Focus on Life: Checking Out - Eye Level

A different approach to point of view. 

This week's prompt from Sally Russick of Focus on Life and The Studio Sublime, is Eye Level. She invites us to make note of what is at eye level while we are standing, sitting, kneeling, wherever we find ourselves.  

I noticed that when I sit in "my spot" on the end of the sofa, my buddy Merry keeps me company, and if she is not sitting right next to me, she may be playing with a friend on a nearby rocking chair. 

Sitting on the arm of the sofa. 

Notice the stalking of Haruko under the chair. 

The only other eye level view I found interesting was my little kitchen "garden." The blue flowers are muscari, also known as grape hyacinth. My contribution to the illusion of spring!

I get to see this as I stand at the kitchen counter.

Potted muscari, Christmas cactus, last year's pussy willow. 

So, that's the report from my eye level, let's explore what others have contributed. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Focus on Life : Checking Out - Expression!

Another trip to the Vault!

This week's focus on life prompt from Sally Russick was to check out "Expression." Just wasn't able to get out there with the camera this week, not even to focus on the dog or...squirrels or something. But I did think of some older shots of my kids. My son in April of 2013:

Waiting to leave for the airport.

Mugging for the camera. 

More mugging

You really going to sit here and wait with me the whole time?

Mike was on his way back to Join Base Lewis McChord in Washington that morning, and I was going uncharacteristically wild taking family pictures. The last three were taken at the airport, and we really did leave before Mike did. He always insists on getting to the airport super early. I got bored taking pictures of airplanes!

Here are some pictures of my daughter, in July of 2012:

Playing the "Claw Machine"

Ooops, she noticed I was taking pictures.

Just standing with her friends at the Lego store.

On Sara's 23 birthday, she and her friends invited my husband and me to accompany them to the bigger better mall about an hour from home. We had lunch, saw a movie (Brave) and had some nostalgic fun. Oh yeah, and they all bought themselves swords at the Lego Store. 

Let's see what other expressions people have found. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Need a Do-Over?

Jeannie Dukic's Do-over challenge

Peach glass peals, and silver toned charms. 

I almost missed signing up for Jeannie's 7th Do-over challenge. But I did get myself moving, and here is my do-over piece!!

The glass pearls are peach. The charms are sea themed. There are two little charms, or earring dangles. Not sure where is is going to end up, but it's going to be fun. 

You will be seeing this again on April 19th. Until then.......

Got my soup, now time to get going!

I got my soup mix from Bev Breisinger.....

I vowed not to unwrap them until Bev got hers...except that I couldn't wait, so I ripped into the nicely wrapped package that she sent. Oooops! I jumped the gun and didn't take a picture! So I wrapped them up again, to show the cute packages and great quotes written on them. 

Bev sent one amazing focal that she made out of polymer clay, two coordinating polymer beads, and a charm made from another coordinating bead. Is that not bountiful?  There are lots of small beads and spacers, even some bead caps and other metal pieces. A key with a message, some ear wires, two clasps... wow!

 And can you see the theme in the colors of the focal and coordinating beads? Pittsburgh team colors. Not that I would have Known that if she hadn't told me... but cool nonetheless. I'm going to have loads of fun with this!

Thanks Bev!

Check out more of Bev's work at her blog Country Frog Creations.

Focus on Life: Checking Out - The Beauty All Around Us!

Um, No, not really....

Yeah. Had a hard time with this week's prompt "Beauty All Around." If you have been following my Focus on Life posts for the past 14 or so months, you might have noticed that I usually have no trouble finding beauty. But for this week, I wanted to capture some natural beauty in my environment. 

But you know that time between full on winter, and balmy spring? We call it Mud Season. Some years it would be over by now. Not this year. I refuse to illustrate Mud Season. 

But I did get out there and searched for beauty. It was not easy. 

I got scratches. I had to look down. I had to walk in mud. And snow, and muddy snow. But near a small brook that drains off a natural spring, which sends up liquid water all winter...I found some rather fragile beauty.  

The very beginnings of pussywillows

Would you believe - skunk cabbage?

And some more skunk cabbage

Mossy rock in the water

Tiny ferns growing out of the moss

Let's see what beauty other people have found.

An InLinkz Link-up

Focus on Life: Check out - Wide Angle Photography

Heading into the Wide Open Spaces!

This week's Focus on Life prompt from Sally Russick was to check out W  I  D  E angle photography.  When I read this, I instantly thought of a feature of my camera I had read about, but never used. The Live Panorama feature allows you to take a picture while moving the camera (really a little video) and the camera processes it as a wide angle shot.  

What better time than this week to check this out!

