The Adventures of Elizabeth

creating with The Creator part 1

2012-02-08T17:04:00.001-06:00

Hello!

I hope this post is finding you all well. I wanted to thank you so much for all the kind emails and comments that came my way due to my announcing my first book that I photographed and styled, Quilts From the House of Tula Pink, due out soon. The well wishes I received made me feel so happy.If you missed that announcement and have no idea what I am talking about you can catch up by clicking here.

As I said in my prior post, I would spend the next couple of posts doing a little story telling about this shoot and share a few amazing stories, as well as some behind the scenes photos and photos that were not used. I did receive a very nice email from the creative designer who said she wished the book could have been longer because there were so many photographs from which to choose and selecting which photographs was very difficult. Getting that email made my day.

In trying to keep the stories somewhat succinct (yeah, right, cough) I will quickly tell you that I got the offer to do the job in April, signed the contract late April or early May (can't remember), and had to have the cover shot by late May.

The Email:

I was so excited to get the assignment. I had never met any of the team members before. I had no idea who Tula Pink was and no, I am not a quilter. I just opened my email one day and there it was, an email from the publisher, asking if I would be interested in the project and if she could call me. She had seen my work, of all places, on my blog, and she loved what she saw...I couldn't believe it! This is what I have been working for all this time and now, I am staring at my email, and a publisher wants me to call her...I don't even remember what I was thinking...I just emailed her back that I would love for her to call me and just gave her my phone number and we spoke the next day.

The Vision

So we connect on the phone, and immediately, I realize that this is more a "professional" call than I had been used to in a while...meaning more "buttoned-up and panty-hose" as my Texan girlfriend used to say when she was referring to corporate. The publisher was very polite, but professional. Not that I am not, I am just more, let's say, casual. The publisher is trying to give me the vision of the book, and the "feel" they think they want and is trying really hard to connect the dots for me as I listen, but I am quick thinker and soon, I sort of lose my "buttons and panty hose" and resort to my old self and here is how the conversation goes on our very first phone call:

After some struggle of visionary discussion...

Publisher

We just want a really different sort of book, sort of edgy...

May I interrupt for a moment?

Publisher

Of course...

Well, let me tell you what I think you want, and if I am way out in left field, then I will be quiet and you can keep telling me what you think you want, but I think I know what you are trying to say, but aren't really saying it...

Publisher

Sure, go ahead...

I think you want Shabby Chic, but not really Shabby Chic.

I think you want industrial, but not really.

I think you want it urban, but not really.

I think you want it feel homey, but not really in a home.

I think you want it to be rustic, but not really country.

I think you want it really unique, really Tula, but not so far out there that the readers' can't relate.

I think you want it to be edgy without it being hard.

I think you want each quilt to have their own personality, but they all are related.

Am I getting close to what you are trying to say?

Publisher

That is exactly what we want!

Crazy Time

We talked a little more and hung up shortly after that, and then I realized that I somehow said a whole lot of something without really saying anything! Is that crazy talk, or what? At the time, it made sense to me, but as soon as I hung up, I thought, "What the hell did I just say?" Now what do I do? And never mind I had never met Tula Pink or even seen her website or even seen one single quilt of hers. But I tell you what, I give the publishers and Tula a whole lotta credit for turning over their babies (quilts) to a total stranger and just letting me do whatever I wanted. We did email a few times after that call of course, and I emailed them a few ideas, but they never once saw my location, or styling until I shot the assignment and turned in the shots. Now that is pretty trusting.

Now that I got the assignment, I just have to figure out if my camera will handle their format requirements and if my computer programs are up to par.

I suddenly felt like all eyes were pointing in my direction. I had signed on the dotted line...and this was a do or die situation for me. All that I had done had led up to this moment. Except I didn't know this at the time. Little did I know that all those years of working so hard were about to pay off...but I had no idea after that one phone call what adventures I was about to have. No idea at all.

So Much To Learn

I learned very quickly that I didn't have the right lens, nor could I afford one. So...I learned to rent lenses. I did not have the updated computer programs to convert my files into files for print format for the required format for books. So, within 36 hours, I had to upgrade my computer, take a class and relearn a very hard program. I learn just enough to squeak by. I learned new ways to work my camera because I demanded new things from it that I never knew I could do.

Help from Above

But actually, I have that backwards...I demanded new things from myself that I never knew I could do. And for that I have to thank God. And for me, my God is Christ. I have absolutely no doubt that on this assignment, Jesus was there every single day, every step, every computer click, every click of the camera, every mile I drove, every time I picked up someone's precious prop that I borrowed and never broke it. That is why in my first post I didn't thank Him, I wanted to save this post for that. I wanted this post to be about Him, not me.

God was such an important part of the success of my shoot and styling that I have now put Him on my business card...He is my Creative partner. Without Him, this would have never happened. After the shoot, I designed new cards and put my new partner on the card with me, take a look:

Too Good

Let me just paint a brief picture for you, if I may. This shoot took place in an abandoned building, on the top floor, in the summer heat of triple digits. I had to drive an hour and twenty minutes to get there. I had ten very heavy quilts to haul up the flight of stairs, props, furniture, and many items did not belong to me. I rented expensive equipment, and many times, spent up to 10 hours in the heat, with ice packs in the ice-chest to keep me cool. I had to climb ladders to hang up chandeliers, or tie umbrellas to the ceiling. At any time, I could have tripped, fallen over cords, fallen down the stairs, dropped the quilts in the dirt or mud. I could have fallen off the ladder, dropped someone's precious prop, lost an item, or even wrecked my car while driving back and forth on farm roads. I could have had computer issues, missed my deadline, or even gotten sick or had a week's worth of migraines. This was also during the horrible tornadoes we endured and I could have easily gotten caught in one of them while shooting or driving home (we had over 200 in our area during August and September).

And if this isn't enough to convince you, I haven't even begun to tell you the stories that even a non-believer will at least have to scratch his/her head and have to admit that someone was helping me out.

Now, please understand that I am not trying to convince, convert, or conclude anything for anyone. But I do wish it to be clear that while I am so happy about this book, the very hard work that went into it, and all the creative energy from the entire team and all the enormous amount of creative trust between us...I just want to pay my full respect to the greatest Creator I have ever had the pleasure to work with...Christ. If I had the influence, I wish I could respectfully get Him to be known as "CC" for short(Creative Christ) because He does create some amazing things.

I will never forget my first shoot after I turned in my cover shots. It was late at night when I finally got home, about 11PM. I downloaded all my photos while I took a shower. Randy was in bed already and I got something to eat. My computer was clicking away and I was rubbing my neck with my eyes closed and then I heard the little bing!

I yawned and opened my eyes and clicked my mouse and then I just stared at my computer...I couldn't believe what I shot. I hadn't even cropped, or straightened any photos yet and I couldn't believe my eyes. I knew right then, I was not alone in this project. I just remember slowly scrolling through all my photos and quietly whispering, with a lump in my throat:

Thank you God for not letting me do this alone. I know You had a hand in this. There is no way I did this on my own. Thank you so much for helping me today.

And below was the first photo I saw that first night...sitting in my office, in the dark, with only the light of the computer screen illuminating the room.

As I stared at my photos in my office...I knew I wasn't alone while I clicked through them, one by one.

The funny thing is...I have never been alone in any of my projects, but for some reason, God chose to be very present in this project. I have always been aware of Him in one sense or another and more at some times in my life than at others. But during this entire assignment, He seriously had a vested interest and I was so grateful to have Him on board.

Well, I thought I was going to tell the barn story of the quilts, but this is already getting long. So the next story is funny and amazing....it is about how this...

...finally made it to this:

Thank you dear readers for allowing me to share my adventures. I so enjoy sharing and having you in my life to share them with. It makes my adventures all the more exciting. Thank you so much for sharing in my joyful days as well as in my days of hardship. You mean very much to me and I feel extremely blessed to have such great readers who take time out of their busy lives to stop over now and again for a visit.

Until then, if so inclined, my Creative business partner is not on an exclusive contract...He is free to work with anyone who has a need for His services. Just call out His name...no waiting, and no automated operator to put you on hold either. (I hate those things!) I would be happy to give Him a wonderful recommendation... :-)

from my house to your house,

Dream Come True!

2012-01-27T10:44:00.002-06:00

Finally!! I can finally tell you what I have been dying to tell you for months now! I am so excited that I couldn't even sleep last night.

I just got my advanced copy of my first book that I ever styled and photographed! Quilts from The House of Tula Pink.

And in honor of the advance copy, I am writing this post in pink!

I have so much to tell you and so many stories that go with this book, that I don't even know where to start. So for today, I will just share some quick pics that I took when I tossed the book down on my table and snapped the pics so I could show you. I don't even have any PR materials to upload yet. I didn't even wipe the crumbs off my table, as you can see, I was so excited!! I am so very honored to be a part of this book. I hadn't planned on writing about this book for about a month, as I was told to wait, but then I suddenly started to get congratulation emails from some people who didn't know a thing about it...and I wondered how in the world did they know? Then I discovered that Tula Pink finally announced the book...and I thought...I better let my readers know about it now!

Before I go into some of the details, I first must thank some very key people. First, I want to thank Nancy Soriano who recommended me to the publisher for this job. It all started out way back when I attended the book signing in NYC for Where Women Cook, and Nancy approached me (I was floored that she even knew who I was) and told me that she may have a project for me the following spring. That was I all I knew. I am so grateful that she and the F & W Media team took a chance on me and hired me to do this job. By the way, if you haven't been to Nancy's site, you MUST stop over...it is fantastic!

Next, I must thank the publication team that I worked with personally, Kelly Biscopink, and Julie Barnett, for giving me complete freedom in my choice of location, styling, and shooting style. Having never met them before, they gave me complete control of the shoot and provided only technical direction of what shots were needed for the quilt projects. Everything else they trusted to me completely, and for that, I am so very grateful.

