Christmas lights in aisle 7

I can't decide if they are purposely leaving the Christmas lights up or not.

Headlights as light source

I was waiting after work while Steve dropped his truck off to be fixed. I found this interesting - headlights from my car and the parking lot light are the light sources. I also like how the ice on my front windshield adds to the photo.

A gray kinda day

It has been a very gray weekend here. It was so hazy this afternoon that you couldn't see the tops of the buildings.

It works!

For Christmas I got this wonderful gift. It allows me to press a design with ink into paper, like old school letterpresses. However when my sister and I tried it out the first time, we had horrible results, the machine was broken. Exchanged the machine for a new one that did work, but then I had issues with the brayer...mine seemed uneven, I could not evenly ink my plates. I wrote the company explaining my situation and they kindly sent me a new brayer. So today I tried again, and the results were much better! I am so excited to make cards and other papery embellished things using the L Letterpress. However, I need to have a plan since it does take a bit to set it up and it is not easy to switch colors....so a little planning will go a long way.

Cupcakes followed by a little Wii Fit

I got a recipe for a cream cheese  and chocolate chip filling for cupcakes, super yummy! After eating it I knew I had to do a little Wii Fit to at least attempt to burn it off, Steve joined in on the fun too. So my photo of the day really is just the Wii image, but I had to throw in the cupcakes too, since it tells the story. Here is the recipe if you want to try making these:

Mix together cake recipe of your choice - chocolate is best! Fill muffin papers half full.

Filling:

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup chocolate chips (mini chocolate chips are great, but regular size are just as tasty)

Drop a spoonful of filling into each muffin cup. Bake according to cupcake directions or until done.

I really want another one of these! They are so very good!

Scrape, scrape, scrape...

We had freezing rain today. What more can I say, except that maybe today is a good day for ice skating?

Lines

I see this everyday at work and then today (actually yesterday is when I noticed, but today I took the photo) I started really seeing the architecture, all the horizontal and vertical lines. Very structured, very linear.

New Glasses

Today I got new glasses. I have been waiting patiently since about October to get these, wanted to wait until the new year since we have a health spending account. I am still trying to decide if I like these, they are so different from my old pair that were rimless and felt like they where invisible when I wore them. Well at least I can see better which means I can take better pictures, right?

Sunny Skies

 Noticed this reflection on the hood of the car today after being able to get it washed. Yes the sun was out and it was warm! Minnesota warm is above zero with no wind chill. Today it was 34. The sun felt so good on my face.

Frozen Branches

It has finally started to warm up a bit here. Water dripping off the roof froze onto the branches of this bush. I didn't expect to see this today.

Yesterday's Sunset

I saw this above the roof line of a house. Just liked it.

Photo is still in the camera

I took photos today, but we decided to stay over night at my parent's house so I won't be able to post the photo until tomorrow. Thank you for your patience!

House Plant

Not very inspired today. Thrilled that I was able to re-claim my kitchen tonight from the paint brushes. I really had no desire to post anything. I am finding it hard to post on days when I work, since I often don't get to be outside...this is as close to nature as I can get right now.

Baby

Today I brought dinner over to some good friends that just had a baby. She was the baby that only wanted to sleep, completely uninterested in anything else. So sweet, yet they change so quickly.

On a side note I am posting this really late because I was busy taking down all the tape in our kitchen from painting. I have to say I really love the new color on the walls.

Lesson #4 - don't wait to fix up something that is bothering you. You will just wish that you had done it sooner when you finally get around to it!

Salsa

Today I got the chance to actually take some photos in the studio. I have not done any photoshop work on it yet, but will need to as it will potentially entered into the gallery show we do at work each year.

Lesson #3 - Check focus! I did not even notice until just now that I never did focus the camera on the chip - which would be preferable. We were working fast today since the gal I was working with needed to leave early, so I forgot to check my focus before the final images! I have another one with this same problem.  Oh well, still like the photo anywho!

