Kansas Country

A few weeks ago my family and I made the long drive up to Kansas to visit family.

...and I actually remembered to bring my camera!

It's amazing how much one appreciates the quiet calm of the country when you've been immersed in the bustle of suburban-city life for a while.

I didn't capture anywhere close to all the beautiful views....but that's just because I was soaking it all in rather than documenting the details. ;)

Here are the few photos I did manage to take...

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Which do you like best...



Color?



or Black & White?

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Today I took a mini road trip to find bluebonnets.

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This is a flower on our bush in front of our house. 

It was a surprise, as I thought this particular bush was strictly an evergreen kind. 

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Lilacs on the farm.

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Today is pretty much all down-time, so I took a stroll around my parents' home and found these pretty red tulips!

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This afternoon Rowan and I went to the garden center for some things.
We ended up buying a palate of these lovely fuchsia { I can never spell that word right the first time! } dianthus.

...side note...
You know you're out of shape when you become fatigued from pushing a mulch-loaded cart around the store, and subsequently spell your own name wrong on the signature pad at checkout because you're about to pass out despite being surrounded by oxygen releasing plants.
...ahem...

Anywho, when we got home I grabbed my camera, headed outside and got some flower shots.
Shocking, I know.

You know how sometimes your favorite image out of a set takes a whole bunch of unexpected turns before it becomes your favorite?

This shot was one of those times.

Here's what it looked like sooc...


Yep.
By show of hands, who would have immediately deleted this image?!
...this is why I recommend saving 98% of the images you take and shoot in RAW mode...
You never know when a lump of coal will turn into a diamond...or a really convincing cubic zirconia.

Granted, this image is incredibly grainy, but umm, it's fine art.
And art can do what it wants.
90%, my friends!
90%.

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My violets are blooming!

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After three weeks of waiting, my orchid finally bloomed!

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{You can now find this print in my Etsy shop!}

Texas roadsides have a surprisingly large amount of really pretty wildflowers!

We went for a long family walk this afternoon and I found multiple spots with these pretty little purple ones.
...if I get brave enough, I'll go to the busy part of town and photograph the ditches there....they're gorgeous!


By the way...
Are you fans of my Facebook page?
How about a Twitter follower?
And if you're a fan of my Etsy shop you'll want to sign up for the Katie Lloyd Photography Newsletter!
It's a monthly email highlighting new prints, what to expect for the coming month, as well as sale notices and a special discount coupon in the April issue!

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Today was sooo busy!
...watching basketball, competing in family MarioKart races, and staring at the lizards on our back patio...
Whew.
I'm exhausted.

Thankfully I didn't have to think very hard to get my shot for today.
...walk out to back patio, point camera, shoot then edit and post...done!

I wish all days could be like this.
...oh wait, they pretty much are...
;)


...stay tuned! Scripture & a Snapshot is coming up within the hour!

Busy Bee

This week I've been focusing a lot on my etsy shop by updating existing features such as Facebook and Twitter, and implementing new features such as a monthly newletter...the first issue of which is due out April 1st! { no foolin'! } You can sign up for that HERE.

I've been reading lots of small business articles and listening to tons of marketing seminars. I highly recommend Etsypreneur and Handmadeology. These two sites have really helped me focus on the business side of my shop without feeling overwhelmed or lost! I recently created a year-long promo plan and now need to decide how I'm going to market it all.

I'm thinking of buying ad space on one of the more premium blogs.
{ you know, the ones that cost beau-coup bucks per month! }

Have any of you done this and if so, what were your results?
I'm looking to advertise on home decor and maternity { read: nursery decor } types of blogs, so if you know any really good ones please shout 'em on out!

I'll likely also sponsor a handful of giveaways throughout the year and will share those via social networks and the newsletter.

Over the past two weeks I've also been adding a lot of new prints to the shop. Ever since starting up with the photo-a-day project I'm finding myself much more motivated to go out and shoot...even with the kids in tow! 

...I'm completely and utterly drawn to azaleas, by the way...

Here are a few of the images that haven't made it on the blog yet...in fact only a few have made it to the shop { the rest will be there soon! }:

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Rowan and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather today and went for a walk.

Our neighborhood has trails, so we went on those. 

We didn't have to go very far before seeing some pretty things!

....it's amazing how much more I see when I have my camera with me...

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This morning I hunted down the local arboretum.

{ which involved an act of divine intervention...two wrong turns landed me exactly where I needed to be! }

The gardens were really big and well maintained and I'm very excited to make regular visits since the growing season is so long here. 

I can only imagine what kinds of awesome tropical plants they'll have during summer!

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I love that our neighbors' plants peek up over the fence.
Our backyard landscaping is atrocious.
...meaning lots of weeds and no color, but also a blank canvas...
Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to add a little bit of color to it!

