A-Z Macro: N is for Nose...O is for Oil (+Water)

If you were curious about yesterday's unusual set-up, here are the results!  I had a lot of fun with this one. :)  Several years ago I borrowed a photography book from the library and spotted an intriguing project I've been wanting to experiment with ever since.  Like this tutorial, the materials are pretty straightforward - all you really need is some oil and water, a bowl or dish with a translucent surface (I used a clear baking pan), and a variety of bright, colorful fabrics or papers.  Although this time around most of my photographs turned out rather blurry (the light was fading fast and my camera doesn't do well under low-light conditions even with a tripod) I shall certainly try this again.  That's the beauty of experimentation, right? :) 

See a sampling of the other results here!

{this moment)*

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Sneak peek of a photo "experiment."  Visit again tomorrow to see how things turned out... :)

See more moments from SouleMama.

Wednesday Wisdom No. 4

“Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

A-Z Macro: L is for Laces...M is for Music

Well hello, Winter!  Woke up to a thin blanket of bright white this morning... My distaste for the cold rather grudgingly gave way to appreciation of the beauty outside my window.  Stay safe and warm today!

Oh yes, and I'm officially half way through my A to Z Project! :) 

A-Z Macro: J is for Jewelry...K is for Kettle

{this moment}*

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

*As I'm sure you can gather from the non-wintry subject matter, this photo is from my summer archives.  Since I didn't manage to capture anything particularly momentous this week, I just thought I'd share a special memory from the not-so-distant past. ;)

See more moments on Soule Mama's blog.

Wednesday Wisdom No. 3

fading beauty...

Today's bit of Wednesday Wisdom...

“I don't know, I don't want to talk as much...It's nicer to think dear, pretty thoughts and keep them in one's heart, like treasures. I don't like to have them laughed at or wondered over.” ~ L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables 

A-Z Macro: H is for Hands (Heart)...I is for Ice

love in your hands...

ice blue

Monday?!  Why do you keep sneaking up on me like that?  You've really got to break this bad habit... Please enjoy another installment of A to Z Macro and have a beautiful start to your week. :)

A-Z Macro: F is for Frame...G is for Glass

Here comes F and G!  Reminds me of a childhood picture book favorite...

{this moment}*

*addressing sunlit envelopes

Joining SouleMama again today for a simplistic moment...

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wednesday Wisdom No. 2

See original "Wednesday Wisdom" post here. 

"God's mercies don't come in one color; no, they come in every shade of every color of the rainbow of his grace.  God's mercies are not the sound of one instrument; no, they sound the note of every instrument of his grace.  God's mercy is general; all of his children bask in His mercy.  God's mercy is specific; each child receives the mercy that is designed for his or her particular moment of need.  God's mercy is predictable; it is the fountain that never stops flowing.  God's mercy is unpredictable; it comes to us in surprising forms.  God's mercy is a radical theology, but it is more than a theology; it is life to all who believe.  God's mercy is ultimate comfort, but it is also a call to a brand new way of living.  God's mercy really does change everything forever, for all upon whom this mercy is bestowed." ~ Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies

This has been a great devotional thus far - I started it a few weeks ago, and can already predict that you'll see many Wednesday Wisdom posts taken from this book...

A-Z Macro: D is for Dulcimer...E is for Eyes

no color-editing...he just has really blue eyes

Still plugging away at my macro photo project!  Thus far I'm proud to say I've only "cheated" once (i.e. using a photo from my archives:). 

A-Z Macro: B is for Books...C is for Camera

See original Photography Bucket List post here. :)    

{this moment}*

*no photo-editing :)

Linking up with SouleMama today for one of her "this moment" posts!  It's been quite some time since I've been active in the blogosphere, so I figured it was about time to explore its many corners and discover its gems.  Now if only spheres had corners...

Feel free look around!  Stop in again sometime if you like. :)
   
{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wednesday Wisdom No. 1

Upon the completion of a semester-long journalism course, I came to the conclusion that the field was decidedly not for me.  It wasn't the actual interview process that discouraged me from further exploration - certainly the concept was a bit intimidating, but that was a hump I felt I could overcome.  Nor was it the written aspect that turned me off - for the most part I enjoy writing.

In fact...it was the content.  Sadly, this world we live in isn't as it should be.  And it seems this fact is nowhere more evident than in the sensationalized news cranked out by much of today's media.  Downplaying the importance or ignoring the reality of such things is certainly not my intent, but wouldn't we all just rather read something else?  Something encouraging?  Perhaps it's a clean, clever bit of humor to brighten your day.  Perhaps it's a skillful poem or fanciful story that conjures up memories from your childhood.  Or perhaps it's an encouraging Scripture verse reminding you of God's faithfulness or His mercy.    

