Escaped

Well hello my blogging beauties. How are all of you this fine evening? I have escaped the clutches of the slave driver, Duke to bring you flowers.

I know what you're thinking. You are wondering why I am here instead of hard at work on my projects. Well, because I wanted to bring you flowers. You deserve them don't you know.

What's that you say? You think I'm slacking and making excuses?  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Duke already told you that I had set some smaller goals for myself. I gave myself assignments for each day and once I finish them I give myself some blogging time. If I'm posting and visiting that means I've been working diligently and completed my assignment for the day. If there is no post for the day then you'll know I've been goofing off.
Enjoy the flowers.

The plan

Do you remember a couple weeks ago when I said that I had something coming up that was both exciting and scary? I thought about keeping it a secret until it really happened but it turns out that I have nothing else to blog about.
Well the plan involved some of this

This is about all I've been doing in my spare time lately. These will all eventually end up in a can like I did with the spring flowers, The smaller ones I have another idea for but not quite sure how I want to do them. So why am I making all these?
Because I'm planning on doing a craft show with a friend of mine in September. I have no idea if I'll be able to put together enough stuff or not but I guess I'll find out.
Aside from the quilling I thought I might take along some of my photography too. I'll be doing it in the form of either fridge magnets or cards or both.
The picture above I'm pretty sure will be going along only it will look like this.

Any way, if I don't spend as much time commenting in the next couple months you'll know that I'm frantically trying to put stuff together.
Wish me luck. I think I'm going to need it :)

Playing with fill flash

I did a little experimenting with the fill flash on my camera. With the exception of a very slight adjustment to the lighting these are straight off of the camera.

On another note, I want to say that the suggestions I got in yesterdays post are fabulous. I'm having a really hard time deciding. I may have to put it up to a vote here and let you decide.

Asking for a little help from my friends

I just love the chance to play in Photoshop. Sometimes I like what I get and sometimes I don't but I always have fun.
I dug this picture out of an old file the other day

Now I know that this picture is no photographic wonder, but I like it. I said to myself, "Self, lets see if we can make this picture better" Of course I agreed and set out to tackle the job.

When I was finished it looked a little something like this 

Actually, it looked exactly like that but it really isn't finished. I wanted to put a quote or something on the left hand side. Now here's where you come in. Give me suggestions. It can be a quote, saying or just a single word. What would you put on this picture. Tell me in the comment section. If I choose your suggestion I'll send you a little prize. What that prize is I just don't know yet but it will be something.

How about one more look. Side by side, before and after

Grocery shopping

What do you buy when you go to the grocery store? We went last Saturday and Wade bought burger, steaks, chops and chicken.
I had something else in mind.
Now I didn't intend to buy anything but when we got there they had all their plants reduced. I've been looking for a lilac bush so I asked the girl that was working outside if they had any. It was my lucky day, they did. Even better, they had two different kinds.  I opted for this one. Nice size and only $19.99

Happy as a clam I headed into the store to find Wade. He didn't stick around and wait for me, all he could think about was "shopping, get in get what you want and get out". He is so NOT a shopper.
As I was saying I headed into the store but just before I reached the door I spotted this.

Don't you just love the colors? Want to see the whole thing? Well of course you do. Here it is

The best part about this whole shopping trip was that when I went to the register my $19.99 lilac bush rang up as $14.99. Yeah me!!!

In search of a blog post

All day long I've been trying to catch up on my reading and come up with something for tonight's post. Now I'm late but I have something.
I dug through folder after folder of pictures and settled on this one.

I opened it up in photoshop and made some adjustments and got this.

Then I noticed that the way the shadow was laying on the robin it looked like a blue stripe. An idea hit. I give you the most patriotic robin I have ever seen.

Something to tweet about

Who needs Twitter, I've get plenty of tweets right in my own yard.
I did a little bird watching out my front window and these two were quite accommodating.

I also did a little bit of playing around with Photoshop

I think these two would look nice on a card

All good things come to an end

Sunday evenings are always a bit sad. The weekend is over and it's back to work tomorrow. Why is it that those two days just seem to fly by?
My weekend isn't the only thing that didn't last long enough though
On June 4th I noticed that the peonies had bloomed, Not only are they beautiful but their scent is heavenly.

