One Year Again

Another year has passed and I write once more.  I must try harder to write more often.  I have set a schedule for myself so that I will do my blogging, write my novel, work on my photography, and travel with my faithful companion Doc.

Monte Carlo

Over this past year I traveled to various points in the States visiting families and friends.  Plus once again to Europe on a cruise.

Las Vegas

my lovely mother

Barcelona, Spain

Pikes Market, Seattle Washington

Eugene, Oregon

Palm Springs, California

Pisa, Italy

Ate amazing food, drank great wines and tried different cocktails too a first for me acting as an adult.

Enjoyed days of love and found myself filled with joy at simple things once more.

Doc; my standard poodle; is forever a source of fun and entertainment.

Doc of Whisper Ridge

Yearnings to Travel

Travel yearnings are upon me once more. 

I will be taking off for a year from work to do things that only please me. 

During the summer weekend trips thave been planned.  To visit several cities in Alaska I been dreaming to see: Sitka, Juneau, and then revisit my favorites Homer, Kenai, Talkeetna. 

As I sit and ponder my travels I also plan to visit Iceland, Russia, more of Europe.

I have no clue where I got the travel bug to visit far off places...it doesn't matter, I have a wander lust that must be completed it seems before my time on earth is over - at my age now its paramount I travel and see the wonders of the world.  THEN:

Come September I will be a university student once more. I shall be taking several university courses.  University of Alaska, Anchorage offers a full range of options for my passions: photography, creative writing and pottery. 

The photography course will only heighten my yearnings to be that National Geographic Photographer who snaps a bloom as it slowly opens to the morning rays after the evening dew filled it's thirst upon the ever dried soil.

Or to Capture the mother who yearns to be free from her child and be a child herself once more.

Or perhaps the award winning Botanical shot shall tickle my fancy...

 

Creative Writing is a tool I be using to write a book about my adventures as a Behavioral Specialist working with folks who have various disabilities. The past 7 years working with those who have mental disabilities and mental health issues has given me much thought to my own life and how very lucky I am to experience so much. All too often we forget to take time for ourselves.  Writing gives me a change of scenery and a place to soften the edges of life when those around you are different.

Pottery will be a form to express myself in every day items.  A bowl, a cup and plate. 

My life path varies from most.  Being the odd duck has never stopped me from doing as I wished my motto has always been "I am woman Hear Me Roar". 

I love many and shall continue to love many as I walk among people who also are taking the journey to the end of time and with a passion to guide them.

Photoshop Fun

For the last few months I've been busy working.  Then I've also been playing every chance I had in my free time to play with Photoshop.

I love Photoshop Elements 9.  It's fun and the plug-ins that one can purchase or find free on the internet are a blast also!  Harry's Filters is my favorite, plus a kaleidoscope filter has became my right arm extension of my art.

 
Mr Fishlips tells me with each new creation that he thinks I'm a super artist.  I just laugh and run with his kind words.

A recent trip out to Hatcher's Pass on September 5th left us breathless at the beauty of Alaska.  

Although my guy doesn't like his photo's published I thought you would enjoy this one that I call 'Happy Hands'.  Yep those are his hands that make this kaleidoscope have special meaning to me.

Digital Photography

As a photographer I dearly enjoy taking a photo.  My passion is playing within my Photoshop Elements and turning an  ordinary photo into a new something I feel is fun, exciting or totally different.

I just discovered a whole world of additional Plug-in's for my Elements program. 

It is so much fun to discover new ways of making a photo 'sing' to me.

 

this filter gives an old world look to the photo

If you haven't been to the your local book store lately and visited the magazine aisle - my advise is: Do It As Soon As Possible.  A new photographers rag is out!  C'T Digital Photography.  It's printed in the UK cost $14.99us

Since Borders Books is closing over 200 stores across the United States, I took advantage of the 40% off and got the launch issue (first issue) for this new rag!  Love it!  If you can find it at your local book store get it.  Has free CD crock full of fun things for one to play with in various photo programs!

Challenge of Color

As February slowly wines down from the excitement of Valentine’s Day, I find that a need to create new work is a must or otherwise I do believe I could just become a slug until summer arrives.  

It’s comfortable just daydreaming though.   

Sitting in my robe till noon was almost pleasant.  I felt guilty at 12:20pm the other day when just picking my nose, dusting the floor with my 20yr old bunny slippers which haven’t been washed since getting them off Ebay, on my fifth pot of coffee, and staring at the black spider on the wall make me want to pound my head on the desk like a two year old having a tantrum -> this is my sweeties version to hear him tell it.  I don’t pick my nose, never own bunny slippers, the robe is his, I swear it was only the 4th cup of coffee-It's too expensive to drink more than one pot a day, that spider I killed last month and most days I’m dressed by 11am!  But he is right I do throw tantrums except I've learned not to bang head anywhere cause it causes one to go blind (something like playing with yourself but no fur grows there)!

So I decided HEY SELF time for a Challenge. 

Never one to let a good thought get lost ~ you’re invited to do the challenge also!  I double dog dare you to do this challenge!

The Challenge is to work with a color for so many days.  I thought 30 days would be great but since I’m also easily distracted and living in a small city (Anchorage doesn’t even have a Sonic, or Red Lobster, or Olive Garden so YA we are small). 

The challenge is for 15 days.  On your mark get set GO!

Challenge #1 is the color RED –

 February 15 to March 1

Anything goes…just create and have fun!  Create something each day that has Red as the focus of your creation.

***If anyone wishes to share their creations I will happily showcase those artists during the challenges here on my blog (just leave a comment or send me a message on Facebook, or convo me in any of my shops - I triple dog dare my fellow artists and crafters to Please Please do this - it will be fun!!)

Feb. 15 - photo no. 1