Homeschool Diva

Firstly here is something pretty to look at.  Why you ask?  Because, I feel the urge deep within my being to change some things around.  I think it is the right of every woman to want to redecorate, and the cheapest and fastest way to do that, is by moving a few pixels around online. Namely, a blog redesign.  I know, I know I can’t help myself.

So, I will be back to the drawing board, with my blog design and basic CSS.  Trust me I have a love hate relationship with that but I will not let it conquer me.  The problem is, I wait too long between redesigns that I can’t remember what I did last time, and have to learn it all over again.  Nice. I also need to update my linky love because it is terribly out of date and sparse, so I will work on that too.

I think I am finally laying to rest my thoughts on moving this blog to a different domain name. It’s gonna stay right here. Other then that, my kids are doing some art at the table, my son is reading through Robinson Crusoe and I am packaging stuff to send out from an ending eBay auction.

Have a great weekend everyone…..look for some changes coming shortly.

I am home and getting ready to wade through the massive amounts of digital images I have recorded.  Editing will begin at a slow and steady pace, and by goodness, I will know CS4 inside and out on the back side of this.  I am approaching it like the tortoise, and am giving myself a number I need to hit everyday to stay on target and get this art out the door before August.  In other news, 4 hours of alone time in the car with no noise, is a must for every busy stay at home/homeschool Mom.  Wow can you get some thinking and praying and surrendering done. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I miss my family like crazy. Now that I am home, I can’t find them anywhere. They must be out having fun with Grandma, so I thought I would say hi to you.

See you soon~

I’ve spoken before about this little collective of artists and musicians.  Maybe you remember about a year ago I made a call for artists.  Funny thing is, I thought I needed to network with them around the world.  Turns out they are right in my own back yard.  Sat. night we had a few friends over.  Actually people I hadn’t even know yet walked through our doors.  Young and old, conservative to liberal backgrounds, church staff, para church staff, different ethnicity, different backgrounds, different churches all represented.  A beautiful collection of God’s people. I am still ticked I didn’t get to sit and talk with every person I didn’t know there.  So sorry.  I want to know their story, their song, their dreams.  Really I deeply do.

So many people worked to pull it off.  We all just pushed a little.  No on person pulled the wagon, we just played and prayed along and before you  knew it, our home looked like a tea lounge.  Actually it still does.  We finished so late, no one wanted to break down, and because we didn’t have to , we said, oh just grab it next time you are over. Our kids were HOT because they missed the celebration. We sent them to sleep over at Grams and G’pas house as we knew it would get a bit loud.  Somehow they have it in there little minds that they get to play and participate in this whole expression of faith too.  I have no idea where they got that wacky idea? I laugh, because even in my wildest dreams or best plans to pull something like this off, it never would of happened as beautifully.

We did have one surprising and unfortunate casualty in the whole thing.  We killed our fish.  Yeap we “rocked” him to death.  It was so sad, the rhythm and sound just shook him right out of his mind.  The kids still do not know.  I am breaking it to them gently tomorrow.

Grace and Peace to everyone seeing their dreams unfold before them~

PS - pix taken by our friend Shawn who is handy with a camera too.  Thanks man!

Why use a flash if you can work the camera manually to where you get enough light to pull off the shot?  Well, simply because good photographers need to know how to hit all elements, and knowing how light works, will give you great images all the time.  Not only that, but if you want to work on your craft while the kids are in bed, you will need to work at night, therefore you need to work with a flash.

That being said, I hardly ever use a flash, even though I have one.  Now that I am pushing farther to learn a few new things….I super heart my flash especially right at dusk.  It gives you crazy definition and color, that a low f stop and high ISO alone will not give you. It will allow you to have your shutter speed set so that you don’t get that blur that happens when hand holding your camera to capture an image. Everything I have learned with photography has been self taught.  I am in good company. Some of the best photographers in the world are self taught.  I read, I study, I experiment, I read, I study, I experiment…..it is one of my favorite things to do.  So, I have been reading and studying about off camera lighting and strobe work.  Wow what a cool look you can pull off with all of that info.

if you only have an on board flash, one of the things you can do to diminish that hot spot glare, is to put a piece of wax paper, tracing paper, parchment paper or a coffee filter over your flash to diffuse the light.   So go play around with your flash and show me what you got!

Grace and Peace to all those who love learning~

I for one play around with my light-box.  I made this little guy out of junk in the recycle bin and some kid’s painting paper.

I love to sit and click to just relax.  It is one of my few non physical ways of relaxing.    I have been dreaming about upgrading my camera equipment but have been struggling with that for a few reasons.  Firstly, I feel like God is drawing us into a place of being content, resting in him.  I have everything I need.  We have all the money we need.  We are able to give generously and save.  I sit in the place of justifying is this a want or a need etc. etc.

The other factor is this.  If you think you need crazy expensive equipment to be a good photographer, a great photographer even, well good luck with that one.   You need to shoot more, learn more, and stay in the mode of being a student.   I have fallen head long into the flickr community and all of its amazingness.  You want to learn how to shoot better….poke around there and see what there is to see.  Right now I am fascinated with light in all its forms.  I hope to work on some HDR stuff this month and kick the strobe into high gear. This stream will make you want to work with strobes ALL THE STINKIN’ time.

The longer I pray about it, the more I feel like I am to just park it.  I felt like I had a certain number in my mind that had to be saved and given before God gave the green light for a new body.   So, I am back in the “Danielson” position again…..thankfully.  I am “waxing on and off” with the best of them.  It is all about working with what you have. Amazing artists in their day, painted over old canvases and just kept working away.  They didn’t let resources get in their way, they just kept creating and improving and having fun. So, I thought it would be a good idea if I just followed their lead.

Here is my light box set. I am sure it will grow steadily as the days and months progress…. follow my learning adventure.

Grace and peace to all those out there counting the cost~

Okay, I had a week full of shooting and editing and all sorts of new things to show you.  Yesterday, I went to the park with my prego girlfriend.  She had her4 nieces and nephews and I had our 3 children, and one trusty camera.  She wanted a park setting for her shoot, which I thought was cool and different not to mention having 7 children running and playing in between clicks was  a fun time. With this image you would never know we were at a park.

