The Pondering Pony

Lazy Day!

2012-01-28T10:46:00.000-06:00

Not for me, specifically, but for the dogs it is a very lazy day! Lucky pups!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T22:19:00.000-06:00

Its been a busy week here- mostly because we are constantly chasing Pickle around, preventing him from peeing or chewing on stuff. He is finally getting the hang of this "house training" stuff and even asks to go outside sometimes. Phew! I sure don't know how you parents of human babies manage- dealing with one puppy has been enough for me!

But that sweet little face makes it all worthwhile! He didn't feel so hot when we first got him due to a case of kennel cough. That meant he wasn't showing much personality or interest in us, which had us bummed.

Oh what a course of antibiotics can do!

This waggly little explorer is all over the place- he is convinced he is a lap dog {so we hope he stays under 40lbs...}, an underground explorer {I finally stopped the digging by putting a flower pot in the hole- he was confused}, and a second shadow for his big brother.

Um... He's behind me, isn't he?

The two dudes are getting along smashingly now. Chowder has slowed his play fights down so that Pickle can keep up with his puppy galumphing. He also avoids complaining when Pickle tries to rip out his throat with vicious puppy attacks- so far all that happens is that Chowder's fur gets a bit wet and he falls asleep. Poor Pickle has work to do;).

All in all, we think we made a wonderful addition to the family when we adopted Pickle. And Pickle thinks so too... when he isn't so tired from all the cute play stuff a puppy must do!

The Paper Mama

Stop SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T09:55:00.001-06:00

SOPA and PIPA- two things we don't need f'ing with our internet, our access to information, or limiting our lives. Congress- stop being assholes.

Behold- Pickle!

2012-01-15T13:29:00.001-06:00

ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I have prevailed! After months of sending emails with photos of cute adoptable puppies, squealing at opportune moments while web surfing and outright begging, Mr. Pony caved before my onslaught and we have added to our family!

Behold- Pickle!

Really, he is thrilled. Just tired. He came with a case of kennel cough, but that happens when you are a 10 week old puppy at an animal shelter!

No, we have no idea what he is. The shelter listed him as a collie mix, but his face looks a bit hound-ish, his paws are pretty big and his body seems slightly too long for his legs. But that could be an awkward puppy phase, not a breed trait. We'll find out as he grows {hopefully not to a giant size!}.

He spends a lot of time sleeping right now. And peeing on stuff- sometimes outside, sometimes not. *sigh* However, we are in the process of housebreaking and he is starting to get the hang of it. We were spoiled by Chowder, who came to us at 4 months old already housebroken- perfect {other than the parvo}.

Speaking of Chowder- he is learning to love his little puppy shadow. It might take a bit, but they are getting along. Of course, he does have his 'HOLY CRAP' moments.

But you can't really blame him- this is a big change and he is used to being the canine center of attention. No worries, he'll get used to it and we are giving him lots of attention!

Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2011

2012-01-02T22:06:00.001-06:00

So long, 2011! I'm pretty sure time has warped somehow- I can still remember the terror that gripped the world as we approached the year 2000 (would the computers explode???). It doesn't seem like that was so many years ago! Now I'm starting to sound like my parents (right Mom?)!!

Besides flying by, 2011 was an amazing year- lots of lessons learned, skills furthered and memories made. It can be hard to keep everything straight in my mind, so I thought I'd try Ashley Sisk's Memories, Dreams and Reflections for a second time (see what 2010 looked like here). I love looking through my images from the past year to see what stands out, what terrifies me and ultimately see how far I have come in the past year!

1. Me!

This year I have worked harder at keeping all of my hobbies {photography, building stuff, sewing, ponies, etc} going in a reasonable way. I'm happier when I feel productive, and while I still have a ways to go, I'm pleased with the balance I've reached so far!

2. I Love You

Mr. Pony has learned a lot this year as well- his true passion is cooking, and he is discovering so many ways to improve his culinary skills. I love watching you cook, baby {and eating the results!!}.

3. Still Laughing

Chowder doesn't like water. He grumbles when it rains. So when we asked him to walk into a gently flowing stream, he thought we were NUTS. After carrying him down the bank, my husband basically had to pull him into the stream, so... Chowder jumped. He bounced in the middle and right across to the other side, then stood there glaring at us. *sigh* Yes, he is prissy.

4. Winter Wonderland

I visited the Frozen North around the holidays of 2010 into early 2011. I still miss the snow (though I don't want it for as long) and joy of hot chocolate after coming in from the cold (but I only need a few of the really cold nights).

5. Birthday

For my birthday this year we went on a day trip to a city we both enjoy. I even got him to pose for pictures with me- yay!!

6. Friends

My best friend came to visit earlier this year. I still need to return the favor, but trips can be so hard to get planned out sometimes! I miss her a ton, and can't wait until we end up living closer to each other again!!

7. I Was Inspired

Autumn is by far my favorite season. A quick visit to Minneapolis with my parents gave me a small taste of the season I miss the most- the colors inspire me more than any others!

8. Spring Fever

I had never seen this type of flower before, and when they started showing up this spring, I was thrilled with their vibrant beauty!

9. Travel or Vacation

This shot is from Big Sur, California- seriously so much color and peace that I felt like I was at the end of the world.

A different 'end of the world' idea- this image is from Alcatraz Island. Bleak, but returning to beauty as nature reclaims it.

10. Summer Days

What is more summery than a bajillion rubber ducks;)?

11. A Day in my Life

I never used to drink much coffee, and certainly not espresso, but after Mr. Pony got a nice espresso machine, it soon became a habit. Now I start almost every morning with a delicious cappuccino or latte, and it makes the morning complete!

12. All Smiles

I know, I know. A squirrel? But when this little fellow let me get so close (for the low price of a few peanuts), I was thrilled! I got dozens of adorable shots of this dude nom-ing away on his nutty treasures, and I loved it!

13. Autumn Harvest

So this isn't really an autumn thing, but I wanted to include our harvest of onion flowers somewhere! They are so beautiful and delicious {and under-utilized} and I love this shot!

14. Family or Home

A momma bird decided to build her nest right outside our back door this spring. We spent all spring listening to them chirp demandingly and watching them sprout their fluffy little feathers. So cute!

15. Celebrate!

My friend asked me to do a maternity and family photo session for her, and we had so much fun! They are very excited to meet their new baby!

16. Let's Do It Again

We saw these street musicians in San Francisco, and I was so excited by the vibrant colors, awesome music and perfect scenery. I would love to find a shot like this again or visit that city again!!

17. I Miss You

Nope, this isn't a long lost kitty of mine that you haven't met. What I really miss is the beautiful green you see in this shot! Fall is my favorite season, by far, but every once in a while I miss verdant green fields and lush smelling groves. Idyllic;)

18. Beautiful

I took this shot with my 24-105L lens right after I got it, and I'm still in love with the sharp focus and the AMAZING bokeh this thing produces! So beautiful!

