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Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/29/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Pets, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »

“Seriously, can’t you hold onto your own chew?” I say as I look into the child-like brown eyes of Buster, my 90-pound grand-puppy. For several minutes now, I’ve sat next to him holding on to one end of his chew stick and watching him gnaw and tug on the other end. “Grandma’s got to get back to work now,” I say. He lets out a low bark, because I momentarily put his chew back down on the ground. “Such a spoiled boy,” I say to him as I gently pat his head. “Some of my friends get to babysit their grandchildren, but I get to watch you,” I say to him sarcastically. Buster cocks his head as if he is trying to understand what I’m saying. He then takes his chew and holds it between his giant paws and a few gnaws later, he looks up at me, as if to say, “See, Grandma, I can do it all by myself!”

#1 – Reusables!

Organic Cotton Rounds

I won’t be able to reuse my dinner napkin, because Buster ate it. Besides buying cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, here are 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Buy Reusable.”

#2 – Free Travel Ebooks

Traveling is so much easier these days, thanks to ebooks. No more lugging around heavy guide books from city to city! Here are some sites that offer free travel guides. Just download a book to your electronic device (laptop, iPad, etc.) and GO!

Bookboon.com – Textbooks and business books, too
Hostelworld.com – Pocket guides
ebook3000.com – Great variety of books
Tripadvisor.com – Free guides to members

#3 – New Art Amongst Old Art

Takashi Murakami

In this series of photographs, the Palace of Versailles provides an interesting backdrop to “manga-inspired sculptures” by Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami. It’s an unusual juxtaposition of old and new that allows spectators to see the contrast in styles and to appreciate each style for what it offers.

#4 – Folding a Suit

This tip will come in handy next week when I mail my oldest son the suit he’s going to wear at his brother’s wedding. Watch the video to see how Jacky Tam of British Tailors in Hong Kong folds a suit and a dress shirt, so that they arrive in wearable condition. This a good tip for traveling, as well!

#5 – Happiness
A man once told the Buddha, “I want happiness.” The Buddha replied, “First remove the ‘I’ – that’s ego. Then remove the ‘want’ – that’s desire. And now all you are left with is, Happiness.”
Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/22/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, Health, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A mass of red Lady Bird poppies moves with the breeze and resembles lady bugs in flight. Bees buzz from flower to flower. In the background, water trickles over rectangular-shaped stones. The wonder that is the Central Garden of the Getty Museum surrounds me. Robert Irwin, artist and planner of this garden, wrote these words to describe this living work of art:

EVER

PRESENT

NEVER

TWICE THE

SAME,

EVER

CHANGING

NEVER

LESS THAN

WHOLE.

Robert Irwin 1997

But as I stand in this garden, his thoughtful words make me think about how they relate to moments, minutes, and my life.

#1 – Carrying a Torch

The Olympic flame arrived in the United Kingdom on May 18th. Since then it has traveled “through villages and cities, across lakes and mountain ranges, on foot, by train, on horseback, and through the air, from Cornwall to the Shetland Islands.” Follow it’s journey in this series of photographs from The Atlantic. 8,000 torchbearers will have had the privilege of carrying the Olympic flame by the time it reaches London for the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics – only 35 days away.

#2 – Breaking Point

A podiatrist once told me to buy “P-shaped or clown shoes.” Ha! Ha! Except he was serious. Did he realize how hard it is to find stylish clown shoes? For days, I have been walking around the house in a new pair of high heels that I bought for my son’s wedding. The idea of breaking them in before the big day is a good one, however, my splayed toes ultimately are not meant to be forced into pointy shoes! After some research I found a great post The Secrets My High Heels Are Hiding on the style blog Alterations Needed. The article suggests several shoe aids that ease foot pain as a result of wearing high heels and ill-fitting shoes. The author’s suggestions are good ones, particularly the slingback foot liners, as are some of the suggestions from her readers. For instance, taping toes 3 and 4 together makes wearing pointy-toed shoes more bearable. Even though my toes look funny while taped together, I think the technique helps!