My last 2 shoots, my gear has been a bit squirrely.  I am not quite sure why, but with the amount of clicks I have been given this bad boy, I believe it needs a good cleaning.  I am always trying to stretch my skills, learn new things, and push myself.   Good photography is more then composition, or shooting something pretty, it is good lighting, good technical skills behind the lens and editing that takes it all to the next level.  What I love about this, is that there are always things you can be learning and improving with. You never arrive in photography…you only get better.

So what are you playing around with today in your photography? What do you want to get better at?

Grace and Peace to everyone out there doing their thing~

Last year a girlfriend asked me to paint a picture for her house.  I said “No”.  I know I am a great friend.  What I actually said was, “No, why don’t you come over and paint it yourself.”  she said “I don’t know how to paint.”  Well, sistah neither did I until I picked up a brush and started playing around. I told her I would teach her.  Then another girlfriend came over, and another and another and every week we gathered to love and laugh and create together all immersed within the presence of the Creator.  Then I guess the guys got kind of ticked and started asking if they could come or if it was only for the ladies.  Well, you know me, I hate exclusion including gender exclusion so we said, heck ya, come on along and join our song.

We started kicking around the idea with a few friends about creating an artist collective and the Proskyneo Collective was born.  Initially we felt like we should do 4 ecumenical worship gatherings this year and see what God was doing with it.  Now it seems weekly, we have like minded kingdom peeps showing up at our house to eat and sing and create.  A community of God’s people that would create beauty in the world.  A space where everyone gets to play regardless of what church you go to on Sunday morning. Where worship and creativity are blessed.  Where people are encouraged to think about their life and express themselves through art. A place where dreams are sparked and mission developed.

Now a days we are praying about producing a cd of all original worship songs and a possible gallery showing of  original photography and paintings. I hear rumblings that a pottery wheel will be showing up soon.  Wow isn’t that cool. I would love to see how art and the poor intersect.  Can we bring beauty inspired by the CREATOR into the poorest in our community and by doing so usher in a deeper level of God’s kingdom among them?  I for one would like to see what God could do with something like that.

We have taught many people how to play the guitar and now they are debuting leading worship in their own small groups as I type. Those who have never picked up a brush before in their life, are playing around with color. People are starting to pick up cameras and shoot the beauty that the see, and others are literally having dreams of art installations that are sparking all of our imaginations.

I guess this doesn’t even  tip the scale in any church growth demographics.  We are just a bunch of friends who want more of Jesus and each other and want to create beautiful things as we do it.  Actually I think it says somewhere in the bible that the Church is made of God’s people and when 2 or more are gathered together in his name, He is there.  Kind of blows the pews right out of the water doesn’t it.

I know I am in a good place when I have the space and time to think.  I also know I am in a good place when I have the space in time to create.  Overall, everything about this season in our life is good.  Space to breath, think, create, and be with those God has put in our lives.  I have so much rolling around in my head about so many things.  Here are just a few.

• Creating an environment where deep and authentic Christian community can grow is a slow process. Slow growth is good growth.
• Thinking about how brilliant Jesus is to use agriculture as a symbol in so many of his teachings. Really just thinking about how brilliant Jesus is in general.
• Thinking about how long things take to bear fruit, but once they do, there is fruit all over the place.
• Big picture concepts direct my day to day “doings”.  When I lose the big picture I fall flat in my day to day.
• I am so inspired by Luke 10 and Psalm 24. All day long I am just thinking and praying through both of them.
• This is the year I will learn Spanish fluently and not just piece meal.
• Being content with what you have and where you are is a good, good discipline.  It heals a weary soul.
• The more I let go, the more I see God move.
• It is true, worrying about anything will not add one hour to your day.
• My top all time 5 favorite theologians that influence the way I think and live out my faith are all old men. I am in search of a woman’s voice to add to my mix. Any thoughts other than Phylis Tickle?

It is so beautiful this am, we are taking school to the beach.  We will run and play and gather and read and do all sorts of life learning.  Show me what you are learning today! I need a heck of a lot of drift wood for an idea I have…so I am putting “los ninos” to work.

Grace and Peace to all thinkers today~

I LOVE what I do .  I really find it such an honor to capture peoples memories for them.  This weekend I had the chance to document new and growing life. We had a providental break in all the rain, and we were able to get some great images. 

Arn’t they the cutest young Mama and Papa you all have ever seen?  I knew her when she was 12.  Kind of trippy to photograph her married with child.  These two will make great parents and are full of all the joy and expectation that envelopes this season in life.

These are just a few of the MANY gourgous images I grabbed of these three. Thanks Kyle and Bethany for giving me the honor of capturing this very special season.  Enjoy every messy minute as life moves on.  Look back at these images fondly remembering all the love and joy that kicked this whole thing off. 

Many blessings to you three~

a

Now that we are all settled in, and I am all back on track, I thought I would throw a foto friday up with a twist.  Play along and show me your best shot from the last 2 months.  I will start with “Show me something green.”  The next person will show me something green and then pick the next thing…curvy, blue, pink…..whatever and post it in the comments.  It will be fun to see what people come up with. If you don’t take photos of your own and want to play, just find something fun  on flickr and link it in the comments.   So whoever comments next should show me show me something green and leave directions on what you want them to find for the next one coming along.

Have fun hunting…..

For this foto Friday I thought I would show you some of my recent work. I had a wonderful spring photo shoot yesterday.  All the flowers were blooming and the children did beautifully.  The light was gorgeous, the colors were intense and the kids had fun.  I couldn’t ask for more! If you are interested in booking a spring session for your family, drop me a line a here.

 Show me some of your most recent work.  Spring is in the air and everything is fresh and new.  Go outside and get inspired.

Blessings,

a

Wow my blogging has been spotty, so if any of my 2 readers are still left…we are on a little family vacation.  We have rested, relaxed, played, did the touristy thing (minus the Disney theme parks) and just enjoyed a break from the normal schedule.  It is good to relax and detox especially after our super busy season of preparing a house to sell, then actually having to move out of it.

In the spirit of family vacation’s show me something fun today.  Here is a twist, show me something of your own, because you know I love to see you shoot your own stuff.  But if you do not like to take photography, but like to look at it, go to flickr, find something you really love and link it here. I love to find new photographers all over the world.  It is always good for inspiration.  So join the fun I know that some of you dear readers don’t shoot like I do but you can still play.

