What You Love

There's nothing more fulfilling then being able to do what you love. Recently I was introduced to the work of Sue Bryce. She's a photographer who specializes in Glamour Photography. But it's not that cheesey 1980s style you may be familiar with, that's full of bright lights and poofy hair. Her style is sleek, modern and elegant. Her mission is to photograph women of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages and show them how beautiful they really are. For a long time I've been trying to find my focus and it wasn't until seeing her work that I realized I want to have the same goal. It seems every women I know constantly puts herself down. If only I could get them to see what I see, just how beautiful and amazing they really are.

Today I have the privileged of photography my lovely cousin. Growing up she was like a sister to me so it was so wonderful to get to spend this time today. Anytime I see her it's like no time has passed and we can easily carry on as we once did. It was wonderful to spend the afternoon with her and get to try some new ideas as well.

These are the Days

 Ever have one of those days where, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, everything goes right? For me those day are rare, but when they come along they can be magical. The fact that it was my birthday celebration made it even better. Historically my birthday's don't go well and almost always snow is involved.

Saturday my boyfriend and I set out on my birthday journey. The sun was shining and it was an unseasonable 50 degrees.

Stop One: The Book Barn
This place might just be the greatest place on earth. Floor to ceiling shelves packed with books await you. Between their multiple locations, furry helpers, and bargain prices you could spend days lost in their stacks.

Stop Two: American Velvet Mill:
In the heart of the mill, hidden among the numerous art studios, is Beer'd Brewery. After a tasting and a pint we browsed some of the art studios in the mill. On Saturdays the mill hosts both a flea market and farmers market. We could have easily spent a few hours browsing.

Stop Three: Milagro:
Quite possibly my favorite Mexican restaurant. Easy to spot with it's bright turquoise color and lime green trim. It boasts some of the best homemade chips and salsa and chicken quesadillas I've ever had.

I usually dread my birthdays but I have to say, thanks to a special guy and some good luck, it was one of the best days I've ever had.

Finding the Beauty

I hate winter and I hate the cold, however, this weekend I had the opportunity to go out and discover some of the beauty that winter can bring.

First off let me set the scene. I set out around 4pm on Saturday knowing that the light was just about to be perfect. It was about 6 degrees but with a wind chill that made it feel more like negative 2. Even with the multiple pairs of socks, pants, and shirts, I could still feel the wind chilling me down to my bones. If you need to suffer for your art I certainly did this day.

IMAGE ONE:
I saw this as I was driving by. The sun setting through the trees casting those long shadows, it was eerie and yet beautiful with the light and the pattern. Situated on a sharp curve and hill I had to park down the road and walk back to this scene. Woo wee! Was that a cold 15 minutes spent walking and photographing.

IMAGE TWO: By the time I got back to my car I was ready to call it quits. My feet were starting to hurt from the cold and my face was actually starting to go numb despite the hat and scarf I had wrapped around it. But then I saw this scene, the sun setting spilling golden light out, the long shadow of the bare trees. It was not the photo I had set out to take, but it was by far my favorite one I took on this journey.

IMAGE THREE: This was in scene I had been hoping to capture. When I pulled up next to it a huge gust of wind picked up the snow and blew it across the field creating beautiful glittering clouds. Excited by the idea of capturing this I then spend a good 20 minutes standing in a snow drift waiting for nature to maybe repeat itself. Luckily for me it did.

Needless to say despite the frigid temperatures I was able to find some job in capturing some unexpected scene and beauty.

Snow Day!

Week Two of "Project Happiness"

What could be better then an impromptu snow day? It makes me feel like I'm in elementary school again. A whole unexpected day to myself to do whatever I desire, well for the most part. And what better way to kick off a snow day then with warm and fluffy pancakes with local maple syrup on top. It's not something I get a chance to do very often so it's always a treat.

Highlights of my snow day:

1) It's amazing how much you can accomplish on an unexpected day off. I find I always feel this need to take advantage of this time off so I certainly put it to good use and got a lot done.

2) Going outside and exploring the winter wonderland and the steady quietness that always accompanies it.

3) Coming back inside and warming up with a steaming hot cup of tea.

4) Getting a chance to do some reading!

Project Happiness

When I was younger I thought people were supposed to feel happy ALL the time and if you didn't then there was something wrong with you. One of the biggest lessons I learned in my twenties was that no one is happy all the time. I've come to see that happiness is more about small moments and happenings. It's my belief that happy people are better at recognizing these moments and getting what they can from them. I fear that if I don't learn to do this then I will be one of those people who are forever miserable and can't seem to get any satisfaction out of anything in life.

The goal with this project is to combine two activities I enjoy, writing and photography, to help me recognize these little moments. It's an idea that's been floating around in my head for a while now and it seems the perfect time to start as the winter blues have set in.