I Heart Macro 06/10/2012

My lovely Oakleaf hydrangea, which I've had for about 15 years, died very suddenly.  One weekend it was healthy and full of blooms and the next weekend it was looking withered and sickly.  All of the leaves that had once been green, turned rusty.  They were actually a very pretty rusty color and I thought that it would be a beautiful color on metal.  I found a website with different ideas on how to patina copper and I tried the vinegar and sea salt method on a Vintaj brass charm.

These are pictures of the hydrangea leaves and the brass leaf that I patinated (sorry the shots aren't that great).  I was very happy with the results and will definitely try this again.  Next time I'll keep record of how long I let the metal suspend over the vinegar.

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".

Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to join in the fun with your own macro photo.

 

Enjoy your week!

I Heart Macro 06/03/2012

Sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks.  I have really missed it, but after being on the computer 9 - 10 hours at work, the last thing I want to do when I get home is get back on the computer.  I do try to read a few of my favorite blogs while I eat breakfast each morning and I have been so inspired lately.  I've been working on some pieces and will try to get some pictures posted soon.  

We have a rouge grapevine that keeps popping up in a bed by our front steps.  I have tried everything to discourage it's growth, but alas, it appears again each year.  Today I was walking in from a trip to the store, looked down and instead of the usual frustration, I saw beauty in the little fuzzy little leaves and curly red tendrils.  After putting away the groceries, I decided to collect specimens for my I Heart Macro shots.

Can you see the upside down heart in the tendril?

Today I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".

Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to join in the fun with your own macro photo.

Enjoy your day!

I Heart Macro 04/22/2012

My pictures for today's I Heart Macro are of flowers from a grocery store bouquet.  I've been so busy with work and haven't had any time to work in my garden this Spring.  I love seeing the flower pictures that are submitted for IHM each week, but the majority of the flowers blooming in my yard are weeds.

This bouquet had a nice mix of chrysanthemum's, a Gerber daisy, a sun flower, lily, eucalyptus and some miscellaneous items that I can't identify.  For some reason, I had a really had time shooting the sun flower, which is the one I wanted to shoot the most.

I love the contrast between the purple and yellow, green of this chrysanthemum

The eucalyptus smells wonderful!  There are little buds, like it may bloom, which will be interesting to see.

This little visitor liked the eucalyptus too and was nice enough to pose for pictures.

Love this orange Gerber daisy!

And the orange lily is very pretty too

A sweet little button chrysanthemum

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged". Please click on the link below to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

Blessings to you and enjoy your week!

I Heart Macro 04/15/2012

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged". Please click on the link below to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

In March I signed up for Cindy Wimmer's Button Swap Blog Hop, which will be held on May 13th.  I am honored to have been partnered with the very talented Lynda Moseley of SCDiva.  Lynda makes beautiful, beautiful polymer clay pendants, beads and buttons.  She also makes some wonderful Scottish and Irish Tartans Series pendants and necklaces.  Please visit Lynda's Etsy shop to see her gorgeous creations and check out her tutorials.

Last Monday I received my buttons from Lynda and they are lovely!

I am in love with these buttons!  I have some ideas and have pulled out beads to go with the red and blue floral and the purple and green bees buttons.  I'm excited and worried at the same time!  These buttons are so pretty and I hope I do them justice with my design ideas.

I also wanted to share a picture of a visitor I had while working on taxes yesterday.  I felt something light on my ankle and casually swished with my hand, thinking it was probably a fly or mosquito.  When I felt it again and looked down, this little critter was on my leg.

My natural instinct was to scream "Whhaaaaa!" and shake it off my leg.  The poor thing went flying across the room and was probably scared to death!  My son helped me scoop it up in a container, so we could release it outside. 

Blessings to you and enjoy your week!

Happy Easter & I Heart Macro 04/08/2012

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged". Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Easter!

Enjoy your week!

I Heart Macro 04/01/2012

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged". Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

Getting a late start due to much needed yard work.  I've signed up for several blog hops/challenges and my up close pictures are the beginnings of those projects (so I won't be revealing what the pictures are).

Also playing around with some textures on Picnik.  Just 18 (or 17) more days to use Picnik (On April 19, 2012 Picnik will be closing).

And because April is National Poetry Month I will leave you with a quick haiku

It is Sunday night

The weekend goes by so fast

Oh how the time fly's

Enjoy your week!

I Heart Macro 03/18/2012

Joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".  Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

Took a few shots inside and decided it was to pretty to be stuck in doors, so I headed outside.

Shot a couple of pretty weeds

 Flower from my Quince bush

 The Star-of-Bethlehem are blooming.

 

 Dandelion seeds, left behind.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

I Heart Macro 03/04/2012

I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".  Please click on the link above to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

Remember my beautiful roses from a previous IHM post?  Well, they almost last two weeks, which is pretty good compared to other cut flowers I have had in the past.  My son wanted the wilted petals and brought the stems back to me and what remained looked pretty cool.

Have a wonderful week!

I Heart Macro 02/26/2012

With the help of my kiddos and my coworkers, for Christmas I bought myself a Vintaj special edition Sizzix BIGkick Machine at our local Hobby Lobby.

picture source

I LOVE THIS MACHINE!

I have wanted to try embossing for quite awhile, but wasn't comfortable with handling the necessary chemicals.  Look what I made with this nifty machine (embossed leaf)!

Here's a collection of what I've made so far.

 I'm joining Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".  Please click on the link below to view photos by other participants, or to add your own macro photo.

 

Have a wonderfully creative week!