19. Dress Up

Chowder got all decked out for the last Harry Potter movie! I'm not sure that he really enjoyed this much, but distraction via treats allowed me to get a few cute shots!

20. Macro

Earlier in the year I did a close up study of Chowder (here, here, here and here). I loved this macro of his nose- having a bit of grass stuck there is so typical of our silly wee pup, and I love the details the macro lens picks up!

21. Holidays

I chose to interpret this as a vacation kinda holiday so I could include this shot. I took this in Big Sur, and I love how it looks in B&W- the water was so cold, but I would totally put my feet back in there! Of course, a few moments later a larger wave caught me off guard and I was soaked til above my knees- at least the camera was safe!

22. My Favorite

I am a huge fan of cool, tropical adult beverages on hot summer days- this peach and strawberry sangria really hit the spot on a 100+ degree day!

23. Don't Ever Change

My friend's daughter is such a wee character- this was a totally unprompted pose! She just ran onto the bridge and started a gunfight- it was amazing! I hope she never loses that joyful independence and amazing personality!

24. Just Because... So There!

I love this shot because of the texture, the dreamy focus and the fact that, unintentionally, I caught a fly in the shot. This was the perfect shot for my summer- there was a big drought, so only weeds and flies had a successful summer!

25. Hopes and Dreams

For next year, I hope to find a job that doesn't make me angry. I hope to get the chance to do more portrait shoots. I hope to start riding my old pony again. I hope to add another pet to the family.

I dream of taking a vacation somewhere where the air smells fabulous and people don't drive lifted trucks. I dream of buying a house with land so my ponies can live right outside my back door. I dream of sipping coffee on cool mornings and chatting with my husband.

Simple enough things- here is hoping and dreaming that I can make it happen!

So long, 2011.

2011-12-31T20:31:00.001-06:00

I'm beyond confused at how fast 2011 flew by. I hope all of you are able to spend this New Year's Eve with those you love and can cherish fond memories of those who are far away.

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

What I like this Wednesday

2011-12-28T16:01:00.000-06:00

Nothing much going on here- just enjoying a week of freedom, getting some projects done and dancing with Chowder. Yup, he has mad dance skillz. No big.

The mad holiday rush is over, so now it is time to think of gifts for yourself (you know, for being awesome and making it to 2012).

How about:

Displaying your management skills openly.

Taking your leisure in style.

Booking a Cape Cod escape (or you could just steal that house- amazing!).

Deck your walls with running horses!!

Bake some darling cookies.

Pay homage to the Best Story Ever.

Pack your kickass vintage suitcase with... succulents? {impractical, but beautiful!}

Organize your writing utensils purr-fectly.

Engrave yourself with words to live by.

Maybe just add these things to your wish list {or, in my case, a Pinterest board}, but for me, all of these things are a dream.

In dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own. - Albus Dumbledore

Last minute gift idea: The Artful Swine

2011-12-24T10:08:00.000-06:00

I created this beauty several months ago, but apparently forgot to make a post about it! With the holidays being... tomorrow {OMG where did 2011 go????}, if you are a few presents short, this might be the perfect idea for you!

Quite a while ago, Mr. Pony and I encountered this gem at World Market.

photo from World Market

Of course, all that were on display were dinged up because this is a piece of metal with blackboard paint on it. Boo. Turned out that it would have been too small for our space anyway, so it was all for the best.

Then the resident food snob pointed out that the pig pictured was an Americanized swine, which is not at all what he wants. I'm pretty sure he didn't even know there were different kinds of pig (besides bacon and ham) before we started dating. *sigh*

He wanted something like this (Big Picture Ag) He didn't want this (National Geographic)

My problem was to create something the right size, of the right breed outline, with the right finish to make the wall space look fabulous. DIY time!

After a few trial and error steps, we ended up with a fabulous porcine wall hanging that was both beautiful and functional (plus a couple items that were just shiny), all for 2/3 the price of the original inspiration piece!

In keeping with the holiday spirit that one runs into EVERYWHERE this time of year, I realized that this would be a wonderful and moderately quick gift idea for those who procrastinate on shopping, unlike me!

A couple of months ago, I posted about my owl wall art extravaganza

Follow the same steps as I used in that post for getting your gift idea of choice cut out. Once you have the piece cut out, you are ready to make decorating magic!

Please be sure you have expert help available.

I like to use a couple layers of primer before I start on the real 'meat' of the project. In this case I used 2, but if I did this again I would go with 3 to smooth out the wood grain.

Now for the chalkboard finish. I first tried to Rust-Oleum spray chalk board paint, and while it looked great, after following the dry time instructions (3 days or something like that), I primed it by rubbing the long side of a chalk bit all over it, wiped that off, wrote on it and... it wouldn't wipe off. *sigh* Not to be defeated, I sanded that down again, and tried the quart size brush-on Rust-Oleum chalk paint. I followed the drying and priming instructions, and this time it worked like a charm!

Just wipe with a damp rag, let dry and it is ready for your rewriting pleasure!! At this point, I though my project was done, but...

Le Pig looked kinda lonely on the wall by himself... But what should keep him company? To avoid having an entire barn of farm creatures on our dining room wall, we took inspiration from another decoration I'd seen- giant cutlery!

I printed out a giant chef's knife and spoon and cut them out of wood the same as above. But really, there was no point in them being painted with chalk paint (too small for usefulness) and a bit of texture sounded nice, so I bought Rust-Oleum Hammered spray paint in silver {I promise, they didn't pay me to tout their products! These items just happened to work well for me!}. I did a couple layers of primer, then gave several layers of this stuff. I did have to stop and sand at one point because I got too close with the sprayer and it started making funny, chunky patterns- my bad! In either case, they dried quickly and soon were keeping good company with Le Pig!

Total cost: $25
Rust-Oleum Chalkboard spray paint (fail)- $5
Rust-Oleum Chalkboard paint quart- $15
Rust-Oleum Hammered spray paint- $5
primer- already owned
wood- already owned (would have been about $10)
hanging bits- already owned (would have been $8)

I still have more than 3/4 of the quart of chalkboard paint left, so it can make many more projects, and this sort of project can make great use of scrap wood, providing a wonderful and inexpensive project for you!

There is still time to make this amazing and fun gift for your loved ones! With dry time, it can be ready to gift in the morning tomorrow- just make sure you include a card with the dry time and priming instructions. If the chalk board idea is too much for you, you can still make pretty decor and simply use craft or spray paint and voila! Custom made gifts!

A couple of tips before you start:
- I use extra clean blades for wood- most brand make them. They reduce splintering and sanding needed
-Don't skip the sanding!! With the chalk board paint it is essential, otherwise the paint will chip off as you use it.
-1/4" ply is very bendy- only use if you will hang the finished item flush on the wall or plan to add supports to the back. I used 1/2" for the pig and 1/4" for the spook and knife.
-When you pick a silhouette, remember you are cutting it from wood- don't get more detailed than your skills or equipment can handle!
-Always wear eye and hearing protection,and fingers+blades= OUCH!!!!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Quiet weekend

2011-12-10T14:00:00.001-06:00

Sushi lunch with a friend.

