.good morning, sunday::no. 3.

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Okay, it's actually Sunday afternoon but that's alright right?

• Had two photoshoots this weekend. The first one being of a co-worker of mine. I foresee some future sessions with him as he is a very photogenic individual. And, the other was of a long time friend of mine. . .
  
• . . . David E. who created the character Cactus Jack, a frontiersman, who travels throughout the country, educating kids about the Old West. He is such a wonderful person who is so full of ideas and energy! When I decided to create my own Character Project, he was the first person to come to mind. We went out of town for our photo session and after just a handful of shots, my brand new camera malfunctioned on me. Needless to say, I am pretty POed. Fortunately, he was very understanding. We did manage to spend a lot of time brainstorming and getting pumped for new possibilities so it wasn't a total loss of a day. So stay tuned!
• I've been thinking a lot about my "brand" and trying to figure out how to tie everything together. From my website, to my blog, to my shop. A lot of these thoughts have sprung up after reading The Handmade Market Place by Kari Chapin. There are more things that I want to do with my photography, but it's trying to figure out what and how.
  
• Any day now, I will be receiving my new Holga and the current issue of Light Leaks magazine. [yay!]
• At the end of the week, I'll be introducing you to yet another blog that I'm involved with. This one will be featuring a photo or two taken between myself and my dear friend Kerri. I'll let you know when it's ready for viewing.
• Spring is near. Do you feel it?!

Have a wonderful week my friends! And remember, when doing a photoshoot, always bring some backup! ;o)

**Sorry it took so long to post this. I didn't realize it wasn't up 'til this morning. ha!

.carefree in the sun.

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A: Mama, we go swing today?
K: Honey, it's too cold outside.
A: Mama? We go park? We go SWING?!
K: We'll see.
A: Mama? I go swing.
K: You are?
A: Yea. You come too Mama?
K: Yea, I think I'll come too.

That was the short, condensed version of the conversations that Lil' Miss A. and I had throughout the day. The sun was out and it looked so inviting outside. That was until you actually stepped out. A nice, frigid gust of wind blowing against your pale, sun deprived face. BRRR!! But that didn't stop A. from hauling butt to the vehicle. Her favorite thing to do in all the world is to ride the swing (and the carousel, although she hasn't really asked to do that in a while). Her sweet pleas were just breaking my heart, so I caved in. Besides, I really could've used some good ol' Solar-Vitamin D myself! Once we got to the park, straight to the swings she went. I slid her into a seat, then began to send my kid flying up into the air. Push Mama, push! she cried. A smile so big spread across her rosy cheeked face. And there she was, swinging away, head leaned back, in complete and total bliss.

::

40::365

Wow. I am exhausted. It's been a pretty busy week, which is good. Spent most of today with my best friend and her little baby J. Newborns are so sweet. . . and TINY! I seriously don't remember A. ever being that little, but she was. Before I left their home, I snagged a few branches off of her crape myrtle to take home and photograph. These seed pods are just so interesting to look at. Honestly, I'm not that crazy about the way I processed this image, but I'm too tired to care right now. ha ha!

Before I go (because I really need to go before cranky Kat comes out) I wanted to thank my sweet friend Emma at the Orchard Studio for featuring me on her blog today! It totally made my day! Thank you. :O) You all are so kind and I cannot express how humbled I am by your support. I love you guys! Wishing each and every one of you a beautiful start to an awesome weekend!!

.a gift and friendship.

39::365

Tonight, after several hours of tutoring English to my lovely Arab family, I pulled out the sewing machine I brought from home. It had been sitting in the corner of my kitchen for ages. I wish I was more the avid seamstress, but I am not. Although I would like to be! Last week, I had asked the ladies what they enjoyed doing. One of the responses was sewing. When I heard that, I knew that my sewing machine was going to have a new home. We brought it out onto the kitchen table, and just as quickly as we had done that, the requests from the boys to fix over-sized t-shirts and such were being made. Umm and I went over the specs of the machine, figuring out how to change stitches, how to thread it and so forth. Then, off to work she went, sewing away like a pro! I couldn't help but feel so blessed sitting there beside her, watching how quickly she was able to fix her son's school shirt, watching as she played with the machine, figuring out how to do this and that. I sat there thinking to myself, this is what family and friendship is about. Sharing, learning and appreciating one another. It became more and more obvious to me that I was no longer an outsider. No longer were we strangers who could barely communicate with one another. I had become part of the family. Friendship. It is truly the greatest gift you could give to another, and to yourself.