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My daughter is our resident flower picker.
Be it weed, landscaping, etc...if she sees it and can get to it, she will try her best to pick it.

She found these teeny-tiny beauties last week.
She brought home a bouquet and I immediately put them in a shot glass full of water.
They have been sitting on our kitchen window sill showing off their beautiful little flowers and seven days later seem to still be going strong!

Extra, Extra

...see all about it...
{ hehehe }

These are some extra shots I had from Monday's trip to the nature trail and Town Center, courtesy of my in-laws...

I am completely in love with those blue tiles.
...I have these exact blue tiles on the fireplace surround in my home...
{ you know, my dream home that currently exists only in my mind. }





These beauties should not be classified as weeds...they can take over the crab grass in my yard any time they wish.



...getting back to my dream home...
This is what the outside looks like, minus the cascading water.
That's in the garden.


  

Does this remind anyone else of a 1920s mob movie?

A Trip to the Trail / Giveaway Number Four Winner / 31 Days Question

There are several things going on today!
1. Pics from a nature trail
2. Winner of the fourth giveaway, courtesy of Snapshots by Michelle
3. A bit about my 31 Days to Releasing Your Inner Artist series

Let's get to it, shall we?!


The other day the kids and I went to the trail near our house.
With Breck in school full time, we haven't gone anywhere near as much as we used to.
And I've got to tell you, this trail never disappoints!


{This trail} "...is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you're going to get!"
- adapted from Forrest Gump

There are always ample opportunities for sun flare shots.



Leaves are in all stages and still on the tree.



And in all stages on the ground as well.



There are occasional wildflowers...

and wildlife.

Rowan was the one who spied this little guy!
After she found him, we started looking for more snails and found four others.
I asked the kids if they wanted to take one home and Breck replied:
"No! They would miss their family and friends. Let's leave them here where they belong."

I love that he doesn't have an attitude of entitlement!
{at least when it comes to things other than candy. ;)}

*****

...and now for the winner of giveaway number four: your choice of one of the following prints by Michelle of Snapshots by Michelle!

"Summer's Glow"

or

"Grassland's Pearls"

is......commenter number 10!

Christina said...

"I would get Summer's Glow. The details and colors in that shot are so beautiful."

Congrats Christina!

There is one final giveaway left. You have until midnight tonight to enter!:

Giveaway 5 - 2012 Desk Calendar from Katie Lloyd Photography - Ends 9/22

*****

I know many of you already know my plans for joining in the 31 Days series, hosted at Nesting Place.

But since we have so many new friends joining us, I'm going to share it again.

During the month of October, I will be sharing one post every day - for all 31 days {gulp!} - on Releasing Your Inner Artist.

I still have a few more days to finish {aka: start writing}, so I'm going to ask this question again:

What do you struggle with when it comes to being artistic/creative?

{if you've already answered this question for me, either on Facebook or here, feel free to skip this round. ;)}

On September 30th I'll be posting the itinerary for the series.

I also have five exercises/link-ups scheduled for the month: one every Monday.

It's going to be a really fun month! I hope you'll join me!!

Sunflowers & Giveaway Number Two Winner #

It's time to announce the winner of giveaway number two: any piece of jewelry from SpritelyWear!

And the winner is....
Commenter number 96!


avalonne83 said...

"Great giveaway! I'd love to be entered.
My favourite item is the Black Wire Wrapped & Iridescent Bead Necklace"

Congratulations!


And don't forget about these giveaways still going on:

Giveaway 3 - Fine Art Photograph from Wonderland - Ends 9/20

Giveaway 4 - Fine Art Photograph from Snapshots by Michelle - Ends 9/21

Giveaway 5 - 2012 Desk Calendar from Katie Lloyd Photography - Ends 9/22

*****

Our church has a large grasslands area next to the overflow parking {read: Easter and Christmas parking} and several kinds of wildflowers grow there, but sunflowers are the most abundant. Right now they are stunning! So the other day when I had some time to spare {without kids and before my mom's group started} I stopped to get some shots.

I just couldn't decide exactly how I wanted to edit them, so I ran several different actions.
And now I can't decide which I like best, so I'm sharing them all!

For the shot on the left I {think} I ran PTM's Joy action and then added one of Kim Klassen's textures.
The shot on the right is almost sooc....I made some minor adjustments in RAW mode.



This one I {think} I ran Nelly Nero's Ivory Bleach action three times.



On this, I may have run Nelly Nero's Ivory Bleach action twice, or maybe her Autumn Vintage action...I don't write this stuff down and my brain is full of other things to remember....like Breck's spelling words, homework and grocery lists. ;)



And it's very likely that I ran Nelly Nero's Grunge BW action for this edit.



...umm....who knows.



And this one is definitely Nelly Nero's Ain't Life A Peach action.



Here are links to all three super talented ladies whose awesome actions and textures I used:
Nelly Nero
Paint the Moon
Kim Klassen