Friday, December 2, 2011

Foto Friday - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas


"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
  Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart."

Don't ya just love that song from Johnny Mathis?
It's surely one to get you into the spirit of Christmas decorating.

I have to say I just didn't get out for that walk this week, although I
did snap a few pictures on my way home one day.
So I thought I would try to get a few around the house,
which for me is a little boring and challenging. I am truly
an outside natural light kinda girl.
Stalking the candlesticks just isn't the same as a lizard! ; )

But before I move on to the photos, I wanted to share something
exciting. Remember a few months back when I told you that I was asked
last spring to start a boys athletic booster club and that with our first
t-shirt fundraiser we raised $2,500, well, drum roll please . . . .
We have raised nearly $10,000 and I had the privilege of writing a
$6,000 check this week, as the booster club gifted the boys athletics
with a new weight room. Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!!

Okay on to some Yuletide photos . . .

{linked to Shoot Edit Submit and La-la's home daycare}

One thing you should know about me, I love coffee cups/mugs! I love having a different choice everyday
depending on my mood. So now that it's officially December, out come the festive ones . . . and what you
can't see on this one is the inside of the cup is lined with beautiful silver snowflakes. It was a little chilly the other morning and when I poured my coffee you could just see this beautiful steam coming from the cup.
I took this with my 40mm macro lens and what is interesting to me is that you can actually see the tiny
water droplets evaporating.


We have a leaded glass front door and this is a view from one of the only smooth pieces of glass
looking into the foyer.


This is the mirror above the chest of drawers in the above photo. And since I love birds, you see
them on many of my Christmas decorations.


More experimenting inside, again with the 40mm. Actually now that I think about it all of the photos
I have today were taken with it.


Oh, and look who I found, Matt, trying to hide behind the mask!  Yes, he is back and will be staying with us until Christmas Eve, when he returns to the North Pole to be with Santa for their rockin' Elfcapades party!


{linked to Photo Art Friday}

My roses are blooming like crazy and it's hard not to want to get yet one, more, picture!

This week Bonnie asked us to try something new, but this photo art is all new to me!
But this week I did try "smudge" which gave me on both photos, (above and below)
some cool effects. I erased some off the rose so it is more subtle and the negative space on
the rose photo isn't noise, it's a very slight mosaic effect or was it dots?

This last photo is actually art on art, as in a watercolor photographed and then doing a little
more 'art' to it. Before we moved where we are now, I had gotten a bee in my bonnet one day
and decided to take a watercolor class. What was I thinking? It's probably a good thing I just dove in, because having never painted I had no idea what I was getting myself into and had I really thought about it I would have talked myself out of it. I had the best instructor and this is after a few small practice things like a leaf and a shamrock, my first (and last) piece I painted. Something I've learned is to never
underestimate yourself, and try new things even if you've never done them. How do you know
you can or can't if you don't try? I haven't painted since we've moved, but with out instruction I guess I thought too much about it and now I'm afraid I won't be able to do it by myself.

I used that same smudge effect on this too and I just love how it framed the entire piece! I didn't purposely
put that around the edges, it just did it by itself! ha   I think I started in sepia exposing the color, used orton-ish or lomo-ish which popped the color and then the smudge, faded.


Have a fabulous weekend, and happy decorating! Fa la la la la

Love Kim
XO







Photobucket" Photo Art Friday
 
 



30 comments:

Jen said...

Truly gorgeous pictures!! I love coffee cups as well, and the steam you captured is beautiful!!

Linda Trine said...

what a gorgeous rose!! beautifully captured!

Anonymous said...

Amazing and very elegant pictures dear Kim!

Nice weekend, kisses:)

Anonymous said...

You have many beautiful pictures here and a beautiful door.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Firstly, congratulations on such a successful fundraiser!!

Secondly, can't wait to see what you do when photo art is no longer 'new to you'!!!!

Thirdly, that last image has such a painterly feel - soft and gorgeous. If I had produced something of that quality when I was starting ... well, just, WOW!

Fourthly (is there such a word?) I think, Kim, you should ask permission before you take shots inside my house, showing the orange bows on my tree, my red, mosaic-y candle holders, and my lamp with the sweet lampshades... tooooo weird Kim ... I really have all those things too .... ???!

Always love visiting here and so appreciate your sharing your talents with Photo Art Friday.

Anonymous said...

So festive!
I absolutely LOVE the Coffee cup with the steam ... the steam! Amazing!
Blessings.

the hollie rogue said...

that coffee photo is awesome! how did you do it? never cease to amaze me, friend!

Ida said...

Great photo's. I tried to capture a swirl of foam in my coffee one day and all I succeeded in doing was steaming up the camera lens!
Great decoration shots. I will have to do some around my house as well.
Loved the painting with the edits. So pretty.
Congrats too on the Fund Raiser, what a great total.

Ida said...

Adding that I forgot to mention the beautiful Rose photo and what a lovely and perfect quote to go with it.

Unknown said...

Kim, your photography is SUCH an inspiration to me! Thanks for helping me get in the Christmas spirit!!! Bri

Gina Kleinworth said...

GORGEOUS- I especially love that mug :)

Jaymi said...

its beginning to look a lot like christmas! I love the shot of the three candles, and the rose too!

Gillian said...

That steam off the coffee is amazing! Great capture : )

Unknown said...

I love how you captured the steam in that first shot!

Lisa Gordon said...

Congratulates on the fundraiser Kim!
That is fantastic news.
Your photographs here are just wonderful.
Sending you wishes for a beautiful weekend.

Breena said...

Beautiful! I love the angles and perspective. Thanks so much for linking up at "Life as this Mommy knows It"!

Breena
mommyknowslife.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

These photos are gorgeous! I cannot get over the steam in that first one! Amazing!

Jenni said...

Great photos...and the first real Christmas ones I have seen in blog world! Beautiful...the coffee cup is extraordinary. And you are reminding me I am WAY behind on the decorations! I do so love what you did with your last art/photo effects..very cool.
jenni

Pat said...

Wonderful photos! Congrats on the fundraiser!

Seraphinas Phantasie said...

Magical Christmas decoration photos. So beautiful !

Lori said...

Oh wow these are so gorgeous!
Thanks for sharing!
Lori

Birgitta said...

Wonderful pictures and the coffee one is awesome!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous perfect photos.
Lovely words.

Nadege, said...

Gorgeous images for this magic time of year.

kareninkenai said...

all of your images are exceptional to begin with; but, i really do like the "smudge" affect in your last texturizing... cool and creative. thank you for sharing. (visiting from PAF today)

suzanne carter said...

Thanks so much for your lovely comment on my images. I absolutely love your pictures I am feeling very inpsired for Christmas now and I love the roses and the text,yay!
Blessings Suzanne

Rosie said...

Kim I came here from PAF, via Kathy's blog. I LOVE your photos, especially the horned owl!
The watercolour edit is brilliant!!

Nancy said...

Some of the most beautiful holiday photos I've seen so far this season, Kim. Lovely. :)

Marilyn said...

Gorgeous image looking through your leaded glass front door. And I love your mercury glass candle sticks and red mosaic holders Very Christmas-sy!

Unknown said...

Your photo of the steam from the coffee is just perfect!!!

Oh Snap!shots of the Week at Happily Mother After
http://happilymotherafter.blogspot.com/2011/12/oh-snapshots-of-week-9.html

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