Antiques, Collectibles in a vintage Cottage

Yellow challenge is more enjoyable than I thought, I am actually enjoying taking pictures of items that are not flowers.

I'm calling it 'Yellow Mellow Fellow' then I post a pic over at my Facebook page showing off that day's picture!

I started the challenge off with a visit to the new location of the Pack Rat Antique shop - now located at 1068 West Fireweed Lane, Anchorage, AK, 99503. 

I love walking around looking at old things...some items I remember from childhood that my grandparents had in their kitchens, laundry rooms, or garages that their parents had handed down from their parents or that were the newfangled thing to own as my Grandma would say about her 1930/50's depression glassware she got out of various soap boxes.

 

As one of those baby boomers born in 1950 I love, love, love collectibles from this time period!

My dream is to have a little cottage styled house all decorated in items from the 30's thru the 60's.  Will have to wait til I'm rich and famous (have the cottage styled house just not all the needed antiques and collectibles to say HEY look at this)

My dream kitchen would have these items - Since red is one of my favorite colors:

Winter's Solitude

There are times when I have no desire to step out of my studio. 

I have no need that requires me to hop into the car 

to make a mad dash to another destination.

My studio is my little cocoon – 

sheltering me from the harshness of the world.

Winter seems to be a good excuse for my reclusive like attitude. 

Since I did not venture out for the last two days 

I worked on several older folders for my Yellow Challenge. 

I found a few flowers that I had ignored but 

now is the time for them to shine.

Challenge of Color #2

We start the new color challenge March 1, 2011.  For the next 15 days you are invited to challenge yourself with the color YELLOW.

Yellow is not one of my favorite colors although a wide variety of flowers are found in this range. I seem to fight with myself when snapping photos of flowers because they show up so strongly plus it seems to me they dominate gardens.  Some of my best photos are of yellow flowers.

So for me this challenge is going to be difficult in the fact I must find items that bring me out of my comfort zone.  And isn’t that what Challenges are all about?  Taking one out of their comfort zones and inspiring them into a whole another realm!  

Thank goodness it is winter time making this challenge a tad bit more interesting since the gardens of Anchorage are under a foot of snow.

                                                     Child's Carnival Ride @ Fur Rondy 

                                                              Anchorage Alaska

                                                                    2-26-2011

Fur Rondy 2011

Anchorage’s winter festival ‘Fur Rondy’ had its kick off on Friday!  The festival is a two week event with dozens and dozens of action packed fun for children and adults.  Fur Rondy is the prelude to the great 'Iditarod Race'.

The city closes several main streets downtown for various daily events.  Dog sled racing, Outhouse racing, the carnival, and then throughout Anchorage a wide variety of things are happening.

The Anchorage Senior Center maintains the most activities for all.  Down at the Senior Center you will find the Seniors Annual Art Show, lots of food, tons of different type games and more games.  Snowshoe baseball anyone?

On Saturday I did my best in partaking different activities by dressing in some warm clothes and walking the streets snapping photos.  I lasted about an hour downtown before my hands were frozen, my nose was a running faucet and I think half of my toes fell off on 4^th Avenue.

Today I plan on dressing warmer so I can stay out longer and getting more photos!  Right now Anchorage is besieged by bone chilling wind at about 20/30 knots.  

I entered the Fur Rondy Amateur Juried Photography Contest.  Seven favorite photos were entered; one photo for each category of the show.  

This year 516 entries were received for judging.  180 were selected for public viewing.  If you made the cut even this is an honor.  Of my seven; five were included in the public viewing.  Of my five photos - 1 received a 3^rd place ribbon for my Flora entry!  I was jazzed in a way you cannot imagine!  It confirms that my photos are wonderful and that I have developed a style of Art that is worthy of the attention I give it.  Confirms to me I am an artist.

                                                               'Thrills & Spills'

                                       b/w with forge filter Fur Rondy Carnival 2/26/2011