focus on life–week 2–a silhouette

Continuing with this months theme of minimalism, this week’s prompt from Sally:

“A silhouette: a photograph with a subject(s) captured in a shadowy outline with little or no detail against a bright background.”

I love looking around for the cats when I get home times, and realizing that they are actually hidden in the window behind the curtain, a favourite silhouette.  I knew I wanted to get such a photo.

I grabbed the camera when the light was right and convinced first kitty to come over.  He was not very interested in being the model, more wanting to go back to sleep.  Next day he puked on the laptop – I did not take a photo.  I understand this was payback.  Later I was trying to cut #2’s claws and the damn thing shot up and hit me in the eye.  That little piece of claw splintered in my eye and as I blinked little slivers were scratching me.  I ran for the tap and still had to turn it inside out to get them.  I decided this was a pre-emptive strike.  That leaves the kitten aka “Roman Blind Killa” so I didn't really want to invite him to a windowsill.

20 minutes ago this happened

 

Score one for the supposedly short hair kitten.

Focus on life–week 1–the minimalist photograph

Welcome 2014!  I hope everyone had a great time saying goodbye to the year that was, and hello to a fresh 2014.  I’m excited to be embarking on a second year of Sally Russick’s Focus on Life series, as always, you can find out more at the Studio Sublime.  This time around we have a monthly theme, for January:

“minimalism: there are many definitions of minimalism but the most prevalent is bare mininum”

This week, the minimalist photograph, a single subject.



I had some others on various backgrounds, but I like how the colour and contrast are minimal here.  This is a hint at what is to come for me in 2014.  In addition to Focus on Life, I’m taking part in two year long online courses and a six month project that will get some extra focus this week.  So 2014 isn’t feeling too minimal with these things in place on the first day of the year.  I’ve got lots of time to tell you all about it and share another day.  I think I have also settled on a word for 2014, I’m trying it on at the moment.

Focus on life–week 52–saying goodbye

Do you have a dining room table?  Do you eat at it regularly or is it just covered in flotsam and jetsam?

For shame!



A photograph to kiss it all goodbye! I just can’t stand it anymore. We eat at a kitchen table.  It’s cozy for the three of us, but works just fine. This dining table has moved around to several places but now it just needs to be gone from the space entirely.  I normally would have kept the tree decorated another week at least but I got the itch this morning that that table needed to be gone. So I’m packing up all the ornaments early so I can assess and reorganize the storage space in the basement to see if I can make use of this table down there or pass it on to someone else. 

When I decided to get a fake tree, I went way fake with white, but now a few years on it seems to be yellowing in areas and “baby boy Rufus boy” kitten decided that chewing the bulbs seemed like a fun idea.  I watched him jump back, after electrocuting himself I presume, and walked over to discover that the crunch was him busting the glass.  Then he went back for another shock.
 


He decided to do it again this morning.  I think this tree may have to go goodbye too now.
Well friends, it’s been 52 weeks of photos lead by Sally Russick from the Studio Sublime with the focus on life series.  I’m going to go ahead and sign up for the 2014 edition too.  If you would like to join in the fun, register here.

I hope all those who celebrate had a wonderful Christmas, we sure did!  Averleigh asked Santa for a cupcake.  For weeks this was the only thing she wanted. It had to be real so she could eat it, she added one day.  It really should be pink she added another day…. Santa came through! Sad part was Santa didn’t get it from a bakery we know and it wasn’t exactly moist and didn’t get eaten.  Never mind though, there was enough other great parts to the day it wasn’t a let down for her.



And with that, goodbye 2013.  Hope you all have a very happy new year… oh wait, before we get to that there is a boxing day sale in my A Polymer Penchant etsy shop I should mention.  The sale is actually Canada wide, 20% off with coupon code BOXINGDAY.  You can see a selection from all the participating shops right here.



