I've Got A Fever!?!?

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is.
And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want,
but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!
~Mark Twain~



We are in the home stretch.
In a little over a month, the signs of spring will be plentiful.
I am eagerly awaiting that joyous occasion! Until then, I'll just self-medicate;
these roadside daffodils should do the trick.

Posted in Today's Flowers

Where Wonder Collides

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity,
of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.
~Albert Einstein~


If you've been around WW for a while, then you might recognize this photo. If not, the above photo is a TtV shot I took sometime last year. The abandoned barn in the field next to our house is accompanied by this wicked willow tree. On the day I took this photo using the TtV method, it was extremely foggy. In my opinion it really added to the nostalgic feeling that this photo oozes.

So, why in the heck am I reposting a photo that I have already shared?! Well, this photo was one I entered in this years Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. The good news is that it was a winner chosen to be in the exhibit with 46 other photographs! I am really looking forward to this years reception. The deadline for getting a matted and framed print is at the end of this month, thankfully, I'm already covered! Last year, the whole framing deal freaked me out, but since going through the process once, I'm not worried this go round. Two competitions in one year so far.....I'd say that I'm off to a pretty good start!!! As TD would say, WOOT-WOOT!!

Voting for people's choice award has not yet opened,
but I will be sure to let you know when it does!

Links:

• What the heck is TtV? Well, I wrote an article once: here.
  
• A list of all finalists can be found, here.
• My photos that were selected last year can be found, here.
• The other competition was NC Wildlife Magazine, here.
• Posted in Photostory Friday & Hooked On.
  

Sneak Peak

Remember my first experiment with layers in Photoshop?!
Well, if not, the image above was the first image I ever applied a texture to.
It took me forever to figure out how layers work, but once you do, it's easy peasy!

Anyway, I have been working with this TtV photo again this past weekend.
As you know Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I wanted to do something special.



I'm madly in love with these little keepsakes.....and thought, hey, someone else might
like one, too! Oh yeah, Cody helped me make the handmade envelopes to
go with them (not pictured). Clicking on the photo will take you to the
listing in my Etsy shop.


I have been very busy getting things done lately. There is a secret
that I will share about how I am finding motivation later this week.
Stay tuned! And, who knows, maybe Cody will have a post?!?!
I bet if you ask nicely he'll do one :o)

New England Aster

We've had a somewhat uneventful weekend.
I suppose that maybe I'm saving it up till Wednesday.
Tomorrow I'll pack so that we can high tail it out of here after work on Tuesday.
Other than that, cleaning the house is always necessary before we leave
to go on a trip, which is what we spent most of the day doing.
I just like to come home without feeling like I need to do housework.


Aster in the Pasture TtV

When I came home on Friday,
I was surprised to find 5 different bouquets in the kitchen.
I just got around to arranging them all today, and plan to take some photos tomorrow.
Until then, you can enjoy these dainty, New England Asters I found in the field next door.

Posted for Today Flowers
Interested in learning more about TtV, click here.

Nurture Nature

wordless wednesday


Nurture nature, and it will nurture you.



If you want to nurture nature, please take part in helping to preserve
our land's natural history by taking a pledge.
Taking a pledge doesn't require much from you.
The widget on the right is where you can join me in the fight to end mountain top removal.

REMEMBER

• I am willing to donate one dollar on your behalf to the cause mentioned in the "I Heart Mountains" post once you have pledged.
  
• At the end of this week, I plan to match the pledges.
• And so I know who joined in, please leave a comment stating, I LOVE MOUNTAINS!

Moments : Lost in Reverie

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
~Walt Disney~

I've been on this haiku kick ever since Jo invited us to write one to accompany some morning photos she took one day.
I was inspired to write this one after I read and contemplated the Walt Disney quote shown above.

When life gets in the way we can become overwhelmed, and discouraged.
Staying focused isn't always an easy task.

What has helped you to keep the dream alive?!

~Dainty White~

A flower's appeal is in its contradictions - so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect.
~Adabella Radici~




It seems like it's been far too long since I've taken any TtV photos.
This is one I took a couple weeks ago with the Enigma shot.
As you can tell, some texture effects were added.
The flowers remind me of vintage lace, which is how I got around to adding those particular style of layers.
Dainty White was the magnet that Liss won in the contest - I think she'll like it!

Speaking of magnets, you six lucky winners will be happy to know I mailed the prizes to you today. Please let me know once you receive them. To those of you who weren't so lucky, bear with me, a BIGGER and BETTER prize giveaway is in the works. I don't have all my ducks in a row, yet, but soon! I know, I know, promises.....promises.

