Brenda Photo Challenge (6-18) Playing

Hooray, it's Brenda Photo Challenge time again.
Boo, Hiss, Ann waited far too long to get her pictures. I swear I had ideas in my head and I meant to take those pictures but I waited far too long. I was going to do them last night but it was dark and cloudy and the light inside was just horrible.

Never fear though, I'm not skipping out on the challenge. I dug through the archives to bring you some of last  years pictures.
Playing is the theme this time around. Now, depending on what your interests are, just about anything could be considered playing.
How about role playing

You could be playing an instrument in a marching band.

Or maybe chess is your game.

Then there is one of my favorite ways of playing, when I'm not doing the crafty thing that is.

Wow, after looking at this picture I think I need a manicure.

If you would like to check out the rest of the entries just head on over to the Brenda Photo Challenge blog. You could also say hello to Brenda who has graciously taken over the challenge for Donna.  Thanks Brenda for keeping the challenges going. I would miss these things.

Now I'm off to go try and catch up with all the blog reading I'm behind on.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (5-21) May Flowers

It's said that April showers bring May flowers. However, it seems to me, this year the showers of April have only led to more of the same for May. Or could it be that the dreary and rainy days just last too long for my liking?
Either way it's time for the Brenda Photo Challenge again and the theme is May Flowers so the camera was hung around my neck and I went in search of some blooms.
Amongst the multitude of weeds in my flower bed I found these little beauties.

Turning around I was drenched by the splash of color from the tree in my next door neighbors yard.

Last but not least, why did the photographer cross the road?
To take a picture of the tulips in another neighbors front yard.

Look, pink tulips. You won't see any of those in my yard. My efforts to honor the request of a neighbor down the street were mowed down. He swore when we planted them last fall that he wouldn't run them over with the mower. I should have known better.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (4-16) Spring Easy

It's that time again. Another Brenda Photo Challenge. The topic is "spring easy". Part of the description for challenge stated ".If it Says Spring to you? Photograph it! SO, me Hardies....Lets get to rolling and Remember....Just have FUN with it!"
So I had to do a little searching here but I think I found just a little bit that said spring.
I took a close look at the trees in my back yard and what a pleasant surprise. They are finally waking from their long winter naps.

And here's another one.

I almost missed these. I was so glad I walked to the back of the yard when I saw that little bit of yellow peaking out.

 

Top left corner is one of those pink tulip bulbs I planted last fall at a neighbors request. You may recall my post about it. If I had more time I would link to it since it's worth reading

I know you're all waiting to hear about the puppy sitting experience but it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (3-19) before and after

It's another Brenda Photo Challenge and this one is before and after. This was posted at just the right time for me. I had just finished doing an edit to an old picture and I was getting ready to post it on my blog. Well then I read the theme for the challenge and knew that I had to hold off and save it.
I used a textured overlay on the photo. The texture was a freebie I got from Kim Klassen cafe. (at least I'm pretty sure that's the texture I used) Why oh why don't I ever write these things down?
So lets get on with the picture already shall we.
This is the original picture that I took last summer

And this is the after

I wish I could tell you exactly what I did here but again, I don't remember. I may or may not have adjusted the brightness and contrast. I can tell you that the texture was layered over the original picture and I most likely used the soft light blending mode. I tend to do a lot of playing around until I like the way it looks.

If all goes according to plan I will be spending most of my Saturday doing some much needed cleaning and hopefully working on a few projects I have started. I will get around to checking out all the other entries but probably not until Saturday night.
Check out the rest of the entries on the Brenda Photo Challenge. Just keep in mind that I post mine the night before so others may not have theirs up yet.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (2-26) Red

Yes it is time once again for the Brenda Photo Challenge. How is it that these things keep sneaking up on me? I am totally unprepared for this one. I could have run around the house in search of some red and taken some pictures but I decided to take the easy way out and search through the archives.
How about ketchup. It's red

Yeah, pretty lame. Ok a box of Russel Stover Chocolates in a red heart shaped box?

