All in the Eyes

I mentioned last week that I'd fallen in love with the new Tintype pak for Hipstamatic - but it wasn't until I got home over the weekend that I finally got to use it the way it was designed - for portraits. It was created to specifically draw attention to the eyes and mouth while blurring everything else. I took a photo of my niece to see how it worked on portraits. I love how it turned out, but she took one look, decided it was freaky and refused to look at it again.

I'm back in Istanbul (let's not discuss the jet lag that comes from spending last week in Australia, the weekend in the US and now a new week in Europe) and I'm already missing my family.

"Oh and baby, it's so good to see you, how I missed your face."
Josh Rousse - Princess on the Porch


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Gold Coast Rain Forest

On my last day in Australia, I got away from the beach and explored the nearby rain forest - it was beautiful. I'm more of a mountain person than a beach person, so getting away from the touristy crowds filling Gold Coast to the quieter mountains was the perfect way to end my visit.

I usually take my Canon point and shoot camera on trips like this where I'm trying to pack light, but left it in Istanbul so I was left with my iPhone. A lucky circumstance, it forced me to spend some more time playing with the iPhone and the apps I've been downloading and not using.

I suspect my iPhone will get more use now that I've figured out how much fun it is to use. It seems like January is always a month where I'm looking for something to spark my creativity this year I found it.

"I see the beauty of the light of music."
r.e.m. - You are the Everything

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Catch You While I Can

David Nail - Catch You While I Can Pin It

Burleigh Head

I'm still in Australia and while today was spent at work far from the beach, I have my weekend memories to keep me centered. I think it helps that I lived in Rio for a couple of years and learned that even when you are living in a place where the rest of the world vacations sometimes you have to ignore the beach and get down to business.


I am coming away from this trip with firm offers to teach me to boogie board and maybe even surf on a future visit. Frankly I think that see visions of hilarity in their future if they offer to team the pasty girl from the desert who doesn't swim well to surf.


I finally get a true day off tomorrow - I'm still trying to figure out how to spend it, but I have my fingers crossed that it will be a blast.

"Wouldn't you like to know how far you've got left to go."
Beach House - On the Sea Pin It

Broad Beach

I arrived in Gold Coast on Wednesday afternoon - but it took until Saturday afternoon to break away from work and get to the beach. I also just happened to have downloaded a new pak (Tintype) for my Hipstamatic iPhone apps (thanks to the recommendation of UrbanMuser at Mortal Muses.) Without a doubt, the best 99 cents I spent all week.


By the time I got to the beach the day had turned very cloudy - great for my very pale skin - but even more so for my photos. The gloomy weather coupled with the new pak made for some very moody photos.


I brought my regular camera with me to Australia, but didn't have it when I got to the beach on Saturday and to be honest, I had so much fun playing with my iPhone I may leave the camera in the hotel safe the rest of the trip.



What was the latest photography iPhone (or Android) App you fell in love with?

"If it's the beaches' sand you want then you shall have them.
If it's the mountain's bending rivers then you will have them."
The Avett Brothers - If it's the Beaches Pin It

Cowboy Take Me Away

The Dixie Chicks - Cowboy Take Me Away Pin It

Winter Sky

When I wasn't taking pictures of the kids on their sleds, during my hometown sledding trip, I couldn't stop snapping photos of the amazing sky. It was a rich, cool blue and covered with wispy clouds and trails left from airplanes (which since it was a few days before Christmas made me think of all the people making their way home for the holidays.)

I don't think I really ever appreciated what a beautiful place I was raised in until I started traveling. I think seeing more of the world expands your idea of beauty. And you start to see how emotions like happiness make every place even more lovely.

I've arrived in Australia, trying to get on the right time zone and sweating while I look at this chilly photos!

"Now I'll be bold as well as strong, and use my head alongside my heart."

Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait

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Winter Sledding

It seems somehow fitting that I post photos of a holiday sledding trip on the same day I'm leaving for the sunny beaches of Gold Coast. It is my first visit to Australia, and I couldn't be happier (well, I could if I were going just on holiday instead of for work, but I'm sure I'll manage to fit in a bit of fun while I'm there.) At the very least it will be a chance to thaw out after a few snowy frigid days in Utah.

I'm pretty certain this was my niece and nephew's first sledding adventure - we took them to the foothills above my hometown where my brother, sister and I learned to sled.

They were both a little uncertain at first. We started on the small hills and their parents rode with them, but it only took a few rides before they were ready to go it on their own and next thing we knew they were looking for bigger hills.

Wouldn't it be amazing to have the energy of a 3 and 5 year old?

The very best part of being home for me is spending time like this with my family - memories like this are life's greatest gifts.

Any of you out there from Australia? Every been to Gold Coast? What are the must see/do's for me while I'm there?

"Who says you're not allowed to stand on your own."
Ryan Bingham - Keep it Together Pin It

Be Still

The Killers - Be Still Pin It

Christmas 2012

I've decided Christmas should always be on a Tuesday - especially if everyone can managed to take Monday off work as well. We all started celebrating on Saturday and the fun continued all the way through Christmas. With a 3 and 5 year old around we also had kids at the perfect age - old enough to be excited and young enough to get caught up in all of the traditions.

My dad built a sled for my niece and nephew - they weren't so sure abut it at first, but once they gave it a try we couldn't get them off. The even nicely screamed "switch" after every round to remind Uncle J that it was time for someone else to ride up front.

 They chanted "snowballs" ride after ride and eventually figured out how to snow plow and collect snow on the slide while they road - snow that T ate nearly as fast as they collected it. (Don't worry, he knows the no yellow snow rule!)

On Christmas Eve we sprinkled reindeer food all around the yard so Santa and his reindeer could find us - which he did. Everyone must have been very good because Santa delivered in a big way.

"The songs are red and green so let's sing them"
Andrew and the North American Grizzly - Let the Snow Fall Pin It

Looking Back - Moving Forward

After a unplanned break from blogging (and a few other things in life.) I'm trying to get back into a routine and trying to find my voice again. I've made it a habit to keep this blog and my real job separate for a couple of reason - first I'm a consultant so I feel an obligation to my client's business private and, more importantly, my job is the kind that has the ability to take over my entire life if I'm not careful and keeping it out of this blog leaves me a job-free creative outlet. I'm going to see if I can skate a fine line with this post and talk about work without actually talking about it.

A friend asked me a week ago after I shared some of what I'd been up to in Istanbul over the past two months if I took the time to journal or write down some of the things I'd learned, because it was one of the periods in my life where I experienced a lot of growth. I realized that this is the only place where I actual take the time keep any sort of a record so here goes nothing.

I spent the last three months in Istanbul working on a project with impossible deadlines and immense pressure - and I was the project's team leader. We joked about how the project felt a bit like climbing Everest: impossible, exhausting, dangerous and strangely exhilarating. I didn't sleep much and each morning I started the day with a prayer that I was up to the challenges I'd face that day.

I don't think I've ever worked this hard, been under so much pressure or had so much responsibility. It was scary and empowering. I walked away feeling like I could take on the world and like I could sleep for a week (which I did.) I've always carefully filtered myself and my opinions, waiting to make sure when I said something I wouldn't make too many waves, worried a lot about having everyone like me - not necessarily bad traits, but traits that can be somewhat limiting. I felt like surviving this period I broke free, I feel like I've found the confidence to be myself and if people like that great, if not, I don't feel the need to try and be something else just to make them happier or more comfortable.

I'm not sure that lesson will always stick - but just having that realisation once in my life is pretty powerful. And I hope I can always reflect back to how amazing it felt to just be true to myself and not to try and mold myself into whatever it is I think people want me to be. Starting 2013 on a high is an incredible feeling.

Hey Marseilles - Looking Back
"If you're looking back you'll never move your feet"

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