90/365 Bright

Make a photograph outdoors without an obvious horizon line. #ds486

Back in the Game!

I apologize for my being M.I.A. for 4 weeks. I now work as a part-time newborn photographer and have been crazy busy --- but having a ton of fun with all the babies! I have been a stay-at-home mom for more than 3 years so the change has thrown me and my family off... BIG TIME! Thus, my being M.I.A. :P I absolutely love my new job though! There's so much positive energy and I love that I now get to make some money from "playing" ;)

So I missed 4 weeks. Big deal. I'll try to make up for it --- but SLOWLY. (Come on, please be forgiving.) Some of these photos below were taken sometime these past 4 weeks but just didn't get to upload on time. The themes are also not going to be in order. So bear with me.

80/365 Make a photograph that features a shadow as your subject today. #ds473

81/365 Make a photograph of a smile today. #ds476

This was taken a few weeks ago. Actually, a few of the photos in this post were done in one day, as evidenced by my daughter's outfit. LOL. It was a gorgeous, warm day and I tried to catch up on some of my backlog. Just really didn't get the chance to post on my blog.

82/365 Today's theme is red. Red hot? Red paint? Or something else? You decide. #ds477

83/365 Make a feeling that conveys a sense of being outdoors today. #ds478

84/365 Make a photograph that illustrates randomness in some way today. #ds481

You should have seen our house today. It was horrendous. There were toys everywhere and my little one refused to clean up. So I grabbed a plastic bag and started putting her favorite things in it. I told her that the bag of toys will be thrown in the trashcan since she didn't seem to value her toys. But I will save it if she cleans up her playroom. 10 minutes later, our livingroom looked as pleasing as ever.

85/365 Today's color is green. Make a photograph dominated by green today. #ds485

86/365 Make a photograph that incorporates a circle. #ds490

Despite all the gadgets I have, I find that this is still the most effective way for me to keep my schedules and tasks organized. Handwritten. To my closefriends J & K, I can picture you laughing as you read this post. Yeah, I still remember you doing that when you saw my planner in 2009 when I came to visit!

87/365 Make a photograph of something in motion.

Use blur to help convey the motion you are capturing. #ds495

One of her favorite games on the Nickelodeon Wii Fit is rowing (and the race too!) Gotta love it when she plays these games. She's always tired and hungry afterwards. I didn't even have to force her to nap today. ;)

88/365 Today, let's illustrate the emotion of being happy.

Make a photograph that represents happiness to you. #ds496

She'd been confined indoors a lot during the winter. She was the happiest on this day when we were able to hang out on the driveway to bike and "sunbathe".

89/365 Convey warmth in a photograph today. #ds488

Welcome spring!

79/365 Hooked

#DS468: Make a photograph that illustrates the idea of connection.

78/365 2 Days Late

#DS467: Make a photograph featuring strong horizontal lines today.

77/365 Peace and Quiet :)

#DS466: Illustrate your idea of peace and harmony--or maybe just peace and quiet--today with a photograph.

76/365 Well, Hello Spring!

#DS465: Beauty is all around us.

Make a photo of some naturally occurring beauty in your area today.

75/365 Done Yet??

#DS464: Make a photograph today that illustrates of the act of waiting.

74/365 This is why I don't like doing self-portraits...

#DS463: Who are you?

Make a self portrait today and show the rest of us what you look like.

73/365 French Toast with Blue Strawberries, Anyone?

#DS462: Work with scale today and make a photograph that features a subject either larger or smaller than expected.

Personally "cooked" by my little stinkeroo. I loved the blue strawberries the best!

72/365 Awards Night

I honestly can't tell much about the culture of the people in our town yet because we just moved here a few months ago (and I haven't really paid much attention). But what struck me most yesterday was when my husband came home from their Post-Holiday "Christmas Party" carrying these things. He said these are "awards" given to him and to a couple of other people in his team. They're not real trophies --- it's the toy kind --- but the thought that it was given away as an "award" was, in my opinion, cute. LOL. :D

71/365 A Taste of Spring

#DS460: Make a photograph that features the color yellow in some way or another.

Today has been warm and nice so I took the little stinkeroo to the park to have some fun. I told her Mommy's going on a "yellow hunt" while she plays. And she goes, "Ok. I'll help you, Mom, and you take a picture of yellow." So of course, since it's a playground, I heard numerous "There's a yellow, right there!" --- from the yucky playground equipment down to her snacks and straw. But I have to say, these two things struck me the most...

And here's why...

Yup, it sure scared her. LOL! Thanks for stopping by!

70/365 In Pain

#DS459 Happy, sad, frazzled, or joyus?

Make an abstract or literal photo that expresses how you feel today.

Don't you hate it when finally it turns 69 degrees F but you could hardly get up coz of a splitting headache?? That was me this warm and sunny afternoon. Uggh. Didn't get to take this photo til just before sundown. Thanks for stopping by.

69/365 High Key

#DS458 Make a high key photograph today dominated by bright tones.

Knitting Jewelry

I got tired of the plastic stitch markers made by Boye so I made my own knitting jewelry the other night. I haven't really done any beading for a couple of years. I am getting rusty. I need to practice some more. I'll let you know when I'm done ;)

68/365 Piano

#DS457 Make a photograph of something old.

