Photo of the Week - Week 38 - Farm Fresh Eggs

Week 38 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  Farm Eggs

Just a sampling of the eggs we have been getting from the chickens.  They are delicious!  I will admit though that getting used to cracking the extra hard shell took some getting used to.  And then when you plop said cracked egg into the pan or a bowl and see a somewhat orange yolk instead of the bright yellow you are used to, well that took some getting used to also.  But always having plenty of fresh eggs on hand, nope, that is not hard to get used to at all.

Actually this fall it has been great to go to the freezer or the pantry and pull out something that was either grown here in our yard, Reuben and Aubrei's yard, or close-by our house has been pretty much awesome.  Awesome and delicious.  Want to sample some for yourself?  Well then, I guess you will just have to come and visit!!

Photo of the Week - Week 37 - For the Love of Horses

Week 37 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  For the Love of Horses

Before the fall colors disappeared we headed out on a fall color hunt with our cameras.  There is a little farm right outside of the little town of Mecosta that had some new little colts (wow - that is a lot of littles).  That was one of my first destinations.  There are so cute.  And of course are always closer and more photographable (is that a word?) when I do not have my camera with me.  And no it does not help to always have it with me because after they first arrived I carried my camera with me every time I left the house and they were never out.  I finally gave up and took the camera out of the truck and Whamo! there they are all close to the fence.  *sigh*  I guess it should just never come out of the truck.

And just because.  Coco was extremely happy that day because we let her ride along.  So she got her picture taken too.

Felt Flower Frenzy

This weekend we tried a new craft.  We went over to a sisters house and we all tried out making felted flowers.  So. Much. Fun!  And, surprise, surprise, A. said she finally found a craft that she WANTS to do.  You do not even understand how much I hope this works out.  This girl NEEDS something to do in her spare time.  And we have tried many, many different crafts.  Drawing, quilling, jewelry making, sewing, pastels, etc., etc., etc.  Hopefully she loves this one.

We scoured the internet and found a plethera of tutorials.  We loved Mrs. Priss' tutorials the best and she is hilarious.  So without further ado, here are our flowers:

A's flowers:

Rachel's Flowers:

and mine:

Rach had this genious idea of creating a "pocket" in the back so you can use one clip with multiple flowers.  Genious!

There they are in all their glory.  Lots of fun to make.  And the pink and cream flower designs may be coming to a tutorial near you soon.

Photo of the Week - Week 36 - My Girl

So after using my daughter as a model this week, I snuck in a couple shots while she thought I was photographing the jewelry around her neck.

Week 36 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  My Girl

We were playing around with textures and overlays and she fell in love with this one.

Photo of the Week - Week 35 (a week late) - Friends

For the friendiversary weekend, the girls wanted a photo shoot.  I still didn't have my new lens so I grabbed Dad's camera and we headed out.  It is hard taking photos with a camera you are not used to.  These are NOT being shown to you as great photos.  These are being shown to you to show you how silly my girls are.

So this was right before Dad's camera died, but the girls were being more goofy than photo shooty (is that a word?).  Right after this shot I told them to channel their inner model, to feel it, feel the wind blowing through their hair.  The response?

Oi!  Goofy girls.  At least one of them held her composure.  Well until this was snapped anyway.  Such a fun day.  Photos didn't quite turn out that day, but there is always tomorrow!

Week 35 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI

Subject:  Goofballs

And the Bookmarks

Do you read?  There is a lot of reading that goes on in this house.  A lot!  Cameron keeps asking me if I want a Kindle.  My answer?  Nope.  I love the feel of a book, the smell of a book, the turning of the pages... yep, I guess I am a nerd.  I remember when I was younger and got my little fingers on some actual cash.  I would head to the Hallmark store and spend it on bookmarks.  Loved them.  So now, I am making them for others to enjoy.  Say booo to technology and yes to a good book.

So the first batch of bookmarks are complete.  Many lessons learned so the next batch should be even better.  And I am thinking I like the short, wide ones better than the more traditional size.

Then again, I kinda like this standard width but shorter size.

Product Photos and a New Model

Well, not new really.  I have known here for what 14 years - YIKES!

A couple of the new necklaces I made did not photograph well on their own.  And since I have seen suggestions that some like to see the "merchandise" modeled on a live human being, I asked A. to help me out today.