I have never met, nor spoke to the author and designer-extraordinaire, Tula Pink. I will admit, if I designed such fabulous quilts, I am not sure if I could just turn them over to a complete stranger for several months and let her shoot them without not even knowing what in the world she is doing with them or if she even gets my vision. But she gave me complete control over her babies, and because she had a name for each of them, I felt a bond with them and finding a "home" for them in each setup was not hard to think of. (Now accomplishing it is a whole different story....)

Finally, I have to say, in all honesty, if it weren't for Debbie McReynolds, Renee Gaska, and Cindy Engelhart, and Rusty at Forever Antiques, this shoot would have never happened - ever. Seriously. These gal pals, business women, (and Rusty) came through when I really needed them. They let me hold their items hostage (more on that later), they gave me keys to their homes and businesses so I could just come in take what I needed, when, and they put up with my crazy hours, fearful days, and encouraged me when I thought I just would not be able to do some of the things I eventually got done. They will be forever in my heart and a big part of this beautiful book.

Like I said, I have so many, many funny and amazing stories to tell, but for today, I just want to show you how excited I am and share with you what I have sitting right next to me as I type this. The book will be available in April, I believe. And I hope to have a button on my blog and WEBSITE soon. Yes, my website was supposed to be done by now...so very excited... but my web guy is waiting for updated software to come in from the company so I wait....I am thhhiiissss close to finally having my website done!

But for now, please take a look at Tula's book. Her quilts are just super amazing...and I'm not even a quilt person. Tula designs fabrics that aren't "grandma" and she is super cool...go look at her site and you will see.

Thank you for letting me share my joy with you. I so appreciate it and appreciate you...

A special thank you to Tiffany and Alan Smith who lent me their barn for the day...total strangers. I just knocked on their door and moments later, I was unloading my car....a story for later.

Don't you just love the little graphics, font, and the little stitching graphic that Julie and Kelly chose for the layouts? They are perfect, I think. Very talented editors...

I just love the font that they chose and graphic print...

Isn't this little stitching graphic perfect?

Over the next few weeks, I hope I don't bore you, but I will be showing some photos that weren't used, as well share some behind the scenes photos and tell you some really interesting stories and how I felt during those hot months that I shot in this abandon building...and what I experienced.

Oh...you didn't think I forgot about my wonderful barber husband, did you? You've heard of saving the best for last, right? I must thank my fabulous BETTER half for not only loading and unloading many truck loads of furniture...but for putting up for my many bad moods after many hot days in the sun, for my cranky long nights at the computer, and for my many, many nights of not being home to make dinner or keep him company for my being on the road. He and I don't always do well under stress, but he sticks around and deals with it and for that, I am most grateful. I love him so much.

Best of all? He plops down next to me on the sofa, positions the lamp just so...and slowly turns each page of my first book and points at each photo as if it is the first time he's ever seen it(and believe me, it isn't) all the while making me feel like Annie Leibovitz.

from my house to your house,

The Decor Retires, but the Spirit Remains

2012-01-13T13:33:00.001-06:00

Well, the trees come down this weekend, the pinecones get packed away, and soon our tiny house will feel just a bit larger with all the "extras" now put to rest for another year.

If only I could find a way to rest as comfortably as the decor does. If my heart would just rest easier in knowing that over the next months, all will be well, and I don't have to know every minute of every day what will happen next.

But as I take down the trimmings, many of them are dried and crispy...I realize, I am ready to move on to the next season as well. And yet, there is a little something about these pine sprigs, berries, and twigs that leave me to believe that having them around helped the Christmas spirit come alive for us in our little abode. Nothing fancy, mind you. Fairly humble. Nothing too sparkly, showy, or even top-notch greenery. Last-pickens if you will. Not the top shelf greenery...too expensive for my little budget.

Even the pinecones were gathered next to a very noisy street, next to an intersection, gas fumes and all, and tossed into my paper sack. But I still admired them as I walked home and stuck my head into the paper sack and took a good whiff and smelled the sap and pine. I live in the city...lots of ambulances, sirens, buses, pedestrians, old people walking, and horns honking. But for some reason, sniffing my fresh pinecones seemed to make it all silent during my chilly walk home.

So, before 2012 gets underway, and since we now have our first real snow...I thought I would share a few photos of our little season in our small homestead, here in the city. I am looking outside now and snow is gently falling and so quiet.

I slowly came about with a theme of simply "dinner with meaning" for my Christmas dinner party. It wasn't planned, but as I put things out, I realized that I only cared to put things out that really meant things to me. I had bought some new items, but ended up not using them. I did buy the glasses, but I bought them while on a trip with some gal pals. I needed some little chairs to squeeze everyone in, but I got them from a friend. Everything else I used for dinner, I either already owned, or made.

Our space for dinner was very small. 9 x 6 to be exact. I measured it for those of you who might feel you can't do much with a tiny space. And it was tight, we had nine people total for dinner.

Enjoy the photos below of our quiet homestead. That is what I am calling it now. Right in the middle of the city, that is what we have in a way: a homestead. That will be another post as to why we are slowly becoming "homesteaders."

But for now, enjoy the Spirit that remains since the decor has retired.

Honoring my father with this vignette filled with his pipe, WWII dog tag and Knights of Columbus pin

Christmas morning....early sunrise light coming in.

FIRST light of day coming in....very soothing.

Salt and Pepper shakers borrowed from a beloved friend...a table isn't complete unless you borrow something.

I constructed this tree from a fabricated "stick" and tied natural eucalyptus branches on it.

Rusty barrel rings and simple eucalyptus leaves with pinecones hang in windows.

We don't have a dining room. This window seat is the best place we have. An old board from the garage and $15 chairs.

The cabinet I painted black this past summer...Barber husband loved it after all!

Giving each a guest a box of homemade goodies.

Simple wrapping with twine feels French.

The little chip is a reminder of how well-loved this piece is...it is meant to be used.

Pinecone I found at noisy, busy intersection that now sits quietly, flocked, in my crazed cup.

My beloved tureen. I collect only very old iron stone tureens.

Simple, rusty barrel ring (found at Three French Hens market) with tarnished salt shakers.

My handsome father during WWII in Rome, Italy. His photo is behind the cloche. He was modest and wouldn't want to be out front, being shown off. I think he looks like Clark Gable.

Perfect mirror found at Three French Hens market, topped with leftover sprigs and pinecone.

My silver ladle and gift of silverware, near our table...

My father would had loved this dinner...smoked ham, black-eyed peas, french bread, cream of mushroom soup...the bottom silver tray was a gift he gave my mother.

Left over sprigs and tiny candles on my "one arm" silver tray is my center piece.

Time to turn on the tree lights. Guest will arrive soon.

My German table runner, with American glasses, English butter knives, and Swedish books in center. An international affair. This German runner means a lot to me. I bought while living in Europe and I had very little money then.

I think whether it is Christmas or not, it is the spirit of hospitality that really matters. There are so many books, TV shows, and articles on how to entertain...but I don't really see that many on the spirit of hospitality. I sort of feel like a person who solely entertains, is wanting to impress her guests and needs to feel important for her creative efforts. And a person who has the hospitality spirit, hopes her guests feel invited and hopes to make them feel important. It is my hope that I am striving to always be hospitable, no matter the size of my home, budget, or simplicity of the meal. I don't think I could really entertain with those limitations anyway.

Of course it is fun to decorate, be creative...look who is writing this blog! But to me, there is a difference between entertaining and hospitality. I can usually feel the difference when I am in someone's home as a guest. In my opinion, bringing others into your home is about them, and what will make them feel invited, not impressed.

Take the rolled napkin above. It's Christmas, I wanted something a little special for my guests, of course. But my Barber husband's family are the guests and they are lovely people, but like most, what good is a "stick" on a napkin, right? (I noticed no one called it by its proper term...lol).

They politely put them aside as we ate our meal, until Barber husband announced during dessert that inside their books (place mats) there was a little something for each of them...lotto scratch off tickets! And eyes lit up when I showed how handy those "decorative sticks" came in to scratch off the numbers. You see, it is kind of a custom in his family to have some sort of scratch off ticket at Christmas. Not really my deal, but why break their tradition? I got to have my "stick" on the napkin, and they got a handy scratch off instrument for their tradition. And they laughed when I held mine up and said, "And you thought it was just something pretty that got in your way...I am a true believer in beauty with function."

And I happened to win $10 with my ticket as well.

Hopefully hospitality also means you can keep the ticket, because I kept mine....and cashed it...

From my house to your house,

Seeing the New Year Differently

2011-12-31T19:48:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

It seems that every year gets shorter and shorter as I get older and older.

As one year ends and another begins, most of you know that I don't make any new year's resolutions. I do however, usually select a word for the new year that I will observe throughout the year in hopes that I will be better for it.

I had been thinking of this new word for about a week or so, and decided that my word for the new year would be:

Vision.

As most of you know, my vision has been a great source of contention for several years now due to my car accident.

These past several years have been a struggle as my once 20/20 vision was "totaled" along with my little car on that night of the accident and has fluctuated ever since. Five of the glasses you see below are different prescriptions and the rest are just readers.

While gathering items around the house for my little posting on my 2012 word "vision," I played around with my props a little bit as I played around with words in my head on exactly what it is about the word, vision, that I want to write about....

And as I fuss about the books and glasses, trying to figure out exactly which shot I want, I continue to think about how my vision of this shot isn't really coming to fruition and how ironic that is....

After some moving here, and fussing there, I finally get the vision I was after and I am satisfied. Now, it is only a matter of getting the right angle...or rather, perspective. I continue to ponder in my head about how 2012 is going to be different for me...how I am determined to see things differently.

How I will have a different perspective on life....

But it wasn't until I bent down and got a completely different perspective and shot the photo below did it finally occur to me: my word for 2012 was not the right word. It wasn't vision that I was after...no, not vision.

But rather, I was wanting insight.