#3 – Intolerable Beauty

Oil filters, Seattle 2003, by photographer Chris Jordan

Photographer Chris Jordan’s series Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption is both a sobering reminder of the wasteful, throw-away-world we live in and an example of art existing everywhere and in everything, even in the least expected places. Linger on his website a while and view the powerful photos of In Katrina’s Wake: Portraits of Loss from an Unnatural Disaster.

#4 – Re-purpose It!

Chris Jordan’s photos speak to us about our wasteful ways, so let’s find more ways to re-purpose things. I’ve saved Altoid tins and other metal candy containers for years and was excited to stumble upon these clever 15 Cool Crafts Made With Altoid Tins!

#5 – Peace
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
Unknown

Have a peaceful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/8/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »


Friends. They make our world infinitely better. Like a favorite pair of jeans, they are comfortable and without pretense. They are the twin sails of support as we steer through rough seas. They blanket us with gentle security, like the warm fuzzy blankets of our childhood. They listen, but need no answers. They bring laughter to our hearts and add sparkle to our eyes. They embellish our souls. Friends need no rewards or thanks and without them we are not whole.

#1 – Size Is Relative
A friend sent me this link to a wondrous lesson on perspective, The Scale of the Universe 2. Whether this perspective is 100% accurate or not, is not as important as the contemplation of the big picture of life.

#2 – It’s In The Jar

Source: Good Housekeeping

Ask your friends to start saving jars for you! There are so many ways to re-purpose glass jars. Serving drinks and food in them are very popular trends, but there are also many ways jars can be used to decorate your home and garden. Check out these links for creative ways to use glass jars:

DIY 101 Ways to Upcycle Glass Jars and Bottles
50 Ways to Re-Purpose and Reuse Glass Jars
20 Brilliant Things To Make In A Jar
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Repeat – Mason Jars
10 great Ways to Use Empty Glass Jars and Bottles

#3 – Easy Shopping

Most of the time I’m dressed in old jeans, a tee-shirt, and depending on the time of the year, either a pair of flip flops or Uggs. When I need to dress up, I always look to my friends for advice. Knowing that I’m frantically struggling to pull together a mother-of-the-groom outfit, one of my friends shared this shopping link with me. ShopStyle is like a personal shopper shopping the grandest and largest store in the world for you. It’s been said, “ShopStyle combines fashion, social networking, and shopping, providing readers with the tools to interpret style trends so they can create, share, and shop personalized looks.” Prices for items run from “Not too bad” to “Oh my!”

#4 – Friendly Photos

This series of photos about The True Meaning of Friendship was too cute and poignant to pass up! Enjoy!

#5 – Four For Friends
“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.”
Jon Katz

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ’em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ’em.”
Shel Silverstein

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
Anaïs Nin

“I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.”
Robert Brault

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/13/12)

Posted in Art and Crafts, Community, Entertainment, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Cradled in the arms of trees, the moon rested. Stars and planets hovered subserviently nearby, knowing that the bright light emanating from the full moon dimmed their own magnificence. But, if the truth be told, the moon didn’t want to stand out – he longed to be in the night sky clustered together with the others. He was lonely, but not alone. As the night evolved and the moon rose, he dimmed his light a bit and the stars twinkled with appreciation. The moon’s lesson: it’s not as important to be on center stage as it is to share the stage with others. And, with a little help, others can have their moments to shine.

#1 – Earth Day

Imagine what it’s like to view the earth from the moon. How majestic and pristine our planet must appear from afar. Celebrate our planet on Earth Day, April 22nd. The Nature Conservancy plans on celebrating by organizing a record-setting picnic. If you’d like to be part of the Conservancy’s attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the most people picnicking in 24 hours or if you want to learn different ways in which you can help our planet, click here.

#2 – Photograph or Painting?

I would be over the moon if I had the talent and patience to paint like Pedro Campos! Using oil paints, the Spanish artist creates amazingly realistic still life paintings that are often mistaken for photographs! Check out his website to view more of his incredible artwork!

#3 – Moonlight in a Jar

Stars twinkle and the moon glows in this DIY project. Mason jars are painted or “dotted” on the inside with glow-in-the-dark paint. They are allowed to dry and then are charged with sunlight or lamplight. I fell in love with these jars when I first saw them and they are definitely on my “to do” list!

#4 – Brain or Moon?

