Dude...I was featured!

My MCP Project 52 photo was featured on Ellen Burg's Blog!!!   Check it out!!!

http://ellenburgphotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-49-our-favorites_10.html

AWESOME!!!!

Project 52- Traditions

SNOW!!!!  Yes, the snow is flying in Iowa!  We received a few inches of snow this weekend and as tradition we took Monkey outside to see it.......of course Dennis just held her out the door so he didn't get he feet wet!  But, she loved it, when she looked out the window the next morning her face was priceless!!!  Sometimes I think I should sleep with my digital camera so I can get early morning pictures when Monkey comes into our room!!!

Here is my Project 52 week 49 photo.....Traditions.......

The Pillow Fight!

So its Christmas, yes we all know it and time for Christmas cards.....my favorite thing about Christmas....making the cards and thinking of great new ideas to take photos.  This year I got to do a friend of mines card again, and I got to take the photos too.  She wanted to do a pillow fight!  The girls had so much fun with it!  We barely used any of the feathers from the pillow she bought, but you don't need alot of have fun!

Here are some of the photos:

Its been a while!

Hello all!  Its been a crazy few months in my home.  My father in law had part of his leg amputated, Monkey turned two and we found out we are adding to our family in July!  Needless to say I have been a busy and sick mommy!  That is all on top of being a full time teacher and two blogs for class!

So here is what I have decided to do:  beginning Jan 1st I am going to doing a 365 Daily Creativity Journal!  I purchased 365, Make Something Every Day and Change your life!  I am super excited to do it!!!  I am going to use my blog to not only motivate me to do it each day, but a way to show off my lovely work!!!

Now my first obstacle- a theme!  The author of the book did the theme of skulls!  Skulls are not my thing!   So what should I do??????  Any suggestions?????  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............

Vote for me!

So I entered a contest, not something I do often, but anywho, if you want to vote please do, you can vote once per day!

A Taste of Vintage

I love to blog.  I really do.  I love to create my blog and talk about different things.  I also love to read blogs.  It really a fun way to spend a rainy or cold evening after Monkey is asleep.  Of course lately I haven't had much time to really blog.  I post stuff for my students on the chs digital camera blog and the photoshop blog, but not my own blogs.  So, after the crazy homecoming week I needed to sit down and put a post up with the wonderful photos I took today of Monkey.  We went to Pinter's Pumpkin Patch.  Lots to see and do!  They had my husband muralist from Minneapolis do the photo stands and they are WONDERFUL!  Craig did a great job!

I also got my A Taste of Vintage photo done for MCP Project 52.  The goats were a popular place for Monkey to be, she petted them and gave them air kisses.....yes air, no blowing kisses! Just a little tweaking in RAW and I was good to go.  Got to love have a Canon 7d! I downloaded Rita's Vintage Frames 14.  You can get the here!  I just love the goats look here....."its like huh, what, a air kiss, I want a real one!"

The Eyes Have It

I took a few pictures for this week, well 1 was taken on Friday so I couldn't use it.
Here is my 1st photo:
Taken with my new Lenses Baby Control freak.......I was just trying it out and I really like it.  You can really do fun things with it!


 The 2nd I took while trying to make Monkey happy for our family photo!  She is in her new Iowa shirt that looks really cute on her!



The last was taken Monday when we went out to Dennis's uncles again.  This time I remembered the camera, almost forgot a memory card, but all was good.  This is the photo I put submitted for my weekly MCP Project 52 photo.  I ran MCP Touch of Color and then Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait 3.

Thirst for Knowledge

MCP Project 52's theme for week 36 was thirst for knowledge.  As I said in the flickr post Monkey is at the perfect age for this theme.  Everything seems new for her and she loves everything!!!!  Here she is reading a book, something we do everyday!

Sweet Shot Tuesday!

So after my lovely morning of fighting my daughter to get her to day care I needed to sit down and take a breath, just 5 minutes to type up this blog than back to work!!!  Its a good thing I have 1st hour prep..........even though I complain about it!

This is one of my favorite pictures from the 18 month photo shoot I did of Peanut!  AKA my bbf's youngest.

Week 34!

Yes its week 34 of MCP Project 52- kind of crazy!  Not as crazy a the beginning of the school year!  I can't believe we have a week down, its unreal!!!!  My classes are FULL!  Which is great!!!  I truly do love my job as an art teacher and I think the kids realize that, they can smell fear and teachers who are just her because!  Lately you can smell lots of things in the halls......its is REALLY hot!!!  My digital camera class is jumped from 12 to 18 and that is with some drops too.  They are all doings....you can check them out here:  www.chsdigitalcamera.blogspot.com

Now to the post at hand..........picture it you are at your husband uncle's house to drop off corn that you froze for him............Monkey is excited because there will be horses, cats, dogs and CATTLE, and you don't bring your Canon 7D with.................the sky is perfect, there is an old red gate, 5 cows that go where ever Monkey goes and a giant old tree in the background................only your camera phone!!!!  What!!!!  Crap!!!!!  And I call myself a photographer!!!