Quite simply, I've dubbed this day of the week "Wednesday Wisdom" - that is, unless or until I come up with something better...

So without further ado, today's profound tidbit comes from the one and only Pooh Bear (whom I am sure sure will pop in for another visit before long): 

“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~ A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh 

Photography Bucket List

Bucket lists.  Everyone has one whether they know it or not.  Maybe you have a meticulous, footnoted, mile-long checklist extensively detailing the adventures you plan to embark, the people you hope to meet, and the "big things" you plan to accomplish.  Or perhaps - if you're at all like me - you've never penned more than a few words on the occasional post-it note.  Chances are, most of your dreams are written solely in the pages of your imagination.  Maybe you'd even prefer to keep it that way.  But sometimes...articulating those dreams can get you one step closer to achieving them.

Ever since receiving my first digital camera in junior-high, I've been in love with photography.  In recent years however, my poor little camera has been sitting by its lonesome in my closet.  So in this case, I've created a subject-specific bucket list: a 2015 photography bucket list.  Every two months I hope to initiate a photography project!  Feel free to join me if you like! 

January/February: A to Z Macro
March/April: A Day in the Life
May/June: Alien Object
July/August: Scavenger Hunt
September/October: Fairy Tale
November/December: Floor Scenes

More details to come on each project.  For now I just wanted to give you an overview.  When you've been absent from the blogging world for as long as I have sometimes what you need is a motivating project (or two or three or six...) to light your fire.

You can see my letter "A" photograph for the first project above.  Original, right?

As a side note, the photo quality on my blog is not the best, so please feel free to click on my photos - this will take you to a better version on Flickr.

Thanks for reading!    

Here's the Plan...

Welcome back!  Since I just couldn't bear to keep you in suspense for another second, here it is: my second post of 2015!  Not especially momentous, but rather a milestone in my book. 

My "game plan" for this year is a tad ambitious since balancing school, work, and family life is often a challenge.  Juggling lessons, anyone?

Anyhow, here's my "subject-to-change-blog-outline:"

~ post 2-3 times per week
~ hopefully monday and/or wednesday plus friday or saturday (not quite sure which as of yet)
~ monday: sneak peek!...see progress on my photography bucket list (stay tuned for later post)
~ wednesday: something inspirational, humorous, or just plain encouraging
~ friday [saturday]: another photo bucket installment, or perhaps a peep into my life ;)

Hopefully I'll have my first sneak peek up tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping in again! 

Fresh

In years gone by when my siblings and I would finish our homework by one o'clock and spend our afternoons entertaining ourselves in the backyard or watching reruns of our favorite TV shows, the concept of busy was practically foreign.  Perhaps in the midst of some game or activity would we have claimed to be "too busy" to load the dishwasher or set our beds, but certainly that wasn't legitimate "busy-ness."  As a rule, our lives, as those of most American children, were carefree.  Even in the later elementary school grades, "busyness" was a mere acquaintance to me.  This acquaintance however is cunning, catching up to you when you least expect, subsequently becoming a rather unwelcome house-guest...who just will not leave. 

Jam-packed, with more than a little chaos, this past year has most definitely been busy. 

This new year, however, is fresh.  Time to pluck the deadheads.  Make way for new blooms!  As much as I wish it were easy to create new habits - be it organizational endeavors, creative aspirations, or the effort to spend more purposeful time with the Lord - the fact is that change is hard.  I recently read a book entitled Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard.  I won't spoil it for you in case you'd like to read it for yourself, but this quote is particularly encouraging when true, lasting change seems distant: "Big changes can start with very small steps.  Small changes tend to snowball.  But this is not the same as saying that change is easy."  

Although not all change is good, more often than not, our lives truly need some sort of transformation, and however small, genuine effort is required.  A sunflower won't grow if a seed is never planted.  A sunflower won't grow if the seed is never watered or the ground surrounding it is never weeded.  And a sunflower won't grow if the tending is only for a season...if the tender suddenly stops caring.   

So...all that roaming back and forth and back and forth across the page is simply to express my hope that this year will be different other than its final digit.  Rejuvenating my tired, old blog is just one item on my long list.  Regardless of whether I post every day, several times a month, or once every two years, I hope that you will come back and visit!

The important thing to remember, however, is that ultimate change is brought about by our Creator. 

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." ~ Corrie Ten Boom

Here's to a wondrous - and surprising - 2015! :)