Week 31 - Hues of Blue at the Butterfly House

The Cypress Gardens butterfly house is alive with wings and bright flowers...this is just a little taste of the blue family.  It makes me happy!

Focusing on life during a move...Weeks 20 - 22

It's Saturday and I'm sitting amidst boxes of my stuff and random piles of things to unpack after moving to Charleston.  It has been one of the craziest, most thrilling, most exhausting weeks of my whole life!  I had quite a few things go awry during this move, but everything's here safe and sound.  Except Brando, that is...my sweetie fat cat wasn't quite right last night, so was at the vet for a few nights.  He's doing better, and is here sitting next to me, but still has a fever and no appetite.  So, no more unpacking for now, it's time for computer stuff and kitty snuggling.

To focus on the positive, I've been taking pictures so I can share some from the last few weeks.  I figure it's okay to post late as long as I actually took the picture during that week...nothing like setting up your own rules!

Week 20 - Looking Up

During a busy week of packing, part of the game involved tossing out things I probably don't need any more.  I've been carrying this love swing around for years.  It has never come out of the box, but has made for some hilariously awkward situations since it ended up in the trunk of my car.  Imagine this scenario...I'm in Carmax buying a new car and there's my sales guy helping me unload the trunk of my old car so I can load it into the new one.  I'm surrounded by a bunch of detail guys who are wandering around with rags and window cleaner when suddenly I see the swing box and make eye contact with my salesman.  He's not sure quite what's up with it, but with a laugh he offers to put it up there in the service area.  I blush a bit (yes, I do get embarrassed) and ask him to just pack it back into the new car so I can continue to carry it around for no reason.  Stepping into a new command job, I figured it was time to give it up...hopefully some dumpster diver around Hampton, Virginia will have some fun with it.  I'm "looking up" to my new responsibilities...and not "looking up" at the ceiling.  haaaaaaaaaa


Week 21 - Reminisce

Yeah.  It's a bathroom floor.  I just loved the colors!  This shot is from a pitstop while out wandering with my Mom in Charleston.  We stopped at the College of Charleston art building to check out an exhibit as part of the Spoleto Festival.  I love being in a collegiate environment, even though it makes me feel old.  Immediately triggers tons of happy memories...and a few crazy ones.  Hence, I'm reminiscing in the bathroom at an art exhibit.

Week 22 - Foodie

It was the perfect week to have food as the topic...but I went direct to the foodie:  my ma!  We got to spend almost two weeks together having fun in Charleston and working my transition to the new house and the new job.  Her passion is food.  No joke.  Just about every conversation has some aspect of food involved and it's awesome.  It's her way of showing love and appreciating life.  I'm truly grateful she was here because my cupboards and freezer are stocked with delicious food!  Plus, I got to experience some amazing local fare as tourists.  Grits are a favorite!  This week's photo is a quick iPhone shot from our Sunday brunch at Magnolia's.  You can see how much she loved it.  :)  It was delightful from the mimosas through dessert.  

I'm giving myself another day for Typography...

Week 19: Capturing Hope

Hope:  to cherish a desire with anticipation; to expect with confidence.

What a perfect word for this week...as I am living deep with anticipation of the HHG (household goods...everything has to have an acronym) pack and pickup next week.  I am down to less that two weeks left until I say goodbye to my Langley family and start my Charleston adventure.

I hope for the continued success of my wonderful team here in Virginia...we've worked hard on so many things and have (for the most part) stayed positive through it all.  I can't believe I've been in that office for three whole years...and now I have to start closing it all out and handing it off...I hope it goes smoothly!  

I hope I can keep my sense of humor through the next two weeks.  I almost had a nervous breakdown when I saw a bug on my windshield the other night while driving through a tunnel.  Uh...seriously?  Relax.  I got the bug out and got home safe and sound, but it made me realize just how nuts I've gotten. Plus, stress makes me get weird rashes and I don't need any more of those!  haaaaaaaa

I hope my cats enjoy the roadtrip next week with me and Ma.  They are not happy travelers.  Heck, I hope my Ma enjoys the roadtrip with the cats!