Oh yeah, and before I forget (since it's waaaay past my bedtime), I wrote an article about TtV that was published on the blog Words:Irrational. Alright, who am I kidding.....I have been working on this piece for Mr. A Marques for sometime now.....I can't help it, I'm slow! If you're interested in the technique you may want to have a read, I worked pretty diligently on this article.....so please do let me know what you think.
Be creative with old cameras - Through the Viewfinder

Underway.......

Well, I'm glad that I was able to turn some attention toward the current happenings,
thanks for humoring me!
What I have planned to offer in the way of prizes hasn't come together exactly
the way I initially planned out in my mind, but it will.
Last night, I finally finished a batch of these (see below) to present to those who are going to participate.
So, what is that?!, you say......well, it's a cute little refrigerator magnet!



*Sparkles not included!

The TtV magnet print measures about 3" x 3". However, these are just the conciliation prizes.
I have more surprises in order and hopefully will have the giveaway in place to do this Friday!
Stay tuned.....

Sweet Treats

I bought cherries a week or so ago for the sole purpose of photographing them.
I have what you would call a 'thing' for cherries, particularly cherry related kitchen items.
For some time, I have said to myself that I needed to take some photos of the fruit to hang in my kitchen.
I finally did, and this one, in its TtV fashion happened to be my favorite.
Of course I put my newfound photoshop spin on it.

The name "Sour Cherries" comes from a song by one of my most favorite bands, The Kills.
How about I dedicate this photo to my most favorite girl, B. I can't wait for October!

Here is a very different cherry shot I posted over at the {366} blog.



Now, about the upcoming festivities......
I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get more of a fuss when mentioning a GIVE-A-WAY!
I mean, show a little excitement people?!?! haha
I suppose that I'm a little more excitable since I know what's in store.
I am feeling pretty darn generous too - just so you know!
Let's create some pandemonium here,
especially since the word FREEBIE is involved.
That is, unless you're not at all interested?!
And if that's the case......
that just means there is more for everyone else!!!
(insert evil laugh from The Count here)

~ E N I G M A ~

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
~Henry Miller~

Ever since my new photoshop layer obsession began a few short weeks ago,
I have gained a keener eye.
I have been on an endless hunt for textures, and have been pleasantly surprised with what I have found.


After Cody and I left the ASU library yesterday, to get some photoshop books (I know, it's bad),
I found myself looking at the seemingly unsightly concrete walls for the uneven crackles and colored splotches peppered throughout.
Heck, I was even taking photos of the rust, and drippy juice lines on the dumpster near by. Ewe, gross.....haha


On a regular basis I stop and take the time to see that which would normally go unnoticed.
But my newfangled fascination has me delving that much deeper.
I really needed this boost in creativity.
I hate to say it but I was beginning to get a little bored with what I was producing,
which might explain why my posts were getting a little sparse?!
I'm glad that I am more excited to share what I've been doing with my free time :o)

~Love Notes~

Here is the first photo I told you about in the last post, which talked about me experimenting with photoshop.
The idea spawned from the background I used for the ArtCard shown below in this post.
The paper reads Je t'aime, which as some of you may know, means "I Love You" in French.

I knew I wanted those words merged with a photo.
Although I didn't know which photo they would work with, but after a little searching, I found one.
By itself, the photo was uninteresting.
After the additions, or let me rephrase that in photoshop talk, the layers really added a lot of interest to the TtV photo - in my opinion.
I really am in love with this photo now........hence the title "Love Notes".....

Update: This week has been somewhat of a blur........
I'll go ahead and confess now, instead of waiting until the end of the month......not just one, but two days this week went by without me taking a photo.
My first excuse being, I reminded myself before I started getting ready for bed, but somewhere during the brush my teeth, hair, yada yada drill......I forgot :(

The second excuse........yesterday was very rough and stressful for me......I'll spare you the details, but when I got home, I had a headache and was just exhausted! I passed out on the couch as I was resting my eyes around 6:30........I woke up somewhere around 7:30 and moved to the bed.......Cody woke me up at 9:45 to eat dinner......I stayed up till 11, then went back to bed.........Strangely enough......I woke up tired!?!?! I very rarely come home and go to sleep, my problem is usually going to bed too late. Last night was probably my body's way of saying, "Slow down, take it easy!".......

I'm so happy that tomorrow is Friday!! And am looking forward to some quality R & R this weekend. Sleeping out in the woods would be ideal.......we've been thinking about going camping. Who knows, we'll see, maybe the forecast will cooperate?