Yes! Insight is something I desire. A deeper understanding of the world, those around me, as well as myself. All the spectacles in the world won't give me this.

Insight is a level of wisdom that comes from experience.

Not from books.

Only from living.

It is interesting how "insight," my new word for 2012, came about. While at first, I was sure my word was "vision" and I had set out to create this little vignette to shoot, I went and got this huge 1800's bible as the base of the setup.

As I set it on the table I just flipped it open and on the very first time I opened it, this little four-leaf clover was pressed right in the center of it. I took it out and then began to stack my other antique books on top of it and went and gathered all my glasses around the house.

But it wasn't until I finished my little photo shoot, having mostly "written" my post in my head, and began to put my items away did I discover something even more extraordinary. As I carefully replaced the little clover leaf in the pages, it was the first time I had noticed that I opened the bible to this verse:

Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

I think no matter how well I thought out this little vignette, or my idea of what I thought I was going to say, and how I was going to say it...

Someone much smarter, wiser, and more in control had something else in mind all along. And I think I would be so much better off in 2012 if I will just let my insight be guided by Him.

May your 2012 be filled with peace, joy, and be lovingly guided by Christ who loves us like we couldn't never understand.

from my house to your house,

Love IS Blind

2011-12-24T12:18:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas!

How the time flies and things never seem to get done, right?

But here it is, Christmas Eve, and it is time to slow down and take in the joy of the season.

So what if the tablecloth didn't get ironed...what a blessing to have family and friends to gather around it.

Okay, maybe you didn't get to make those fancy homemade cream puffs like you wanted to, but the store bought ones, served on a nice plate to your guests will be just as welcoming because the laughter of friends is what will be remembered for years to come.

The gifts may not be quite as plenty this year, but hugs and kisses are free. Today is a day to be a little selfish. Surprised I said that?

Give to yourself today.

Give yourself the gift of loving yourself for just being. For being you. Not for what you can do, or make, or create, or how well you perform...but love yourself as Christ loves you. We tend to see our own faults and praise others' for their creativity, no matter how simple they may be.

Take this little ornament exchange party I attended. I simply wrapped a little ornament in a simple, left over piece of fabric...

Just added a little leftover greenery...and some leftover ribbon...

And decided to photograph it quickly in a little silver dish...

Because we all know that even the simplest of things can be prettied up with a little fussing....

But that is where the true spirit of Christmas comes in...

That is why it is so cool that Christ was born....because He gets to see what so many of us never see in ourselves.

I recently snapped up this unique, beautiful, silver one-handled tray at a flea-market. I couldn't believe my luck - or the price! Oh lucky day for me...it was even tarnished. How I couldn't wait to show my shopping buddy.

Before I bought it, I showed my beloved treasure to my friend, who upon closer examination, pointed out that my "one-handled" tray was in fact, broken. It was missing the other handle...

I stared at my beloved "one-handled" silver treasure and contemplated for only a moment. It didn't take long for me to decide that it was even more special now. Because now it was a one-of-a-kind and now it has a story...a history.

And that is how Christ sees us. We are His beloved treasures. And I would like to think that while it is rare that I can overlook my own flaws, Christ is able to look at us as I first looked at this broken, silver tray. Broken, but still treasured. We are so loved by Him, that He takes us as we are, and we have nothing to prove.

All we need to do is just "be."

Now I ask you...how many of you even noticed the "broken handle" before I even pointed it out to you? Is it broken or is it unique?

Exactly.

Merry Christmas and may you always feel treasured by The One who finds you valuable no matter how much we are "broken."

Porch Pampering

2011-12-15T14:01:00.001-06:00

Short, sweet, and to the point: our porch is in dire need of a rehab. I dream of the day that I walk onto my porch that has fantastic railings, a wooden banister, and wood floors that are weathered and worn because that is my faux-finish, not because it is the real deal.

This project of tearing down our porch and building a new one has been a year-long, non-event. Last winter was wet and very cold. Spring was constant rain, wind and about 200 tornadoes (seriously, 200) through our area, and the summer was heat from hell with triple digits that even this Texan couldn't take.

So, this Christmas, I decided that my pitiful porch needed some pampering, even if only cosmetic, to get through the cold winter. It was sort of like dressing a wet, old, smelly rat in a fur coat and trying to call it a cute little mink. It only works from a distance...and luckily our porch is tiny, and our stoop is up high from the street some, so passerby's can only look up and see only some of our sad little porch. But with one afternoon of grunting, hauling, and setting out some goodies that I found with my shopping buddies (Little Debbie and Renee), I think I will convince most people (if they drive by fast enough) that I just might have a little mink up here after all...

Here is the before...I almost forgot to take the before photos...I was so excited to get out my new-found goodies and dig out my trusty old favorites...

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

What a difference a little paint on the mailbox and light fixture can make! And I grabbed the little matt from the inside and tossed it outside and put the black one down at the bottom of the steps. I just lifted my shade up a bit to show my Belgium curtain from the inside and it has a whole new look...

Before:

I didn't get out the ladder and stood on the sidewalk and just pointed my camera up quickly, as I was excited to just get started...

After:

Now, I got out a ladder to stand on to take the photo...I was in my sweats and as you can see the sun is getting lower in the reflection on the door and neighbors are now driving by as they come home from work. They slow down to see...but I think they are more curious about the woman on the tall ladder, leaning over, with her butt sticking out, wearing slippers, and an apron tied around her neck, as it was in the way as I climbed up and I took it off and tied it around my neck as I didn't want it on the wet grass....what a spectacle!

Now for the details....

The tiny porch got its make-over in one afternoon. The lanterns are hung by string and I got them from Ikea...for less than $4 each!

I had white branches in storage as well as this old Swedish chair that "someday" I would re-cane. So in the meantime, it makes a wonderful "stick stand" and I wrapped white lights inside as well.

I had this little cheapie table from a local craft store for about $22 and it is worn wood. Never really liked it. It isn't functional and so it works perfectly outside with all the other worn wood pieces! My old heavy crock holds it place.

These scrim curtains are from Ikea and are a steal! $1.49 a pair...yes a PAIR. Can you believe it? My girlfriends have them on their porch and I just fell in love with the look...detracts a little from how much my tiny porch is screaming to be torn down.

Is this a great baby bed/bench or what? Got this at the Three French Hens market in Morris IL with my gal pals. It was the perfect size for our little window. The linen pillows are from Ikea...the linen covers with ties are about $14 each and the inserts are $6. They fit perfect. My "Dream" pillow and "Joy" pillow are beautiful gifts from beautiful gal pals as well. The Christmas basket hanging on the window, as well as the glass garland, are from Whismy and Traci is the owner. I love her store! Sort of reminds me of some store I used to know.....hmmmm...wonder why I love it so much??? :-) I added some extra picks to the basket to make it a bit fuller and to match my decor...but don't you just love it?

Had this lantern a very long time...another gift!

Love this coal bucket...another goodie I snatched up at the Three Frenchs Hens market.

I had these old crates for years. The wood is perfect and we pull them out and put our feet up on them.

Remember I said I collected pinecones this year? Well, I played around with them and decided to make a few swags. Here is the one I made for the front door....

I hope you liked my little "faux mink" of a porch. It will have to do for now until the hammer gets to it and the real deal is done. I love it when I can actually complete something in one afternoon.

I know how I am and just in case I lose track of time and I don't get back to you before Christmas....I am going to wish you a wonderful one now. I hope to get back...but you know how things go...

May your spirit be filled with peace. May your days be filled with joy. But mostly, may your heart be glad to know that you aren't the one in charge of the timing. Like the little pitiful porch...it just wasn't the right time this past year...and so we wait patiently.

from my house to your house,

Ladles of Love

2011-12-08T15:21:00.004-06:00

I am ladle lover. I always have been a lover of ladles, even though I only own one.

However, I do own restaurant, "cooking ladles" and small serving ladles, but I own only this one silver ladle. I covet ladles at flea-markets, but usually, the ones I love are rare. I tend to like the non-fussy ones that are still very elegant, have a lot of class, that don't need to show off and still do a great service by just being.

I recently discovered why I have had this long love affair with such rare silver ladles and why I am so fascinated by them. They remind me of my very good friends. I recently had a couple of surprises bestowed upon me for no reason other than "just because." A couple were from friends that I never even have met.

I have been busy these past few weeks doing a lot of things that I planned and even more unplanned. And I have been waiting on the weather to clear to shoot some "after" shots of a little project I did for the holidays to show you and I think today may be the only day I can shoot it... which I will as soon as I get this post out. I feel I would be missing the holiday cheer without sharing what is on my heart, even with all the hustle and bustle around me.

It started with my friend, Debbie (aka, my little Debi) who called me up and said she had a little gift for me from someone who had sent it to her and asked if Debbie would get it to me. Since Debbie, Renee and I were to meet in a few days at 6AM to head out to a great little Christmas Market, Three French Hens, in Morris, IL (about a 4 hour drive from St. Louis)I would pick it up then.

Well, what a nice surprise! I am not a morning persona at all, but my eyes were definitely wide open when Deb hands me a beautifully wrapped gift and tells me the cutest story about how Ruth, from The Beautiful Life, contacted Deb and wanted to send me a little something, but didn't have my address, but didn't want to contact me for it, and yet wanted to surprise me.

As most of you know, I tend not to read as regularly as I wish I could on everyone's blogs, and when I do, I don't comment very often. But I was thinking of Ruth not long ago, and went to "check up on her" and to make sure all is well (yes, I really do that with most of you, you just don't know it) and I just happened to pop her a little note and comment and I guess I made a little comment about one of her items and how I was "eyeing it" because I loved it so much. This is the story that Deb was relaying to me as she handed me the gift and it was all starting to coming back to me....and before I even opened the gift...I knew what it was....a little white bottle that I just fell in love with!

I have to interrupt and show you the lovely aged and vintage card...and I LOVE that ribbon color...the inspiration for my holiday decorating...

