silly as it sounds...

heaven + earth

i had the complete privilege last night to take some photos of little kelsey in my ward.  she's getting baptized soon, and her mom wanted some pretty pictures of her in her dress. 

my eyes lit up with excitement (i probably frightened her with my mania enthusiasm!) and i started gibbering a bunch of nonsensical photographical colloquialisms regarding light and sunset and 'the meadows' and a really pretty glow (yeah, it was real technical stuff), and really, the whole time we're talking, i'm thinking how exciting it will be to take pictures of someone who gets dressed up and smiles and actually wants their picture taken! 

i love my children fiercely.  but they are mostly just annoyed with me when i have my camera out.  how do i know this?  check the amount of tongue-sticking-out, weird-smooshy-face, see-food, blurring-as-they-run-away photos i have on my sd cards these days. see below. yeah.

so it was such a pleasure to do this for them!  i was so excited by the images, i stayed up late last night to proof them right away.  even though i had a 7am dentist appointment.  it made me that happy.

i have to say.  something like this; something that involves so much light and life and reflection and emotion?  it is altogether beyond me.  i mean, i am grateful i have a sturdy camera and a fast little lens and a body that can roll around in the anthills and mucky sidewalks and scratchy grass fields without causing too much bodily harm or triggering a mammoth-sized fit of allergy-related sinus spasms, but it's not really me that gets the credit for it.  it's not my light.  it's not my smile.  it's not my spirit shining through.  and i think that as long as i never fail to recognize that...as long as i step aside, the photo will be a success.

i love it when i get in that place behind the viewfinder--that trance, that proxy, that servitude--where i'm looking through someone else's eyes.

okay.  enough rambling.  here are the favorites!

 

life + liberty + the pursuit of happiness

happy independence day to my fellow americans!

i was thinking tonight about this layout i created a while back, and thought i'd share it again.  it was such a poignant moment, i vowed to never forget it.  i am so thankful for the sacrifices mankind will make for his fellow brethren.  truly, there is no greater love than a man who will lay down his life for others.

"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

♥ Happy Independence Day!

kodachrome

it was a kodachrome kind of sunset

sing it with me.....i've got a nikon camera
i love to take a photograph...

makes you think all the world's a sunny day

i miss my little blog, yes, i do!
i am just jumping in feet first to get it rolling again

already, i am wanting a redecorating of the sidebars...

(this facebook/twitter stuff has me all discombobulated
in the webisphere...so displaced, i am!  lol!)

jaspurr + singapore prep

it's difficult to get things done lately.  difficult, that is, unaccompanied....

this little critter has taken up residence here via olivia and her big heart full of love.  the mommy cat was abandoned and a neighbor took it in while pregnant, housed the new kittens and mommy, and now needs to find good homes for the 6 little cuties.  of course olivia was instantly in looooooove. 

"but mom," she reasoned, "we just have this connection..." 

i'm such a sucker.

well, at least he keeps me company while i'm prepping my kits for Creative Escape 2009 Singapore.
much to do, and so little time!!!  i am really excited about this event, though.  i've been putting my heart into these kits, and really enjoying working with the gorgeous varitey of Prima products i've packed into it.  this is going to be a gorgeous, fun album!!!

here's some more sneaks of what is going on....more to come!!!

urban outfitters strikes again

i have been waiting ever since new orleans to finally see these jewelry holders on sale at UO...and i'm so excited the wait paid off!  :D  totally good deal.  totally my kind of necklace holder.  is it antlers?  are they branches?  therein the ambiguity lies the charm, baby. 

for the record, james rolled his eyes.

ha!

sadly, the sale looks to be over, but there are still some uber cute ones now in stock, i see.  and the handy dandy earring holder back there all scallopy and pretty had migrated into my scraproom for a pretty organizational accessory.  here it is being put to work in my latest blog post at TwoPeas:

now pardon me while i return to the UO site to gaze wistfully upon my other dreamy desires...

