Your appointment with Friday

We are so excited to share with you today our first photo prompt for this lovely month of December!  The prompt is.....

Self Portrait - Create Yourself



When I set out to take my photo for this prompt, I knew I wanted to do two versions.  The one above this is somewhat staged, and I hoped to try and represent something special that I am striving to achieve this month.  For me, it this would be the crisp wintery feeling of joy.  I wish for joy to be present as much as possible in December.  Present in what I do, say, think.....and when I look at the photo above it reminds me of that.  The other version I had decided on is the set below that was shot as it was happening.  I had planed to go ice skating with my dear friend, Melanie (Hi Mel!), and hoped that photos from it would also represent the feeling of joy as it was taking place.  Seeing them now, I have an instant smile on my face and remember how much fun we had.....it was chilly out, but only cold enough to make your cheeks pink and not your nose run.....our conversation was light and cheerful.....our bellies were full of creamy hot chocolate (made by Mel).....and we went on December 1st, so it was the perfect way to start out the month : )  I love this prompt.....

When you go to take your Self Portrait, think about something that you want it to represent for this holiday month.  Maybe it's taking the time to enjoy a hot cup of tea every day, or maybe you want to spend more time painting.....what ever it may be, have it be personal to you.  What you want for yourself.  You can have someone take the photo of you, or you can take it yourself.  There are no rules here.....it's all about being creative and just letting yourself go there.

Enjoy your weekend!  I can't wait to share the fun project Gloria and I are making for our photos!!!

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Our prompt today is a creative prompt that will hopefully inspire you to do something you wouldn't normally do. Our first prompt for the month of december is Self Portrait, Create Yourself.  Carrie and I did just that.  We took the time to create an image of ourselves.  Yes, we kind of set it up...but it's a fun, very Christmas feeling picture.  I will look at it and see Dec 2010. Its also a great way to see what I look like at the end of the year before the stress of presents.  Self portraits can be very representative of a feeling, and a moment, and a time in our life.  They should be gentle reminders of where we are.....

Ok, so the second picture is me...I like to laugh, and its very me on a good day.  So, as you can see the prompt can mean different things to each of us, show us what it means to you and join our amazing flicker group to get inspired.

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Joyful & Sweet Photos

She knew she had come a long way because her feet were grounded and she could now feel her wings.

She took the time to go out side and paint the rocks.  In that space she found her creativity began to soar...for the rocks represent color, hope of what we are dreaming of creating.

As both girls stood over what they had created, they smiled at each other and for a moment their hearts touched...for creating something with a girlfriend brings joy.

( All these quotes are by Gloria : ) 

Happy first day of December!

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Bubblegum Sketches

Thanks for visiting us on this lovely last day of November!  Gloria's Project Monday is up now on yesterday's post.....and it's beautiful!  The sketch above is from the thank you card she designed.  Of course the sketch doesn't do it justice, so you have to see the real thing to get the entire experience ; )

And the sketch below is from Carrie's rainy 8 1/2 x 11 layout.....

Well, tomorrow is December 1st, and we finally get to share some special holiday inspiration with you.  So, check back here sometime in the afternoon for the fun!  See you soon!!!

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Project Monday

Looking at the pictures I had chosen for project Monday it suddenly occurred to me that I needed to thank my sister in law for all the work she put into making my holiday extra special.....

The girl that married my little brother took the time to bake two turkeys.....one was even deep fried.  She made berry pies from scratch and, hello, a mud pie from scratch.  She made mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes covered in marshmellows that definitely had a big impact because they were so good.  She decorated and rented tables...I was thinking about where I was when I took my picture, and how all these things I am sure were stressful.  And so I had to make my Project Monday a homemade thank you card...





It was due to her hospitality that made my day possible.  Thanks Bubblegum Life for reminding me of were I was and how it came to be...

Lots of love,

-G

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I can still remember this moment like it was yesterday.....

For my project this week I decided to make an 8 1/2 x 11 layout.  Mostly because I wanted to make the layout look like it was raining and thought the size was perfect.  Here are some of the details.....



