LITTLE THINGS PHOTOBLOGATORY

2012 Online Photography Class!

2012-01-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

So indeed, it is with great pleasure that I have decided to take an online Photography Course from The Photography Institute: http://www.thephotographyinstitute.com/index.cfm/apg/home .

I think that from the preliminary information and the first module and assignments it is going to help me to be a much better photographer. It will also help me to decided how to use my skills to the best of my ability and interests.

I will be chronicaling (sp?) my efforts here from time to time. The welcome letter and tips are wonderful. The syllabus included in lesson one is very organized and easy to follow.

I'm just trying to think of what photo might go with this entry...something about new beginnings and starting out....learning, life, living the dream....lol...waxing ......

My tutor is a working photographer named David Goldman! He has a website: http://davidgoldmanphoto.com/?page_id=13 that I really like!

ok..back to the photo to go with this entry...hmmm.....oh... I got it...the Blue Bird of Happiness!!!!

_________________________________________________________

Community Photo Challenge and more

2011-12-30T23:01:00.001-08:00

December's challenge is to photograph a festive scene. Here is a link on Christmas Light Photography Tips . The Challenge starts today and ends Dec. 31st. To learn more or to enter the challenge see: http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2011/12/community-photo-challenge-festivities.html

This year's tree was smaller than in other years. Trying to fit the tree to the room. I decided red bulbs with red bows and a red velvet angel top was to be this year's theme. I so enjoyed the little tree which stands about as tall as me. I am lucky to be able to have a tree...that's the great Pacific Northwest...no problem getting Christmas trees. This is my entry for the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the little contest on the photo community challenge blog, I've begun photoblogging again! Below are some more pics in addition to my entry above!

__________________________________________________________

More Christmas photos of the ornaments on the tree...

Reflections - Community Photo Blog Post

2011-09-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry for the September Community Photo Blog post.

Here you will see the reflections of three people in a not so little creek. It's rather amazing it even came out since we were driving across a little bridge at about 25 miles an hour when I took it. Also if you look hard enough you will see a ghost of a reflection of me in the window on the right side of the photo....lol...caught me!

The contest ends at the end of September on the 30th...keep this quote in mind:

" The real journey of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
~Marcel Proust

Then go to this site for more instructions:
http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2011/09/community-photo-challenge-reflections.html

you may have to cut and paste the address....my blogger isn't putting the links in correctly.

Enjoy!
___________________________________________________________________

Natural History Museum - Geneva, Switzerland Birds

2011-09-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

These three interesting birds were found at the Natural History Museum during a recent trip to Geneva, Switzerland. How interesting to see the taxidermies there. The three birds had such interesting heads...feathers galore on one, Three little thin haired lines which looked like thin propellers on another one and the last one had a unicorn....since the caption was in French....alas I couldn't tell but I think these were real live birds at one time.

I can imagine it made for some unique adaptive measures for these animals.

__________________________________________________________________________

Colorful Geneva, Switzerland

2011-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Geneva or Geneve, Swizterland is a very colorful place. Especially during the time of their national festival on the Lake. Lots of fun rides, food booths, beautiful blue skies and water to enjoy in the lake. Just returned from a trip there and have lots of photos to post between this and my other blog on positive art. The truly spectacular scenes in this gorgeous city are a photographer's dream and nightmare at the same time. So many scenes, so few minutes in the day plus trying to keep up with the others along with me who did not share my enthusiasm for picture taking....lol. That's ok, I now get to relive the moments..beginning with these introductory shots. Although I did not ride the ferris wheel I did manage a couple of other rides without the usual ill effects. Ferris wheels tend to get my stomache roiling. Of course a little colorful booth which served some interesting drinks seemed to settle my stomache and so that was one place I did visit!

I thought ahead and picked out not only some of the photos I wanted to take but also the rides to ride. This trip has energized the photo bug in me...as trips tend to do. I'll be sharing more photos of Swizterland: Geneva, Interlaken, Zermatt, Beatenburg and another little town I'm forgetting the name as well as some of Hungary: Budapest and a little town 30 minutes outside of the City of Budapest...will get the name of that later.

Now on to getting some of the photos printed out for my scrap and photobooks. I plan to do something fun with them...including calendars, datebooks, cards and more.

div>

Color Splashing!!!!! I Love it!

2011-08-05T23:29:00.001-07:00

You might recognize the first photo here...it's a redo of my blog header photo using Photobucket's color splashing. What a great idea...you upload your photo to photobucket and using their edit and effects function you make the photo black and white and then use the color splash function to bring back bits and peices of the original colors.... The last two photos are before and afters of the Blue Angels flying at Seafair a couple of years ago...the sky was so blue that day. This year I went and the day I went it was a grey and overcast day so I prepared the photo which typified the day and the Blue Angels with a little color splashing.... Enjoy!

Smiles, Maria

__________________________________________________________

The Bee, The Bee!

2011-05-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

You know Spring is finally here when the Bees have arrived and the flowers are so bright you have to get those sunglasses out!

However, at the moment...it's that darn Seattle Spring rain out there which calls for an umbrella rather than sunglasses..I can always just close my eyes and think of these flowers.... Ha, so there rain!

These are just a couple of photos of the flowers I planted beside my front entryway. Some fun daffodils, purple and pink miniature rhodies, and some red tulips! I find that miniature Rhodies do a little better than the azealas..but I love them too. Pinks, Purples, whites and reds.... (ahhg, it's really raining right now). The flowers need the rain...and the sunshine too!

I'll be keeping both the sunglasses and the umbrella handy...just in case. Smiles to all!

_________________________________________________

Mardi Gras and Iphone photos

2011-03-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Mardi Gras is a theme for a celebration before Lent begins every year usually beginning in the month of March...sometimes February. It's based on some kind of religious calendar I don't understand and haven't researched enough. Lent is a Christian event which marks the 40 days and nights Jesus Christ wandered the dessert and prepared for his inevitable crucification and Easter rising from the dead. The few weeks leading up to Easter are usually a time of more focused fasting and charitable works for most Christians...but I'm most familiar with the Catholic practices. The Tuesday night before it begins is sometimes called Fat Tuesday as it would be the last night to eat big and party until lent is over. Used to be very strictly followed by Catholics when I was young. Now it seems more as a time of reflection and disciplined abstinance. It's good to challenge ourselves to abstain from our favorite foods and not party as much sometimes. Grounds us. Having said that I think some exceptions would have to include things like: St. Patrick's Day and of course Spring Flings celebrating the first days of Spring in March also. However, you get the main idea.

I recently got an Iphone4..couldn't wait for the Iphone5 coming out later this year I think..but what was cool about this phone is the camera in the phone...it takes photos both directions. The only criticism I have for that, and it's probably my fault since I'm not sure how to use all the settings, is that the quality is still very low...however...I did take some photos of recent Mardi Gras paraphenalia with the phone I'd like to share. They look ok on the website...so for bloggin they are not too bad. I love masks and I have gathered quite a collection...which is a subject for another post. Here were some new ones for this year. The last photo is one of a pastry called the King's cake. It is a dessert that is supposed to have a little figure of a baby and a hard bean in it somewhere. The one who finds these in their slice are supposed to have good luck or money throughout the year. Bakeries around here don't put them in the pastry due to a fear of causing a choking hazard....which could be very real if you aren't expecting to find these interesting artifacts. Enjoy!

Flowers from Branches

2011-02-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

I took this photo with my new Iphone4. It takes much better pics than my Classic Iphone which had no zoom or video capabilities. I've been a little slack on taking photos with my Panasonic. With all this HD stuff it causes me some consternation when I look at the photos later. Still getting used to that aspect.

This particular picture of the branches which bloomed was a great example of waiting and patience. These branches were just sticks with buds for it seems like weeks. They were a gift from good friends. (Thanks, Kar and Tom). I put them in the vase of water and waited and waited. Finally, my long waiting was rewarded by little white flowers blooming. They have bloomed for a long time (a couple of weeks) and are looking a little sad now...but I loved them. It's nice to have this pic to remind me of it even when it's gone.

I just realized that my last entry was also from my Iphone4...hmmm this might be a new trend. It's easy to take a pic and then send it to my email for quick posting...now to figure out how to do that with facebook..I'm sure there is an app for that.

Post of Rednesday - Feb. 2 Valentine Cookies

2011-02-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Amazingly it is already February and I've been a bit absent from my photoblog. Seems like with Facebook and emailing there is little time for this blog. However, today is Red Wednesday or Rednesday as one of my blogging friends calls it..dedicated to taking photos of red things. My entry is a couple of photos taken by my Iphone4 of some valentine cookies. Pillsbury provided the dough and the designs. I especially liked the smiley faces...hope you do too...oh yes, they were delicious...almost all gone. We just baked them two days ago. Four dozen cookies...poof! I have to admit they were small ones so eating them so fast is not as bad as it sounds. Smiles!

