Mosaic Monday: A Little Bit of Cheer

What could be happier on a dreary winter's day (it snowed again last night) than a little shot of yellow? And polka dots, too! The folks at Shop-Rite (bless their hearts) had tulips on sale this week. And after the week I had, and the week before that, too -- two bunches of bright and cheerful yellow tulips were just the ticket!

I'm not an expert on color theory, but I have to think that the power of yellow is very real. Just having these beauties in the house has cheered me up immensely. And wow, did I ever need some cheering!

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Venting

I was on line at the supermarket yesterday, when I realized that I had forgotten one item. There were two people ahead of me. I ran to get the item, and when I returned, less than one minute later, some woman had pushed my cart out of the way and was starting to load her items on the belt.

When I told her (very politely) that I was next in line, she told me that I shouldn't have left my cart unattended. Now mind you, I was gone less than one minute and they had not even started checking out the woman who had been ahead of me on line.

Can you believe that??? It wasn't as if I had kept her waiting...

I don't mind telling you, I was madder than hell!

Sorry to drop all that on you! But by now (hopefully) I'm over it. lol And so I'll just post this pretty tea cup and wish you all a pleasant weekend.

*********

I hope to see you all at Mosaic Monday. No more venting, I promise! The linky thingy will be up on Sunday night by 8:30 pm Eastern time, USA. If you need help learning how to make a mosaic, be sure to check out my tutorial on the sidebar.

Thanks!

I'm Crying "Uncle"

OK, let me say this right up front -- I've had enough snow. Yes, it is pretty. Once or twice. But when you get at least one storm per week, every week, it starts to get old.

Here's how you tell when you've had enough snow:

1. When your snow shovels have a permanent place by the back door.
2. When there is an open bag of salt next to the steps.
3. When your Christmas decorations are still up one month after Christmas, because you are too busy shoveling snow.
4. When you keep firewood next to the door, in case of power failures.
5. When the snow is creeping slowly toward the door!

My daughter and I shoveled about five inches from the driveway on Wednesday, so that we could get her out to the train to go back to school.

This is what it looked like on Thursday morning, at the foot of the porch stairs. Eighteen inches. My husband, my son and I shoveled for nearly two hours to clear the driveway.

So yes, I've had enough snow. Please alert the media.

*********

Thank you so much for your sweet birthday wishes! My daughter came home to surprise me, and my son skipped his class so that we could all have dinner as a family.

It was one of the nicest birthdays ever. :)

hibernate

It's my birthday, which I would just as soon forget, and it's snowing like crazy, which I would definitely like to forget.

I'm going back to bed. Wake me when it's spring. Or when there are Hershey's Kisses in the house. Whichever comes first.

Mosaic Monday: Berries and Tea

I was eating blueberries one morning, as I considered what to use as my next Mosaic Monday subject. The sunshine was pouring in through the window, and I wanted to try out my 50mm f1.4 lens. So I grabbed one of my mother's favorite decorative teacups, and began to snap some shots.

And that's the entire story of this mosaic. Sometimes I can be such a camera nerd. lol But somehow, I feel a teacup series of photos coming on... :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Happy & Peppy

Greetings, peeps! I just wanted to say thank you for all your lovely get well wishes. I truly enjoyed reading every one! I now have three days of antibiotics under my belt, and I am starting to feel a little better. :)

I thought that I would show you something else that is making me feel nice these days: this little vignette of white in my kitchen. I just love this display of graduated platters on the wall. Isn't it funny how the littlest things can make you happy?

Of course, I'm happy right up to the point where I find that I need a platter; then I start to rethink the whole display. lol

Tell me: what is making you happy these days?

Double Yuck

I have never been a big fan of winter; usually by mid-January I am longing for spring. This year it wasn't really too bad -- I have been walking a lot, getting lots of sunshine which really does make a difference in my mood.

But then I got this stinking cold.

Yuck. I really don't want to share all the disgusting symptoms, but suffice it to say that this has not been a good couple of days. Finally, I went to the doctor to learn I have a nasty virus that turned into bronchitis. Now that I have some drugs, it should be getting better.

Sooner rather than later, I hope.

In the meantime, I have these lovely tulips from my daughter. And even feeling crappy, I could not resist taking a few pictures. ;) We had the nastiest weather here yesterday -- snow and freezing rain that turned to all rain with temps in the high 30's.

Yuck. (That's two yucks, if you are keeping score.)

So, I hope everyone is well, and warm and dry. There is something about the color red, isn't there? It just warms the spirit.

Happy Wednesday, dear bloggers!

Mosaic Monday: Old Photographs

I find myself drawn to the old photos I come across occasionally in thrift stores and antiques shops. Who was this person? When did they live? What was their life like? I guess I'm always in search of a good story... or maybe I'm just nosy. :)

I have seen images of wedding parties that look as solemn as a funeral. I often wonder if their expressions were typical for the time in which the photo was taken, or if the newly married couple were seriously contemplating the full import of the vows they had just taken.

I have come across graduation pictures, first communions and candid shots that portray the joy of the moment in now-faded glory. Recently, I found this precious miniature in my favorite thrift shop. Judging by the beautiful case, this child was cherished. What was their life like? Who did they grow up to be? Were their later years filled with joy, or disappointment? Or both, as perhaps is true of us all.

Of course, I will never know the answers to any of my questions. And perhaps that is as it should be. Perhaps the main thing is to ask all of those questions of my own life -- to make sure I am living an examined life.

*********

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Sooner or Later

It had to happen sooner or later... after all, it happens every year. Yep, I've got a cold. So it's lots of tea and sitting on the couch, which is all I really feel like at the moment...