There is a pretty clear theme running through this post.
I'll let you decide what it may mean to you.
But I'll tell you how it started for me........
Do you remember me telling you about my new prompt for making ArtCards?
The Fortune Cookie Affirmation?
Maybe?!
Well, on top of amassing the cookie fortunes, I started saving the tabs from my yogi tea bags to put in the pot as well.
So that's why the piece of paper on the back of the card, is not rectangular like a fortune cookie fortune - in case you were wondering.
So this was my interpretation of the affirmation I pulled.
I know it's very Valentine's Day-ish, but that's just how it all came together in the end.





Shall we compare our hearts to a garden -
with beautiful blooms, straggling weeds,
swooping birds and sunshine, rain -
and most importantly, seeds.

~Grey Livingston~

N A T U R A L L Y

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.

~John Burroughs~

Quick Review:

• I woke up when I felt like it this morning.
• I did some yoga on my front porch with the singing birds as my soundtrack.
• Cody cooked a nice breakfast, and of course I had my tea.
• I'm now ready to go out and take advantage of this beautiful day!
• The fact that it's a 3 day weekend is the icing on the cake :)

*The above photo was taken using the TtV method. Please refer to this previous post if you are curious to know how this look was achieved. These are some wildflowers growing in our yard, you can see more of what's growing around the house over at the {366} Photographic Journal Blog - link is on the right. I will be back to posting more California trip details with my next post, have a great day!

{I Dream in Color}

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.
~Audra Foveo~

*I wish it were sunny out today like in the photo.......this weekend has been gloomy and foggy......yesterday it was so thick, we didn't really go anywhere. Although, I did get a deep tissue massage yesterday. I'm a little sore, which she said I most likely would be. I think that I am going to start having it done regularly, maybe once a week. On top of the Acupuncture I think it will really help with the muscle pain and tightness. Speaking of Acupuncture, I had the most nerve wreaking experience on Friday.......the clinic was closed last week so, the only way to get my appointment was to have my treatment done in front of a class. I started sweating almost instantly once I stepped inside of the room, as the center of attention all eyes were on me. I kept my eyes on the Acupuncturist, and tried to forget that everyone was watching. When we moved to the treatment room, the echo of feet clomping as they surrounded me seemed to be amplified as I laid there on the table. It was very hard for me to relax at first, and the whispers piercing my ears weren't as quite as the people thought they were. Once the Acupuncturist was done needling everyone left the room, thankfully......and as usual, I drifted off......if treatments were like that all the time, I don't think I would be comfortable going as much as I do!
We were thinking about hitting up another waterfall from my book today, but I'm not really in the mood for driving anywhere or leaving the house for that matter. And before I forget, I still have the other waterfall photos to share with you from last weekend......today, I needed something sunny to share :o)

If you liked this photo

Check out these:

• Tension Tamers
• Hydrangea
• Daffodil
  

Wonder Collides

I don't like standard beauty - there is no beauty without strangeness.

~Karl Lagerfeld

THOUGHTS:

• The image of this tree is hauntingly alluring.
• I love that it evokes nostalgia in buckets.
• My new favorite photo taken so far this year.
  

Update:

• Today I received the rest of our materials for the upcoming trip.
• Funny thing, I've received so many little signs pointing to the vacation I am eagerly anticipating.
  
• I get more excited by the day. 34 Remaining........
• Tomorrow I will post the information about the trip.
  
• Don't want to jinx it before I reserve the plane tickets! (I'm weird like that)

Press Your Luck

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!


fyi - I'm still alive...........

Dreamworld

Reality is too much to take in heapfuls, but sprinkle it sparingly upon life's path and most can tread it lightly.

~Astrid Alauda




I have felt somewhat negligent in terms of the blog world. My negligence doesn't always mean that I don't post, but I have felt almost like I haven't really been here. And I don't have anything interesting or profound to share with you today, because I'm still not really here. I just hate to think that my pictures go to waste, sitting in their little folders on my hard drive. I have so much to share, yet I don't.........doesn't make any sense to me either, but humor me. I guess the best way to describe what I've been going through would be to say that, I've been in lala land........sort of doing my own thing - creating.

Creating what? Well, stuff............I started making these little artcards from misc. things I cut out of magazines and have laying around for my scrap booking. I've made one almost every night this week. I'm not sure I'm ready to share them since they look pretty rough, and my eye is way to critical.........but it's fun and it takes my mind off of other things. I really want to buy some paints to incorporate in the mixture, but I don't have any idea as to what kind. I have no experience whatsoever with paint, complete novice. I'm thinking maybe acrylics, which is what Cody also suggested. Maybe a trip to Cheap Joe's is in order this weekend?!

