Pretty as a peacock.....

(Photo altered in photobucket...color pallet..just on the cup.)

Pretty as a peacock is truly what these are!!!  They are so unique and just my style.  I found them at Pier 1 Imports and a little high in price ($10.00 ea) but to me they were worth it.  My hubby and I decided to drop in a couple of weeks ago to see if they carried cookie cutters for a craft project but I found these instead. 

The turquoise is just beautiful and I am not sure if it really is a peacock design they had in mind but that was how I saw them. 

The pattern design around each white section and around the green base is etched in the glaze so that it has some texture to it.  I am a texture kinda person so this felt great in my hand.

And to top it off it has a etched design in the bottom too!!!  I just can't wait until our kitchen is done so that I can have these on display. I decided to have turquoise as one of my accent colors in the kitchen so I am keeping my eye out for some unique items to have on display.  I love having different designs/patterns but the same color because it just gives it some interest without being eclectic.   I only bought three because if later I should find another cup I can't live without I will have room for them....and let me tell you this was not easy as I really wanted to buy six!!!

My first cup of joe in it....cafe veinna by Maxwell House International cafe...YUM.
xo
barbara lynn

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."

Author: George Eliot

Enjoy the whether......

You can't change the whether, so you might as well enjoy it. The essence of simple living is to enjoy what comes and except what is.  If it's bright, sunshiny day, have a picnic.  If the clouds are pouring down liquid sunshine, get out your umbrella and waterproof boots and walk in the rain. Author: Candy Paull

When my hubby and I venture out for a walk on the beach I never know what will move me to take a picture.  It was a gloomy day Sunday afternoon but we decided to head to the beach regardless of what it looked like outside......rain possibly.....peace yes!!  So with our pretty beach umbrellas we set out.

I was trying to get a shot of the pretty colors of the umbrella (and so glad that my hubby joined in)  against the grey background and the water coming in and WOW was I excited to see this shot!!!  Such clarity on what I was focusing on but then to have the movement of the wave coming in was just perfect.

As the nats were getting bad we decided to head back and then I noticed the beautiful color of the wild grass with the lighthouse in the background, with its light on, so I just had to try to capture this.  Unfortunely, most of my shots were not in focus because of the distance and the grey of the day.  So, I used photobuck to enhance the this picture and the next one to try so show their beauty as best as I could.  This one seemed so fall like to me and I loved it since here in the south the whether doesn't know it is fall yet!

This one I loved the delicate whisper of it...so beautiful to me. I used a slight blur in the background to focus on the flower/what is it....grass?   Well, anyway I loved the way it turned out and with the slight light behind it from the sun...it came out...picture perfect (even if I did have to enhance it).  So as you decide to venture out on a journey of your own, make sure you remember to take your camera and capture the beauty all around you....even if the whether says otherwise. 

xo

barbara lynn

Where to start......

The most sacred place dwells within our heart, where dreams are born and secrets sleep, a mystical refuge of darkness and light, fear and conquest, adventure and discovery, challenge and transformation.  Our heart speaks for our soul every moment while we are alive.  Listen...as the whispering beat repeats: be...gin, be...gin, be...gin.  It's really that simple.  Just begin...again.  Author:  Royce Addington

I am at a turning point in my life where I want to start an online/creative business.... and I am ready to begin!!!!  How you may say?  Well, by learning from other successful creative souls....ones that have gone before me.  I am currently taking Flying Lessons with Kelly Rae Roberts and she is teaching us how to have a successful online presents and business.  It has been wonderful in ideas and ways to get started on creating a business that soars.....one that can reach far and wide and I am loving it!!   I have the class button to the right if you are interested in checking it out.  I thought I would start to blog my process as I begin this journey so I can have a record of it and maybe it will help someone else as they consider starting an online presents too if not for encouragement. 

 

So today's topic is beginnings.  We all have to start somewhere and one of the things I am starting to work on is my blog's appearance.  You don't need to invest in having your own domain right away just start with what you have to get a feel for it before investing money.  This is what I have chosen to do.  I want a blog that has a professional yet not to professional appeal to it so I started with my layout and header.  I tried different templates and found that the "simple" one suits me which I already had.  I did however, change the layout to one with another column  to accommodate some new items I will be adding....one being the classes I am currently taking.  If anyone should be interested in taking one....we could connect and discuss what we are learning...wouldn't that be fun? 