I will start.  Here is my fun shot. I grabbed it with our point and shoot and edited it online in picnic through flickr. So you don’t need a big girl camera to do some great things.  Just start shooting!!!

and here is one I found from a contact on flickr that I LOVE:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/heleens/379162902/in/set-72157607732950662/

Grace and Peace to all~

I am “on fire” so to speak.  Man, moving can really put a crimp in your life routine. I am finally getting back into a “normal” swing. Just dropping by to say a quick hello.  I do now have a computer put together, and am making some cash on eBay by selling some junk I actually packed and moved because I did not have time to do it prior to moving.  I am saving for another lens, so de-cluttering on eBay will help my little lens fund!   I am running a Spring promo until the end of April.  I will post  a bit more about that a bit after vacay.

Now, I am off to pack, wake my dear sweet chickadees, drop off our taxes (I know no matter how hard we try, we never get them in before April 1st), leave my bike at the bike shop to get tuned while I am away, post some photos to flickr(finally) and last but not least stop by the hospital to visit my Mom before we head out. She had a partial knee replacement yesterday and is doing splendidly, do to all the prayer.  I bet she is up and walking in half the time the Doctors are predicting.  Oh and guess what? On Sunday a friend and I got prayer from our church family for  some physical stuff.  My pulled hamstring and his water on the knee.  Well, my hamstring is doing splendidly and his knee is totally healed.  Isn’t God cool! I love how when we ask God to come into the midst of our brokenness either mental, physical, spiritual or relational….He heals.

Grace and Peace to all those who need a little healing today~

I’ve been gone for a week, recovering from moving.  We are now settled into my parents home waiting to move (again) into our new home.  Can I be honest without you thinking I have a bad attitude?  I HATE moving, but it is good for weeding out and reorganizing. I schooled this week, and organized our room here, so blogging wasn’t even close to happening.  My computer is still in pieces, my camera has seen little use, and I pulled a hamstring that the move really “jacked” up.  Thanks to Epsom salt soaks, deep tissue massage, no running and cross training with the swim and the bike, I am almost back to normal.

So for today, show me something pretty.  These are pretty to me, but I am a bit funny.  My new bike shoes.

My tri training is going well, other than the hamstring thing.   I ran after not being able to sleep early one morning.  I was kind of stressed from the move, and hit it hard and wasn’t as warmed up as I thought.  I strained it then.  Then, I babied it during the move but obviously tweaked it more, and now I am paying for it.  Take it from me….don’t do that.

I am working out with my brother who has done iron mans in the past and is now training for one in May.  He is a foot taller than me, and an ex Navy guy so you can imagine what that is like.  I guess I kicked him around when I was little being the “big sister” and he is now kicking me around as adults.

I will be away on family vacation next week, so I don’t think I will be posting anything.  I will microblog through twitter via my phone so if you are not already, follow me on twitter.  See you back here in a week or so. I am limping along, physically, mentally, well in most ways.

Grace and peace to all those walking with a limp~

I got this idea over at shutter sisters.  Walk 100 steps in any direction and snap whatever artful thing you see.  If you are in a rut and need a little kick in the pants….this will be the thing for you and me.

I walked 100 steps in the SE direction.  When I got there I realized a silhouette shot would be fab.  When shooting a silhouette, place your point meter right on the light source and your object in the foreground will be in silhouette.  Have fun and show me what you got!

So in case you are just tuning in…..we are moving.  I have 6 boxes down and about 60 to go before the PODS arrive in one week.  The kids are with the Grands and we are working our fingers to the bone.  I had to at least give you a little taste of the mayhem around here. I am actually trying to figure out what homeschool stuff to pack and what to keep out as we will be bunking with my parents for a few weeks until our new place is ready to go. I have had so many ask, and just not enough time to respond to everyone….so YES we are staying local and moving about 5 minutes away to a house with a yard for our kids. When you are home all day with your ninos, you need space for them to get grubby.

What one thing in this image do you see, that you think I will miss the most about this house?  Take a guess, and I will let you know if you are right. I converted to black and white.  I think you get a better feel of what is going on because the color and clutter in the image don’t distract you from the subject matter. So show me what you are up to today.  Relaxing, cleaning, playing with your dear sweet children, folding clothes.  Anything.  Surprise me.

Grace and Peace to all who are up to their ears in work~

My girlfriend had her four year old answer some questions about her. I thought it was so cute that I had all 3 of mine do the same thing and it was a hoot listening to all of them tell me their answers.  Now, remember I did this separately, so I think it is interesting on what they came up with and how common some of their answers were. The first response is our 4.5 year old, the second response is our 5.75 year old and the last is our 7.5 year old.

1. What is something mom always says to you?

• Go to bed at the right time.
• I love you.
• “No’ and “Can you please help me unload the dishwasher” which are both horrifying to me and then you also say you love me a lot too.

2. What makes mom happy?

• snuggling
• kissing her
• When I do what she asks me to and load and empty the dishwasher.

3. What makes mom sad?

• not hugging her
• not hugging and kissing her
• not doing what she says

4. What makes your mom laugh?

• being silly
• tickling her
• silliness

5. What was your mom like as a child?

• she liked inspector gadget
• she liked to read books
• she liked to climb trees

6. How old is your mom?

• I don’t know
• 15
• 35 ( not yet bud, slow down)

7. How tall is your mom?

• 15?????
• 22″
• I don’t know I am about 4′ so 11′.

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

• be with her girlfriends at night after we are asleep or be on the boat.
• hang out with me
• be a mama

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?

• be with her girlfriends
• work
• watch TV

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

• her pictures (well thanks bud)
• collecting money???(Maybe she means saving money?)
• painting pictures (ahh they are not that good bud but thanks for the vote of confidence. )

11. What is your mom really good at?

• painting
• reading - I love when you read to me Mommy.
• taking pictures

12. What is your mom not very good at?

• driving boats
• I can’t think of anything
• you are not very good at letting us do what we want.  You have a good reason for that, you don’t want us to grow up and be rotten right Mama? (Umm, yes I think you are getting it.)

