Can you Believe its been two years?

Two years ago my Mom passed away from complications of Breast Cancer. Sometimes it seems like it just happened and sometimes it seems like it has been years.

It is amazing how much my perspective has changed over the last 2 years about life, accumulation of 'stuff', the importance of relationships and many other things.

Been trying to recreate my mom's homemade meals (with her flavor etc) as my dad wants what he is familiar with and is comforting to him. Do you know how much work a simple potato salad is??? Made one and dad wasn't impressed! Too much mustard, too "soupy", potatoes not cooked enough! My husband on the other hand LOVED it all. So this weekend I created one of my mom's meatloafs and am redeemed in my dad's eyes! 

It was my brothers birthday last weekend and I made him the deviled eggs he loves and those turned out perfectly..so I am two good, one not so good in dad's eyes! 

This year's fair is my first one knowing AHEAD of time that I am the Superintendent of the Hobby/Craft section. I have been getting a few calls here and there. We did add some categories and we have brought some from the State Fair categories, also changed up to highlight the techniques instead of the finished item (weaving instead of "woven basket").

If you are interested in joining in the Josephine County Fair this year, here is the correct fair premium book and categories...Hope to see you all there! 

@ourjocofair #ojcftrashtotreasure #ojcfbringyourbling #ojcfHACS!

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2015 Fair Premium Brochure

Playing with textures and the word Beautiful Decay for this one

Be still more images

Really enjoying taking time to get some quiet and simple images for this online class. A full 52 weeks of classes is an amazing idea! I cannot do the photo a day but a few a week is #easypeasy! Well..not so much...haha @KimKlassen is an incredible instructor with a wealth of learned information from trial and error... and many items she shares and the classes are so reasonable doubt they even cover the time she takes but I have a feeling she is #notinitforthemoney but for the #socialfriendships she makes! Check out #bestill_52 on instagram or her site!

Snapshop new web cam...

Quick snap...... trying out my new webcam for look...ok so I did doctor it a BIT in photoshop....  

Be still 52 assignment pastel preset

I have begun a new passion that of Hydrangea's! Not sure why I didn't like them before, I tend to not like huge flowers but now I see this is a mop head and made up of tinier flowers so it suits my cottage sensibilities just fine!

Another one...no so happy with this one...

Surface Pattern Design

In the meantime I'm also learning how to use Adobe Illustrator to do my own surface pattern design. Here is my first try, all of the individual pieces are illustrated from my own drawings of flowers from my home and yard. I'm calling this collection

My cottage life...

A recent image from my Be Still 52 classes. So far behind in posting but this one I was very proud of

After this one I was able to do a few more haven't even shared yet on the class pages 

and Finally definition of "still"

Using props to bring a thought to life

My final with using props. I kind of hated my Coffee one it was just so BLAH! but I continue to share it as it is a learning process. I guess the problem is I was trying to do what someone else thought was good to do.

Trying to "be still Sunday" when life crashes in

My cat has to be in the middle of EVERYTHING!  I am taking an ongoing workshop on learning to be still and use that in still life photography to express many themes and words. Today as I was prepping for the photos #MarleytheDivaCat decided she had to be in the middle of what I was doing. What cracks me up the most is that she gets in front of me then refuses to look at the camera! She is so much a diva!

Working with props

One thing in still life you learn is how to group and arrange a composition that speaks something in its single image. Learning how to compose these items is one of the hardest things in photography as there is never a "right" way to do so, however there are many "wrong" ways. You simply need to look at an image and feel it makes you feel off kilter, or find it odd in its mood, or simply just seems juvenile or nothing unique or special.

In the use of props many times you have to play with items in several situations taking multiple shots before you land upon one that seems like you have the ability to "enjoy" the image without trying to fix it or decide some way it can be done better.

I started with these 3 items trying to get the idea about how things come together in my life from the life outdoors to the crafting indoors though a simple image to me in conveys a simple message of today, along with the texture of the table and background.

