When you want to take flight...

January 1st is right around the bend and I suppose that means I’m supposed to reflect on what I’m going to do better at next year, right? I’m not much for following traditions, but it does seem like this moment is as good as any to reflect on what needs to change.

My life is a little hectic right now and I’ve got so many things going on. I feel a little like I’ve been twirling my arms around in giant circles trying to fly while only wearing myself out and not getting anywhere. While I’ve really been enjoying all of the different aspects of my creative life lately, I feel like I’m spread a little too thin so that I’m not really able to do anything whole-heartedly. I’ve got several residential landscape design projects I’m working on, a graphic design project, my work at the engineering firm up in Tucson two days a week (pays some bills), my two Etsy shops which I am trying to build and add more products, and a portrait photography business I would like to grow. I’ve also had a huge urge to paint or draw lately but really can’t find the time.

What does all that mean for my blog? I wrote down some resolutions a few weeks ago and one of them was to be more consistent in my postings here. But lately I’ve been thinking, can I really do that? And should I? I know I haven’t been very good to you readers who I do appreciate so much. There are so many things I would love to do here, like add guest posts, more themed posts, share your work and work of others that I find inspiring, add some DIY or tutorials, do some give-a-aways! Sounds great doesn’t it? Ah, but where would I find the time? Plus there’s this little nagging thing…I really don’t enjoy writing. I’m such a visual person that sometimes the thought of writing is a deterrent in itself.

So quickly, before this sounds like I’m complaining (too late?), what I really wanted to ask from all of you is, how do you do it? I know there are many of you out there that are extremely busy and still manage to streamline your work to be consistent and high-quality. Can you share some secrets in the comments with me and the other readers out there? If you are still out there…

Thank you and thank you for sticking around.

It may be winter elsewhere...

...but it is fall in Arizona. And who says we don't have seasons? :)

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale!

Visit my shop for more photos and more details

Two New Photograhs in My Shop

It's been a while, but I just added two new photographs to my shop! Hope you enjoy :)

The Way You Think....

Loving this by Vol25.

Miss Match Diptych Project: Week 15 - Ambition

Miss Match Diptych Project: Week 15 - Ambition

I had a great time working with my partner, Diane Miller, of the ShutterbugEye on last week's diptych project. Check of the fPOE Miss Match blog for more entries!

My First Maternity Photo Session

I love taking pictures of people, but I don't get to do as much portraiture as I would like. It's probably because I'm a bit shy, so I don't always put myself out there as much as I'd like. But the more I take pictures of people, the more I want to, and the more comfortable I get with it. Recently, I had the opportunity to do a maternity session for my friend Heather. We are both happy with the results and I'd like to share some of my favorites here with you! I also have a growing love for black and white photography, especially for portraits.


See the whole set here.

By the way, Heather had her baby last week. Congratulations Heather and Matt and welcome to the world Henry!

So friends, I have a question. What is your biggest challenge in your craft? How do you work to overcome that challenge?

More Lovely Links

Hi friends. I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! My mom came in town and we had a great time eating a lot of food, hanging with my boyrfiend and his daughter, relaxing, and watching the fireworks. What did you do this weekend?

I've got some links to share with you this morning.

First, take a look at this entire post of office inspiration from Design Sponge. I've been drooling over lots of well designed offices lately because my boyfriend and I want to redo his office.

Have you been to the Female Photographers of Etsy Miss Match Diptych Project blog yet (wow, what a mouthful!)?

I'd like to live in an eco-community like this.

Take a look at these beautiful wedding photographs. I'm aspiring to taking photos with this much warmth & expression. They truly tell a story.

I'm taking my wonderful boyfriend, D, to Leland in August and I can't wait! It's where I spent much of my childhood because my grandmother had a home there right on Lake Michigan. We are staying at the Riverside Inn, where my parents got married.

Lovely Links

I'm catching up with some blog reading and I wanted to share a few inspiring posts with you:

• I want to live here, almost more than any place I've ever seen. Although I'd like to live a lot of places. I'm a sucker for light and airy spaces like this!


• This is one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever seen!


• More amazing photography from Loreta at Allthebeautifulthings. Talk about using the light to your advantage...wow!


• I'm loving this plywood wall and bright colored bed room via paperandsticth.

Have a great Independence Day everyone!

Fireflies

It's 105 today here in Tucson and I'm dreaming about magical midwest summers nights filled with flittering, glowing fireflies.

1. Untitled, 2. Fireflies, 3. 245/365 firefly, 4. damselfly & fireflies

New Orleans

Hi gang. My man is taking me to New Orleans tomorrow! He moved here from New Orleans 5 years ago and still has a bunch of family there (whom I get to meet for the first time...wish me luck)!.

I've never been before and am exited to experience the Cajun flavor (minus the seafood, unfortunately), walk the streets of the French Quarter, stroll down Bourbon and through the cemetaries, and of course take lots of pictures! I'm cleaning my memory card tonight and expect to relish in the aging buildings and vibrant colors of New Orleans.

In the meantime I've been thinking a lot about the oil spill/gush and the consequences to the ocean ecosystem as well as the culture and tourism of places like New Orleans. I'd like to do something to help out while I'm down there, but I'm also a little scared to see the damage. I think this trip will mostly be one focused on seeing friends and family more than anything, so I don't know if we'll even have time to make it to where the clean-up efforts are taking place. Nonetheless, I've decided that when I return I'm going to donate some of my photographs to this wonderful effort taking place on Etsy.

Help The Gulf Coast is a collaboration of Etsy sellers donating 100% of their proceeds to clean up efforts. Great idea, isn't it? They've already had 270 sales in just over a week! Great work! (Click on the images to be taken to that item in the shop).

