52 Photos Project: Bright

  This week I learned something new! Last Christmas I had wanted to learn how to photograph Christmas lights all blurry, but somehow just never got around to it. But this weeks 52 Photos Project, Bright, was the perfect opportunity for me to get out a string of Christmas lights and try it. I can't wait until the holidays this year, so I can try it with colors or trees in a landscape and cityscape. This is why I love 52 Photos Project, because the weekly themes (even though I don't participate every week) push me outside my comfort zone, and having a "deadline" is helpful for motivation.

52 Photos Project: Black and White

  This week 52 photos project was "Black and White," and was actually kind of difficult for me. I had the opportunity to go hiking in the Mojave Desert last week, and I was all excited about my colorful photos of brilliant orange sandstone against a blue sky. This was an interesting dilemma for me, since I had started shooting in B&W, way back in the days of film, and for years worried about not factoring color into my composition. But I tried to remember Ansel Adams and be inspired by all his beautiful black and white photos. So, I looked through my pictures and tried to find one that worked in B&W, and was surprised that several did, while others were definitely less dramatic.

Which do you like best, the black and white or the color version?

52 Photos Project, week 33: Morning::Evening

IMG_0025, originally uploaded by Scarlett Design.

Trees silhouetted by a setting sun. Pleasure House Point Natural Area, Virginia Beach VA.

This weeks topic for 52 photos project is Morning::Evening. Since I'm not very good at getting up early, I obviously chose to photograph the end of the day. I spotted this beautiful scene of the sun setting over Lynnhaven Bay while walking the dogs at a nearby park this weekend.

Turning into Spring

Here in Virginia we have had a pretty mild winter and are currently having a beautiful spring. I love this time of year at the Botanic garden, there is something different every week. These pictures were taken at the end of February.
Some interestingly shaped seed pods on a dormant flower.

Magnolias getting ready to bloom.

An early flowering azalea.

A Sweet Escape

I've recently discovered 52 Photos Project. Every week there is a new theme, and this weeks is "A Sweet Escape." I chose my beach. It is right down the street, and I walk here often, but don't often bring my camera with me.
I really like the idea of this. The weekly themes will hopefully help me to push my creativity, and photograph some different subjects. Also its similar to Project 365, but alot more manageable. Although taking a photo everyday was difficult sometimes (like on a rainy day spent in work, again) it was the time required to download, edit, and blog everyday that derailed me.
Next week: "This is my home."

16/365: Finally a nice day

18/365: A first version on an illustration. I wasn't happy with this, but I liked the ideas.

19/365: Full moon

20/365: A bear sculpture in the woods at Northwest River Park. This actually made me paranoid that there were real bears in the woods.

21/365: The second version of the illustration I threw out a few days ago. I drew this by hand with pen and ink, scanned it using my new printer, and printed it onto pink cardstock to make Valentines.

Project 365

I started January all motivated, but I've been in a funk for the last week or so. Nothing major is wrong, just little things. I haven't been feeling great, so I've just been tired. And I'm having software issues, which has been time consuming and frustrating. And the weather has been awful, cold, windy, and rainy, keeping me cooped up indoors.
Here are some photos from the last week, even though I didn't take one everyday. I guess looking at these should remind me that even when I'm feeling down there are moments of beauty.

6/365: Heart plant pot cozy

8/365: Heart pillow. Ok so I'm going a little crazy with the Valentines decorations. I think I'm overcompensating for not decorating much for Christmas this year. Some of the buttons are vintage, from my grandmother's button jar.

9/365: View of the marsh at Back Bay NWR

12/365: Linzer Tarts. I was pretty sure these cookies would be a disaster. My blender died in the middle of making them, I didn't use enough butter and had to add another half cup at the end of mixing the dough, I didn't have cinnamon so instead used apple pie spice, and the dough was very crumbly and hard to work with. But they taste great, so it was worth it.


And here is a great post I found this week
Be thankful: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/26/132263637/perfect-thank-you-notes-heartfelt-and-handwritten?sc=tw&cc=share

Happy 2011!

January Calendars
So I stole this idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Lucy at Attic 24.
My lonely Planet calendar, hanging in my office. Hopefully reminding me that if I work harder I can someday afford a trip to someplace amazing, like to see a glacier in Patagonia.

And my Japanese woodblock prints.

I'm attempting Project 365 again. I expect to miss a few days, in fact, I already missed Jan 1. Not off to a great start.
2/365 Started making some Valentine's decorations, even though the Christmas tree is still up. To add to my Scarlett Made shop, to decorate my own house, and a few to give as gifts.

3/365 A bird in a nearby park, posing for the camera I think, because he didn't fly away. Maybe he was looking for food.

4/365 I love this shot!! I took a walk at a nearby shot with the idea of photographing some of these seed pods on the ground. I love it when something comes out better than I expected.

5/365 Interesting berries/seed left on branches after the leaves have fallen off.

Norfolk Botanical Garden

Here are some photos I took a few weeks ago. I was hoping the foliage would have some nice color, but it had't really popped yet. It was still pretty though. Hopefully I'll have time to get back here later this week.




Also, here are a few great blog posts I found this weekend:
http://mayamade.blogspot.com/2010/11/diy-nature-wreaths.html
http://madewithlovebyhannah.com/WordPress/?p=2790

Smoky Mountains

Here are some photos from my trip to the Smokies a few weeks ago. I'd never been to this area before, and I loved it. It was beautiful, and I definitely want to go back next year.
This is my favorite photo from the trip, actually taken in one of our campsites.

Reflections of foliage in the water.

Me, with Chewie (the Husky) and Panzer (the German Shepherd). Notice how they refuse to pose nicely for the camera.

October...

I can't believe October is almost over. Its been a busy month here, with a few trips and the usual demands to play hostess (I don't mind though). I haven't actually finished any new projects recently, alot in progress but nothing completed. I did add several new items to Scarlett Made in the last few months. And I've started working on a new holiday design for Scarlett Design, which I hope to finish by this weekend. And I've been fighting what seems like a losing battle with some bugs in my garden as I try to get some more fall veggies in the ground by this weekend.
Here are some photos from one of the 2 trips I took this month, to visit my family in Massachusetts. As you can see the trees were starting to turn color, but the foliage hadn't really popped yet. I love the picture of the lilypads, with the brightly colored leaves floating in the water and the reflection of trees in the background.

Butterflies at the Norfolk Botanical Garden

I can't believe I haven't been to the botanic garden all summer! I finally got to go last week. I wanted to photograph the butterflies before the cold killed them. They weren't very cooperative, fliting about instead of staying still so I could take their picture, but I got a few good shots.
This butterfly was my favorite.



Some cheerful yellow flowers, I love the contrast with the blue sky.

More Norfolk Botanical Garden, Sunrise Shoot

Here are a few more shots from NGB the morning of the Sunrise Shoot.

I love the color of these purple flowers against the green shrubbery in the background, and the early morning light is beautiful.

The undersides of the lilypads have an interesting pattern.

Many colors in the Rose Garden.

This family of geese was so cute, and they let me get pretty close to them.

Sunrise Shoot at NGB

Here are some more of my photos from Saturday morning. I'm so happy with them I may start getting up early more often.


I love the beautiful pastel colors in these shots; they remind me of a Monet painting.

The lilypads and their shadows form an interesting composition.