Be sure to show us the character that age can give a subject.

I used to play the piano a lot when I was young and I miss it. I would really like to play again and be able to teach Alyssa but it is an expense that we can't afford at this time. So when we found this house and the owners said they were going to leave the piano behind, I was like, "Sweeeeeeeeeetttttt!!!!" And then I played it. Uggh! So out of tune. I dug deep into the history of this brand and model, hoping that I could still get it tuned up. I opened the top to check the inside of the piano and I found a year --- 1961. 50 years old. Wow. I did some online research and found out that the manufacturer, Wurlitzer & Company, had stopped manufacturing in the 1980s and was bought by Baldwin Piano Company. Hmmm, there's hope. But then again, it's not ours. Should we shoulder the expense? Maybe not. So I will have to put that off for now.

67/365 Vertical Lines

#DS456: Make a photograph featuring strong vertical lines today.

I had a hard time today as I couldn't find any strong vertical lines anywhere. (Or maybe I didn't take enough time to look very well??) These are obviously not my books. If this shelf was mine, you'll see photography, knitting, beading, parenting, or The Twilight Saga :)) How come TDS didn't post a Valentine-related theme??

More zoo photos from yesterday:

Oh sheepy hoo! I love that wool!

Pretty sweet home for a snake, isn't it? :)

Thanks for stopping by!

66/365 A Gorgeous Sunny Day in Ohio!

#DS455: Look up today and make a photograph of the sky.

Cloudy, clear, or somewhere in between?

Tell the story of your sky today.

I was in a moving car on a highway so pardon me for not making much effort to improve this photograph. But the instant I saw a portion of Route 23 that had a field and no electric lines/poles, I grabbed the camera and took a shot of this gorgeous blue sky. Can somebody please tell me what caused that white streak on the upper left side??

Now here's a second shot. I found this entire wall of mural at a Kroger in Portsmouth, OH. I just had to post it coz I am dying to show it to my artist/photographer friend, Nancy. Plus of course, the sky. :)

65/365 Polar Bear

#DS454: Tell the story of a subject today in a photograph

by photographing one specific detail of it.

This is my story-telling photo of the day. That polar bear kept showing off to everybody this morning. The kids absolutely loved it! I thought it's even cuter when we went downstairs to watch it from underneath. Yeah! You've got some cute buns, baby! LOL 

This was where we went today.

64/365 New Project

#D453: Sometimes what’s out of focus can make the shot.

Create a photograph today where some/all of your subject isn't in focus.

I found this gorgeous Super Cupcake pattern from Ravelry.com. Ahhh... I just started it last night but I think it will be my next favorite project! It eats up a lot of yarn though... like 750 yards! Definitely NOT a one-skein project. And it's going to be a wonderful "special occasion" present for loved ones!

I tried to photograph the sky at dusk through my bedroom window. It was a quick one as Alyssa had been really contrary today. But I managed to take these.

I like the composition of the trees better in the next photo though...

And lastly, photos of another one of my Valentine candies from hubby...



63/365 It's About Finding Your Creative Space

This is my "normal" creative space. I sat on that chair this afternoon squeezing my brain, thinking about how I was going to do TDS assignments 451 & 452. I had been physically exhausted the past 2 days, not even my brain would function right. And so I sat some more... but this time at my other creative space --- on the floor, right beside that bedroom window --- where I would surround myself with my favorite things, and then I knit and think.

I squeezed my brain some more... and holy crap! What is that by the footboard?!?! Tiny crumbs. PRINGLES!!! I don't regularly give chips to Alyssa (especially not in my room!) but I let her loose with a can of Pringles 2 days ago for #450. Time to bring out my all-time favorite light vacuum. Ahhhhhh, click! And so today's assignment got done :)

#DS452: Change your point of view.

Make a photograph from an unusual point of view today.

62/365 This Week's Favorites

#DS451: Make a photograph that features a leading line through it today.

Draw the viewers eye through the image.

I love McDonald's for the little treat Alyssa gets everytime we get a Happy Meal (Yup, other restaurants' toys don't appeal much to her). These ponies are her newest friends. And the fact that they can entertain her for at least 2 hours, make them my friends too!

I found this very colorful yarn at Michael's the other day. Alyssa wants a hat and a potato chip scarf out of it. I just made her 3 scarves and she hasn't even worn any of them outside --- only when she struts around in her heels inside her bedroom. So I'm thinking another special girl should have it. Hmmmm.... :)

61/365 Attack of the Hairbrush

#DS450: We all prepare for things every day.

Illustrate preparedness in a photograph today.

Believe me, she has 6 hairbrushes throughout the entire house and her hair is constantly brushed. And yet, I still get this.

Say hello, my"Pringle Monster"... 

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 @ 1/40secs, f/4.0, ISO400

60/365 Waiting for Daddy

#DS449: Use a window or a door as a frame for your subject today in a photograph.

I thought I was done with the "window frame" theme 4 days ago? Lol. But ok here's another photograph...

No, I didn't want to take a chance and leave her near the window by herself just because I wanted to do a TDS assignment :P

So I used the window's lines instead to direct the viewer's eyes to the expression of the subject.