Isn't this a great bottle? She sent it "just because." I have never met Ruth in person, but I have been a great admirer of her for years. The first time we ever "met" was years ago, around 2004, I think, when she called me while I was working in my store and my article in Mary Englebreit's Home Companion magazine came out about my apartment above my store and she had questions about how I did my tin counter tops. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting Ruth's site, you are missing out. She has been in numerous publications, but her best quality? She really does live a beautiful life and passes it on in very classy, unobtrusive ways. She ladles out the love. Thank you Ruth for being such a beautiful person.

That same day, of our shopping adventure, Deb had a little gift for me and Renee. She had come across these super little French....? We think they were at one time just common general store packaging for maybe grain, or seeds? Not sure. But leave it to the French to make something so common, so exciting to us giggly gals. She only had three, and Renee and I were ladled out lots of love from Deb that day when she parted with two of the three....now THAT is a big ladle of love...

A little battery votive inside makes it glow so beautifully at night!

Thank you Deb for just being my Little Debi...you are the perfect example of giving. And then, a couple of months ago...nope, not done yet. You see, I am very blessed. My ladle is large. I get a really nice, very unexpected, and very timely surprise from someone else I have never met. I just got home from St. Paul, from the Creative Connection Event, and I have to turn right around and head down to Texas for Round Top, unplanned and the day before I leave I get this little package. It is from another blogger friend that I have known for some time and we have have emailed a few times and I admire her in so many ways.

Melanie, from Lucky Design 7, sent me a beautiful necklace that she designed and you can see for yourself why it means so much to me. I wore it the entire time I was down in Texas (and continue to wear often, especially on shoots).

Melanie tells me that my writing and so on has helped her over the years and she just wanted to send me a little something. What she doesn't realize is that her timing on this little gift and HER words of encouragement meant more to me than she will ever realize. Heading down to Round Top was very nerve wracking for me as I was very tired and I was hoping to make a dream come true which involved my photography and writing. It was a very unplanned trip and having this little bit love around my neck was just the ticket. I don't have any contracts to date, but there seems to be some hopeful talk. :-) But it was Melanie's ladle of love that filled me up as I drove 15 hours down south, alone, with only my thoughts, my dreams, and it was this little necklace around my neck that basically told me that no matter what happens, this blogger friend of mine made me feel very loved and I love her back.

And finally, just last week, as I was swimming through packages of goodies from our Three French Hens trip with the gals that included a trip to Ikea, a good meal at a little diner with our waitress, Janice, and with Renee "winking" at everyone who walked by with her ever-growing blurry eye that kept watering up and itching and later turned out to be pink-eye (Deb and I did not catch it, but we all did laugh all day and night at her dilemma of not seeing price tags...we are great pals...), I find another gift waiting for me...

This package of goodies was from my dear Texan friend and blogger, Anne of Fiona and Twig. We have never met either. I am a big fan of hers and to say the least, her photography. She just sent this for "just because." Just because she wanted me to know she was happy to know me...and that is what a ladle of love is. Has a ladle ever spooned out anything but something scrumptious? When there is a ladle around, aren't most people anxiously waiting for their turn to get ahold of it and scoop up and slurp its contents? That is exactly why my good friends are so special. They aren't showy, or fancy, or pretentious. They are probably embarrassed that I am blogging about them. They are just being who they are...loving and just wanting to show it now and then and I am slurping it up in pure joy...

These came just in time! I think there is only one left by now (I know...it has only been a week...) but I am blaming my barber husband for most of the damage. I have been so busy lately I haven't really had a normal schedule and these little cookies have saved my life. Thank you Anne for allowing me into your life and for all the sharing you do with all of your readers. I am truly, truly blessed.

What a joy it is to have friends that I have never even met. I am sure all of my readers can relate. We in blog land all have those, I am sure. Soon, I will share with you a blog friend that I am actually going to meet early next year...half way around the world! I think it is time that I go and meet my beautiful friends and I am saving that announcement for a special post later...

And what a joy when I do get to meet my readers. I met such a reader this year at The Creative Connection. However, she happens to live right here in St. Louis, but we can never seem to connect. She is a knitter and asked to interview me on various subjects for her Knitting Contrissmas, and she posted the interview recently and I thought you might enjoy reading it. I am not a knitter. Sometimes, a nitwit, but not a knitter. Not sure why I am on a knitting blog, but I am honored all the same to be with such talented and notable women. But mostly, read her other guests....they are super interesting and you most likely know of them! I learned a lot from them. Oh...my friend's name? Tina. That's it...Tina. Like Cher. Her blog never says her last name, so I think of her like Cher. Just Tina. Tina the knitter. Really, go visit and see all the cool people on her interview list. I am on day one (of Dec). She does a new gal every day of December! Thank you Tina! Tina the knitter.

In the meantime, I have to get back to work. I am still in the process of getting things done. I was down for four days with a migraine, which put me behind, but I did get some things done and below is a little sneak...and hopefully I can take some photos today of my holiday project. But I am looking out the window and it is starting to look rainy. You gotta be kidding me! I better get hopping...I can't believe this, I have tried for a week to get photos for you readers about this project that I am so happy about.

Okay, here is a little of what I have been doing...

This year, I am going simple. I picked a lot of pinecones from the neighborhood and am keeping it simple at our place....taking this simple natural element and spicing it up just a bit...

That's a reflection of me, looking at you. I am wishing you were here with me :-)

Wishing you a ladle full of love and just enough spice to keep things interesting. Thank you for indulging me and for just being you. I will be back sooner than you think...!

from my house to your house,

Handmade Holidays...Homemade Madness...

2011-11-10T12:00:00.005-06:00

Hello! Hello!

Is it windy? Are the leaves falling? Are hints of the holidays just around the corner?

I decided to take some time off, well, some time off to do some stuff. Most wouldn't call that time off, they would call that "time doing some stuff," but I call it time off to finally do some stuff. Stuff like getting my office in order, finishing up some computer work, resting, reading some articles, taking a photo class...some cooking... and getting ready for the holidays! I haven't taken time to actually get ready for the holidays in years. I always throw it all together the days prior because I just work up to the last minute.

This is my living room in the photo. This is how neglected it is lately. No, not really...hahahaha. But it is a photo I took, and yes, styled, for a shoot. Yes, styling can entail trash and waiting for just the right light to hit (if you use only natural light, that is).

But I share it only because it reminds me of how I usually feel AFTER the holidays are over: A mess, worn out, and pooped. I am determined not to end up feeling this way this year and I hope that for you too. So, I figured, I would share with you some of the few items I made last year for some of my friends, as I can't show you what I am attempting to make this year, yet.

And maybe by showing a few simple things I made last year, even thought it is before Thanksgiving, it will give you some very simple ideas that may get you through the holidays with some ease. And maybe when the new year arrives...you won't feel how this photo looks when it is all over. :-)

Below are some of the crafty gifts I made for friends last year. Just remember I had a post not long ago that said, "Artsy does not mean crafty."

This little tree in a silver creamer was actually a gift to me from my friend, Renee. Isn't is adorable? I just love it! It is made so simply. I added the watch faces and then took some photos of it and then took the photos and made some cards from it. And then I took a photo and framed it for Renee for her home. See below:

This little farmhouse frame was used to frame the photo of Renee's tree and then on the back I put a little photo and note for her. So instead of just taking one of my own photos and framing it I took a photo of something she made for me.

Below is are little sour cream pound cakes that I made and handed out to family and friends with the recipe on a card that was on the bottom. The cake is really good and I love wrapping it in such simple paper. The recipe is at the end of the post. This pound cake is everyone's favorite.

This photo I gave to my seamstress, Maureen. She is a wizard with scissors and I wanted something personal for her.

And these scissor photos were given to a friend that just completed her super cool craft room where we girls gather and do fun projects. What a better way to celebrate a project room than with a creative project from a friend that loves you?

I was shopping with some fun girlfriends (Debbie and Renee) at an out of town flea-market where we spent the night, had tons of laughter and non-stop talking, and eating pie. While shopping I came across antique lap trays. All in mahogany. I bought them all and then painted them, aged them and painted the names of my girlfriends on them. I saved one tray for a friend's husband, Terry. It was so cute, because Terry loves to use his bed as his office desk, which drives my girlfriend crazy, since I designed custom bedding for her. So I decided to paint a lap tray for his laptop and coordinate it with her bedding. I left it on their doorstop, and he was so surprised and it turns out he loved it and uses it all the time. He says the little lip on it keeps his laptop from getting too hot and keeps his lap cool too. That made me happy he liked it so much. Who knew?

I made a batch of caramels as well. One year, I wrapped the caramels and placed them in little chinese take-out boxes and then wrote little "Chinese" proverbs on the scrolls and inserted them in the boxes. I never took photos of those...must have been yet another year where I made my gifts only days prior to the holidays. I will make caramels this year and take photos and give you the recipe - early enough so you can make them too! It is time consuming, but worth it.

Here is Elizabeth's Sour Cream Pound Cake...I have had this recipe for 28 years...I still read the recipe off the original paper I wrote it on...over the years I made some changes as I made this recipe countless times and adjusted it. Over time, friends just started to call it "Elizabeth's Sour Cream Pound Cake," although I don't know where the original recipe came from. I think I have it memorized, plus my additions, after all this time...

Here is the recipe with a few more instructions and my own additions and tips over the years:

"Elizabeth's" Sour Cream Pound Cake

Oven 350 degrees
Bake 45 minutes

3 Cups of flour
3 Cups of Sugar
6 Eggs
8 oz Sour Cream plus 1/4 cup
2 Sticks of Butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs rum flavoring
1 Tbs almond flavoring

In electric mixer (if you have one it is easier) cream butter and sugar.
Add 3 eggs 1 at a time
Add 1/2 of the flour and mix in
Add rest of eggs 1 at a time
Add in the rest of the flour and mix
Add in the other ingredients and mix

Tips:

Have sticks of butter at semi-room temp. Not too soft and not too hard.

