color palette blog walk...

The amazing Brandi of the blog Brandi Girl has started a color palette blog walk.  I've really enjoyed her posts on color & color palettes and wanted to make one myself.  Well, she recently wrote a post on how to make a color palette and it turns out that it's not that hard to do and...it's fun! 

Here is the basic idea of the color palette blog walk:

1. Make your own color palette.

2. There's a different prompt for each day.

3. Make your color palette, then post it on your blog.

4. Go back to Brandi's blog and leave a link to your color palette post. Each day will have it's own link widget for those palettes.

5. Visit and comment on all the other blogs participating!

Thursday: Inspired by art materials

If you create art, take a look at your materials. Is there some fabric, a fabulous bead, dried paint on your palette, a great piece of paper, or something that you work with that inspires you? If you're an art lover, find a photo of art supplies that inspires you, then make a palette from it.

Here's mine...

It's interesting to see what colors come from pictures and how we each perceive colors differently.  I found shades and hues of colors while making this that I would've never found on my own.

Thanks Brandi for the many ways you inspire me and so many others!

2 photographers 1 inspiration...back to school

It's been a crazy week...two of my three children are now back in school.  It takes a little time to adjust to the new schedules and waking up early again.  I love summer because I love having my kids at home with me and having them go back to school gets me teary eyed.  The one thing I do enjoy about back to school is the school supplies.  I love the packaging, the pretty colors, and how when I have school supplies they make me feel organized and smart.  Melissa's image is the PERFECT back to school image...it just screams school and learning.

left: melissa

right: me

How did you capture back to school?

Leave a link to your image in the comment section below...

etsy treasury on front page...

So happy to wake up this morning and see that my print "create" was featured on etsy's front page. Love the amount of traffic and exposure that a shop gets from front page. Yay!

create

next weeks photography promt...

With summer coming to an end this prompt couldn't be more perfect...

2 photographers 1 inspiration...something you don't want to forget

I believe that the proverb, "A picture is worth a thousand words" is true.  Pictures can stir emotion, capture a fleeting moment, and stop time.  Pictures truly help me remember the things that have passed.

I photograph things I don't want to forget, which is the inspiration behind this weeks prompt.  There are many things I don't want to forget or that I don't want my children to forget.  Special memories such as a sons favorite stuffed animal that Melissa has capture or a simple message that I want my daughter, Ashley to remember and hold on to as she approaches her teenage years.

As long as Ashley has been able to write she has been leaving me loving little reminders of things she doesn't want me to forget.  I have a scrapbook full of her sweetness and a bedroom door decorated with them (front & back).  I know she loves me.  Thank you sweet girl...you are my sunshine.



I wonder what it is that you don't want to forget...
just leave a link to your image in the comment section.

next weeks photography promt...

2 photographers 1 inspiration...what summer means to me

These two pictures really do sum up our summers here in the desert.  With the temperature consistently above 100 degrees on up to 115 we look for ways to keep cool and what could be better than eating yummy watermelon and hanging out at the pool? 

left:  melissa         right:  me

So, what does summer mean to you?

  Post a link to your picture in the comments below if you'd like to share your photo with us.

next weeks photography promt...

ribbon necklace giveaway winners...

Thanks to everyone for their comments!

The winners are...

#3 Rachel

#17 Gustoa

I will be contacting you soon...congratulations ladies!

next weeks photography promt...

next weeks photography prompt is...simplicity

I think I've chosen another word that I am craving right now.

Anyone else need to simplify?

2 photograhers 1 inspiration..."life is beautiful"...

I  was so excited when Melissa let me know what she had chosen for our prompt.  I thought it would be easy but, it proved to be a little more complicated.

How does one capture the beauty in life?  How do I get my camera to see exactly what I see when I'm not just seeing images...I'm feeling them.  Also, the majority of my beautiful moments happen when there isn't a camera around or they're moments that deserve to be savored only with my heart.  

Such as:

my children giving kisses {I'd have to be lightning quick to capture this}

my family gathered in prayer

watching my mother tell my daughter how amazing & beautiful she is

words of encouragement from a friend just when I need them

finding the dishes put away by my husband

listening to my 3 year old son sing his version of The Carpenter's, "Sing, Sing A Song"

watching family & friends express to my father-in-law how he has been such a great example & how much they love him

my children snuggling up with me during reading time

So, I decided to capture something that makes life beautiful...hope...

left:  Melissa  right:  me

I think that what Melissa had to say and the way she captured the beauty in life is perfect...

