Studio Friday: PORTFOLIO !!

EDIT: I changed stuff around and you may have to visit entire blog to check out my Photography slideshow/Portfolio:-)

This week's topic for Friday February 2nd suggested by Jo: PORTFOLIO!
"I've never put one together. I would be very interested to see and hear what everyone else has as a portfolio and what makes up one"~ Jo

Okay...I was a studio art major in college, so I know a bit about portfolios. During the semesters I was engrossed in photography it all came down to the final portfolio. It was a great time to see others' works and get the "constructive criticism"that was needed. I learned only to compile images that were best of the best, made sure it showed your style and began and ended with your "attention getters" or something that the viewer would remember. They say your impression of people is concluded by the "first and last". Believe it or not I still have that college portfolio. Since then and recently I keep images on a cd-like a digital portfolio. Those who visit my blog frequently(friends and family) may have seen some of these images on my sidebar slideshow , maybe you'll see something different or something you like?? A print maybe?( A fee of course, gotta make a little profit:-) Let me know if you're interested :-)

Edit: If you're visiting my entire blog...I posted this "slide show" on every post by accident...still learning html/template and etc. bare with me:-)

An AMAZING GOD WE HAVE !

Everytime I see footprints in the sand I think of only one set of prints( even though this pic I took shows more). I visualize God carrying me though the rough times in my life and also as He walks closely by my side.


As a blogger I've come across blogs of those I went to college with. I check up to see what's going on, how their families grow and where they live and etc. Well over the weekend I came across horrific news of a fellow Alumni, Josh Buck. While attending I.W.U in Indiana I remember this guy with really red hair, sang in the University's Choral and even in a small group,I think and even saw him in a few Art classes! He found his future wife, Shelly while attending there.
Here comes the sad news... He was vacationing in Cancun and was in a diving/swimming accident and suffered a spinal cord injury to the neck. He was evacuated to Miami where he is now. Read how this amazing story is unfolding and see the miracle God is preforming in front of our eyes. I read updates daily and find myself shedding tears of joy and praise to see what he is doing not only for him but the community he is a part of(back in Michigan) and leaving the doctors is awe! Check out this site for updates:
http://www.greenhouseministries.org/
Please PRAY Josh and EVERYBODY involved. Even if you stop by my blog and read this and don't know him, send out a prayer for him...wouldn't you want somebody to pray for you in time of need?

WINTER MIX INSPIRATION ...

It's been a while since I picked up my knitting needles! Since it is winter time and it's actually producing a winter mix outside(and not 70 degrees like last weekend!) I had yarns calling me to make something! I'm such the novice when it comes to knitting . I keep to the basic garter stitch, stockinette stitch, and still trying to figure out the "seed stitch". I have yet to use my Briar Rose Fibers ! So wanting to use the seed stitch with that..I just get real confused knitting the purls and purling the knits! UGGG! So anyway, here is what we are dealing with today, as we watch the sleet/freezing rain/itsy-bitsy snowflakes fall and form a layer of ICE! I have a feeling there will be no school tomorrow for the kids... as for me, I work at a mall that never closes unless there's a foot of snow! We'll see...

Studio Friday: Inspiring DREAM Studio...

This week's topic for Friday January 19th suggested by mereteveian: INSPIRING DREAM STUDIO!
""We get to see these wonderful studios, - how about not showing our own, but choose among the great studios we know about now? Tell us a little about why you like this studio, what you would like to do if you could work there for a day as it was your own, and, - if it is so, - you have learned from this studio/ artist?"~ mereteveian

To be truely honest this is my Darkroom dream studio! I know we are in the digital age but I really love the process of traditional photography! Knowing that YOU made a piece of work from start to finish!
I would(and could) spend countless hours in this studio creating traditional silver gelatin black and white prints! I learned all the traditional techniques in college and had the time of my life! I would also love to work with Polaroid transfers and Emulsion transfer art. That is where I would take to my PotteryBarn style "dry" studio. So much more organized that what I have. And I would love to have an area for my "digital" photography . Lots of counter space! Storage and well a picture can speak for itself!

Only for a Split Second!

JANUARY 2007
TEMP: 70 degrees
LOCATION: Mid-Atlantic state of VA.( where it should be 40 degrees!)
FOOTWEAR: I wore FLIPFLOPS!
ACTIVITIES: Enjoyed the nice weather and rode BIKES !

Our little dare-devil Nicholas decided he wanted to try to ride his bike without his training wheels also. So we gave it a T R Y. . .

Help from Daddy...but still needs a bit more concentration...

HE DID IT! FOR A SPLIT SECOND (Daddy let go... but I don't think he realized it:-)

We later put the wheels back on, though it was nice to see him try and get a taste of it. Stay tuned!

LOOK MOM ! NO TRAINING WHEELS!

Once again, it's JANUARY and 60+ degrees outside! So what do ya do, get out the bikes!
Today was a special day as you are about to see...


Chad taking off training wheels!

A little help from Dad

And off Chad goes by himself without the training wheels!

Can you see the confidence building...he catching some speed!

I just had to add an "artsy" photo!

Starting the New Year with Creative Gifts...

I know . . . Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is here. But I wanted to share what I was up to the first week of Jan. 2007. I designed the "prototypes" for my family here in Va. I still have to give one to my sis... sorry I guess you'll get a sneek-peek of a gift to come. These are candle holders showcasing my photography. A lot of precise work involved but I have researched more ideas on how to "adhere" the images to the glass in an easier way. They look really nice when the tea light is lit. Stay tuned...maybe you can get one off my website.(lol when I ever get it made:-) That's one of my 2007 goals!

Studio Friday: Travels...

This week's topic for Friday January 12th suggested by Hanne: TRAVELS!
"Travelling is a wonderful possibility to open for new inspiration and ideas. I´ll say it´s actually one of the greatest advantages to travelling!A lot of new impressions and probably also new materials to bring home for future artwork. Maybe new friends - who knows? Anyway, I thought it could be very interesting to know where other bloggers travel. And if you don´t travel right now because of limited econonomy or other restrictions - I think we always travell in our mind: dreaming of somewhere in the countryside - or maybe a big city loaded with museums, galleries and flea markets for new "input" for our studios and art."

As for me travelling, I travel on holidays, birthdays and vacations in the summertime. Though I find inspiration on these types of trips , I can find it as soon as I walk out my door! I love to photograph the things that people see everyday.These are some of the favorites from my recent travels. In Oct. My husband and I went to the OuterBank,N.C. for our anniversary...it was vey warm! In Dec. our family went to the N.C. Zoo for my husband's birthday( but for the kids mostly) . As you can see, not a picture of the animals but the bamboo that was EVERYWHERE!
And lastly, our trip to Michigan for Christmas. I saw this barn one day and not paying attention to what road it was on, I had to ask my mother-in-law if she knew where the blue barn was and we eventually found it! I just love the colors! The mailbox was something my boys and I discovered on a COLD, BRISK, morning walk down the dirt road in Michigan.
Im always looking out the window to find my inspiration and even in my mind I see where I want to go eventually. I see Venice,Italy. MY dream of alleyways, bridges, waterways filled with gondolas ...Ahhh a photgraphers paradise...maybe my 10 year anniversary(next year) ! I could have posted more pictures but I narrowed it down to my favs.

Birthdays, Christmas and Family Fun