Walk and Click Wednesdays #13: Light

Light

Noun: The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible

Verb: (1) Provide with light or lighting; illuminate, (2) Come upon or discover by chance.

Adjective: (1) Having a considerable or sufficient amount of natural light; not dark. (2) Of little weight; easy to lift.

I love the the way the sunlight glistens on the tall grass as it shines from behind. This is near my house along the way to the Coal Creek path where Kobi and I walk regularly.

... and the light seems to shine from below illuminating the clouds hanging in the sky at dusk. How can one resist taking a detour to the side of the road to capture such exquisiteness. But photos never seem to do the sunsets justice.

Aside from the way light plays in nature, I contemplate light as the antithesis of heavy.

I feel a bit lighter now that my oldest son and I have bridged a long gap. There is healing yet to be done, but small steps in the right direction are a start and something to be thankful for.

I will feel lighter still if I find in my Christmas stocking the map to my new job. I am hopeful that the path to my destiny will be revealed and I will be enlightened. I must only be patient and have faith that the angels are working diligently to prepare me as well as my new employer. Sometimes these things take time and just the right set of circumstances must come together at once. A bit of magic really. It is not about making things happen.

There's more to lightness that I have contemplated for some time now, but have not taken action. This is about lightening the load. Getting rid of things that no longer serve me, things that are broken, things I don't even remember I own. It seems this season is always about getting. I think my season will be about getting rid of.

So on that note, do any of you know someone who would like a Kindle 3G / keyboard, with M-Edge case and reading light. If you are one of my regular followers who doesn't live in the Denver area, please contact me directly and we can make alternate arrangements than posted on the craigslist link.

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Hope you're all having a great week. I look forward to seeing you here for Walk and Click Wednesdays. Can't wait to see what you saw on your strolls.

Please join me in the adventure. The only "requirement" other than those below is that you go out walking and take some pictures. Please keep in mind that you don't have to walk, take pictures, process them, and post all on Wednesday ... take the weekend before to explore and a few days to process your photos ... then link up.

Walk and Click Wednesdays (WCW) Guidelines:

Are you new to Walk and Click Wednesdays? The party will open on Wednesday and close on Saturday at midnight.

Here are just a few guidelines to keep everyone on target.

• Please link directly to your WCW blog post or the specific flickr image, not to your main blog url or flickr stream url. Please do not link to an online shop.
• Please link back to laf Custom Designs. I'd love it if you'd share my WCW button on your blog (it's over there on the sidebar--see it?--just under the Friends Who Love It Here icons). It will also serve as a reminder to you since I know you all have a lot going on in your lives.
• Please visit the other WCW participants and share the love. Gotta get this party goin' on.

Have a great weekend and find some time to walk and click. ;->

Walk and Click Wednesdays #12: Stillness

Recently, I've enjoyed the sense of stillness as I wander.

Yesterday, a friend and Kobi and I walked South Mesa Trail near Eldorado Springs. Although it was pretty brown, Juli kept pointing out tiny little berries on the trees and bushes. So I took pictures. I captured more than berries ... mountains ... trails, blue sky ... and stillness.

The Rocky Mountains ... majestic as ever.

Yucca pods ... spent.

The disappearing trail ... where do these trails take us? What will we discover?

Reaching for the sky ... a patch of blue ... where dreams are held.

All images above taken with a Nikon D5000.
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This evening I went out for my "obligatory" walk with Kobi just before sunset. The sliver of the moon hung in the sky as an airplane aimed almost directly at it. At the horizon the silhouettes of leafless trees stood still.

This image taken with HTC EVO phone

I believe it might be that time of year that entices us to stand still, observe, and listen. While walking this path near home, the cattle were lowing as they seemed to have a mission to get somewhere, unlike the times they just graze in the field.

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Hope you're all having a great week. I look forward to seeing you here for Walk and Click Wednesdays. Can't wait to see what you saw on your strolls.

Please join me in the adventure. The only "requirement" other than those below is that you go out walking and take some pictures. Please keep in mind that you don't have to walk, take pictures, process them, and post all on Wednesday ... take the weekend before to explore and a few days to process your photos ... then link up.

Walk and Click Wednesdays (WCW) Guidelines:

Are you new to Walk and Click Wednesdays? The party will open on Wednesday and close on Saturday at midnight.

Here are just a few guidelines to keep everyone on target.