13. What does your mom do for her job?

• She goes to the art store to get pictures (I think they are getting the art thing don’t you?)
• computer work
• photography and sending emails

14. What’s your mom’s favorite food?

• salad or sushi
• sushi
• sushi and seafood and any of Daddy’s grilled food. (I think they know I like sushi)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

• taking out the trash
• that she loves me
• taking care of me and giving us a good house.  Actually God gave us the house so I guess I should say I am thankful to God.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

•   What is a cartoon character?
• a ballerina (is there a ballerina cartoon character?)
• Jerry from Tom and Jerry (yes I liked them too as a kid)

17. What do you and your mom do together?

• go on special dates
• talk and hang out  and have special dates
• we play monopoly together

18. How are you and your mom the same?

• we both take the trash out
• we both have short hair
• we both have the same chin

19. How are you and your mom different?

• we do not talk the same
• our eyes are not the same
• are ages are different

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

• because she gives me kisses and hugs
• because she gives me hugs and kisses
• because she gives me hugs

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go to?

• Pollo Tropical
• The Sushi Place
• I don’t think you really have a favorite place to go.

Well, so far they know I love art, sushi and them passionately.   I guess we are doing pretty well so far.

Grace and Peace to all~

Here are 2 images for this week. I love looking for unusual images that are perfectly symmetrical.  I have a few of them laying around, and I thought I would leave these here for all my dear foto Friday friends.

Life  has been crazy around here.  My flickr isn’t uploading and I can’t figure it out.  My phone isn’t working and I can’t figure that out. The cable man came to “fix the cable” and everything else that worked before he came now does not work including the phone and the stereo. Thank goodness for a cell phone. I think I may die without music this weekend, so if you don’t hear from me, send help.   I still need to fit my training in today, and my husband is away.  Not only that, but we are MOVING in 21 days and I have to pack up my entire home and put it in a POD for one month before our new residence will be ready for us.

I say all that to say, my posting will be possibly incoherent due to all of the changes around here for the next little bit.   I will keep training though.  People think I am soooo amazing to work out like that.  Trust me I am not. What they don’t realize is it is my key to stress relief.  If I don’t get outside and move everyday, I start to get a little crazy and not very nice to my family and the people I love.

NEVER a dull moment around here.  Please leave me some pretty little picture here for me today, as it will brighten my technically frustrated day….and it is only 8am.

I will sign off before I begin to babble….

Grace and Peace to all those trying to work it out today~

Today, I want you to shoot into the sun, and see what you find.  For some inspiration, go to flickr, and search flare under everyone’s uploads.

My husband actually snapped this.  He is pretty handy with a camera too.  I decided I liked his so much I would use it today.  I will post the one I had for today next week. You know the drill.  Post a comment and then we will swing by for a visit.

Now I am off to a field trip to a local art meusem.  See you soon!

I’ve been tagged by Kyla.

Wow….. thanks to Word Girl I am blogging 2x today.  I think this is  a personal record.

The Rules:

1. Go to the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.
2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.
3. Explain the photo.
4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

The funny thing, at random, following these rules above, I found my foto Friday image for this week.  Now, back to the drawing board on that one.  This is the valet board that held our keys for our Valentines Day dinner.  Mike and I tried a new place.  As we walked in, we were seated and within 5 minutes realized we were the youngest in the restaurant by 30+ years. I said to my dear sweet Valentine, “I feel like I am at the resort dinning hall in the film Dirty Dancing.”  We both laughed out loud.  We realized later that this is a seasonal restaurant that is almost like a club for snowbirds who dine there ever night with a whole line up of activities. We ate within 20 minutes paid WAY TOO much money, had the valet pull our 1999 Ford Ranger truck around and went off to our Proskyneo evening and had a blast.  I will tell you all about Proskyneo tomorrow.

Well now, who to tag???? How about this… I will tag the last few commenters on this blog.

Karyn , Melissa,

Anne Marie , Sarah

Anyone else who wants to play, leave me a comment and I will direct some linky love your way!

Until then, grace and peace to all who have ever over paid for something and feel totally gypped because of it~

I love triptychs.  I paint them, I shoot them, I am always drawn to them when I am looking through others portfolios.  I love how they really show many facets of one moment.

The other day, I took the kids to the park with a dear girlfriend and her kids.  We had cupcakes galore.  You can see all the other photos of the day on my flickr.  I thought these three made a sweet triptych that captured this little guys first cupcake experience.  It was so sweet, I couldn’t stop shooting.

You do need a photo editing program to do this, but if you are starting to get the shutter bug I highly recommend getting one.  Paint Shop Pro or Adobe Elements are great and inexpensive  programs to get  started with.  Check ebay first my friends, you can get some great deals.

So, show me your story in a triptych.  If you don’t know how to edit it like this, just post three images in a row on your blog or flicker.

Blessings to all artisits today~

Awwwww, nothing like some free balloons to get a kid to really be a kid.  Of course there are tons of adorable images on my flickr.

I am also switching some things up around here for a few reasons.  Firstly, I love the process that Blogging moves me through.  It has been a blessing over the years to see that my little meanderings have been helpful for a few.  But as helpful as my words have been, I am hoping that my lack of words will help as well, in a round about way.  Now I am going to practice a little virtual silence.  Relax, let me explain.

I will keep blogging regularly, but want to throw a “Wordless Wednesday” component in.  I will just post a pic of something I shot in the previous days or weeks that is NOT on my flickr.  I will not say a word.  I will let the image speak for itself.  Maybe it will be deep or whimsical, maybe I will just like it just because, I don’t know. Kind of mysterious isn’t it?  If you want, you can say a word, comment, laugh whatever, but I will practice the discipline of silence, at least in the post.  I still have not decided if I will respond to comments.  I am kind of thinking of Wednesday as fasting from words day, so I need to feel that out.  I am steadily working at weaving this space together into one seamless expression of who I am and where I am at, and being silent is one of those things.

Shocking I know, but silence is really a good thing. Maybe this will inspire you to carve out some time where you can just be silent and listen to the Father instead of always asking, asking, asking….moving, talking, fidgeting and filling your life and mind with noise, noise, noise that never lets you hear, hear, hear and be still, still still.  Ummm, sorry that was just for me. So I will see you tomorrow, silently!

Blessings~

So, I almost forgot that it is Friday.   Our lives have been moving at lightening fast speed these last few weeks.  I haven’t even taken any images just for fun in about a week.  YO! that is not like me, and my flickr is having withdrawals.  I am going to go out this afternoon with my camera just for principles sake for Pete sake, ohh or maybe afternoon tablescapes at my dining room table.  Oh well, we will see, check the flickr later and see what I came up with.

