Taking a Challenge...to get out of the house!

I'm excited!  I need to reconnect to my blog friends and make a little jewelry.  What better way than to join in a challenge...the 2nd Annual Challenge of Travel hosted by Erin of Tesori Trovati.

The challenge isn't so much about traveling far...instead we need to travel near in the spirit of a staycation.  So, I get to focus on my recently-found home, Charleston.

Recently I've been feeling in a funk a bit because I'm just so focused on the job I haven't really been spending any energy on the rest of my life...my evenings are boring and my weekends are even worse. Luckily, my mom came to visit and got me out.  Now, this week I'm hosting my sister and her girlfriend and all of their boys...four of them from ages 8 to 11.  I had no idea the noise level and just overall confusion could go up within seconds of them walking through the door.  It's awesome.  Makes me appreciate the peace and quiet I normally have around here that I would generally assume is boring.  We are doing all sorts of things around Charleston and the local towns, so I'm already embracing the spirit!  Today, for instance, we toured a cypress swamp with a guide named Cowboy, rang the bell at the top of the climbing wall, played basketball (I watched and sweated), shopped at the Base Exchange for sunglasses, ate at a dive bar where the kids enjoyed reading vulgarity written on the table, and broke in my noodles in the neighborhood pool.  The day isn't even over yet!

So, I'm going to take a lot more field trips, even if I'm on my own, and get some inspiration for this challenge!!

Check out this Hipstamatic shot of an amazing flower (which I just figured out is a lotus!!) from the huge selection at Cypress Gardens today:

I'll probably end up facing an over-inspiration problem by the end of the month...and that's a good thing!!

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!!

A Hipstamatic Study of National War College Architectural Details

Or, in simpler terms:  pics I took while at Curt's graduation ceremony last week.  :)

First off, I have to say Congratulations to him...he's finished up a year at the National War College at Fort McNair.  It has been a year of ups and downs and a few sideways, but he made it.  And now he's off to new adventures!  It was great to spend a few hours with his mom, dad, brother and sister as we enjoyed a gorgeous June day and the graduation ceremony for all the National Defense University Students.  I couldn't help but whip out my phone and take pics as we toured around the historic buildings.  I've tried out Instagram, but Hipstamatic is still my favorite.  Here are a few shots...

Lens:  John S - Film:  Big Up

Lens:  Jimmy - Film:  Dream Canvas

   

Lens:  Kaimal Mark II - Film:  Rock BW-11

Lens:  James M - Film:  AO BW

Lens:  James M - Film:  Big Up

Lens:  James M - Film: Dream Canvas

Lens:  Kaimal Mark - Film:  Rock BW-11

Things that are awesome

Things that are awesome.  

Or, at least I think they're awesome right at the moment.  I'm kinda fickle...

~ Loving on handmade beads from my friends Sue & Donna in great shades of orange and pink and blue.

~ Working with beads and wire...it has been a long time since I got down to business at the bead table.

~ Sleeping in when it's raining on a Sunday morning.

~ Realizing that the pink on my toes matches the pink of my bathroom rug.

~Taking fun pictures with Hipstamatic's "random" setup because you never know how the shot is going to come out.
~ Pulling out some pearls that came from my last trip to Hawaii and fondling their richness before finally using them in a project.
~ Eating no-bake peanut butter cookies from Sheetz that are just like the ones we made in middle school home ec class.

~ Taking a two hour nap on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
~ Feeling skinny after taking a 14 mile ride on the recumbent bike.
~ Playing sudoku while taking a 14 mile ride on the recumbent bike.
~ Being pain free for 10 minutes after an hour on the recumbent bike.

~ Laughing tremendously across the lunch table with a good friend about ridiculous things like capuchins and crimping irons.
~ Making up the bed with freshly laundered sheets.
~ Organizing a bunch of new bras in various shades of pretty pink and melon and salmon and sexy.
~ Savoring a banana pudding milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry from Chik-fil-a; okay, actually savoring a few of them, not just one.

