Focus on Life - Week 8 - Monochromatic

 
Sally's prompt was: MONOCHROMATIC
 
 
"This week look deeper through the lens to the story your photo captures and then process it to one color! 
Or be daring and shoot in B&W (monochrome)."
 
I thought this would be a rather easy challenge but I was wrong.



I played around with my camera settings and some photo editing software programs and tried out new things.


 
 I really like other people's black and white photos and even many photos I see with Sepia and other tones, but not so much my own photos. 

Sepia's not too bad I guess,....
 
  I just really don't have the eye for it.

Not the way I want to, anyway.




That said, it really made me start viewing things in an entirely new way and noticing different colors.


The mountains of AZ. I truly love how the mountains
are every shade of blue!


I liked that!
 
  
So I challenged myself to capture Monochromatic (sort of!) pics in the world around me, with out processing to one color or doing major edits.  And it couldn't be shot in black and white (my own silly rules!).


Pretty much everything is this drab, dead color since we've had such a weird winter.

This was tough - the world is so multi-colored!

Thanks for bringing me out of my comfort zone this week Sally! 




It was definitely a fun perspective this week!






  
Make sure you check out all the other participant's photos!


Just for fun!!
 
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Monochromatic Challenges!
Cheers,
~Shel~ 
 
 

Style Influences

Things are moving a bit slowly as I'm trying to get back in the groove of things after the Gem Show and after being down for a few days with a bit of a cold.
 
 
Ceramic Beads by Havana Beads on Etsy
 
I was able to finally get some jewelry pics edited that I've been sitting on for a while (some older than others!) and have been learning more of my Elements 10 (Editing with Elements Class from Brandi - it's awesome!) and also using some online editing sites such as Pixlr and PicMonkey.   I'm getting quicker,....or less picky,....not sure which is the case actually.
 
 
 
 
I've noticed that at different times of the year my design style seems to go all 'Southwest' with a major Bohemian flair.   With maybe just a dash of 'Gypsy' style (or whatever you want to call it) thrown in for good measure.  I'm wondering why?
 
 
 
 
What influences us with our trends and tastes?
 
 
 
 
I wonder if, at times, it's something subconscious (??)
 
 
 
 
How about  you? Do you find that your work, your art, your wardrobe, or the styles of things you like seem to go back and forth through out the year(s); possibly with the seasons, the different moods of the year(s), with different events around the world, or with age (gasp!) and things like that?
 
 
 
 
There's all sorts of Art Deco stuff that's been going on for a while now (it was everywhere during NY Fashion week) and there's some things about it I like and some that I really cannot stand. 
 
The Miami Design Preservation League - via Pinterest
 
Personally I'm drawn a bit more to rugged textures with neutral and/or deep colors than I am to geometric designs in mint green and lilac with silvery-mirrored accents! 
(I know - I'm exaggerating a bit there - but you get what I mean!)
 
 
Via Pinterest (Spanglish Fashion blogspot)
(This is more me,...well, sort of!)
 
It's interesting to see things as they come back in style again and again and how there's modern twists and takes on them, isn't it?
 
   Mary Katrantzou Spring 2013 - Via Pinterest
(I actually think these are pretty funky and cool!!)
 
That said, what time periods affect your designs, your art work, your style or clothing, your home decor or your travels? 
 
 
 
 
I'd love to hear what influences your style, your tastes and what things you're most drawn to and why.
 
 
 
 
Until Next Time,
 
 
 
 
Peace, Love and Stylin' Through the Years,....
 
Cheers,
~Shel~

Focusing on Life - Week 7 - Beauty of Flowers

It's week 7 of Focusing on Life: 52 Photos

 
 
This week Sally's prompt for us was
"Beauty of Flowers"

 
"This week take a moment to bring a little happiness
to your soul and enhance your well being.
Take a moment to enjoy the beauty of flowers."



I Enjoy Snapping Pics of Flowers!!

 
 
No prompt needed on this one!



 
However, with the freeze a couple of weeks back and the one this week as well, our rose garden is 'rose-less', and there's no other flowers blooming at the moment either, so I'm sharing with you some of the flowers I've captured in the past.