Ok, now really – Goodbye!

focus on life–week 51- togetherness

Do you keep a lot of photos on display in your home?  I’m pretty awful about printing photos so there aren’t too many about. 



This frame sits by the phone on our main floor.  I love these people.  All dear friends, whom I get to see and enjoy with varying frequency.  The greatest thing about true friendship is that those gaps don’t matter.  If it’s weeks, months or years the togetherness is what counts.

This focus on life series from Sally at the Studio Sublime has been another kind of virtual togetherness that has been such a privilege and pleasure.  You can register for 2014 and enjoy a year long journey in photography.  I’m going to decide before the 28th if I will be taking part again in 2014.  One the one hand a year has a certain completeness and it is always nice to make way for other new things.  On the other, it was a heck of a lot of fun so why not keep going… (and maybe just skip the weeks that just don’t happen and be at peace with that).

I’m thinking I will have another post before the 25th so I’ll save my Happy Christmas wishing for the moment.

Happy Solstice!

INLINKZ CODE FOR WEEK 51:

focus on life–week 50- a pop of red

Down to the last few photos for the focus on life series from Sally Russick of the Studio Sublime and she’s all set! This week, I went in search of a pop of red, as Sally puts it: “pops of red grab your attention and add such interest to a photo”.

The Christmas tree seemed like an easy target.  I have approximately 1 zillion ornaments, not that many of them are red.  I like to have a bit of a different tree – but I was not in charge of the tree this year. 



I was allowed to hang the garland and few others, but mostly Averleigh chose what to put on the tree and where.  With a kitten in the house I opted for the full complement of unbreakable ornaments and kept the precious ones hidden away.  I explained that the bottom branches were to be filled with the big bells – the cats hate the sound.  The rest was up to her and indeed a little red made its way onto the tree.

Of course the tree was still inspected by all the felines.  Ya know, there are a lot of hilarious dog shaming pictures out there and Roxy seemingly baited me into creating one of my own.  Little problem though.  Cats have NO shame!

focus on life–week 49- add a little sparkle

While I was skiving I also missed out on joining in on Erin Prais-Hintz’s 4th Annual Challenge of Color.  I really need to spend some more time with the Colourlovers site to have a full appreciation.  At first blush, I found it a bit cumbersome but I was in the throws of craft fair season so my patience may have been a bit lacking.

That brings us to this past weekend, focus on life week 49 of Sally Russick’s wonderful series.  As she suggests: “to keep things cheery we sometimes have to add our own dash of sparkle to brighten our inner glow”

Last week I found some sparkle in an old favourite that is a bit time worn but sparkles none the less.  Its use today is to hold the tea bag once it has done its purpose.  It carries some yellow stains from its original life as an ash tray.  It was the rare guest to my parents home who would smoke, but this lived in the living room for that purpose.  My mum made this mid-seventies and I have loved it for as long as I can remember.  It would sometimes have a pin or needle or two in it if mum darned some socks in that chair, stealing the perfect sized glass paperweight from the same table for the task.

Come to think of it, I’m not too sure how I came to have it?  I know at least one of her pottery pieces is here despite a minor objection, but I think this one came quite freely.



I’m holding it at a bit of an odd angle but I always saw it this way up.  Like I had come across a dear from behind and viewed through a fisheye lens….not “just a tree”.

Ok, three more to go to wrap up the year ladies!!

focus on life–week 48- giving thanks

I posted this in my brain on November 30th, just trying to catch up on reality.  I swore I wasn’t going to miss a week, but alas I decided that nothing would actually blow up if I did.  So while Thanksgiving may be an recent memory for some, it was a couple of months ago here.  Our tradition  – giving thanks for football on that day.

I took this photo at the start of the 2010 football season, Averleigh would have been just over 3 months and I can tell you that was a 7lbs sleeper since I just gave it away the other day.



Pretty thankful for my little fan to share it with too!

I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with the whole gang posting over at the Studio Sublime!