We had a pretty bad rain storm last week and by June 10th this is what my poor peonies looked like

So long my beauties. I'll see you again next year.

road trip

Happy Monday to all my bloggy friends. I trust you are all off to a splendid start to the week.
Why no, no I'm not taking any prescription drugs today. Why do you ask?
I was wondering if you would all like to take a little road trip with me today.
Hop in and I'll take you for a ride.

Lets take a little cruise around the park today. It's a beautiful sunshiney day and there's a car show going on.
Oh Look, there's one for sale.

Would you believe that they are asking $4600 for this one? I think I'll pass.
This one is nice though.

Are you hungry? Maybe we could see if that lady over there will wait on us.

She looks a little cranky. Poor girl has probably been on her feet all day.

We went to a car show yesterday if you didn't notice. I took way more pictures than this but this will do for now.

A feather in my cap

The other day while out playing with the camera I had such a cool experience I have to share it with you. I was sitting on the sidewalk in front of my house taking pictures of the flowers. When I got up I wandered over to the tree and was taking pictures of leaves. I turned around and I was about 5 feet away from the bird feeder. The amazing thing was that there was a bird sitting on it. I raised the camera ever so slowly and snapped. The bird didn't budge. I must have taken a dozen pictures and he didn't move. I slowly walked around to the other side of the tree he was still there so I took some more pictures. I had my sony with me which only has the 18-55 lens on it. I took a chance and went in the house and grabbed my point and shoot that has 10x zoom. I slowly and quietly walked back out to the front yard. HOORAY! The bird is still there. I took another dozen or so pictures. Again I was only about 5 feet away from the feeder.

I couldn't wait to get back in the house and see what I got. Now I must confess here that I'm horrible at paying attention to critical things when I'm taking pictures. Needless to say in most of the photos the bird is in total shadows, BUT, all was not lost. I did get a few good ones.
This one didn't turn out too bad.

Another confession, I don't know a whole lot about birds yet. Some of you experts have more than likely figured that one out. I looked at this next picture and thought, wow, that bird has some strange looking eyes.

When I looked at this one I realized, that birds been sleeping. 

That had to have been one worn out bird to be so tired that it didn't care one bit about how close I was or how many pictures I took. Maybe he can spread the word to all his birdie friends that I'm harmless and I only want their pictures.

In all three of these pictures I used textures that I got from Shadowhouse Creations and Kim Klassens Cafe

Pick a side

I wonder if I could ask you opinion on something today.

Which do you think is my better side

This one

Or maybe this one?

The paparazzi was kind enough to help me build my portfolio.

Bird Talk

Hey Ralph, what's that crazy lady doing down there with that flashy box?

I don't know but maybe if we just ignore her she'll go away

 Ralph, where you going? Don't leave me here by myself.

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.

I shot the Cardinal

But I did not shoot the Chickadee

And he thought he could hide behind that tree.

A day in the sun

Remember last week I had the day off because of the whole jury duty thing that I didn't have to go to? What I didn't tell you was what a beautiful day it was. The sun was shining, it was warm and the perfect day.
Duke suggested that we spend it outside.
What a great idea that was. I pulled the umbrella out and we parked on the deck

I had the three essential C's with me (camera, crocheting, coke) and the perfect companion to enjoy the day.

I didn't even care that the deck is a hideous sight. I was just happy to be out there

Why I love spring time

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  ~Mark Twain

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.  ~W. Earl Hall

Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.  ~Virgil A. Kraft

And that is why I love spring

Feeding frenzy

What a wonderful surprise I came home to the other day. I pulled in my driveway and spotted a flash of yellow from the tree in my front yard. I immediately knew it had to be a gold finch and they are always a welcome sight. I got out of the car and suddenly I realized that there wasn't one but at least a dozen of them.
In this first picture there are 3 on the feeder and 4 on the ground.

Apparently they are quite pleased with the cuisine at this particular establishment because they have been returning. It is a total pleasure to watch them.

I used a texture from Shadowhouse creations and another from Kim Klaussen. It may possibly be a bit on the dark side but I liked it

Happy Easter

Refreshed from her snowy
Slumber,
Mother Earth exalts her
Worth.
In a colorful burst of glory,
She blazons her wondrous
Rebirth

Renew your spirit, refresh
Your soul,
Rejoice with all humankind.
Celebrate life everlasting.
Peace and wonder are
Yours to find.>

The blessing of the Lord
be upon you...

Psalms 129:8 

I hope that everybunny

Had a most eggselent Easter