.41 shots.

image by Mark Cobbold

There is nothing more frightening to me than the thought of losing my memory. To have all my recollections drift away like sand in the wind. . . to be amongst my loved ones and not know who they are. This can only be described as absolutely heartbreaking. When my good friend Mark Cobbold asked me to view his photography site, I came across a page he dedicated to his father, Les, who is suffering from the latter stages of Alzheimer's disease. Moved by a passion for photography, and a devoted love for his father, Mark has put together 41 Shots, a request to fellow photographers to submit one image to be considered for a collage. The photo collage would then be auctioned off with all proceeds donated to the Alzheimer's Society. Photographers of all levels who are interested in participating can learn more about it by visiting his site, Point Click Photography or by sending him an email at osoito@hotmail.co.uk.

:::

He told me the other day that he had a dream. He came upon a cemetery, one that he had never been to before, one that probably didn't really exist. It was within this sanctuary that he said my grandmother's presence told him, Kathy never comes to see me anymore. He had never met my grandmother. Then, he began to recall the feeling of something cold pressing down against his thigh, like a hand, so cold that it woke him up from this sleep. It's true though. I don't visit much. Maybe it's because I know she is not there. There is no soft spoken voice there to tell me her stories of younger days. There is no warm embrace to pull me in from the cold wind that whips around me as I sit there beside the plaque that bares her name. But I did go to see her today. Her great-grand daughter beside me wondering where her Mama's Tutu is. She is asleep, I say. Her response, When she wake up, she coming to see me? I didn't know what to say. Yes, I said. Someday.

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[**added on February 24th] I reread this post. Thinking about how I answered my toddler's question. What I should've said was that my grandmother was in Heaven right? Because I know she is. I've began to think about my faith again. My fellowship with God is not where it used to be. I know this. But the ice is melting. The colors of life are slowing resurfacing. In my heart, I know I will feel that warmth again.

.dear reader.

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Dear Reader,

Honestly, I don't even know where to begin today. So many things have rushed back and forth in this thing I call my head that I wanted to share with you and now, as I sit here in front of this portal to you, my mind goes blank. Well, I guess before I go on, I just wanted to take the time to thank you, my reader, for pulling up a chair and "listening" to what I have to say. Many a times I feel as if I come off quite spaztic (which according to the Urban Dictionary, that's just part of my name) so I apologize if I'm quite scatterbrained. Seriously, it means a lot to me that you would take the time to come here. After all, there's surely something more interesting out there you could be doing, like watching a match of curling on the Olympics, or washing your hair. :O) Thank you. I may not get a chance to come and visit you as often as I would like, but I will try to do better! Know that I appreciate you and that my heart sings every time you leave me a little note. I know I've said it before, but I will say it again. Thank you.

But before you go, I FINALLY remembered some of the things I wanted to share with you today! The first being that I was featured on Ms. Laura's blog this morning! I was totally stoked! It's so weird and yet exciting to see someone actually take the time to say "Hey! Look at her!" and it be a good thing! The other thing I wanted to tell you is that you've got to check out Kim Miller's blog and her awesome Photoshop Actions! They are just too fun! Hmm. . . I think there was something else. . . what was it?! Oh heck! I can't remember. Maybe tomorrow.

I hope this finds you well and that you are doing fantabulous! Tell me how you've been and what is going on in your life. I want to know. And again, thank you for being awesome.

~much love,
.kat.

.at the lake.

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In my earlier post, I mentioned having taken some photos at the lake this morning, only find that the images were missing from my memory card. Weird. My tutoring class was canceled this evening so I took my new camera (instead of the old one I was shooting with earlier) and headed back to the lake. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking I was going to capture. I felt a little weird because I had my camera bag strapped to my back, and this big camera hanging from my neck. I felt too "obvious". Ever feel like that? The sun wasn't as bright due to the clouds that were starting to move in. [sigh] I finally sat down for a moment to just soak in the scenery. I watched as the tiny glimmers of sunlight danced upon the surface of the water. I miss the beach. A flock of geese squawked loudly as they flew above me in the distance. A pair of seagulls glided in front of me, and then back towards the tree line across the water. Maybe this is what I was meant to do. Sit. Listen. Absorb. Reflect. I guess, things happen for a reason.