Here is one from my archives.  Selfies are fun.  I shot this one while our dear kids were splashing away at the pool and if you don’t know this about me yet, I am addicted to modern black and white images. One day I will do a 365 experiment of selfies.  Basically one a day.  But right now, I can’t add one more thing to my plate. I am too busy planning a worship night with some friends and painting like CRAZY!  So show me your selfie, and let me see a little glimpse of you.

It is funny how life takes you full circle.  I am enjoying so many new things lately that are really old things for me, just reborn in a new way.   Speaking of old as new, I have to run, the kids and I have recently found the retro channel and are watching Leave it to Beaver.  (Ha I left a link in case some oh you have no idea what in the heck this show is) It is still just as silly for my kids as it was for me as a kid and I think my parents when they were kids.  Every well adjusted American child needs to have an understanding of slow paced, black and white classics mixed in with all this high-def, high tech madness.  Keeps em grounded.

Latah peeps~

I think one of the hardest things for young Moms to reconcile, is the passing of their old life and the demands of their new Mommy life.   Little break, little sleep, lots of thankless unseen work. I remember thinking “What in the heck have I gotten myself into?” when I had a 2 year old, a 9 month old and was pregnant again, throwing up constantly.

I did a ton before I had kids, and then I had our children one right after the other, with little rest in between. We planned it that way for various reasons.  I love our children, I LOVE being with them and homeschooling them. But, I will be honest in saying that I have often wondered if my pre-Mommy life and my amazing post Mommy life would ever synthesize or would one give way to the other.

Then an amazing thing happened about a year ago.  I started to breath again because our youngest was then 3 and the infancy/pregnancy years were subsiding.   Now we all move along splendidly.  Like today, I took the boys on their bikes with me to the beach, I ran and they road along side for 3.5 miles like we had done it our whole lives. I am here to say to all you younger Moms out there, your old life will come back in time but better and more robust.  Actually right on time, if you are open to letting it.  Don’t make your children an idol in your life.  Love them, nurture them, care for them, learn for them, don’t get your identity from them, or from being a Mom. You know why?  Because one day they will toddle right on off and your role will be shifting and morphing and if you haven’t sewn into yourself along the way, you will be in bad shape.

One of the things that is re-emerging in our family life is music above and beyond just kids music.  But a 4 piece team, with 3 part harmonies and thick rhythms, working out transitions type of music that was so much a part of Mike and I pre South Florida.  It is so strange, because about 6 months ago, I was talking to a long distance friend about music/worship and saying how fun it was to play in that way I just described, and how that wasn’t a part of our life anymore.  And as I said that, deep in my spirit I heard God whisper, “I am going to give that to you again.”  I kind of laughed and thought “whatever?”.  And now 6 months later, Mike and I turned around, and here it is, in our living room, just growing up, right in step as if it has always been there, without us going out and looking for it.

Kind of like a flower blooming right in our own little garden.  I have often felt strange here, like the real me hasn’t yet come out.  That so many of my friends here, don’t really know me. Isn’t that strange?  So much of us went into hibernation upon moving and birthing our three marvelous offspring.   The new improved synthesized us, is waking up and saying hello.  It is kind of like hugging long lost friends that you have not seen in a few years, but can just pick right back up with as if no time has passed. I remember talking to a friend who had raised his children when we were just starting down that road, saying how lonely it was, and he said, It won’t always be like that, it moves quick.  He was right.

Grace and Peace to all those reconnecting and praying that reconnection will one day happen~

The other night I went out with a friend for coffee, and the light glancing off of her shiny nails just caught my eye.  Finding something pretty in the smallest of details.

We had fun doing some low light work downtown.  It is always good to practice in challenging situations.  I am hoping to upload the rest of the images from that night on my flikcr.  The day is just flying away…but I hope to get it up there soon.

What tiny little thing have you found beauty in lately?

Peace to all~

So, right now, I want you to pretend that I am a girl scout selling cookies and you want to support me even though you don’t really want any cookies right now, it is for a good cause in all.  I talked months ago about starting an artist collective.  After much time, and some artist friends artistic donations, I have an etsy store up and going.

So take a few bucks and buy some art for a good cause. It costs less then a dinner out and looks a heck of a lot better. While you are at it, tell a friend to buy some art too. If you want to donate something, just send me a note.

Thanks to Beth and Pat for your donations.

Okay, now the ball is in your court.  Peace to you all!

Ever met someone that just got your mind to thinking?  Engaged you in a way that made you want to be better and when you left being with them, you felt empowered to go out and do something amazing?  Ya, me too.  That is just how I felt when I got to document this super woman’s blooming form.  Her first 3 children are GAW-JUS and I have no doubt the 4th will follow suit.  You can’t imagine how special it is for photographic artists to capture natural beauty.

Women go through many seasons and I see strength in so many ways peek through my lens.  Pregnancy is just one of those seasons but not the only one. Think about what season you are in today, and how you are able to be strong in it.

Give me your best super woman shot today. Come on… you know you want to play.

Hi All~

I am doing some light housekeeping online. Things I have put off until I have a break from the normal routine and a husband home to help with the kiddies.  I will be back in the New Year!

Everyone enjoy your holiday, see you in 2009.

Here is a  rare image of me in a coat, scarf and mittens taken by my wonderful husband.  He is pretty handy with a camera too.

I spent some time with my better half and our stunning offspring the past few days, in a cold and beautiful campground in a rustic cabin just steps from the Suwanee River with no tv, no phones and no Internet access.  We have started a beautiful and new family tradition.  We hiked, and roasted marshmallows, went canoeing, sat on the fire hearth and  warmed our toes, played backgammon and read long leisurely passages aloud of The Wind in the Willows.  It was glorious.

So how is the weather where you are at?  Give me your best shot.

Well, we are back from our family camping trip.  It was a wonderfal time with lots of photos and stories to come. Until then, I just wanted to stop by and leave you the words to my FAVORITE Christmas Carol. Listen here on You Tube. It is so prophetic, and captivating and powerful. I get teary every time I hear it.

1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel¹
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

2. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free²
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain

3. O come, Thou Day-S pring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight!^2a Refrain

4. O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery. Refrain

5. O come, O come, Thou Lord of Might,³
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the law⁴
In cloud, and majesty, and awe. Refrain

We are living a beautiful story people. Peace to all who have been rescued this day!