~ Getting Frankie kitty up close enough for some snuggling since it has taken five years for him to get comfortable with me.
~ Figuring out how to play poker with friends and realizing that I can't count; did you know you need all the numbers in a row for a straight?
~ Reliving high school memories and relationships with new album updates in my iTunes repertoire...Van Halen, Ozzy, Tesla, Warrant...you get the drift.

~ Finally getting an appointment with a doctor who might be able to help me get some back pain relief; it's not for a couple of weeks, but it's still scheduled.
~ Watching Modern Family.  This week's episode was flipping hilarious.
~ Discovering Ellen and laughing out loud while looking at Sophia Grace and Rosie over and over.
~ Finishing out the weekend with a Sonic slushie.

~ Life is good.  :)

Project 52 Pic - At the Bellagio

A few months ago my ma called and asked if she could visit over Mother's Day weekend.  Well, here in Hampton, there's lots of exciting things to do like knit or craft or play with cats, but I decided to propose something a little different.  You know...life is too short and so it's time to do fun stuff.  So, we went to Vegas!!


We called The Bellagio home for a couple of days and treated ourselves to luscious massages and a stunning Cirque du Soleiel show and fantastic late night meals and phenomenal cocktails.  It was 


I have a ton of pictures, but I decided to just feature this one for today as part of my "Project 52" set...I've actually made it to Week 19!

I captured this shot using my iPhone's Hipstamatic app with some kind of cool black and white filter/film combination.  I don't know exactly which one.  :)  We had just finished our Sunday morning breakfast and were, sadly, getting ready to head to the airport.  We decided to hang out in the lobby and  watch people for a little while before venturing back into travel mode.  I ended up watching chandeliers more.  :)

It's hard to tell that we're related, right?  haaaaaaaaaaaa

Joining the Club: Scritches

I was seriously busy last week and it was great!  I took my "word" to heart and got out and about.  I used meetup.com to find some groups and I'm pleased to report that I had a great time at both!  This post is a start of my involvement in the Hampton Roads Digital Photography Club (HRDPC).  I guess I didn't really have a particular expectation when I went to the meeting on Tuesday night, but I was pleasantly surprised at the extensive involvement and really welcoming atmosphere.  There were over 30 people there at the annual brainstorming session to come up with programming for 2012.  It was really high energy and everyone seemed really generous and genuinely driven to share their skills.  There were quite a few professionals in the room, but I still felt like I could contribute some value with my own less-experienced creative perspective...and that felt really good!!!

In addition to the great face-to-face interactions, I'm excited about the projects.  The club organizers go out of their way to put fun challenges together that will allow anyone to participate.  First off is Project 52--a picture a week.  Apparently they did this last year with a Project 365--I can't imagine trying to shoot a pic every day.  But, I think one a week is definitely do-able.  Here's my first shot:  Scritches.

Can you guess what it is?  Think dumpster!  haaaaaaaaa  This is the concrete outside my office where the dumpster used to be.  I thought it looked kinda retro-70's wallpaper combined with nice lines.  I used my handy dandy iPhone's Hipstamatic for this one.


Another cool HRDPC idea is their Scavenger Hunt.  I have two months to shoot a specific list of 10 items.  This one includes a yellow sign and a news van, among other things.  I'll have to figure out how to get some sort of checklist on my phone so I won't forget when I see something I need!


Other than those things, I'm looking forward to next week's meeting because folks will be showing off photos of their "key moments" from 2011.  It's not necessarily the best picture of the year, but something that was pivotal to life or photography or whatever.  I'm excited to share my own but I haven't picked a pic yet.


I've gotta get another cup of coffee and keep the laundry train moving before Curt gets here.  He's riding down on his motorcycle since the weather is so wonderful.  Then, we're going to see Rock of Ages, the musical, tonight.  I love me some hair bands, so I'm really looking forward to it!  