Even though I only used my phone's camera I still got some great pics of Monkey and the cattle!!

But I think I will put the old Canon Digital Rebel in the caddy from now on!!!

Nelly Nero Whipped Cream Action applied

Corn, corn and more corn....oh and than there is school work and wedding photos!!!

So today we had inservice until 4 pm.  Lots of meetings we got to meet our new principal, my boss.  He seems like a great guy, very optimistic and grounded.  I think he will do a great job leading us this year!  So, I got home started in on the 3 gunny sacks of corn I had piled in my garage, soon my mother in law came by to help and than my sister in law and her daughters (to play with Monkey) and than her husband showed up.  We shucked and cut 200 ears of corn, added the butter and half and half, baked 4 double batches for 1 hour per pan and cooled.  I just finished bagging my 57th bag of corn!!!  Yes, 57.   8 bags of 5-6 cups and 49 bags of 2-3 cups!!!  And yes Karen Steffen, it is better than canned or frozen!!!!!!

So instead of working on school work I froze or "put up" corn, my husband better love me.  When done I finished a collage of Tyler and Sarah, the last I will do for the website, I will do more if they want more.  And its only 10:45 ( just figured out how to switch my time zone so its much later than the post says!!!!  Yes I will now do school work and no I won't be able to sleep tomorrow night because of the excitement of the 1st day of school!!!  So even though I have pictures of my butter soaked corn, I don't have them downloaded, so you get some great photos from the wedding and a baseball card!!!

Sarah and Tyler Part 2

Here are some more from this couple!

CLICK TO VIEW LARGER

CLICK TO VIEW LARGER

CLICK TO VIEW LARGER

Sarah and Tyler Part 1

I had an amazing time shooting this wonderful couple and their fun wedding party!  I was lucky enough to be the second photographer at the wedding and got some amazing shots.  Here is the getting ready collage.  Stay tuned for many more!

Tab and Will's Wedding

Here is a collage a I put together with the photos I took before my sister's wedding.  I will post the reception hall photos later!

Sweet Shot Tuesday

Iowa Corn fields..................something that I have looked at since I was 5 months old (I was born in December, there is only snow in December).  We had to shoot the sky for MCP Project 52 week 31.  Well in Iowa when its hot it humid and lately we have had pretty boring skies......not a cloud in the sky!  If only I could say the same about the humidity!  I set out Sunday night to take some photos of the Amish haystacks that I knew were about 5 miles away, yes there are ALOT of Amish in NE Iowa.  It was Sunday so I knew they were still there.  As I drove along I slowed down thinking about turning down a gravel road......two Amish were walking hand in hand down the gravel road....they were married just out for a Sunday walk.  Of course even if I would have turned down the road I wouldn't have taken their picture, but I would have been a really sweet photo because the sky was nice and blue and trees framed them!  However, when I got to the Amish haystacks what I had in my head was VanGogh, and the sky just wasn't quite right, so I was a bit disappointed.  Anyway.....here are some of the other photos I took besides the one I posted on Flickr.  Modern vs. Old School!

MCP Project 52- Letter of the Alphabet

H is for..............these are from this weekend.  Monkey wanted to be with Hope all the time.  Good thing Tara kenneled her for the wedding or she may have never left her side!

MCP Project 52 -Get in Close

How great was this weeks theme!  I got to shoot my first theme with my new camera....the Canon 7d and I loved it!!!!

Enjoy!

And guess what I was selected as one the the feature photos on  Ellenburg Photography's blog!!!  Here is a link!

ellenburgphotography.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-29-our-favorites.html

The Story Family

On Friday I took photos for the Story family.  It was a little over cast and a bit warm, but the weather was much better than the 115 heat index we have been seeing all week!   They turned out wonderful.  Here is a taste of the photos.

Sweet Shot Tuesday

So I am looking to upgrade my camera.  Yes an upgrade from my little Digital Rebel XT to something newer and more fun!  So I called up one of my friends that is professional photographer and he is selling his Canon 1ds Mark II and he is letting me borrow it for a couple weeks!!  AWESOME!!!  This camera is a horse, but it does everything I have ever wanted in a camera!!!!!  I don't know how I ever shot with the lenses I use now!  18-55- what was I thinking!!!!  Here is a sample of Monkey giving me a kiss!!!

Sweet Relief

Here is this week's MCP Project 52 Sweet Relief!  Much to Dennis and Monkey's taste buds I made a pie just for the photo!  I actually didn't expect Monkey to climb up and start eating the strawberries right off the pie!  It turned out really cute!  I made the story board myself in photoshop and than ran Grammie's Vintage action-made a snap shot went back to the original and ran Details Vintage- flattened and copied that snapshot.  Pasted it on the Grammie's snapshot and lowered the opacity.  So I did a little combo!!

The K Family Portraits Part 2

Here are some more of the K family's portraits.

Enjoy!

