Parents, if you want wonderful pictures of your children, never teach them to say "cheese"! Please learn from my mistake or you will have thousands of photos just like mine - squinted eyes, scrunched up noses, clenched teeth, and an image that just screams "say cheez!!!". Join me while I search for that one perfect shot that doesn't conjure up images of dairy products. Oh, and unless you like that *messy* look, you'll probably want to clean their faces before you snap away. I never seem to remember myself.

An imporant sidenote is to make sure you document your life! Recording the little details of the who, what, where, when, & why makes for wonderful stories and captures your life for years to come. Because if you are like me, you'll forget it all 5 minutes later!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

POTD - On a cold winter's day

I pull out the flowers! It never fails - by middle of January I'm always hit with a photography block (and cabin fever). So I revert to my trusty old macro lens and try to bring some photo cheer. While I really do enjoy the snow most of the time, I am quite looking forward to the spring blooms!

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I tried to play with my lensbaby a bit, but it is t.r.i.c.k.y. getting the "sweet spot" to stay sweet. I'm just not clicking with it these days. I wanted this lens for creative shots but am wishing I had a fisheye instead right now. Oh well...I guess one of my hobbies is collecting lenses! (Since the theme of the week is "hobbies" after all.) ;-)

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

POTD - Meet Princess Tea

My daughter loves to have tea parties. She invites Kitty, Bear, Flounder, and Baby (not quite original with the names yet). Of coarse I am invited as well and she insists that I call her "Princess Tea". My name is "just momma". We eat crackers that she collects from under the bed or sometimes just magically appear from thin air. We drink tea that pours out of the knobs on the dresser. Occasionally we have some apples freshly picked from the tree in the middle of her room. It is a rule that we must always clink cups and say "cheers" before we sip our tea. And story time is an integral part of our tea parties. These days she prefers to read silently to herself and no one can speak until she has finished "reading". My daughter is quite the princess!

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

POTD - Texture

I love to play with texture as I love to create art. I'm a very hands-on and visual person so my eyes love contrasting textures and elements in our world. My hands love how things feel and when I create my various arts and crafts I use lots of textures to stimulate my senses. Simply put, texture excites me and draws me in! It is definitely something that I am always conscious of.

We had an ice storm this past week and, while I don't like the damage that ice on trees can create, I love how glistening ice looks!
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My oldest is so wonderful with his baby brother. He is warm, soft and kind and so loving toward him. Here he is just gazing down at his brother who was giggling away.
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