There are days, I can’t get out to shoot anything new.  My kids are well over me shooting them with my camera, but I still have an itchy trigger finger.  At this point, I usually open my fridge and see what there is to see.  I start to build things, usually out of food on my dinning room table and see what happens.

Here is my still life photo stream.  You can find tons of still life groups on flickr and one of my favorites is Simply Breakfast and Before and After. It is amazing what beautiful art you can create right in your own kitchen.

Peace to all food stylists today~

apparently I have nothing pithy to say, so here are 5 little things about me, you may not know…..

• I never watch Oprah. Nuf said.
• I have gone years on end without watching tv.  Currently we are on a tv/video game fast “round he-ah” and it is oh so good. We did rent Robin Hood yesterday to correspond with Our Island Story Ch 33 reading. That Errol can act.
• I totally love Over the Rhine and am still pissed Nickle Creek disbanded. I know, I know, I have to let it go. On the up side, we just scored tix to Death Cab. Mute Math,Public Enemy and others are opening for them.  Oh yeah - SCORE! (Anyone want to go with us…it is in March?)
• I love leading worship via guitar, but am back to playing the drum and I can’t take it anymore.  I just want to beat that thing all day long. Anyone want to come over and jam?
• The funniest thing I heard this week from our little ones after watching Robin Hood, “The Normans have no manners.”  Seriously hysterical coming from this crew, you’d think they are first generation descendants of the Vikings.

Okay now your turn, tell me 5 little things about you and leave em right “he-ah” in that little old comment section. Oh you know I am silly today, I am even typing “slant”.

Peace to all Vikings and wanna be Vikings this day~

Show me what you are making this time of year.  It is all sorts of handicraft craziness around here today.  My flickr is uploading as I type.

Wishing you all a warm and sweet Christmas.

In all of the picture cacophony around here, I realized, I have no pictures of me and my beautiful works of art. I have them and everyone else in my family in their natural state, but I am kind of lost behind the lens.  So I was inspired by my blog friend who has a stunning series of herself and her kids on her flickr.  I just had to follow suit, and get a little  bit of me in the action. I typically hate being in front of the camera, but it was fun to get my kids involved.  Kinda….I will through the outtakes up on my flickr so you see we all are not airbrushed around here;-) I was stunned at how much they understood and some of the technical lingo they were throwing around.  They really do pick up WHATEVER you have floating around in your environment.

This is our youngest, the future worship leader/comedian.  He keeps me on my knees.  Many say he looks like me, but that is because they have never met my brother.  Good Night, this child takes me back to my childhood.  It is fascinating to me.

This is our oldest, the spitting image of my husband in almost EVERY way.  He does have my chin though. He longs for righteousness and wants to make sure we all are following the rules. I am learning how to give him more responsibility and treat him like a big kid.  He lost another tooth yesterday.  He is growing up and FAST!

This is my mini-me.  She is like me in EVERY good and not so good way.  God teaches me how to let go through her. She also lost her first tooth yesterday.  She was so proud and finally felt like a big girl.  I cried!  They grow so fast.  She cried when she thought she had to give it away for the possibility of money from the tooth fairy.  She decided against it, and kept it, just like her older brother.  She said later, “Mom the tooth fairy isn’t really real, is she?”  I said, “What do you think?”  She said, “No, I think it is just you who take my tooth and I want to keep it.”   So, she did.

So there you have it, a little piece of us, now held fast in time, so when they are 16 and out and about working and such, I can look back and smile.

Go take a picture of you and your offspring today!

Some of the most memorable images tell a story.  They tickle your imagination, they take you to another place.  One of the things I love about shooting portraits of people, is getting to tell their story.  Show them who they are, little things that they can’t or don’t see in themselves.

Every time, I walk into a photography situation, where people have commissioned me to tell their story, I pray.  I pray that God would give me his eye for them.  That He would be present in a special way, and that those I am working with would feel a special sense of the one who made them, the original artist.  Good photography takes a lot of technical skill, but takes even more letting go. The more you let go, the better you are.  Then you wait, for just the right moment, and then “click” there it is, a story in just one image.

This family wanted a “secret garden” theme, with dress up and princess and glam galore for their 3 sweet girls. We did that, actually we hit that out of the park.  Dang, I felt like I was on the set of Lord of the Rings.  And yet, I watched their oldest, sweetly comply, to honor her Mom, yet sit right on the edge of saying good bye to dress up and fairy tales, looking forward.   Looking past those fairy tale dress up moments, out into the big wide world with just a faint sense of wonder. She is growing up, and when I see this image I get a little teary.  It is lovely and bitter sweet all at the same time.

So show me a story today.  Give me your best shot.  Leave it on your blog or flickr and tell us the story.

Peace to all artists today!

We are home from a long weekend away, reconnecting with extended church family from our sending church in Gainesville, FL. I am cleaning, and restocking items from suitcases, creating grocery lists for Thanksgiving meals and feeling that tender feeling creep over my whole being. Maybe you know the one. There is something in the air…underneath all of the lights and tensile, under all of the consumer junk that is flashed before our eyes urging us to buy, buy buy….. underneath the cookie exchanges and the overeating. That tender, new hopeful thing that is birthed every year, as God’s people remember who they are and in whom they are made and held together.

So, now we prepare, our hearts and minds with all the turkey blur. We traditionally set up our tree on Thanksgiving day, and I begin the Advent calender with the children. I did not grow up with a liturgical background, but somehow I LOVE the Advent tradition. I love what it does for me, and hopefully some of that slips off onto the kids. Maybe not, maybe they are just full of expectation for glorious gifts.

That’s okay. I expect the Holy Spirit to ignite a depth of love in them in due time, as he has done in me. I can’t explain it, but I truly am like a little 5 year old full of awe and wonder at this most glorious gift. I will probably post a bit less this next few weeks, and keep my flickr stocked full. There is so much to see and inhale in the natural and in the spirit that I am at a loss for words and can only respond with an artful response.

Song to Listen to: Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega

There are some benefits to running 25 miles a week.

Not only that, but I wanted to capture that morning light, the chocolate brown and teal blue with my favorite dish towel. Really, I love shooting still lifes and tablescapes. When you are thinking about things you want to capture with whatever camera you have, think composition and natural lighting. You can put a Tupperware container containing some fresh tomatoes or fruit in the natural light, compose it artfully, stand above it and take a picture, and you can hang that shot in a museum. Maybe not the MOMA but a kitschy touristy museum. You get my point!