Then it comes to the name...I had one picked out but it will not suit the connection between all my creative outlets and if I should change my product later, so I am still thinking on that one. 

Then the BIG addition.....a couple of days ago I stated on my blog that I AM AN ARTIST!!!  I thought if I want an online creative business I have to be at a place that I considered myself one so I just did it.  I remember as I typed it, saved it, and then went to view my blog I had mixed emotions.  First came the excitement of it but then a sudden panic and then I just plain wanted to cry.  Weird right?  But I guess when you finally realize that you are going to sell your art/product to the world you have to begin with believing it yourself.....and so I did.  Yes, I am an ARTIST....and I will keep believing it even if some days I don't think so.  I know this is hard for aaaalot of people (including me) because we don't feel we measure up to the Picasso's or Van Gogh's with just paint and canvas....but hey if you create something out of something else it is called art so believe it when I say it "you are an artist"!

So this is my starting point on a journey to stretch my wings.  As it states at the top of my blog: Going Beyond the Boundaries in Life, Creative Biz, and Art (this too was part of redesigning my blog) I wanted a statement that reflects what I am trying to do with my life, my new business, and my art/product...and this is what came to me and I will keep it for now.  I am still working on my header so the one up now is just a temporary one since my picture is out of focus and you can't read the statement "be free" but it is a start.  So stay tuned for more updates and thanks for stopping by.

xo

barbara lynn

What brings you peace....

(one of my favorite things to do)

Peacefullness is an inner sense of calm - it comes from becoming still.  A peaceful heart is one that is free from worry and trouble.  It's becoming quiet so we can look at things quietly so we can more clearly understand them and thus come up with creative solutions.  It is learning to live in the present.  author: Barbara Jean

Find something today that brings you peace just by doing it....burning a scented candle......listening to a favorite CD....or taking a wonderful bubble bath.  These things will give you a sense of peace even if it is just for the moment.

xo

barbara lynn

Pumpkin patch.....

(this was taken in vivid color)

Yea they are here....clay pumpkins!!!  I have been waiting for these since last year and now they have arrived!  I spotted these at Lowe's last year but thought it was to soon to buy one and when I decided it was time to get one they were gone!! Yikes, so I asked if they would get anymore in and they said yes since they were new for this year but I would have to wait until next year.  Oh that was hard to take but I waited.......

...until now.  Whoohoo!  It was fun to shop in this little pumpkin patch looking just for the right one....even though my hubby didn't understand the difficulty. Gees...guys right?  Each one had it's own distinct look and it had to be just the right one like when my kids were young.  This is the picture of the patch but I did have to go back the next day to capture it because I didn't bring my camera in and there was no way to go to the car and come back with hubby along.

I was glad I did buy mine because when I came back over half were gone!!!! They were all over the floor but not this day. Wow and that was last weekend they may be gone now

(I am sorry I didn't post sooner..but hurry).

(actual color)

The price is $19.98 and they are made of heavy clay which I absolutely love.  I normally just decorate for fall but these pumpkins reminded my of when my kids were young and how we would go get one every year and carve it out....so I just had to have one.

 This is the one I picked because I thought it just had a happy face and it was looking up at me while I was standing there deciding....so it got a home next to our fireplace in the living room.  What is also cool about these is that the top of it has a nice long handle/stem so you can easily place candle wreaths on them to dress it up.  I also will be buying a pumpkin light that I saw at Home Depot that is extra bright and is used just for them but they haven't come in yet but I am watching for them.  I just love it and if you want one you too you better hurry because they are going fast!

xo

barbara lynn



Capturing Your World: Sunsets

(3rd favorite)

Last night my hubby and I went for a stroll on the beach after dinner and the night couldn't have been more perfect....just the right breeze and temperature.  When ever we set out to go for a walk I always bring my camera because you just never know what you may see.  This was taken in regular mode.

So as we were heading back to our car, because it was getting late, you could see people lining the beach to watch the sunset.  I didn't have the intention of doing this when we set out for our walk but I said to him lets sit and watch it too and I was so glad we did.  I quickly decided that this would be a sunset photo assignment to record. 