I headed out to the Black Dirt farming area near where I work. You may remember the area from last year's Hope prompt. 

This year, in the beginning of March, you have to look closely to find any trace of farm fields. 

I have to say that the Panoramic views came out pretty great. 

And I had a little company. They thought it was funny to pose on the nearby bushes, then flit away.

 And did I mention that it was really cold out, with a steady wind? I forgot my thin gloves, and didn't wear a hat. What we do for our art.... 

Check out others' wide angles.

An InLinkz Link-up

My Bead Soup Partner Is...

Bev Breisinger!

Bev is a multi-talented crafter with a passion for scrap-booking, who blogs at Country Frog Creations.

Lori Anderson has overcome lots of obstacles to arrange this fantastic bead swap and blog hop for the eight time! This is my third time participating. Find out more about the Bead Soup Blog Party here. 

To help Bev out, and show some of the jewelry I have designed through the years.....

necklace made from up-cycled earrings

Japa Mala beads, glass pendant, chain

Lanpwork beads and cord

Bead soup 2013

Bead soup 2013

Earrings with Czech Glass and art beads

Independence earrings glass beads and seed beads

memory wire bracelets

So you can see.... I have no boundaries. 

"Clean-up, Fix-up" your workspace BLOG HOP

It's Here!

About a month ago, I took the plunge, and decided to join the Clean Up, Fix Up Your Work Space Blog Hop. This event is the brain child of Sharyl of Sharyl's Jewelry. 

She had the brilliant idea of getting a group together to push ourselves to reorganize and clean our work spaces, whether we had a spacious studio, or one end of the couch and the floor under the coffee table. 

Being the couch and coffee table person, I decided to start my reorganization with a little craft table that sits at the end of said couch, and is a major part of my work space when it is accessible. And it has not been accessible for a while. 

If you can believe it, this picture shows my table after I did a little preliminary removal. 

Toward the end of the process, I did a little project that went better because I had cleaned quite a bit off the table. 

Most of these were in bags and containers that were hidden on that bead board. Don't ask me where that tiny silver dagger came from. Maybe a night time visit from a tiny pirate. 

Hey look, it's clean! See the little steel can? That's one of my favorite tools. It's a trash container, and it's great for little trimmings and bits of wire...you know, craft table stuff. 

I hope to continue this project to the area under the coffee table. Stay tuned. 

While you are waiting, take a look at what others have done. 

Host: Sharyl McMillian-Nelson … http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com

Donna Millard http://fyrebeadz.blogspot.com/

Beda Hendrix ... https://www.facebook.com/SasijuhlsThings 

Ann Schroeder… http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com

Pamela Rachelle… http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com

Kristin L Oppold… http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com

Heidi Kingman ... http://heidikingman.blogspot.com

Andi ... http://strungoutjewelry.blogspot.com/

Patricia Buchanan Click “Blog” on the menu bar athttp://www.braceletstoo.artfire.com

Helen Simon… http://helensharvest.com/

Kashmira … http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/

somethingunique ... http://somethinguniquebylana.blogspot.ca/

Renetha ... http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

Kathy Lindemer ... http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com

Swapna Dinesh … http://www.swardaa.com

Linda Landig ... http://lindalandig.wordpress.com/

Ann Schroeder ... http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com/

Beti Horvath ... http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/

Sam S ... http://samsbeadshopandjewelry.blogspot.com/ 

Christina Miles ... http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/

Islandgirl ... http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca/ 

macmillanmarie ... http://www.macmillanmarie.blogspot.com

Emma Todd … http://www.apolymerpenchant.com

Neena Shilvock … 
http://www.capriliciousjewellery.com/3/post/2014/02/neither-ship-shape-nor-bristol-fashion.html

Dee Clark… http://biz-e-bead.blogspot.com/

motidana ... http://kalaabhushan.blogspot.com/

Here Bead Dragons ... http://beaddragons.blogspot.com/

Carol D. ... http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/

Pam Sears ... http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Nan Smith ... http://wirednan.blogspot.ca

AliMc ... http://northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com

Kari Asbury ... http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com

Shirley Moore ... http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com

PyxeeStyx ... http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com/

Jayne Capps … https://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com

Louann Elwell 
... https://plus.google.com/117746558861718110652/posts

Rain ... http://honeyandollie.com/

Lori Bergmann ... http://www.LoriBergmann.blogspot.com

Helen Simon… http://helensharvest.blogspot.com/

Arlene Dean ... http://aglassbash.blogspot.com

Sandra... http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.de/

Alicia ... http://www.allprettythings.ca

Natalie Pappas ...  http://blog.nkpdesigns.com/