Happy Saturday!

Hipstamonday at Fort Monroe

Curtis came down to visit this weekend and we spent time appreciating the simple things in life...

Sleeping in even after the fire alarm went off at 7 flippin' am.

Giftcards that were lost on the desk that lead to a free meal.

A fat cat who likes to snuggle.

Fresh breezes in the bedroom window.

Sunday crossworld puzzles.

And, most importantly, pretty sand and scenery at the beach.


We went for a walk down on Fort Monroe.  On 1 October it ceased to be an active military installation and now it's part of Hampton as a park.  It's going to be a great place for walks and runs now that it's not so painful to go through the gate without a DoD car sticker.  Here are some huge seagulls...and a purple sky!  Love my phone.  :)

As we walked, I shook the camera just to see what would come up--the lenses and films change randomly--and took shots.  This is some ridged sand:


And how about this one?  The seagulls were huge!  Most of them ran off while I was walking down there, but the crazy lens on this one took such a cool shot!
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Here's a bit of wall where the water will be at high tide.

If you have an iPhone and haven't downloaded it yet, click here to find the Hipstamatic app.

Hipstamonday: Sunshine in Pennsylvania

Curtis and I had a fantastic weekend up in Pennsylvania.  It was the second weekend of the huge Fall Foliage Festival, so I got to spend some time with my friends serving up some walking tacos to the masses.  That was only after we celebrated my sweet nephew Liam's 4th birthday.  How do these boys get so big so fast!?


We stopped at the rest stop just over the border in PA and there were some huge sunflowers planted around the building.  Nerds that we are, we were up in looking at them trying to figure out how the seeds are up in there.  I didn't have my "big" camera so I busted out the Hipstamatic and took a shot...love this yellow!

I have to get back to laundry and get ready for this short week.  Only four days until the next weekend...that means I need to get to work on projects featuring my very own enameled beads for the Painting with Fire book tour.

HipstaMonday

It's way too early on Monday morning and I'm actually enjoying coffee at the house where my husband lives (and I normally don't because we happen to live in different towns even though we love each other) while I check out some BSBP blog posts.  I have been so busy doing some hands-on creating that I haven't opened up my computer all weekend!  I was Blissfully engaged in learning new things and meeting new people at Artbliss on Friday and Saturday.  Thanks to Cindy and Jeannette!  I have lots of new skills to try and want to share all those results, but in the meantime, I'm going to go with a photo post...yes, it's the "easy" way out for an early morning post, but it's gonna have to do.

These are Hipstamatic shots from my trip to Gig Harbor, Washington, back in August.  I went out for a walk one morning and didn't feel like carrying my big camera so I just took my phone.  I ended up spending more time stopping for shots than actually getting sweaty, but it worked out since I got to see lots of pretty things.  I used the "shake" feature in Hipstamatic that will randomly change up the filters and lenses when you shake the phone.  You never know what you're gonna get!

I love these retro tones with the texture of these purple blossoms...

 The black and white of this shot brings out the contrast between the roundness of the buds and the lines of the branches.

 The brightness of the flowers draws me in, but then the focus drifts down to that juicy, shiny berry.

 Since I was actually walking along the waterfront, a little "nautical" shot that brings out the patina just wonderfully!

If you've been venturing out with some Hipstapics, I'd love to see more so feel free to comment and share a link!  Maybe we could start a new photo-blogging trend!

Hip in DC

I stayed at the office too late but I'm still in the mood to share a little bit so here are some Hipstamatic photos that I just downloaded from my camera.  I absolutely love how retro they are...it makes me want to dig through the photo albums at my parents' house and reminisce.

I used the "shake" feature of the app...if you shake the phone it will mix up the film style and lens to come up with a random combination so you don't really know what you might get. 

I could sit and play with my phone for hours...if only I wasn't sitting at my office so much!!  Tomorrow I'm leaving on time so I can play!