 
Click to Enlarge Photos
 

These are from my backyard, from the White Mountains of AZ, from San Onofre Beach on Camp Pendleton in California and from my trip to Italy last fall.

Sommocolonia, Italy (Tuscany)
 
 
Yes, I have a slight flower obsession.



 It's as bad as my obsession with snapping pics of doors, locks/keys and door knockers. 

 
 
Can you tell?! ;-)
 
 
 
 
"Just living is not enough.
One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. "
~ Hans Christian  Andersen ~




Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Flower Power, Baby!!



Cheers,
~Shel~

Click HERE to go to the Studio Sublime
and check out all the other lovely flowers today!!

The End of Another Gem Show!

Marsha, Ginny and me at the Gem Mall
  
Well, it was a fun few days that I spent down in Tucson at the Gem, Mineral and Bead Shows last week.
 
Janet - Not sure where,...possibly the Doubletree Hotel - TBTB Show
 
I have some pics my sister took of all of us at the gem show.  Most of mine came out kinda blurry for some reason.
 
Marsha, Ginny and Janet at the Gem Mall
 
 
Marsha - again, not sure where - possibly the TBTB Show
at the Doubletree Hotel
 
 
Marsha, Janet and I stayed with Ginny and Dan during the week (thanks Dan for the wonderful scrambled eggs and bacon on Thursday morning - they were  yummy!!)
 
 
Ginny at the Sketchers Store - she's already laid down
a few boxes,....she had so many you couldn't even see her!!
  
We won't mention the trip to the Sketcher's Store
or Ginny's obsession with Pink Shoes!
 
 
Janet picks out some goodies at the To Bead True Blue
Show at the Doubletree Hotel
 
While Marsha and Janet headed up to Sedona after a couple of days of "Gem Shopping", I headed over to Nina and Steve's on the North West side of town for a few days until my boys arrived for the weekend. 
 
Nina, Garrett, me and Logan
Notice the bunny ears and someone grabbing someone else's ear??
Yep - that's how we all roll, baby!!
  
Nina and I had fun goofing around with our boys.
Gosh they're getting so tall! 

But we forgot to get pictures of us and our Hubby's!

Yes, that guy belongs to me!!

Well, almost!

 
Woke up to snow on the Catalina Mountains on Saturday Morning
 
 
Saturday morning, we woke up to snow on the Catalina Mountains and Saturday evening we were treated to a gorgeous sunset! 
 
 
The Sunset reflecting on the Catalina's from Nina's backyard Saturday evening.
 
I never get tired of the beauty around Tucson!

Except for maybe these,...not real fond of running into these,...or scorpions either!
 
Nina ran into this on one of her walks. Glad I was not w/her when this happened.
He is rather pretty though, isn't he?!
  
Even though we've all had our flu shots, both my son and hubby came down with what seems like a flu/cold combo so Sunday we jetted home early so they could get some rest.

Oh, and here's a few pics of some of the goodies I picked up while I was in Tucson - can't forget those!
 
 
Charms and Pendants from Silver Sparrow Beads, Blingy Goddess Pendants and a
beautiful Jasper focal bead my sis got me from Silk Road Treasures.
   
 
A beautiful Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Focal Bead and a strand of really pretty
Turquoise nuggets from Mexico - Yummy Turquoise!!
 
 
 
Clay Beads - made to look old.  Cool and Fun!!
 
 
Unfortunately I only saw a couple of people I knew at the booths I stopped at - everyone else was on a break, or teaching a class or off eating somewhere.
 
 
Ayla,....one of my "Pearl Connections" I've had for several years!
And a fellow Illinois gal, too!
 
I didn't make it around to all the booths I wanted to either this year.  It was a rather hectic few days with not as much time at each location as I normally have - but it was still fun none-the-less. 
 
 
Steve with Pacific Silverworks
Have you seen his cool rings?!!
 
I mean, who wouldn't have fun strolling among pearls, beads, findings, gems and more pearls, right?
 
 
Beautiful, Beautiful Pearls!
These are some of the strands that came home with me!!
(happy dance!)
 
Until Next Time,
 
Peace, Love and Sadly,
The End of Another Gem Show!!

Cheers,
~Shel~