Books
I love to read, but often don't give myself as much time as I need to keep up with the many books that are on my list, shelf, and on our book group agenda. Vacations always seem to be a great time for reading, and our trip to California was no exception. Two cross-country flights provide extended reading opportunities to say nothing of the layovers on the way. I've finished six books in the last several weeks, and enjoyed most of them.
My favorite was Little Bee. Sarah had a library copy on her table that she had not yet started, but after reading the back of the book I was intrigued. It is beautifully written and thought-provoking. I can't wait for Sarah and some of my friends to read it so we can talk about it.
The Help was also a compelling and interesting read. It was one of the fastest reads I've done in quite some time. I heard a very interesting discussion of this book on the Diane Rehm show a couple of weeks ago. I would characterize Love and Other Impossible Pursuits as a better than average "beach book." The story was not one that will stay with me, nor do I think it would be fodder for a good discussion, but it was an enjoyable vacation read.
The Middle Place has been on my shelf for over a year. Kelly Corrigan's You Tube video was sent to me by several friends, and I had seen a Border's interview with her as well. It's a memoir, one of my favorite genres, and well-written. I gave a lot of thought to father-daughter relationships as I read this book. My relationship with my father was certainly very different than Corrigan's, and I wondered how Sarah would describe her relationship with her dad which I see as much more like Corrigan's than mine.
The last two books are both books for our couples book group. Replay is a sci-fi, time travel book (definitely NOT my genre). I found it easy to get into, but mid-way found the plot a bit tedious. Tracy (who had already listened to it) encouraged me to keep going, and it did improve. Nonetheless, it's not a favorite, and I wouldn't recommend to anyone unless they enjoyed that kind of book. (I did like The Time Traveler's Wife, however.) The Saint on Death Row is another thought-provoking book. This was definitely worth reading, though I didn't find it as moving as
Picking Cotton or True Notebooks (one of my all-time memorable books), two other prison stories that have
stuck with me over time. It's a remarkable story of resilience and
courage in the face of American injustice. A fair trial is something we
think we all have a right to; this story proves otherwise. In a courtroom,
money and power are far more important factors than your rights as an
American. Sad story.
If any of these are familiar to you, I'd love to hear your thoughts about them.
Happy Mail and a Card
The big brown truck pulled up in front of our house this afternoon and left two copies of the new Papercraft magazine (May/June). Inside is my first published card. Interestingly, I did not submit it. It was one of three cards I created for a Moxie Fab challenge. Several months afterwards, I received an email from Cath Edvalson asking if I still had the card. Fortunately, I did, and here it is published. Quite exciting, actually, even though being published wasn't one of the things on my "To Do" list.
And here is a card for a challenge on Kim Kesti's blog, another sketch from the Go To Sketch magazine. This was a really quick card, but I like it a lot.
Cardstock: red and black from scrap file, PTI Kraft; patterned paper: Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage 6X6 pad; sentiment: Savvy stamps; flowers from stash; brad: Making Memories; Cuttlebug embossing folder; I drew the lines on the sentiment strip with the new "no bleed" Sharpie marker.
Photographic Challenges
I've been working on the last three prompts for Think Spring. The first one for April 6th is one of my all-time least favorite "assignments:" a self-portrait. Tracy gave me a remote controller for my RebelXsi for Christmas so really, I have no excuse. I put the camera on my gorilla pod at one end of the dining room table and sat at the other end. I'm relatively satisfied with the photo, and did some photo editing techniques I learned in Jessica Sprague's Wacom Tablet course.
The prompt for April 7th was pastels. I really wanted some Easter M&Ms, but couldn't find any. I settled on some malted chocolate balls.
Then I saw a bottle of Papertrey Ink buttons sitting right in front of me so I scattered them for a photo.
The Pioneer Woman's actions have just been converted for PSE. I got them uploaded this week so I spent some time playing with them. Here's the Soft & Faded action.
