Idle hands are crafty ones : )

So needless to say I have had some time on my hands since moving here to Sherdian.  So what is a girl to do?

Well if you are me, you plop yourself down in chair and TEACH yourself new crafts to keep your idle hands busy.  You read it right!

T E A C H  yourself.

These days with the internet it is just soooo much easier than it used to be.  Thanks be to bloggers and YouTube videos that help us all find the artist with in us. Go find out for yourself.  Find a craft that you have always thought  you couldn't learn and I bet there is a written tutorial or video (if not BOTH) that will help you out.

My journey started with wanting to have all those cute lil prop ALL the other photogs were using in their body of work.  I began to think to myself..

   "Hey you"

Who said that?

  "Hey....Hey....Quit looking around.  Look in the mirror ya ding a ling."

Looking in the mirror with a bit of concern now. (Hearing voices is not such a good thing : )

 "There ya go.  You are a crafty type person.....Why not just make them yourself?  I mean you crocheted when you were younger.  Why not now?"

Yes, but the props I like are all knitted.  (Yes I was now engaged in conversation with the voices in my head)

 "And your POINT is?"

Well I don't know how to knit.

 "Have you ever let not knowing how to do something ever stop you before?"

Well.....no.............HEY I CAN LEARN HOW TO KNIT!

  "Your welcome"

 My voice in my head was very pleased with itself as you can read 

So about a year ago I began teaching myself how to knit.  Not such an easy task being the artistic LEFT HANDED person I am.  Here is where bloggers and YouTube came in. I couldn't believe all the help there was out there for lefties like me on the net.  I also had the help of a good friend or two who helped me when I got stuck.  And soon afterwards I started adding many more crafts to my repertoire.  And the list keeps getting longer and longer.  

This is where the birth of my other business happened.  Top Knots Prop Shop was created as I had many more hats bows and photography props than I could use.  Here is just a few of the many items I have made in the past.  The uber talented Missy of Missy Jasinski Photography and Kaloni Erickson of Paradise Photography both provided me with so to DIE FOR photos to share with you all.

This is where the birth of my other business happened.  Top Knots Prop Shop was created as I had many more hats bows and photography props than I could use.  Here is just a few of the many items I have made in the past.  The uber talented Missy of Missy Jasinski Photography and Kaloni Erickson of Paradise Photography both provided me with so to DIE FOR photos to share with you all.

I have had the pleasure of using some of my own precious creations as well.  But the joy I get from creating them and seeing other photographers enjoy them as well is priceless!

Feel free to visit the Top Knots Prop Shop and see what these idle hands have created

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Top-Knots-Prop-Shop/141691072564886

Love that Shot.....Reflection

Okay while I have been bust trying to acquire some new clients here in Sheridan, I have been enjoying all the photo challenges over at
 

One of the challenges this week is "Reflections". Seems easy enough right?  Most of you know that I am rarely a girl that takes the easy route.  Plus I really didn't have any true reflection shots to share. (Gotta put that on the to do list.)  So I thought that "Reflections" could also be about the past and moments in our history that affected who and where we are today.

I have spent a good time wandering around my new home town being amazed at the beauty you see everywhere.  (Even smack dab in the middle of downtown on Main street)  Sheridan is a town very proud of it Wild West heritage. Here's an excellent link to get to know my town a bit better for yourself!
http://www.sheridanwyoming.org/hi.php

But don't let the cowboy way fool you into thinking that this is just another hick town.  Scattered through out downtown are modern art sculptures.  Sometime this summer I plan on taking the walking tour to see them all and the stories behind them.  But on of my absolute favorites is right across from my second home, the LIBRARY!  It is absolutely stunning and definately a throw back to Sheridans' cowboy days.  Cool Water has to be a stop if you ever make it to my neck of the woods.

Here's my take on it.  He looks so REAL, doesn't he?

Many historic buildings dot the surrounding area and streets.  Kings Museum, The Sheridan Inn and Kendrick Mansion are all within walking distance.  Don't feel like walking?  Catch the trolley, it makes trips to all these and more all day long.  Best thing is it only costs a buck!  WOO HOO!

And when city life crowds in and gets to me I can simply drive a few minutes and capture the wonders of wide open spaces.

Hope you enjoyed my "Reflections" and as always I love reading what you think of them as well.  So leave a comment and then go check out the other wonderful entries in this challenge.

http://lovethatshot.com/blog/2011/06/30/reflections-photo-challenge/

Beautiful Bokeh.....Love that Shot

Another wonderful weekly challenge from Love that Shot...Beautiful Bokeh.



Some of you are looking at that word and scrunching up your faces with a "What the heck is THAT?"  Have no fear I wont leave ya hanging.  Bokeh is the wonderful soft blur of the out of focus areas in your photo.  Most noticeable around areas of light. It gives joyous lil bubbles of light that seem to dance and play throughout your picture.  I had a hard time deciding which of my "pretties" to enter this week.

      But here is the winner......

Here are some honorable mentions. (Come on you knew I couldn't just have one!)

Evidently I am EXTREMELY right handed in my Photography.  lol  

Better work on that : p