So, I hope you all are well, and happy, and enjoying the week. I'll catch you soon, hopefully without the germs. lol

My Snow Story

By the time we have awakened this morning,

we will see something like this scene

outside the windows

at our Little Red House.

We will don warm coats and scarves and mittens,

and venture out into a world

made fresh with white.

And when the driveway has been shoveled,

and the birds have been fed,

and many, many pictures have been taken, ;)

we will stomp the snow off our feet,

and go inside to the warm kitchen,

where we will make hot chocolate,

with marshmallows (of course).

We will sit before the fire,

toasting our toes

and reading,

blankets over our laps.

We will look at the new white world outside,

and be thankful

that we are warm, and dry, and fed,

and together.

the end

Mosaic Monday: My Blue Period

I wanted to show you a few of the fine art nature images that I've been shooting and editing recently. Let's call it my blue period... just like Picasso, except without the incredible talent. lol

I think it is something of an odd feeling when inspiration overtakes you. I remember seeing the sunlight hitting the weeds in the garden, and picking up the camera to go out and see what I could record... nothing more planned than that. When I opened the images in Photoshop, I have no idea what made me begin to edit them with these particular blue tones.

I guess what I'm trying to ask is this -- when you begin an art or craft project, do you have a firm idea in mind, or do you just let inspiration lead you where it may?

Inquiring minds want to know. :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Quiet

Good morning, dear bloggers! I hope you are having a lovely weekend. It's very quiet here this morning -- my kids are still asleep and my husband is in the office. I have several projects pending at the moment, but here I sit, editing a few pictures and listening to the crows outside my window.

Actually, this has been rather a busy week, wildlife-wise, in my neck of the woods. On Wednesday, I saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers in the park; and yesterday, I spotted a fox right next to our deck where I often throw stale bread for the birds. Unfortunately, I did not get photos of either sighting. So I'm going to leave you with a picture of the little pink primrose which is brightening my kitchen counter at the moment.

Happy weekend, dear bloggers! And because I don't say it nearly enough: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy days to visit me here and leave such lovely comments!

*********

It's almost time for Mosaic Monday again. Where did the week go? I hope to see you all tomorrow. The linky thingy will be up by 8:30 pm Sunday. Thanks for sharing your world with me!

Winter White

We always crave white after the wild excesses of the holidays. That's why Victoria magazine always has their white issue in January, right? Well, I think the ladies at my favorite thrift store have caught on. When they reopened the shop after New Year's Day, they had a whole table filled with white dishes.

It's almost as if they knew I was coming. lol

I've been collecting white and cream dishes for my kitchen, and although I already have a few tureens, I just had to bring this one home with me. For $12., it was a thrifty addition to my kitchen decor.

And who can resist a beautiful white beauty like this in January?

My Strange Breakfast

I had minestrone for breakfast this morning.

It could be worse, right? I mean, there have been times when I've had a handful of chocolate covered craisins for breakfast, or a slice of cold pizza, or a handful of last night's popcorn, so minestrone is actually a good choice, right?

After all, I did resolve to eat more vegetables in 2011.

I made the minestrone for dinner last night. I cut a recipe out of a magazine years ago, and I've made it so often that I don't even follow the recipe any more. So I can't really share a recipe with you, except to say that it starts with onions, carrots and celery, salt and pepper, sauteed in some olive oil.

I add a small can of tomato paste and some chicken stock to deglaze the pot.

(Can I tell you a blogging secret? When I took the picture of the stock being poured into the pot, I had my eye to the camera viewfinder and sort of missed the pot. All that steam is the stock hitting the stove's burner. lol)

I add some red kidney beans and zucchini. Then I just let it simmer till it thickens. I serve it with pasta elbows, which I cook separately so that they do not get too soft.

So that's about it. Minestrone for dinner. And breakfast. :)

Mosaic Monday: 2011 Calendar

This is the second year I have done a calendar from the free Shutter Sisters templates. This year, I had some printed up as 5" x 5" prints at Mpix, and I'm offering a few in my etsy shop. I'm also keeping one to use. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out, and it's very convenient to display on a bulletin or magnetic board. If you have Photoshop, go grab the template from Shutter Sisters and give it a whirl. It's so easy, and fun!

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your words of encouragement yesterday. Your comments always make my day, but they are especially appreciated when I'm feeling a little apprehensive about the future. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

1-1-11

Most years, I don't really get into the whole New Year's thing -- making resolutions, turning the page, choosing a word to guide my way... But this morning I woke up to a beautiful, warm and sunny day, and it just felt right to consider where I wanted to go this year and how to get there.

If I had to choose a word for this new year, as so many bloggers have done, I think it would be the word accomplish. There are so many things I have wanted to do, but have been afraid or, worse yet, too lazy to really try to do. But this year, I am making a conscious effort to change my drifting life, and really accomplish some of my goals.

And those goals are both big and small: exercise every day, eat more vegetables, paint my bedroom dresser, put up wainscoting in the kitchen, start a portrait photography business.

Start a portrait photography business -- yup, there's the one that scares the pants off me. I am so not a business woman. But I know that I'm smart, and if I just read and learn, I can find my way forward. I may need to make a trail, follow a path, without quite knowing what is over the horizon -- but sometimes a little faith is called for, no?

So that is what I'm going to do. Walk forward, with as much knowledge as I can find and a little bit of faith to guide me, and work toward accomplishing some of those goals.

Wish me luck!

*********

Don't forget to check out my giveaway, to see if you won!

*********

Are you ready for the first Mosaic Monday of the new year? The linky thingy will be up by 8:30 pm Eastern time Sunday. Hope to see you there!