"While I was rocking the baby one day, I could only see the flower from behind and I was struck by its beauty.  Sometimes, we need to view things differently and we see something we didn't expect." 

Here are some of my favorite quotes about hope:

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. ~Allan K. Chalmers

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.~Emily Dickinson

I can't wait to see the way your "life is beautiful"...

ribbon necklace tutorial and giveaway...

 These ribbon necklaces are so easy & inexpensive to make and they're cute too!

 

What you'll need:

1.  glass gems or vase gems {usually found in the floral section of a craft store}

2.  mod podge & craft brush

3.  jump rings {found in the jewelry section of a craft store}

and

patterned paper/scrapbook paper, scissors, glue gun, 

matching satin ribbon {as thick or as thin as you like}

1.  trace your glass gem onto the patterned paper

2.  cut it out-trim until it fits nicely

3.  apply mod podge on your glass gem and then attach your paper so that the pattern that you want showing through the glass can be seen-let dry for about 5-10 minutes

4.  apply mod podge to the back of the paper-let dry for about 5-10 minutes

5.  add a small dot of glue to the back of the glass gem

6.  position your jump ring so that there is enough room for the ribbon to go through it

7.  string the ribbon through the jump ring and measure how long or short you'd like your necklace-leaving room for the ends to be tied in a bow-then cut
8.  tie a knot in the ribbon

9.  with another piece of ribbon tie a small bow directly above your glass gem

10.  cut the end of the ribbon of the small bow-trim any excess

11.  i lightly burned the edges of the all ribbon ends to prevent fraying

12. finished!  put the necklace on and tie a bow around your neck...you look beautiful!

there are so many varieties of scrapbook paper out there...the possibilities are endless!

I'm giving 2 of these necklaces away...

TO ENTER:
1.  Simply leave a comment.

  2.  For an additional entry you can blog, facebook or tweet about this giveaway and write an additional comment each one that you make with a link back to your post.

  Two winners will be chosen through Random.org
The giveaway ends next Monday, August 9th at midnight (11:59pm) MST. 
Please be sure to include your e-mail address so I have a way to get in touch with you if you win!

aqua circle labels used in the mosaics are courtesy of Katrina at pugly pixel

♥thanks Katrina♥

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

Next week's photography prompt: life is beautiful...

Next week's prompt is a pseudo-quote:

There are so many possibilities with this prompt and I love focusing on the positive...

how will you choose to show the beauty in your life?

2 photographers 1 inspiration...journey

The photography prompt for this week was:  journey...

I love how Melissa incorporated her love of vintage cameras, suitcases, and books in her image.  They are the perfect items for a journey.  

For my image I used an old map of Italy and focused on the Tuscan region.  My ancestors from my mother's side are from Italy and it is a dream of mine to one day visit the cities that they came from.  I've been working on the genealogy and history of my Italian line and it has proved to be a challenge.  I've hit many road blocks with my lack of knowledge in the Italian language and the city where some of my ancestors records were held there was a fire in the early 1800's.  So, I'm trying to find other sources to gather my information from.

If you participated this week make sure to add a link to your photo in the comments.  Where did the prompt JOURNEY take you?

annual blog hunt...

image courtesy of: marta writes
 
I love the idea of an annual blog hunt that I found via m. writes.
Feel free to play along and share the love. ♥

link a blogger who...

makes me smile: kind over matter

makes me go ooh la la: lovely clusters

posts charming photos: pretty good

features pure eye candy: simply hue

i adore: paislee press

has incredible taste: a creative mint

posts fun finds: one sydney road

is a new-to-me blog: frau heuberg

discusses deliciousness: cannelle et vanille

is downright darling: the jacksons

blogs life beautifully: savoring the details

is completely creative: a girl and her brush

is a daily must: creature comforts

has a new baby: gabrielle kai photography

i've bookmarked: shutter sisters

has an online shop: morning light in my room

takes fantastic photographs: georgianna lane

is a storm of style: blushing and sweet

is oh so unique: t does wool

is a new favorite: female photographers of etsy

is an old favorite: ali edwards

has an eye for design: decor8

features fabulous tips: brandi girl

posts prettiness: oh, hello friend

makes me laugh: dawn of an old age

recently subscribed to: sandy ala mode

inspires me: marta writes

features sweet downloads: pugly pixel

is awesomely artistic:  mandy lynne