Yellow Table

This table I didn't get finished before our Jazzed Up Junk sale in July so I've been working away at this and other items.  Hopefully Jeannie and I have enough stuff to have an October sale.... I'll keep you posted so keep checking back.

The table was very shaky and falling apart so I had John fix that up for me.  Then it had laminate that was bubbled and peeling off so I took a putty knife and carefully got the layer off without harming the next layer of laminate.... well it's a good thing I didn't get it finished because the next layer bubbled so I had to peel that layer off.  Yep you guessed it the next layer did the same but this layer didn't come off so well.  I was about to give up so what would it hurt to soak it with a garden hose to force it to bubble up.  Well Adam and Monica found it in the garage and couldn't resist peeling up that layer..... we're down to bare wood finally.  So now the table is dark stain with a crappy looking top so I got this gallon of yellow paint that I paint on.  The paint went on terrible, very streaky and didn't cover at all.  2nd coat.... 3rd coat and I decide to paint over with another color and distress to the yellow peeking through.  John really liked the yellow with the wood showing through so what do I have to lose.... I distress the yellow..... a lot.  I love it but it needed more so I stained the entire piece with Dark Walnut to darken all the exposed wood and darken the yellow a bit.  Love it even more.... but now I need to poly it or...... Wax it.  So I decide to wax it because I love that look, and now she couldn't be any prettier.  I have two chairs that will look perfect with it that I am working on now.... I might not be able to part with this after the set it done..... hummmmmm where shall I put it??

I'll give you peek just in case I happen to sell her in October.  Do you have the perfect spot for her?

Devon Senior Sneak Peek

Devon is a Senior this year and with the first sentence we shared with each other I could tell he loves anything to do with farming and is a very hard worker.  We took his photos on his Grandpa and Grandma's farm, such a special memory for him and an honor for Grandpa to have his oldest grandson follow in his footsteps.    His most important photos were going to be with the tractor, this is who he is. 

Grandma wanted some on the elevator.... Love it!!

The next important place on his list is where he spends a lot of his time in the fall..... yep he's a hunter and you can so tell.

Back to the farm and he wanted the little tractor in a few pictures.  I love this photo, he's so natural and comfortable.  

Devon's mom has a love for indoor photos so Devon gave her what she wanted.  He has the best smiles ever, they are kinda contagious, makes me want to smile right back at him.  

Such a handsome young man :)

Thank you Devon and Shari for a great morning.  

New Deck

For the last few years I have been upset with the front of our house.  I had flower beds there with rocks and tried many different perennials and annuals.  Nothing worked, I hated it.  Last summer and this summer I tried to talk John into putting a concrete patio there..... nope he didn't want that.  I tried to talk him into a pergola.... nope he didn't want that.  I tried to talk him into redoing the flower beds with concrete block retaining walls with new flowers...... nope he didn't want that.  So this summer he talked me into a wood deck.  But I'm kinda funny with a wood deck, I agreed but I had a few "wants" on my list to make the deck look like "A DECK" with curb appeal.  

We got Mike to build it and I printed out a photo of the railing that I wanted marked with lots of red pen.... I want this, I like that, I need this, I would like that......  I explained I'm not some wacko deck demanding crabby home owner but I just wanted to let you know my wants if they can happen.

The deck is finished

And I haven't quit smiling since Tuesday when it started.  

I have used my front door more in one day than it's ever been used in 29 years.  I am out here on the deck every morning and it's the first place I go when I get home from work.  I LOVE IT.

Lynn came over on Saturday and walked in the front door...... Shan came over on Sunday and used the front door.....that's crazy around here.

I love the chunky posts, I love the divided railing, I love the space above and below the railing, I love the steps, I love everything about it.  Mike gave us curb appeal again...... Yeah!!

John and I have walked out to the road numerous times at night just to look at it.  Friday night we sat out on the deck until very late.  Here are some night shots of our beautiful new deck.  

Now we have a patio on the south side of our house with a fire pitt, a patio on the north side of the house with a fire pitt, a porch on the garage with a patio heater, a sitting area by the pond with a fire pitt and now a new deck on the east side.   Hummmmmm where will we sit now to enjoy our summer days and nights?

Travis Senior Sneak Peek

Travis and his mom came down from Up North for a few Senior Photos.  It's so nice to have a connection more than just e-mail with my friends from when I worked at Phillips.  It's crazy how everyone is growing up.... where did the time go.  

