More gladness

It's a gloomy day here. It's overcast, wet, cold, and just plain dreary. But, I'm glad because days like these make a hot cup of tea that much more enjoyable.

It also means that I get a little more snuggle time with my kiddos. I'm going to go do that right now. Especially since it just started snowing! Enjoy your weekend.

The Glad Game

My, oh my...has it really been more than a year since I've posted? Why, yes. Yes, it has. It's been quite a year for my family, health-wise. But, we are all so much better and I'm able to focus once again on some of the things that I love to do for myself and others, like taking pictures and making things.

This morning, I was walking my kids to school and had a bit of a discussion with my daughter regarding her negative attitude. I suggested that she play The Glad Game, a-la Pollyanna. She grudgingly agreed to give it a go. While I was walking home I realized that I should, perhaps, take my own advice. I need a bit of an attitude adjustment myself.

As luck would have it, I had an opportunity to play the game not long after I returned home. I put on a kettle of water to boil for some tea and promptly forgot that I did so. I returned to the kitchen about 45 minutes later to a boiled-dry, enamel finish-ruined, red tea kettle.

So, I ruined my Christmas present from my husband, but I'm glad I didn't burn the house down. A roof over one's head is always a good thing. :-)

Want to play? What are you glad about today?

Capturing vs. Creating

I've been thinking this morning about the difference, if there is one, between capturing and creating an image. Photography has been on my mind again in recent weeks. Those of you who know me, realize that I flit from interest to interest for varying amounts of time. Some say that this is one of the hazards/blessings of having a creative bent. I'm always getting caught up in the excitement of creating something new. When the excitement wears off, I move on. :) I'm hoping I can concentrate on the photography for a little longer this time - at least long enough to understand the process a bit better. A little bit of discipline goes a long way...

So, here is what was on my mind this morning. I was thinking that the idea of capturing has more to do with recognizing a moment and trying to freeze it, so to speak, within the camera.

Creating seems to have more of a connection with posing, staging, arranging, etc. for me.

Certainly there is overlap when making these distinctions, if they even need to be made. Just because a moment has a creative element involved doesn't make it any less meaningful or important. Sometimes the creative aspect, whether it be arranging the subject or adding some post-production edits, can give the captured moment a little extra emotion, drama, depth, or focus. 

What do you think?

Hope you enjoy the moments I captured of my little ones making their own creations. :) I had fun toying with some new (free!) Aperture presets that I downloaded here. I used "1971 Unforgettable Trip" on the last image. The rest are unedited.

Oh, hey there!

It's the infrequent blogger making an appearance. :) Busy are the lives of stay-at-home moms, even when their children are in school for 6 hours! But, I thought I should at least update my banner to read "2011." So, on a rare Saturday with no obligations for the afternoon, here I am.

We had a nice break a week and a half ago when we got hit with a snow storm. 18+ inches in a few hours with some strong winds added in will shut us down for a few days here in the midwest. It was good to stay home, watch endless movies and enjoy each other's company, knowing that no one expected us to be anywhere. What a nice feeling!

Hope you are enjoying your winter and snuggling up with your loved ones whenever you have a chance!

Good morning!

How are you this fine morning? I'm so thankful that the wind has died down in our area. The Windy City has certainly earned it's nickname this week!

This morning I realized that I have not picked up my camera in a few weeks and had to literally dust it off. I was finishing up my tea and gluten-free toast (more on that another time...) and just had the urge to click.

It fits my mood. Still a bit groggy and moving slowly. But the sun's coming. :)

I had a few little craft projects I needed to complete for my 3rd grader's Halloween party yesterday. So I was working on these here and there over the last two weeks:

Candy cup creatures! My co-room-mom came up with tons of great ideas for this party. I didn't snap photos along the way, but these are super easy to make. Use any clear container (we used disposable plastic cups), stuff with tissue paper (leaving enough room to insert candy or desired trick, or treat), cut out shapes for the intended face, and glue on! I used the pictured craft glue for my samples, but glue sticks worked well in the classroom, dried faster and were much less messy. You can cut off the excess paper as shown or just leave it sticking out of the top. I thought Frankie turned out cute. :)  

We also made these:

Hand bats! These were a big hit with the kids as well. We wrapped construction paper around a toilet paper tube (I have these in abundance stashed around my house...for just this type of thing). I pre-cut the paper to size for the kids to save time. I also pre-cut out the bat heads and the kids decorated them with a white crayon and peel-and-stick googly eyes. The wings are each child's hands traced, cut out and taped to the back. We embellished with a blue tie (from my yarn stash) and stuffed the tube with a snack bag of candy. 

I'm not huge into Halloween, but it was a blast watching the kids make these at their class party. 

Hope you all have a fun and safe and not-too-scary (I don't like scary) weekend! 

Oooops.

It seems I've been saying that a lot lately! It's been a busy, crazy summer. And my mother happened to notice that I've not posted since May. Oh my. Oh well. That's how it goes sometimes, right? Right.

Now, then. I've noticed that my sewing machine has been neglected since the marathon sewing session of the flower girl dresses for my sister's wedding at the beginning August. I think they turned out quite nicely, though! Thanks, Mom, for helping with the hand-hemming!

Not much other sewing happened this summer. We were busy doing other things...like celebrating birthdays...

...preparing for and traveling to and taking pictures of the previously-mentioned wedding... 

...and just having fun. 

It's ok with me that she was slightly neglected. :) 

Hope you all had a wonderful summer as well! Now that the kids are back in school and my routine is beginning to fall into place, I hope to post more often!

Merry Christmas?

I was rearranging furniture this week. I moved the bookcase upstairs. I moved the futon downstairs. I stacked the side-by-side cabinets to reduce occupied floor space in the office. In order to move the futon, I had to dismantle the mountain of fabric. I was feeling overwhelmed. I discarded the scraps I had been saving. For who knows what. I gave away another garbage bag of fabric. I felt better.

I found the p.j. bottoms that I had given to my husband - unfinished - for Christmas. I felt guilty.

Today, I finally put in the drawstring. :) 

Merry Christmas, dearest!

(If I can get my husband to pose for a photo, I'll post it, but I have a sneaking suspicion he's not going to be cooperative...)

P.S. The pattern I used was Pajamas for Everyone, from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing. I've used her pattern to make my kids p.j. bottoms as well. As other reviewers have commented on other patterns in this book, the fit was a bit small, so I'm glad I went up a size for the kids. They are still wearing them, even though they are over a year old and now qualify as crops. :)