• Please link directly to your WCW blog post or the specific flickr image, not to your main blog url or flickr stream url. Please do not link to an online shop.
• Please link back to laf Custom Designs. I'd love it if you'd share my WCW button on your blog (it's over there on the sidebar--see it?--just under the Friends Who Love It Here icons). It will also serve as a reminder to you since I know you all have a lot going on in your lives.
• Please visit the other WCW participants and share the love. Gotta get this party goin' on.

Have a great weekend and find some time to walk and click. ;->

Inspired: Kobi in Reflection

Often I get ideas from what others request. In this case, I received a request through a local designers group for an opportunity to create a mirrored logo. While the potential client reviews websites for just the right person to create her logo, I was inspired to try new techniques using my favorite subject ... my sweet Kobi.

Of course, he was not peering into a lake or pond, but at one of his coveted Kong toys ... waiting for me to throw it for him. It was a great starting point. A great way to spend a Sunday morning ... inspired, contemplative, creative. My favorite space.

Kobi contemplating knowledge and wisdom ...

Textures and text brush thanks to Kim Klassen: naturally, paperlove, and ohmy. I also used brushes by DesignFruit to blend the line between the images.

Walk and Click Wednesdays #11: A Mishmash

This week I was unable to make any special voyages due to very cold and sometimes snowy conditions in addition to working on my contract book project. Hence, I decided to do some catching up.

Weeks ago I was captivated by the changing leaves and these trees caused me to stop in my tracks. They look a bit like the ice cream rocket pops with the tri-colors of my childhood.

mouseover to see before image

And about a week ago, I caught the sun in the cottonwood leaves in my back yard.

Then I joined some other dogs and their owners at a Doodles and Poodles meetup at a local dog park. It was fun to get out on a gorgeous Colorado day. The dogs danced and played, while us owners learned a bit about one another. It was a fun time. Here Louie entices Kobi to play, but Kobi is a bit aloof.

Then they danced!

photo courtesy of Lisa McClear of the Doodles and Poodles meetup

Hope you're all having a great week. I look forward to seeing you here for Walk and Click Wednesdays. Can't wait to see what you saw on your strolls.

Please join me in the adventure. The only "requirement" other than those below is that you go out walking and take some pictures. Please keep in mind that you don't have to walk, take pictures, process them, and post all on Wednesday ... take the weekend before to explore and a few days to process your photos ... then link up.

Walk and Click Wednesdays (WCW) Guidelines:

Are you new to Walk and Click Wednesdays? The party will open on Wednesday and close on Saturday at midnight.

Here are just a few guidelines to keep everyone on target.

• Please link directly to your WCW blog post or the specific flickr image, not to your main blog url or flickr stream url. Please do not link to an online shop.
• Please link back to laf Custom Designs. I'd love it if you'd share my WCW button on your blog (it's over there on the sidebar--see it?--just under the Friends Who Love It Here icons). It will also serve as a reminder to you since I know you all have a lot going on in your lives.
• Please visit the other WCW participants and share the love. Gotta get this party goin' on.

Have a great weekend and find some time to walk and click. ;->

Sometimes the Best Things are Free

Earlier this year I chose abundance as my word for Ali Edwards' One Little Word. I haven't kept up with the class, but I my awareness of the word has lodged in my mind and I am paying attention.

This week abundance came in the form of free. I receive notifications for a list called Freecycle in which you can give and get all things free. I don't always read the postings, but last week I noticed a swing on the list and responded only to learn that it had been spoken for. Then a surprise came ... I got an email that it wasn't picked up and was I still interested. Ah yes, I was interested. In fact, I had been thinking for some weeks that I would like a swing.

I went to get it ... disassembled it so I could fit all the pieces in my Toyota Corolla. A couple days later, I assembled it with only a minor panic that I couldn't remember how all the pieces went back together.

While it does need reupholstering, the best part was relaxing in it with my sweet Kobiboy!

And the view is exquisite. Yeah.

Unfortunately, the next couple of days won't be swing days. We will be getting snow!!

I also received an unexpected gift in the mail simply for spending some time and commenting on Jill Salahub's blog, A Thousand Shades of Gray -- a book, Broken Open, that had been suggested by her as well as a friend of mine. I was overwhelmed by Jill's generosity. It's wonderful to be the recipient of such thoughtfulness.

Lots to be grateful for. I'm counting my blessings.

Oh, and an afterthought ... I saw a ring-necked pheasant today! Ran across the road, a main thoroughfare ... no, didn't fly, ran. I had to brake not to hit him. His colors were so brilliant. I wish I could have caught a picture, but sometimes that's just not possible. I'd never seen one before, so it was quite the treat.