Snapshots for no reason.

Perusing paint colors for my next big project. I may even put a coat of primer on!

Finishing a good historical fiction read.

Maybe later I'll be useful and clean the house up, but for now I'm content to listen to music, coodle with critters and sip upon tea. Laziness can be lovely sometimes!

What is in store for your weekend?

Trust

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

A couple of months ago one of my friends showed a great deal of trust in me- she asked me to take pictures of her family together, including her baby bump.

*gulp*

That is a lot of trust and a lot of responsibility! I'm not a professional- just a passionate hobbyist! And since this was partly a maternity shoot, it isn't like we could try again at any time- I needed to get at least a few images right the first time!!

But I agreed, prefacing my agreement with "Well, they may not be fabulous, but they'll definitely be free!".

So a time was set and off we went! I'm pretty pleased with how the entire thing went off, though I did learn a lot about shooting portrait photography. I'm just glad that I am friends with them- otherwise I'd have been way too jittery to do this at all!

Here are some of my favorite shots from the shoot.

December?

2011-12-01T17:38:00.001-06:00

Despite the fact that I'm obsessed with planners and calendars (I have 5) and that I cross of the finished day every evening, I am at a loss as to how this has happened.

How is it December? Summer wasn't that long ago. Fall hasn't really happened yet. I've barely gotten used to writing 2011 on checks.

And while I'm at it, why was I able to wear this outfit outside without freezing my ass off?

I hope one day to move farther north again- December 1 should not allow for t-shirts, green grass and foliage!

But I do love the outfit.

shirt- my bestie's closet
skirt- Anthropologie
tights- Target
{hidden in the grass} shoes- Born
jewelry- Kentucky Horse Park

I recently cleaned out my jewelry cabinet and found this necklace that my parents bought me years ago at the Kentucky Horse Park. I'm in love with it all over again- the bright yellow/gold, the size, the pretty pony. Perfect!

The birds looking on were not impressed with my fashionable glory. Their loss! I do like how this picture looks a bit like winter when put into black and white. It seems so bleak that way.

What is the weather like where you are?

Gray and yellow, gray and yellow...

2011-11-27T13:48:00.001-06:00

No, that isn't the title of a horrible rap song. Those are actually two colors that I have become obsessed with. I want clothes, shoes, art... everything in that combo of beauty. It seems that I picked this up from the design world, which figured out over a year ago that they yellow and gray palette was going to be the next big thing.

Who needs to be at the forefront of stuff anyway. Blah.

But now that I'm obsessed, I have decided to put this color combo to good use on my newest acquisition. Behold her garage-held beauty!!

She even comes with a mirror that has some adorable details at the top.

Yes, our garage is a mess. Yes, it is my fault entirely. Whatevs!

But what does this Craigslist beauty have to do with gray and yellow? I shall turn to my good friend Pinterest to help you understand the connection.

source, source, source, source and source

See?

I know those don't all have yellow on them, but the basic idea is that I will use a darker gray for the main portion of the dresser, and then yellow for the accents. The hardware is a bronze-y color. I'm wondering how effective painting that would be as well.

In either case, I intend to use her to convert my closet wasteland into a much prettier and more functional space. Currently, it looks much like it did in college, only with more clothes.

It may take me a few weeks to get this project done, but I'm looking forward to it! Please share any tips or tricks you have for repainting and refinishing old furniture!

Library envy

2011-11-26T20:42:00.000-06:00

You know that scene in Beauty in the Beast where Beast shows Belle his library?

source

Yeah, that scene. I want that. Sadly, Mr. Pony thinks it is unlikely {barring the death and subsequent bequeathment of wealth from a rich/royal foreign relative that everyone in both families somehow failed to mention} that we'll be able to afford such an opulent monument to the gods of literature. *le sigh*

To fend off the doldrums encouraged by my lack of a palatial library, Mr. P found a site through which I can live vicariously. Children- avert your eyes. The gratuitous awesomeness of this site may be more than young eyes can handle.

It is nearly too much for my eyes.

<3 <3 <3 Bookshelf Porn <3 <3 <3

Those are hearts, in case you are wondering.

This site has a bazillion jewels of bookshelf-y awesomeness, such as these:

Trinity College- Dublin source

source

And if that wasn't enough for you, I've also discovered that Pinterest has tons of amazing library-centric images to drool over!

source and source

source, source and source

source and source

Of for the chance to cuddle up in those spots and read some of those dog-eared novels. What a dream! I believe I shall never donate or sell a book ever again- I must work towards this level of library-ishness somehow!!

Shades of Autumn {Brown}

2011-11-15T22:15:00.001-06:00

Things have been brown around here for a while. As in, dead, brown and not very pretty. However, brown is a warm, comforting color under normal conditions {for me at least}, so I tried to get some good shots for this week's Shades of Autumn challenge. I just have to keep the idea of coffee in mind and it feels so much better!

Authentic, for real.

2011-11-13T19:01:00.001-06:00

I know I deprive the blogosphere of information about myself and that ~~the entire world~~ some of you might be interested to know more about the woman behind the blog, so I thought I'd join up with Abigail's Authentic People Blog Party and share a bit more about myself! Make sure you head over and link up as well- she has some great prizes lined up for the participants!

I go by Ms. Pony, in part because I originally wanted to maintain a bit more privacy {though that is kinda impossible online nowadays} and in part because I love ponies and it seemed like a fun way to name myself! I blog mostly about my photography habit, but I also throw in some DIY projects {here, here, here and here}, home decorating, fashion and general life type stuff. I am mother to 4 fuzzy balls of joy {more here}, partner to one consumed with food {check out my honey}, obsessed with finding new hobbies and in love with vintage and classic clothing... and pretty much whatever Anthropologie has on the sale rack.

In keeping with the blog party's idea of sharing some of my many quirks, here are just a few tidbits to make you giggle at my awkwardness!

1} What's the nerdiest/geekiest/weirdest thing about you?
Just one? Hm... I make up voices for each of my pets, and we {my partner is in on this} have long conversations with the critters. What can I say, I adore my animal companions! Also, I believe that geeky is the new sexy. Just sayin'.

2} If you could live in a fictional universe from any book, movie, or television show, what would it be?
Harry Potter, no questions. I'd have to be Muggle-born, of course, just like Hermione. Everything about the world appeals to me- magic hiding just beneath the surface of real life and working alongside non-magic folk. Plus I think I would look magnificent in a cape!

3} Little or big, practical or frivolous, what is one of your favorite items in your house?
My reading chair. I'm still working on making it more useful (I want a little shelf by it for drinks and to hold a book), but I love the idea of curling up with a great literary world.

4} Do you like animated movies? If so, what is your favorite?
I do like some animated movies, and my favorite by far {actually, my this is in my rotating top 5 of all movies} is Nightmare Before Christmas. The music, the worlds and the awesome styling... fabulous. I know, I know. It is a claymation movie, actually, but I think it falls in this category well enough.

