Poppy Place Pdx

My Year in Photos :)

2012-01-24T10:58:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone! :)

I hope you are all well :)

In 2011, I took over 12,000 photos with my Nikon D90 camera! I uploaded them and then didn't have time to go thru and look at all of them. Over the past few weeks I have been looking at them and found so many that I wanted to share with you. Last year I shared 2 previously unpublished photos for each month of the year on my blog and I thought it would be fun to do that again this year! :) It was really hard to keep it to just 2 photos for every month of the year, but here is my 2011 year in photos.

I hope you enjoy them :)

JANUARY

Click on photos to see larger images :)

Sunset over Willamette Falls New Year's Day 2011 (SOOC)

Sunset ove the Willamette River New Year's Day 2011 (I love how the light just catches parts of the railway tracks) (SOOC)

FEBRUARY

Coastal Range approx. 100 miles away (shot taken thru the window in my Dining Rm.) (SOOC)

The glow of a Wintry Southern Evening Sky shot thru my office window (SOOC)

MARCH

Magnolia's at the Crystal Springs "Rhoddie Gardens" Portland Oregon. (SOOC)

Goose on a Mission (SOOC)

APRIL

Magnolia in my Garden :)

Easter Bonnets in the window of John Helmer Haberdasher, Portland Oregon.

MAY

Red Tulips in my Garden

Beautiful Rose, taken as I was driving around a neighbourhood

JUNE

Lovely Peach Iris in my garden :)

One of my "Babies" I really am crazy in love with my Poppies :) (SOOC)

JULY

Stars and Stripes on the 4th of July to honour at a local Cemetery.

It isn't everyday you see Vultures on the roof of a suburban neighbours house, well, not the feathered variety anyway (He! He!) (SOOC)

AUGUST

Flowers in pots in my front garden :)

Surfers on the Oregon Coast, the one and only day I went to the Oregon coast last year, but it was a great time, I went with my son before he went back to college and we sat and watched these guys for nearly 2 hours :) (SOOC)

SEPTEMBER

Rows of Grape Vines in Napa Valley, in the California Sunshine :) (SOOC)

Grapes on the Vines in Napa Valley, great reminder of our lovely vacation :) (SOOC)

OCTOBER

Then the leaves start to change colours, so prettily :)

Fall Leaves, Lake Oswego, Oregon :)

NOVEMBER

Fall Leaves, Portland Oregon

Fall Leaves West Linn, Oregon

DECEMBER

This sign was originally "the White Stag" sign, then the "Made in Oregon" sign and now it is proudly displaying the University of Oregon colours as they have a campus in that building. It is a huge part of the Portland historical landscape and every year over the Holiday Season the Stag's nose is lit in RED :) (SOOC)

Light display in a restaurant we went to over the holidays to celebrate with our whole family together :)

I tried to do more SOOC (straight out of camera) shots this year and it is an interesting challenge when you are taking the photo to know that you are not going to be colour enhancing or adding bits or taking away anything. It is a fun aspect to photography for me. After spending 2010 learning how to alter photos, it felt more like using a film camera, what you take is what you get kind of thing.

I really am enjoying my photographic journey and I truly appreciate you coming along for the ride, cheers, T. :)

Don't forget to enter my Blog Giveaway to win this lovely

11 x 14 Photo of The Golden Gate Bridge :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2012-01-19T13:42:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon all :)

Again I am joining My Blogger Buddy Annette at So Many Memories blog for "Thankful Thursday".

I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

This week I am Thankful that all the snow the Meteorologists were predicting for us didn't show up :)

click on photo to see larger image :)

I love how this out of focus shot made the snow on the bush look like Dandelion Seeds :)

We did actually have some snow but if you blinked or didn't take photos at Midnight (he! he!) you would have missed it. It was all washed away by the crazy amount of rain we have been

having instead :(

I took this photo thru the window of our Family Room and I love the way the yellow wall colour reflected and made this image look vintage :)

This shot I took thru a tiny 6 x 6 window in the top of the outside door to our laundry room, it was tricky to stand on tippy toe and hold the camera with 300mm zoom lens steady long enough to get a good night time image without flash but that is the joy of photography for me, getting the beautiful unexpected shot with depth without flash :)

Hope you enjoy these! :)

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

Also, Don't forget to enter my Blog Giveaway to win this lovely

11 x 14 Photo of The Golden Gate Bridge :)

Check it out HERE! :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

What are you Thankful for Today???

Thankful Thursday :)

2012-01-12T12:46:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon all :)

Again I am joining My Blogger Buddy Annette at So Many Memories blog for "Thankful Thursday".

I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

This week I am Thankful for candles and night lights :)

click on photos to see larger sized images :)

I know it might seem frivolous to be grateful for these items but when the power goes out and it always seems to go out at night then I am so, so THANKFUL I have candles, torches and camping lamps (even though the camping lights have never been used for camping, I'm not a camping girl, camping is a 3 star hotel for me (He! He!)

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

What are you Thankful for Today???

Don't forget to enter my Giveaway :)

Check it out HERE! :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

First Giveaway of 2012! :)

2012-01-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

I really hope you are all well and your New Year got off to a great start! :)

Unfortunately my New Year got off to a pretty crappy start with a wonderful chest infection (sarcasm) but with some kick ass antibiotics, you know the ones they use for Anthrax, yep, those ones, I have at least kicked the infection but am now worn out and feeling a teensy wee bit sorry for myself :(

So, I was thinking what could I do to cheer myself up and then I thought a Giveaway is always a lot of fun! So here it is, the first Giveaway on my blog for 2012 :)

One Lucky person will win this lovely 11 x 14 Fine Art Multi Layered photograph Of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

(click on photo to see full image :)

(all images taken by Teresa Chipperfield)

Now, I know you are asking yourself how do I enter this amazing Giveaway? (He! He!) Well, it is simple just follow my blog and leave a comment (make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you win. :)

Giveaway is open to everyone, so please go out and share this with all :)

Giveaway will run until Midnight (PST) Friday 27th January :)

Also, 2 other lucky people will win surprise goodies :)

What's not to love about this!! And it will make me very happy too:)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)

2012-01-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

WARNING!

This image may seem distorted to people who partied too hard last night!!! (He! He!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! Cheers, T. :)

First Day Of Winter! :)

2011-12-23T01:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone :)

I Woke up, this Morning, to this Beauty :)

To see larger photos click on images :)

Beautiful Frozen Cobweb. :)

It is the first day of Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and it certainly started out amazingly :)

Gorgeous frost and fogs and temps. in the 20's, but the sun tried very hard to break thru the fog :) Of course I didn't have to leave my cozy home so all was well for me :)

My Son's drove to the airport to pick up their sister and now the whole family is together for the first time in 8 months :)

5 Variations of the same image, hope you like these :)

I Love this image :)

It always amazes me that if I move the camera or make slight adjustments my lens will capture a completely different image of the same thing.