_______________________________________________________________

Rednesday post - Red Cosmo

2010-12-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Christmas is still in my heart and will be always...but the festivities are almost over...notwithstanding New Year's! I can still see the red bows on my neighbors garage from my computer room window....and on the wreath next door too. Red and white candy cane fencing lines the yard across the cul-de-sac too. The red bulbs on the trees and the fun Christmas cosmos too. Here is my entry for Rednesday...which is a wonderful photo competition...This is my entry: a red Cosmo to drink and to celebrate the year gone by and to hail the New One coming in!

This one is a little low (LOL) because I've already started celebrating! So cheers to all!

Visit the Rednesday posts here: http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/2010/12/last-rednesday-of-2010_28.html

***********************************************************

Snow has arrived in Seattle

2010-12-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in awhile so it might not surprise you (whoever is looking at this) to read that this photo was taken in November! The snow had arrived in Seattle on November 22. It snowed for quite awhile and stuck around for about three days. It was about 4-5 inches at our place and the wind blew it into drifts of more than that in places. The sun came out and the sky was blue! Hence the reason for the snow sticking around. The wind blew all the clouds away and it stayed cold but sunny. So unusual for Seattle...usually the clouds stick around, it warms up and the snow melts right away. We had icy roads for three days...luckily it cleared up by Thanksgiving so we had clear driving where we needed to go. It is beautiful, dangerous and cold. Snow, Snow, Snow....let it Snow? ok..when I'm not driving then it can snow.

Fall has arrived at Fort Dent in South Seattle

2010-11-10T22:52:00.001-08:00

Fall is here! I took my camera out for a little photo shoot at a nice little park here in South Seattle called Fort Dent. Not sure how it got it's name but it's very nice and has a pond which was reflecting all the leaves so brightly the other day. I even got a photo of two little evergreen trees nestled in the birch wood that makes me want to burst out in song with 'O Christmas Tree'.

Sunset cotton candy Cloud reflections

2010-09-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

The sunsets at Elliott Bay Marina just kept getting better....this was the last day of our stay there. Viewing sunsets from the water is a definite winner on my to do's lists.

A Day at the Marina

2010-07-26T00:10:00.001-07:00

I have been spending time on our boat at the Elliott Bay Marina. No we don't have a Sailboat but we get to watch some pretty Sailboats from the Marina. On Thursday nights it's Sailboat night and many of the sailboats in our marina head out past the breakwater to sail in the sun. Here is a photo of some of them doing just that! It is a sight to behold. Especially when they open their spinnaker sails. I feel lucky to be able to be here. Elliott Bay is very beautiful when the sun is shining and it's warm in Seattle.

Random hearts - pansy surprise

2010-07-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how you can find heart shapes in nature. In flowers and rocks. I found a touching blog that specializes in finding these random hearts and collecting them. Here is my contribution. A black heart in a purple/blue pansie....ah...what does that mean? Royal black heart....so pretty so dangerous....To see more visit the site of Clytie at her Random hearts and Guest Heart Thursday #14 post where I am entering this pansy photo find....
http://clytie-randomhearts.blogspot.com/2010/07/guest-heart-thursday-14.html

Trio of Yellow Iris - with contrast

2010-06-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

I was playing around with the contrast settings with this photo and darkened it just enough to create this dark background effect. It illuminated the yellow iris enough to make them seem a little ethereal and dreamy looking. I find that for some reason my photos are darker at times when I take them. It's probably a setting I've not understood yet. I don't find that discouraging. I use the darkness in the photo and play around with it to make it look as I want it to look. The result is sometimes quite dramatic and unexpected like this trio of yellow iris:

This photo was taken outside in the daylight...but I've made it appear as if it was inside or at least in the darkness. Playing with the settings is fun and surprisingly interesting. It certainly makes a photo into more than it was to start with at times. This one came out quite satisfactory! I'm smiling right now. :)

Color Carnival Inspired Post- Froggy

2010-06-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

INSPIRED BY

I'm doing an extra entry inspired by the Color Carnival. I got mixed up, I've already entered for June...LOL. I may just wait and enter this in July...who knows...I like the little froggy.

Anyways this is a photo I took at the Rain Forest Cafe in the shopping center near our house. It's a statue but it was really cute and I couldn't resist! I love the little lights at the top of the photo..they almost look like lightening bugs!

To see others for the June Challenge check out the Color Carnival at this link: http://colorcarnivalmeme.blogspot.com/2010/06/color-carnival-52.html . The site also has my pansies photo from a couple of entries ago...my pansies are full of c0lor and smiles!

It looks like it wants to say something...What is it little froggy?

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #94 - FACES

2010-06-14T19:12:00.001-07:00

PANSY SMILES

Here is my entry for the Monday Ellipsis Photo shoot #94 Faces. To me pansies have faces that are always smiling! Also they always face the sun as all flowers do! So there you have it ...my Pansy Smiles. The assignment is to show a photo of faces but be creative. I think I met the requirement.

Check out the others at this site: http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com/2010/06/ellipsis-monday-photo-shoot-94-faces.html ...

There are some very creative entries...The current week you have to go into the comments section and then next week go to the next entry.....She posts the links to the current week entry in next week's entry...took me a little while to figure that out myself! But it's worth the surfing!

Community Photo Challenge - Color

2010-06-02T19:31:00.001-07:00

This month's photo challenge is on the subject of color but with a twist..see the Photo Challenge blog to see other submittals: http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2010/05/community-photo-challenge-color.html

The idea is do to something creative with the color that the camera did not see.

I added some blue and yellow tones to this photo using ordinary Microsoft Office Picture Manager and it popped the colors on the photo quite nicely to create a surreal and whimsical effect.....Here is the result which I named: "Whimsical Reading Place"

BEFORE: For some reason due to lighting or temperature this photo seemed very dull and lifeless.

AFTER COLOR TOUCHUP: The photo seemed to come alive!

Pansies for Color Carnival #52

2010-06-02T16:48:00.001-07:00

Pansies are a riot of color here this time of year. Here is my entry for the next month's color carnival meme. Glad it went from weekly to monthly! I couldn't keep up!

Here is the link to the site: http://colorcarnivalmeme.blogspot.com/2010/06/color-carnival-52.html

These pansies are a brilliant display of color that truly amazed me when I saw it in digital format. Very representative of the real thing! Pansies always remind me of smiles! Smiles to you all!

Refections in Ixtapa - Reflections Photo Challenge #35

2010-05-21T18:07:00.001-07:00

Weekend Reflections - a photo challenge for the week #35
be sure to check out the others at the link: http://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/05/family-fun-on-other-side-weekend.html

The view from our vacation spot earlier this year surprised us with some sunrise reflections that were from an orange building, not the sun! The second photo of the closeup might make you think it was sunshine adding that warm glow to the water on the beach....but no! Surprise, it is none other than one of the hotels lining the bay of this wonderful spot in Ixtapa, Mexico. This was the first time we had other family go on vacation with us! First week my sister and her husband and then the second week my daughter and her fiancee. So I guess in a way that would be a family involvement. Besides what a nice idea! A morning walk on the beach for a couple or anyone...to reflect on the day ahead!

-------------the following closeup tricks you!

Book clubs are fun!

2010-05-19T22:21:00.000-07:00

I am newly inspired by a book club I recently joined at the invitation of a friend of mine. The books I'm reading are different than what I would have personally chosen and the women are all fun to converse with about the book and other topics. I took a couple of inspired photos at last week's monthly meeting...wine, flowers, books and conversation all blended to create a warm and friendly evening of fun!

My wine, tulip and flower header strip was one inspiration. The horse folder and the butterfly were there for a reason. The horse folder to hold my paperwork on the books we were recommending over the next year and the butterfly went with the book we read called 'Still Alice' by Lisa Genova about a women going through Alzheimers from her perspective. A compelling read as you can imagine. I really like the way this composition came together...in the front seat of my Chrysler Convertible!

The second photo was of a wine glass in front of snowball flowers and a bookshelf looming in the background..the wineglass was calling to my camera and I couldn't resist taking the photo in the middle of our conversations, LOL. :

PS: Being in this book club makes me consider that maybe I should also join a photo club.....

Princess Scrunchies at Pike Place Market

2010-05-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

Color Carnival entry - Princess Scrunchies!

The Color Carnival is a great way to display Colors! To play follow this link: http://colorcarnivalmeme.blogspot.com/

Boats, Water and Mountains!

2010-05-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

Taking a stroll through Shilshole marina I captured a wonderful water, boat and mountain scene!

Color Carnival

2010-04-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Color Carnival is a great way to display Colors! To play follow this link: http://colorcarnivalmeme.blogspot.com/

Here is a fun thing that I did with a photobucket photo of a swan...I posted this awhile ago but it bears repeating. It was part of an art gallery idea I had that fell by the wayside. I used the editing cartooning and swirl features on the site.