5} What is your favorite household chore?
Grooming Chowder and Pepsi. They are both quite fluffy, so we furminate them once a week to keep our allergies and their hair in check. Pepsi adores it and Chowder has learned to accept it, and I just love feeling their softness!

6} What's your favorite thing to get at Starbucks (or your favorite coffee shop)?
Pumpkin spice anything. If that isn't available, a mocha latte. If that isn't available, a chai latte. If that isn't available... fizzy water!

7} What is your favorite pizza topping?
Canadian bacon with pineapple. Hawaiian all the way!

8} Waffles or pancakes?
Meh, either. I have no strong feelings either way. Though I do appreciate pancakes in adorable shapes.

9} Do you like to play games? If so, what is your favorite?
The mister and I play games all the time. Right now I like Dominion quite a bit, and Scrabble is an oldie but a goodie... Gosu is quite diverting as well.

10} Have you ever let anyone win a game?
Not necessary- we are pretty evenly matched.

11} Have you ever dyed your hair?
For a while I liked getting highlights, but then I got tired of going in every 6 weeks to get them touched up and... let them grow out about an inch... and looked like a hick... so I dyed my hair a close-to-normal color and have never gone back. But I'd love to try black hair or flame red hair {a la Florence Welch}, but I doubt either would work on me.

12} Do you make your bed every morning?
With as much fuzz as our critters have, we have to so I can avoid washing the sheets every 2 days!

13} Picasso or Norman Rockwell?
Neither. Picasso is too crazy and Rockwell too boring. I like more classical stuff, or the cute stuff you find on Etsy, like this.

14} Do you like carpet, tile, or hardwood floors?
Hardwood and cushy rugs please. Our entire house is done in tile, and it just lacks the warmth and texture of hardwood. Heated tile in the bathrooms. No wall to wall carpet. Yick.

15} If you could put one thing in a safe under your bed, what would it be?
The things I'm most worried about losing won't fit in a safe...

16} What's your favorite condiment?
I have no favorite- different condiments taste good on different foods.

17} Have you ever thrown up on someone (excluding when you were a child)?
I hope not. But there were some fun nights in college...

18} What was the last thing that made you laugh?
Chowder snoring his little puppy heart out. So sweet.

19} Think fast...what's the first song that pops into your head?
Adele- Someone Like You. I hope her vocal cord surgery goes well- the world needs real talent like her to avoid falling prey to the musical hounds of hell (i.e. Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and the like).

Puppy Eyes

2011-11-09T19:35:00.000-06:00

I was up earlier than usual this morning, and before heading to work I curled up for a few minutes on the couch with Chowder. I got up to head to work, looked back, and this is what greeted my eyes.

Puppies are great at guilting you. "Mom, we need to talk. Really, you shouldn't have moved until I did, and then you should have pet my belly. And given me bacon. And cat food. Rude, mom, so rude."*sigh* I did give him a treat- I am a sucker for those eyes!

My workout

2011-11-08T22:22:00.000-06:00

Puppy sweet and soft
Questions why I stand so odd
Perplexing yoga

I cropped the shot, adjusted the white and black levels, then used Pioneer Woman's vintage action to make it look a little dreamier.

Scavenge

2011-11-06T14:51:00.001-06:00

1) Food-It is distinctly possible that I am spoiled when it comes to food. Case in point- creme brulee sous vide cheesecake (instructions can be found here for the culinarily brave). The red bits are raspberry that was frozen in liquid nitrogen. Yum!

2) Purple- I'm working on taking pictures of things that aren't as interesting to me and trying to make them look cool. This is basically my first try at that, and while I don't think it really succeeded, I do like the purple of the cabbage!

3) In Disguise- Somehow I didn't get one for this recently. I know- I'm a failure! I love Halloween, but this year I got the house decorated, then pooped out- no costume for me! Next year:) Instead, I shall share a photo of Chowder pretending to be a Hogwarts student!

4) Shapes- Meet Bear. He loves playing ball. And swimming. Sometimes. After working himself up to jumping into the water. Such a sweetie! I was trying to get shots of the shapes of the water ripples when he swam into the frame and I love this image!

5) Photographer's Choice- What can I say? I love Pepsi's smushed, sleepy little face!!

Next week's prompts are:
1) Before and After (processing)
2) Opposing Lines
3) Custom Bokeh
4) Which pair of shoes should I wear?
5) Little features (little hands, little feet, etc)

Furballs

2011-11-03T21:09:00.000-05:00

It is quite remarkable how I never get tired of taking pictures of my little balls of fur. Chowder sometimes poses for me.

Of course, it did take several takes to get that image. He always turns his head away as soon as I click the shutter- I have a TON of motion shots of the dude. Oh well:).

And want to know a little known fact?

Computer chairs- specifically those of people who are suckers for animals and don't like moving them all that much- come with magnets which draw cats like flies to honey.

Fortunately for Pepsi, her daddy wasn't home for the afternoon, so she got to lounge in her almost favorite spot for hours.

This is Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween all! I hope the ghouls don't get you this evening!

from pinterest

Scavenger Hunt

2011-10-29T19:26:00.000-05:00

It has been several weeks since I participated in a scavenger hunt. I missed it one week, and kept on forgetting. But this week I took several images that match the prompts without having even seen the list until a few minutes ago. I think that means it is time for me to participate again!

1) Macro/Close-Up

2) Found Texture

3) Home

4) Cover

5) The Tree

Quotography & more

2011-10-25T22:02:00.000-05:00

I've fallen off the photo challenge bandwagon. However, after a recent photographic experience that had me feeling pretty awesome, I've decided to start participating again! Without further ado- the pictures!

Today at work was rough, but watching my pup 'swim' through the grass upside down made me grin!

I used this tutorial (and btw- she has TONS of great tutorials on her blog!!) to get this shot. I just downloaded a random bokeh shot from deviantart and used it as the background texture. The SOOC (below) was boring, but I LOVE the final product!

Swag

2011-10-20T21:11:00.000-05:00

This has been a good week, photographic accessorarily speaking {what? Its a word!}.

I now have this for cleaning-

buy it

this for inspiring-

buy it

and I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of this for carrying-

buy it

I'm excited to play with all my new toys!!!!

I also updated my Project 365- she was sadly out of date, but things are up to speed again! Please stop by for a daily dose of me!

Perspective

2011-10-17T22:09:00.000-05:00

Someone I follow on facebook posted this recently, and I think the visual comparison is amazing. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but I bike to work most of the time and it makes me feel pretty awesome- I don't have to go to the gym, I don't have to spend as much on gas or car maintenance, and the commute honestly takes only a few minutes longer than it would take me to drive and sit in traffic. Win-win for me!

Branching out: a tutorial

2011-10-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

I've recently developed an addiction to Pinterest (I know, I jumped on the bandwagon rather late), and for the first little bit, I wasn't sure if I was doing more than just looking at the great ideas of others but losing my own productivity.