Not very impressive since the chocolate is gone.
One last try, I know I can do better. How about this?

Duke giving me that look that says "Oh please, Me in a RED collar, what more do you need"
I should have known better
Hop on over and check out the rest of the red entries in the Brenda Photo Challenge

The Brenda Photo Challenge (1-29) Frozen

Yeah! The Brenda Photo Challenge is back. Now that the holidays are over it's time to have some fun with the challenges again. The theme this time around is frozen which isn't hard for me at all.
Welcome to my frozen world

Around here everywhere you look things are frozen.
While I was on break at work I went outside to take some pictures of some of the icicles hanging off the roof.

That is one cold wall of ice. Another part of our building is two stories high and there were some huge ones hanging there also. By the time I went out though they had knocked them down. Wouldn't want anyone standing or walking underneath those things when they let loose.
Well that's all I have for this challenge. Why not go check out the rest of the entries.

Brenda Photo Challenge (11-13) Broken

Time sure does have a way of sneaking up on me. I was determined to be ready this time around for the Brenda Photo Challenge. I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record here, always telling you how I put this together last minute. It's just a shame that I didn't have a photo of that broken record because that is the theme this time around BROKEN.
All of my thoughts on what to do for this one fell through and so at the last minute I came up with this.
 

Yes, I wrote the word broken on a piece of paper with some broken lines. That's not all though, When I was done I broke the pencil.

Then, for lack of anything better I put the two photos together for a little edit.

I'm going to go with the excuse here that I've been on medication since my dentist appointment on Wednesday. I've been doing a lot of sleeping as well so I haven't managed to accomplish much while I've been off.
Tomorrow I'm headed to Volant Village Shops. I went last year and you can read about that trip HERE. This weekend is their Christmas on Main Street. I'm hoping to get some really good pictures that will lead to lots of blog posts. I'm also hoping to find a few things for Christmas. I know I said I was planning on making as many gifts as I can but I never said I wouldn't buy myself a nice gift.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (10-16) Fast Food

Oh boy I think I may have made an error with the Brenda Photo Challenge this time around. I prepared all my pictures for it and when it came time to put the post together I discovered it was "Fast Food" not just "Fast". Rather than discard everything I had I'll show it all to you and end with the only thing I could find to save it in the end

Brenda Photo Challenge (9-25) Orange

Another Brenda Photo Challenge is upon us and the them this time around is orange. I didn't have to struggle with this one at all. It seemed like orange was everywhere I looked.
I found it at the craft show that I went to a couple weeks ago.

I found it on my coffee table.

and I found it at work.

Of course I found it many other places too but I tried to show some constraint here.  I can't wait to check out all the other entries.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (9-4) Photo Essay

Just the sound of the word essay is enough to bring back memories of the anxiety I always felt when I had to write one. I hesitated about joining this time around at the Brenda Photo Challenge  when I read that word. I thought long and hard about a subject and finally settled on one. Two days later, I changed my mind and came up with something different. I procrastinated, I thought some more. I changed the subject again. More procrastination and finally "YIKES" it's due.
So here it is.

I climbed the tree of happiness to catch the view.
I saw all the lings I love to do.
The crafts that give me such a thrill,
the paper, the glue, learning to quill.

My camera and flowers a beautiful sight
My program that helps them look just right

The grass, the birds the sun shining bright.
The joy I get from a West Highland White.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (8-14) Dirt

That's right, the subject for this Brenda Photo Challenge is dirt.

Dirt....Yes, Dirt! As usual, YOU decide about what's dirt or dirty! AND I DO NOT MEAN PREVERSE!!!LOL....I MEAN, dirt on roads...dirty faces...dusty trails...etc. Get it??

I procrastinated way too long with this one and tried to get some pictures with  my cell phone while I was on break the other day at work.

  LOL, pretty pitiful isn't it? OK, run outside with the camera and see if I can do anything better.

It may not be much better, but this dirty clay pot sure does qualify. 

I took a look through the old files to see if I could just a little bit better and I think this one pretty much works.