Crack eggs one at a time in small bowl and THEN add to the mixing bowl (this avoids any shells getting into the recipe)

When flouring the baking pans, I use lots of flour and tap out ALL flour, especially in the corners

When baking, I just slightly under bake the cakes where the toothpick comes out just slightly wet when poked in the center. Once the cake is cooled, the cake will be extra, extra moist and heavy and will stay moist over the next few days and not dry out.

I wrap in wax paper and then use a large zip lock baggie to store them in if not giving them out right away. This keeps them very moist and heavy.

The batter will be very heavy and you will need to spoon out the batter, it will not pour.

This will make two regular loaf pans or several small loaf pans.

I do not double the batch. I make two batches instead.

Hope you enjoy the pound cake as much as I have for so many years. You will want to make quite a few....they don't last long. And yes, you may freeze them as well.

I will try to get a batch of caramels made soon and get that out to you. I hope showing you that even a very non-crafty person can make some gifts and with funds being tight, we can still come up with some personal and fun gifts. I think the most fun is the taking some down time and enjoying the process. When I finally found the time to make these projects....my regret was that I didn't slow down to enjoy it all because I just ran out of time. But when I got into the projects, I enjoyed it so much...all the more reason I wanted to slow down this season.

You know how I like to keep it real on my blog, so even in my rush, I took some very quick behind the scenes photos to show you how the above "pretty photos" weren't so pretty behind the all the rush - hence the rest of the name of this post...Homemade Madness!!

The madness began with making the pound cakes...thinking as they bake...I will just "do everything else." Remember how I think I can do a week worth's of work in one night? Well, below shows how my thinking is so waaayyy off.... hahaha

I begin with my sour cream pound cakes...while they bake, I will just make all the other things....yeah....right....

I still need to get my photos done of the little tree...and make cards...and make the gift of the photo framed....and then I notice....ahhhhhh!!! The damn cat had made her way into the caramel tray sometime earlier that day and "sampled" it!! I now have to make a new batch...or...maybe just cut that chunk out...no one will know....right??? But I ended up making more because it was a big-ass chunk and I was so mad....and now back to the kitchen.

I am feeling pleased...I got my "sample" tray done and the others are drying...and look! it is still daylight!

I come up with this bright idea of something I saw somewhere that inspired me. But I decided to do "my take" on it. To make some chicken wire trees in my window seat - THREE of them, all lined up and then stuff paper all around them with lights...I thought...that would be so easy!

Several hours later, and one scraggly tree with no paper on it yet and I am pooped and not liking it....

Oh, did I mention all this was taking place on December 23rd? So, I scrap the damn tree idea and decide to go down to Flower Row before they close and go buy all fresh greenery, which I usually do every year, but didn't find time because of my schedule...as you can see, it is now dark....

I am standing here, as you can see, by the roll of chicken $#@& wire on the right, debating and trying to convince myself that once all the paper is on it and all three are lined up, that it will really be "cool looking" now that I have an European grain sack wrapped around it. Yeah, right, a SACK makes it so much better.....NOT....

I am feeling a little more merrier now (something to do with the bottle of wine, I think) and the smell of pine and greenery. As you can see, it is pitch black out. The pound cakes are baked and smelling good too. As you can see, I haven't given up on the damn tree...NOW, I have tried waxed paper thinking that might work...but NOT.

But then....damn! I realize that I need to get the cards done...and my markers are old and drying up...must get new ones this year. So, now I am in my office...forget the trees....and down to the basement is my one lonely tree and there it still sits, mocking me.

Sometimes, seeing my crappy pictures, my crappy, messy house, and my crappy attempts of "crafting" makes me laugh NOW. But at that moment, I was thinking...."Geesh, Elizabeth...get...it...together!!" When in reality, I should just in the moment give myself a break. Because if I were reading this on someone else's blog, I would just laugh and think...OMG...I am just like her...a real spaz!

Why are we so hard on ourselves to perform...especially when it is just our own selves? I mean, no one was even coming over...I wasn't even entertaining....I wasn't having a dinner or anything...and yet, I was beating myself up for waiting until the last minute. Although, I didn't really "wait," I was working so hard, I just didn't have time. That makes sense to me NOW, but last year, I didn't see it that way...I saw it as not using my time wisely and not "having it together."

I really hope for you this season that you aren't as mean to yourself as I can be to myself. I hope if you find yourself saying mean things to yourself, you click on my blog and scroll right past all the pretty photos and go right to my mess and think....I have a Spazzy Cyber Sister...I am not alone!! And give yourself a break. I know I am giving myself a break this year and I want the same for you too - because I love you.

Big messy hug to you.

from my homemade mad house to your house,

What If?

2011-10-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

What if we never changed and never had a chance to look beyond tomorrow with the hope of something new? What if what you are doing right now is all that you would ever be doing - ever.

Sound okay? Content? You would no longer look down the road and never again wonder "What if?" Some may love that. Security. No more wondering. All is done.

There is nothing wrong with being content with what you have and what you've worked for - in fact, I am a huge believer in that. I feel that is the key to happiness. But I believe most of us, while we may strive for certain goals, and then attain them, we continue to look for adventure. That is how I see it...adventure.

Welcome to my new header. My blog title stayed the same as I will always have adventures. But I changed my header (for now). I am discovering that I am finding my creative self in many more wonderful places, doing more interesting projects, outside of my office...that...and I am tired of looking at my mug on my header!

Over the years, my adventures have changed a lot, but they are always, always interesting. However, I have discovered something along the way, especially in the years after I made the decision to close my store. It took a while for me to see what others were feeling as well.

I have come across many, many other creative entrepreneurs who, like myself, who started on one venture, only to find themselves questioning whether or not they wanted to continue. They question and doubt themselves about their decisions. Did they make a mistake? A poor choice?

Like them, I too, had doubts when making my decision and it wasn't until a few years after many experiences did I realize something so obvious. My owning a store was not the end all, be all. It was only a stepping stone to get me to where I am today. My store opened all sorts of doors for me. It took great risks and a lot of courage to open a store and it took a lot of risks to close it so I may pursue what I felt was calling me to do in my heart.

Our lives are like this book. We can remain shut and all locked up, safe, once we feel we have it all figured out and written and completed. Or, we can bust open that lock, and start writing new chapters just when we felt our book was darn near complete and comfy. Personally, I find a worn out book, is a book that was really worth reading...again and again.

I have received quite a few emails of late from very talented ladies going through "the change." No...not THAT change. But a transformation. A change in their lives where they had made a decision years ago to seek out their passion and "went for it." And I so applaud that, as we all know what a scary thing that is! But over the years they discovered that their passion either faded or they discovered a new one. But now they are finding themselves in a quandary. They feel like a "failure" to use their word. They put so much time and effort and money into a venture only to feel like they failed. And...they have well-meaning friends and family questioning their decision as well. Somehow, along the way, they have convinced themselves that all because they devoted so much passion and energy into a venture or project, that somehow, that was a life sentence. Yes, what was once a passion can feel like a life sentence when our heart begins to sing another tune, but we feel stuck to "stick it out" for fear of looking like a failure or for jumping ship. There is a lot of pressure from customers, friends, and peers to "succeed" in their eyes. But what about succeeding in our own eyes?

I see it very differently. I never see failure. I see only ventures. And I feel that when we seek out what our heart is calling us to do, and if that calling is good and encourages others along the way, then the calling is coming from The Original Creator. He (Christ) is giving us a chance to have an adventure. And unless we take it, then we won't discover all of the other wonderful things just waiting for us from that first venture. And it just may be THAT second (or third, or fourth) discovery that came from just taking that very first adventure is what your heart will truly discover to sing about in the end.

I had many readers from my other blog, Shop Talk Series, request that I should share with you my latest posting about this subject. Most of you don't read this little blog of mine, as it is geared toward shops owners and the ups and downs of running a shop and some tips. But this latest post, I am told, would have been good for my main blog, so I decided to share it with you.

I hope you don't mind a "re-run" but know that if you are at a point in which you feel that some choices you made have you feeling that you are at a dead end...I don't believe in dead ends. Because with every single dead end, you can always look up for wisdom on how to turn around.

Guest post from my Shop Talk Series:

Sept 08, 2011

Hello!

I ran into an old friend recently and I hadn't seen her in a long time. We could only talk briefly, but it was good to see her. It had been about year or so since we last had contact and longer since we actually had seen each other. Actually, we were friends of a mutual friend, so our circle didn't cross too often, as our mutual friend had moved out of town.

As we leaned against our cars catching up on each other's life's happenings, it amazed us both how our lives had taken so many twists and turns in such a short amount of time. Some twists were put upon us, unexpected. Some turns, we made by choice. Our lives could not be more different. She: a mother of one, works in the corporate world, a new grandmother, newly divorced, a budding nail technician! Me: married, no children, free-lance photographer, writer, designer, stylist, and whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.

But we both had one thing in common: We took our twists and turns in life and opened that door to see what was on the other side. Sometimes we swung that door wide open with anticipation and sometimes, we slowly, carefully (maybe even begrudgingly) creaked it open and only peeked out of fear.

But mainly, we were just amazed at all the changes we had made in a short time. And that made me think of you readers. I know over the years, I have grown and experienced a lot passions that I thought about for long time, and finally, I just stepped out and started to do them. For a long time, I did just a little "here and there" but I wasn't satisfied just doing a little "here and there" with my passions, I wanted to explore them more fully. So, I made the difficult decision to close my store and pursue these new adventures.

I realized what was keeping me locked up for so long was that I felt I "should" carry on with "what I started." But now I have learned that was silly. What I had started was an adventure! And that adventure led me down an exciting path that opened a lot of doors which showed me ways to express myself in different mediums. Design, photography, writing, styling, and so on. It was time, combined with taking a lot of risks by choosing to experience a lot of situations outside my comfort zone, that led me to discover many things about myself. I mainly discovered that I truly enjoy and have a passion to photograph, write, and style vignettes that inspire others to see something beautiful that may not be apparent, or photograph something in such a way that it evokes a positive or reflective thought in its viewer.

