The Sunday Creative - Obsolete

I'm so glad Justine agreed to host the Sunday Creative for Maegan for a while.  Since it is the only challenge I participate in regularly, I would have missed my weekly push to try something different.  I fell in love with my idea for this photo right away, but I'm not completely thrilled with the photos, but with a little help from PW's actions and some textures I think it is at least interesting.

My parents built a new house about 15 years ago on a vacant piece of land about a block and a half from the house I grew up in.  I'm from a small town where we all pretty much live by the motto of using what you have and making it work.  So the fact that the plot of land had 3 buildings: a couple of small sheds and an old outhouse didn't faze my family.  We didn't even consider having them removed.  Instead my parents made some repairs to the sheds, added shelves, power, paint and siding and now have a workshop/garage and storage shed.  The outhouse was more of a problem.  Who wants to look out their back window at an outhouse?

My dad cleverly hid the outhouse behind some trellis fencing and now uses it as a tool shed.  So while it may be obsolete as an outhouse its still useful and proves that small town ingenuity can be an amazing thing.

I discovered this cd and band at the library this week - what awesome luck:  Band of Annuals - "Thought I'd Have Learned."

Check back in tomorrow for a very special Saturday Guest Post!

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Fun at Auntie J's House

When I'm home, my niece and nephew come to my house to play at least once a week.  Since I don't have toys around to keep them entertained I have to get creative.  On the last trip we started in a cabinet, climbing in and out entertained them for a while.

Then T moved onto the door stop.  Listening to the noise it made kept him entertained for a while. (Decor note - I did NOT pick out that wallpaper and it's going away one day soon, as is the carpet, who puts carpet in the bathroom????)

But soon they gave me these looks - and I knew it was time to move on to something new.


Luckily it hadn't snowed yet, so we headed outside.  Who really need fancy things like swings or trampolines when you have a wet, muddy hill the kids can slide down.    They had a great time and I only sent them home to their mom slightly muddy.


Isn't being an aunt perfect - you can muddy them up and send them home with their parents to be cleaned up.  One final picture - just couldn't resist another look at this face.

I was listening to this song today and can't help but think maybe we'd all be better off if we could cling to the simple innocence of childhood.  Want to hear more music?  Check out my post today at the i-Studio here's the LINK
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Rain Photography

A few days after reading a great post on rain photography I had the chance to put some of the lessons I learned to work.  At dusk it started raining so I grabbed my camera and headed out to the front porch and started snapping.


I quickly realized that if I wanted to capture the great reflection and light that come from wet surfaces I needed to get up close and personal.


I was rolling around on the ground trying to keep me and the camera dry but also trying to capture interesting photos.  I was in my tiny home town, so I'm sure if any of the neighbors saw they'll be asking my parents about their crazy daughter soon.


One bonus of an evening of rain?  We woke up to a rainbow the next morning.

After reading Kat's post on rain photographt, I literally was "Waiting for the Rain to Come."
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Back to My Roots Mix

I recently participated in a mixed CD swap.  It was so much fun to put together a mix for someone else and I can't wait to hear the mix she put together for me.  I thought I'd share it with you too.

You'll quickly realize I was in the mood for a little roots and blues.  Throw in some guys with gravely voices and a gal or two for variety and the mix was born.  I think I started with 40 songs and had to cut things down to get it to fit on a single disc.

Let me know what you think.

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Giveaway Winner

Miss M's Happy Dance just for you.

Congratulations to the lucky winner of my CSN Giveaway:

The Felix Family!

Winner was determined using random.org, I've tried pasting the box into this post but can't figure it out. If anyone has mastered that skill I'd love to know how to do it.

Andrea - contact me with the email address you want your gift code sent to, auroraforever (at) gmail (dot) com.



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The Sunday Creative - Dynamic

Maegan's theme for this week was a fun one!  When I saw the prompt I instantly thought of my niece and nephew who never seem to stand still, they are always in motion.


I convinced Miss M to show me some of her dance moves.  She hasn't started classes yet, so all these are moves she's made up on her own, saw someone else do, or picked up watching TV.