Walk and Click Wednesdays #10: Featuring Sarah Huizenga

This week I'm switching it up a bit and sharing with you one of my Walk and Click followers, Sarah Huizenga at Paisley Rain Boots (love that blog title!). Sarah does a wonderful job getting out to discover new venues near and far. I love how when she goes someplace new of historical import, she also gives us some background of the area. She pulls you in and you feel like you're traveling on her shoulder.

Please applaud Sarah for her courage to be my first featured photo-blogger as I ask her some questions about her photography and her engagement in Walk and Click Wednesdays!

laf: Sarah, when did you start taking pictures and with what kind of equipment?

SH: Our whole marriage I have been the picture taker in the family. After our daughter was born in 1993 that ramped up my picture taking another notch. I have definitely documented her growing up years extensively. My favorite camera in those days was an Olympus film point and shoot. I think I went through two of those, I loved the pictures they took.

laf: What are you using now?

SH: Right now I have a Canon T2i with a 18-135mm lens, a 55-250mm lens and my favorite a 50mm 1.8 lens. Someday I would like to upgrade to a Canon 50D.

laf: Do you find yourself pulled toward iPhoneography?

SH: I finally got an iPhone this summer. I love it! I love that I always have it with me if I want to take a picture and all the apps out there for iPhoneography are amazing.

laf: What prompted you to start your Paisley Rain Boots: Writing, Dreaming, Exploring blog? Is there a story behind that blog name and the picture of the rain boots?

SH: Paisley Rain Boots is my second established blog, the first being Becoming a Finisher. Paisley Rain Boots has quickly become my favorite child though. It came about after I took the on-line course NOW YOU, a self-portrait focused class. We started by taking pictures of our feet and since it was spring and rainy, I quite often had my Bogs Rain Boots on. I got so many compliments on them that I started thinking Paisley Rain Boots would be a good name for a blog. It is cute and memorable but not really about anything specific; I like having that flexibility. I could go any direction I wanted on any given day. The tag line came when I took Kim Klassen's on-line class Behind the Scenes and I had to come up with a tag line. Writing, Dreaming and Exploring fit me perfectly, still giving me tons of flexibility with my blog posts.

laf: Tell me what inspired your Bucket List for Photography?

SH: My Photography Bucket List has always been in my head, I finally wrote it down. I love to travel and explore, and finding old buildings and architectural details to photograph is a dream.

laf: Is there a particular photographer that inspires your creativity? Or workshop facilitator?

SH: I love Scott Kelby. I love his photos and I love his books; he makes me laugh. Work shop facilitator, hands down, is Kim Klassen. I feel such a connection to her when I am taking her classes and I learn so much without getting frustrated.

laf: What is it about Walk and Click Wednesdays that engages you to participate?

SH: What I love about Walk and Click is it gives me the needed excuse to go outside and explore familiar places and also new places. I like to do link ups that really resonate with who I am and what my blog is about. Walk and Click couldn't be more perfect. I dream about where I am going to go. I go there to explore and photograph, then I come home develop my photos and write about my adventure.

laf: What would you say to those who think they need a prompt to participate?

SH: At first I thought I needed prompts to give me an objective, but I found the more I went out the things to photograph just presented themselves like gifts. The real trick is just being open to whatever you come across that day. 

laf: Thanks so much for joining me here, Sarah. I'm looking forward to your adventure this week.

Hope you're all having a great week. I look forward to seeing you here for Walk and Click Wednesdays. Can't wait to see what you saw on your strolls.

Please join me in the adventure. The only "requirement" other than those below is that you go out walking and take some pictures. Please keep in mind that you don't have to walk, take pictures, process them, and post all on Wednesday ... take the weekend before to explore and a few days to process your photos ... then link up.

Walk and Click Wednesdays (WCW) Guidelines:

Are you new to Walk and Click Wednesdays? The party will open on Wednesday and close on Saturday at midnight.

Here are just a few guidelines to keep everyone on target.

• Please link directly to your WCW blog post or the specific flickr image, not to your main blog url or flickr stream url. Please do not link to an online shop.
• Please link back to laf Custom Designs. I'd love it if you'd share my WCW button on your blog (it's over there on the sidebar--see it?--just under the Friends Who Love It Here icons). It will also serve as a reminder to you since I know you all have a lot going on in your lives.
• Please visit the other WCW participants and share the love. Gotta get this party goin' on.

Have a great weekend and find some time to walk and click. ;->

Beyond Layers: Quote Challenge

Today in Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers, she challenged her followers to come up with a quote for an image she took at Huntington Beach, CA during the Shutter Sisters Oasis.