Cherished anticipation.  Excitement.  Awesome.  

Week 18 - Abstraction...Caution

Sally's prompt for this week was one simple word:  abstract.

While out running (or, I could more correctly describe it as barely jogging/walking) on Tuesday with my ACC/A1 family, I noticed for the hundredth time this stack of stuff near the running path.  It's a bunch of sandbags and security blocks for when things go awry on base. I've always liked the way everything's tumbled together behind the fence...all there just in case.  I love the lines and the pop of orange. So, while the shot's not totally abstract in appearance, it's  an abstract interpretation of readiness for anything...throwing caution (tape) to the wind!

Week 17 - Can't Get Enough Color

My Week 17 picture is all about color and the joy I had making a mess with it at Art & Soul in Virginia Beach!  This was my Friday class: "Tango with Acrylics" with Sandra Duran Wilson.  It was awesome.

I've been getting into painting more and more and really want to be able to add depth to my two-dimensional work.  (Wait, that would make it less two-dimensional ... hmmmmmm).  We spent the entire day playing with various mix-in media that can be used with acrylic pigments to get all kinds of great effects.  My friends Bette & Laura were sitting in front of me and Bronwyn was sharing my table.  Sandra gave us excellent direction on all the various "white pastey things" we could use to create new textures and glazes and such.  Then we had plenty of time to play.  As you can see from my tidy workspace, I had a bit of fun trying out various techniques with all my favorite colors.  I ended up with a few great journal pages and lots of works-in-progress.  Plus, I took the paper from the table when I left because it was one of my favorite color mixes from the whole day!

And so I share it here, a week late, but with all the enthusiasm a Week 17 post can have!!!  

Week 15 - Focus on Aged Beauty

On a walk through the crazy flea market in Savannah I saw this phenomenal patina on a worn, old outdoor chair.  I can see some copper or clay finished in this style.  So, it's my "aged beauty" shot for this week.  I'm a little late posting, but I've been busy with my big leadership class, so it's a good excuse.  The joy of "owning" a blog...I can do what I want!  haaaaaaaaaaaaa

Week 13 - Have Faith...Spring Will Arrive Soon

Many of us have been stuck in the midst of crazy weather patterns...the buds are out and covered with snow!  Seriously?!  I, for one, am craving sunshine and can't wait for the days of milder temperatures and brighter colors in the trees and gardens.  Luckily, I have faith that those days are coming.  Soon.  

I'm actually hitting the road today for a trip to Charleston to start looking for a place to live.  In the military, we're lucky enough to have a wonderful network of housing professionals who help with this search.  Plus, there are fellow servicemembers around who own homes and need someone to keep them occupied when they move on.  I don't have much of an agenda set up for this trip because I really just want to look around and get to know the city and the suburbs.  It's a unique opportunity and I have faith that I'll find something perfect.

About the photo:  It's a Hipstamatic shot.  There was a special last weekend with some new lenses and films and I am in love with this "tintype" version.   My friend, John, and I were walking out to the car and I saw this nest and really wanted the shot.  He stared at me as I explained that I needed to try out some new film and lenses.  Then he reminded me that I was holding my phone...haaaaaaaaaa  Whatever...I live in a world where a phone has film and lenses and I love it!

Week 11 - The Possibilities are Endless

I missed last week.  But, I'm okay with that.  My life has been a little bit off kilter lately.  But, again, I'm okay with that.

I made up for it this week by exercising.  I hate admitting that exercise actually makes me feel like a more positive, productive and overall normal human being.  But, it does. I'm okay with that.

While out for a run today, I saw this bit of junk and saw the possibilities.  It's a flower.  It's flowing.  It's paper.  It's layers and layers of exploration.  After a few miles (okay, just two) my mind was 100% off of work and the frustration and ludicrous (my boss's word) issues we've been working lately and fully engaged in the world around me.  A little '80s rock in some new kickass headphones helped, but I didn't even have to try to see things more clearly.  They were just there...in a pile of construction trash.

