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

Touch of Whimsy.....

Todays' challenge over at "Love that Shot" is "touch of Whimsy". While I was thinking about and digging through shots I could use, I came across this session I did with my eldest daughter.  Both of us had so much fun with it.  I  relished the thought of getting to edit them up again.  (At the time I was strictly a  Picasa girl)

It was a fun day for just us girls.  I sent her upstairs to choose what she was going to wear and down came "Alice in Wonderland"  Well.....at least what she would have looked like if her dress had been pink. (My girl is most definately a pink mink kinda girl.)

Outdoors we went and took over a 150 shots!  I had a hard time picking my favorites.  As any mother would attest to, it was like picking your favorite child!

But here are a few more I loved and I hope you like them as much as I do.

Local Flavor....Love That Shot!

I took this shot about a month ago we Mr. M and I were out exploring our new backyard.  Living in WY and having the Big Horn Mountains and Yellowstone National Park as your playground, inspiration abounds.

This shot is my first attempt at creating a panoramic shot from several frames.  One side gave me a bit of trouble as it was a bit under exposed.  But all in all I was really happy with the outcome of it. I have only been working with my PSE 9 program now for about 4 months now.  I can't imagine why it took me so long to get it... but boy I can't imagine life without it now!

Here is what I had to work with.

So what do think?  I love hearing feedback.  Take the time to head over to Love that Shot as well.  It is a great community for all photographers from beginners to pros.  I love their weekly challenges!

Fathers' Day

Thank you to all the MEN who helped raise, guide and love us.

Mr. M & "MagPie"

Fathers seldom say"I Love You",
though the feeling's always there.
But somehow those little words
are the hardest ones to share.

And Fathers say "I Love You"
in ways that words don't match.
With tender bedtime stories,

Mr. M and "Berry"

or a friendly game of catch
You can see the words
"I Love You"
In a father's boyish eyes
When he runs home,
 all excited
with a poorly wrapped surprise
A Father says I Love You
with his strong helping hands
with a smile when you're in trouble
with the way he understands
He says I Love You haltingly
and with awkward tenderness
(Its hard to help a four yr old into her party dress)
He speaks his love unselfishly
By giving all he can
To make a secret dream come true,

Mr. M and "George"

or follow through a plan.

A father's seldom spoken love,
Sounds clearly through the years-
Sometimes in peals of laughter,

Sometimes in happy tears.

Perhaps they have to speak their love
Ina fashion all their own.
Because the love that fathers feel
Is TOO big for words alone
   -Anonymous-

To Mr M.,
   My loving spouse and father of our children
 
To all 3 of my Dads,
     How blessed was I to have more than one!

    To my Brother,
       from whom I learned love has no boundries

        To my Uncles,
            Who showed me how to live life to the fullest!

The whole crew...minus me of course!

Love that Shot

Going out on a limb and entering a Link up contest with Love That Shot.  This is my favorite floral shot to date.  Shot this Peony with my baby, my Canon XSI. Here's hoping everyone likes it as much as I do.  As always i would love to hear what you think about it or how it makes you feel. : )