Rainy Day Designs: Giveaways All Around

Stepha of Rainy Day Designs is having an awesome giveaway and looking for 4 lucky winners!  Visit her blog for the giveaway details.

I Heart Macro 02/19/2012

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.

This week I'm sharing pictures of the beautiful roses that my kiddos sent me for Valentines Day.

The roses have opened up so beautifully and I love the variety of colors in the bouquet!  I usually receive a bouquet of one color, so this was a special treat.  I know this may seem boring, but the white roses are my favorite.  They're just so elegant and pure.

As you can see, I've also been playing with Picnik.  Did you guys know that the site is going away in April?  Until then, everyone has free access to their premium package, so I've been doing a lot of playing around with my pictures.

I've been working on some bracelets for 7000 Bracelets for Hope.  It's such a wonderful project and I participated in Lori Anderson's blog hop last year. This year I didn't register in time to participate with any blog hops, but I'll post pictures of the bracelets I'm sending for the project.

Be blessed and have a wonderful week!

I Heart Macro 02/03/2012

My husband and I recently took a trip to South Texas to visit our daughter and her boyfriend.  On the second day of our visit, they took us to a state park that is close to their home.  The trees were all bare and there were no winter flowers, so there wasn't that much to choose from for up close photos.  I can't wait to go back in the spring and see the park leafed out and in bloom.  

I did get an close up shot of a sign that was at the beginning of the trail that we walked that day.

From which I extracted this word

Despite the bareness, I found some evidence of life

Snagged an up close shot of a rock wall, for my love of texture

And something for Valentine's Day

Joining Lori Plyler for for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged"

Enjoy your week!

January Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge

 

 Trellis by William Morris, 1862

I really like the art piece chosen for this months Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge.  I adore trellises, whether they are covered with roses, wisteria, pyracantha or ivy.  To me, the trellis itself is beautiful, be it a simple design or one more ornate, but when covered with foliage, it becomes living art.

For my challenge piece, I included a beautiful bluegreen glass spiral made by Cindy Gimbrone, a lovely ceramic woodland leaf made by Karen Totten and a gorgeous ceramic clasp made by Mary Harding.  Also included are a Vintaj brass bird connector, brass colored chain, coral and blue colored rivershell rounds and some wonderful teal silk ribbon (my picture does not do it justice).

Please visit the Art Bead Scene Flickr group to check out all of the entries this month and don't forget to visit Art Bead Scene for the blog tour on January 31st!  

I Heart Macro 01/29/2012

I have been busy, busy, busy this month and I miss participating with the I Heart Macro group.  I work in payroll and this is a very hectic period for us, what with closing out the previous year, processing W-2's and year end taxes and at the same time, making sure the new years benefits changes are processed timely (whew!).  

I finally snagged some time this weekend to finish my Art Bead Scene January Challenge piece (post to follow this one) and squeezed in time this morning to shoot some pictures for IHM.  Not much verity, but these were the best of the bunch.

I don't think you can see it in the collage, but when I zoomed in to edit, each little seedling had little dew drops on them.

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

Come and join in the fun!

I Heart Macro 01/01/2012

Happy New Year!

I have come to dislike making resolutions each year.  I usually make the same ones (lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more) and do well the first month, but then I stumble, which causes me to feel down for the rest of the year.  

My only resolution for 2012 is to not have any resolutions.  I will, however, strive to create, inspire, wish, imagine and believe.

I'm also going to step outside my comfort zone more and try some new creative techniques, such as

working with the new texturing hammer that my wonderful kido's gave me for Christmas.

Linking up with Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro.  Click on the button below to check out the other I  Heart Macro submissions for this week.

Have a wonderful week!

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas

and a Happy New Year!