BTW - if you are interested I have some crafty stuff going on in my other blog
Mi Arte Creativa

Aunt Pat's garden friends . . .219/365

Image heavy.
Well, my mother in law and I went by our Aunt Pat's house while she was away. I was going to take pictures of her lovely garden BUT instead got caught up taking pictures of some of her garden ornaments. Her yard is so cute and looks so cozy - I just wanted to sit and relax! Her yard is so tidy too. Perfect.

Dave's family is so talented and crafty and artistic. I don't think there is one person in that family that isn't gifted in the arts somehow!
This is aunt Pat's newest creation. It's a glass/crystal totem. Isn't it adorable? I love it!



These mushrooms are gorgeous too. I believe they are imported from Poland. I may be wrong, but they were imported.



This lovely lady has looked over Aunt Pat's garden for a very long time.



Isn't this awesome?






. . .and look at this adorable thing! It's pretty heavy.

Next time I'll wait until she's home and she can point out some other things that I missed and I hear there is this unique tree I forgot to take a picture of. Next time for sure.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad Marek

Happy 52 Anniversary
Wow that's a lot of years! I keep asking them what their secret is.
These are the beautiful roses that my father in law gave his lovely bride.



Here's the card I made them
The paper is Club Scrap the lace is vintage and the butterfly I made from an old book that was ruined. I sewed a couple of pages together and tore the shape of a butterfly.