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...

Galveston 2

...another set from the beach...

We got to the beach early enough that not many people were out, which meant the photo opportunities were great....unless you're Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, then it would have been terrible.



There were a ton of seagulls out and about and I was slightly surprised that they flew so close to my head.
I was also thankful that no "business" was done while up there!



And every now and then we'd spy these birds waaaay up in the sky.

Galveston 1

On Saturday the whole family, including my in-laws, took a day trip to the Gulf of Mexico via Galveston. I don't think any of us had been there before, but a quick 1.5 hour drive later and we were soaking in the sun and splashing in the waves!

Most, if not all, of the photos I'm sharing will be available in the shop soon!
And I'll be sharing more photos over the next day or two. 

***

PS - You may have noticed I've fallen off the photo-a-day wagon. I'm sure I'll hop back on later, but right now I'm taking a break to work on crafting for my other etsy shop, Anthology on Main. This includes making book page wreaths and book cover purses!

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While cleaning our patio, Rowan and I found this mushroom growing in the yard.

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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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...starburst through the trees in our backyard...

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After three weeks of waiting, my orchid finally bloomed!

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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Palm fronds are so totally awesome.
First of all they're tropical and that by itself is cool, but their patterns/textures are just so neat!

I took the kids to the library { where I chicken out from taking some book shots } and then the botanical garden.
Breck told me it was the worst place he's ever been.
LOL
*sigh* oh, I love my little guy! :)

{ ...and now I know where to take him when he's really naughty... }

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It has been raining buckets this morning!
Once the downpour and lightening stopped I went out to our partially flooded backyard and shot this.

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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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...looking up from our back patio this morning...

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...pinecones from our backyard with Kim Klassen's Crackerjack texture set at multiply...

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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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Have you ever had someone in your life who made such a lasting impression on you that decades later they're still at the forefront of your mind?

My Great Grandma is that person for me.
I was very blessed to have her here for the first fifteen years of my life.
And nearly sixteen years later I miss her as if she had just passed away.

There are a lot of things that remind me of her and her cozy, welcoming home.
...bleeding hearts, Edelweiss {the song}, costume jewelry, pocket doors, tin coasters, dried apple head magnets, Cabbage Patch dolls, a scent that I can't put my finger on and have only smelled once or twice in the last decade and a half, etc...

She also had african violets all over her living room.
After she died, my Grandma {her daughter} received her violets.
...there were a lot of them...
And she gave me one.
...that I later killed from over watering...

While these particular ones did not come from my Great Grandma, they still remind me of her.

Do you have anything in your home with strong memories attached to it?

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?

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These are our neighbor's flowers...tree...pretty pink things that peek up over the fence.

Bark & Bokeh

So far I've only explored our backyard.
But I'm finding plenty of things in it.

The Color of Winter

...around here anyway.