I'm ready to move.  Okay, not really.  I'm mentally ready to move to a new job, but I have a lot to do to transition. The possibilities, though, are amazing...and that's what matters this week!!

Focus on Life: The Journal Page as a Doorway

My life has been really undramatic lately.  I guess I wouldn't call it boring, but it's really not all that exciting most of the time.  I can go through a whole weekend day and not speak to anyone.  Isn't that weird?  

I was home a lot this week after getting some periodontal work done (i.e. gums cut to shreds!!) so I didn't think about Sally's prompt until this weekend.  I've been doing more painting, lately, and love the feel of a squiggling swirling line.  I played on this journal page trying to open up my mind and get the positive energy moving.  So, I can go loose on my interpretation of this week's prompt and say that this journal page worked as a door to bring some creativity to the surface.  

And that's about all the excitement I have to share.  Time to get back to Roger, my couch, for our Sunday nap ritual.  :)

Focusing on Life: Monochromatic and Percolated

I'm a photo app kinda girl.  I love me some quality time on the iPad with some creator's inventive way to manipulate and play with photos I've taken. 

For this week's "one" photo, I went back into my vault of black and whites...keeping it monochromatic...and tried out a new app that I found out through some friends on Facebook (thanks, Sue & Nancy).  It's called Percolator.

It was hard to step out of the colorworld, since I was feeling pretty colorful this week.  But, following Sally's prompt, I enjoyed time in the grey world.

This is a shot of a gorgeous chandelier in the Bellagio that I took when I was in Vegas for Mother's Day last year with my ma.  It's all dotted up and ready to go.  Love the tones and the texture.  I think it'll have to get printed....and at least put up on the fridge.

Tons of friends have joined in on the "one a week" idea to focus on life.  They'll be linked over at Sally's Studio Sublime. 

Focusing on Life: Feel the Love

Yeah...I was thinking that "feeling the love" would involve people of some sort, but I think it's more about capturing how much fun I had with my friends at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens last weekend.  This is my favorite shot of the day.  The little sign near it said that it's witchhazel.  I've never seen anything like it before and when I think of witchhazel I think of Tucks medicated pads and then I just laugh and laugh.

So, I took along three friends who weren't really into "photowalk" mode, but they were great sports.  Then, I was a little surprised and really thrilled when they all pulled out their "little" cameras and phones and started playing when we went into the tropical plant house.  We ended up in there for about an hour and all had sooooo much fun exploring camera and filter features.  It was awesome!

I got a shutterfly coupon in the mail this week and decided to order a copy of this one.  Can't wait to see what it looks like live!

There are lots of photographer/bloggers out there sharing love this week...

Focusing on Life: Capture a Heart

Sally tells us this week to take notice of all the hearts that end up in life everyday.  I looked past just the shape and thought about "hearts" and came up with a couple of things...

It's the driver of a healthy body.  A racing heart and a sweaty forehead actually feel good.  Sure, it's probably just the endorphins making me feel that way, but it still counts!

It's the passion behind doing what you love.  My friend and trainer, Andi, is following her passion to help people and grow a business.

It all came together on Thursday morning at 0700 when she had me squatting across a room and doing all kinds of things that make it hurt when I laugh the next day.  My heart was racing as I jumped up and down while she yelled at me...well, she actually just encourages me firmly and makes me laugh.  She had me rolling in sweat in the first 15 minutes of our workout.

So, that's us, sweaty and pretty in the gym!  
Our hearts' efforts on display.  :)

Focusing on Life: Create. Art.

Two little words.  Create.  Art

This week, Week 4 of focusing on life, those words meant friends, paints, papers, messes, gelatin plates, acrylics, lace, stencils, brayers, more papers, wine, color, experiments, tools, sharing, rearranging, layering, scissors, smocks, and most important, JOY.

My one piece to share this week is a collage of a few of the 102 papers I printed last weekend with my dear friends Carol and Bette.  I met these likeminded ladies through various workshops, including Art & Soul, over the last couple of years.  They're just a small bit of the wonderful people I've met through art, and I love spending time with them since it's so non-day-job-bureaucracy.  It's totally recharging.