Travis is such a nice guy, he was pretty willing to do just about anything I asked him to do. 

His mom said I'd be lucky to get a smile out of him.... yep we got smiles.

Travis is an outdoors kid who loves woods, water and fishing.... perfect location for him.

He also plays soccer so we got a few of them too.

He was just clowning around with the soccer ball but I thought it was worth capturing.

Had a great time getting to know Travis a bit and catching up with Mom.  

Perfect Reflections

Today I was obsessed with water reflection.  The water was so still and clear and the sky so blue.... makes for a beautiful photo.  

Beautiful clouds in the sky

This next one will make you a little dizzy but I kinda like it.  The water level is bearly peeking out on the top right of the photo, the rest of it is all reflection.

Takes my breath away to see such perfect reflections

Loved these blue berries, not sure what they are but they were kinda metallic blue.

Soon, very very soon you will see lots more photos like this.  It's getting closer and we're starting to get excited.

See differently

Put a camera up to your eye, become serious about it and you'll start to see things differently.  

This is what I seen on my lunch hour Friday.  I had to do a double take, stop the truck, change lens, set my settings and shoot out the back window cuz I didn't want anyone to see me.

Tonight the light was beautiful around 7:00 that I had to take a walk around with my camera.  There's not much left in the garden to shoot without something half or totally dead around it.  The lack of rain is finally starting to effect my flowers so it must be dry.

John pulled out all my Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate but he forgot one.  I will have to remember to pull it out before it goes to seed but until then I'll enjoy it's 8ft height and droopy flowers.  The sky was a beautiful blue to the east and the color are really vibrant during the "golden hour" - for photographers that's the hour before sunset or the hour after sunrise.  

I thought this photo was worth playing around in photoshop

Here Kiss Me is again with me facing the east - sun is behind me hitting Kiss Me with golden color

I turn around and shoot into the sun and Kiss Me is lit up from behind with a bit of sunflare.  

The "Naked Ladies" popped up out of no where.  Here I'm facing the east and the flowers are in the shade giving them a deep purple color.

I turn to the left and there is another group of them glowing from the sun hitting them on the left.  They now have a pink look to them with a golden glow.

Turn to the west and shoot a hosta blooming with huge sunflare.

My patio with the golden sun hitting the tops of the corn field.  I have these three bottles at the end of the patio (old torch holders that someone was throwing out because the torch canisters were rusted)  I converted them with spray paint, beer bottles and cut flowers.  Perfect for me. 

Open your eyes and see the changes that happen during the golden hours but don't forget to turn both ways.

Collages

I've been putting together multiple photos for collage printing and so far the results are amazing.  When these super large prints come in the mail I can't wait to show them off.   Here is my latest collage of Keisha and Bill's engagement pictures.  Will be great displayed at the wedding on an easel.  

Anther collage that I delivered to Annie was very welcomed and quickly taken for framing.  The next time I seen Bill he immediately was tearing up and gave me a big hug.  This reaction made my day.

This collage a gal wanted for her husband for father's day.  He lived on this farm forever and they were moving so she wanted him to have something to remember it with.  I captured all the details that had meaning to him.  I got an e-mail from her after he received it and he was also brought to tears.

This one is a favorite for me, it captures their lives right now and freezes it for them forever.  

This may be a bit of an investment but so worth it.  I may have to work on one for myself.... in my free time.   Yea right, free time, what's that??

Rosie's Senior Photos - Sneak Peek

Rosie squeezed her Senior photos in this week, she is a cross country runner that practices twice a day. Yes that means running twice a day and nothing is chasing her.... why would anyone run unless they were being chased?  Well Rosie would and she love it.  She is the sweetest girl inside and out.  She had such cute outfits picked out and looked great in anything anywhere.  

This girl can't get any cuter

I brought along my vintage lace dress cuz I knew she was a little girl who could fit right into it and I thought she would be interested in some fun vintage photos.  She was more than excited to wear it and we were running out of daylight.... 

Okay so I said she couldn't get any cuter.... well put a vintage dress and hat on her and she did.... stunning girl.

A little vintage look for her outfit.

And without the hat.... beautiful, I love her hair.

Her sister was afraid Rosie took all the fun spots for HER senior photos and there will be nothing left for her.  Don't worry Grace there are plenty more left for you and Happy Sweet 16 Birthday to you.