This reminds me, that, that is really what this time of year is all about. We celebrate this time of year for lots of different reasons but the beauty is there to be cherished by all :)

Happy, Happy Holidays and I wish you wonderful celebrations with your friends and Family :)

All our "Babies" made it safely home and we are indulging in time together and creating even more joyous memories :)

From our Family to Yours, Have a wonderful , wonderful time of being together. :)

I really want to Thank my lovely Blogger Buddies for sticking with me thru this challenging year, you guys truly rock and you have been a great source of strength to me :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

See ya all in 2012!!!! :)

Fuchsias in December in Portland :)

2011-12-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone :)

I hope you are all well and the Holiday Season is not too crazy for you just yet :)

I have been home in the joyful (note sarcasm) throes of a C.F.S. relapse, seriously, timing could not be worse, but I know the drill, rest until it starts to subside (I really hope it lightens up for Christmas but, as I know all to well, it is unpredictable and so I just hope :)

So given that I am pretty much housebound and I can only enjoy the beautiful weather we are experiencing thru the windows (but much better than it being rainy and dark :) I thought I would share some of what I am seeing out in the beautiful world :)

The birds are very active on the bird feeder outside the kitchen window and I can't believe the Fuchsias are still flowering in the hanging baskets in December, even after our frosty mornings recently here in Portland :)

I thought I would share the pictures I took of them, I hope they cheer you as much as they do me :)

First a Few Night Shots (shot thru glass)

I really like this shot, it reminds me of Victorian wallpaper, or maybe my eyesight is just going (He! He! :)

And a few Day Shots (shot thru glass also :)

The first of these two is a SOOC (straight out of camera) shot :) The second one is slightly altered with a bit of contrast :)

Hope you enjoy these beautiful blooms :)

Do you have a fav. shot?!?!

I Hope you have a lovely week!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale :)

2011-11-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone :)

Well, it is that time of year where all the shops and stores, well, just about everyone is having a sale :)

And I am no exception but of course mine is Bigger and Better (He! He!)

Here are the detail;

Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale; 50% off all photo prints in my

Etsy shop

with my Etsy Shop coupon code at checkout FPOE2011

Sale Dates; Nov 23rd to Nov 30th

Check out some of the brand new photos I have in my Etsy Shop;

click on photo to see larger image;

Fall Glowing

Snow on Buds

I dream in Christmas Lights

Here Comes Santa Claus

Abstract Blue

Bokeh Bugs

(if you are interested in buying either of the V.W. car photos seperately, just contact me :)

If there is something in particular you are looking for but do not see it in my Etsy Shop or if you have seen something in my shop and it isn't there now it will be hanging around somewhere :)

Please don't hesitate to contact me, as with over 30,000 photos taken I might just have what you are looking for :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2011-11-17T13:20:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon all :)

Again I am joining My Blogger Buddy Annette at So Many Memories blog for "Thankful Thursday".

I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

This week I am so Thankful we were able to go on Vacation this year :)

As the rain and cold sets in to the Pacific Northwest I wanted to share a few more of our photos from sunny Napa, California :)

click on photo for larger image :)

one of the popular places to eat in St. Helena the American Culinary Institute

couldn't resist taking a shot of this beautiful palm tree outside the ACI.

One of the popular spots to eat in St. Helena for tourists and locals alike, great outdoor burger place. Taylors has Onion rings to die for :)

Taylors :)

Hurley's is my Fav. restaurant in Napa Valley, consistently good food and service :)

Patio is beautifully surrounded by these lovely flowers :)

and Heart shaped cookies :)

my Fav. cocktail at Hurley's :)

If you are in Yountville you have to check out Thomas Kellers Bouchon Bakery :)

More Macaroons Yum! :)

photos of the lake at Chateau Montelena

What can I say, we can't really get Palm Trees to grow in P.Town, so I like to have photos of them :)

Here is the beautiful Swan on the Lake at Chateau Montelena :)

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

What are you Grateful for Today???

Hope you all had a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2011-11-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon all :)

Again I am joining My Blogger Buddy Annette at So Many Memories blog for "Thankful Thursday".

I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

click on photo for larger image :)

Tomorrow in Remembrance Day in Britain and the Commonwealth (or Poppy Day as we like to call it :) It is also Veterans Day in the U.S.A.

It gives us all pause for thought.

Both mine and my Hubby's Father's were called up as 17 year olds to defend their Country in WWII, thankfully they did not see action but my Uncles did. Our Grandfathers fought during WWI and thankfully survived. This was supposed to be the war that ended all war but didn't and wiped out a generation of young men.

So, I just want to say that I am truly, truly thankful to all the men that have gone before and the brave men and women who have or do place their lives on the line everyday for us to enjoy the amazing freedoms we have every single day.

A very big "THANK YOU" for my freedom.

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

What are you Grateful for Today???

Hope you all had a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2011-11-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon all :)

I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

click on photos to see larger images

Roses at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon

I am truly Thankful that we have this beautiful world renowned facility here in P.Town. Even when we were there on Sunday in the pouring rain, the Roses were lovely; brightening our afternoon as the low light and raindrops steadily fell. What is more amazing is that it is free and so is the parking!!! Anytime of the year it is gorgeous and you will always hear many a foreign accent there (apart from mine :)

There are also beautiful views of Downtown and Mountains in the Cascade range, mainly our beloved Mt. Hood.

Twilight over Mt. Hood :)

What are you Grateful for Today???

Hope you all have a wonderful Evening! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2011-10-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Foothills Park, Lake Oswego, Oregon.

"Walkway to Water" Ramp leading to dock at Foothills Park, Lake Oswego, Oregon.

I am truly Thankful that we have beautiful parks around us, like this one, to go for walks, to play, see beautiful views and take some time to reflect. :)

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Thankful Thursday :)

2011-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Good Morning all :)

My Blogger Buddy Annette at So Many Memories blog has a "Thankful Thursday" post every, well, Thursday and I LOVE the idea that we, at least for one day a week, stop and think consciously about what we are Thankful for :)

So, she will soon be making this a linked up posting and I am very excited about this :)

But I thought I would get on board now and join her today :)

Fall Leaves

This is what I am truly Thankful for; being able to go out and take photographs of these beautiful Fall Leaves :)

Don't forget to pop over and visit Annette at So Many Memories to see what she is Thankful for today :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Day! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Vacationing in Napa Valley, California! Part One :)

2011-10-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I really hope your week is off to a wonderful beginning. :)

I wanted to share a little of the fun we had on our recent vacation to Napa Valley. I Hope you Enjoy it too! :)

I LOVE Napa Valley and of course with every vacation area I fall in love with, I really hope one day I get the opportunity to live there, even for a little while :) (Good luck with that one, says the little crazy guy sitting on my shoulder) :(

The short flight from Portland to Sacramento is so easy; even the airports were no problem and it was a Friday afternoon. I was so excited. YAY!

