Peppers in a Painting

My photo today is right out've the camera. Just popped on the logo and it was good to go.

...And this might just be my opinion but the Peppers don't really look real. They look painted. Or am I just being silly? But I sure do love how I can use the light and my camera to create awesome images!

Summer picture project #5!

  

*Oh, and I am working tomorrow, Saturday, and the Fourth of July! Pictures should be fun, but I'm going to be beat. It's basically an 10 hour work day, often even more. And this is our busiest weekend, which means I will be on my feet for the vast majority of those hours. I would love some prayer support! :)

An accidental day off

So instead of just taking one day off, I accidentally took two. Turns out I had scheduled three people for two locations on Tuesday, and since I made the mistake I (graciously) bowed out. And it worked out well, because I finally finished unpacking my room (well, almost, it's 90%) and ran a lot of errands. But yet I still didn't have time for everything! Geez! Anyway...

Summer Project Picture # 4!

Yes, it is insanely dusty there. I guess I could wear tennis shoes, but I like for my feet to breathe! And get some Vitamin D.

Lastly, over the weekend I went to my great-aunt's 100th birthday party. I still haven't really taken the time to go through my pictures yet, but I can't wait to post my favorites! She is one of the cutest centurions ever (along with my other great-aunt who is 101)!

Going off the grid!

For the weekend I am taking off! I'll have my camera and whatnot, but I won't be on the internet at all. Unless I hear a quote that I just have to tweet, but I'll try to resist. I'll probably log on Sunday night, just to relax and catch up after all the activities that I'll be doing.

Summer project #3!

Peace out girl scout! :D

Picture # 2!

Yay, I'm maintaining my goal so far. Haha. One more picture for tomorrow, and then I'm off for the weekend and Monday. I need Monday off so bad. I have barely had any time to unpack and it has been driving me crazy. Not to mention my parents eat differently than I do, and because it has really been throwing me off I need to go through what's in the kitchen and either re-organize it so I know what's available or just go shopping for me. Then somehow find time to cook on top of everything else I have to get done. But I'm getting my paycheck soon, so I really can't complain.

Summer project picture # 2

And yes, there is money in there! :D I get about $10 in tips each day. People are really nice where I work. 

Summer project picture #1

Work seemed to go on forever today! But I made it through and got some good tips in the process (and no not the "Don't play with matches" kind, haha). Once again, I did not want to take a picture. Slowly though, I let my creativity take over and I found a few shots to take. What I really had to go with though, was this cheeky little Robin that hopped about two feet away from me.

Produce Stand Robin

I had some photoshop fun by using textures I stole from this Flickr account. 

Work and a new project!

I am officially on payroll. Woo! And I made about ten bucks in tips today. :D But I have found myself feeling incredibly lethargic about taking pictures recently. I want to, I just can't find the motivation to get and create an image. So I've decided that for every day I am outside working I must take a picture. Yay for putting myself on a posting schedule! I'm excited to see where this might go.

Where I am working now. 

And just for fun, a family picture from Father's Day. Yes, this is in my house. 

Let me know what projects you are up to!

My 22nd birthday!

Today. Was. Awesome! Yesterday I blogged about my frustrations and things that were beyond my control. But as soon as I got that phone call I needed it was like the clouds had cleared and I was able to get all the necessary tasks done. Did I do as much as I wanted to? No, but I had to get home and it is what it is. And once I did get home life has been so much better. As much as I am going to miss my apartment and my roommates, I feel like I need to take a step back and re-visit who I am for awhile.

Anyway, today is my birthday. And I wanted to do something fun! So a few days ago I contacted two of the coolest guys I was friends with back in high school and we set up a sailing day. They put it all together, and we met up at a local dock. They brought out their little sunfish boat, a windsurfer, a slack line and some food. We had a picnic and slack lined a bit before heading out to the water. I wish I could post some pictures but I actually left my camera behind today! The Bradley brothers have all the footage, so who knows when I'll get to see it. I got to windsurf right from the get go. Mark took some time telling me what to do and then I just had to try. And try I did. About 100 times. Let's just say that the wind surfer was not made for women. I had the hardest time just pulling up the sail! But I pushed through and went on three short runs. It was so fun, I'm definitely planning on building up my arm muscles so I can go again for much longer. I finished my time in the water laying on the front of the little sailboat as they steered us back in.

After breaking for dinner we all met up again at Dairy Queen. There Andrew (the other brother) bought me an ice cream cake. Yumm.

Finally I made it back home where my sister handed me my birthday present. My mom took my camera to document. Yes, they are out of focus. But she tried!

Not sure what I am being given...

It was a vintage camera with a bunches of lenses and filters!!!

My new camera!!!

So much to learn and experiment with! Such a great present!!!