This first one I was trying to get us walking with the beautiful color of the sky in the background.  I loved how this turned out because it looks like someone else took it.  Sometimes you just don't get the right shot when you are trying to take the picture yourself without looking at it...and just getting the side of the faces couldn't have been as perfect.  I am also glad that my hubby is taller than me so that you can see the both of us.

This one I wanted to get my hubby watching the dolphins in the water....they were so close but not easy to capture.  I just love when you can really see them jump out of the water and be so close....what a treat for this evenings walk.  When these pictures were taken we were walking the canal so you can see the silhouette in the background which I thought just added something extra. Taken in vivid mode.

(2nd favorite)

This one I took because I loved the reflection of the sky on the water, and the beach.  What I also liked was texture of all the snails that lined the beach because it was low tide.   It was neat to have captured the birds but what was the real bonus is the little peak of the dolphins in the upper right hand corner.  This was taken in vivid mode.

Next is my favorite photo of the night......and you know this because you just have that heart connection to it when you first see it.  That's when you know you hit the mark of the assignment.

(my favorite)

Absolutely beautiful!!!!   I took this in vivid mode just to really capture how breathtaking it was to be there.  What a wonderful mix of pure peace and beauty. 

xo

barbara lynn

52 Week Photography Challenge...

I was talking to my friend Tania this afternoon and we were talking about blog posts we have done and she mentioned that she missed when I posted my 52 Week Photography Challenge for last year 2011.  I told her I haven't finished that task but I missed doing it to.....so to her I am going to finish this task I set out to do.  So I have picked up where I left off and it was on this bonus page after week 12 which I had finished back then plus another one which I will show you later.  Yea, I know I am reaaaaallly behind but I will just go along and not worry about the time schedule I should have kept before life got in the way. Luckily, I have all my photos in date order so that I can pull out for the correct page date and if not I will just fill in what strikes at the moment. 

It will be a wonderful feeling to have this finished but I think it will be something I will continue to do.  I will have to see what kind I will do when I finish this one or maybe now that I have more time I will start on the one I want to do on Street Photography....Capturing Your World that I did a post a few days ago on Rain.   Well,  I hope you enjoy it Tania and thank you for getting me going again!!! 

It was my birthday when this page came up so I thought it would be perfect to do since I am doing my bonus pages on fun self portraits.

Bonus Page: Happy Birthday To Me  March month end

Sorry on these indoor pics just can't wait until I get my new camera for Christmas.  Here is the two page spread.

 I still find that it makes me laugh to look and do these pages this one I added a birthday hat and finally got the picture with the wording not backwards as you can see in the next photo.

I had kept on taking this photo over and over but just couldn't make it clear but then after I realized it the wording in the balloon was backwards because I was taking it in front of a mirror!  Da right?  Well, this is how I left it because it makes me laugh and Tania if you look at my jewelry you can see I am wearing the sea bracelet you got me.  I took off the large starfish and used it as a necklace and just loved it!!  The candles were used on my birthday cake and I just love the multi color and so out of the box which is so me.

So now I am going to give you a quick update on the book and the earlier pages I did just to have them all together on this blog but you can go here to see all the detailed posts. 

This is the journal I used for this challenge....I love to reuse old books and this one was a daily calendar which was perfect I thought for this project.  Here is the original cover.....

the inside of the pages....

and all the tab dividers that I will keep.

Here is the cover once I change it.  I used magazine pictures for the cover and made it look like snapshots.

The content page...

the photo holder page on the left and a unfinished page on the right...

The completed page with a picture of me so they (my kids or whoever will know who did this book).

Week One:  Dinner With Friends Jan 8th

Week 2: Snow Impostor Jan. 15th

Week 3: Blue Toenails & Snowflakes Jan. 22

Week 4: Create Sand Angels Jan 29th

Bonus Page: Photos Jan month end

Week 5: Sisters Feb. 5th

Week 6: Be Mine Feb. 12th

The Valentine Card that fits into the pocket.

Week 7: Sand Dollar  Feb. 9th

Week 8: The Crane Feb. 26th

 

Bonus Page: Charlies Angels Feb month end

Week 9: Pink Magnolia March 5th

Week 10: St. Patrick's Day March 12th

Week 11: St. Patrick's Parade Mar. 19th

 

Week 12: The Queen Bee  March 26th

So the challenge continues.....

xo

barbara lynn