Here is the original:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Van Lierops Garden - Photo Challenge- Gardens

2010-04-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

This month's photochallenge is Gardens. To Play see the site: http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2010/04/community-photo-challenge-gardens.html

Here is my garden entry - Van Lierops Garden in Puyallup, Washington. This garden is the home of the Van Lierops family which has been farming on this property for many years. They have a little store on site and sell cut flowers. The garden is open to anyone to visit and enjoy. I discovered it a couple of years ago. I believe that the property is now for sale for it may not be around very much longer. I tried googling the name but there isn't anything out there worth mentioning. I will have to go back and buy the book they have for sale which documents their family history and the farm operations. They don't have fields to look at like there are in Mt. Vernon, Washington but Puyallup is much closer to my home and although the garden is small it is not dissappointing. I went there on both a grey day and a sunny day this year. It was breathtaking both times. I hope that this little treasure of a gardenwill continue because it is like a rare gem of a shining jewel. I took so many photos this year I think I must have gotten into some kind of photography zone...just like athletes do when they exercise. Ha, Ha.

Here is a slideshow of some of the garden flowers!

________________________________________________________

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers! Photocrazy!

2010-04-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

No I am not a florist but I love to take photos of flowers. Especially close ups! If I can't listen to music I love looking at photos of flowers. They are so inspiring!

This little animation is from Missie's Tags site: http://www.missies-tag-blog.net/2010/04/snag-or-tagsmell-flowers.html#comment-form
She does a great job with animations and shares them with others.

The photos which follow, of course were taken by Moi! (That's me in French). I have to polish up on my French since my daughter is going to be staying at Lake Geneva in Switzerland for a while and they speak mostly french there. Parlez-vous français?? It's been awhile since I learned French. Gradeschool to be exact..but I digress. Flowers in french are: Fleurs...I love flowers is: J'aime les fleurs , and I do!

Here are some recent photos of some closeups which are always intriguing since this is a different viewpoint than most people see:

____________________________________________________________________-

Slide show of Van Lierops Tulips in Puyallup

2010-04-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

In the blink of an eye we are halfway through April. Taxes are done! April is for Tulips! In celebration of this time passing here is a slideshow of some more tulips.

There is a little bulb farm in Puyallup, Washington called Van Lierops where a pretty garden of tulips and daffodils are planted each year to bloom in Spring. This year I've visited the garden twice, one grey overcast day and one sunny day. This slideshow is from my flickr uploads of the grey overcast day!

________________________________________________

Easter Week! Tulips and Flowers galore!

2010-04-01T10:15:00.001-07:00

Spring is here and Easter is just around the corner. So many beautiful flowers and warm breezes starting to float by them. It's still a little cool and the sun is playing hide and seek with the clouds but the signs are here and it will be warmer soon. Today is a good example of that! Cloudy with some sunshine here and there. Windy and cool but happily bright with spots of color in everyone's gardens...including mine. Here are some of my fav Tulip photos from around Washington:

________________________________________________________________

January, February and March have flown by

2010-03-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

It's been almost three months since I posted a photo! I've certainly taken quite a few. Here are a couple of my photos of some swans from an Anderson, California Hotel. The Black Swans come from Australia!

From Swans Anderson California

_______________________________________________________

Christmas Photo Challenge - Greeting Cards

2009-12-21T20:44:00.001-08:00

I have two entries for the Greeting card photo challenge hosted at this site:

http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html

and.....

_______________________________________________

It's Almost Christmas! Memories and Thoughts.

2009-12-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

Last Year - we had a Noble Pine Tree, the decorations were white birds, colored ornaments, white lights and a White Angel on top..we also had a talking ornament! See my entry from last Dec. in 2008: http://areyoupositive.blogspot.com/2008/12/talking-ornament.html

This Year - we have a Spruce Pine with Red and Green ornaments, colored lights, hanging jeweled angels and Nutcracker soldiers, a gold garland and a red velvet Angel on top. Photo is coming...need to upload...

Peggy's Therapuetic Garden

2009-11-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

This entry is a tribute to my friend Peggy's Therapuetic Garden.
Her passions for gardening and helping people reduce stress
and eliminate tension came together in her much loved and
tended Therapuetic garden. What follows here are several
photos from her garden which I took during a garden
tour she participated in over the summer.

Her garden inspired these little thoughts to pop out of my head.
One line for each photo:

As we walk Peggy's garden path,
We encounter the calm turns
Causing us to take heart in the beauty!
Despite the tangles and confusion we may see
We meditate on peace and tranquility.
We are greeted by lush greenery.
The shelter of an umbrella is inviting
But we'd rather be seated and relax...it isn't raining!

______________________________________

Marina - Sunsetting in DesMoines, WA

2009-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

Time for an entry with a tribute to the sunset! In July of this
year, before I broke my leg, I was taking a walk along the dock
at the DesMoines Marina. It was later in the evening when
the sun was just beginning to set that I viewed the scenes in
this entry below. The pinks in the sky were just
beginning bloom and I knew there would be a fine transition
into a beautiful sunset. I put this collage together from the
photos I took to show the transition in three stages...
Early Evening, Sunset, and Twilight. For a few minutes after the
sun sets there is still color in the sky before it begins to get dark.
Looking through the boat masts added an additional
element of interest and might make you feel more a part
of the marina experience.

Here is some information about sunset, dusk and twilight
from wikipedia: Dusk is the beginning of darkness in the
evening. It is often confused with sunset, which is the daily
disappearance of the sun below the horizon. The sky
generally remains bright and blue for some time after the
sun sets. This period is known as twilight. Dusk is the end
of the evening civil twilight.

Trumpet Swans at Skagit Valley

2009-11-18T00:08:00.001-08:00

While up in the Skagit Valley area this weekend I happened

upon a flock of swans! Couldn't resist getting a few photos!

_______________________________________________

Flowers for November 1 - All Saints Day

2009-11-01T15:21:00.001-08:00

Flowers! Posting flower photos is a favorite topic of many bloggers. This bouquet was obtained from the West Seattle Market back in September. Photography is not exactly the same as live flowers but it sure does help with remembering them. I've always loved the Cosmos flower for its airy and light petals as well as the pinkish and purple tone in the colors. To me they are eye-popping and very appealing.

Today is all Saints day. A tribute to the heros and heroines of the Catholic and Christian religions. I miss the Saint statues and beautiful stained glass windows in the more modern churches these days. They were reminders of people who spent a big part of their lives trying to do good by giving all their time and possessions to help others who had nothing...and I do mean all! Today, this day is a reminder of their good works and sacrifices. Statues and stained glass windows are like the photographs of these flowers. Reminders of them. They are not idolotry...which was the complaint that led to a lot of the statues being removed and no more beautiful stained glass windows of the saints. What price fear and ignorance? I still remember the statue of St. Francis with the birds and animals that I love and sometimes see in the garden stores.

October come and gone!

2009-11-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it's already November 1! The month seemed to just blow by me and I've barely posted any photos. The winds of October were cool and a little rainy but not as much as last year. The trees have been and still are spectular in the sunshine with all the golds, oranges and reds in their leaves. We had some nice rainbows too.

Halloween was just a little quiet around here. Although I did buy a blue and white haired wig. ...which I did wear to answer the door when the little trick or treaters came by with their cute costumes. Not sure I'm brave enough to publish a photo of me in it...I used it with a pirate's hat and when asked told people I was Belinda the blue haired pirate. I love costumes. That child in my just doesn't want to grow up....I hope it never will.

Quotes for the day's photo - Forgive everyone everything!

2009-10-07T21:58:00.001-07:00

Forgive everyone everything.

Time heals all wounds, give time time!

- Regina Brett

A quote for the day's photo - " Don't Wait

2009-10-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

"Be eccentric now, don't wait for old age to wear purple.

Urban Ugly and The New Consonance

2009-09-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

I have to spotlight what I found to be an amazing combination of Photographs and Sound so I won't forget. Very eerie and amazingly well put together. It is a short musicphotogallery of some Urban photographs by a british photography named Highton Ridley combined with the music of Beat Frequency put together by Gordon Charlton. Interestingly enough,this is great timing since October is coming and Halloween is just around the corner. I felt this to be a wonderful display of a haunting message: Be careful what you might leave behind.... I'll need to remember to continually check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsk42dPm0cw

Highton's photo site : http://www.highton-ridley.co.uk/

And some very compelling black and whites: http://www.highton-ridley.co.uk/monochrome/index.html

The eerie feeling of the music really gave me the chills. See Gordon's site for more of that:
http://beat-frequency.blogspot.com/

It reminded me that I need to do something about the clutter in my computer room....I need to be careful of what I might leave behind!

Summer is still here!

2009-09-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your Flip Flops because summer is still here. Officially it isn't over until around September 21. This photo reminded me of a great weekend in August. I visited relatives at their home in Belfair, Washington, at Hood Canal. The house was right off the water and there were good opportunities to go swimming and sunning. Mostly, though, it was about connecting and savoring our times together. It was a girls' weekend! An annual affair that started a few years ago. Big girls and little girls were in abundance! Fun times and great company! Pilgrimages were made by people from out of two states: from Arizona and Oregon to Washington State by a few of the relatives.

