Photo-Heart Connection

        Do you have favorite photos, ones that really touch your heart, bring back beautiful memories, or preserve a special someone or sometime?  Are they usually the very "professional" well composed and perfectly exposed shots?  Or are they just a great "capture" taken spontaneously?

Every year Kat Sloma hosts a Photo-Heart Connection. It is open to everyone who loves to take photos.

At the first of the month, participants  go through photographs taken during the previous month, culling for those that really speak to them.

Hmmm January what should I choose...well there was Chinese New Year with the tradition of throwing oranges with notes attached high into our trees, (ours are still swaying high), fresh cooked duck and fish, lo mien noodles...fresh not dried....yes a beautiful, colorful, fragrant time to celebrate.

Then we had unexpected snow and cold weather here in the south. That certainly warranted picture snapping since it isn't common place.

We went to Chicago to spend time with our daughter and her daughter. That was the time of the sub zero storms and closure of the Chicago airports...well not too many pictures then....afraid I might crack my lens.

So hard to choose, but choose I did. TECHNICALLY they are the least well done with their cluttered backgrounds, wiggly-moving-jumping little people, poor lighting and lots of extraneous things going on inside our home.

Storyline: Our kids from the eastern side of North Carolina spontaneously came for a visit, wanting to share their dogs and  prepare an authentic Chinese New Year feast. Lemon and Frito are rescue dogs who had been badly abused but through lots of care and oodles of love are now healthy, loving and beautiful dogs. We were excited to introduce them to our three grandchildren, the Funny Bunnies, who live down the street.

Number One and Two Bunnies took to the dogs like kids take to ice cream....sweet, messy and fast.

But the littlest Bunny was extremely nervous, hesitant, clinging to mom or Grammy, and screaming if the dogs got near.  Well give her a few hours, lots of reassurance and she adopted the more gentle one, Lemon, running around holding her tail...(yup one of the blurry photos, beyond repair! but still precious)

Out of dozens of photos I have only had time to work on a few...as I needed to get rid of the clutter of table, chairs, furniture, background people, etc. Not knowing what I was doing, didn't help.

Then I wanted to try a few textures...well one thing led to another...

However, these are the photos that touched my heart as I think of the past, fast paced month of January.

Fritos was once a very sick, neglected and abused dog.  Lemon instantly, bonded with her. They are now inseparable.  

 Kim Klassen's texture Gracie 

Lemon and Fritos have the cutest outfits....I love this one.  Funny Bunny One is growing up....in this reflective photo I can see the maturity in her face...she sat with the dogs for long periods of time, just loving LOVING them.

Kim's Belize Texture

Rad Lab/Sugar processing.

To love an animal is a beautiful thing.

When taking photographs.....it is the memory that counts.

Thank you Kim for your textures and thank you Kat for making it possible to share our favorite photographs.

May Flowers

May almost swept passed me in a blur of rain, rain and more rain; budding green leaves bursting in translucent glazes of green; azaleas and hydrangeas dressed in lavender blue, hot pink to coral; birds flocking to seed filled feeders eager to quench their youngs' budding appetites; stagnant winter lawns overnight sprouting to the height of pasture grass  and lazy-day porches decked with freshly painted white wicker rockers, colorful cushions and green ferns swinging from hooks. 

Isn't it the musical Camelot that sings an ode to May?

May really is one of the most beautiful months of the year here in the South. 
And now we hopscotch into June...that is "bustin' out all over."  

It is Texture Tuesday at Kim's creative space, and I couldn't let the month pass without sharing a touch of May color.

But first, may I publicly express my sincere hope and prayers
for Kim's husband, John, who became seriously ill a few weeks ago.  Together they will be on a long journey.   
I know that there are legions of fans and followers of Kims that wish them both the very best....spiritually, mentally and physically. 

These beautiful blooms aren't the vibrant colors that I originally photographed.  Through digital magic they are presented with a beautiful "old world" sensibility: like a piece of faded ecru tatting; a cherished letter fading into tints of  sepia; a long ago forgotten flower, almost colorless, with a story to tell. 

For the first time I used Florabelle Black and White actions. Once I loved what I randomly came up with, I washed over them with Kim's Grunged Up texture.

Blessings to you Kim, John and your family.

Texture Tuesday: India

Like pungent cardamon, a thousand shafts of seed falling on soiled saris of silk., blaring Sun beats down like a heavy crown of gold. Survival--life-- comes through cooperation and care of one another.

original painting 

Adding textures to this painting seems to make it more REAL, more AUTHENTIC. Life is hard from a physical stand point. However, Life is lived to its fullest potential, family, children, faith, home, food and companionship. 

Thank you Kim Klassen. for lovely textures. Peace, Scratched Magic textures, plus brushes around edges.
Heart Thought: put yourself in another culture, another place, another home. You would still be who you are, your essential core stays the same. We blossom where we grow.


Until another day, stay happy. Sharon