I really LOVE taking photos out of the airplane windows with my zoom lens (Hello silly, you know there are double paned windows on this plane and the outside is covered in who knows what, I don't care, it is ZOOM or nothing (He! He!)

Click on photos to see larger images

Our plane coming into land at sunny Sacramento airport :)

Floor to ceiling towers of old cases in the baggage claim area of SAC airport, really cool :)

We rented a car for the next stage of our trip, an hour and a half drive. Once we left the fairly flat terrain surrounding Sacramento we wound our way thru Mountains roads, where we passed lots of cows, beautiful hanging moss, and a couple of gorgeous lakes (Lake Berryessa and Lake Hennessey).

Lovely Hanging Moss

Beautiful Lake Hennessey as the sun is setting :)

Another shot of Lake Hennessey.

With experience we know that as we arrive at Lake Hennessey we are not far from Rutherford and the Silverado Trail that will take us to our favourite place to stay in Napa Valley.

If you ever plan a trip to Napa Valley be sure to stay at The Wine Country Inn

I can't reccommend it highly enough. These people know their stuff and really know how to make you feel like you are on vacation straight away. The Inn is set in a beautiful quiet spot surrounded by lovely gardens, vines (of course, this is Napa :) and gorgeous vistas.

View from our balcony. Where we eat breakfast every morning (provided by the Inn :)

Another view from our balcony.

Courtyard

Patio where we sat most evenings eating the amazing appetizers the Inn provided and sampling the wines from the wineries that are invited in for the guests to enjoy! (a different one every evening)

And the pool, what can I say about this?!?! It was relaxing, amazing, peaceful and I spent a lot of time here, PERFECT!!!

This guy came to the pool everyday for a chat, very friendly those Californian birds :)

Flowers beneath our balcony.

Ornamental Grass in one of the many garden settings around the Inn

The beautiful Agapanthus plant or Lily of the Nile :)

More lovely flowers from the Wine Country Inn's gardens :)

I was so excited when I saw this blossom :)

We decide to drive around the mountains a little more than we have before, of course Mt. St. Helena

where the Author Robert Louis Stevenson lived for a while high up in an old mining camp. I am fascinated by the story of his life :)

As we drove around we came across this "Air Mail" box, I just had to share it with you, isn't it a crack up :)

"Air Mail" box :)

Then as we looked back at Mt. St. Helena we saw the beautiful outline of the ridge line against the evening sky, the light was ever changing and I took the next few photos from a couple of locations.

It was absolutely perfect :)

I really hope you enjoyed a little taste of Napa Valley, stay tuned for Part Two (What more????) Yep, wine and some fun restaurants :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

I'm Still Alive and Kicking :)

2011-10-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

HI EVERYONE!

I just wanted to pop in to say a quick "Hi" and let you all know I am still alive and kicking (even if a little slow and a little, well, let's not call it lazy, I'd prefer to call it, still on extended vacation brain :)

The Summer was slow to get here and now Fall is with us and I am still trying to get my Spring cleaning done (He! He!)

Oh, well, with all the best intentions in the world to keep up with everything; I have definitely been dragging thru the months. Anyway, I wanted to share this new image with you. If you are like me and are dreading the months of rain to come this glowing image might brighten your day a little :)

I call it "Magical Pumpkins" when I had finished it I just thought of Cinderella (one of my all time favs :) and the Pumpkin being turned in to the coach, "You shall go to the Ball" YAY!! :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Evening!

I will be back soon with some photos of our vacation to Napa Valley :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Is it Summer Yet?!?!?!

2011-07-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I know most of North America is sweltering but here in the Pacific Northwest we are still waiting for the Summer to start, we were teased with some unusually nice weather over the 4th July Holiday Weekend and then it has been very gloomy ever since. :(

Anyway before you ask, No, I haven't been in the witness protection programme or travelling the world taking stunning photos (in my dreams :)

What I have been doing is going on a little vaca, where, believe it or not, My Hubby and I ended up having a rather heated argument with some really rude, noisy, inconsiderate neighbouring guests and then the equally rude inconsiderate B. & B. owners and having to move from where we had been staying and looking for somewhere else to stay at Midnight, Oh Joy! Actually, once we had calmed down, it was a much nicer location! Whew! Disaster averted! And no lives were lost, YAY!

As with most Summers, the population of our home rises and falls with the tides. One Son was leaving as the other was returning from college and interim visits from their sister to celebrate B.Day etc., has kept me busy with the very exciting chores of lots of laundry, cleaning and cooking :)

Although, everyone helped with the cooking, so some great family meals with lots of conversations, fun and consumption of wonderful wines made for lovely memories. :)

People refer to us as "Empty Nesters" but I do not see anything empty about this nest, yet! (He! He!)

Anyway, in amongst the fun and games of teaching my Son to cook before he returns to college, of course he has the basics down, like picking up the phone to order pizza or chinese food, making mac and cheese, mash potatoes and walk across the street to the 24 hours Taco Bell (He! He!) I have actually managed to take a few photos, so before I forget and go back into the witness protection programme, I thought you might like to see some of them :)

Click on the photos to see larger images :)

Mauve Rose from my Garden :)

Fuchsias (hanging basket in my garden) SOOC

Birds on a Wire, I have been wanting to take a shot like this for a long time :)

Poppies (SOOC)

Lovely Rose, in my garden (SOOC)

Snowball Bush in my garden :)

Wishes

Fireworks

Swinging At The Fair :)

Snowball Bush, with a little colour change :)

Wisteria in my garden (SOOC)

Aster in my garden (SOOC)

Poppies in Southern Oregon (SOOC)

Peony in my Garden :)

More Birds on Wires as the Sunsets :)

I hope you are all having a wonderful Summer and staying cool :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Names for Baby Beckham.

2011-06-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, hope you are all doing well! :)

I read or heard somewhere that Victoria Beckham is rumoured to have scheduled a C. Section in America on the 4th of July for the delivery of her 4th child presumed to be a Girl and I thought it would be fun to come up with some name selections for her.

With 3 boys called Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, I thought I might offer a few names to help the Beckhams if they are struggling to make a decision on what to call their expected little girl "Baby Becks".

Here is my list so far,

Possibly;

1). Juliet,

2). America,

3). Star,

4). Queenie,

5). Firework,

6). Spangle,

7). L.A.,

8). Sparkle,

9). Princess,

10). Galaxy,

11). Red,

12). White,

13). Blue,

14). Malibu,

15). Hollywood,

16). Glitter,

17). Feather,

18). Tutu,

19). Ocean,

20). Washingtonia,

21). Westminterina,

22). Of course my fav. would have to be POPPY (He! He! :)

(Unaltered image of my POPPIES in my Garden, yesterday, thought you might like to see this one :)

Also, I think middle names would have to be Michelle (Obama) and Catherine (Duchess of Cambridge)

So, what do you think the Beckhams should call their soon to arrive Baby?????