.good morning, sunday::no. 2.

Good morning friends! I hope this finds all of you well and still holding strong for the arrival of Spring! She's not too far away, thank GOD!! Well, here is a recap of happenings since my last post:

• We FINALLY made a purchase on a "new to us" vehicle. A 2002 Nissan XTerra. It's almost like driving my old pickup, but WAY different. ;o)
  
• My kid sister and her long time love from high school decided to finally get married. They made the decision on a Sunday and scheduled to get hitched on Friday. Yeah. We bought her dress on Thursday, got her flowers early Friday morning, got her hair done, made her bouquet, took photos of the whole day and voila! A simple, intimate, and beautiful wedding!
  
• My tax return went towards getting a new camera. I'm now the Mama of a new Canon 50D. You would think that I would be all out thrilled to play with this thing. On the contrary. With the way things have been going lately, I've been too scared to fearing she's gonna break on me somehow! I'm silly. I realize this now.
  
• After having "read" this book with the kids during Storytime yesterday, I am absolutely IN LOVE with it! The illustrations already have swept me away to deepest parts of the sea, but the story of the camera. . . it gave me chills. . . the good kind.
  
• Another book I happened to pick up yesterday was this one titled, The Artistic Mother, by Shona Cole. It intrigued me because I thought that perhaps I fit the title, or at least, I'm trying to fit the title. In her book, Shona emphasizes the importance creativity has in the lives of mothers. I have to agree with her. Making the time to do something creative is a lot harder than you think it would be. She has put together a "12 Week" program featuring a craft to work on per week. This book also some thoughts and advice from a handful of other well-known artistic Moms, like Rebecca Sower, Misty Mawn and Susan Tuttle. The Artistic Mother is definitely a book worth taking a look at, and maybe even buying one to take home!
  
• And speaking of the artistic mother, I wanted to say a big THANK YOU to my lovely friend, Zee Longenecker for giving me a shout out on her blog, Hey, Zee! She happened to be one of those artsy-craftsy Moms whose work was featured in Artful Blogging magazine. I was truly impressed with her creations, and had to make a comment on her then blog [Pixie Blossoms] telling her so. From that, I gained a truly beautiful and talented friend. Thank you again Zee you sweetie pie!
  

Well folks, think I'm going to make a trip out to the lake! The sun's SHINING!! Woo hoo! Beautiful beautiful wishes to you all!

.flotsam.

Hello everyone! Hope many of you are enjoying the warmer, almost Spring-like weather! As for here in sunny Nashville, we are enjoying temps in the 60s! Woo hoo! I was going to share with you some pictures that I took while at the lake today, but every single image disappeared off my memory card!! I have NO idea what the heck happened. I browsed through each one in my camera. But the moment I put the card in the reader, they some how ::poof!:: vanished into thin air. Anyone have recommendations for image retrieval?! So, seeing that I don't have any new pictures to show you just yet, I did want to share with you all a book that has shot it's way into the softest spot of my heart.

flotsam: pronounced \flät-səm\; derived from the French word: floter, to float; meaning: floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo; floating debris


Now, many of you may have already figured out that I LOVE kids books. Some of them happen to be my favorites of all time. My new favorite is Flotsam, a Caldecott Award winning book by David Wiesner. This book truly is a picture book. There are no words, just windows of illustrations taking you down to the beach where a boy explores his surroundings and by chance, comes across a vintage, underwater camera. It's the adventure that this camera captured while on a voyage through the sea that blew me out of the water! A magical journey that children of all ages will surely enjoy.

.it's a beautiful day.

35::365
My little sis is now the new Mrs. C! Congratulations sweet heart! I love you butt-munch!

.she's getting married.

34::365

Today was such a cool day. It was "girl's day/night out" with the little one and my little sister who is getting married tomorrow. Honestly, I don't think it has really sunk in yet. She and her fiancé made the decision to get married this last weekend. They've been together for 6 years and this week, they felt like all the planets and stars were in the right alignment to finally become an "official" couple. So. . . I am now the florist, the wedding photographer, and the all-around good gal for this wedding! Ha ha! It's going to be a simple little union at the courthouse and a gathering of family afterward. Tonight, we had our fill of sushi, made trips to some cute shops, picking up a few outfits (like her wedding dress!) and topped it all off with a nice warm mug of coffee from Utopia, a coffeehouse in Spring Hill. Wow, she's getting married tomorrow. Did I mention that it still hasn't sunk in yet?

