1000 words

Jan 17 (day 13)

2010-01-17T20:00:00.000-06:00

Well, got some more too... I am trying to get stuff photographed for my portfolio. I don't have enough perfect work yet, but here is a few things I like.

Mark Making device & Book (shows photos and marks.)

Accordion Book-about me.

Another book about me-this time a personal geography. All hand-illustrated. I am not sure how to show all the illustrations in this, but I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

This book also came out well. Work based on a group project from a Text in the Landscape class. I have to take better images of this as well, as I hand embroidered the cover as well as many pages.

OK, this might be our family valentine's day card (assuming I ever get it done) Maybe next year!

Jan 16 (day 12)

2010-01-17T19:54:00.000-06:00

Folded book about me.

Jan 15 (day 11)

2010-01-17T19:51:00.000-06:00

Another in the pocket calendar series. Wood cover, this time.

Jan 14 (day 10)

2010-01-14T10:02:00.001-06:00

This quilt is from my mom... it is our wedding gift. OK, so our 10th anniversary is this fall, but in her defense, it did take me a while to pick out a pattern. It is very dark, but we have a large bedroom, and WOW, do I love love love it! I don't think the pictures do it justice. We need better pillows and sheets now (heck, we need a better bed) but this will do. It looks much better in our room then I though. Oh, and now we need new drapes too. Sigh.

Jan 13 (day 9)

2010-01-13T10:28:00.004-06:00

This is my space. Daniel and I share this office, but I admit to having taken over most of the space. After a long reorganization last night (and finally getting everything working again!) I have a computer side and behind that the studio side. I dabble in wool felting, embroidery, sewing (hence the newly acquired sewing table which expands for paper cutting too!) paper cutting, graphic design (OK, maybe more then dabble in that, as I am in school for it) painting, drawing, glass etching, silk painting, some random card making (not really too much of scrapbooking, but I have tried it), book binding, paper making...I think that about covers it. Anyway, I do a lot, try a lot, and have a lot of stuff. I love my space. I need storage for fabric, but not sure how to fit that in. I think we will be adding more shelves over the sewing table later this semester (when Container store has their Elfa sale!) and I might just get bins for the fabric on the shelves.

Jan 12 (day 8)

2010-01-12T11:54:00.001-06:00

And the office needed an update... the doggies seem to like the new digs!

Jan 11 (day 7)

2010-01-12T11:52:00.004-06:00

I swore I would not get behind, but my parents were here, and really, I just wanted to spend time with them. So... pictures form the weekend.

Jan 6 (day 6)

2010-01-06T22:17:00.002-06:00

What I was doing tonight (days late, but not too bad!)

Jan 5 (Day 5)

2010-01-05T20:10:00.002-06:00

Little pocket star (calendar) book I made. I want to make a few changes to the next one, but I rather like it. Oh, and I know the background is wrinkled...I was too lazy to iron my big backdrop for one picture!

Jan 4 (Day 4)

2010-01-04T21:46:00.003-06:00

The kids were playing "traffic" tonight... this is where they get out Every. Single. Car we own! They line them up, create a traffic pattern, then move them all around. I love it... all we have to put away are cars, they can play for hours, and, well, not a game I would have understood with my limited knowledge of traffic as a kid!

Jan 3 (Day 3)

2010-01-03T19:34:00.002-06:00

From a camera phone, can not find one of our cameras, and the other is buried under the pile of stuff I am organizing on my desk. It is there, but I wanted to get this up while I could, and Anna was right here coloring. And she wants me to tell you she was only 4 when she did this... she is much better now that she is 5 (her words, not mine!)

Jan 2 (Day 2)

2010-01-02T16:25:00.004-06:00

So I got day two. But..I can not narrow it down to one. We went to the children's museum. I had such a fun time with my kids and husband... such cute photos. I think Anna wants to be a vet, and Ethan either an ambulance driver, a chef or possibly a bagger at the grocery store. Not sure. But really, they have a little time do decide, no?

January 1 (Day 1)

2010-01-01T15:46:00.003-06:00

Whew.

It has been a long time since I did this. But hey, new year, new plans, lets try again! I really enjoyed it while I did it, and I think I can do it again, at least as part of my new plan for school. I seem to have taken a few pictures last year as it is (4340 as of the last upload of 2009 this morning.) I might as well try to keep up this. I will say, I tend to go a while with no pictures, then take a bunch at once.

So I guess a quick update:

Anna is 5, last year of preschool, a big, intelligent and innovative/creative kid.

Ethan is 3, into EVERYTHING, and sweet and loving as could be. First year of preschool and he is amazing!