Then I saw her.

source

I wasn't happy with how I was dealing with my necklaces. I'll spare you the 'before' shot because a) I forgot to take one and b) it was ugly. You are welcome.

In either case, I decided that this couldn't be all that hard to do, so I spent a few hours wandering antique and second hand shops. I'm sure you could find something at a frame shop, but it seems silly to buy something brand new just to paint it.

By the way- wandering antique shops is a great way to find all sorts of projects and items that you didn't even realize you needed! Mr. Pony doesn't even know how much he appreciates me holding back from buying all the inspirations! But I digress.

Good old J.T. I knew I could count on him.

So I found a frame for all of $8, bought some craft paint {Spicy Mustard- my current color obsession}, and went to work!

Of course, that wasn't the color I wanted. As always, I put a coat of primer on first. This helped cover up the old frame color, and filled in some of the beat up parts so they wouldn't soak in so much of my pretty paint color. {I recommend always having a can of primer on hand. I bought a gallon of the Lowe's cheap stuff for ~$10 and have so far used it on this and this and this. Well worth it!} Then I followed up with 2 coats of my mustard paint. Yay!

I liked how my inspiration used branches, but I didn't want to have to deal with actual branches {shedding bark and bugs all over the place}, so I pulled out a pencil and some 1/4" plywood and sketched out some branches. I cut those puppies out with my handy dandy jigsaw, then sanded them down a bit.

Definitely do a dry run of the branches before you paint anything- I ended up playing around with mine to make sure I had them fitting in the frame like I wanted. It took some playing with, but not much time.

For the branches I used a pearly white craft paint that I had left over from my owl project. Once everything was dry, I used wood glue to put the branches in place and clamped everything down. I just left it overnight, but check how long the glue you use asks for.

My next step was going to be screwing dozens of little eye hooks into the branches to hang necklaces on, but I liked Mr. Pony's idea of just hanging the necklaces around the branches. Not only was it WAY faster, but it would give a prettier finished result!

Of course, right when I thought I was done, Mr. Pony said "How are you hanging it?". DOH! I didn't want to put it up as a normal frame since I'd need to be able to reach the back of the branches to hang stuff. I ended up cutting for 3/4"x3/4"x1" wood blocks, painting them yellow and gluing them to the back with wood glue. Add a couple of hooks to the top two blocks, some wire, and you are set!

What do you think of that?!

Also- Mom, I'm sorry for my new addiction to yellow. I will do my best to become addicted to something less... yellow... soon:)

Shades of Autumn: Yellow

2011-10-15T19:24:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure why it took me so long to join up with this photo challenge! Maybe it is because we don't really have fall where I live...

But a recent trip to Minneapolis (to visit my parents:) gave me a chance to soak in some fall colors. Oh yeah, and photograph them too:) I'll be working through other shots from our mini vacation, and I'm hoping to share those with you as the week progresses!

For now- join me over at Bumbles and Light for the Shades of Autumn challenge!

Disclaimer- Mr. Pony took this photo. I do not have magic powers {sad}

Chowder Up Close- the last!

2011-10-02T11:49:00.002-05:00

I believe that if Chowder became people, he'd end up as a hobbit. Look at those toes! All that fuzz between them is really unnecessary! When he is flopped down, you can see that he has hair that grows down from between his toes... and it is an inch long at least! He has warm wee tootsies!

Welcome Fall!

2011-09-24T09:19:00.002-05:00

I know, I'm a day late. But seriously- fall has taken her own sweet time getting here, so I thought I'd return the favor! I'm looking forward to crisp mornings, the smell of fallen leaves and a brief period of bright colors. This is my favorite time of year, and if I could stop the seasons in their tracks, it would be during the fall. However, living where I do, there isn't as much color and glory, but I'll pretend. Oh to live in the North!

Bring on the chill!

Chowder Up Close: Part 3

2011-09-22T06:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome back for another installment of Chowder Up Close!! Chowder has random hair that sprouts at odd angles, and makes his little ears so adorable!! Squee!

Chowder part 2

2011-09-21T06:38:00.000-05:00

Chowder loves to sniff. We'll be out for a walk and he'll sniff so hard to find the bunny that he doesn't even notice it sitting a few feet away from him. He loves explaining the world to himself through his little nose, he provides endless amusement to those around him with his constant questing!!

I love his wee little nose (and the rest of him!).

Chowder Up Close: Part 1

2011-09-19T22:01:00.000-05:00

I think we all know I'm obsessed with my pets.

Copper doesn't like the camera. Lyric likes to stick his tongue out at me, and Pepsi only sometimes deigns to pose for the paparazzi.

I thought that Chowder, as happy go lucky as he is, would be more than willing to pose whenever I wanted. Just turn him loose in the yard, throw a few toys, and snap away!

I was wrong.

Chowder would ham it up, tear it up, then clam up the instant I lifted the camera! So I'll show you some of my favorite parts of Chowder, up close and personal, one shot at a time.

Chowder's eyes are warm, adoring, and they reflect back the world in a pup-colored light. When you are a Chowder, the entire world is your buddy.

Happy puppy:)

SOOC: I tweaked it by cropping and running PW 'Bring on the Eyes!' at 75% and Boost at 80%.

I miss...

2011-09-17T22:19:00.002-05:00

Take a second to look at this photo.

These are the colors I'm longing to see right about now. Oh to live in the North again- the crisp air, the earthy scent, the vivid colors.

I miss fall.

Whoooo is there?

2011-09-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

I mentioned earlier in the week that I have had some other decorating adventures. Well here they are!!

I've been drooling over art from various Etsy sellers for months {here
here and here, to name a few}, but couldn't justify the extra cost since this revamp was *supposed* to be a cheap thing!

Then, out of the blue, it hit me.

Owls.

Seriously, who wouldn't want an awesome owl on their wall?? So I googled "owl silhouette, found one I liked that wasn't copyrighted {don't steal the art of others for this people- be cool}. I used an online tool called Rasterbator to blow the image up to the size I wanted (about 2'x3' in this case), printed it out and got started!

I ended up using 1/2" ply that I already had in the garage. I initially wanted to use 1/4" ply, but all that I have of that I got secondhand and its badly bowed, so I went with something a little sturdier.

After taping together the pages (it printed out on 9 letter size pages) and cutting out my design, and put it on the board and traced the outline.

If you look at the shot below, I ended up adding another branch with leaves on the other side of the owl- I thought it would look more balanced, and I like how that worked for me.

I tried to minimize the wood waste, so I put the silhouette as close to the edges as possible. I still have another 3'x3' piece of 1/2" ply left from this, and who knows what I'll end up making with that!

Then it was down to the ~~part where I nearly sever digits~~ cutting stage. For this sort of project, the jig saw is really your best friend.

Get to know her and love her and learn to keep her steady, otherwise the wood you are cutting will jiggle its way free and snap. Not that I had that happen. Ever.