Please feel free to add your Baby name suggestions in the comments, :)

Have a Lovely Weekend!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

It's Crazy Blogger! :(

2011-06-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! :)

Blogger has been challenging the past few weeks!
And now,
I can post but I can't comment not even on my own blog, go figure! I am working on it but being the computer challenged person that I am :( I will be waiting 'til my sweet Hubby has time to help me work it out, well, he will work it out and then I can comment again (He! He!).

I have tried to comment on so many blogs time and time again, I am beyond frustrated. Please bare with me. I will catch up as soon as I can. :)

Here are a few new photos to cheer your spirits while I work this out and if anyone has any clues as to why I am having so much trouble with Blogger please let me know, cheers, T. :)

"Blushing" multi layering photos is just so much fun :)

"Cool Blue" lovely close up of Wisteria :)

"Hypnotic Rhoddie" a little colour enhancement here! :)

"Columbine Beauty" gave this a little afternoon sun warm glow.

One of my photos of the Golden Gate Bridge with a layer of Bokeh over the top, I LOVE how it turned out :)

Hopefully I will be back soon commenting away on your wonderful blogs, until then enjoy! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

It's Raining but here is a little glimmer of Sunshine! :)

2011-05-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Everyone! :)

Well, I am wondering if we will ever have 2 days in a row of Sunshine let alone over 60 degrees, sheesh!!

But until then I wanted to share with you some of the Blossom shots I took a few weeks ago as the sun (yep, that stranger in the PNW sky) was starting to set :)

Enjoy! :)

click on shots to see larger images

I really like the warm glow on these shots :)

Let me know what you think :)

I Hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Book.

2011-05-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Well, hasn't blogger been fun the past few weeks. Not being accessible, losing postings, not being able to add comments etc., but thankfully it seems to have sorted itself out and actually some of the posts that I lost now miraculously, if partially, returned weird but YAY!!

So, I was really excited when my blogger buddy Jaime at ArtsyFartsyMe Blog announced the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Book" giveaway.

(This cute original artwork by Jaime at ArtsyFartsyme blog :)

So, I quickly signed up to participate in this fun giveaway with a twist. I was fortunate to be the first person picked to receive the book, read it and past it on. (Unfortunately, life has been getting in the way of that and I have been VERY SLOW :(

but..........

The book, "Making Room for Making Art" by Sally Warner couldn't have arrived at a more crucial time. I have been questioning over the past year how to move forward with my Art and believe it or not I have not created many 2 D art pieces in the past year. One of the reasons is that our family has been coming and going so there is no fixed time to apply to my art (as I use the dining area of our kitchen as a studio) and with young adult males there is always someone in the kitchen looking for food (He! He!) Another reason is that my art pieces have gotten so big and I have also been wanting to do more sculpture work that I have completely outgrown my space. Yet another reason is that I have spent most of the past few years working really hard on my photographic work and there just isn't enough time to go around. This has left me more frustrated than ever. Add to that the complications of living with an illness that can wipe the wind out of my sails in a heart beat and leave me in recovery for weeks or months at a time, sometimes is gets harder to pick myself up and start all over again.

Some of the things the book helped me consider were;

1). Focusing on what and where I really want to use my limited time and energy. (I added a few quotes from the book :)

"Obstacles to creativity pile up as life becomes more complex."

"Did you know that even fractured studio time adds up when you're consistent?"

"Every choice you make has a consequence." (exactly what I used to "preach" to my kids! :)

"Another thing that is difficult for many of us to learn is to limit the number of things we do" (definitely one of my biggest challenges)

2). Encouraged me not to give up. "Don't lose confidence in your artistic vision"

3). Reinforced in me that being an Artist is what I am on this planet to be.

"How we keep making that art in spite of everything."

"Art is so important that Artists can't feel fully alive without making it."

"this is what I'm doing; this is what I believe in; this is what I really want to be doing"

"when you're alone with your art you're probably the freest" (this is so me)

"I've begun to feel lately that just being able to do what I want to do is the greatest gift I have in this life"

4). Others (possible all) artists struggle.

"Even lifelong Artist's can get lost."

"don't be put off by the feeling that a real artist wouldn't have these doubts, these struggles, it's simply not true"

5). Keep working; "the creative urge is such a strong one"

6). To create for myself NOT others.

"I want to make Art regardless of conventional ideas of failure or success."

"and then there is the pressure that results from going against society's general view of what constitutes a productive life"

"when you're talking about trying to spend a lifetime with your art, no other approach than focusing on your own vision is worthwhile"

7). I am not alone in my sense of isolation as an Artist.

8). And the down falls; "Financial security and art do not often coexist"

"A degree doesn't make you an Artist"

"We often measure ourselves against some faceless ideal artist"

"For most artists, though, commercial success never happens, no matter how much they deserve it"

What came to mind while reading the book is that;

I'm a Doodler, always have been, my mind used to drift off in school and as I gazed out of the window at the trees, my pencil would take my hand on a doodle run. I often got into trouble at school for "Daydreaming" but this has been such a valuable part of my life and my art now, I doodle as a kind of warm up exercise, like stream of consciousness writing or practicing scales in music. It is powerful stuff, the very essense of my art, of who I am and how I create.

I never really thought of myself as a "REAL" Artist until I was able to go to college as an adult and study art. I have always been creative but not 'til I sold my first piece of artwork 14 years ago did I call myself officially an "Artist."

I get into a "Zone" while creating art. It is the only time in my life that I am completely consumed in the moment, it is truly amazing. "I see art as the 'outward and visible sign' of creatvity, which is the (reflection of) inward and spiritual grace." (I lOVE this quote from the book! :)

Sometimes it is good to take a break, re-evaluate, refocus and take a deep breathe and try again. That is just what I am doing after being inspired by this book.

So, now I need to pass the book on to one of the "Sisters" and that would be Jennifer@Jewelry by J.P. Blog Enjoy!

Thanks Jaime for doing this :)

And finally....... :)

I wanted to share a few photos with you that I took recently;

Evening Light

Tranquil Blossoms

Glowing Rhoddie

I hope you enjoyed these :)

I always love to hear what you think! :)

Have a Wonderful Day!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Lovely Spring Blossoms.

2011-05-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

I really hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! Our family is getting together a week later to celebrate, can't wait, it has been a while since we were all together :)

I wanted to share a few photos I managed to take of the lovely blossoms tree that graces our garden. With the rain and the long PNW Winter the blossoms were late in arriving and early to leave but I managed to grab a few shots over a few evenings and so here are some of those. I will post more in a few days. I did share a few last week, if you missed that post, you can see them HERE! :)

These shots are all SOOC (straight out of the camera) no cropping or manipulation.