Dan is still at the same job, and doing well. He is the best father that you can imagine.

I am crazy. I quit teaching at the community college to go back to school full time. I am trying to get into a MFA program in Graphic design so I can teach more. I have been taking classes at the undergrad level for a year now, and my application is due Feb 1. I am stressed, excited, and still questioning if this is the right thing to do. I love it, but wow, does it kill my self-esteem. I thought I was a good designer. But I have so much to learn, and I love it.

So this one is technically from the end of 2009, the last day we spent in FL with the family. Can you tell Ethan was a little tired!

A Zoo Day (Day 172)

2008-01-06T21:33:00.000-06:00

I just loved this shot. It was a beautiful day, we were there with some great friends, and A was just so happy...I thought this shot captured it so well.

There is a tunnel through one of the larger fish tanks...great fun for the kids to crawl through.

Playing Around (Day 171)

2008-01-06T21:32:00.000-06:00

Cookie? (Day 170)

2008-01-04T05:50:00.000-06:00

OK, the kids LOVED these cookies at the store. And apparently, it was cold. Taken with my new cell phone (not a bad shot, for a cell phone!)

Butterfly Center (Day 169)

2008-01-02T06:28:00.001-06:00

We went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science again. A is really getting into so much right now, and she LOVED the butterflies! Just some nice shots...

Happy New Year (Day 168)

2008-01-02T06:27:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been a while. Happy New Year (...and here is to sticking with this!)

Sleep (Day 167)

2007-11-12T14:49:00.000-06:00

So, she slept....just not where I wanted her too.

Some nature shots (Day 166)

2007-11-06T15:54:00.000-06:00

Evening without kids (Day 165)

2007-11-06T10:20:00.001-06:00

Kids were with the grandparents, we went into town, caught a show and stayed in a swanky hotel. Way nice evening...got to even read the paper the next morning...it has been 3 years since I got to read the whole paper!

Halloween in Kansas (Wait...Texas!) (Day 164)

2007-11-06T09:56:00.000-06:00

Halloween evening...just before trick or treating.

We are off to see the Wizard... (Day 163)

2007-10-30T08:41:00.000-06:00

Hee...the kids are so cute at a Zoo Boo! Yes, that is supposed to be a Toto...but really he is just a mutt!

Happy A (Day 162)

2007-10-30T08:40:00.000-06:00

Oh, so happy...

Macro practice (Day 161)

2007-10-01T19:57:00.001-06:00

The Kids (Day 161)

2007-10-01T19:55:00.001-06:00

Not so bad...I need to work on color and lighting...much more to learn then I expected, I guess! I had to adjust some stuff off camera, which I never do, so this is a learning experience.

I got it, I got it!!! (Day 159)

2007-09-29T15:46:00.000-06:00

And my first shot out of the box, fully manual...

Not bad for a third shot (OK, you don't need to see the second!)

And had to throw in one of the boy!

E and the pot (Day 158)

2007-09-19T12:19:00.001-06:00

OK, really, that should have been pots! You leave the kid alone for 30 seconds and look what he does...man, the boy is trying to get his career as an Iron Chef going, I guess!

MIL's Invites (Day 157)

2007-09-14T20:50:00.000-06:00

My SIL and I have been planning this party for my MIL's 65th birthday, and I am doing the invitations. I LOVE how they turned out and can not wait to mail them Monday...for today, though, you all get to see them!

These will go in a vellum envelope with this part showing in the back.

This is the inside...ribbon comes off and shows the invite info.

My boy (Day 156)

2007-09-13T08:32:00.000-06:00

OK, I have not posted in ages. Life just gets in the way...but I am determined to get back to this, and today seems a good day to start. My baby, my last baby, turns ONE today. As of 4.21p, September 13, 2007 Ethan Louis is one year old. He is crusing like crazy, being cute as can be. He has taken a few steps, but no walking. He has mastered the stairs, crawls and pulls up to everything. He loves being outside, taking toys his sister wants and just being a one year old. He can say Mama, Daddy, I think doggy, Nana (Anna) yeah (and sometimes yes)and naanaa (banana). He flips out if you take a toy away from him (espically if it is something he was not supposed to have in the first place!) He is strong willed, into everything and amazing to watch. Making him frustrated is, well, cute. And after a year with this little bundle of love, I can not imagine life any other way.

So...pictures! Yup, had to be cake!

Koi (Day 155)

2007-08-05T20:55:00.000-06:00

002.5 (Day 154)

2007-08-05T20:54:00.001-06:00

Zoo (Day 153)

2007-08-05T20:52:00.002-06:00

I swear, he posed for me!