Flip Flops are some of the best footwear for the summer. An easy off and easy on foot item, a flip flop will always be welcome in my life! I'll be holding on to mine even into the cooler months while inside the house to help me remember the summer good times had by all!

News on the Art Gallery idea and Swans

2009-09-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hello, all!

Yes, I think some of my followers will remember my idea of a different kind of art gallery for this site. I had several entries regarding my brainstorming, especially about Swans:

Started in February:

The beginning of an idea:

http://littlethingsphotoblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/serious-gallery-thinking.html

Quick note on ideas brewing:

http://littlethingsphotoblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/some-ideas-brewing.html

More ideas in March:

http://littlethingsphotoblog.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

Reference Animoto slide show in December 2008 (probably where the kernel of the idea really started:

http://littlethingsphotoblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/swans-and-animoto.html

Then in March...silence...I had a brain freeze on what I should do next.

The freeze is thawing now.....so it shouldn't be too much longer....but still not sure how long. I had some more ideas!...that is a very good sign!

Purple Iris come with bladed edges

2009-08-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

Time for a flower entry. It's been awhile. I was looking at the postings in the 'Today's Flowers" URL: http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/ and got inspired to post an entry on a flower. There are some great flower entries at that site...I invite you to visit a few.

I do like taking photos of flowers. Sometimes I'm at an event and a likely subject catches my eye. I recently captured this patch of purple iris because I found it to be quite compelling amidst its blades of green. In fact...the color looks more blue than purple. However, upon closer inspection you will see the reflections of purple iridescence on the petals.

The Iris is a regal plant. It stands tall and the blades of green act as little soldiers protecting the buds and flowers from being trampled too easily. This patch of iris was a very healthy example.

Amazingly, these iris were growing in a little patch at the Seattle center bordering the Center Fountain...and despite the crowds at the Folklife Festival happening at the same time...they did not get trampled......

Comment Clouds and Photos

2009-08-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

A very fun thing to do with your photos is to put comment clouds in them.

Here is an example of two seagulls talking....:

Or you could use them for occassions like birthdays or anniversaries:

It's a lot of fun to experiment and see what you can come up with..you never know what will come to mind..:)

Moon at Sunrise in Purple

2009-08-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sunrises are incredibly inspiring and the reds and yellows of the skies are always appealing. The other day however I saw a little white sliver in the sky at dawn and some clouds around it. I took a few shots and although the greys with hints of pink were very nice I experimented with the color settings and found that purple made the scene surreal and inviting at the same time. The phrase 'purple majesty' came to mine as well as that Prince song, Purple Rain. http://www.last.fm/music/Prince/_/Purple+Rain?autostart short 30 seconds...

It's fun to experiment with color changes on photos. Something different from the original may inspire us to think differently. A fresh perspective can help people to come up with some new ideas.

Moonsetting for the day in a purple sky...... When the sun rises ...the moon sets... sometimes.....

Remembering Why I do photography!

2009-07-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hola, amigos!

Recently I remembered why I do photography. I have been catching up on downloading and organizing my photos and ran across some wonderful and vibrant photos I took in Mexico at Cabo San Lucas early this year while on a cruise with the Princess Lines. I couldn't believe how blue the water looked on some of the photos....that's why I do photography! It brought me right back to the moment when I felt the warm sun and cool breeze on my face. The cool blue colors of the water were the same! I was there again experiencing the moment with joy and happiness. Yep, that's why I do photography. Here is one of the photos I took that day and the blues are incredible and by clicking on the photo you will get a better view:

Refocusing Blog on Photography learnings

2009-05-31T21:00:00.001-07:00

What is a Photoblogatory? It's a blog about photography and also a place to learn more - hey that's my definition. I felt a need to refocus this blog in a more definite direction. My other blog on Positive thinking and this one seemed to overlap quite often and the redundancy was getting to me. Because this blog is mostly about photography and not meant to be long or indepth I thought that retitling it to Little Things Photoblogatory was appropriate. I did try to google and yahoo photoblogatory but found that the term had very limited usage. And what was out there were a couple of blogs that were not being fully utilized...one for a camera lab newsletter (http://photolaboratory.com/wordpress/ ) and the other...I'm not quite sure.. I'm not planning anything as indepth as camera reviews but only targeting to share my observations of life using the camera and how it reacts...in addition to playing around with different ways to use the camera to showcase photos be they still or moving! :) Hence the art gallery ideas.......still stewing and chewing on those.

The little and subtle things are what I try to photograph and learn with my camera that I'm after sharing. Ask me why I took a photo and I can tell you. Ask me how I felt at the time...I can tell you. Ask me what I learned from it...I can tell you. Don't ask and I'll probably still tell you! LOL. These three aspects: The Whys? The Feelings? and The Photo Learnings? will be plenty to blog about in the photoblogatory and at a minimum will be my goal.

Memorial Day Thoughts

2009-05-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

Flags and crosses row by row...repeated throughout many cities in our country today in the USA. One cannot help but stop and say a prayer for all these brave souls today. Here is mine:

God Bless these soldiers whose crosses are resting here for the crosses that they bore for all of us. We cannot know their thoughts or feelings during their days of service but we can certainly keep them in our hearts and send out our love to them where they rest in peace. Love is eternal.

It was a beautiful day here in Seattle. A rare day of sun and warmth in May. There were many flags out today. I find that somehow very comforting. It is a sobering holiday here in the US. But remembering those who have fallen in war and service giving the ultimate sacrifice of their lives is important...it means something. Today they are remembered.

Photo Story Photo Challenge - Making Noise for Sounders

2009-05-19T01:17:00.000-07:00

Photo Story link

My entry for the Community Photo Challenge the Photo Story. ..click on the photo for a better look..:)

Here are some photos about making noise at a recent Seattle Sounders Soccer Game!

What is a flower? A Delight!

2009-05-19T00:21:00.001-07:00

What is a flower if it is not an expression of delight? A flower exists for a moment in time and lasts forever in spirit. A flower has a fast life and yet can last forever in our heart and soul. I'm convinced that a flower is so beautiful and bright because it captures the sun's essence and reflects it for all to see and feel in earthly form for all to continue the sunny experience.

Another Marina photo

2009-05-17T23:26:00.001-07:00

Time for another entry...the Art Gallery is slow in coming but I haven't given up. I may put it on another site...but for now I will post some of my photos from time to time. The object that looks like a bird in this photo is actually a kite that is there for scaring away the birds that might create some droppings on the boat.

Time for a post - Surprise at the Marina

2009-04-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

I have been taking a bit of a break from my swan gallery and my blogging and have so many photos to download...all of March and April....lots going on that has kept me from my blogging companions...all good though. Just keeping me otherwise occupied. Writing speeches, program management at work is quite all encompassing...then this last week I caught an awful cold...I have been wanting to post something quick. When I looked through my photos I thought it might be nice to post a surprise photo.... this photo was taken from a far distance of the Shilshole Marina. I had to take a second look when I noticed a sea serpent on the rocks....through the lens...I hadn't noticed it before....although a statue on the rocks it was a surprise to me.

It was late in the day so the day was a bit grey. The last time I had looked down on this view was several years back when I went on the 3 day Cancer walk with my good friend, Kar. It was a much sunnier day and I don't remember this scene. Seattle is full of surprises....there you are..my quick entry for the day. :)

Recognizing another blogger's post on Swans

2009-03-14T23:57:00.001-07:00

While I was looking for something on my blogger dashboard I ran across a neat site I hadn't visited for awhile and discovered there were some very neat swan photos and associated articles on some of the topics I wanted to pull together on swans at this link: http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/2009/03/wing-tips-critters.html at a Blog called Ramsey Daily Photos by Babooshka Akhsoobab. The entry shows some swan wing tips and they are gorgeous. In addition if you read through her article there are some red links to other related swan postings. Babooshka is a very good writer. One of the links is a blog entry about swan songs and some description about what they mean and how they may relate to swans...try this direct link: http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/2008/10/banking-its-no-swan-song-for-isle-of.html which also includes another wonderful photo of a swan spreading it's wings.....She is an incredible photographer and writer....wouldn't you agree?

Ahh, they say there is nothing new under the sun...yes, it looks as if she has done the Swan blog gallery in her way by linking to several postings. My approach will be a little different in that I will have a photo of a forest path breaking into a three pronged fork in the path..( still need to actually find the path and take the photo...but I know it exists somewhere....LOL). This entry will lead into the three gallerias:

-The Lost Lagoon

- The Glass Menagerie

- The Swan garden planters

My goal as mentioned before will be in each entryway for there to be signs and paths to take you to the original creations, the colorful pop art spinoffs, the cartoon art posters, possible glitter and animated creations or slide shows and billboards with poems or quotes....with a secret window allowing you to look back to the beginning if you would like to take a different path with a different focus.

Several years ago shortly after graduating from college I was very engaged into making stained glass creations but decided to quit doing work on them for various reasons. During that time, I did produce a stained glass swimming swans leaded glass window which I still own. The enclosed photo below is a snapshot of the window with light shining behind it to give it that glowing look.