Trust the process

Sometimes we head in directions where we do not know where the path will end. We do know that it is heading in a good way but hard to see the end from the beginning. Right now I am simply "enjoying the journey" as a part of this week's prompt to trust the process. In class this has to do with learning how to express ourselves through photography but really it spills out into every area of our lives.

Do we trust the process of the perfecting of our lives? Do we constantly nip at the pathway and wonder if it is worth the hassle it seems to create. Are we on a good path to being with that is able to be trusted? If you are on a path that leads to anything but to become more like Christ then we are not on a path that can be trusted.

Many think they are simply standing still in life, but since life is always going forward if we are not going forward then we are sliding back.

This image is the start of the morning. Many like coffee..I am not yet a coffee connoisseur but I do know my MOCHA! When I go to #dutchbros I ask for my drink to be "breve" which I guess means made with cream instead of milk. Less carbs for me is good.

This image shows a portion of the process needed to make my morning mocho which I consume about 3 or 4 times a week. Sometimes it is sooo soothing to just sit relax and drink the warm liquid.

Room to Breathe..its the Heart of the matter

Learned some good tips for using Lightroom CC today. Love learning shortcuts from someone who has been doing what I do ahead of me and save me the time of rooting out the information one bit at a time.

Also applied a new preset they created. Its fun to play with someone else's ideas of image alterations and see how they work with your image.

However the overall message was learning to have "room to breathe" in your life. A place away from all of the stress and activity by taking a walk or doing something that gets you out of the home and with room around you enjoying the space in your life.

Be Still Sunday...and 2 of 52 Bloom

Am in the 2nd week of my journey with the class of reflection of Be still 52 with Kim Klassen  who has a wonderful class set up for those who are delving into using photography to do more than just have a pretty thing to look at, its meant to inspire our own lives and for us to take a journey through "being still" while we do still life photography.

I have always liked this sentiment on this image "bloom where you are planted" though a very old one now it still says so much to what I, in my life, wish to do. The Bible says "whatever your hand finds to do, do it.." meaning do not wait for the perfect thing comes along before you start doing SOMETHING. If something is there and needs to be done, then do it. Don't pray on it, just do it. Not talking about some big spiritual mumbo jumbo event, I'm talking about taking the garbage out in the childrens church if you see it over flowing, I'm talking about dusting the counter in your workplace kitchen because it needs to be done instead of expecting someone else will get it done.

If we cannot "bloom" we will not be trusted with any sort of transplanting. Why would you purchase and count on a plant that has never bloomed in their native environment to suddenly go through the shock of change and bloom? Unless its to move it to a more fertile environment (meaning an easier way to live) and wait until it really blooms before it can be put on the shelf for use.

Wow didn't expect all of that to come out. Guess it was in there somewhere....my reflection is .... simply....bloom. Right here. Right now. Let your best colors show. Let your best foliage grow. Bloom. Click on the photo to get the best look.

I used Kim Klasses texture kk_makelight_02 to process this. Wanted a little bit of a grain look for the idea of the earth and dirt. 

Be Still 52 Beginnings

Starting a new course with the wonderful Kim Klassen. I have seen her grow in her abilities of art and now she teaches but for very little cost. I think her courses are probably 1/10 of the cost of someone who wants to make a large amount of money and CAN charge. She seems to have a mission to help others who are going along the same path as herself. If you would like to know more about her you can check her out here .

The course I am taking is more of an ongoing study in still life photography and still life in the real world...as in BEING STILL. It is called Be Still 52 and I am 5 weeks behind the curve as I didn't start it when it came out. Gladly excited to catch up. Here is my first weeks image. We did breathing exercises etc. and then took a photo of something that causes us to enjoy the stillness...

We also did a private journal entry of our intentions for this class. It was private to us, and I do not have a journal just for this class YET so I did one that I don't mind sharing...using this same rose in my journal page...