blue skies

** layout copyright 2009 by tia bennett for www.twopeasinabucket.com

this new page in the garden at TwoPeas (translation: "this new scrapbook layout in the design gallery at a scrapbooking website") is totally how the sunshine is making me feel today!  i am so happy spring is right around the corner.....march20.....because i am aching for blue skies!!  :)

do you remember my affinity for russian dolls? i have been adoring them for awhile now, making mini-album classes, digital kits, even painting my own wooden dolls!  well, i have to give a shout out to Hero Arts for these adorable matryoshka stamps!  i used them for some fun cards this garden, too:

in other news...

happy birthday to my grammy!

we celebrated my grandmother's birthday this weekend with a nice afternoon tea with just "the girls".  it was pretty fun!  after our good eats, we rummaged through the complimentary basket of hats (i wonder now only too late how many heads they have been on?) and had a little fun with them...in that nerdy way that we do.  :)

 

i've named these:

"Kara Goes MI6", "Glamour Shotz by Deb", and "London Barbie Bri"

it was a pretty awesome nerdfest.

and last but not least, a sad farewell to a Sister Missionary in our Ward who has been transferred to a new area today.  we are so, so sad to have to say goodbye for now to Sister Neumann; she has been a firecracker in our area and an inspiration to our family.  (my husband is the Ward Mission Leader at church, and so he spends a lot of time coordinating with our sister missionaries.  they're at our house quite alot!)  anyway....we wish her the best in her new area!!!

 

but i'm still so happy Sister Jang will still be here.  she just rocks.  she's from south korea.  i try to bow to her, but it just makes her giggle.  LOL.  she has this totally adorable connection with baylor...it just makes my heart warm!!  :)

ripple along

 

i am using a REALLY basic ripple pattern that i found at Coats & Clark
and 100% pure cotton worsted weight yarn by Lion Brand
(i love it's rich colour-way and warm weight)

i strayed from the pattern with regards to a stripe/color pattern
(who says you have to follow all the rules, anyway?)
and have just been having fun using up the stash of colors i have in my bin

i'm only about 5/8^ths of the way done
(i like a nice LONG lap blanket that will pillow around my sides!)
but it's proving to be a very nice companion to my DVR'd tv shows
with the family in the evenings  :)

a good mail day and a passport

i love a good mail day.  like this weekend.  i had a good mail day this weekend. 

you see, i've joined forces with Prima Marketing, Inc. to teach classes with their fabulous products, and now have a smattering of NEW products to mess around with!

doesn't that just look salivatingly spectacular?  the texture in this tablefull of tempting tidbits is out of this world.

my first endeavour with this fun new project?
(you knew it wouldn't be baby steps....no, not this bungee jumping lady...)
it's time to dust off my passport, because it's in...

SINGAPORE!

i am so excited!!!  donna and kah-mei are just some of the most amazingly creative chicas out there...it should be an event to remember!

my class is called "Pieces of My Heart", and will be a "freestyle" type express album where we'll use lots of brand new Prima products full of texture, combined with a myriad of fun techniques to create mixed-media (yes, even hybrid!) layouts for a heart-felt album.  it will even include an exclusive CD full of *new* digital printable designs made ONLY for the class!!

excuse the dust and glitter

i'm in the process of sprucing up my blog with a little pre-spring cleaning!

please forgive the changes....thank you!

here is a lovely french quarter lantern in the meantime.  :)

Shimelle + Class

 

my friend shimelle
the fabulous shimelle
is gearing up to teach a new class
in a new forum

this time at two peas

if you head on over to her site
(linked with her name above)
she has a full Q&A posted
along with some sneak peeks
of the projects included


she's even got details on
how to win a class entry for you
and a friend!

hurry before the drawing ends!

class starts sunday, feb15!

if you know shimelle,
you know she is a gifted teacher...
and if you don't know shimelle,
you'll just have to take my word
(and hundreds of others')
that this is an opportunity
that is hard to pass up!

button me up

i am so excited about the movie coraline!
the creativity involved in this
just amazes
and
delights
me
!