And the Colorize action:
Today's prompt was to capture the sparkle of spring. It rained last night, and I found water droplets hanging from leaves on our holly bush. I quickly took a couple of photos before I left for my volunteer job. Unfortunately, I took them quickly and wasn't happy with the focus on any of them. Tonight at dinner, Matt and I were talking about it. He suggested taking a photo of some water droplets in our old washer tub in the basement. The photo certainly doesn't qualify for the "sparkle of spring" prompt, but it was fun to do. We're supposed to get rain again tonight so perhaps tomorrow I will have another chance outside. (Of course to get sparkle, we will also need sunshine. That may take a couple of days if the mete0rologists are correct.)
And the Sephia action from Pioneer Woman:
CPS 161 Plus Two
It's been surprisingly difficult to get back in the groove with crafting. The last couple of nights, though, I've been up late watching the men's and women's NCAA basketball championships and have finished several projects as I watched. The first two are for this week's CPS challenge.
Here's the sketch:
And my interpretations:
Cardstock: PTI Hawaiian Shores & Select White; patterned paper: PTI Green Boutique; Cuttlebug embossing folder; AC Dear Lizzy crocheted flowers; silk ribbon from Ellen Huston; pearl: Michael's; stick pin unknown.
Cardstock: PTI Pure Poppy & Vintage Cream; patterned papers: October Afternoon Thrift Shop; ribbon from stash; AC Dear Lizzy crocheted flowers; sentiment: A Muse; Nestabilities: long rectangles.
Now a card from a sketch in the newly released Go To Sketches by Papercrafts. The sketch I used is on p.142. I'll be using this publication regularly. So many great sketches and interpretations.
AC Dear Lizzy patterned papers and phrase sticker; ribbon: Michaels; cardstock: BoBunny
This card is a lift from Debbie Olsen, one of the very best in the industry. My friend is a wonderful seamstress so this seemed like a great choice for her birthday card.
Cardstock: PTI Pure Poppy & Vintage Cream; patterned papers: Cosmo Cricket "Material Girl;" twill: PTI Vintage Cream; buttons: PTI; safety pin from stash.
Think Spring: Getting Grounded & Weekly Gratitude X 3
One of the things I'm enjoying about this class is taking the time to be more observant. Today's prompt was to get down on ground level and take a photo. I've spent a lot more time in our yard this week, and each day new flowers have burst into bloom. I'm seeing them when they are so fresh and new. I'm sure I've missed seeing any of it in previous years. Here's today's shot of just opened primroses, the first flowers (always) in my perennial bed.
Since I do my Weekly Gratitude pages on Saturdays, I needed to do three when we got back from vacation.
They were all easy to do.
Think Spring: Look Up
Happy Easter! We had a simply lovely day–a fabulous Easter service and then family dinner with Tracy's family in Hemlock. The food was wonderful, and it's always good to have time to catch up with the family.
Today's prompt was "look up." Our sky wasn't very interesting today, but as we went to the car to leave for Hemlock I took this shot of our budding tree. Tonight I decided to play around with a black & white version, but ended up liking the "antique" effect in iPhoto which I then enhanced a bit in PSE. I like the blue sky the best, but it's fun to play around.
Think Spring: 30 Steps
Today's prompt was to take thirty steps outside and photograph what you found. I found lots more to photograph than I expected. This is the diptych I posted on BPS for class. We've never seen our helleborus bloom before. Probably it's because it's not warm enough to spend any time outside. Today we even got yard work done that usually is done in mid-May. Sadly, the blooms of the helleborus face downward, but when you turn them over they are just beautiful.
Right next to the helleborus is a brick walk and the pretty blue flowers are popping up all over it.
Walking toward the front yard, are the daffodils. In just one day they've gone from bud to full flower.
When we arrived home Wednesday night there were few signs of spring. In just three days, there's been a wonderful transformation!
