samples

just some samples from my 365 project. so far so good. i know it's only the second week, but if this was one of my 52 weeks projects i'd almost be ready to abandon ship. yet with this project i'm still pretty gung ho!




and meet my first stranger.
kelly.

new projects

i've decided this year will be a busy year for me. my knitting queue, which was large, is getting larger. i have high hopes for some larger projects this year. sweaters, socks, and lace, oh my!

my confidence in sewing is growing so that to do list is growing also. must learn to sew a zipper. and buttonholes. those are definitely some obstacles i need to overcome.

also on my list is the desire to cook more. though i couldn't even get the couscous right the other night, but i won't let that deter me. luckily, i have a love affair with our clay pot and it is hard to screw anything up when cooking in that.

and on the photography front. well, right now i feel brave and excited but in a couple months brave may easily be replaced with deranged. i have taken on a few new projects to hopefully inspire and educate me. the first is the 365 project. i have failed to complete the 52 weeks project. three times. ouch. why i think i might complete this i have no clue. but i am going to try. (of course, i go out of town the day after i start and have no way to upload my pictures - but the photos are being taken!).

1.365


and then, i was inspired by justmakeit and decided to give it a go. the 100 strangers project is something i have been wanting to do for over a year. i can be a bit shy and have a really difficult time approaching strangers. i consider myself lacking some basic social skills quite honestly. last year we were in florida and i snuck this picture. i've always thought it would have been a great start to the 100 strangers project and i've regretted not taking that chance then.

so, now i find myself back in florida at about the same time of year (give or take a week or two) and i didn't want to have those regrets two years in a row. i took my first photo for the project and can't wait to share it with you. next week, when i can upload those photos.

until then, happy new year to all of you who take time from your busy lives to stop by here! i appreciate you so much and look forward to sharing the new year with you.
i'd love to know what projects are on your list.

november favorites 2009

{click on the photo to see the page that lists the credits}

i didn't spend a lot of time on flickr this month and i really missed it. this month doesn't look like it will get much more flickr time either with all the holiday crafting that needs to get done. i am really behind on uploading photos, but i have enjoyed looking at everyone else's when i've had the chance. definitely some flickr gratitude over here!

happy december!

polaroid dreams

there's just something about polaroid film. it's an instant tangible memory of a single moment.



and while i unfortunately did not participate in 'roid week 2009 this go round, there was a lot of pola love going on.
so, i'm just going to keep sharing the love by posting some of my favorites of the week. some are just pure magic if you ask me.

the going's on around here

lately the posts i have in my head (what? you can't see those?) have not been making it onto the screen. then i feel like they are backing up and my brain is getting clogged. okay, maybe not - but wouldn't that be a great excuse as to why i am so scattered?
you say the tag on my car is expired? i'm sorry that must the blog clog.



so, rather than feel like i have to travel back in time (for example: i've been meaning to share a post about the cape i made for henry's birthday - more than a month ago!!) and update you on everything i meant to post, i'll just make it easy and more bearable for all of us by starting back with the recent happenings. okay?

i've been working on a new knit, but am trying my best to hold off on sharing it just yet. i still need to block and seam, but it's a little thing for bea on her birthday. hard to believe she is almost one. this has been the quickest year of my life. any advice on how to make these things slow down? goodness.

christmas stockings are in the works still too. but haven't finished one yet. (can you guess what i'll be doing after i hit publish?)

i have set up an official sewing area too! this is quite a big deal to me. usually it would just take up space on our dining table and i would have to shuffle projects out of the way or stow the machine in a cabinet. not very conducive for getting projects started. of course now that i have a designated area where the machine can stay out and be seen i have those knitting things that have to get done. maybe i should do seasonal crafts. knitting half the year, sewing the other . . .
i can't seem to do both this time of year.

oh, and i forgot how old i was. seriously. and i was a little bit disappointed. i thought i was 32. i wasn't. my birthday was coming up and i was excited about turning 33. which i wasn't going to do. because i was 31! not that 32 isn't exciting. so far it has been. i can just look forward to 33 that much longer. right?

as a fantastic completely unexpected birthday surprise (from matt and his mom) i got a new lens for the ol' camera. i haven't been able to play with it too much yet, but so far i am l-o-v-i-n-g it!
one of my favorite flickrites, shades of mediocrity, led me to this lens. i love her work and noticed she used this lens quite a bit. so i poked around some of the flickr pools for this lens and really liked everything i was seeing. i kept going back to them debating whether i really wanted this as the next toy/tool for my camera. the more i read and saw, the more i did. i just though i'd be pining for it for much longer than i did. i am really, really looking forward to bonding with it. it feels like i have a brand new camera!


shot with the new lens (otherwise totally unrelated to the post)

monday monday

so good to me.

thank you bench monday for bringing me smiles and getting me excited about the beginning of the week.

my favorites from yesterday.

i wish i could buy a case of film

it's that time.
polaroid week.
i could lament over the cost of joining in the fun. but i won't.
instead i am going to enjoy this week. savor every insta-pic i take (and i hope i don't screw any up).
i don't splurge on film too often.
this is a treat to pamper myself.
if you are need of some pampering this week you should come play.

now i'm just crossing my fingers that i get the scanner working today : )

good things come from good people

a few weeks ago kristin at mainemomma had a little contest and lo and behold, i won!
the prize was my pick of one of kristin's beautiful photos. not an easy task to pick just one. her work is so lively and bright i practically favorite all of her pictures on flickr and i had to take a few days to make my pick.
then, to my surprise (again) kristin said i could pick two. that doesn't make the task any easier, by the way.
so today the envelope arrived. i don't remember if i contained my squeal of delight, but i do know i was showing a lot
of teeth. my neighbors probably thought i received a bailout check of some sort the way i was grinning.

i got a little extra cheeriness in my day when i opened up the envelope and found 2 bonus photos plus 2 cranes, one for bea and one for henry. those already have a home on the bookshelf in the dining room. in sight, but out of reach. now i just have to find the right home for those beautiful pictures. my mission for the weekend.

thank you again, kristin! i can't wait to give your work a place of honor in our home.

balance.15

playing catch up on this project today.

balance.14

balance.13

in and out.

balance.12

i'm a few days off. but, i'm back on board. we've had several unusually busy days - the good kind. this month is flying by.

balance.11

balance.10

balance.9

balance.7 and 8

8


7

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balance.5

one word project. shutter sisters. check it out.

balance.4

balance.3

pb & j. homemade bread. perfect combination. perfect balance.