Afternoon sun hitting the tips making these white Blossoms glow with a pretty warm pinky orange.

As it started to get darker, the sun going down and losing light on the blossom tree, these blossoms were in the full shade of pine trees and this is the result.

These next few shots were taken from my bedroom window. (I know it sounds very lazy but ) Even though the sun is shining on the Blossom tree the grass was so wet my flip flops were taking on water (He! He!) So, this evening I decided to see what shots I could take from a distance.

I hope you enjoyed these shots :) I will post a few more on Thursday, as the light was amazing on some of the other shots I have, I really want you to see them! :)

Let me know what you think!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

The Sun is Shining! YAY!

2011-05-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I hope the Sun is shining where you are too! Doesn't it make you feel so much more alive?!

It has been a while since I shared some of my recent photos that I have listed (or soon to be :) in my Etsy Photography shop.

So, here are a few. Let me know what you think, I always love to hear.

Some are SOOC, some are just auto contrasted and others have colour added. All have their own individuality, which I love and there is an eclectic mix of shots.

Hope you Enjoy!

As always, click on photos to see large images :)

Looking Thru The Window

Peace Lily

Waiting

Pink Beauty

Dancing Petals

All Dressed Up

I hope you enjoyed these! Let me know what you think!

BTW, if you haven't entered my Blogger Buddy Meeling's first blog Giveaway at The Hairy Peach blog, you might just want to pop over there today and check out the yummy goodies she is about to share with one lucky person, Good Luck to all! :)

Have a Wonderful Day!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Royal Wedding Fever - Pop Quiz Answers and Giveaway!

2011-05-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

Well, I am a little slow getting around to announcing the winner in the Royal Wedding Fever Giveaway (Sorry!) but the Sun came out here in the PNW over the Weekend and I just had to go out and enjoy it! :)

So, what did you all think about the Royal Wedding? I thought it was absolutely wonderful. I have watched it twice already! Everything was so beautiful and it did seem like a more intimate affair than a regal display of ostentation. I loved that they were able to invite more of their friends and family than they would have if it had been an Official State Wedding.

So, to recap here are the questions followed by the answers :)

Day One;

1). In What Church will Prince William and Kate Middleton get married?
Westminster Abbey.
2). Who will be Prince William's Best Man?
Prince Harry.
3). When did William and Kate announce their engagement?
November 16th 2010.
4). What will Kate Middleton's title be when she is married?
Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge.
5). What is the name of the home where Prince Charles lives?
Highgrove House.
6). Where did Prince William and Kate Middleton first meet?
University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Day Two;

1). In what church did Princess Diana and Prince Charles get married?
St. Paul's Cathedral.
2). Who will be Kate Middleton's Maid of Honour?
Her sister "Pippa".
3). Who designed Princess Diana's Wedding Dress?
The Emanuels.
4). How many Flower Girls will be in attendance at the Wedding?
4.
5). In what Country did William propose to Kate?
Kenya.
6). Who is hosting the reception immediately after the Wedding ceremony?
The Queen.

Day Three;

1). In what year were both William and Kate born?
1982.

2). How many Royal Weddings have taken place at Westminster Abbey?
15.
3). Whose engagement ring did William give to Kate?
Princess Diana's.
4). How many Page boys will be in attendance at the Royal Wedding?
2.
5). What kind of vehicle will Kate arrive at the Church on her wedding day?
Car.
6). Who will host the evening party for William and Kate on their Wedding day and for how many guests?
Prince Charles and for 300.

Day Four;
1). Where will Kate and William live starting off their married life?
Anglesey, Wales.

2). Who will design Kate's Wedding dress? (yes, this is a guess and go answer :)
Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
3). What will William wear at his Wedding ceremony? (again, guess and go:)
Ceremonial uniform for the Colonel of the Irish Guards.
4). Name 6 Famous people you think might be at the Royal Wedding (not including Royals or the Beckhams, we know they have been bragging about this forever! :)
A few famous people I saw on the box, Elton John and David Furnish, Guy Richie, Joss Stone, Sir Trevor Brooking, Mario Testino, Sir John Major and of course The Beckhams. :)
5). How many horse drawn carriages does the Queen own and where are they housed?
Over 100 and they are housed in the Royal Mews.
6). In 1981 Princess Diana confused Prince Charles's name at their vows and said "Phillip Charles Arthur George" What is the name Kate is going to have to say in her vows to William?
William Arthur Phillip Louis.

I really hope you all had fun playing my Little Royal Pop Quiz! :)

And now...................(DRUM ROLL)............The winner is...........JENNI, my Blogger Buddy from Rainy Day Gardener blog. Pop over and check out her lovely blog. :) Congrats! My Dear!

This "Lovely Pink Peony" will be winging its way to you in the next few days :)

And thank you so much to everyone else who participated, it was a lot of fun, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Royal Wedding Fever - Pop Quiz - Part 4

2011-04-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Well, if you missed what this is all about you can check it out HERE!

But basically, I am hosting a quick fun pop quiz, relating to the Royal Wedding, everyday this week and the person who answers the most questions correctly by the end of the week will win THIS!

"Lovely Pink Peony" by Teresa Chipperfield

This beautiful Spring photo is an 8" x 10" in a black 11" x 14" matt board that really makes the beautiful Pinks POP! (ready for framing :)

So, join the fun, here are Today's questions;

(and FINAL ones, 'coz ya know I am going to be in front of the box watching the Wedding and every last detail tomorrow He! He!)

1). Where will Kate and William live starting off their married life?

2). Who will design Kate's Wedding dress? (yes, this is a guess and go answer :)

3). What will William wear at his Wedding ceremony? (again, guess and go:)

4). Name 6 Famous people you think might be at the Royal Wedding (not including Royals or the Beckhams, we know they have been bragging about this forever! :)

5). How many horse drawn carriages does the Queen own and where are they housed?

6). In 1981 Princess Diana confused Prince Charles's name at their vows and said "Phillip Charles Arthur George" What is the name Kate is going to have to say in her vows to William?

Write your answers in the comment section and I will announced the winner on Friday, Please share this too! Have fun! Good Luck! :)

Well, there it is, the last set of questions, I will check answers tomorrow and announce the winner on Saturday :)

Enjoy the Wedding :)
Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Royal Wedding Fever - Pop Quiz - Part 3

2011-04-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Well, if you missed what this is all about you can check it out HERE!

But basically, I am hosting a quick fun pop quiz, relating to the Royal Wedding, everyday this week and the person who answers the most questions correctly by the end of the week will win THIS!