Think Spring: Start Your Day
It was another amazingly hot day. The thermometer outside our bedroom window registered 90° as we got ready to go out to dinner. We met friends at a lovely restaurant on Consesus Lake and sat outside on the patio. It was just like summer, except for the bare trees. That won't last long if this keeps up. Our daffodils went from tight buds to full flower in just one day. When I drove past Highland Park this morning you could see the lilacs beginning to bud. The annual Lilac Festival doesn't begin until May 14th this year, so I'm sure the festival organizers are praying this heat wave will be short-lived. I, on the other hand, am perfectly happy with the warm weather. It was very warm, but certainly did not feel like 90°.
Today's prompt for Think Spring was to capture the start of your day. I took several different photos, but finally settled on this one of my Eggbeater omelet and a catalog I was browsing while I ate. Tracey Clark took her photo with her wide-angle lens so I got mine out. It hasn't been on the camera since last summer. It's good to try new things.
Think Spring: Beginnings
I decided to enroll in Tracey Clark's Think Spring class at BPS. I'm already glad I did. I really needed some motivation after the trip to take photos, and the inspiration in the class gallery is wonderful. Each day we'll be getting an email with a photography prompt. Today's was "Beginnings." We don't have much to show for the beginning of spring in our yard, but these lovely little purple flowers magically appear year after year.
California: Part 2
We arrived home safe and sound last night. Since I am not a fan of flying I am always grateful for smooth flights which we had both ways this time. It was over 80° today, warmer than any of our days in California, but there is no green yet.
Sarah asked if she could have her birthday gift early this year. She and Adam rent a lovely little house in Livermore. They have a huge paved patio and a remodeled room in the garage, but very little actual yard. She really wanted her own garden. Since Tracy and Matt are both expert gardeners, it seemed like perfect timing. (I hope it's all doing well in August on her real birthday!) She found a lovely nursery nearby and picked out a combination of vegetables and flowers for her containers. She also found a great book called Grow Great Grub which I have ordered from Amazon. We're still waiting to hear, but are hoping to get a plot in our Community Garden this year.
The Alden Nursery. The people here were very knowledgeable and helpful.
Sadie was thrilled to be able to go on an outing!
Just behind Sarah's house is a lovely path along a creek. Matt and I took Sadie for a walk one afternoon. The path is paved on one side of the creek, and appears to go for many miles.
Sadie was a very happy lady.
We spent a lot of time just hanging out, playing games, doing crosswords, and reading. It was so good to just be with family.
Adam had just gotten this new game, Corn Hole. The guys really enjoyed it.
We are all big fans of Sadie, but Matt is especially fond of her. She slept on the couch with him every night.
BananaGrams: lots of fun, but it could be pretty frustrating as well.
In addition to his job as pastor for youth and young adults at a Methodist church, Adam also works as a social media person for the Wente Vineyards in Livermore. He twitters for them and keeps them active on the social media sites. Tracy and Matt were the lucky recipients of a round of golf at the Wente golf course. They had a beautiful day for it.
We've only been to California in the summer before this trip. The hills are always golden by then. They are a beautiful green in the spring.
I still have photos to edit from the last few days of the trip. Today just flew by with unpacking, grocery shopping, organizing, and ironing. I really thought I'd get a chance to play with some new scrapbooking & stamping goodies I brought back with me. Maybe tomorrow.
California: Part 1
It's hard to believe, but we've been in California for a week now. I've deliberately taken time off from browsing blogs and posting while we've been here. This is a recap of the first part of our trip (lots of photos). We left Rochester very early (a 6 am flight, meaning we were out of the house around 4:30). Luckily we had great flying weather. Our layover was at JFK and we had a great view of Manhattan as we left.
Our flight arrived in San Francisco an hour EARLY! Tracy and Matt kindly waited for me as I ran into the Scrapbook Expo in Pleasanton to meet Howard and Laura of Scrap-Mart. They were just as wonderful in person as they are through the internet, and I got a short look at the fabulous booth they maintain at the scrapbook shows. I also got a demo of the new eclipse electric cutting machine from Sizzix that will soon be released. It's quite impressive!