.i heart you.

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To the world you are one person, but to one person you are the world.
~Anonymous

.books hold the key.

32::365

A good book is the key that will open doors to a different time and place. A source of motivation and inspiration. As a teen, I would lose myself in a book so that I could escape my insecurities, my struggles and walk instead in the shoes of another, completely oblivious to my own thoughts. For a moment, I would be Anne Elliot . . . another day I would be a Lakota woman curiously observing Lt. Dunbar. What I love most about books is its ability to allow me to travel without having to renew my passport.

In the case of good books,
the point is not to see how many
of them you can get through,
but how many can get through
to you.
~Mortimer Adler

The world is a book,
and those who do not travel
read only one page.
~St. Augustine

.this living hand.

31::365

This living hand, now warm and capable
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold
And in the icy silence of the tomb,
So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights
That thou wouldst wish thine own heart dry of blood
So in my veins red life might stream again,
And thou be conscience-calmed—see here it is—
I hold it towards you.
~ John Keats

.buttons.

30::365

Okay so this image may not be exactly what you would describe as "girly" or "romantic." Well, I don't know. There might be a hint of romanticism that can be attributed to these old remnants of clothing. Buttons. I wonder what types of garments they were originally a part of. Suits. Dresses. How old do you think some of them are? Especially these, which were purchased at an antique store in Bell Buckle. What stories do you think they'd tell? Perhaps. . . a few of them were originally sewn onto a dress worn by a fair, young Tennessee belle whose dark haired lover, in a fit of lust, ripped apart her bodice, scattering bookoos (or is it beaucoup?) of buttons all over the place! That's romantic right?! Ha ha! Buttons: the fragments of passions untold!

.good morning sunday, good morning friends.

Good morning my friends. I know. It's been. . . months. I know. There have been so many posts started, and never finished. So much that I wanted to share with you, but I just could NOT get it out right. Every time I would attempt to, it ended up being like that fast moving stream of just nothing but words that didn't make any sense. So, I decided to go easy on myself this fine Sunday morning by filling you in on what's been going on with a list:

• I have been doing a lot of blogging here.
• The local charity I mentioned in my previous post DID take me on as a volunteer. I am working with a wonderful family from the Middle East, teaching them English and learning Arabic at the same time. It has been a humbling and immensely rewarding experience for me. This experience reminds me every time I see them, that no matter what race, what backgrounds we come from, or what creed we follow. . . we all still laugh and love the same way.
• I was in a car accident on my birthday. My little one was in the truck with me when it happened. The vehicle was totaled, but my sweet one and I came out of it just fine. My prayer has been that only positive things come from this scary ordeal.
• Remember last year's attempt at Project 365? Well I've started a new one this year. Granted I am off several days, but that was due to the lack of motivation that stemmed from the accident. Picked up where I left off so every day from here on out is an opportunity for new images!
• I finally opened an Etsy shop. I'll be honest, it scares me only because it's MY store. I'm so terrified of screwing up that sometimes that hinders me from taking risks, like opening up my own shop. Well, it's up. It's not perfect. I know it still needs more "fluff" or something AND more listings. But I'm working on it. Now go buy a print or two! ;o)
• This year, my main goal has been to keep myself inspired and motivated to create. My photography has been so important to me, to who I am and this year, I plan to push myself harder by working on and COMPLETING projects I have had in my head for years. It's been slow going at the moment but things will pick up once the weather warms up a little.
  

Now that I've listed everything, I think that's everything, it doesn't look like much does it? I do hope this finds all of you well! I will try my best to pop over here more often than I have as of late. But do head over to my photoBlog every now and again. Have a beautiful rest of the weekend and a wonderful start to a new week!

.love to create.