I invited myself to Carol's house for a road trip weekend and loved spending time with her and her sweet doll husband, Steve.  He lets me come back even though every time I show up the entire townhouse gets rearranged into a creative "enclave" and there's no room for much of anything else.  We had to eat our rib dinner on our laps because there was too much action on the dining room table to clear it off for a meal.  haaaaaaaaa  Plus, he has his own creative bent with a wood shop in the basement and I always leave with wonderful hand-turned treats.  

Anyway, Carol and I spent about 10 hours standing around that table trying out something new (to us): Gelli plates.  Bette joined us on Sunday and we wiled away the afternoon trying new techniques to monoprint using acrylics on this gelatin-sort-of plate.  I'd never heard of it before, but was, of course, thrilled to go out and buy some more art supplies.  Bette's a paper master, so she brought her collection of stencils with her.  It was like having a personal artist's supply shop right there since she has hundreds of them.  No joke.  

Another key activity of the weekend involved Carol's blog...she's up and running at Carol DeeZigns and has a post with more details about our weekend's "business."  

With aching backs from standing so long, we were able to look back over our weekend thrilled with all our new, cool papers and excited about printing some more...oh, and about buying more stencils and paints and such, because you can't start a new craft without using it as excuse to buy things!  haaaaaaaaaaaaa  So, even as I play with my papers, or play with my pictures of those papers, and shop for new toys to make more, I think of the JOY we felt all weekend and can only smile.  :)

Focusing on Life: 15 Minutes...or more

I have a lot of free time.  I never really thought about it until I got challenged by Sally this week to take some time for myself and just chill.  Uh.  I do that everyday.  Heck, last weekend, I had a full day of nothing.  Through the course of the week, I was conscious of how much time I spend alone and, while chatting with the cat, I figured out that I'm probably a bit unique. Maybe I need to get the hell out of the house and do something.  Maybe I need to volunteer somewhere.  Hmmm.  Maybe I need to move!  We shall see...

I did, though, try a little something new this week to get my solo groove on.  I started on a big art journal.  Those flippin' prismacolor nupastels are now one of my favorite things ever.  I haven't really ventured out of a monochromatic schemes so far, but my new 96-color pack allows for lots of rich mixes.

So, playing by myself was my fun chill time of the week.  I can't wait to keep on filling this book with experiments and color and fun and gripes and laughs.  For now, I need to get on the road for a crafty weekend in Maryland. Whooo hooooo!!!

Focusing on Life: Fresh

Fresh is the word that's going to drive me through 2013.
Fresh is how I'm going to wake up and look at each day and each opportunity
Fresh is the joy I'm going to look for in things that seem rote and boring and old and tired.
Fresh is my outlook on frustrations.
Fresh is my view of crafting and creating and challenging myself to try.
Fresh is how I'll savor the little things like a new tube of mascara or a perfectly salted pistachio.
Fresh will get me to take a deep breath and stop on the way to work on the King Street Bridge on Langley to take a picture when the water is so smooth, there's a duck-looking bird eating fish, and the cars are honking hello.  (I was late for work, but it was worth it.)

So, that's it. Fresh.  That's my word.  

There are others out there sharing their words today...

Focusing on Life - Week 1 - A Pondering Woman

That's me.  The pondering woman.

I'm thinking of all the things I'd like to do this year and how I wish I had the energy to do them. 

I'm thinking about how I want new glasses.

I'm thinking that I should wear eyeshadow more often.

I'm thinking that the skin on my nose is really dry and it's a mystery.

I'm thinking my haircut is cute and I'm relieved because I had to try a new stylist because mine moved.

I'm thinking I should get my eyebrows waxed more often.

I'm thinking I should get some bigger diamonds for my ears.

I'm thinking about being less frustrated by my job.

I'm thinking about going to the gym.

I'm thinking about the next 51 weeks and the photo journey I'm on.

I'm thinking that I compare my life to others' too often.

I'm thinking I'll get another beer (lite, of course) and go play.