"Lovely Pink Peony" by Teresa Chipperfield

This beautiful Spring photo is an 8" x 10" in a black 11" x 14" matt board that really makes the beautiful Pinks POP! (ready for framing :)

So, join the fun, here are Today's questions;

1). In what year were both William and Kate born?

2). How many Royal Weddings have taken place at Westminster Abbey?

3). Whose engagement ring did William give to Kate?

4). How many Page boys will be in attendance at the Royal Wedding?

5). What kind of vehicle will Kate arrive at the Church on her wedding day?

6). Who will host the evening party for William and Kate on their Wedding day and for how many guests?

Write your answers in the comment section and I will announced the winner on Friday, Please share this too! Have fun! Good Luck! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Royal Wedding Fever - Pop Quiz - Part 2

2011-04-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Well, if you missed what this is all about you can check it out HERE!

But basically, I am hosting a quick fun pop quiz, relating to the Royal Wedding, everyday this week and the person who answers the most questions correctly by the end of the week will win THIS!

"Lovely Pink Peony" by Teresa Chipperfield

This beautiful Spring photo is an 8" x 10" in a black 11" x 14" matt board that really makes the beautiful Pinks POP! (ready for framing :)

So, join the fun, here are Today's questions;

1). In what church did Princess Diana and Prince Charles get married?

2). Who will be Kate Middleton's Maid of Honour?

3). Who designed Princess Diana's Wedding Dress?

4). How many Flower Girls will be in attendance at the Wedding?

5). In what Country did William propose to Kate?

6). Who is hosting the reception immediately after the Wedding ceremony?

Write your answers in the comment section and I will announced the winner on Friday, Please share this too! Have fun! Good Luck! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

The Royal Wedding!

2011-04-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Everyone!

Today I have Royal Wedding Fever! :)

Now I think most of you know that I am a Brit who lives on the West Coast of America. I have to admit I have a soft spot for all the pageantry and ceremony of the Royals and on Friday I have my DVR set to record 16 hours of coverage of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Maybe a little excessive (He! He!) but I do not want to miss one little bit. I am excited :)

When Princess Diana and Prince Charles tied the knot I was also on the West Coast of America, in So. Cal. and back then a group of my Brit. girlfriends and I got up at 2am to watch the coverage live and a fun little party we had too!

So, to celebrate the Royal Wedding this week I thought it would be fun to have a little pop quiz every day and on Friday the person who gets the most answers right will win this :)

"Lovely Pink Peony" by Teresa Chipperfield

This beautiful Spring photo is an 8" x 10" in a black 11" x 14" matt board that really makes the beautiful Pinks POP! (ready for framing :)

So, join the fun, here are Today's questions;

1). In What Church will Prince William and Kate Middleton get married?

2). Who will be Prince William's Best Man?

3). When did William and Kate announce their engagement?

4). What will Kate Middleton's title be when she is married?

5). What is the name of the home where Prince Charles lives?

6). Where did Prince William and Kate Middleton first meet?

Write your answers in the comment section and I will announced the winner on Friday, Please share this too! Have fun! Good Luck! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Introducing Method Press Magazine

2011-04-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

A few Months ago Katie King at A Sense of Place Photography put out a call to arms, "Let's Start a Magazine!"

That statement brought a very talented group of Females together from fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy) and Method Press was born. I am really excited partly because I happen to be one of the contributing feature writers.

This is how Katie introduced Method Press on fPOE Blog :)

"For the last four months, a handful of fPOE members have been working behind the scenes (or rather, screens) to present you with the debut issue of a new independent publication, Method Press.

This magazine works to celebrate low-fi thinkers & art in the making. It has a current emphasis on female artists and photography, but is interested in all mediums & genders, tracking down art as it moans to record its history in progress.

Hopefully you will have a moment to support your fellow teammates by flipping through!"

So, please, check it out :)

My Interview with the wonderful Photographer Laura Evans is on pages 38 - 39, I would LOVE it if you would take a look HERE :)

So much goes into the production of a magazine that I am still amazed that Method Press is in existence. It certainly was an adventure and it was great working with so many talented people. My part was small in comparison to some, the design team did such a beautiful job pulling all our contributions together to make such a professional magazine and Katie, Dee and Mandy kept us all on task :)

If you would like to know more check out the Method Press Blog :)

For those who are interested Method Press will be available as a "Real " magazine in a few weeks. (I'll keep ya posted :)

Have a wonderful Evening! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Beautiful Bright Red Anemones

2011-04-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

I wish I could tell you all that I have been in hiding or was on a wonderful Hawaiian Vacation but no luck, I have been (and am still) struggling with what started as a lousy cold and quickly turned into an awful chest infection. (If you knew how long it has taken me to do this post, you would laugh!)

(Apologies in advance for any ramblings, misspells or incoherence, blaming it on the meds, He! He!)

Anyway, I wanted to share with you these Beautiful Bright Red Anemones that bloom in my Garden every year. Some of you might have seen this first photo before in a previous blog post

This photo was taken with my trusty Canon Point and Shoot. I love the colour and the pattern and textural quality in the photo but spatially it truly wasn't working for me. I had it buried in the postings in my Etsy shop and when it came up for renewal a few weeks ago, I thought I would play with it and see if I could come up with a photo that really represented the Flower and my Artist's Heart.

Here is some of the fun I had :)

Original Photo

Very slight enhancement of contrast and brightness

Photo cropped with the enh. and a little Histogram effect equaliser (I love this feature because it helps me as an Artist to see the strengths and weaknesses in an image)

Then I went to a very tight crop and played with a few colour enhancements, this is a slight splash of red colour mix

This is a little more red on the colour balance mode

Then I moved to the more yellower washes

This is from an auto colour balance with warmer tones

Back to the yellow wash again with a hint more.

These last 3 are when I decided I liked the auto colour balance effect the best and just added warmer

and warmer

and warmer tones :)

I was really happy with these images and decided to get one printed (2nd to last) I was very pleased with the result.

Let me know what you think!

BTW, I am having a 50% off Spring Sale in my Etsy Photography shop right now. But if any of my dear Blogger Buddies would like to buy I will offer you another 10% off. A total of 60% off and no charge on extra shipping for multiple purchases. Just contact me at my Etsy Shop and I can set up a special listing just for you.

Have a wonderful Evening! :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

I Think Spring is Here!

2011-03-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

It is officially Spring YAY! (But of course it is still raining here in the PNW and has been every day but one in March so far, oh lucky us! :(

But this intrepid Photographer (He! He!) could stand it no long, hopped into her SUV and went out determined to take photos in between the down pours :)

I wanted to share with you what I found :)

Well, first here are a couple of shots I took at home, these are some of the Roses from my Birthday Bouquets :)

"Past Pleasures"

Oh, it is definitely time for a Tea Party (could we do a virtual one!)

