Focus on Life: Growth and Change

Watching things grow.

Our prompt from Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime this week is Growth and Change. 

I decided to look for pictures that I have taken of my little potted pepper.

I seem to have concentrated on the beginning, but the end is pretty spectacular - and I am still waiting for it to turn completely red, so I can pick it!

Little plants in early June. 

Five Days Later: Blossoms!

And here is the little pepper.

Two months later, I am looking forward to the harvest. 

A few months ago I noted that farmers needed an abundance of hope. Even with the smallest garden, you also have to have an abundance of patience.

Follow the links to see what others have found to trace....

Focus On Life: Add Something.

...Where we get to mess with the editing process.

Looking for the Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop? Click Here!

Guess what folks? I haven't done a thing with this prompt from Sally Russick from The Studio Sublime. Add Something is an invitation to us to use one of the many editing programs to alter a photo and have fun. 

I'm going to look through my pictures now to find something to use. Be right back. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, I found something to play with. 

Here's the original:

Frost

Sepia

Texture

Well, that's what I came up with, enjoy the others' additions!

Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop

It's here, it's here!

The Summer Color Surprise Blog Hop is here! 

And I almost missed it! Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist - Pine Ridge Treasures announced this Blog Hop months ago. I signed up and ordered my beads. I've been gazing at them from time to time ever since. Adding and subtracting the beads to add from my stash. 

And then... I stopped. August 24 was sooooo far away. Then this afternoon, thankfully, I saw a Facebook posting by Lisa, inviting people to her blog hop. Tomorrow. Saturday! So I got busy! Fortunately, everything was together, and I was able to make a bracelet and two pairs of earrings with no problem. The bracelet started life as a necklace in my mind, but I think it makes a better bracelet! This photography could be better, but that's what you get when you wait until the last minute! 

The lovely beads Lisa Sent me
Ceramic Beads by Shatera

The base beads, plus some I was trying out with them

With the lovely palette I had starting out, I did not need to add much. I was not sure what I would do with the lovely floral links, since I wanted to string the bracelet on wire, but just wait!

After making the bracelet, I had used every type of bead, but those links were still staring at me. Use me. Ussseeee meeeeeeee!

Earrings!

I have more of these beads, and may make another bracelet, and a ton more earrings. Thank you Lisa Lodge!!

The other fabulous participants.

Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Chris Eisenberg, Wander Ware
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool

Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space

Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things

Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Julie Lockhart, Copar Aingeal

Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations

Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads

Mowse Doyle, Mowse Made This

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations

Focus on Life: What's in Season?

What to choose? 

This week The participants in Sally Russick's Focus on life photography project received this prompt: In Season. Since it is summer in the northeastern U.S., there is a lot of produce in season. Also random things like butterflies, thunderstorms, and street fairs. 

I chose to focus on some berries growing down the road from my house. Someone obviously planted them, but nobody ever picks them! I have vowed to do just that, but the birds always beat me to it. 

These are the elderberries right after a huge storm that would have knocked them off their stems had it had struck a few days later!

A view of the storm waters!

I spent a good part of the next weekend trying to do justice to the juicy reddish purple of the berries. 

Colored Pencil

Watercolor Pencil

Watercolor Paint

I've been trying to do a sketch every day or so, I figure I can't miss improving my technique with practice. And it's so easy, now that so many things are "In Season!"

Check out the links below to see what others have done. 

Focus on Life: The View From Where I Stand

Or actually, where I stood last week!

This week's photo prompt from Sally Russick is: From Where I Stand. I thought some of the pictures I took at last week's Arts and Crafts Sale at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum would fit nicely. We artists who were there to sell our goods were a little bit on the fringe of the event, which included a casting contest and other fly fishing activities (but strangely, no fishing that we could see!)

But the two day event was a joy to attend, the area is scenic, and the weather was almost perfect. 

I set up my jewelry display between a potter and a painter. Everyone was very nice. People who stopped by to look and occasionally to buy seemed to appreciate the nature themes of many of my pieces. 

The Pond, At Catskill Fly Fishing Center

Some of the vendors,

Some of my wares.

Another view, you can see the next booth.

And some more jewelry!

Sally is having some problems with her web site, so you may not be able to visit for a while, but you can use the links below to see what others have done with this prompt. 

Focus on Life: Blue Meanie!

A hit and run post as I prepare for a weekend of Craft Fair selling.

I feel like a Meanie because I am not taking my usual amount of care with this post. Oh well. Hope you enjoy my response to the prompt from Sally Russick: "Hues of Blue." 

Here are some of the blues I like. 

Daytime moon - blue sky

The sky a little later

Wild Chicory - Early in the day

Late in the day, their color lightens

A neighbor's blue hydrangea

See everyone else's Hues of Blue. Sally's blog The Studio Sublime, Or use the link tool below.