I liked the way these gloves looked laying on the rock in my flower bed.

Now go ahead and check out the rest of the entries. I'm on my way to do that now.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (7-3) Freedom

What do you think of when you hear the word freedom? That was the theme for the Brenda Photo Challenge this time around. What a fitting theme it was too since in the United States we will be celebrating our Independence Day.
The first thing that came to mind is our flag. I doubt that there are many who live in the United States that don't see our flag as a symbol of our freedom.

 For me personally though, I would have to say that there's nothing that gives me a feeling of freedom more than this.

 Just in case you might need an explanation to this, NO it's not the fact that I have a job to go to. It's the Friday 2:30 punch that makes me feel free. At least for a couple of days any way. 

Duke also wants to share what freedom means to him.

 What dog doesn't love to run free in the back yard?

Go ahead and check out all the other entries and see what freedom means to them.

Brenda Photo Challenge (6-19) Bed Time

It's time for another Brenda Photo Challenge. The theme is bed time. Now this is one that I can really get comfortable with. If I had sweet little grandchildren I would be able to use pictures of little angels in slumber but I don't have any. I could take pictures of me sleeping but, well, um, I would be sleeping and how do I take a picture then.
I decided on a typical week night bed time routine.
Of course you have to brush the teeth before you go to bed.

 I'm not the morning type at all, so as little thinking as possible when I get up is my plan. Therefor I always pick out my clothes for the next morning and set them on the dresser. That way all I have to do is grab them and get dressed.

 As much as I would like to forget to, I have to set the alarm. I wouldn't want to be late now would I? 

 Well that about covers it. Now it's off to bed and nothing but sweet dreams. But wait. What is this? There seems to be someone already in my bed.

Shhhh, don't wake the puppy. Now you know I had to sneak Duke in here.

Now go and check out the rest of the bed time entries. That's where I'm headed right now.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (6-5) Weathered and Worn

Yes indeed it's time again for another Brenda Photo Challenge. This time the theme is "Weathered and worn". That's a theme that describes just about everything I own. I could very easily show you tons of pictures but I'll practice some constraint here. I'm only going to give you two today because, well, because I'm being lazy.
This first one I dug in the files for. When I heard the theme I knew I had to dig this one up. It was taken about a year ago. I was out driving with no particular destination in mind for the sole purpose of finding things to take pictures of. When I saw this I immediately had to pull over and take the picture.

I can just imagine what this must have looked like when it was first built. I loved the doors on it.
The next one I had to go no further than my weathered and worn deck. I would show you the whole deck but it really is a pitiful sight. Instead this is a picture of my umbrella stand.

I'm not sure if it's cast iron or something similar but it's really heavy. The rust just adds to it's character. I'm going with that because I don't feel like painting it.
Don't forget to head on over and check out the rest of the entries in the Brenda Photo Challenge.

The Brenda Photo Challenge (5-22) Flowers

It's time once again for another Brenda Photo Challenge. This time the theme is flowers. I've been using up quite a few flower photos lately but I still managed to come up with some for this post.
It won't be long before the peony's are in bloom. I'll never forget the first year I had these. I went out to check out the buds and found them covered in ants. I quickly grabbed some ant spray and proceeded to get rid of them. I had no idea that they needed the ants to bloom. Needless to say, they didn't that year. 

 
This next one I've had for quite some time. It started out as what looked like a small clump of grass. It gets these little pink flowers shooting out of it. When I first got it, I would say it was maybe 3" in diameter. It's now closer to 2'. I have no idea what it is so if anyone recognizes it I would love to know.

Last but not least is my white Iris

 And here it is in black and white.

 Just for fun lets add a gradient to that.

This doesn't officially start until tomorrow but I always schedule my posts for 7:00 p.m. and I didn't want this to go up that late. I've been changing my time when I do the photo challenge but I think from now on I'll just do it the night before. At least this way I won't be late.

Now that you've seen all my flowers go check out all the other entries, although keep in mind that they may not be up until tomorrow.