This month's challenge at Self Portrait Challenge is the elements - Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
"The theme for this month is about the earth and your connection with it. More specifically the element that you most connect with."
I went with water this week. I am a Libra - an AIR sign. However, I feel more of a connection with water - always. I am drawn to water. I love to swim (although I rarely do) and I am forever wanting to put my feet in when driving by rivers and streams. (yes, I freeze my toes!)
This week on our trip (see previous post!), I didn't find any good places to stick my feet in (not for lack of trying!), but there were so many gorgeous rivers, falls, and streams! The most amazing sight was the Box Canyon Falls. I had Mike take a couple shots of me for this challenge! It was a scary thing for me - walking along the open bridge above the river to get back to the falls. But, I'm so glad I did it. I was blown away by the beauty and the power of the falls! The sound was unbelievable - you could FEEL the power of the water.
I didn't want to leave! I look a bit scared in this shot - because I was. I was also enjoying myself immensely and happy that I'd conquered my phobias (heights, bridges) and gone clear to the falls. Well worth the discomfort and fear! The water isn't quite as visible as I would have liked because it was quite dark back in the cavern. But it is there - and I'm enjoying the power of it as the picture was snapped! You can see the spray dotting the lens also. I loved the feeling of the cold water spraying us! Wonderful!! (this was by far my favorite part of our quick trip! I will go back whenever we're near enough!)
Mike and I had a nice evening last night. We had dinner at Canino's - a local Italian restaurant. They have "retro" night on Tuesdays - cheap prices on yummy food.
Then we watched his co-workers play softball for a few minutes. The highlight of the evening (for me) was wandering around the CSU Trial Gardens. This amazing garden blooms like crazy for a couple of months each summer. It is amazing to even drive by, but stopping and wandering is very fun! I took loads of photos (of course!) and I'll share a few in this post. You can see many more at my flickr.
Mike took this one of me for this week's Self Portrait Challenge - Environment. I love this garden in my town! I love being surrounded by blooms! (I think I've gone flower crazy this month - seems to be all I post!) This is a fitting picture I think! :) Following are a few of my favorite captures from the night!
I am not very happy with this photo for this week, but it's the best of the bunch, so here it is. The theme for this month at Self Portrait Challenge is environment. I wanted to show you my car. I spend a lot of time driving. I like my car! What I didn't capture is the messiness that is my car. I have so much stuff in my car - books, magazines, sharpies, you name it! I'm a bit of a slob I guess!
My car is red. I wouldn't have chosen that color if I'd bought new, but it was a good deal, used car. I have had such amazing luck with it - I hope it continues now that it is paid off!! Here's me in my car:
I planted this strawberry plant last summer. I didn't even remember it until it started coming back and blooming this spring! This cute little berry is the only one that grew, but isn't it cute?
While doing yard work on Saturday, Mike and I each had one tiny bite of this little strawberry (it had ripened up!) It was the best ever. Mike said, "We should grow more strawberries!" :) Mmmm, strawberry preserves anyone? I'm thinking a raised bed full of strawberry plants! (But, we have bunnies running around too - they might eat them!)
Next on the list - a vegetable patch? :)
It is a new month, and a new challenge for Self Portrait Challenge. This month:
"This month the challenge is to show yourself in your surroundings, using your environment as a marker of who you are. It might be the onset of extreme weather or it might be the particular seasonal fruits and foods you like to eat or places you like to visit or activities you participate in that are special to this time of year. Another aspect of ‘environment’ can be how you participate in the care of or how you feel about your special surrounding. There might be woodland area you spend one day month taking care of, or you might be part of a community gardening project, you might join in on national clean up day or tree planting for your local school. Or you might just spend this time of the year taking care of your vegetable garden or reveling in the joyous season. Show us what is special to you in your environment. "
Mike took this photo of me in the garden! I planted wild flower seeds last summer, and they have gone crazy this year! The weeds are out of control. But, I like the wildness of this space anyway. It is below the deck and very protected - no one but us sees it. I want to put a swing there, so we can swing outside and enjoy the wild flowers (and the weeds!)
Mike took this one of me. I was laughing in the shot because it felt a little strange to have him shooting photos of me with other people all around. I don't know why! I have two versions - the color and the B&W. I think I like the color-less one best. What do you think?
We are in front of one of our favorite restaurants in town - Coopersmiths. Great food and great brew!
For Self Portrait Challenge - Street Photography. (check out flickr to see the photos in more detail.)
This month's challenge at Self Portrait Challenge is Street Photography. It's definitely challenging!
My favorite place in Fort Collins (Colorado) is Old Town... there are great restaurants, funky shops, and always something interesting to see. Mike and I ventured down there on Saturday. It was CROWDED as there was a Cinco de Mayo event (that we didn't know about) but we shopped a bit, had a great burger at Coopersmith's, and Mike shot some pictures for me for this month's Self Portrait Challenge - Street Photography.