And here I am, cutting skillfully. It is REALLY important to make sure the wood is well braced and that you depress the trigger all the way. I ended up losing some leaves because I let up on the trigger a bit, the wood wasn't braced well and the wood just started jumping too much. It worked out in the end, but annoyed me at the time.

On a project like this, the leaves and branch were a bit difficult for me to work with. If there is a smaller jig saw out there and you plan to make a ton of these, it would be good to buy the smaller size for getting into the nooks and crannies. However, our regular old jig did a good job- it just took more time cutting out the detail bits.

I can haz rawr?

On a side note, I liked using the blades labeled 'X-tra clean for wood'- the clean ones do well, but these minimized the sanding that had to be done when I finished cutting.

After all the cutting was done, I cleaned up the edges with a power sander and a hand sander. I also made sure both sides were smooth, but spent more time sanding the side I had designated as the front.

When sanding make sure you don't put too much pressure on any of the little bits- you don't want to snap off that painstakingly cut leaf {or whatever bitsy thing you cut out} before you've had a chance to enjoy your work!

And here is your finished pro... DOH! Ok, so you've cut out the piece, but you still need to make it purdy (unless you are going for the raw wood look, but even then you still should stain it or something, IMHO) and hangable. This is the only part of the project that actually cost me money. I stopped at Michael's and got some Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Pearl Acrylic Craft Paint {aptly named 'Mother of Pearl'} to finish this with. To minimize coats of paint, I gave the entire project a coat of primer, then gave it two coats of the craft paint.

To hang it, I put eyeholes in two pieces of scrap wood and glued them to the back using wood glue. I also gave them a quick coat of the craft paint just so if you see the owl from the side, they don't stick out. Then I strung some wire between them, put a photo hanger in the wall and we were good to go! If you end up making a smaller piece (like the moon) this approach may not be the one for you. Just mess around with the tidbits you have available or take it to the hardware store with you and see what you can find!

A few days later I randomly decided I wanted a moon to go with my lonely owl, and in less than 3 hours (with paint dry time) it was ready to go!

Total cost? Two buckaroos!! Whoooo can beat that?

On a side note, since my favorite holiday is coming up {hint- it starts with a Hallow and ends with a ween}, I like that the owl adds a slightly spooky element to the room. If painted in a black or orange, it would be very Halloween-y indeed!

Sorry, I can't avoid being cheesy;)

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Things are a changin'

2011-09-06T22:05:00.000-05:00

Many things in my life are changing. Important things. Serious things. Mind-boggling things.

Like the decor of my bedroom.

What? So I may be exaggerating. But I am REALLY excited about how things are looking now! It started with the chair, which was supposed to become part of my reading nook {digression- isn't nook an adorable word?}.

I ~~obsessed~~ thoroughly perused fabric options for making a slipcover or reupholstering it, and found several I liked but... the entire cost for that huge chair would have been over $250 for fabric alone... plus my time... and time for me to make mistakes and have to redo stuff...

It ended up not being worth it to me. I felt a bit tool-ish for giving up, but a little bit of quick craigslisting {yes, its a word} gave me a better solution! My big chair was gone for as much cash as I had in it, and I had a more compact and classier chair in its place!

But that isn't all! Did you notice the white thing next to the chair? I made that! Guess what is inside?

I started with the ideas from Ana White's Faux Apothecary Chest . I didn't need anything so large as her plans, and I didn't need shelves. I took her basic plans and adjusted the size down to what I needed (though the two basket shelves are the same sizes as hers), and then put a divider in so the feline princess would have a separate eating area {dare I say nook?}. There is also a hole on the side for easy kitty access.

After some hinge issues (put the entry hole on the far side from where you want to put your doors- it will save you a lot of trouble), we were ready to go!

I made this piece from mostly scrap wood from other projects, so I opted to paint most of it with some white paint we had lying around. The top was all of one type of wood, so I figured that staining it would add a nice contrast. Oh yeah, and I had the stain lying around from a previous project as well.

Total cost for this project:

New wood- $20
Knobs- $9
Hinges- $5
Baskets- $15

Total = $49 out of pocket

We went from having this-

Storage on a dog crate (now in baskets) and a dome litterbox that I did not want to document photographically!

To this!

There has been even more decorating adventuring, but I'll save that for later this week:)

That kind of day...

2011-09-05T22:07:00.002-05:00

For Pepsi, this exemplifies what she did all day.

Momma didn't get so lucky.

She's working hard for the money.

Outside it was sunny.

And Chowder was quite funny.

And... well, you get the idea.

I hope your Labor Day was quite chummy!

{Sorry, I had to get one more in}.

I boosted the color (80%) and colorized (35%). Both are PW actions.

Best of August

2011-09-03T15:01:00.000-05:00

I love this shot of the old Warden's House on Alcatraz Island. It was just so desolate and sad, but the flowers clinging to the rocks and the birds nesting wherever they could showed that new life will appear in even the most barren landscape!

August 2011 Photo Hunt Challenge: Join in!

2011-09-01T21:01:00.001-05:00

If you stopped by around the first of the month, you might remember that I'm guest hosting over at Monthly Photo Hunt Challenges. Well, I learned how to use a Linky Tool and have a basic one up, so please go over and share your favorite images for the month!

I ended up picking most of my shots from my most recent vacation. I had a lot of fun messing around in PS, and I would love any feedback on composition or editing that might help me improve. Thanks for stopping by!

1 ) Simple Elegance

2 ) Fluff

3 ) Wisdom

4 ) Ink

5 ) Devotion

6 ) Engaging

7 ) Drastic Change

8 ) Serenity

9 ) Ending

10 ) Childhood Memory

11 ) Overload

12 ) Fantastical

13 ) Into the Sky

14 ) Smash

15 ) Lucky

More vacation shots

2011-08-30T20:42:00.000-05:00

We didn't visit 'The Rock' until the last day of our trip, but it provided a cool backdrop for some photos!

I made the Mr. practice posing for me. I like the idea of getting better at portrait photography, but he normally makes goofy faces at me. Like that ---->

Anyway, other than trying to snap non-goofy shots of my love, I also focused on the ground.

Then at the fruits of the earth.

Snap And Share

And brushed against the sky.

And it was good.

Streets and Beaches

2011-08-25T18:42:00.000-05:00

I'm slowing sifting through all my shots from vacation (I filled up too many memory cards. Oops!), and I want to share some of the shots that caught my eye in the last 15 minutes. I threw them through a little post processing (adjusting levels, color conversions, etc), and I'm loving the vintage feel these show!

The sand was all over my shoes... my jeans... my face... but I wasn't all that upset. There were tons of pups running around having a great time, and these two were playing tag back and forth across the beach. What a great way to spend a day!

I love the life in this street scene. The two performers were really into their music, the people were having a great time watching them, and the street car was kind enough to give me a perfect photo op!

After editing this shot, I realized that black and white conversions can turn back the clock. You can't tell that we have tons of modern streetlight in the image, or that the cars were bright yellow taxis- you just see a dapper gentleman out for a stroll. Lovely.