Father's Day Is Around the Bend

Hi friends! Well, its been a long time since I last posted, again, but I hope that you are still with me here! I've missed saying hi on here and visiting everyone else's blogs too! Life just gets busy sometimes.

Father's Day is just around the bend, and photography or art can be a great gift for dad. With this in mind, I'm giving free shipping in my store, Create Love Laugh, until Father's Day, June 20th, this year!

Here are a few items from my shop that might suit your dad's fancy.

Shipwrecked, 8x10, $27

Classic, (2)4x6, $10

Out on a Cliff, 8x10, $27

And as always, I can do custom sizes for any of my prints, just e-mail me!

There's so much great art out there! Here's a few others from Etsy that would make a good gift for dad.

Acoustic Dreams, 5x5, $15

Vintage Dictionary Baseball Player Art Print, 8x10, $8

Great White Shark, 5x7, $10

Spring Cactus Blossoms

The desert near my house is magnificently in bloom! The saguaros are starting to blossom, the prickly pear are full display, and the cholla are competing with their bright and abundant blooms.

The above photo is that of prickly pear blossoms. I think cactus flowers of some of the most beautiful in the world!

This photograph is for sale in my shop.

Things that make me happy.

Happy Tuesday! I'm constantly amazed by all of the wonderful ideas, great information, and creative people I come across online. Here's a few that are inspiring and enticing me today:

The Green Kitchen - Oh my, Oh my! I could spend hours searching their recipes and drooling at their pictures. Not to mention days and days making all the delicious food they share with us. For starters, doesn't this green kiwi drink sound delicious?

Kiwi Juice
Around 4 glasses

8 kiwi fruits
3 green apples (we used granny smith)
1/3 cucumber (about 4 inches)
1 piece of fresh ginger
fresh mint leaves

Serve with: ice cubes

Mix all the ingredients in a juice machine. Serve immediately with lots of ice.

Photo by Johanna Frenkel

ColourLovers - Have you been here yet? Get all the color, pattern, and palette inspiration you'll need.

SimplyBloom Photography - Yes, I'm in love. Their pictures are so dreamy!

It's picnic time!















1. It was in the summer that we met, 2. Ballad Of The Milkmaid, 3. Untitled, 4. Untitled, 5. ., 6. Her Best Friend Is a Bunny

Selfies

I really enjoy taking pictures of other people, but sometimes that's not an option. I was feeling creative yesterday so I set up a little studio in my living room. Here are a few of the shots that came from my make-shift studio. Someday I would love to get a whole studio set-up. For those of you who are photographers, what is your favorite thing to shoot and do you have your own studio space?

Branches of Bokeh

Branches of Bokeh
Originally uploaded by Neil1138

I just saw this on flickr and was mesmerized.
Unfortunately I can't get it any bigger here, so please click to be taken to the flickr page.

Loving.

I want to share with you a few things I'm loving right now. Hoping you might find some love in them too.



This Mexican Chocolate recipe found via Mint. Not to mention the blog, Feminine Modern, that the recipe was posted at!

Pretty vintage inspired wedding photos at The Drifter and the Gypsy.

The delightful work of LaCanotRouge. Animals at their best.

Spring bulbs and Loreta's Photography. Amazing!

Rainbows in Tucson, by Leslie Hawles. I can't believe I missed it!




















by Gina Sacomani

Only one hour left!

Hi all! Unfortunately this is coming to your attention very late, but I just found out that my giveaway at the Embellished Life ends tonight at 12 pm Eastern time. I've fallen behind in my blog following this week, so unfortunately this is what happens...I miss the important stuff. But, you can still enter and read my interview with Jessica. Her blog is really wonderful and she has such a fabulous way of speaking about others art.

I hope you can stop by and enter.

Spring is a comin'

Ah, green. You are the epitome of spring. You brighten our life; you soothe us with your calm.

O.k., without getting overly dramatic, fresh green grass does a lot to lift my spirits and I wanted to share that with you. So, click on the image above to be taken to my flickr page where you can download the full size version of this image. It makes a great desktop background!

Happy Pre-Spring!

Barrio Love

I've listed a few new items in my shop tonight. I took these when I first got my camera, but have finally gotten around to listing them. They are a few of my all-time favorites.

Testing my layout

Black and White

I love black and white photography.

This treasury is stunning. Thanks to Photogrunt for including me in this wonderful curation!

Uh, oh.

I'm having all sorts of problems with my blogger template. I tried to upload a new one and now I can't change my banner or get my fonts to work correctly. Please excuse the look until I can figure out how to get it fixed. Thanks!

Inspiration. In the light of day.

1. al mio amore..., 2. Untitled, 3. all the wild horses, 4. Pink Blush, 5. Hello Weekend!, 6. paris, 7. family of five, 8. peace, 9. vintage items everywhere

Bringing you a bit of spring!

It's Monday and that means its time to give you a bit of bliss with my bliss list. I thought I'd do it a bit differently this week and share with you some things that are uplifting to me. To start, I fell in love with Mirror Lake's photostream the minute I saw it. I think you will too. This photographer lives in Taiwan and primarily photographs birds, although his photostream contains the occasional monkey or butterfly (a great surprise). Here's a few of my favorites, but I encourage you to go to his photostream...I could spend hours there.



And a few more uplifting things to check out:

* It's never too soon to start taking control of your life. Turns out, attitude really is everything. Learn how to be your own placebo effect here.

* I've been really inspired to travel lately. This photograph is one reason. Anyone want to go to New Zealand with me?

* It's actually been raining here lately. Not common for my neck of the woods, but it brings a nice sense of calm to me. Do you feel the same way about rain?

* I've been blogged about on this very fashionable blog.

*Free art is always fun! Check out this free download from Nan Lawson at IndieFixx.

I'd always love to hear what inspires you or what brings you bliss. Feel free to leave comments or links!