But my problem was for some time was that I didn't trust myself and I listened to too many well-intened "advisors" who kept telling me I should be doing "this" with my store. Or that I should think about trying "that" because I am so talented. Or I should never go "that" route.... Basically, I was living (or trying to live) their dream, their vision, their expectations of what they felt my abilities were. And it is easy to listen to people when you are so very tired, and when you are doubting yourself, and when you have poured so much of your soul into your work, and when you have bills staring at you in the face...and besides...you have no idea where these passions will take you, right?

What we tend to look for when get this way is security. We want to feel secure in our decisions. But then there is that "damned if you do, damned if you don't" deal. I felt damned if I stayed and worked and worked, and yes, it was great, by my heart was longing to explore what I felt was truly calling me to do. And had I not opened the store in the first place, I would not have discovered these passions. I reasoned that perhaps the store was only a stepping stone to discovery, not the end all be all. But I was damned if went forward, closed my store, and sought out new adventures and "started all over" and what if it didn't work out? Well, again, I reasoned, I had that exact same question and risk the moment I made the decision to open my store and that didn't stop me then, now did it?

I share my thoughts and experiences with you because I know of several friends "in the business" who are at a crossroads right now and I can't help but feel that maybe you are too. Maybe there are feelings of "what will people think" or "did I just waste all those years and energy" or "did I make a mistake..." And if I could sit and have coffee and sour cream pound cake with you, I would give you a big hug and say "NO!" You learned a lot, and now you are about to take all that you learned about yourself and move on to the next step in your wonderful life and see what is about to be on the other side of the door! How exciting! No regrets, just excitement.

So, if you are currently at a crossroads in your business and are wondering if you should pursue a newly discovered passion, talent, or skill that may seem off your current path...think again. You discovered this passion while you were on your current path. Perhaps your current path is just a stepping stone? Or maybe it is time for a new adventure? Only you know and you will only find out by opening the door of the opportunities and at least check it out a little bit.

Aren't you just dying to know what is behind this cute little door?

If you were standing in front of it, like I was when I snapped this photo, wouldn't you open it? Do you think I opened it? OF COURSE I DID! And I am not going to tell you what treasures I found behind it either...that was my adventure...now go discover you own! :-)

from my house to your house,

Here and There and Back Again!

2011-10-21T19:56:00.002-05:00

Hello, hello, hello!

I have missed you all and hope you are all in good health, happiness, and gearing up for a good weekend.

I have been running around so much, but I think I am back for a bit and I can actually sit here, eat a few skittles and type out a post!

I hope I can remember all that I want to chat about, and keep it in order, but don't count on it. But I will do my best. I may get some things out of whack, but I will get to it all, I am sure. I may write it as I remember it.

I chose the photo on the left because the "take one" really reminds me to "take one day at a time" and to take tiny bites of life as life can come in huge gulps sometimes and can choke you if you aren't careful!

I took this photo at The Creative Connection Event in St. Paul, back in Sept, which I will get to in a moment or two.

To sum up quickly the past few months to catch you up, then I will get to some details...all summer I spent shooting a special project that really took a lot out of me due to the heat. It was a great experience and I don't have permission yet to let you know what it is, but soon I hope! But basically, I was hauling a lot of props and working in an abandoned building, shooting, unfortunately, during that horrible heatwave....but I really loved the work and am dying to share it with you as soon as I get the okay.

Then RIGHT after (maybe a week or so) I just completed that shoot and wrapped up the photos, I literally was off to St. Paul for The Creative Connection for a week and met some of the greatest people ever.

If I have it correct: June, Jacie, Judy and Nancy Soriano...I am so horrible with names! But this group of women are just about as good as is gets.

Then no sooner than when I got back, literally only days, another project came up and I found myself in the car driving 15 hours down to Texas to Round Top antique fair to take care of some business and did some shooting there and it was 102, 103 and 104 degrees most days and I just about died in the heat. I was not used to walking around with that heat! I was there a whole week and then drove all the way back home again.

This was only the back lot, about 1/8 of only one side of only one road on one very HOT day. I hadn't even made it to the FRONT lot area yet (to my left, out of sight of my lens) and you can already see all the goodies just waiting for me...

I was home literally only days when my barber husband zipped me away for ten days to the Lake of the Ozarks for rest, fishing and naps. And we did a fishing tournament together as well! We got skunked, but we had a fun time. And I just got back this week and have been trying to catch up on dozens of things that have been put on hold since June.

So that has been the past few months in short. I haven't even told you about what is to come in the next few months yet, but that can wait for now.

So, back to St. Paul. The Creative Connection Event.

For those who aren't familiar with it, real quick, it is a creative conference for women who gather for several days and take classes, listen to panels and key note speakers have dinners and learn and make great connections with other artists, bloggers, crafters, photographers and so on. It is a way to get your crafting, foodie, blogging passion to the next level if you wish or just to make connections and network. Jo Packham and Nancy Soriano are the founders.

Below are some photos of the event and I will try to remember people and names and who they are, but if you have been reading my blog for even more than a day, you will know that I am THE WORST at remember faces, names and connections. I did get to meet Tina from St. Louis, of all places. We have been trying to meet for months and just haven't been able to...and so we meet in St. Paul! Mary Beth Hunt introduced herself to me, she had read my blog and we became friends as if we have known each other for years. I met the best volunteers ever who made me laugh and helped me to remember OTHER people's names! Oh...how I LOVE NAME TAGS....I think it should be a law that we all are required to wear name tags.

That was the one thing I loved about being in the military...name tags and rank. If I couldn't see the name tag, I could just call someone by rank...Hey there Sergeant, Hi Colonel....Hello Chief....it was great...never missed a beat, never got it wrong and what was even better? Their unit or squadron was on their uniform and with a glance I could even match up the face, where they worked and "remember" where I met them and how I "knew" them and I always seemed like I knew what I was doing....but now? I have no cover....I am outed....sigh....but I digress....

Oh wait...just thought of a funny story...right at the beginning of us setting up, this pretty and artsy looking woman comes up to Jo with a huge smile and says really loud, "HI JOOO!!!!" And gives her a full body hug and sways her back and forth. Then she turns to me and looks me in the eye and says, "HEY!!!" And gives me a huge hug like she knows me and I haven't a clue. And I am thinking, Oh God, here we go....already....I have no idea who she is and she recognizes me and I will feel so bad if we have had tons of conversations....and I am not remembering her...how awful of me! And she stays for a minute talks to us both, all happy, and excited and then she just leaves. And as soon as she leaves, Jo turns to me and lowers her voice and says, "Okay, who was that woman, I have to know her name, I feel so bad that I don't know her...." And I say, "I have no clue, I feel so bad too..." And then Jo starts saying to the staff where all the inventory is boxed up, she says loudly...."NAME TAGS!...we must get the NAME TAGS out NOW!!" And we all started to laugh because we are both so clueless about this woman and we are like the blind leading the blind.

Well, later we find out that the woman was a HOTEL staff member who was just assigned to us, someone we have NEVER met before, and who was just super friendly. But she freaked us both out...hahahahahaha.

Okay, I am done now...I will get on with the photos....

Lots of artsy and stylish women waiting in line for their Star Bucks who was a sponsor and gave out a pound of coffee to everyone! The stylish woman in the hat is Jenny Pfanenstiel who is a Couture Milliner. You can find more of her great hats at www.fromeonlineshop.com She wore a different hat throughout the days!

I didn't grab her name, but loved her skirt and she said her mom whipped this together only the night before!

This book just came out! I interviewed and wrote eight of the chapters. I met some of the coolest people writing for this book. That was one of my fall and winter projects that kept me very busy. Ashley English was there and I got to meet her little Huxley. She was pregnant when I interviewed her for the book. You should check out the book - it really has great recipes and photos...Jo did a great job with it!

There was an autograph party as part of the event. There were 50 authors there to sign books!

Well, you got a little peek at what took place, but I like showing a little of the "before" and give you an idea of the venue, how beautiful the Crown Hotel is and how all these halls and chairs quickly filled up with happy, gabbing, talented, passionate, and very smart women for several days!

This is where The Market Place was being set up and vendors' items being delivered....

Beautiful pool, but never had time to swim in it!

Working down to the wire!

Setting up for registration

Lots to unpack and set up!

Registration packets - lots of women attending!

I have never seen so many signs that needed to be put out....

Vendors Indigo Junction setting up and doing it with a smile!

Beth is helping a vendor set up - so much to do!

Below are some random photos I took between some events that I attended:

Would you believe that this is a McDonalds table display? They sponsored breakfast and this is what we wake up to!

These two ladies brought their two daughters (below) and are just about the sweetest foursome you could have ever met.

These two friends are 6th graders, crafters, and have their own Etsy Store already!

Before I continue, I have the winner for the year's subscription for Where Women Create and Where Women Cook! Remember I said Jo would offer this gift if you would comment or post about

WINNERS:

The Creative Connection Event Contest

Congrats to Stephanie of Bungalow Marriette for Winning Where Women Cook

Stephanie

Dore

And Dore of Burlap Lux for Winning Where Women Create

Below is The Cooks of Crocus Hill cooking school. We had several classes taught there and it was a blast. It was a beautiful school and I would go back in a heartbeat!

Sarah and Carolyn came all the way from London to teach for us. They were Princess Diana's chefs and are known for their pastries made with rose petals. They were adorable to watch and learn from.

Jo Packham, Christina Ferrare and Loralee

Mary Jane Butters

Christina was a hoot to watch and such a genuine soul.

We learned about food photography from Diane Cu and Todd Porter, the photographers that shot Christina's cookbook.

Some of the goodies the British chefs made...tasty as well as beautiful!