Cody has been working on a dining room table for the house, made from scraps he's picked up here and there. For starters, I'm super excited that he is motivated and working in his shop like he's been planning to do. And secondly, I'm happy that I will finally have a place to spread out all my junk, instead of all over the floor, couch, and coffee table, when I'm working on something. Oh and lastly, I'll just be happy to have dinner at a table for once........It's been a while since we've eaten dinner at a table. Having meals while sitting on the couch sort of degrades the work you put in to preparing a meal, you know?!

My plan this weekend is to, well, make plans.........a vacation for Cody's birthday this year. I think we've selected the perfect place for some amazing adventures, somewhere I've wanted to go ever since I saw this fashion spread in a magazine, I didn't care about the clothes, I just feel in love with the scenery! I won't tell you where yet, but once we've set it in motion, and I receive my guidebooks, I will fill you in. If you don't already know, and can guess.......then you're real good.......I'll give you a hint, it's somewhere out west again. If you remember, we went to Las Vegas for my birthday last year. Oh boy, I can't wait!!!

~Juxtapose~

VS.

+ Not exactly the same scene but the concept is comparable. I didn't particularly care for the strictly digital shot of the exact scene so I chose a different frame. Would that then make the comparison irrelevant since it's not a photo of the same exact scene? Hmmmm, oh well.......I don't usually discriminate, except for when it comes to my photos, but I can do that! Anyhoo, I took these photos about a week and a half ago, while on my way to Acupuncture. One day as I was leaving a treatment I "saw" this abandoned building off to the side of the gas station in Valle Crucis; before I started the TtV I never really noticed it before. The people pumping gas were staring at me, and it was quite uncomfortable for the first 5 minutes I was there........after that I stopped paying attention to what was going on behind me so that I could make the most of what time I had before my appointment.

+ I try to make mental notes of things I see along the road so that I can stop when I'm better prepared, and sometimes I forget........I've gotten into the habit of writing EVERYTHING down though, otherwise ideas would be lost. I have lots of scrap paper laying around with random notes that need to be transcribed so I can categorize them so I can make sense of it all.....I love when I come across old lists or notes that I haven't seen in months, especially when I can check something off of it!.........It's like "hey, I did that"......Check!........That happens to me quite often actually, I guess the act of writing it down will still allow me to recall and complete what needs to be done even if the list is no where to be found.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I would like to share what's inspiring me today:

• Timecatcher.com: Here you will find a grouping of the most wondrous images I've ever seen. Photographs beautiful enough to make my heart ache, and to ignite a lust that runs so deep it makes me want to cry........

  WARNING: Numerous scientific research has proven this site to be a real feast for the eyes. You may experience the will to quit your day job and travel. We cannot be held responsible for such actions. Viewer discretion is advised.

• Louis Vuitton ~ Core Values Movie: Normally, I would automatically delete an email from them as I am not currently nor will I ever carry a Louis Vuitton bag.....that being said they are running a new campaign that really struck a cord with me. This link will take you to their website, my suggestion would be to just check out the 'Core Values' film. Photos accompanied with instrumental music in a slideshow form is what you should expect, but their is also a message or campaign slogan that speaks volumes to someone who desires to travel and see the world......as I do........these words were very powerful.......if you have 5 minutes.....check it out!

*Louis Vuitton did not pay me to post this and I am in no way endorsing Louis Vuitton with this message*

Tension Tamers

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

*****Modified******
02.14.2008~11:22pm
I got my Valentine's day flowers a day early, Cody surprised me with them since I was having an unusually bad day. They were so bright and beautiful, I was in the middle of washing dishes when he brought them in.......I promptly finished so that I could arrange them and take photos before the sun went down.....thankfully, I got done in time to take a few shots. The bouquet reminds me of spring, and it was full of some of my favorite flowers too. Cody knows which ones I like best! Lilies, daisies, and mums especially.......one was a Fuji Spider Mum that was orange and white, very crazy looking but gorgeous. Our Valentine's Day dinner was fabulous.......you will definitely hear all about it soon enough. Hope you all had a great Valentines day!

~Juxtapose~

VS.





I thought it would be of interest to see the same subject from two technical aspects. The top photo was taken with my regular digital camera while the second photo was taken using the TtV technique. As you can see the result you are left with gives two completely different finishes. I have really enjoyed dabbling with the 'new' technique. My plan is to continue working with it down the road with hopes that I will get better, and maybe I will find a way to make it more manageable, and possibly convenient!


What are your thoughts? I know some of you have expressed an interest in the photos.....care to be more specific on what you like about it? or don't like about it for that matter...........

......Loneliest Number......

As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.
~Emmanuel

*I'm hoping that quote will sink in for me, and I pray that tomorrow I will feel differently*