There were SO many people out and about, that we went down a side street to get a few shots. This is Linden. My favorite Sushi restaurant is near!
Wow - it's been a few days since I posted. I'm having a less grumpy week than I was last week!
In other news... I had the chance to talk with one of my favorite bloggers, Mary Ann, on the phone last night. What a treat!! This is the first time I've talked with anyone I've met via blogging! She and her husband are considering a trip "out west" this summer, and that would put them quite near me in Colorado! We're hoping, if they make the trip, that we'll get to meet in person!! That would be FUN! I hope they get to make their trip!!
And, we have a new "toy" at our house. Mike splurged at his favorite website, www.thinkgeek.com, and bought this: Laser Star Projector... Wow - is it just SOOO cool!
The cats went nuts the first time he turned it on. Luna loves a laser pointer - this is thousands of them all moving around the room. She wasn't sure where to look! They have decided it's boring now, but Mike and I LOVE it! I tried to get some pictures - they are kind of fun, but I need to do some "studying" on taking night shots with my digital!
This is my left eye. Today, it appears to have decided to be green... it changes - depending on my mood, what color I'm wearing, ... the weather?! I don't know why my eyes change, but they do! They are usually somewhere between brown and green... but they have been yellow, orange, and Mike says he's seen purple! Never blue. My eyes love color - maybe that's why they change all the time.
My eye looks tired today. I am. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. It is grey, cold, rainy here in Colorado today - a good day to stay home and curl up with a cat and a good book... I love this weather!
My eyebrows are a bit wild! They are thick and very dark brown - darker than my hair. I don't pluck or trim (much - the occasional tweazing happens!) I even have freckles on my eyelids - I should so have red hair!
I'm starting to get a few laugh lines forming around my eyes... but they are from smiling and laughs, so I don't mind!
I have worn glasses or contacts since I was in the fifth grade. I can't see without them. My eyes don't work farther than the end of my nose without aid!
I like my eyes. Even when they look tired!
I thought I would "kill two birds" with this post! Deb is hosting Photo Thursday's over at Create a Connection this month. Her prompt last Thursday was "Give me a Hand" ... As I'm late in posting, I thought I would combine posts and these are for the Self Portrait Challenge as well!
This is my right hand. I am right hand dominant. I do everything with my right - write, draw, cut, eat, etc. I wear two rings always... my middle silver ring, and my ring finger emerald. I bought the emerald for myself about 7 years ago. I love it still! I have several small scars on my thumb. They don't show up very prominently though. A close-up of my emerald is below.
On my middle finger is a puzzle ring. I had my Uncle Stanley fuse it together because it kept coming apart and was hard to get back together! The ring on my pinky belonged to my Aunt Charlene. When she died, Uncle Stanley gave me a choice of her rings. I chose this one because it was one he had made for her. My hands look a lot like Aunt Charlene's. She loved rings too! When I wear this one, I am reminded of her! Her ring is below close-up.
I love my hands! They allow me to create, play the piano, play games, etc. They are strong, and the scars they have just give them personality! I even love my freckles!
I am deleting this post because I have realized that there are people finding their way to my blog via "nasty" searches pertaining to my shoulder photo... Man, that makes me mad!
The challenge this month at Self Portrait Challenge is Body Parts.
"Whatever the case I want everyone to challenge themselves - push their boundaries and limits. photograph your good bits, bad bits, wobbly bits and sexy bits. photograph it all and show us your body. - I don’t expect to see any traditional portraits, no pretty faces or full body shots, rather bits and extracts of your self. "
I pierced it before it was trendy... and I'm glad! :)
This has been a fun challenge. I look forward to the new challenge in April!
Well, I don't have a "new" photo of myself to use, but I went back to one of my favorites! I used the Image Mosaic generator for this weeks Self Portrait Challenge - Online Tools. I actually think this is pretty cool!
"A Million Tiny Pictures"
This week I chose to use the Face Transformer online tool for my self portrait! I uploaded the recent picture of me - taken in Texas at the wedding we attended.
The next artistic rendering that I like is in the style of the artist Boticelli.
And for reference, here is the original picture that I had transformed. It was fun seeing what I might have looked like if one of these masters had painted me! :)
The challenge this month at the Self Portrait Challenge is to use Online Tools to manipulate your photos. I took this really fun self portrait while on our trip to Texas last week.
As fun as this version is, I still like the original better! It turned out way better than I expected it to!!
An artist in Black and White:
I took this using the color accent feature on my camera. It picked up on the glow from my lamp. (I also used Photoshop to add the texture and lines.) The art hanging on the wall is mine. Below are works received from friends, and some blue glass vases of my mom's.