Wee Bit of me!

2011-08-24T07:07:00.001-05:00

{one} what's your guilty pleasure tv show?
True Blood. I know its campy, but I enjoy it!

{two} ear piercings on men: yes or no?
If it makes them look like pirates, sure!

{three} do you have dish or comcast?
Neither. We don't actually get TV- we just make do with Netflix and the interwebz.

{four} what's your favorite current fashion trend?
Flowy shirts and gladiator sandals.

{five} if you could learn to do anything, money not being an issue, what would it be?
How to take amazing portraits and wedding photos. You can't actually pay to learn this- some of it is just talent- but if I could buy the talent, I totally would. Also- more fancy camera stuff would be fun!

{six} red or white wine?
Really depends on the meal. If its just for sipping, white and sweet.

{seven} what type of food is your favorite (ex. italian, mexican, etc.)
Um... depends on the day! I love Mexican food, but there is so much to love in so many types of food!

{eight} hp or mac?
Anything but Mac. They confuse me and the mr. hates them, so where would my tech support be? Thats right, nowhere!

{nine} what color is your bedroom?
Medium brown. A nice neutral so it will be easy to resell!

{ten} what's your favorite form of exercise?
Horseback riding or nothing. No, really, I just don't like working out. I bike to work, otherwise I'd NEVER do it!

Waves

2011-08-17T21:36:00.001-05:00

I've never been one of those people who constantly yearns for the beach. I'm just as happy with a peaceful spot under a spreading oak tree or the quiet babble of a wee brook.

But I do understand the appeal. And every once in a while, the urge to feel smooth wet sand under your feet and the rush of chilly water past your shins is undeniable.

Though to be honest, I didn't intend for the water to get quite this high on my legs... I carefully watched the waves, stepped forward to just where they were stopping... and then a 'huge' wave came in and my jeans were soaked. Oh well!

Oh, and here is my *slightly* better edit for the Good to Wow challenge. As I said, I loved the original shot, so mostly I just played around with color levels and saturation to get even more pop from the image. I hope you like it!

This is my original image.

Color

2011-08-15T20:45:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you noticed that I've been absent for a while.

*chirp chirp*

Ok, fine, maybe not. I promise, I'm not offended- summer is in full swing and I hope everyone has been enjoying the wonderful weather! I know we did when we were on vacation in... California!!

We spent a few days in San Francisco (and I would love to go back and see more of the city), a few in Big Sur and a couple days in Yosemite. So much variety, beauty, wonderful weather and color! I'll post high lights later, but for now I think I'll rejoin the photo meme parade, so sit back and enjoy!

The theme this week for the Good to Wow challenge is bright & colorful, and I think this shot meets that nicely. The filtered light of the Cali coast was perfect for photography, and the variety of growing bits on the coastal hills was breathtaking. I'm honestly going to have to work hard to make this image better- I love it!

Fortunately, the Quotography theme this week is also 'colorful', so I had a lot of options for this one as well!

Yup, Big Sur really agrees with me. Seriously, many more images of this area to come!

August Photo Hunt Challenge

2011-08-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

This month Kristi over at Photo Hunt Challenges wanted some help with creating a list of prompts. When she asked for volunteers, I ~~jumped up and down waving wildly~~ politely offered my services. The resultant list is mostly an accumulation of some favorite prompts and random words that popped into my mind. I hope you'll stop by and participate!!

Copper wants you to join as well!

Rushing by!

2011-07-31T21:39:00.001-05:00

Life has been busy! The month of July has rushed by {like the one before that... and before that... }, and I'm hopeful that August will bring cooler temps and, dare I say it? Rain!!!! That would be super!

Anywho, while I didn't spend much time with Scarlet the Camera this week, I thought I'd share some recent edits of some older images for this week's scavenger hunt. Thanks for stopping by!!

1) Walking Empty Streets- Venice in the early morning is so serene. We got up at 5am and there were still quite a few people out wandering- a few tourists, but mostly locals trying to get around before the visitors took over!

2) Repeating Patterns- This aging Murano glass factory was one of the first sights to meet us as the ferry pulled into the dock. This captures the Venetian lagoon- beautifully decaying elegance.

3) Floor- This was the cutest wee souvenir sales pup in Venice! He had a cute little home under the wagon so that even when it was rainy out, he could curl up warm and dry:).

4) Then & Now- Chowder still looks like such a puppy to us, but when I look back at pictures from when we first got him, he has grown soooo much!

5) Fingertips- This just needed someones fingertips to make it sing!

Next week's prompts are:

1. Seeing Double/Two
2. Whatever
3. Sweet

4. Space

5. Bright

And if you love photo hunts, don't forget to check out the Monthly Photo Hunt- August edition! Yours truly set up the prompts, and I can't wait to see how you all interpret them!

First try here!

2011-07-21T07:02:00.001-05:00

Texture- even the word sounds interesting. Warm blankets, crunchy grass, all sorts of enjoyable things come to mind. But I've never used textures in PS. Why? Well, it required I figure out how to use them and... I was lazy.

But no more!

Today I used one of Kim Klassen's free textures, and I'm hooked! Such simple things can make a dramatic difference in a shot!

For this edit, I used:

PW Boost at 55%
PW Lovely & Ethereal at 60%
PW Slight Lighten at 100%
Kim Klassen Summer Lovin' at 7% Luminosity

Here is the SOOC:

Early Morning Rambles

2011-07-19T07:03:00.000-05:00

I was up really early today, so please forgive me any typos. I haven't fully woken up yet and spell check can only help me so much:).

Long days, warm nights, the sun through the leaves and explosions of color- those things are the heart of summer.

And over at {My} Perspective, this week's Quotography prompt is 'birthdays'. More than 13 years ago my parents got me a pony for my birthday. So much has changed in my life since then, but Copper has remained a constant, fuzzy presence that I can count on to dry my tears, listen to my worries and beg for sugar cubes whenever I see him. Since I have no idea what his birthday is, we celebrate it when we celebrate mine. Thank you for so many lovely years, fat pony, and here is to a dozen more!

Also, H is, of course, for horse.

And Hogwarts (that is a Grffindor scarf, if you couldn't tell).

And hot walker.

And lastly, for high up.

Chowindor!!!

2011-07-15T19:30:00.000-05:00

Well fellow muggles, I'm off to watch the final installment of the Harry Potter masterpiece!I hope you all enjoy the magic of this movie as much as I'm sure I will.

Chowder insists that I tell him all the best parts when I get home. And he also thinks that since he can wear clothes, he should get to go to the theatre. Of course, he wouldn't like all the special effects, so that is just silly on his part.

In either case, enjoy!

Good to Wow: Skies the Limit

2011-07-14T19:29:00.000-05:00

Work has been getting me down lately. A lot. Do you guys ever go through weeks like that? Not fun, but it is part of life. But that does make me happy that this week's Good to Wow prompt is 'Skies the Limit'. That is really true.