I love that even her pig-tails are in motion when she spins.

Today's songs is completely obvious, a little Elton John.
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Night Photography

I love Kat's night-time photography series.  I was in awe of the amazing photos she captured and it made me want to give it a try.  If you haven't seen her series yet, head over there now, you will learn so much!

I still have a long way to go, but I woke up at my house last week before the sun and as I worked I saw the sky start to turn purple as the sun started to rise.  I grabbed my camera, dashed out to the porch and started snapping.

I love the rich color I captured, the silhouettes and mostly I just loved trying something new.  I wish I'd had a tripod, but I still think I did decently for my first try.

What photo techniques have you recently tried out?  How did it go?

To celebrate a little night photography, here's another one of my $5 amazon purchases - Josh Ritter's Beautiful Night:
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Office Project Kickoff and GIVEAWAY

My office inspiration from Emily A Clark - Planning to use the same IKEA bookshelf and similar paint, but mine will be a few shades darker and blue blue than purple.

I'll admit it, I spend a lot of time reading design blogs and dreaming of projects I want to do around my house.  While I'm home this fall and have a bit of time off I'm planning to tackle one of those projects - my home office.  It's a large airy room, with big windows that is perfect for an office.  Best of all moving out there will get me away from the kitchen table which is much too close to the pantry and fridge for my waistline.  I anticipate working from home more during the next year so I want to get the office ready as quickly as possible and I'm planning to share my progress with you as I go.

I have decided on a color to paint the walls and on the type of flooring to install, but I'm still working on all the little details which, let's be honest, is what will really make the place my own.  I'm trying to keep the budget down, so there will be lots of bargain shopping, DYI and re-purposing for the project.  I almost wish I was eligible for the surprise I have for you today, my very first giveaway.

The kind folks at CSN Stores have given me a $35 gift certificate to give away to one of you!  CSN is an online shopping mecca with over 200 stores where you can buy anything from dining room chairs, to rugs (I need some for my office), to lighting right down to storage solutions for media collections (another thing I really need!)

The Rules
All you have to do to win is comment on this post telling me what home project you plan to tackle next.  For a bonus entry become a follower and add a second comment letting me know you've done so.  Already a follower?  Simply add a second comment letting me know you are.

There has never been a better time for all of you lurkers out there to come out of the word work and show me a little comment love.  The contest closes at mid-night Sunday, October 31.  I'll use random.org to pick the winner and will make the announcement on November 2.

The small print
CSN only ships to the US and Canada and international shipping charges apply to those of you in Canada.

A little song for luck from one of my all-time favorites:
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Fall Colors from the Alpine Loop

As I sit and watch the first snow fall of the year I realize I haven't posted any of the photos I took just over a week ago of the gorgeous fall color I found on the Alpine Loop.

Last Sunday, to celebrate my homecoming, I got in my own car and headed to the Alpine Loop which has some of the best fall colors in Utah and happens to be practically in my back yard.

It was such a peaceful ride, just me, my camera and some good music.  No responsibilities and I was free to stop anytime I wanted to grab a photo or to just take in the beauty all around.

About half way through the trip I remembered that my car had a moon roof, then it took me digging out the owners manual to remember where the controller was to open it.  A sign the moon roof doesn't get much use.

If I had waited just a couple more days the leaves would have mostly been gone, so I feel lucky to have gotten home just in time for one of my favorite times of year.

I mentioned Friday I had discovered my local library had a great music collection.  I found a couple of Kasey Chambers' albums and have been listening to them pretty steadily.  I love her voice and her song writing.

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A Little Inspiration

I'm talking about inspiration today at Mortal Muses.  I am so honored to be participating with one of my favorite online groups.  The Muses are celebrating an entire week of inspiration with posts by some talent folks and lovely giveaways, do come over and check it out, you don't want to miss a chance at the Shutter Sister's book "Expressive Photography."

I've listened to this song about 10 times in the last week - I love the lyrics and the melody:

I picture you now

You are beautiful

You are golden

Just like you were

When you thought

No one was looking

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