I LOVE the paint stroke feature on Paintshop but just for playing around :)

This Bluebell shot (above) is from last year but I decided to cropped it a bit (below) What do you think?

"Bluebells"

This Buddleia shot is also from last year. I have been experimenting a little with Photoshop, I have it on trial right now and just added a warmer filter, I like it.

And then I hit the road :)

(Original)

I think you can tell it is overcast but it gives a lovely background to these Magnolia Buds :)

Added a warmer filter :)

These 2 are from last year. I cropped them as I wanted to see what a longer narrower format would look like and then I added a little redder colour to one and a little sepia tone to the other :)

"Magnolia Blooms"

Original Shot!

Then cropped and a warmer filter added. Can't decided which I like the best.

"Leaving"

I LOVE these old suitcases, they were in a window display in downtown P.Town!

These Daffs look like they are trying to escape :)

I LOVE this fence, the pattern and textures, amazing. It must stretch for 3/4 of a mile or more around this property.

This just cracked me up. You can tell they have been "Just Hanging Around" for a long time 'coz they have grassing growing out of them :)

(Original)

Then I went to the park and took some shots of the trees reflected in the water (just as it started to rain again!)

Added a little red tone to all 3 of these at different levels, I like them but.........

I like this one in sepia tones the best :)

And just to prove that occasionally the Sun does shine in Oregon I grabbed my camera and took a shot of the brave Daffs in my Garden (yep, that is a bit of blue sky there in the background in between those white fluffy things :)

Let me know what you think! :)

Hope you all have a lovely Weekend!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

My Little Piece of Ireland and Love For Japan.

2011-03-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Paddy's Day Everyone!

Well, as some of you know I am a Brit. and proud of it. I was born in England into an Irish Catholic family and have fond childhood memories of large family gatherings, trips to Ireland and many visitors from Eire to visit us. My life now, living in the PNW of America, is in sharp contrast to my earlier years. So, every year I take out my little brooch I bought in Dublin, Ireland when I was 11. I saved my pocket money for nearly a year as spending money for our trip to visit relatives. As soon as I saw this brooch I was smitten. How could I go wrong with 2 lucky Horseshoes and 2 lucky Shamrocks glistening away.

Every year our relatives in Ireland used to send us a box of fresh Shamrock to wear on St. Patrick's Day with our harp pin and ribbon with the Irish colours. As a child It felt like a very special day, going to Catholic schools, everyone was wearing something in the colours of Ireland. Of course, Mass was a prerequisite but the fun started in the evenings when there would be lots of Shindigs to go to.

Fond memories all brought back to life by a tiny little brooch bought by a little 11 year old Girl, way back when!

Today as we celebrate one Country's heritage we also keep in our Hearts another Country's suffering, it is hard to fathom and harder still to shake the sense of helplessness in this overwhelming crisis. But I believe we can all help in so many ways. Here are a few things I found this week where I have been able to do my small part.

There is a new shop on Etsy Love for Japan where you can buy and donate items to raise funds for Japan. This was set up by Christen Strang at Letter Happy Thank you so much for doing this.

Yesterday, I received an email account statement from United Airlines, I usually delete these straight away but a little caption caught my eye and so I clicked on it and a few seconds later I had donated some of my frequent flyer miles to the Red Cross. I LOVE this programme and other Airlines do it too. You can donate so charitable organizations can fly their personal where they are needed. Here is a link to United (charities page)

One more thing. Ever - Ours and Utterly Engaged have set up fund raising for Japan and asked all Bloggers to have a blogging day of silence tomorrow Friday March 18th as a sign of respect for the suffering in Japan.

As we watch in numbed sadness at the images coming out of Japan I still hope everyone can

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

An Amazing Giveaway!

2011-03-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Guess what, it is pouring with rain here in Oregon again today, so I thought I would brighten our day with a pretty Spring Blossom photo :)

Now to the Amazing Giveaway :)

Super Talented Photographer Elle Moss from fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy) has created TWO stunningly Beautiful Treasuries full of the amazingly talented Ladies of fPOE's work, for some lucky person to win.

Isn't that wonderful :)

"If you need some art for your spring decorating, imagine winning either of these. Two winners will be selected to win 16 items each (prize value of each is over $240!)" (from fPOE blog post)

All you have to do is click on the treasury (links below) and leave a comment.

One comment per person and you can comment on both treasuries.

Winners will be announced in 2 weeks (March 28, 2011)

Win Treasury #1: CLICK HERE

Win Treasury #2: CLICK HERE

Good Luck Everyone!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Oh, What a Night!

2011-03-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Everyone! :)

Well, we are truly grateful that the Tsunami that was headed for the Oregon Coast was mild. Our Son is a counsellor at ODS (Outdoor School) right now at the coast and so they have spent a rather disturbed night with Tsunami sirens going off all the time and moving the campers to higher ground. Not much sleep and now, they are just waiting for the All Clear, so they can come home. :)

As I watched the news last night with the live shots of the Tsunami in Japan I was overwhelmed.

We are truly saddened by the tragedy in Japan. We are keeping them in our thoughts and our hearts go out to them :)

As I switched on my Computer this morning I thought maybe some photos of the beautiful Purple Crocus in my Garden would bright our lives a little.

I change the colour on this one photo, which one do you like the best?

1). Original shot, no changes at all.

2). Slight brightness and contrast added.

3). A little Colour Balance

4). Colour Balance and a Little Colour Mix

5). Just Colour Mix.

Leave me a comment and let me know :)

If you are interested to see some lovely SEWIING photos check out my blog post on fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy)

Have a wonderful Weekend :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

International Women's Day!

2011-03-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday. (Seems to me like a wonderful reason to have a NATIONAL Holiday, think we could pull that one off here in the USA???)

2011 is the Global Centenary Year!

The first International Women's Day event was run in 1911.

For more info. on International Women's Day here is the LINK to their website.

At first I thought I could really think about celebrating the day but then I watched this video;

After watching this video and listening to Dame Judi Dench's dialog I have to admit that I am thoroughly depressed and wonder if we will ever reach true equality.

So what do you think?

Do you feel woman have true equality?

Leave a comment and let me know :)

Join in the Debate at We Are EQUALS

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

WooHoo, More Rain :(

2011-03-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

First off I really want to say a BIG "THANK YOU" to everyone who sent me such wonderful B.Day wishes. You Guys ROCK!

I had a lovely Day even if it was raining :)

And so, It is too funny, as I was browsing my blog roll before posting today I stopped by my Blogger Buddy Kelli at Bug Miscellany Blog and she has posted about the weather in the PNW this week and that is exactly what I was going to post about today :)

Seriously, it has been raining so much I don't remember the last time I saw the Sun, did it move and not tell me???

This is what I have been looking at all week!

click on images for larger photo (of course you want to see more rain (He! He!)