This was an interesting time of my life and I made several stained glass planter boxes and a few windows. Also some smaller hanging objects. The last project was a hummingbird window which I ended up hiring someone else to finish. I'll be saving that for my hummingbird galleria..:)

Others' works inspire me. I don't get discouraged if they are better photographers or writers. I hope to learn from them and maybe I can offer something that they also can learn from. To move forward I recognize that I'm in a state of improvement. The attitude and committment to learn and improve is key to maintaining a productive and optimistic approach. Just as our fingerprints distinguish us as unique from each other so does our thinking. Our perspectives and approaches to living out our dreams and passions are all different!

One final thought: giving credit to the talents and perspectives of others while discovering our own is very important. If you didn't get a chance to visit Babooshka...please do now at one of the links above.. you never know what you will learn when you least expect it to help you along your way!

Galleria ideas 1 - tour guide, purpose, outline, brainstorming

2009-03-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

What is a tour without a tour guide? This can be both a person and a brochure or map so you can self tour or if you would like you can rely on the more face-to-face human experience. Art galleries are quite interesting and they are not all the same. Some art galleries have the purpose of selling the art...others have the purpose of preserving it and showcasing it. A purpose for the gallery does seem to be one thing that must be clarified. One purpose may also be to entertain and lift your spirits or inspire you to be creative and grow in your own particular field. Art can be mind-opening and it can be controversial. A tour guide can help to frame the tour by providing the purpose of an exhibit and to provide relevant stories and background on the artwork and the artist.

What shall my purpose be for the art gallery? I think I will need to experiment first with some different purposes. The purpose of my first art galleria of the Swans is to entertain and to open your mind to possibilities of your own creativeness. I'd like this art 'show' to be like a little experiment in virtual touring. I think that I've mentioned before some of the themes I've discovered associated with swans that could be pulled into the framing....the fairy tale of the ugly duckling, the Swan Lake Ballet by Tschaikowski, Black Swans, Mute Swans, The Swans of Lost Lagoon in Vancouver, swans in glass and pottery, ....and more.....narrowing down the themes to maybe three that compliment each other would be good.....

In setting up the Swan Galleria I find that I must capture the final three ideas to get started....It must be three areas of focus where I have photographed swans in some way...here is the preliminary framing that I will work with for now:

1) Swans of Vancouver's Lost Lagoon

2) Glass swans of crystal and hand blown glass

3) Swan planters

There will be the original art, the pop art, cartoon art, glitter art, and associated stories, poems or quotes and of course a collection of associated cards to match.

One possible outline:

Welcome and intro of where the tour will take you - video and brochure

Three beautiful entry ways to take you to:

- The Lost Lagoon
- The Glass Menagerie
- The Swan garden planters

In each entry way will be signs and paths to take you to the original creations, the colorful pop art spinoffs, the cartoon art posters, possible glitter and animated creations or slide shows and billboards with poems or quotes....with a secret window allowing you to look back to the beginning if you would like to take a different path with a different focus.

An extraordinary ending would be one that brings all three together in a sublime and beautiful way..whether as a collage or a slide show or something else...then offering something that would lead you to come back and find new discoveries not seen the first time through.

The goal at the end is to have experienced the galleria and come away feeling refreshed and amazed...at both the photographs and the process of the virtual tour itself.

I'm writing these thoughts so I can brainstorm better.....I'm beginning to envision this galleria a little clearer which means I'm getting closer to putting it all together.....outlines always do help to get things started.

What are the next steps?

Gather the photos into themed folders corresponding to the simple outline I shared earlier.

Begin the design of the entrance and pathways to link to the photos and other information for the blog......... A storyboard so to speak.

I will start with the photos I have in the three areas and then create the other interpretations over the next few days...the previous entry gives an idea of the Pop Art and the Cartoon poster art....but then I'm getting ahead of myself...One Thing at a time...

Selecting the original photos to use is really the first major step...the vision of the layout will inspire me as to which ones will work the best...I may find I need to take more photographs which might mean this galleria may evolve even past what I may unveil in the first presentation.

The way these blogs work I will most likely start at the end so I can link things sequentially coming to the beginning in the last blog I create....working from back to front...so that I may have several blog entries leading to one master Grand entrance. ...which will be the beginning.... I can create the entries as under construction in draft form and have an unveiling when they are all completed by publishing them all at once.......logistics will be important. The links will be important and the guides will be crucial.

Once the framework and method are developed I can apply it to other photo art gallerias. It may result in a website eventually being formed rather than a blog....but that remains to be seen.

Eventually, the photos may become something of value beyond the galleria....transcending the setting and framework and rising out of the setting into someone's separate and unique experience or interaction with the Photography. When that happens it will be like magic. If magic happens I will be most happy.

Swan ideas 1

2009-03-06T23:40:00.001-08:00

Some of my ideas for the art gallery are to create something more than just the photos..maybe a cartoon poster or a pop art version of the original to show. Provide a look at the subject in a slightly different way..here are a couple of samples of these thoughts along with the original snapshot:

Flowers for the Interim and more brainstorming on Swans

2009-03-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

Whilst planning this gallery I don't want to lose site of my other photos. Here is one photo of some flowers that I thought were dahlias but were later told they were pink daisies. They just go to show that things are not always what you might think they are! We can always learn more.

On that subject I found out that the swans I have pictures of are not originally from here. They are European imports called Mute swans. The ones that are more indigenous are called Tundra swans and Trumpet swans. The Mute swans are a bit aggressive and are not exactly friends with the Tundra and Trumpet Swans. I'm going to do a little more research on them......I would like to know why they are called 'Mute' swans.

My goal is for my art gallery to be educational, entertaining, and uplifting! On the entertaining side some ideas are to have a visual and verbal tour of the photos, places which add interest, animations that add humor or make a point, links to related sites which might add more to a persons pool of knowledge on the subject, a place to comment and possibly hook up with others interested in the topics for a start.

I'll need to find something with swans flying to add visual meaning to the verbal term of uplifting....my current photos of the swans are all on the ground. There are several videos of some of these birds swimming...

The Black Swan....has white wingtips...I photographed one a few years ago at a Denver hotel..I may have to dig up that photo again.....

Then there is the Hans Christian Anderson tale of the Ugly Duckling which is really about a swan......

The Brainstorming on the art gallery continues.....

Some ideas brewing

2009-02-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ideas are brewing...so don't give up on me. I have ordered some background prints for the virtual gallery and am gathering up all my swan paraphenalia. I liked the bookcases as a background for my commentary so I may continue to use that as a backdrop. The most challenging thing is to find the time to pull the thoughts together and make them happen...maybe this weekend I will have some progress to show if those photos arrive for the backdrop.......then on to the swan photos....from there. :)

Serious Gallery Thinking

2009-02-21T22:27:00.001-08:00

It's time I started thinking more seriously about art galleries. I have admired the work of some other photographers and artists and have been working on the birth of an idea of my own. I'd like to start an art gallery of sorts but with working full time and not really having the time to get a studio outside of my home..it occurred to me that I could try something a little different...a virtual gallery via video along with my photos. Some of my friend bloggers get to witness the birth of this idea on my photo blog: The Little Things. Not sure where this will take me but it's a journey I am embarking on which I want to share with those who visit this blog.

I have three objectives..why? Because three is a good number and I have to stop somewhere! :)
1. Create a virtual art gallery of sorts that entertains and provides positive ideas for others
2. Show case my work to help me create an idea for a virtual business site elsewhere
3. Sustain this idea for one year to test it's effectiveness starting Feb. 20, 2009

This isn't radical or new...but I hope it to be a little different. My vision is something of use and beauty that is fun. I plan to utilize some voiced videos using my digital photo camera as part of the virtual gallery. I may need some help in naming it so I might run a contest for that purpose with a prize. I may also spotlight some other art shows or galleries as well as part of my photoblog..both virtual and in my locale live.

My first gallery will be about the transformation of the gallery room! The goal will be to make entries two to three times a week with photos and videos of the show of the week...in progress and thru completion and then showing. The first series will probably be on my photos of the Swans I encountered in Canada and perhaps this will provide some incentive to get more photos of the swans that winter in Washington......I will be on the lookout for those beautiful and strangely elegant birds.... By taking one subject I will use my room as a gallery and begin by setting up the room to be a gallery!...rather than just an idea and storage room. This may require some visits to art galleries and photography booths at the market and other places for ideas...that sounds like fun.....:)

Roses in a pitcher with Love

2009-02-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

Time for flowers! The beauty of a red, red, rose is timeless!
Here is a bouquet in an interesting pitcher. If I had more space
I would have lots of pitchers...both practical and pleasing to the
eye. Unframed and framed! :)

Valentine Wishes Wreath

2009-02-10T22:15:00.001-08:00

Another Valentine!

Last year I decorated this wreath and it hung by our entrance at the door...this year I have added some animations to the photo and am hanging it here on my blog! Photobucket has a feature where you can add animations to your photos..it's easy....somewhat limited but still fun!

Happy Valentine's Month!