Houston Zoo's baby (ha..baby..huge) elephant, Mac.

E (Day 152)

2007-08-05T20:52:00.001-06:00

A (Day 151)

2007-08-05T20:50:00.000-06:00

Happy/Not So Happy (Day 150)

2007-07-31T20:19:00.001-06:00

Curious (Day 149)

2007-07-31T20:18:00.000-06:00

Sky (Day 148)

2007-07-31T20:17:00.001-06:00

Post storm (which is about half the time...the rest of the day is actual storm.)

Leaf (Day 147)

2007-07-31T20:16:00.000-06:00

Maple leaf after a rain.

Reflections Part 2 (Day 146)

2007-07-31T20:15:00.002-06:00

We have been getting a lot of rain lately...so we see a lot of puddles like this. Actually...we see so many so much deeper and mucky-er.

Reflections (Day 145)

2007-07-31T20:15:00.001-06:00

The Creek (Day 144)

2007-07-31T20:14:00.001-06:00

The A (Day 143)

2007-07-31T20:13:00.000-06:00

Ducks (Day 142)

2007-07-31T20:11:00.000-06:00

There are some new ducks in our local pond...just losing their baby feathers. So cute!

And another set (Day 141)

2007-07-18T14:04:00.001-06:00

Front Door (Day 140)

2007-07-18T14:02:00.000-06:00

Can you see the theme yet???

Doors (Day 139)

2007-07-18T14:00:00.000-06:00

From our hall looking towards the living area...over- and under-exposed...I really liked the different looks.

Storm (Day 138)

2007-07-18T13:59:00.000-06:00

Just another storm here in TX!

Hands on a door (Day 137)

2007-07-18T07:05:00.001-06:00

OK, just taken from my computer camera...but I thought it was funny! And about all I had time for!

(Day 136)

2007-07-13T15:07:00.001-06:00

Flowers & Kids (Day 135)

2007-07-12T13:39:00.001-06:00

So the first two are DOF and opposites...all flowers but hard and man made vs natural and well, not soft really, but softer! And the kids...those can be total opposites as well!

More Crepes (Day 134)

2007-07-11T20:03:00.002-06:00

Sleeping (Day 133)

2007-07-11T20:03:00.001-06:00

Taking a much needed rest...I only wish I could do this!

Grass (Day 132)

2007-07-11T20:01:00.000-06:00

Just trying some DOF.

Inside my desk (Day 131)

2007-07-08T13:56:00.000-06:00

Heee...the toys go everywhere, even in my not-so-neat desk drawer!

Inside our dining room (Day 130)

2007-07-08T13:53:00.001-06:00

A certain someone in our house has recived 21 (or 22, I forget) boxes of stuff from a family member. It is a lot of stuff. A LOT. And most of it is still sitting in our dining room. But, slowly it is going away!

Flowers (Day 129)

2007-07-08T13:52:00.001-06:00

The Kids (again) (Day 128)

2007-07-08T13:51:00.000-06:00

Nothing suprising (Day 127)

2007-07-04T20:54:00.001-06:00

Turtle (Day 126)

2007-07-04T20:37:00.000-06:00

The Kids (Day 125)

2007-07-02T20:10:00.001-06:00

Fountain and pond (Day 124)

2007-07-01T20:32:00.000-06:00

We took a long family walk (in between rainstorms) with the kids. We threw sticks into the pond and watched the fountain (and I tried some shutter speeds...still working on how to get that slow shutter speed to work in daylight!)

Rainbow (Day 123)

2007-07-01T20:31:00.000-06:00

This just is an amazing shot...the rain was just ending and the rainbow was fantasic!

Cars (Day 122)

2007-07-01T20:30:00.001-06:00

We all know my daughter's love of cars. Well, in trying to keep them out of my son's reach, she decided to store them ever-so-neatly in the blinds!

The Mace (Day 121)

2007-06-28T20:53:00.000-06:00

OK, this dog is crazy. Obsessed. Loves to catch a frisbee. I have a hard time capturing it but these two are fun, if not the best actual photos.

Guess? (Day 120)

2007-06-27T16:23:00.000-06:00

Well...?

The Real Deal (Day 119)

2007-06-26T20:02:00.001-06:00

Still life Inside (Day 118)

2007-06-25T20:30:00.001-06:00

OK, so fruit. All still lifes include fruit. But this is special fruit...very high fiber!

Big suprise, we are at the Zoo (Day 117)

2007-06-24T15:38:00.000-06:00

New for us, eh...

But this time we rode the train and took pictures too!