The K Family Portraits Part 1

On Wednesday I got to take the K family's photos and how sweet where they!!!  I had a great time taking this loving family's photos.  The boys did a fantastic job of smiling for the camera and having fun!  Here is a sneak peek of some of the photos.  I will have more soon!

Sweet Shot Tuesday

I haven't done this FOREVER!  I just so happen to snap this on Saturday while walking with Monkey along the Mississippi!  I love the shot!  IT is also my MCP Project 52 photo of the week!

MCP Project 52- Week 26!

Wow, its been a while since I posted anything on here!  Sorry!  I have been super busy with things around here!  I thought I would post this week's MCP Project 52 week 26 photo- Hidden Objects.  Monkey was playing in her pool for the 4th time the other day- mind you in her diaper!  This was a great shot of her coming down the slide.  I wanted to focus on the water splashes and the bucket behind her!

Easton's Photo Shoot

On Monday I took photos of one of our friends new little guys.  He was such a good little boy, I had such a good time taking the photos.  So after Monkey falls asleep at night I edited the photos.  Here are some of the collages I did of him!

Sadie's Senior Pictures

So on the last day of school I got a phone call from one of my volleyball player/student's mother.  Her daughter had her senior photos taken in the fall and hated them.  As a matter of fact no one got to see them.  The photographer did her hair and make up as well and Sadie didn't like it.  She didn't have anyone else take them during the school year.  I took one outside of the art room for the yearbook (good thing I can replace the photo on the actual yearbook page).  So Monday I took Sadie's photos, she is a beautiful girl and I had fun taking them.  She is so not herself when she is getting her pictures taken, much more quiet!!!  Here are some of storyboards I put together for her of the two outfits she used.

Tell a Story In 5 Photos

Last semester I had my digital camera class do a visual story in 5 photos.  For the semester's digital camera class I had them do the same thing and this time I decided to do the assignment with them.  Monkey was having such a good time outside yesterday playing in the grass and sliding on her slide.  I used a tutorial I found on creating a Cinematic Effect and a story board from The Coffee Shop Blog (got to love Rita).

MCP Project 52- Spring Fever!

Now I really just take these photos for myself and for my students to see that I too create art!  But, why is it the photos I really like barely anyone looks at or comments on and the ones I feel are just ok get tons of hits and comments?  As a teacher I see the art my students make, I know if they have an emotional connection to each one.  I know the pieces they are most proud of and the ones that just threw something together at the last minute because they were too busy talking to care.  Effort always plays a role in my grading, but effort doesn't when it comes to placing your images on Flickr or your blog.  I do put alot of time into my photos...even my snap shots! 
This weeks theme was Spring Fever!!!  Monkey and planted some herbs a week ago and we are waiting for them to grow!  No luck yet, hopefully they do!!!! 
I love this photo because of the great color that pops from the pots!  I used MCP Quickie Actions and All in the Details on this one!

I need more of me!

When you walk into my house you will see a mess!  I have had my nieces the past 2 nights and again tonight!  There needs to be more of me!  The same goes with my classroom-all teachers feel this way at times, not just me!  Especially now with budget cuts and maxed out classrooms!  In the past we have tried to keep my numbers at a manageable size- I do alot of one on one teaching- but the powers that be want my room maxed so I can pick up more art classes!  I am so glad I have great numbers, but I am exhausted when I come home and my house suffers.......oh well, summer is almost here and spring cleaning- I guess summer cleaning- will begin! 

Sweet Shot Tuesday!

So I forgot to publish this last night!  I am haven't posted anything for Sweet Shot Tuesday in a while so I thought I would put this one up!  I took this photo last week while Monkey played in the nice cool water!  It was so hot I thought for 2 days it was summer, and than back to typical Iowa weather!  I used Nelly Nero actions on this shot- however I forgot which one!!!!  I highly suggest downloading her actions from her Flickr profile!

Now to WOW- Mother's Day

WOW- upon trying to link up to Ashley's site I just realized all of Thursday's posts are GONE!!!  Dust in the wind..... no way to get them back!!!  So my cute post yesterday on my Monkey's blog is gone too!!  So I will have to wait to link this up until Ashley redoes her post.  So its a good thing I checked her post yesterday morning!!!!
Ashley's tutorial this week was on Gradient Maps.  You can find it here.  I love to use gradient maps on my photos.  That is how I tell my digital camera students to create black and white photos quickly.  I haven't played around with "crazy" gradients very much, I did on these.  I used metals on the first, and last and a blue one on the photo of Monkey and me to bring out the sky.  I also used Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait 3.  I think I like the Coffeeshop Perfect Portrait 2 better, but than again I will have to do some more actual portraits to really make up my mind!
Enjoy!!!

Donuts and Window Light a great mix!

MCP Project 52's theme this week is Window Light!  I have great light coming in our windows in the morning.  On Sunday I got Monkey her favorite donut.........cream filled long john!  She loves them, as a matter of fact she eats more than I do!  I got some shots of her eating away with the window light illuminating her face!

Enjoy!!!