2009-02-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a little animation I found last year. I'll be adding my photos later!

Happy Valentine's Month to all! I've included in my photoblog focus an emphasis on your dreams coming true. More to come on this later. What a great month February is for us! A month where our dreams in the most personal sense come true. Being a romantic isn't hard it's just as easy as can be! Think red in terms of red roses, red hearts, rubies, ribbons and lace. :) Maria

It's a Grating Experience

2009-01-31T17:27:00.000-08:00

It's the weekend and I am back to blog land!

Sometimes the most interesting photos are those that you find in everyday places. I recently went to a little park called Gene Coulan Park which is at the south end of Lake Washington. There I noticed a grating in the ground and took a photo...the photos in this entry are the result...working backwards to the original shot!....Using photo bucket and the neon, border and glitter letter features one can produce some quite amazing results......to me they have a Celtic look and feel!

My signature icon is compliments of Chris at Cab's Creations: http://cabscreationschatter.blogspot.com/ She is featured the Pittsburgh Steelers lately.:)..well that's ok with me since I lived there for 10 years when I was younger...although my sister and brother live in Arizona...it is a dilemma...the Super Bowl..Pittsburgh or Arizona????? They also lived in Pittsburgh along with me and in fact were born there!...We lived on Sleepy Hollow Road...neat huh?

New Camera Transitions and Lessons in Light

2009-01-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention when I first posted this that this was the result of a tag by Annie! I looked at the fourth photo in my My Pictures folder and it was of my new camera..so this post was inspired by that tag.......I usually don't do tags because they remind me a little of chain letters but I don't mind posting based on one! Hope that is ok with you...Annie!

I got a new camera for Christmas and I was thrilled to try it out and have those wonderful bright clear and sparkling photos! It is a nice camera with 18 times Zoom and although it is not an SLR or single lens reflex with changeable lens features it is very nice...here is small snapshot...

The transition and lessons in light came when I started getting photos which were too dark..and being the naturally impatient person I sometimes am I had been pressing buttons and doing things that it turned out changed the light settings. Here are some before and after examples of the dark photos that were taken because I had pushed the exposure button to the lowest light exposure inadvertantly.....the photos needed to be brightened upon uploading to the computer with the use of autobright in the software and playing with the contrast and midtones features....all of this time could have been saved if I would have read the manual!!!! Sure enough I checked out the settings and they were set at a -2 for light exposure...geez...I found out that at least should have been set in the middle at 0. I learned a valuable lesson...you see with the wrong light you can fix some of that with software but if there isn't enough light you won't get the sharper image...light is needed to get clearer and more detailed lines...the camera just can't capture that kind of detail with the wrong lighting. I'll pay more attention next time...especially since the software is ok for fixing the smaller webphotos or maybe even 4 by 6 size but forget about printing out any 8 by 10's or larger. The picture detail gets corrupted.

It takes time to get used to the settings on a new camera and let go of the old ones but I assure you it is well worth the time. It pays off big to read the manual and experiment with the settings too. ...eventually you find your most favorite settings and learn how to quickly adjust to the different light conditions. It's all about the light!...and a few other things but if you get the lighting right you are 90 percent there!

I hope you enjoyed these photos of Fort Dent, a soccer park and recreation area near my home in Seattle. Park scenes are a favorite of mine. I think the greens and the birds and water are so inviting and peaceful. Have a great week...I usually don't have as much time during the week days to blog so I've taken the weekend to learn and update as much as I can.

Heart Photo Challenge

2009-01-24T23:10:00.000-08:00

I have quite an entry for the Hearts Challenge Site Link:

There are 2. parts to the contest and I added a third part for fun........I decided to copy the instructions here for parts 1. and 2. so it would be easier to keep track of them (also they need to be 3 inches by 3 inches and 72 dpi...what I did was resize mine to 233 by 233 pixels or as close as I could...:) I'm still learning, maybe someone has some tips.

1. Take a picture of a heart.Could be something that is in a shape of a heart or small objects making the shape of a heart, a man made heart, not human..... BUT remember is should be something that you would like to see framed in a collage, so a human heart might not work....Ü. Lighting is essential, & clarity is also important. So make sure you use a tripod, or steady your arm on something , so you don't move when you snap the picture & if you don't have enough light, use a flash.

Why a Heart of stone? Because even in the midst of all the pebbles and rocks in this world you will always find some that are shaped like a heart! Even in the hardest materials there are hearts...even in the hardest people you will find a human heart.

2. Paint a heart, draw or sketch a heart, color a heart. Be creative.Must be colorful, or just use color, no B&Ws on this one.Remember, You will need to scan or photograph your heart.

Remember what's written in the heart is what matters.

This sketch had me thinking of all sorts of things once I put the windows and door on the heart....Home is where the heart is was one of the others. I haven't sketched anything in a long time. I used to doodle all the time. Hope it was ok to add a little computer color to my ink pen sketch for Part 2.

3. Why Part 3? Not for the entry but just for added fun.... Why yes...I got creative because I discovered Photobucket editing thanks to another blogger named Missy! I experimented with a few things like glitter text, swirls and pop art...here are the results:

Photo Challenge - Food!

2009-01-24T18:24:00.000-08:00

Community Photo Challenge - Food

I decided to enter the Food photo challenge right away...I'm still working on the Heart and Alphabet Challenge but this one seemed to be a natural. Crab in Seattle....it's the best, especially dripped in sweet creamery butter! Except, I wish it would quit looking at me this way......:)

The Blue Angels Zoom Zoom

2009-01-24T18:02:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for ideas for Birthday photo cards for men and boys! I forget that I have lots of fun photos of the Blue Angels and the Hydroplanes from Seattle. Planes, Boats and Cars are always pretty good subjects for the male birthday card....This weekend is my great nephew Danny's birthday and he turns 13....Zoom Zoom......and Smokin!

I'm adding this neat blue Angels teamwork link to this entry: http://www.powerofteamworkmovie.com/

Flowers - a favorite choice

2009-01-21T21:43:00.000-08:00

It's about time for a post. Flowers are always a good idea anytime and anywhere!

These flowers were brought over to our house by Myra for a recent dinner we had. Myra is a florist and in the not too distant future my daughter's Mother-in-law. She is very talented and a wonderful hostess herself. I have always loved flowers and they are a favorite choice of mine for photography. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Still Life - Gazing Globe Community Photo Challenge

2009-01-09T00:59:00.001-08:00

Time for the latest Community Photo Challenge!

http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2009/01/community-photo-challenge-still-life.html

This blog entry topic is still life:

This gazing globe exists in my mother's back yard but I sometimes think it is a portal to another world the way it lights up with the sunshine!

Happy New Year to All in Blogger land!

2008-12-31T18:25:00.000-08:00

WISHING YOU PEACE IN THE NEW YEAR!

Hope the event proved to be a Happy one for all!

Swans and animoto

2008-12-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

My good friend, Theresa, sent me a very neat site that brings slide shows to a whole new level: http://animoto.com/ Animoto! I have uploaded this to Youtube too. The quality probably could be a little better but it is definitely a great idea...here it is with my photos from a Vancouver BC trip I took a couple of months ago! There is music when you play the video so turn down your volume if you don't want the sound....Vivaldi rocks!

Above is a version using YouTube.....
Here is a version I used with animoto but uploaded from my hard drive...

The difference in sizing may account for the difference in clarity.....
Another option is that I might try seeing what it looks like from Photobucket....maybe later...:)

My New Camera and Photo Challenge Something New

2008-12-28T22:34:00.001-08:00

http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2008/12/community-photo-challenge-something-new.html

Here is a photo of my new camera and some details about it. This is also an entry to the photo challenge photoblog as Something new!

View out of a window

2008-12-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

The little things we see are always framed in some way...take for example this view outside this octagonal window over my front door. It's snowy outside..but it's framed by a black interior. Not sure how that happened except that I did not use a flash. The black is a nice setting for the photo. I use black for my 8 by 10 photo mattings quite often. It is the most classic framing.

I got a new camera for Christmas this year....a Lumix by Panasonic..an 18x Zoom! I need to download my Christmas photos soon from it...so that is why you haven't seen a lot of christmas photos here...but your patience will be rewarded soon!!!! I've also begun a couple of other blogs for my family which will be private...I'm doing some documentaries of their trips...maybe they will be come more public later....:)

In the meantime, the little moments we share every day are captured in our hearts, minds and cameras...of course!

PS: visit Donna's site..she made this animation...:) http://dsdesignsandotherthings.blogspot.com/

Hummingbird in the snow

2008-12-22T23:04:00.001-08:00

It's an amazing thing but hummingbirds do winter over here in the Pacific Northwest. It does help if you keep their bird feeders from freezing by taking them in at night when it gets below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. These little birds are quite agressive in defending their feeders. The significant snow that has fallen here in the last few days have left them undaunted. In the morning especially they are interesting to watch as they fend off each other from the feeder. For such small birds they are quite adament about their territory.

Merry Christmas from us!