So now I have an idea for you dear readers, but it will only work if you comment and participate. Could I drop any more of a hint with that one. I was thinking a photo Friday every week. Post our favorite pic of the week on your flickr or blog, and leave a comment and link here so we all can see. Then we can all go and leave comments for you, you little artist you. I am finding that blogging is so much more fun when people participate. So comment away and pull out that point and shoot or SLR and give me your best shot.

So let’s try today, totally random and not planned but let’s just see what happens. I am kinda like that, just pull a wild hair out and go for it type gal.

So is your music study a little dusty? Maybe you are wondering how in the heck do I teach my children music at home if a) I am not a musician and b) we have no instruments and c) I don’t know where the heck to start.

Well, my friends have no fear. Most Parents can get their kids through the first 2 years of general music instruction on their own with a few good resources and then, if they see that their child is leaning in a given direction, save their pennies for private lessons…cuz Lord knows they are CRAZY expensive. I called the other day for a violin lesson quote and I almost choked over the phone with the dear woman.

Now, I studied violin and piano growing up. I was one of those kids who kept asking and asking to learn, not every kid is like that. Later in life, I taught myself guitar. Once you have the basics of one instrument you can kind of figure things out on any instrument if you want to. I have always sung and eventually started leading worship in college, owned a music and movement business for 8 or so years and taught hundreds of kids and their parents basic music and then stopped because I got burned out and wanted to be with my own kids not everyone else’s and well, the rest is history. Music is a huge part of our families life. I would not say we are musicians per say, we are worshipers who can get around on a guitar and use it to facilitate worship. Even if your child is not drawn to it, it would still be valuable to require them to learn basic knowledge of a given instrument. It is kind of like new foods. How do you know if you are going to like them if you don’t try them.

Why am I writing all of this? Because I have been letting music study slide in our little homeschool. I taught music for so many years with other peoples kids, I just kind of wanted to not go there right now. Shame, shame on me. This is how it works at our house, tons of varied music on all the time, kids seeing Mommy and Daddy lead worship with a guitar, piano at home that kids are getting comfortable with. Oldest - could care less (or so I thought), our middle (interested but not as interested as she is in sports) and our youngest ( sang before he could talk, asks routinely for lessons, works with a drum or the glockenspiel daily and lays his body flat on anything vibrating so, as he says “he can hear the rhythm”.) So I have the whole spectrum.

Here is my game plane, and you can join me if you wish. Maybe we can keep each other accountable:-)
A Piano resource I am going to use is - Pianimals. Hey if you don’t have a piano, check Craig’s List we got a used one super cheap, but a keyboard could do in a pinch. If you can’t even do that, you could ask around and see if a friend or neighbor has one that you could use once a week. We use the classical composer study available for free through Ambleside Online to make sure we are listening to new and different things.

This last week a friend gave our oldest a recorder. Well, Hallelujah, he is finally interested in all things music. So I am going to use Young Beginner Recoder book for our introduction to recorder. Another homeschool blog I read recommended it, so I thought, why reinvent the wheel, I will use that. I mean it is a recorder people, not the harp. I just want to start something.

Pre step - before step 1 - Pray that God would bless your simple heart to infuse the sound of music and worship into your little crews life. He will surely bless it. You never know, you may have a Handel on your hands.

Step 1 - Turn off the TV and turn on the music. Come on you can do it , we won’t die:-)

Step 2 - Leave some “musicky junk” around the house. Recorder,small hand drum, glockenspiel, rhythm sticks. Hey take a field trip to a music store and wet their appetites. Give a kid a pair of rhythm eggs and they will be set for hours.

Step 3 - SCHEDULE IT! Really people, I am talking to myself, I need to plan that sucker in, or as history proves, it wont happen.

Step 4 - Download some good classical stuff to mix into all your current contemporary stuff. Get a good spectrum except for heavens sake country, don’t expose the kids to that junk. (I am kidding, if you all like that sound go ahead, I wont penalize you. I wont understand you, but I wont penalize you:-))

Step 4 - Relax, have fun, don’t stress about it.

Okay, Ready, set…GO!

There are my pithy tips for today. I know mind bending right.

Keepin’ it real peeps - Blessings to you and your crew today!

I just love it. I get to stand outside, another person or families life, and capture their story and then show it back to them in some of its simplest beauty. I’ve been a little busy with some post editing work, and schooling and training for a marathon. I am moving through my to-do list. I hope to finish much of it tonight and then get back to some real writing.

Until then, just relax. Imagine what it feels like to not have a care in the world, not worrying about what you would eat or what you would wear, or if you had any money, feeling completely safe and loved with the ability to explore endlessly?

Imagine you could live your life just like her. Well, that is what I am going to do anyway. I am going to go play at the beach with my kids. I may just play with my camera and tell my own story……my poor flickr has been neglected.

Peace to you,

Well just because I can be goofy and I have no time to write anything well thought out, but feel this crazy urge to create something….. anything…words, pictures, tooth pick figures. I know it is strange. Maybe it is more of me wanting to play and be a little kid today.

1. I got a new hair cut….. I am working my way short again.

2. I love chartreuse…..I believe I would like a wall that color in my home.

3. I HATE having doors left open. I have to go and shut it if I see it open, I know it is strange. I can have a weeks worth of crumbs on my floor by by goodness if a door is left open, I can’t rest until it is closed.

4. I deeply wish to have a tattoo and a nose ring. Alas, do to a metal/ink allergy I can not. I can’t even wear earrings unless they are pure gold…therefore I wear none.

5. If I could do anything in the world, just by blinking my eyes, I would give myself a pre-pregnancy stomach.

6. I like my eyes. I am in a new stage of finding things I like about me. I feel like ever sense I was 12 I have focused on the imperfect in me, instead of the beautiful. Darn first born tendencies. Great Scott, doing a selfie (self portrait) with a 60mm is a bit tricky.

7. I typically have outbursts of laughter at suddenly funny things. At times I have liquid in my mouth and spew it everywhere. Nice I know.