From mental_floss comes this quiz that tests your familiarity of moon and brain nomenclature. For example, is the Dorsum Scilla a part of the brain or a part of the moon?

#5 – Sailing to the Moon
“What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but disastrous.”
Thomas Merton

Look at the moon this weekend and have fun making up your own story about it!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/30/12)

Posted in Art and Crafts, Community, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

First impressions of this flower might be: prickly, exotic, and tropical. In actuality, this safflower is soft, familiar, and grown in areas with long dry seasons. The lesson here is that first impressions can be deceiving. Frequently, first impressions are instinctual, emotional, and based on uninformed beliefs. To try to live our lives with more open minds, we need to challenge our first impressions and our long-held beliefs.

#1 –  Life In Chains
How can seemingly cold metal chain evoke such depths of emotion? Korean Artist Seo Young Deok tells stories of emotion by creating realistic human figures out of chains, welding each sculpture link-by-link. His stories are told by the poses of his pieces, the rawness of his materials, and the feeling of incompleteness.

#2 – Small Changes, Big Differences
Have your taste buds ever been unwittingly tricked into believing you’re eating something sinful only to find out that you’ve been eating something healthier? Here’s a list from Greatist of 80 handy and healthy substitutions for you to try in recipes. For example, try substituting meringue for frosting on your cupcakes or crushed flax or fiber cereal for bread crumbs.

#3 – Happy Feet
Some shoes look really comfortable, but when you wear them they hurt. I’m not taking any chances. Even though my son’s wedding is four months away, I’m already breaking in my new pair of high heels. Thanks to The Beauty Department, I learned a few more ways to break in my shoes.

#4 – Must-Have Photography Apps
I can’t tell you how many times in the past I’ve wanted to take a photo of something and then realized I didn’t have my camera with me. Thankfully, I now have a smartphone with a camera and have downloaded some camera-enhancing apps. Which camera apps are the best? Check out “25 Must-Have Apps For Your Smartphone” from Online Photography Colleges to see which camera apps suit your needs.

#5 – Point of View
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/16/12)

Posted in About me, Helping Others, Husbands, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 16, 2012| 2 Comments »

The rain forces me to do things that I ordinarily don’t want to do. The idea of cleaning out cabinets and closets rarely appeals to me, but since there’s been nothing but rain this past week, I’ve been in a nesting/cleaning mode. My husband hates it when I go from a laissez-faire wife to a neat-freak wife, because he knows all too well about the ripple effects!

#1 – In Love with Sumo!
Citrus oils are well-known for their cleaning ability and many cleaning products are infused with a citrus scent, but when you peel your first Sumo mandarin, the last thing on your mind will be cleaning! Sumo mandarins are the result of crossing a California orange with a Satsuma mandarin. They are seedless and are the size of oranges, but they are easy-to-peel and have an extremely sweet and juicy flavor, much like mandarins. Cut them in half crosswise and then into wedges to fully expose their beautiful flesh. Like other citrus fruit, they are high in vitamin C, foliate, fiber and potassium, but what’s even better, is that they are low in acid. Look for them in grocery stores now, but hurry! They are only available February through May. I found them at Whole Foods.

#2 – It’s So Simple
You don’t need a bucketful of industrial strength cleaners and you don’t need to spend a lot of money on gadgets that make your life easier. Just take a look at Real Simple’s list of ideas that make housekeeping easier. For example, try using used fabric-softener sheets with a little bit of water to clean soap scum off of glass shower doors.

#3 – Beauty in Everything
There is beauty in everything, right? Now there’s a photography website to prove it. At Beauty in Everything treat yourself to an assortment of great photographs selected on a daily basis. The collections can be viewed by date or by subject matter.

#4 – For Free!
Print out free custom calendars, soduko puzzles, pinhole cameras, customizable pocket organizers, iPod covers, seed packets and more by going to these sites and clicking on the links:

Useful Items You Never Knew You Could Print Out – The Ultimate Guide

Top 5 Useful Items You Never Knew You Could Print Out

#5 – Creative Math
“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”

George Bernard Shaw

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Enjoy your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/2/12)

Posted in Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gardening, Health, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In the depth of winter, when most garden plants look ho-hum, camellias, with their perfectly-shaped glossy leaves and their delicately-layered blossoms, add incredible beauty to our lives. Don’t let the shorter days and the stay-inside-weather prevent you from recognizing and appreciating their winter perfection. Everything on earth has a purpose, even camellias.