There is a lot of good in my life- my family, my friends, my pets, my hobbies. I am not my job, and while sometimes it feels that way, I need to remember to step back, smell the roses {well, lilacs really, since roses are not even close to my favorite flower, but I digress} and focus on looking forward... or up!

So, without further ado- my edits of the SOOC shots posted here! Please let me know what you think- I love comments! I'll even pull on my big girl pants and beg for some criticism too- I want to get better! Thanks for stopping by:).

Peace

2011-07-12T07:05:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in work, bills, house stuff, everything that I just forget to breathe. Then I forget to smile. Then I lose my joy.

Not good.

So every once in a while I just have to take a few minutes, think about how everything really fits together, run my fingers through some happy animal's fur, and regain peace. Looking for the small beauties of life can make a large difference!

And as long as I don't get too caught up in the details or too invested in making it 'perfect' {whatever that means}, editing my photos can help me find peace too- get lost in the colors, textures and memories of the events!!

I feel like all the shots have possibility, but I'm just not certain they are there yet. I'll take advantage of Jill and Ashley's weekly editing challenge to see if I can make them glow!

Lazy weekend

2011-07-10T12:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't really gotten much done this weekend, but that is what weekends are for, right? Right??

I do still have an afternoon left to rectify my laziness. On this afternoon's list:
- shorten some pants {a lot}
- put up some home decorating stuff
- play with my larger children {the ponies}
- clean desk

Thought that last one... well, we'll see about that.

At least I got some photos taken this week!

1) Things that look like a letter- I actually had my own little project where I found something for every letter of the alphabet (maybe I'll post it here one day). I figured I'd try to find a new one for this, looked up, and the sky solved the search for me! I see an A... possibly an F... or a B? Whatever, it looks like a letter!

2) Weather- I'd love for it to rain. I really would. But all we get is this.

Seems like it would be lovely, right?

NOOOO!!!!

It seriously reduces my productivity and brings on an extreme case of the naps, as demonstrated by this beastie.

Dreadful stuff. And dry.

3) Bling- I'm afraid I had to go into the archives for this one. I was so intent on thinking outside the box for this that I... well, you know, didn't take a photo.

So without further ado... Paris!

4) Tangled- You know how some people (horses) can manage to have perfect hair all day, every day, without effort?

That isn't me. Or Copper. To avoid showing horrid pictures of myself, I'll share with you Copper's tangle.

This happened roughly two minutes after I finished grooming his tail. ~~Damn~~ Adorable pony.

5) Dark- Lyric has huge, dark eyes.

They provide a rather effective mirror, as well.

He is also pretty darn talented at making silhouettes.

Good job, Lyrical pony.

Next week's prompts are

1) Black and White
2) Reflections in Glass
3) Headlights
4) Seeing Double
5) Bare

Shoot and Edit: Red, White, and Blue

2011-07-07T10:22:00.001-05:00

My shot for this week's prompt was pretty basic, but I thought it needed more pop and contrast. For my edits, I adjusted the contrast up a bit, then ran PW's Boost action twice. I think the result really makes the photo more interesting!

SOOC:

Summer

2011-07-06T21:23:00.000-05:00

The blowing breeze.

The smell of cut grass.

The burst of growth.

The flies.

Oh yeah, it must be summer.

Enjoy the fireworks!

2011-07-04T20:26:00.000-05:00

We are staying in and won't enjoy the colorful explosions that mark our nation's birth, but I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that you enjoy the celebration!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-07-03T16:06:00.000-05:00

1) Pop of Color- I took this shot last week, but only yesterday edited it for selective color, I think it counts!

2) Crossing Thresholds- These swallows were crossing thresholds left and right!

3) X-Ray- Ok, not quite an x-ray, but I couldn't figure out how to do one, so I converted to B&W, then inverted. I love the creepy, surreal vibe!

4) Toy- When you have horses, these become toys:)

5) Hidden or Farm- This shot applies to both possible prompts! I was out at the farm and Lyric can barely ever keep his tongue hidden. I seriously have a ton of shots of him with his tongue out. Goober pony:).

Next week's prompts are:

1) Things that look like a letter of the alphabet
2) Weather
3) Bling
4) Tangled
5) Dark

June Photo Hunt

2011-07-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

1. Sun/Lens Flare

2. A Street Scene

3. Signage

4. Creative Crop- I took this literally- Tiger melon is a very creative crop to grow!

5. A Fountain- of words?

6. B & W with Selective Coloring

7. Cookout/Picnic

8. Body of Water

9. Great Outdoors

10. Fish- Ok, so this isn't quite a fish... but scallops do live in the water!

11. Roughin It

12. A Different Point of View

Check out the other amazing entries!

Quarterly Top 5- April through June

2011-07-01T21:08:00.002-05:00

One of the best things any photographer (amateur or otherwise) can do is look back on their work to see how far they've come. That is part of why I love the Quarterly Top 5- it helps me look back and pick the best shots of *my* kids. Yeah, I know. They're all fuzzy. But they are my babes!

Copper- we've been together more than half my life. He has put on some pounds and turned into a pudgy little pony, but he still looks as elegant and beautiful as the day I got him!

Chowder doesn't know how to stop smiling. He is a fuzzy little ray of pup-shine in our lives!

Ok, so this isn't technically my baby. Scout belongs to some of our friends, and she loves hamming it up for the camera (or anything really). I just couldn't resist this picture!

Not to be ignored, Pepsi had to make her presence felt in this post. Her little white paws are just killer cute:).

As is her propensity for claiming chairs... or shoes... or pretty much anything that sits still for more than 30 seconds... as hers. I'm glad she likes my her new chair!

Stop by and look at the other adorable entries, both fur baby and human baby!

So many photos, so little time!

2011-06-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

I love entering all these photo challenges and contests, but sometimes I get confused which prompts go where and who is doing what when! I've found that several other bloggers have great lists of the memes they enjoy, and some (like Mira Crisp's Photo Challenge Index) lay it out so easily! However, I still seem to get lost, so one of these days I will have to make my own list that works for my insane mind. Until then, enjoy some pictures!!

E is for E-Z Walker- this is a hot walker out at my horse barn. If you aren't familiar with them, basically it is a ~~steel and rust colored demon~~ motorized carousel that you can hook your horse to when they need to cool down and it walks them in circles for you. Copper is not a fan. Oh well.

I know this shot isn't terribly whimsical, but I thought the idea of me taking pictures of me, holding flowers picked by me, showing off my atrocious tan line was a bit amusing, so I'll go with amusing=whimsy in this case:).

Mr. Pony made brioche. OMG DROOL!!! So much butter! So many eggs! The house smelled delicious, the bread tasted better, and I wish we could have brioche with every meal! Brioche french toast! Brioche PB&J sammies! It does get a bit dodgy once I think about brioche and steak or stir-fry, but I'm sure I'll figure out a way to make it work:)!

That will do for now:). Thanks for stopping by!