8. I am ticklish, freakishly so.

9. When I get angry, I cry, when I am happy I cry, when I am moved by something amazing, I cry. I am a cry baby.

10. When I am super comfortable with my friends, I start talking “urban”. Maybe because I went to high-school in the inner city and learned how to roll that way in my formative years. Kinda like a silly high-school girl. Last night I was hanging with a new friend who teaches at an inner city high school, and she stated talkin’ slant in her white girl proper way. It was a bonding moment. Ya know it is the little things……

Well now, this was fun. I might just do this silly thing again one day. My dear friend who first met me online and then we met in person,was scared to meet me, thinking I was a little snotty or prissy. She said, the real you is so much more fun then the blog you. So I am letting a little goofy out…..

Latah Peeps Gotta bounce!

I wanted to make sure I got across the point of my last post on words. I was not intentionally calling anyone out on this blog, I was merely describing what a word or a few words can do in ether direction, with a story from my personal life. Just story tellin’. I was so blessed by that simple little email I couldn’t not share what it did for me. I think we tend to let the hurtful things out, thinking I have to get this off my chest..or I am going to die if I don’t, not realizing what they may unleash, and leave the helpful things in, thinking they are silly and not really a big deal. Maybe it is just part of the human condition. Again not calling anyone out, just stating a fact.

As I was saying a few days ago, it is amazing what happens with a well placed God inspired word. I wonder what our lives would look like, if we made it our mission to build into each other up with loving, life giving words. That we really thought about it. Instead of just thinking, “Oh that isn’t a big deal, I don’t really need to tell them that.” The Quakers have a tradition called “passing the peace”. They will gather together and intentionally tell each other what they love and admire about each person in the room. Why do we wait until someone is dead until we say all the things we love or admire about them?

I remember the first time someone said they liked my photography. I remember looking over my shoulder thinking they were speaking to someone else. Then a few others said the same type of thing, in a small space of time causing me to think a bit. First, I was shocked and perplexed. But those 4 little words sowed a seed that started to grow and grow and bloom and bear fruit in my life. Now, photography is my art of choice. It is something that challenges me and inspires me to think and create but most of all tell my story, one image at a time.

So a few well placed words set in motion something miraculous for me.

It is a gift that is slowly changing so many things in me. Now I get calls regularly, from people who want me to help tell their story. I have no pressure, no race to build a viable business, no stress to pay the bills, no quota I need to maintain, just me and my camera kickin’ it one image at a time. Just a few words ago, I didn’t even know what a manual setting was, and now just a few words later, I dream in manual settings.

Now I am praying and dreaming and asking God to give me those few words that would sew new life and vision into those around me. Just think of all those things not yet birthed that will be watered with a little gentle word. It doesn’t matter what age you are or what you have accomplished in your life, you could be just words away from a whole new you, maybe even a complete overhaul.

I think my next post on words will be a little word experiment. Maybe I will pass a little peace your way.

See you then~

I just finished editing the pics I took this weekend. I custom designed a Christmas card for them as part of the package and thought I would showcase it here as well. I gave them a few choices, but I like this one the best. I think I will do something similar for our own card this year. If you are local and want a Christmas card session. Drop me an email, I am running a special.

Peace to all those getting Christmas cards ready!

There are so many things in bloom for me right now. Training for a marathon and really taking my health seriously. I think you really get on this train the older you get. Man, 34 has been a rough year on one hand and an amazing year so far on the other. On the rough side, I can’t drink anything with caffeine past 2pm or I am up all night, a small glass of red wine makes me sick, fried foods are no longer my friend, and I MUST take a vitamin everyday twice a day to keep up with this circus around here or I am so tired at 2 that I could cry. Yeap, we all do it…age that is, but I am hoping to do it as gracefully as possible.

On the amazing side, I am running more now than I did in college, I am enjoying developing deeper and deeper relationships here. God has really opened up a season of new life in that area for me. One of the new things I am doing is working “the steps” with a few girlfriends here locally and it has been amazing so far. I will write a little more on that later. I am also really finding my artist groove and realizing how much it makes me feel like a little kid, in all the good ways. We grown ups are WAY to serious at times…okay, well I am too serious at times. I am learning how to lean back into life a little. If you are a musician or a dancer maybe you understand that idea. Just leaning back into a piece of music, letting it breath, being just a breath behind the life of a song. I can’t explain it in words, but I know just what is feels like when I am expressing myself musically.

So, I wanted to introduce you to another blog friend/artist friend of mine who is learning how to lean back into life in new and exciting ways. Her name is Leah and she lives in Canada and she has started a new photography project that I think is smashing. You will want to link to it for sure. Maybe I will ask Beth in Prague to do this with me. But shhhh, don’t tell her:-) I want to ask her first myself.

So that is all for today. I am off to shoot some photos of teen sisters who want an “artsy” Christmas card to send out. I am glad their Mom booked me cuz I got artsy in the bag:-) (a good dose of positive self esteem is good before walking out the door to any paid gig) I will post a pic or two of them later in the week.
Peace to all those “in bloom” today.

I love composition with tons of negative space. It always draws my eye in, leaving a sense of mystery to most images. Next time you are out playing around with your camera, try thinking about negative space with whatever seemingly boring object you have at your fingertips. It may just become your favorite image. You will be amazed at how interesting it will become when you look at it a little differently.

Next thing you will know, you will want to try it again, then maybe try to get some depth of field action going or get really crazy and pull off bokeh. Be careful because at this point, you realize you can’t do that with a point and shoot and start thinking, this point and shoot doesn’t shoot fast enough and you will be buying a Nikon of course, cuz we Nikon folks stick together. Then hold on , because you will then realize the vast amount of things you can do with different lenses, and then post edit will become your new addiction, and before you know it, you will not leave your home without your 4th child your camera because every time you do, you say, “Oh look at that, I wish I had my camera.” Your kids will stop posing for you because you always are playing while they are playing, and you will be able to capture the true them and not the fake posy, posy them. Then stuff will really start to get fun, and you will need more RAM because your computer can’t hold all of the images you create, and you will start to get all antsy and junk if you haven’t thought artistically about your simple world and found some way to tell your story with art.

I don’t know, call me crazy but you might just relax, enjoy life, have a moment of time where you get to be a kid again, and play and get dirty and lay on the ground to get that one sweet shot. You might giggle at your self, and skip along like you are 5. Well the possibilities are endless.

Be careful peeps, be very, very careful. That is all I have to say about that.