I won the Internet again!!! AND THIS TIME THERE’S CAKES!!!!!!

Woohoo…. this is the 2nd time I’ve won the Internet – and I’ve only been blogging since January!!! 😀

By the end of the year I’ll be King of the World! Or Yoda.

I’d like to thank my friend the Lovely Lili for nominating me. Go check out her page and drool over your screen as her cakes look amazing. I haven’t actually tried to make any of them yet, but that’s down to the fact I’m a rubbish cook, not that her recipes are difficult!

http://liliscakes.com/

Soooo, this is my award. I’m waiting on my years free supply of cakes now (there was cakes, wasn’t there Lili?)

Awesomeness Award 😀

And I now have to tell you 5 things about myself that you don’t know.

1. My parents moved to the Midwest, USA from Scotland, UK just after I got married, and 22 years later when I moved to the Midwest USA with my family  my parents moved to Florida. Do you think they’re trying to tell me something?!?
2.  I was a Tomboy when I was young. If I wasn’t climbing trees I’d be falling in the river (accidentally on purpose of course) or roaming around the woods and countryside with my dog. I grew out of it and now like dresses, make-up and heels, but I still prefer the countryside over cities. I no longer fall in rivers either…. much 😉
3. I’m the worlds worst singer. No actually, scratch that. My sister is the worlds worst singer (sorry Sis) but she might not agree with me on that. I AM musical, I can read music and play piano but I cannae sing to save myself (unfortunately for those with me in the car, because I know the words to every single song – and if I don’t know them I’ll quite happily make them up!) 😉
4. I can totally lose myself in a book. The room can be exploding around me and the kids are starting WWIII and I don’t even notice. Fantasy is my favourite. Show me a book with a dragon, elf or wizard in it and I’m hooked!
5. I’m a ninja. I am. I have a badge to prove it. My sister gave it to me coz she’s a ninja too.

Proof that I’m a ninja

Photography 101: Treasure

This was a difficult theme. There are so many things I treasure, but how to photograph them? So after thinking it about it all yesterday I came to the conclusion that photographs themselves were a treasure. The ability to have memories to look back on (and not just rely on the rusty grey cells) was something to treasure. And photographs of people are of course the most treasured ones of all. This was all my poor old brain could come up with so bear with me and I’ll explain my thinking.

Treasured moments

This is a portrait of a 97 year old Great, Great Grandmother. She is my friends gran and I was shooting a baby (her Great, Great Grandson) when I turned round and candidly caught this moment.

The family treasure this photograph because of who she is to them.

She treasures the photograph because of her dogs.

I treasure the photograph because it is one of my favourite portraits I have ever captured. I think I managed to catch the contentment of an elderly woman, surrounded by her own treasures, her loving family (and dogs) and also because I think she is beautiful.

So what I was trying to say (in my kind of long-winded and confusing way) is treasure the moments and memories my blogging friends.

Photography 101: Landscape & cropping

The Grand Canyon

Ask any photographer (or wannabe photographer) and they’ll tell you there’s something they just can’t photograph. Some don’t like doing portraits, some still-life, some don’t like using Photoshop. With me it’s landscapes. I just can’t do it well enough to satisfy myself. I’m not being modest – I actually struggle to see the bigger picture (if you know what I mean)

Me struggling to see the bigger picture…. hint, it’s BEHIND YOU NUMPTY!

But when we went to the Grand Canyon it was gie near impossible (Good Scottish word there – gie) to photograph what I wanted. The word ‘awesome’ is totally overused, but in this case it was fully warranted. From the helicopter ride there, over the desert, the Hoover Dam, landing on the canyon floor to the flight back up the Las Vegas Strip – the whole day was wonderful. Oh and I forgot to mention the champagne lunch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon!

My new mode of transportation

When I was a wee girl I used to think that by the time I was old everyone would be travelling by helicopter and cars would be obsolete. Why hasn’t this happened? I would travel everywhere by helicopter if I could. I absolutely loved it. When I’m rich I’m going to buy a helicopter and use it to go grocery shopping.

Photography 101: Scale and observation

It’s an alien!

Keeping up with a photo a day – Epic FAIL!

Too much life getting in the way of blogging-time I’m afraid.

BUT – I am going to finish the assignment, I’m just going to be last over the finish line, so please stick with me my blogging friends.

This photograph for ‘Scale and Observation’ was taken during a massive harvest moon and I thought the praying mantis looked a bit like aliens had invaded the Earth and they started by landing on my roof!

Alba – Always looking at the world sideways (thanks Dookes) 🙂

Photography 101: Motion & movement

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Once again raiding my archives to try and keep up with the photography 101 course… Where does all the time go?

Come summertime I admit to being just a teeny-tiny-wee-bit obsessed with hummingbirds! I have a strategically placed plant that I hide behind with my camera to try and get the perfect shot. They are the most fabulous birds and really quite unafraid of anyone or anything – well maybe except for my mutt. He thinks he needs to protect me from all the birds/moths/insects/leaves by barking ferociously at them.

Photography 101: Architecture & Monochrome

Old barn in black & white

Not so much an ‘architectural gem’, more of a fixer-upper!

I’m a little bit obsessed with the old barns in the countryside around here, the more decrepit the better!  So much so that my kids are now starting to point them out to me as we’re driving around. They ARE very photogenic though.

Photography 101: Colour pop

Just hanging around

Photo assignment – a splash of colour (color for my American friends)

When I was playing around with this shot I had this Strangler’s song running through my head the whole time, so sharing with you my fine blogger friends.

Photography 101: Mystery

Loudoun Kirk, Ayrshire

Believed to have been built around 1198, Loudoun Kirk has been unused as a church since the 17th century.

It is the burial place of  the tragic Lady Flora Hastings, along with the Loudoun Family who owned nearby Loudoun Castle.

“There is an obelisk within the kirkyard, which serves as a monument to Lady Flora Hastings. Lady Flora was a Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent (mother of Queen Victoria). In 1839 Lady Flora returned to Buckingham Palace after a holiday in Scotland and immediately consulted the Queen’s physician. The rumour began that she was pregnant and her honour was cast into doubt, despite two doctors stating that the symptoms were no grounds for suspicion of pregnancy. Queen Victoria, however, believed the rumours and the argument caused great public outcry against the Queen. Lady Flora died quietly in her sleep due to her illness (an enlarged liver) with no apology from the Queen. Her family were outraged and Lady Flora’s sister Sophie, whilst waiting by her death bed, refused to sleep in a bed belonging to the Queen. The family, in retaliation, attached postage stamps, bearing the Queen’s head, upside down.” Friends of Loudoun Kirk – http://www.loudounkirk.org.uk

Although photogenic in the daytime, I don’t think many people would venture there in the evening!

Photography 101: Warmth & light from the sun

The warmth and light of the setting sun

So was driving home last night after a long, busy day and was totally entranced by the light of the sunset. The colours were spectacular – there were purples, reds, oranges, pinks, all shades of blue and the sun was huge, gold and fantastic. The clouds were puffy and cotton-wool soft. This would have been totally perfect for that day’s theme – Warmth & Light – but I didn’t think the Highway Cops would appreciate me pulling over on the side of the Interstate to take photographs. So I just had to appreciate it on my own but really wish I could have shared it with you all.

Anyway in the words of Blue Peter (British children’s TV programme American friends) Here’s one I made earlier.

Photography 101: Nature and leading lines

Nature in miniature

Any excuse to play with my camera when I should be working is a good excuse!

Macro shot of the inside of a tulip.