Frustration

I wrote a devo post a couple days ago, and I thought it was published... but now it is not here. And I don't have time to re-write it, so I'll just be back with a new one next week. :(

Right now, I am sitting in my apartment's kitchen, waiting for a phone call. There are so many other things I need to be doing, like packing up my car for instance! Or in the school C-Lab to finish some projects before I move home. But no, I am waiting. If the guy doesn't call soon I'll finish up my chores here, call the company and then leave for school.

But I am just so tired. I don't know how some people do it. Take my roommate, for instance. She is training to become a nurse, and somehow the vast majority of the time she can go to bed at one in the morning and wake up at six and go! Yet I cannot do that at all.

Last night I worked on stuff until 2:30 am, then I crashed. My body woke me up at 6, then I crashed again. My alarm was set for 8:30... yeah I turned that off too quick to even really wake up. Thankfully my phone went off again at 10:15. It still took me awhile to get moving, but now I at least feel capable of driving for five hours later today. Believe me, at 10:15 there was no way I could have safely made it home. I'm worried I might get that way again, which if I can't drive home today than I will get stuck in major traffic. I'm talking gridlock for probably an hour or more.

Though of course, if this phone call doesn't come, then I might not be able to leave today no matter what I do.

Ironic humor; I turn 22 tomorrow. By any standards that is the age where I should be a responsible adult. I should have been on top of all this crap I have been going through and gotten to the point where tomorrow I could have not even worried about anything! Instead it feels like my life is falling apart and money is an issue and I am a horrible failure.

As stressful as moving is right now, I think it's good that I am moving home. Maybe I need to take a break from feeling like a responsible adult and get some help from my parents. At least until I can dig myself out of the mess I have made. Sure, it was an unintentional mess, the life lessons I am learning should have been learned earlier.

P.s, Thank God that Jesus saves.

The devo pic that disappeared.

 Oh, and I am still waiting on that phone call...

The wedding!

It was such a fun wedding to attend. Jason and Elaine really rocked it out.

The board they had people sign. And guess who's picture they used??? ;)

Such an adorable first dance.

To Jason and Elaine; Wishing you both a life-time of happiness!

Love LOVE!

Wow I just realized how long it's been since I lat posted. Did not mean for that to happen, but it tends to when you aren't doing a project.

Anyway, tomorrow I am attending the wedding of two dear friends, Jason and Elaine. I'm pretty excited about it. I took their engagement pictures, though it was only two weeks ago... it was the only time our schedules would work!

Here's one of my favorites, it's so them!

Jason and Elaine

Devo: Creativity Can Make a Big difference

This week the devotional book describes the story of Blake and TOMS. It's a great perspective, and really illustrated a creative way to help people in need.

1. What do you find inspiring about the story of TOMS shoes?

-That one man saw a need and did something about it. He took his vision and now has changed the world!


2. If you had seen the same barefoot children whom Blake saw in a third world country, how would you have responded? What do you think prevents us from coming up with creative, innovative solutions to touch people's lives?


-Well I like to think I definitely would have done SOMETHING, I'm honestly not to sure what I would do. I tend to work on an individual level, pouring in my time and love on a one to one basis.
-I'm pretty sure society a lot of times keeps us from thinking up creative solutions. Everyone dreams of traveling and making a difference, yet when someone actually goes out to do it... they get laughed at. That's discouraging. Earlier today I was reading a blog post of a girl who goes to my school. In it she specifies er ultimate goal and highlights a few ways she hopes to start. I started to shake my head, wondering why she didn't go about it another way. I had to stop myself. Who am I to think that she can't do something just because it's not what I would do? I have my own dream that I know people do not believe in. It's difficult.

3. It's a chart, filling out separately...


4. Does anything surprise you about this list of jobs? Why do you think the Bible includes these types of arts and crafts jobs?


-Not really. I love how God's glory can be shown in the strangest and littlest of ways. I think because God is so creative, that He has gifted amazing abilities to those who are inspired by His works.

5. Read Isaiah 64:8. Fill in the sentence below, using your name in the blanks.

-Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. Beth is the clay, you are the potter; Beth is...the work of you hand.

6. In what ways do you see yourself as the clay in the Potter's hands?

 -This is a confusing question... I guess with my attitude and spirit?

7. Read Genesis 2:7. Do you see any parallels between God as a potter and God creating humankind from the dirt? If so, explain. 


-Definitely. I think that God is very hands on and personal with everything He creates.

8. Think about your life right now. In what ways is God shaping you to look more like Him?


-I think right now He is taking me out of my comfort zone. My life feels like it is moving by way too fast, even though I'm slowing it down. And helping my grandmother out this week has really challenged me. Cooking, cleaning, and giving an injection daily is not living creatively, but it's so different from my norm that He is moving through it.