2008-12-07T22:01:00.000-08:00

Hello and Merry Christmas from us! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year too! 2008 finds us in good health! Wishing all the best to you and yours.

I think I've settled on this photo for our Christmas card this year....

The stories behind the photos are as follows:
Ron is standing beneath a miniature railroad trestle he made for his friend who then proceeded to have it gold plated. Jasmine was having fun with her hands when I took this photo and it was just a coincidence that they look like the wings of the birds on the Christmas tree behind her. As for me, I took up playing handbells at St. Louise Church in Bellevue.

In addition!!!!! I have a special blogger happy tidings card at this link (or just scroll down): http://littlethingsphotoblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/since-this-is-my-main-photo-blog-i.html

I hope you enjoy both!

Wishing you the best Christmas and wonders, good health and happiness in the new year!

Happy Holiday Boat

2008-12-03T22:46:00.000-08:00

Hello, all! I am stealing a few minutes to post a blog. I was looking at my photos trying to decide what I want for this year's Christmas cards...still need to take a family photo too. Each year I try to send a photo card I make to my friends and family. I usually have something with my husband, daughter and me and maybe sparkles....I like getting photos of people for Christmas. I've been making scrapbooks each year and I also like getting the sparkle cards too. I've combined sparkles and family photo in the past and that worked ok too. It's so much fun but it does take a little time.

Ok...so you are wondering what about the title of this blog and the Holiday Boat? When I ran across this photo which was taken a couple of months ago I had to laugh. I had forgotten I took it! I love to take photos of boats and their names. I couldn't resist this one. I may send it to some people who send me odd photos for christmas for a photo card back at them..it actually looks pretty good as a card. I have one friend who loves to send me those costco card photos of her vacations and travels at Christmas...palm trees, trip to Africa and that sort of thing. Yet, she is usually my first card. I get such a kick out of her cards and look forward to them. The card is the only communication we have all year as she live out of the state. This year the first Christmas card I received was a thank-you Christmas card we got from a grade schooler for buying a Live Christmas tree at their School fundraiser. It's pretty cute too! In the meantime I hope you enjoy the little Maritime view of the Happy Holiday Boat at Elliot Bay Marina in Seattle.

MUSHROOMS on Parking Strip

2008-11-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

I know this may seem odd..but I like taking photos of Mushrooms. This morning is very foggy outside and I'm hoping it clears up since we plan to visit relatives most of the day and I don't appreciate driving in the fog...however, I think that mushrooms like this time of year and partially because of the fog. These mushrooms were so strange and big that when I found them the other day on a parking strip at work I had to stop and take a photo.....even though it made me a little tardy for my upcoming meeting. Yes, I always have my camera around for just this reason. I'm sure these are probably poisonous. I've always enjoyed the shapes of mushrooms and they are so mysterious. They pop up anywhere and everywhere but usually in the fall around here. Maybe I need to go out in this fog and look for some more to photograph? No, I think I'll just stay here and look at my photos...:)

BLOGGER PHOTO CHALLENGE: CHRISTMAS SEASON

2008-11-28T20:00:00.001-08:00

The results are in and it turns out this time we were all winners! A collage was made of all the entries. Here is that collage which I used to provide a happy Christmas to all my blogger friends.

Since this is my main photo blog I decided that I need to do some photo challenges.

The Christmas Season Photo Challenge is a great one...I thought but I had such a hard time finding one for the post. I finally settled on a photo of my one of my angel Treetoppers. I like the feathered angel wings and the little bird in the Angel's hand. It speaks of peace, harmony and purity....and of watching over us to keep us safe. Here is a little poetic musing to serve as a caption for the photo: "The Angel watches over us as the dove waits faithfully. For the time to guide and encircle all of us with peace and love on that heavenly night of nights will soon be upon us." Be sure to visit the others too to check out their photos on the link above.

Bazaar followup!

2008-11-28T18:40:00.001-08:00

This is a followup on an earlier blog entry about being in a church bazaar! The experience was wonderful despite my being a little tired from a late night getogether to celebrate my husband's birthday the previous night. I always learn so much from my annual participation in this great american pasttime. I sold a few cards and photos to pay back my booth fee and that is good. But even more I learned a little more about what people liked and had fun seeing other people's work as well. I bought some jewelry from the woman in the booth behind me..she has some wonderful things. She gave a great idea for displaying my cards too....for next time.

If you look closely you will see that there is a photo of a cat behind a fence in the little black box...someone purchased that before the end of the day......it is one of my favorite funny photos....you can see it better in this second photo....Beware of Dog? I think not...:) Maria

Thanksgiving Table

2008-11-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

Hello, all,

This table setting is inviting even without the food...my mother's house for Thanksgiving! I hope all had a great Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends. Here are a couple of belated Thanksgiving day jokes:

Asked to write a composition entitled, "What I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving,"little Timothy wrote, "I am thankful that I'm not a turkey."

and

What's the key to a great Thanksgiving dinner? The turKEY

I'm so happy to provide a little Turkey humor for you!...LOL:)

Maria

Wings of Arizona

2008-11-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

This statue can be found near the main airport in Phoenix, Arizona. It is compelling and beautiful.

For a brief moment waiting at a stoplight in the car in which I was riding I had the opportunity to capture this view with the lens directly out of the passenger window. The statue captures man's dream of flight quite well, don't you think?

You are invited to Sit a Spell!

2008-11-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

I just love to take photos of benches. Whenever I see one I have to get a snapshop or just go and sit for a little while or sit for a spell. This photo was taken at the Seatac botanical gardens just north of the Seatac airport in South Seattle. Why don't you join me and sit enjoying the flowers all around and the bright sunshine. Where does that phrase sit for a spell come from? I did find a Wikipedia entry or two on this subject: http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/47/messages/659.html

Sometimes I just like to sit and daydream....a bench is a perfect place to do just that! Maria

Mossy Bench

2008-11-10T22:17:00.000-08:00

A mossy bench is an ironic thing. It is interesting to look at and imagine it's history but it's a little harder to think about sitting in it. Benches are so fun to photograph. I'm always finding them in the parks and in such a variety of shapes and conditions. This one was at a retreat I attended over the summer for a dulcimer and harp camp. It is so magical and mysterious looking. You just wonder who built it, who sat in it and how did it become so mossy? I just photographed it for later enjoyment and to imagine the little elves and pixies sitting there when I turned my back...even in the photo! Maria

Scenic Sunday #17 Entry Meme

2008-11-09T16:49:00.001-08:00

Scenic Sunday

I think this might be a great way to post some photos quickly on a Sunday...the Scenic Sunday Meme. It's a good way to focus on one kind of topic! Thanks, Aisha...great idea!

Here is my entry...Fall Afternoon by the Water

Elliot Bay Marina, Seattle - Wa. USA

Toastmasters, Church Bazaars, Blue skies, Blue Angels

2008-11-08T21:54:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy day! Attended a Toastmasters meeting. For those not familiar with this it is a great International Organization specializing in improving speaking and leadership skills worldwide. I gave a speech, working out of one of their manuals on speaking humorously.

My topic was the Church Bazaar. It was fun and I got some great feedback. It got me excited about next weekend and my annual participation on some Church Bazaars in November coming up. I have made several cards and have lots of 8 by 10 photos of scenes and flowers..all matted and some framed. I'm excited about that...here I am last year with my 'inventory':

I've been dreaming again about retirement and what that might mean....for me it's still a little ways out there but not that far. With the colder, wetter and greyer weather moving in it's a motivator to go where there are blue skies...so I pulled up an inspirational photo. I love the Blue Angels on so many different levels. They are inspiring so they lift me up every time I think about them. They are usually flying around in blue skies, always a plus. They make me smile! I love the teamwork and precision they demonstrate. They get me to dreaming about what a great accomplishment they have acheived. They are the epitomy of blazing amazing. These are my thoughts and photos for this evening....

Maria -- listening to the song "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" by K.T. Tunstall.

Time for birds soon to fly south and a Ring

2008-11-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

First a little word on the ring....I plan to start a markets and bazaars blog sometime but it might be awhile..maybe after I get done with my plan to be in two of them in November.......ha! I bought this ring at the Fremont Sunday Market. Besides being drawn to the design in the silver I was drawn to the interesting stone even more so..the photo could do it more justice... The gem really sparkles in the sunlight. The slight pink tint accents the mostly orange and bronze specs. I love it and wear it all the time! The stone is called the 'Sunshine Stone'...the lady at the booth said it came from Oregon....but I tried to find it on the internet...no luck....

Then there is the photo I took which drove home the point that fall was here and the birds were starting to fly south getting ready for winter. It was that time! I looked up and a flock of what I think were canadian geese flew over head....wow. My camera barely got the shot....and coincidentally I was in Oregon at a Soccer game...another story entirely. Timing is everything they always say and certainly I could have missed this one.....but I didn't! I hope you enjoy it and the ring photo. too! Maria

The Passion Flower

2008-11-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

Nothing marks the passage of time quite like the flower. Here for a brief moment, sharing it's glory for all to see and then the flower's moment is gone. One reason I photograph flowers is to capture the beauty so it withstands time a little longer. You will see a lot of flowers and nature on my blog. It is hard to capture the entire essence in a photo..especially if there is a fragrance. In this case, I didn't notice a fragrance. However, I can write out what I did see, feel, smell and hear and sometimes taste.