#1 – Purposely Repurposing
The party’s over and you have plastic cups lying around all over the place. They’re headed for the trash bin, right? Well, what about this – what about using them to construct a hanging lamp? This lamp and many more creative ideas appear in the article Most Popular Repurposing Tricks of 2011. Not into hanging lamps? What about making a lunch box from a plastic milk jug or creating a home security device from an old webcam?

#2 – The World We Live In
The world we live in is an amazing place. By checking out this series of photos, discover sights around the world without leaving your desk. All the photographs are interesting, but I was most intrigued by the Danxia landform.

#3 – Stick To It!
Need help deciding which type of glue to use on a DIY project? Go to Design*Sponge’s post on adhesives. Glue descriptions and an easy to read chart take the guessing out of what glue to use where and when. There’s even a recipe for making a natural glue at home – a DIY glue for your DIY project!

#4 – Fat Fighting Fiber!
Browsing the internet the other day using StumbleUpon, I “stumbled” across a health article titled “Fiber Supplements – Which One You Need?” The article points out the difference between insoluble and soluble fiber and describes the types of fiber used in supplements. Did you know that fiber supplements that become viscous, help your body in two ways? They not only help you to stay regular, but they also help to lower your blood cholesterol.

#5 – Life is a Contact Sport
Life is a contact sport, but it should never be played without joy.

Based on Senator Robert Byrd’s quote about Ted Kennedy, “He believed that life was a contact sport but that it should never be played without joy.”

Have a lovely weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/17/12)

Posted in Aging, Art and Crafts, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 17, 2012| 1 Comment »

Sometimes the ordinary can be extraordinary. Lowly landscape flowers shine in otherwise flowerless gardens; wet paint vibrates with energy creating liquid sculptures; one person helps another and both lives improve. There are many things that exist and happen in our everyday lives that we deem ordinary, but when reflected upon, they are truly quite extraordinary!

#1 – Photo of the Year
Freelance photographer Samuel Aranda was the recipient of the 55th annual World Press Photo of the Year Contest. According to jury chair Aidan Sullivan, “The winning photo shows a poignant, compassionate moment, the human consequence of an enormous event, an event that is still going on. We might never know who this woman is, cradling an injured relative, but together they become a living image of the courage of ordinary people that helped create an important chapter in the history of the Middle East.” While on the site, check out the other award winning photos and read the stories they tell.

#2 – Portion Distortion
Did you know that over the last 20 years ordinary food portions at restaurants have become extraordinary? 20 years ago a serving of french fries weighed in at 2.4 ounces and contained around 210 calories. Today’s increased 6.9-ounce serving of fries carries with it a whopping 610 calories. Take the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s Portion Distortion Quizzes and learn how many calories the increased food portions carry and the amount of activity it takes to burn off those added calories.

#3 –  Be an Extraordinary FOF
Are you a FOF? FOFs, also know as fabulous over fifty women, share their advice on the Fab 50 website which claims it is “The first online search powered by the wisdom of faboverfifty women.” The site offers age-related advice in a number of diverse subject areas such as beauty, beauty product reviews, book reviews, style, aging, and women’s health issues. The impressive list of Fab 50 founders reads like a who’s who list and includes the granddaughter of the founder of Bergdorf Goodman Mary Ann Quinson, fitness guru Denise Austin, author Lisa Scottoline, soap opera star Jackie Zeman, board member of General Mills and Herman Miller Dorothy Terrell, and supermodel Beverly Johnson. Women supporting women – it’s always a good thing!

#4 – Capturing Sound
Using the vibration from speakers playing music, German photographer Martin Klimas pours ordinary paints on top of a protected speaker and then turns up the volume. The paint shoots up in the air and Klimas captures the colorful liquid paint sculptures in flight with his camera. I love the Miles Davis pieces! Hmm . . . my husband has an old subwoofer out in the garage . . . .