And here are all the pieces I used to put it together.....

Again, this week, (as you can see from the pieces above) I created another simple layout.  I cut out a bunch of clouds.....two different kinds.  Cut strips of glitter paper and rounded one end to be like drips.  Layered some pretty brown feathers around my photo, and then added my title.  And before I attached it all to the background paper, added a little black paint splatter.  I am finding that right now I'm enjoying the process of these simple layouts.  Which is a big deal for me.....normally, I am not happy with my finished creation unless it has lots of detail and different elements.  And this just feels right.  It's nice.

This weekend, I did end up taking more photos for our Where are you now? photo prompt.  I wanted to capture where I was the weekend after Thanksgiving, and try remember how it felt to be in that place.  The photos should be added to our Flickr group soon.  And if you haven't checked it out lately, there are some new really inspirational photos you are sure to enjoy!

Have fun making your little piece of art this week : )

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Your appointment with Friday

Hello again sweet blogger friends.  Our next awesome prompt.....and I say that because I feel its just so appropriate for today.....or maybe this week is.....

Where are you now?

These pictures were taken on Thanksgiving day and I feel they are very representative of where I am.  Getting ready for Thanksgiving usually means getting to see all of our relatives in one room.  This makes me just a bit nervous but it's a whole family thing that can be good or maybe not so good, but it's ours and we belong to this amazing funny, weird, and loving group of people.  They know us and they accept us.  I am holding my brother's baby.  Yes, my babies are big, and I love that I can have and feel with this circle of family that I am holding my niece.....knowing and being very aware of the fact that if all goes well I am going to watch her grow up.  I am happy to give thanks to the fact that no matter what, at this moment I am holding family.  The second picture was taken of my sister in law and me in the kitchen.  No, I was not cooking, but she can cook and I was eating and enjoying myself, her amazing desserts, and the company of my brother's wife.  Family I love, and I dont want to lie, sometimes its not so great having such a big group of people who know everything.  But the 90 % of the time it's what I am grateful for.

 

So share with us where are you now....

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With the hustle and bustle of all that accompanies these busy days following Thanksgiving, I feel like our next prompt is simple yet still leaves room for thinking about what's inside you, and where you're at..... 

My photos are from last weekend.  All I did was look around and take photos of what I saw in being there.  Where what was inside of me, led me to see....  

My pictures begin in the park at La Jolla Shores.  For the first photo (above) of my doggies and Ryan's legs, I got down onto the ground and tried to capture that moment.  My doggies were in this place, being held by my sweetie.  They were looking all around at the sights and sounds.  Yet still happy be be here with us.  As we started our walk along the shore, the wind was strong and cold.  I peeked behind so I could see Ryan being there with me.  We walked for a while, and eventually stopped for a short break to rest on a stone wall.  That's where I took the photo of Ryan and I together.  I felt great.  To be close to him.  To feel his love and warmth as the cool breeze surrounded us.  I am thinking to myself "I am so happy to be with him".  We sat there like that for a minute, and then, as it often happens at home the doggies wanted our attention. I scooped up our little bear, Ponyo, and gave him a big hug.  Ryan took the camera and in his photo you can see the rustic stone wall, our beautiful view, and Ponyo and I looking at it all.  As our walk came to an end, I took a photo of the shore as the clouds slowly began to cover the sun.  I think I even felt a raindrop just then.  And that was our que to start heading back to the truck.  Even though I love the rain, it was time to go.  And that's what I remember about this lovely afternoon and being there just then.

My plan is do the photo prompt again, but throughout this weekend.  As I go through my day, I hope to capture me.  One photo at a time.  Hopefully making peppermint ice cream, or hanging a Christmas wreath, or whatever.  I think it will help me enjoy the process of the beginning of the holiday craziness, so I can see who I am, and what I really want it to be.

I wish for you a wonderful weekend, and to capture a moment that when you look back, can say "I remember me then", and smile : )

Love, Gloria and Carrie