Although many saw the woman on the beach in the image of a duck, I enlarged it and saw that it appeared the woman was wrapped in a towel. This led me to wonder about the chill in the air and I discovered a quote referencing the chill of one's spiritual environment. I thought this very fitting and proceeded to process the photo to accentuate that feeling.

mouseover to see Kim Klassen's original image

I love how everyone came up with a unique idea that expressed what might have been going on in this setting. If this woman runs across all this different version, I wonder what she might think.

Kim's textures used: scriptededges, ugglovesepia, felicity, emptypage

Holiday Cards

I must begin with an apology to Barbara Shallue who wrote a wonderful treatise on putting a moratorium on holiday marketing until after Thanksgiving.

I fully agree, but got to thinking that by that time folks will have selected the cards they will mail to family and friends this year. So, here's my pitch for those who would like some high quality holiday cards that I designed with images I've taken.

• If you haven’t chosen your holiday cards this year, here’s an opportunity. Since my stock is low I’ll be taking orders. 
• If you get your pre-paid orders placed by Friday, 11/16 midnight, I’ll ship your order by the Monday after Thanksgiving. 
• Feel free to mix and match. 

 Click the image above to download a pdf that you can enlarge to see detail.

Image information: 

1. It’s a holly jolly Christmas 
2. Hanging Christmas balls
3. Icicle 
4. Jingle bells  
5. Clear Creek, Golden CO – color 
6. Clear Creek, Golden, CO – B/W 
7. The gift of a snowy day 
8. Spirit (dog) in the Snow 
9. Kobi – Peace 
10. Snowy rose 
11. Red berries 
12. White berries 

Dimensions are 4.875 square with a 5 x 5 white envelope, printed on a high quality paper. 

Cards will be package in a ziploc bag. 

REMINDER: square format takes additional postage, .65 (1st class + .20) 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Select card images you like (yes, you can mix and match)
2. Contact me through my contact page with your quantities and image numbers 
3. Pay with the PayPal link below; choose quantities of 12, 24, 36

Greeting Cards

12 ea. $30.00 USD 24 ea. $46.80 USD 36 ea. $63.00 USD

Small Stone #5: Infinite Possibilities

Sometimes it's very easy to forget we have options, to get stuck in a rut, to wonder what possibilities life has in store just around the corner. Today, in Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers I was reminded that there are always infinite possibilities.

 It's been a while since I've played in Beyond Layers. This making art technique was fun and I just couldn't decide which version I liked best, so putting them all together seemed the best option. I mean, who said we can't have it all ... put all the things we like together to create the best picture ... in art ... in our lives!

Click image to see larger version
Kim's textures used: magictexture2bl, stampedright1, and autumnburst

"Our actions are our beliefs in motion,
linking the present we know to
the future we expect in time and space."

-Mike Dooley, Infinite Possibilities: The Art of Living Your Dreams

I haven't read this book, just Googled "infinite possibilities" looking for a quote and it popped up. Makes me want to read it though! 

What possibilities do you wish for? How are you making your dreams come true? 

Small Stone #4: Doggy Convention

Every time I take Kobi to the dog park, I can't help but think how much easier life would be if humans determined hierarchy, who was mean and who was nice, and how to play together as simply as dogs do. Do the circle dance. Bow to play. Or trot off to discover something new.

Of course, humans are different. So they don't sniff each other to say hello. It's not always okay to snip at someone just because they got too close or you just don't like them. And even playing too rambunctiously isn't socially acceptable in all environments.

So that's my small stone from yesterday at the doggy convention. Image taken with my HTC EVO and processed in iColorama and Photoshop.

Mindful Writing Day 2012: Small Stones 1 - 3

Today is Mindful Writing Day 2012 with Fiona Robyn. There are over 1200 people participating on her Facebook page. You can find further instructions at her website, Writing Our Way Home.

When I heard about this day, today November 1, my mind began to gather and I captured these small stones on one of my walks. There is still time, so if you are inclined, open your senses, gather small stones, and contribute on the Mindful Writing Day Facebook page.

Texture thanks to Kim Klassen: Naturally

I was also inspired to put my small stones together with images by Aubryn Stevens who does Daily Lyric Photos to promote art and music. Of course, I know about putting text with photos from Kim Klassen, but I was intrigued by Aubryn's compositions.

What might you discover if you look ... if you open up to listening to your soul? Can't wait to read all the small stones gathered today. ;->