#5 – Life is Art
Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.
Miguel Angel Ruiz

Have a safe holiday weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/10/12)

Posted in Community, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The world’s other 6,993,541,793 human inhabitants are more like you than you think. People’s emotions, actions and reactions are not so different from one part of the world to another. Cultural and religious customs do exist, but smiling, kissing, and hugging are among the many emotional gestures people around the world share. So the next time you deem someone as “different,” consider all that you have in common, rather than the few differences that separate you.

#1 – What Is It?
The photo above looks like something from outer space, so what in the world is it? Call it what you like: Romanesco, broccoli Romanesco, Romanesco broccoli, broccoflower, Romanesco cauliflower (North America), Romanesco cabbage (French), or broccolo Romanesco (Italian), but whatever you call it, call it delicious! Fresh Romanesco is loaded with Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. The next time you see Romanesco in the market, widen your culinary world and buy it. Prepare it as if you were cooking broccoli or cauliflower – just don’t overcook it!

#2 – Creative Projects
Mark your calendars for noon (EST) on February 24th and help document a global event. Join people from around the world and share a meal with them. Take a photo of you with your meal, mail it to the Art House Co-Op, and be part of an exhibition of people and their food. While you’re signing up for the Meal Project on the Co-Op’s website, check out its other creative community projects: Letters to Home, where you write a letter to your childhood home, and the Sketchbook Project, where artists across the globe donate their sketchbooks to the Brooklyn Art Library to provide artistic inspiration to the public.

#3 – Spread the Mood
According to CEO Peter Bregman, moods are as contagious as colds. In his article “How to Use Your Super Power for Good,” he recounts how his mood changed one day from bad to good based on his encounters with different people. Here’s a quote from the article that focuses on his analogy of moods spreading like colds: Look at it this way: If you catch a cold from someone, does that mean you can go around sneezing on everyone else? You might be able to blame your mood on someone else, but you’re still responsible for what you pass to others . . . Know your emotions, be in touch with your moods, and think of them like the common cold. If you feel infected by bad cheer, take a deep breath, recognize how you’re feeling, and choose not to pass it on. If everyone practiced this philosophy, think about the collective difference it could make in the world.

#4 – In a Galaxy Far, Far Away . . .
Photographer Royce Blair captured some of the most awe-inspiring images of the effervescent-looking Milky Way juxtaposed against some of the iconic landscape features of Utah. If you need an escape from work during the day, just sit and gaze at these breath-taking wonders of nature. You’ll soon feel more relaxed!

#5 – Wisdom of the Universe
Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.
Joseph Campbell

Why not listen to what the universe is saying to you this weekend? Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/13/12)

Posted in Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 13, 2012| 1 Comment »

New Year resolutions speak of hopes, dreams, and new starts, but shouldn’t every morning bring with it the same potential? Why wait a day, a month, or 12 months to start something new or to create the life you want? There will never be a better time than now to eat better, to sharpen your mind, to make a difference, or to see the world with all of its colors!

#1 – Walk Through a Rainbow
Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson designed an enclosed circular rainbow walkway above a building in Denmark. I wonder, along with another commenter, if your mood changes as you walk through the colors?

#2 – Fast Food Reality
Is the food shown in ads the same as what’s served? Here’s an interesting side-by-side photo comparison. On the left are ad photos and on the right are photos of food actually served. Why do we eat fast food when it’s not so great to begin with and is even less appealing than promised?

#3 – Online Jigsaw Puzzles
When I was a child, my mom and I would sit for hours working on jigsaw puzzles. Jigsaw puzzles are addicting because you can’t stop searching for that one particular piece you need. When I found out that National Geographic’s website had a jigsaw puzzle generator, I immediately bookmarked it on my computer and sent the link to my mom. Although they do not contain very many pieces, these puzzles, made from National Geographic photographs, are difficult because the image disappears once you start working on the puzzle and you must reconstruct it from memory (unless you cheat by using the preview function). On top of that, your effort is being timed!

#4 – In the Beginning . . .
Watch this charming 4 minute story about global warming with its amazing painting by Alice Ninni and soothing background music by Matteo Negrin.

#5 – Don’t Stop Changing
“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” -Benjamin Franklin

Have an enjoyable, but safe holiday weekend!

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