The flower in this photo is unusual. The Passion flower is a vine like the clematis. The vine continually blooms for a long period of time. It is an interesting color combination. This vine was found blooming in the gardens at the Ballard Locks a couple of weeks ago. It was a climbing decoration on the entry and exit arbors to a little rose garden near the entry. The roses are pretty much spent now so to have the little flowers surpising me at the entrance and exit was a treat.

It's Sunday, what a great day to post an entry about the Passion flower....I've done some internet research on this flower so you could learn more.

Here is a post from one of the internet sites which talk about the passion flower:

http://www.passionflower.org/history.html 'Legend has it that in 1620 a Jesuit Priest came across the plant we now know as passion flower. Enthralled with its beauty, that night he had a vision likening its floral parts to the elements of the Crucifixion or Passion of Christ. The five petals and five sepals became the ten apostles (omitting Peter and Judas). The three pistils became the nails of the cross; the purple corona (or filaments) was the crown of thorns, and the stemmed ovary was the Lord's goblet.
There are over 460 known species of Passiflora. A marvelous book, Passion Flowers (2nd Edition), by John Vanderplantk, MIT Press, Cambridge, USA, 1996 describes 150 different species and has over 120 colored photos documenting the various species.'

Red Oak of Fall

2008-10-25T22:37:00.001-07:00

I entered the photo challenge: Fall....check out the others here: http://communityphotochallenge.blogspot.com/2008/10/bloggers-community-photo_30.html

I wanted to add a quick note on my day and the weather here in Seattle today. It was one of those magical days. The sun was shining and the day was bursting with fun. This morning I learned to work with wrapping paper and got all sorts of ideas at a class I took with my friend Karlyne. Then later I went walking at a beach in Seattle called Alki with my best guy in the world, Ron. These red oak leaves remind me of the day because they are like bright ornaments along the streets I drove. They are like the presents from fall...accessorizing the trees with brilliant ribbons and bows of yellows, reds and oranges. I'm sure that all across the country and even the world where fall happens right now people share similar views of the leaves turning. So before I say goodnight I would like to leave you with a little quote:
'Nature' gives to every time and season, some beauties of its own. - Charles Dickens

Time for something spooky

2008-10-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

October is a great time to think about spooky things. A time to reflect on the other world so to speak. The halloween carvings give us a way to make use of something nature gives us, pumpkins, to create images which delight and spook us day and night. Here the pumpkins are just waiting for the right passersby.....a spooky mummy head...errie and dark...except for the bandages.

Time is always a matter of hours and everything changes....backwards or forwards...in the day the pumpkin is just another vegetable with an interesting presentation. The cagey pumpkin next to the mummy is a cage waiting for a tweety bird or hairy spider.......and of course there is the comical Mr. Potato Head pumpkin in disguise as Count Dracupumpkinhead.

Hope you enjoyed this entry...tell your friends to stop by....I'm glad you!

Muhahahaaaaaa!

Time for Season's Changes

2008-10-21T23:08:00.001-07:00

The fall is here and times they are a changing! The season erupts with bright oranges, yellows and reds. It's hard to keep my camera from clicking..not to mention my going back into some photos from last fall like this one.... These leaves were just hanging around at Kubota Park in Renton, Washington. I just know they were waiting for me to discover them for more eyes to see.

I recently visited Kubota Park with a very good friend. She and I had a great time walking and talking. She had some issues with her camera and left it at home. I was snapping shots here and there. The lighting was not the best that day but the visiting was great.

We talked about getting my computer room organized..I'm at a bit of a standstill at the moment because I'm working on getting some inventory for my annual Church Bazaar appearances. I do two of them with my photos and cards. Both of the bazaars are in November and I have so much fun with them. I also bring my Hammered Dulcimer and play some tunes for people passing by as a little entertainment. I'm both anxious and excited to play again and possibly see some of the people I've seen in the last two years. With me still working fulltime it's enough to have this annual exhibit/craft booth/dulcimer performance.

Yes it's a time of change and the weather here has cooled down considerably. Soon I'll post some of the photos of the pumpkins we carved over the weekend. It's great to see that transformation from interesting but somewhat dull pumpkin to extradordinary works of art! Stay tuned...tag compliments of Missie at: http://tagsbymissie.blogspot.com/

Metal Waves

2008-10-19T22:27:00.001-07:00

Metal waves or steel octopus tentacles? Either way this sculpture at the Ballard Locks in Seattle is cause for inspiration. It's easy to interact with them by playing tag or posing for a photo. Twirls and curls or waves and raves? A day at the locks is always inspiring watching the boats maneuver around each other but I always look forward to seeing this sculpture collection. There is just something about it that draws one in to touch it! It's as if it is reaching out to shake my hand...LOL...

A recent trip...several falls..waterfalls that is....

2008-10-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings, happy today!

During a recent trip to Canada, Vancouver's Stanley Park I had some fun photographing the waterfront area. Ironically I found some little manmade waterfalls just right next to the waterfront which I thought were fascinating. It's most amazing how waterfalls, any kind, can be so peaceful and serene..even those powerful big ones like the Snoqualmie Falls here in Washington. Water can be relaxing and soothing or powerful and inspirational....and it can also be devastating. Here it has been harnessed into what I can only say is art...beautiful and inspiring. Hope it inspires you as much as it did me! Maria

Kaos out of order? Octavio OCampo

2008-10-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

What comes first? Kaos or order?

No not a photo of mine but definitely inspiring.

I often wonder but I think that Kaos can come either way....usually we have to have order to even recognize Kaos...so look at this painting by Octavio OCampo. This may seem like just a painting of King Zeus and a mermaid but look closer and you will see more images and detail than you thought at first glance....it evokes a deepness and image that is creative and yet obviously predictable at a closer look at the same time.

There is more on the website: http://www.visionsfineart.com/ocampo/aa_index.html
If only I could make something like this work with my computer room...to make something look like something else from a distance...now that is a great idea...don't you think?

I've moved a few things around since 11:30 this morning but it's slow going.....

I'm motivated and driven...just not directed and focused yet...but it's coming...

You know what they say...The Beginning is always today...and yes this is one of my photos...had to have one in here of course! Maria

Order out of Kaos

2008-10-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hello, all! I decided to take today off so that I would be able to make some order out of the Kaos in my computer room at home. I was looking for a photo as a metphor for this and of course photos of the mess would be obvious but that's too simple....and not very inspiring...see for yourself. Here are a few examples in this collage from the room:

I know it would be easier to see if I just took a full on shot of the room..however, I don't see the whole room myself...rather just the different sections. That is the probably the root of my problem. It has just crept up on me! To be inspired I am going to try to keep a metaphor or image in my mind of something which looks somewhat kaotic at first but when coupled with another idea or thought becomes something more beautiful and orderly....I had an entry in my previous journal of a dolphin and a blue & green glass design. The glass design itself is a bit disorderly and distracting...even though beautiful. (I know it's hard to believe but I don't see my room as ugly....yes, disorderly and distracting but not ugly). Combining the dolphin with the blue & green glass image made it more orderly.....see photos which follow:

The metaphor is me as the dolphin and the room as the Blue & Green glass..... what would be my dream room? What would inspire me? When I look around I know it isn't the clutter but the reason behind all that I have stashed and stowed away....the future, the past, the potential.

Stay tuned for more as I embark on a journey into the center of the design.....I'll be using help from friends and hints from books. I'll take an overall photo today to track my progress....and keep my metaphor in mind as I go. I will make progress and it will transform.....yikes.....more to come...:)

Debut of Little Things Photoblog on Blogspot

2008-10-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all who enter here!

My unicorn flys! I think I've begun to see how this works...;)

I am joining the blogspot blogging community! I'm a refugee from AOL (http://journals.aol.com/gotomaria/TheLittleThings/ as some of you may be too. This AOL journal will supposedly end Oct. 31, 2008. It all began in April 2005 when I wanted to share some of my thoughts and photos.

I intend to begin posting photos here periodically. Today's photo is a start. I'm so sad that AOL has announced that they are shutting down their journal feature...and may even go so far as to say I'm mad too. However, I've long admired the blogspot sites and hope that I'll find this experience to be a good one...if not...then I'll need to open another door on another site.

This is my first entry and also my debut. The

little things I bring to this journal will hopefully be of interest to others as well as me...my desire is to inspire, evoke some creative thinking and responses, and to share some of my photography with others who will appreciate it. I sometimes have a quirky perspective. One thing for sure ...you'll never know what to expect because each day brings on new thoughts, new photo opportunities and new inspirations.

I do like swans....the metaphor applies a little too...what starts off as an ugly duckling has the potential to transform into an elegant swan....hopefully that will be the case with this site as time passes. Maria