Rain thru the dining room window, looking towards the West and the coastal range (nope, can't see any Mountains there :)

So, I am so, so grateful for the beautiful flowers my kids had delivered for my B.Day! At least I have some lovely colourful brightness in the house :)

Close up of the lovely miniature Roses :)

Gorgeous guys, thank you, lyl :)

So, thank you everyone, for making my week, extra special :)

Here are the Flowers my Hubby bought for me for my B.Day, if you missed Tuesdays post :)

Hope everyone has a Wonderful Weekend!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

HAPPY B.DAY TO ME! :)

2011-03-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

HAPPY TUESDAY EVERYONE! :)

TODAY'S MY B.DAY! YAY ME! :)

Here are the 2 dozen Roses my Darling Hubby bought for me :)

And a lovely Bunch of Daffs :)

I just wanted to wish all of my Blogger Buddies from Wales a very Happy St.David's Day these Daffs are for you :)

Hope everyone has a Wonderful Day!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Made it to Friday YAY!

2011-02-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

I really can't believe it actually snowed here in the N.W. the past few days. We only had an inch of snow (Thankfully) but other places had a lot more.

Hello, up there, it is nearly March, we are done with Winter now!!! ( I know I can't really complain compared to what other people have had to deal with but I want some WARM SUNSHINE, PLEASE!!!!!!! SOON!!!!!! PRETTY PLEASE!!!!!)

But of course, I did take a couple of photos but thru the window, I wasn't going to go outside, it was way to chilly (He! He!)

So, the other day, we were having dinner with our Son and talking about my incapability to be able to function on Facebook. Jokingly I said, there should be one for Old People like me ('coz, you know wandering around the house in my dressing gown for weeks at a time feeling like crap, has made me feel VERY OLD :)

So, we Googled, of course, and what do you know there is a fun page, someone set up. I had to share it, it just made me giggle and I needed a good giggle. It is obviously written by someone in Britain ( the ref. to tripe, a big give away, yuck! :(

Click on image for larger format

Also, I wanted to share that I blogging on fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy) yesterday, if you would like to see these talented Ladies' work, here is the link; fPOE Blog

One more thing, Tiffany at Will Write 4 Food Blog wasn't feel too well the other day and just goggled "ugh" she came up with a very cute and funny image and she suggested that we should all do that and share them back at her blog. So, I Goggled "Grumpy" that being my mood a lot of the time right now and this is what I found :)

Grumpy Cookie from Mama Drama Archives

Now this cracked me up :)

Well, My Dears, I hope you all have a Lovely Weekend!

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Where has the Time Gone?

2011-02-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe we are 2 months into the year already! Where has the time gone?

I had a C.F.S./Fibro relapse in January; I guess too much partying over the Holidays. Not really, I take it relatively easy most of the time, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what will trigger a relapse. I only know that the past 4 weeks have truly sucked. I haven't had the energy to do much but rest. It is exhausting to sit at the computer for long, so no blogging :(

It is too exhausting to sit and hold a book to read and even then my mush of a brain can't retain anything so I find I read the same thing over and over :( I can't really tolerate a lot of noise so watching TV is out for any length of time. Life gets very boring and frustrating and isolating. It is impacted by the fact that all my workspaces are in my home, my art studio, my sewing room and my office. So, with lots of projects sitting around calling to me to finish them and with no energy to do anything but ignore them it becomes downright depressing. Thankfully, I am starting to get a little energy back but it is a bad relapse and will take a few more weeks before I can try to start doing anything like photo shoots :(

So, what have I been able to do? Here are a few photos I was able to resize or play with. Let me know what you think :)

Art Sculpture DownTown P.Town

Stack of paper serviettes in a restaurant added my fav. PINK :)

(BEFORE) I love this :)

(AFTER) This was fun but I do not think as good as the original

(BEFORE)

(AFTER) This one I loved creating. I added one of my fav. layers to this and added a little pink tones :)

(BEFORE)

(AFTER) Just cropped and added a little colour, I love how it just pops :)

(BEFORE)

(AFTER) Way more interesting :)

These were a couple of photos I took in restaurants before the Holidays. I love the challenge of taking photos of Lights :)

So, what do you think?

I also wanted to share a couple of other things. As a lot of you know Etsy, in their infinite wisdom, closed down some of the community forums from their site. These were, what I believe, to be the very HEART of the Etsy community. Not sure what their thinking was behind this but it was dumb in my opinion. Anyway, some smart Etsians opened up The Unofficial Etsy Forums. My Blogger Buddy Aquariann blogged about it a few weeks ago, thankfully, I still feel in the loop. YAY! Here is the link

so pop over there to share your blog links, promo or just chat to your Blogger and Etsy buddies.

One more thing, one of my fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy) Ladies is having a giveaway of a beautiful 2011 calendar with such gorgeous photos I just had to share it. If you have a min. pop over and check it out :)

Amy Longberry Photography Giveaway.

Well, I hope you all have a Lovely Day!

It is nice to be back Blogging :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

What have you been buying on Etsy recently?! :)

2011-01-29T09:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday Everyone! :)

Sorry I have been MIA recently (I will explain in another blog post :)

Well, over the past few months I have bought a few items on Etsy and I LOVE them! So, I wanted to share them with you!

Hope you Enjoy!

Nina Wreath By The Keepers' House

I just couldn't resist taking a photo of this beautiful wreath on my front door :)

Hand painted small journal By Arty Aitch

"Feather" By Dirksen Dabbles

Now if you haven't been over to see Bethany's work you are missing out on viewing some beautiful artwork. Bethany is a fellow Portlander who just happens to be living in Europe right now and you can read all about her art and her adventures on her blog Dirksen Dabbles

Hand Crafted Red Journals By Tiger Food Books

These Journals are truly amazing. Hand Crafted from start to finish. Clare is a talented printmaker, book binder, talented artist and photographer. She is also a fellow Portlander. If you want to get to know more about this talented lady check out her blog Tiger Food Press

2011 Mini Beach Calendars By Mary Vican Photography

Mary is a member of fPOE (Female Photographers of Etsy) of which I am a member too. I have LOVED Mary's work for sometime and so just had to buy some of her beautiful mini beach calendars for mini Xmas prezzies :) The added bonus for me is she lives on the East Coast and as I have never been there I get to experience it thru her eyes :)

Vintage Wooden Blocks By Retro Vertigo

Very excited to use these in some photos :)

Ladybug Tea Cozy By Debs 102

I just couldn't resist buying this cutie for my Daughter for Xmas :)

Leave me a comment and let me know what you have LOVED buying on Etsy recently :)

Thanks for all the comments and advice about Photoshop; I think I am going to get a free 30 day trial and see how I do with it. :)

Have a Lovely Weekend.

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.