Shower (Day 116)

2007-06-23T21:18:00.000-06:00

We (my wonderful playgroup and I) hosted a baby shower for another mom in our group. Not wanting to post the pictures of people without their permission, I am showing you the invitation and thank you card I made for the event. The thank you card was a gift to the mom to be. I love making cards and hope to do more soon (this is a business idea I have had for a long time, but really, just can not find the time to develop. And photography is taking up too much of my time now!)

The card pulls out to reveal the info about when, where & why!

Standing (Day 115)

2007-06-23T06:05:00.000-06:00

Not a great picture technicly, but it makes me smile!

Crape Myrtles (Day 114)

2007-06-21T14:02:00.000-06:00

I love these trees...never had them growing up, but we have so many now...since we have moved in we have added 4 more to the 2 existing. The shape, the color, the flowers...I just love them all! Expect to see many more of these now that we are in the perfect blooming season...I have been waiting since starting this blog to do these photos!

Half a tree in Black & White (Day 113)

2007-06-20T14:39:00.000-06:00

Half & Black and White (Day 112)

2007-06-19T12:17:00.000-06:00

A rather random day...

...raindrops on a window screen (you can only see half the view you normally see)...

...and a B&W image with my daughters hand (it was taken at a slow shutter speed in low light...I thought it was a cool image.

Crape (Day 111)

2007-06-18T20:53:00.000-06:00

Just a view of the trunk of a crepe myrtle.

Fish (Day 110)

2007-06-05T20:57:00.001-06:00

Bee (Day 109)

2007-06-05T20:56:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is hovering over the flower....I loved the picture.

Sculpture in Fredericksburg, TX (Day 108)

2007-06-05T20:53:00.001-06:00

Just a really interesting bit of sculpture....looks as if it was carved from a single tree. Really nice work!

Flowers (Day 107)

2007-06-05T20:52:00.000-06:00

Enchanted Rock State Park (Day 106)

2007-06-05T20:49:00.001-06:00

Just outside of Fredericksburg TX is an amazing state park. A dome-shape granit rock pushes it way clear of the surounding trees to be weathered by the elements. It is a 6/10 of a mile hike (and no, we didn't make it with two kids we had to carry!) It is beautiful, even in the hot summer wind!

Desert thistle (Day 105)

2007-06-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

Canna blooming (Day 104)

2007-05-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

Motion (Day 103)

2007-05-29T21:34:00.000-06:00

Just trying to capture some motion. I had to close the blinds to make the light low enough to not overexpose. I like how these turned out...

Clouds (Day 102)

2007-05-29T21:33:00.001-06:00

Macro Flowers (Day 101)

2007-05-29T21:32:00.000-06:00

Trying some nice flower pictures in macro.

New Sculptures (Day 100)

2007-05-29T21:30:00.000-06:00

My parents came from WI and brought us these amazing metal sculptures! I love them. The bird (that A named Tweety!) is about 4 feet tall, and the flowers the same.

Rose (Day 99)

2007-05-29T21:29:00.000-06:00

Just a nice bud on my rose. This rose is doing great, and I bought it at a grocery store on a whim. Most of the roses we spent any amount of money on are only doing OK...just goes to show, eh?

Leaves (Day 98)

2007-05-29T21:28:00.001-06:00

Trees (Day 97)

2007-05-24T12:42:00.001-06:00

New maple tree (and some of its new leaves!)

Anna & the Bubbles (Day 96)

2007-05-23T20:49:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful evening just sitting outside blowing bubbles...she has never been so good at it before (every time she blew bubbles she would yell "I did it!" really loud!)

Waterfall (Day 95)

2007-05-23T06:57:00.000-06:00

Spring is about water right...

Late Spring (Day 94)

2007-05-23T06:56:00.001-06:00

Just a nice bloom

Zoo (Day 93)

2007-05-23T06:54:00.001-06:00

Sicko (Day 92)

2007-05-23T06:53:00.000-06:00

Both kids were sick all week...this is E in recovery mode, hanging out in Daddy's lap

Cambodian Mat (Day 91)

2007-05-23T06:51:00.001-06:00

This is a great grass mat from a friend who live in Cambodia...it is perfect for picnics and playing outside with the kids!

The Kids (Day 90)

2007-05-23T06:49:00.000-06:00

Just some nice outside time.

Drops (Day 89)

2007-05-16T19:55:00.000-06:00

I took these two one riht after another... I love the way they turned out.

Flowers after a nice watering (Day 88)

2007-05-16T19:54:00.002-06:00

Water Drops (Day 87)

2007-05-16T19:54:00.001-06:00

Tears...the ultimate water drop...

First Daylily (Day 86)

2007-05-16T19:53:00.000-06:00