Please pardon the interruption for some random ramblings gushings, from an in awe Mom.  You see, I am not sure when this happened.  But it has been slowly happening for some time now.  I even mentioned this to Rachel the other day.  But somehow this gorgeous creature that came into my life a little over 14 years ago:

Has turned into this gorgeous creature today:

Not sure I like this at all.  Scratch that - I DON'T like it at all.  Why can't they just stay little?  Like for FOREVER!  Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled blog.

So here are the latest necklaces being modeled by A.  They have not been posted to my shop yet because I can't decide if these photos are what I want to use yet.

So there they are - what do you think?

For Dad - The Gravesite Has Been Exhumed!

Before you all freak out and wonder what has gotten into my crazy head, let me explain.  As mentioned before, the previous owner grew and sold flowers.  So there were lots of flower beds around here.  Some were taken out to make way for the garden, some to make way for the pole barn, and some are begging to be redone but that is a project for next year.  This one out front though, is well, hmmm, an eyesore of sorts.  The flowers in it were not bad, more day lillies and some interesting ones smattered throughout, but its shape more than anything is what we didn't like.  It was a big long rectangle out in the front, covered with flowers.  Therefore, it has been known as "The Gravesite" since we arrived.

So before the snow arrives, we set to work removing it.

Cameron brought up the trailer before he left to go chop wood with Z.  J was our hauler after that.  Then us girls got to work filling the trailer with the lovely broken up concrete that served as the border.  Why someone thought it was attractive in the first place is beyond my comprehension.

When we finally were rid of all the ugly concrete we started saving the nice dark soil that filled the flower bed.  We discovered that there wasn't quite as much as we thought.  Buried in the soil were logs.  Hmmm, go figure.  I am sure there is probably a logical explanation.  But it made a somewhat easy job that much harder.  The lillies that were growing in there had penetrated all that wood.  So we couldn't just grab the logs out, we had to chop away at the roots until they let go of the logs.

So now, the gravesite is no more.  Just a bare patch of ground as a reminder.  Hopefully next year it won't take too long for it to be overgrown with grass.

I apologize for the blurriness of this photo.  Not sure what was going on with the camera or the operator but something wasn't jiving.  We were showing off our dirty hands as proof of our hard work.  Notice Z is NOT showing his hands :o)  And another youngster, who shall remain nameless, was wearing a white long sleeve shirt, and a comment was made towards the end of this whole event that it was still pure snow white.  A few quick minutes later it was not.  When Dad asked what happened to the shirt the reply was "Mom said it was still white so I wiped my hands across it to make it dirty".  MmmmHmmm, not sure THAT was the point I was trying to make.

Big pile of leaves is next on the cleanup list, if it ever stops raining that is.  Any volunteers?

Winter Must Be Close

Must be because my snowbird parents have flown south.  Mom and Dad left in the wee hours of the morning yesterday.  With a truck so loaded down one would think they were not ever coming back.  To see them go was sad, but we know they will be back.  The house seems so quiet today without them here.

But winter is for sure coming.  Days are getting shorter and colder.  So many things to get done before the cold really sets in.  We plan on making the dogs a little more comfortable this year.  We have to make sure the snow plow is up and running, get the wood furnace installed and operational, clean out the garage so both vehicles fit so I don't have to scrape windows every time I want to go somewhere, and the list goes on and on.

So with all that list to do one would think I would get busy on one of those items.  Instead I have been busy on new jewelry and new bookmarks (coming soon to an etsy shop near you).  Much more fun than actual work for sure!

This weekend was busy too.  Last minute things to go with Mom and Dad, and Sunday was football.  Not watching, playing.  There was a pretty good size group met up to play football.  The brothers played, the sisters visited, the kids played on the playground.  Tons of fun and met some new people from a different congregation.

When we arrived home Dad led us into the living room to examine the fireplace.  I thought something had gone wrong but inside was this little guy.

Thankfully he went outside without protest and without flying all around the house!

Sunday night ended blissfully with the ordering of a replacement lens for me!  YEAY!!!!  It will be like being reunited with an old friend.  I can't wait for it to get here!

UPDATE:  Mom and Dad made it safe and sound to Arizona.  But sadly they forgot to take some very important little packages so (insert big dramatic sigh) I guess that means I will have to drive down there to deliver them myself.  What do you say my Tucson peeps?  Should I come?