29::365

There is something about making handmade items that just cannot be replaced by store bought. It's personal. It has meaning. It's special. I love to create, but I cannot tell you the countless times I've gone into a craft store, mind full of ideas and projects, to come home with oodles and oodles of supplies only to not have the time, or the energy, to bring any of those ideas to fruition. I hate that. My hubby hates that because that means there's just more "crap" [gasp!] cluttering up the spare room. But I do love making things. Unfortunately, it seems as if the stars have to align before I can become inspired and motivated enough to get things done (that also applies to other things like housework). Today, I was FINALLY able to work on a Secret Valentina gift for a lady in my Unravelling group. I just hope that when I mail it off on Monday that she will get it in time for Valentine's Day!! Did I mention she lives overseas? YIKES! Working on this piece really got me to thinking about how much a really miss working with paints, and oil pastels, and scissors, and glue, and. . . and. . . artsy craftsy stuff. It brings me back to childhood memories spent at my grandparents' in Kailua, drawing and painting away as if I too was an artist getting ready for a big art show or craft fair. I miss that unbridled spirit of creating without inhibition. Children are a good reminder of that spirit. At times, I watch my little girl, crayon in hand, large drawing pad laid out in front of her, scribbling away, laughing at her own creation. "Mama! Look! Lion! Raaawwrrr! See his feet?" And although the large mass of circles and lines look nothing like a man-eating feline to me, she believes it does and she has all the confidence in the world that it is. I want that kind of confidence and freedom. We can learn so much from kids.

Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain
an artist once we grow up.
~Picasso.

.gathering of hearts.

28::365

So the weekend is here. FINALLY! I don't know about you but I am freaking out about the fact that it's already February. . . and FIVE days into it! I'll stop yelling now. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I've been wanting so badly to start getting some handmade "love stuff" made. Fingers crossed, this weekend will open itself up to allowing me to do just that! My brain is overflowing with hearts - hearts - hearts!! Speaking of those lovely symbols of affection, Rebecca Sower's blog is featuring a cute idea she calls the heart sessions where she displays a sweet handmade heart accompanied by love inspired quotes. Encouraging others to join in on the fun, she has listed several other crafty gals who have also started their own heart sessions. I think I see Elk in there! Seeing all these beautiful pieces makes me want to bust out the felt, scissors, beads and buttons! Care to join me?

.vortex of beauty.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Four dozen roses and for no reason at all. Well, except for the fact that maybe he loves me and thought that they would perk up my spirits a bit. They did. Or . . . really, should I be worried? ha ha! This pleasant surprise was the perfect subject to photograph, but I had figure out a way to capture them without being cliché. THAT I found to be much harder than I had expected. I tried every angle. Side. This side. Top. Bottom. Nothing. Then I thought get closer. . . and closer. . . that's when I started to take notice of their beautiful centers. A vortex of beauty. That was the comment a sweetheart on Flickr left on the muted version of this image. She couldn't have said it better.

.quiet time.

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Today, I've been so dizzy, light-headed, and just overall worn out. There's been so much rattling about in my head. I wish, just for a moment, they could just be still long enough for me to sort them all out. Maybe I haven't been getting much sleep. The situation with the accident has yet to be settled, although everything is in my favor, it is still wearing on me. Perhaps I just need some quiet time. A moment of peace to reflect, to think, to let go. . . all without the distractions of the day. So, anyone out there willing to babysit? ;o)

.gypsophilia.

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.some days.

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Some days you just don't have the right words. Some days you don't have the right words and the best photo because your creative juices aren't flowing like they should because you're absolutely worn out. Some days you find yourself passing out on the couch only to wake up 20 minutes 'til midnight and realize you hadn't taken your photo for the day. That's when you sort of go into a slight state of panic, while still trying to wake up, and find yourself grabbing the closest thing to "frilly" and decide that it was the best subject to photograph. For me, that was tonight. Doily.

.getting in touch with my feminine side.

24::365

It's been a long time since I've seen her, Gypsophilia, my romantic, feminine self. I cannot tell you the last time I walked into a Victoria Secret with the kind of confidence one has when they know, I will look good in this. Instead, I have found more cotton drawers that resemble the ones my Grandmother wore [OH MY GOSH!] than the soft, dainty lace ones I used to love to buy simply because they were so pretty! Naturally being the tomboy that I am, there has been a whole lotta denim, and a lot less lace lately. But still, where'd that girly side of me go?! She's been either hibernating, or frolicking in some distant meadow without me for way too long! Someone please tell me it's not too late for me! Today, finally able to venture out of the house to run errands, I found myself entering a shop and bought a bottle of perfume, something I haven't done in ages. In an attempt to enchant my senses, I decided that yes, perfume has to be the best way to go to draw miss Gypsophilia back to the surface. With February having been tagged the Month of Love, I've decided to dedicate this month to the celebration of love and femininity. Ahh yes, I dare say, romance is in the air. . . with subtle hints of musk, amber, and dusky flora.