And that brings back to our little finger sandwiches...one bite at a time...take one day at a time...but in my case...I went from one day right on to the next day as soon as I got home and went from the North straight down to the South.

These are so good. Don't know if I have the patience to make them...but I will eat them :-)

So as you can see...the Creative Connection Even was busy, fun, and non-stop. I get home, and tell my barber husband that I am so excited to just rest and "do nothing for a whole week." Then, literally, only days later, I get an email, about a possible project that requires me to go to Texas right away (and I don't have enough details about this project to talk about at this time....darn it!!) and I haven't even unpacked from St. Paul...and I jump into my truck and drive down to Texas. Eight hours to Oklahoma City, spent the night. Then almost eight hours to my sister's house in Austin. Then the very next day, another hour and half or so to Round Top and hour and half back again to my sister's home. And I do this for an entire week.

But mainly, it was the HEAT...the FRIGGIN HEAT that I hated so much. 102, 104 degrees on some days. The LAST day, a "cold front" came in and cooled it down to high 80's which was nice, but I was leaving! The heat really took a toll on me and I ended up doing little shooting, as it was just so hot to carry my camera around my neck. SO HOT to just walk around and I was just not acclimated at all.

But I did get some photos and so here you go! I did stop at a place outside of Austin before entering Round Top and bought me one of these Olive Buckets.

I found myself completely fascinated with these wagon wheels. I will try to locate the business card of this place. I know I have it, but can't find it. Hopefully the lovely lady that helped me will read the blog and let me know the name of this location.

Marburger Farm

This photo and the next four are from French Vanilla that were at Marburger Farm. They had one of the cutest booths and the best prices. I loved their space.

This cute couple is from California. They own Euro-Linens and have the real deal. www.euro-linens.com I discovered that the wife and lived only two hours away from each other in Germany!

Oh, I am having a major brain fart...I love this booth and the gal! I even go to her blog! Hopefully she or Shelly will visit me and help me poop out the name....I can't even imagine what I will be like at 70!
NOTE: Got a couple of keen spotters to correct me! I hope I got this right: This is Time Worn Antiques by Theresa. www.timeworninteriors.blogspot.com I hope that is right. She and spent time talking and catching up...that is what makes this so bad with my name forgetting thing...and especially since I love her booth so much!

I had a nice chat with Shelly from www.sweetpeahomeblogspot.com

Long line of cars at Warrenton heading towards Round Top.

Another Sweet Pea. She doesn't have a website and I LOVE her stuff.

Good Ole Things. They go to all the great shows. He would stop by my store and I would climb into his huge truck and pick stuff out for the store.

Always the lovely Teresa from Garden Vintage Antiques www.gardenantqs.blogspot.com She took me to visit Debbie at www.talkingwhitetrash.blogspot.com. Debbie and I sat on her sofa in her booth talking and yakking for quite a while with "Cat Daddy" and had a good visit. It was good seeing Teresa, Debbie and CD. (Cat Daddy).

Makes your heart beat faster, don't it?

Texan women don't mess around with messin' around husbands....they'll hank'em right off and toss'em in a bin...right after they stomp'em with their cowboy boots 'till they're square... Well...ahem...that's what I heard.

Actually, I was eyeing the water...it was late in the day, and I was very beat up by the sun....but I wasn't 100% sure if my tetanus shot was up to date.

DRY....DRY...home of the skinny cow...

Drought results were sad....

This is how hot and tired I was....see the street in the photo? I never crossed it to go inside. I snapped a photo and kept going. I've been in there...done that....and WANTED to do it again....but too dang hot and tired to cross the hot road. Now THAT isn't hot...that is heatstroke to pass that up!

And that is the end of the tour...with a bus filled with junk inside and out. And nope...didn't go in that either....don't you see that hot, dusty turf in front of it? I have about 1 mile to walk back to my truck and I am dead from walking in triple digit heat.

I got mixed reports on the sales from the vendors. Some told me it was a bad show for them, very slow. Some told me it was a great show for them. Go figure. Me? I bought only ONE item...an antique creel basket for my honey. And only because it had a strap that I could put over my shoulder and not have to carry it. As a former store owner, it is very hard for me to buy retail and living in a tiny, tiny home, I just don't have the space or need.

There is an advantage to having had a store for many years...and having to buy for clients....you just don't feel like buying for yourself...and you save tons of money in the end. I know...seems crazy, right? But buying to me is like work. Because for years, it was. It was a hunt, a goal, a need, a time limit, always-on- a-tight-budget sort of thing. Never for leisure, never really for just the joy of it. Buying the right stuff was a business and I was very, very good at it...but...it was still work. Hard work.

The quick hunting, the endless picking, the clever dealing, the quick calculations, the standing in line, the actual buying, the loading, the hauling, then unloading, the pricing, the cleaning, the fixing, then getting it in the store, the styling it and then eventually selling it at a profit. Most don't realize that "shopping" for a business isn't "shopping" at all. And it entails tons and tons of work just for one single item. Now multiply that for a store full of interesting items....whew!

BUT... and yes, there is always a "but." That "work" is a passion that entails a business mind that is always turning, churning, creating, doing, thinking, and moving on to the next idea, the next deal, the next adventure. I enjoyed my work immensely, but, like most...in my down time, I don't want to work. So my joy at these markets, for now at least, is snapping photos, seeing the "art" in the light on objects, the displays, visiting with others, seeing how the business is changing, how the vendors are selling, how the customers are buying, and keeping my ears open for news and eyes open to what is changing and guessing what will likely happen within the next five years. That is my joy for now.

Add in some good weather, let's say about 75 degrees, and you will see my joy turn into exhilaration!

And in the meantime...you can enjoy your shopping and buying and support those hard working vendors. And I will keep on snapping photos of what suits my fancy. And we both can try and figure out why those friggin dolls' heads, sans body, show up at every market.

They are like a train wreck...you don't want to look...but we keep staring anyway.

But even creepier...they stare right back at you.

from my house to your house,

Down For the Count

2011-10-05T17:35:00.000-05:00

There was girl who drove far north, then south,

her fun adventures took her all about.

She wants to share them, she has so much to tell

but to tell the truth, she's tired as hell.

She is off again, to relax and go fishing,

but she can't wait to get back and get on with the dishing!

Okay, so I am no poet...but I have literally been here, there, and now going again and I have so many photos to share with you...people to thank....people to talk about....things to show you....I can't wait! But for some reason, my barber husband is insisting that I go fishing with him and wants to have me all to himself with a cozy campfire and his boat.....sounds good to me!

Miss ya'll and will have lots to gab about soon!

from my house to your house,

Creative Cooking Simple Serving

2011-09-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

I am honored to once again to have my work featured in Where Women Cook. I came home last night and found my autumn issue waiting for me and I never stop getting excited to see my work or ideas published. I never take it for granted that there are so many very talented individuals wishing that they too, could share their ideas and talent with the world and they are hoping that someday they will be able to do so.

So, thank you Where Women Cook for doing such a beautiful job with my feature and the layout is, as always, spectacular. This issue is especially exciting because it features Cristina Ferrare of "Big Bowl of Love" from OWN network. She will be one of the keynote speakers at The Creative Connection Event that is just only a couple of weeks away now! I can't wait. Remember, like I said in a few posts ago, if you grab this button and leave a comment and post the button on your blog's sidebar, your name will be entered to win either a subscription to Where Women Create or Where Women Cook. Jo Packham, founder of both publications, generously offered that to my readers!

CONTEST GIVEAWAY!

Just grab the button below.

Place button on your blog sidebar just until Sept 15th.

And leave me a comment that you did so.

There will be Two winners:

One will get a year's subscription to Where Women Create

One will get a year's subscription to Where Women Cook

Click HERE for details!

Issue of Where Women Cook that features my latest work

But for now, let me say that the little feature I did for Where Women Cook is a feature called "Art Bar." It is a regular feature only added in a couple of issues ago. I believe mine is the third Art Bar? Not sure exactly. I chose to feature one of my favorite holiday drinks: Wassail.

I fell in love with this European traditional punch back when I lived in Germany. There are many ways to make this punch and so I shared my version in Art Bar. I will share some of the photos that were not used, as the feature is purposely kept to only four pages and only the recipe. You will have to read WWC to get all the photos and the recipe.....yes....the recipe (for a while at least) stays in WWC to be fair to them. But I will say, that this punch is served warm and is so good, (and beautiful) that serving it year round is something too hard to resist. But I will give you some serving tips, as they could not be included in the issue...so I am giving you something, even if not the recipe. :-)

I hope you enjoy the extra photos and tips.

I use a metal, vintage punch bowl when serving warm punch. Not only does it lend to the traditional feel of the punch, but the metal keeps the punch warm longer. I line up the tarnished silver goblets on an old mirror for texture and old world beauty.

Sometimes, keeping things simple is simply elegant. Just lining up the goblets on an old mirror is all that is needed for this little drink station....

I like using an antique, tarnished creamer, instead of a ladle to dip out the punch. Have you ever noticed how ladles are awkward to handle and tend to spill the punch anyway? Now you know what to do with those little three dollar creamers you find at any flea-market but wonder what to do with them. They are easy to hold, and pour directly into any little cup, without spills!

Using left over fruit to decorate is an easy, quick, and inexpensive way to finish off the table. Save your money for great appetizers and don't spend it on decorations...guests will love the simplicity and will enjoy gabbing and eating the tasty treats that you were able to purchase with the saved $$.

As a special treat, poke the oranges with cloves in a decorative manner. If you have a guest of honor...poking his/her initials into the oranges is a nice surprise! In this case, I honored Where Women Cook. A little trick: First float the orange to see which way it floats. Poke the cloves on the upside and if necessary, poke one or two toothpicks on the bottom of the orange which will help stabilize the orange to keep the cloves upward. Be sure to push the toothpicks far enough in to keep them from falling out.