Waiting

The kitchen chairs are patiently waiting in the living room while the paint dries in the kitchen, hopeful to return to there home tomorrow. I like the play of the light and shadows behind the chairs.

Lesson #2 - never leave home without your camera! I was driving to work today and there was the most beautiful frost on the trees in the parking lot. I was so excited to take some photos until I couldn't find my camera. Unfortunately, the frost was gone before noon and well there was not much light left in the day by the time I got home. It has been interesting to search my house for something interesting to take a photo of, sometimes you find beauty in unexpected places.

Abstract Art?

I managed to get most of the first coat of paint down yesterday! But then I noticed that the paint was matching the cabinets a little too well....so now we are going from pale lichen to pale bamboo. It's looking better but I am a little hesitate, because I REALLY don't want to have to paint the kitchen a third time!

So do you think this belongs in a museum? I've seen plenty of art out there that looks like this to me. Maybe I can be famous too - ok not really.

Kitchen Makeover

We meet with our new realtor on Friday and he said we really ought to paint the kitchen - the blue is just a bit much (it kinda clashes with the green from the living room). But see the blue has grown to be loved, and now it is missed as I try to decide if I like the new color which doesn't seem to go with the cabinets too well, but of course you can't tell yet (new color is not in this photo). I'm sure there will be more photos of the kitchen to come. Today I spent a lot of time taping and did manage to get the first coat of paint up - and this is proof of that.

The Beginning

I went to a very dear friend's wedding today. The ceremony was beautiful, but what is more wonderful than that moment will be the life they live out together. I am so very excited for them!

2010 - Faux Sun

For 2010 I am attempting to take a photo each day along with my good friend, Elizabeth. See link to blog on the side.

Lesson #1 in taking photos - don't hesitate, just take the photo! The photo I really wanted to share, I did not take. I hesitated too long and then it was too late. It was a pair of mannequins piled up on a cart at the mall this morning.

About this photo - It has been ridiculously cold here, so cold I have frost on the inside of my windows. It is sunny today, but what looks like the sun in this photo really is my flash. I did not realize that I had it on, mind you this might have been a mistake at the time, but this is now a happy accident - I like the results, so it works!

Merry Christmas

Photos from Rice Park in St. Paul. Merry Christmas to all!

New York City

This town is so busy - but here are some photos of some not-so-busy moments.

From the top in order: Numbers on a wall or building? I do not know much about this but thought it was interesting - near south street seaport, subway at City Hall, Chelsea Market decorated for Halloween, skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge, and last but not least chairs near the Statue of Liberty.

Wedding Flowers

So pretty and yet they are only enjoyed for a day...

Celery

This is something I never would think to photograph and yet we were asked to at work today. It was a little nerve racking at first, since we all had to do it, so it felt like a race and I had no clue as to what I was doing! Anyways I would say that it turned out pretty well after all.

When not in a hurry...

It is amazing the things I notice around my house when I don't have to rush out immediately. I actually had a few moments to myself before work...and this is what I saw, the trees in the front yard in my living room.

Look what I found

Can you figure out what it is? There was a fire and this is all that remains of a church in Madison. I got so excited when I spotted this the night before. We had to come back the next day to get this photo.

If in Madison...

You must go here. Amazing food and lots of fun! The interior of the restaurant is just as cool as the outside and good food to boot!

Flowers and a Pug

My sister's dog, I can't help but love this dog. Random flowers around her house.

My Garden

I came home from vacation to find these!

The Results

See another lovely photo here done by my friend.

Feeling a bit like an artist

My sweet friend and I created this contraption that allowed us to take photos through the viewfinder of this old camera with our digital cameras.

The Un-Landscape

This is more of an air-scape.

On My Way

I love taking pictures while in the air.

Picnic Table - Part 2

After I "pulled the weeds" from this photo. Is it better? I think so.

2nd day of Spring?

It might be the second day of spring, but no one is planning on picnicking yet...this is at Gooseberry Falls State Park.

Frosty Days

Reflections of 2008