We arrived at Sarah and Adam's around 3:00. Early the next morning we headed out for Disneyland, making a stop at the Getty Center on our way. The Getty Center is truly amazing, and we didn't begin to see all of the art and exhibits. The architecture and gardens alone are worth the trip, but we also enjoyed the photography exhibits and the small, but lovely, collection of Impressionist art.
It was time for dinner by the time we finished at The Getty Center so we drove up to Malibu and found Dukes. We had an window table, a delightful waitress, and the food was great.
We spent the next two days at Disneyland and California Adventure. All five of us had a great time, proving that you don't have to be a kid to enjoy Disney! I'm not a big fan of amusement-type rides, but the kids actually got me on Space Mountain which I have to say was my favorite ride of all. I did skip the big roller coasters, the very tall Ferris Wheel, and the Tower of Terror in California Adventure, though.
The entrance to Disneyland. Everything about Disney is clean and well-maintained. The flower gardens everywhere were beautiful.
Believe it or not, this is NOT the Tower of Terror, but it sure would be for me! The rest of them thought it was just fine.
There were plenty of rides that were not at all scary, but delightful even for adults.
The family portrait in front of Cinderella's castle.
The first day I was quite disappointed as we s
aw no Disney characters. When we were at Disney World many years ago, Mickey, Minnie, and friends were everywhere. Finally on Tuesday, we got to see quite a few of them, but only Adam (who had to leave early to get home for a meeting) got his photo taken with one.
Sarah, Tracy, Matt, and I stayed on in California Adventure until lunchtime. We had a lovely lunch in Disney Town, and then drove over to the coast. It probably wasn't our best idea as it added several hours to the trip home. We did have a great dinner in Morro Bay and were there for the sunset.
And my two great kids. It's been so nice to have everyone together. They are great travelers, make us laugh a lot, and are truly flexible and easy-going. It's been a great trip so far. More to come . . .
Gift Box
One of my good friends celebrates her birthday while we're away. We're having dinner with her soon after we return. One of her gifts (she doesn't read my blog) is the set of cards in this post (which due to user error did not post in the correct order). I made a gift box for it, and wrapped her other gift in a piece of the patterned paper.
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink "Ocean Tides" & "Vintage Cream," patterned paper: Papertrey Ink "Tea Leaves," ribbon: Papertrey Ink "Ocean Tides" satin.
Happy Birthday, Tracy!
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you, and Happy Birthday to Tracy! Here's his card:
New Papertrey stamp, "Luck of the Irish," and Hero Arts sentiment. Jillibean patterned paper and New Leaf (PTI) cardstock and black twill (PTI). The inside sentiment says, "You're my pot of gold." Truly.
So here's my Weekly Gratitude a few days early:
Photography Walk
This was the last week of Moving Into Manual at BPS. I was a bit disappointed in the class which was billed for "advanced" students. I don't consider myself advanced, but I have taken several photography classes and have a good understanding of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. I KNOW I have a lot more to learn so I figured it would be good to push myself. The first three weeks were pretty basic information. Things, in fact, that were covered in Barbara Carroll's Photography 101 class at BPS. This last week, however, where Elisha "put it all together" did produce some "aha" moments. For the last couple of weeks I've shot everything on full manual. I need to keep it there so it becomes automatic. I know what to do, I just forget some of the things in the "heat of the moment." Thank goodness for instant feedback on digital cameras so you can quickly take another shot. Getting a really sharp focus is still a goal as well.
Tracy and I walked over to the Highland Park Conservatory this afternoon so I could take a few photos. Here are the best of them. I had to choose one of them to post on the critique gallery. Which one would you choose?
And a few I didn't consider, but liked anyway:
These are water chimes, and I liked that I finally got a photo of a water droplet falling from one cup to the next. I've tried several other times when I've been there, but never managed to get one. Here's another shot of the water chimes.
The light was really tricky here, but I loved this turtle standing on the back of two other turtles. I think I could improve this photo in PSE 8 using some techniques I recently learned from the tablet course with Jessica Sprague, but it will have to wait until I have more time.
On our walk through the park, we kept remarking about how wonderful it is to see the blue skies again after a week of rain.