The baked and scored apples look so cozy among all the floating fruits and spices. It just screams autumn! I love the crinkled skin. You will need to cut fresh lemon and orange slices before serving - they aren't so pretty after simmering in the punch :-)

Well, I just couldn't put away all the fun ingredients without playing a little...I guess you can see where my heart is...

If you want some fabulous recipes, some really heart-warming stories about some fabulous women to inspire you, this is a really great publication that Jo Packham has created. This publication is for women (or men) who like to cook, who love to peek into other women's kitchens, and who love a good inspirational story. I am really honored to be a part of Where Women Cook. If you are looking for some connections, inspiration, or just wanting to jumpstart your passion to a new level, again, I will be at The Creative Connection Event, and if you are still on the fence about this, I encourage you to visit their blog which will give you lots of information, ideas, and last minute registration deals and tips.

Well, that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed the little bit of eye candy. I always enjoy getting up a post that shows my passion. I have been super busy finishing up a huge project and I haven't had a moment to rest, gather my thoughts or even clean up after my project. And boy, how I can't wait to share with you ANOTHER HUGE project that just landed in my lap...but it is a project that will take quite a while to work on, a TRUE labor of love, and will fulfill many, many years of dreaming, loving, wishing, and a very unbelievable story that goes with along with it. It will be such a fun project, a long project, I may start a whole separate blog about it.....stay tuned!

Until then my dear readers, I wish you all the chance to create, dream, wish, and continue to grow your passion in a direction that fills you up with pure joy.

from my house to your house,

In the Heat of the Moment

2011-08-25T14:54:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I hope this very hot summer is finding you all doing well; creating, and staying somewhat sane with this heat. I have tried, unsuccessfully, several times to get out a new post, but Blogger would not allow my password to go through, and I have no idea why. Blogger has also deleted my posts due to "illegal" fonts or something and would not "save" my posts when I was half way done with them. I have no idea what that means, since I am only using the fonts provided by Blogger. I have started (and almost completed) this post now about five times. It took some doing to get this up again, and I am about to pull my hair out with this server. Hence the opening photo - I feel like I lost my head there for a week or so! :-)

I have a couple of quick fun updates I want to get out and if you hang in there, I have a creative, (but sort of sick) confession that I will share, but sure to regret later, I am sure....

First I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS to CHRISTIE and a friend of her choice who is the winner of the free pass giveaway, plus hotel to the Creative Connection Event. Click on Christie's name above to read more about this interesting winner!

Christie - The Winner of TCC Event passes plus hotel!

As I have mentioned before, I am attending The Creative Connection Event next month, and I am very excited to attend. The more I learn about the wonderful classes the more I can't wait. Although I will be helping out most of the event, I will try to take in a class here and there. Hopefully a photography class or something in publishing.

But what I found out that is super cool?

All of the cooking classes! Not only are there cooking events, but there are cooking classes at the Cooks of Crocus Hill site, a fabulous and very prestigious cooking school in St. Paul. Cristina Ferrare, Diane Cu & Todd Porter, Carolyn Robb & Sarah Champier, and Terry Walters are experts in turning their passion of cooking and food into careers and will be sharing how they did that at the event. To have these professional ladies, who have been there, done that, share their adventures and experiences, is something I am looking forward to hearing and learning a lot from.

And once again, Jo Packham, the co-founder of The Creative Connection Event is offering us creative women a way to hear these fabulous professionals with us being down to the last 25 days to the big event!

Visit The Creative Connection Event Blog for the details. The rules are SUPER SIMPLE and the rewards are great! 25 days, 25 winners, who will get 25% off when they register.

Click HERE to go to link for information about registration.

Okay, my good friends. I have been super, super busy and very tired! I have had a very exciting and fun job these past couple of months. I was offered a fabulous (but very challenging) to shoot a book! At this point, I am not sure what I am allowed to share with you, as the publishers haven't told me yet, but I will get some information and as soon as I get the "okay" I will be happy to share.

But the book is about a quilt designer and I was hired to scout a location, style the entire shoot, and photograph ten quilts, the cover, the double spread shots, the opening page shots, and all the detail shots. I really LOVED this assignment! The quilts were to have an "environment" and "be very different" and not traditional. Luckily I did not have to do, what I call, the "clinical shots" of just a flat shot of the quilts. Those were being done by the publisher in their studio. I got to do all the beauty shots and location - which is extremely hard when working with quilts, but I loved that the publishers trusted me with my ideas and styling.

So, back in May is when I had to scout a location and shoot the cover and a few detail shots. I have never worked with this publisher before and so I working blindly, so to speak. So, after many, many days of scouting, and even sending out a mass email to friends about finding a place, I happened upon a place purely by accident.

Visiting a friend's store (I will provide all details, when I get more photos to really be able to share), the owner's husband happened to mention the abandoned space above the store, and I was running out of time, and Ta Da! A VERY run down, awful, but beautiful "set" awaited me! I was in heaven!! So much light! Giant windows! Cracked wallpaper! Dirty floors! Heaven! Below are my scouting shots of some of the rooms...

I rented a U-haul, my barber husband and I hauled props and furniture above, I took hostage many props from good friends, generous store owners, and went to work. The publisher was thrilled with my first disc of photos and I spent hours and hours, day after day, designing areas, moving furniture and downloading photos and learning new programs to meet their specifications.

Believe it or not, I am really making this very long story short to get to what I want to say just for today...

Then the shoot was delayed....May went by....June went by....July went by....and so guess what? I get to now shoot at the end of July and into August....can we say HEAT WAVE...as in triple digits??? The abandoned place had no electricity and it being on the top floor it was at least 120 degrees on some days! My dream location, my heaven on earth, is now H-E-L-LLLLL!

Well, I delayed shooting an entire seven days because it was just impossible with the heat wave. But, I had a deadline, and so I HAD to get some shooting done. So, for the last three weeks, that is what I have been doing and nothing else. If you ever want to test your age or stamina, go do something in the heat for hours on end....you will feel OLD! And after a while, you start to do things like talk to yourself, have a shitfit when you realize you left something in the car and the LAST thing you want to do is walk down a huge flight of stairs, down the street, go get it, and then back again, and chance tripping over the long, long extension cord I had running down the stairs into the store. You soon realize that equipment doesn't like heat very much either must remain somewhat cool as well.

Gatorade - drank 1 large bottle an hour at least!

I had a few fans, but they did very little to help, except to blow hot air on me. I wore a cut-off t-shirt sleeve on my head, and dipped in ice-water from the cooler I brought and wrapped it on my head to prevent heat stroke. But it was this one particular day, a day of extreme labor, that I think all the fans in the world and ice-watered, and a t-shirt sleeved-wrapped head, didn't save me from what I now realize was a day that the heat got to me.

I had been avoiding using a particular room because the windows were nailed shut, but I knew this room would be good for a huge double spread shot - a sewing scene with lots of mannequins, a huge work table, an ironing board, and all sorts of goodies and props. I bit the bullet, and decided to go for it (which by the way, the publishers loved the photo, thank God), and I had to clean out the room for there were some gross stuff on the floor.

I was very hot, very tired, and decided to clean, set up the scene and come back the next day and shoot. During all these weeks, I took "behind the scenes photos" for my dear readers, as I know you like to see what "really" took place in addition to all the "pretty shots." So below is what I started to sweep:

As I started to sweep (and this was the "good" corner), I notice something odd...do you see it?

That's right! A dead bird...one who died of a heat stroke!!

So here I am, kneeling next to this dead bird, taking a photo (so my readers could appreciate all the gross stuff I had to deal with when I can finally show you the "pretty photos"), sweat dripping into my eyes as I lean forward, my knees killing me, stifling HOT in this room, trying not to shake as I lean in and focus on this little, sweet bird, and suddenly it hits me....

.....what am I doing??

.....why in the world am I on my knees like this?

.....what is wrong with me?

I pause, then really think about how crazy this is....because I just realized.....I rented a perfectly WONDERFUL 100mm lens that would allow me to STAND and get GREAT shots! Yes! How crazy am I to kneel, when I can stand without kneeling to get close and grunting like a pig in this heat!! Yes! That is the answer!! I am not joking...this is the truth...do you see how sick a person you have been following all these years...are you ready to unclick the "followers" button yet....?

So, I hop up. Go to the next room, change lenses, all excited at how "smart" I am for thinking of this, go back into the blistering hot room, and STAND and get great photos without even having to get CLOSE to the icky thing....I mean...sweet thing....

Below are the photos I quickly snapped, STANDING UP, in the DOORWAY (next to the fan) and while I snap, with the camera to my eye and as I point the camera, I am thinking...now this is where it really gets bad, as if it isn't bad enough, I think....I wish the lighting was better today...damn clouds....

It wasn't until my long drive home (this location is 1.5 hours away from my house) did I start laughing at myself and my excitement over my lens and my thought process and how others might actually think it was crazy to be taking photos of a dead bird in the first damn place! I can't believe I am telling you this story. But in my defense...this was at the end of a long, hot day, after about three weeks of long, long days working in the heat, so I really feel the heat got the best of me that day...and I am sticking with that story.

And I will add, that when I told this story and showed the photos to my friend, Renee (yes, I am outing you, Renee), she laughed and laughed and SHE said: "Oh, only if you had a cloche and covered the bird, and then took the photo to show your readers how sick you really are...." And we both laughed until tears... And what is even sicker?? I really, really wish I had thought of that!

Well...Okay...

So, how does one end a post like this with a thoughtful quote or a bit of wisdom? Well, I could say something like:

Creating from the soul and with real passion can bring out pieces of us that we never knew...

or

Creating from our heart and being true to our soul is not about being honest with not just yourself, but also with others....

or I could tell you what I am really thinking right now...

I REALLY WANT TO OWN A TOP QUALITY CANON 100MM LENS, AND NOT HAVE TO RENT

Hey! You just try kneeling on a hard floor, in 100 degree room, and photograph a dead bird, then you can judge.... :-)

from my house to your house