Eyes Wide Open

Today while to much of the World seems to be in Chaos, may we find moments to Walk Slowly with our Spirits Open to all of the Positive and Good.

Thank you for taking a few moments to visit with me.  Sharon

LR:  KK Light Airy/ 4make matte   PS: KK Anne/soft light 60%    Thank you Kim for the wonderful presets, they are a joy to work with.  The original photos are intense with brilliant color, a few tweaks and it is like seeing an ocean through  a different filter.

RED

Colors are universal, and throughout the ages, many different colors have been associated with different religious and spiritual meanings.


But one aspect of color holds true in every corner of the world. The colors we chose are not arbitrary, but hold personal meaning for us. Spending time in Asia, one sees clearly the spiritual meaning of the combination of marigold yellow and crimson in the Buddhist and Hindu faiths.


We definitely have certain colors that “attract us.” The colors we chose are deliberate, carefully selected, and have personal meaning to us as an expression of "who we are".


What is your primary color, your preferences? I am a seasonal person. So in December it is every shade of RED possible…but just wait, February PINK is coming up!!


It was fun going around photographing favorite items…only qualification was something RED!

These beautiful topiaries are in the rotunda of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Every season the rotunda is graced with the most beautiful plants and shrubs. You can’t take a poor photograph; every angle is bursting with fragrance, color and composition.

These adorable little hedgehogs were purchased 15 years ago in Bavaria. They just had to come home with me and every December their adorable little faces are there to smile at. The cookie tin was just that, a generic tin box. I transformed it into a little container painted ‘folk-art’ style.

Speaking of folk art, I studied this art form for many years and had the pleasure of working with several German artists to learn the true German way of painting. This red tray was done at that time. It is difficult to tuck it away after the holidays.

Let’s skip to Bali and their wonderful story-telling-puppets that are so intriguing and elegant. Just hanging them on the wall, brings a beautiful part of Asia to our home. I had the opportunity to teach an art class at my granddaughter’s class. We made our own Balinese puppets and they were fabulous.

On the Smithsonian Mall, next to the National Gallery of Art is our second favorite museum, The Native American Museum. They have an exhibition room that showcases one Native American artist’s work…of very high caliber! This red square is a sewn wall hanging constructed of RED clothing of every kind imaginable. It is at least 30' by 50’. I have never seen anything like it. It is sewn together like a puzzle…how in the world did they sew in the middle of it? It was fascinating to figure out the various garments used.

These tiles are simple ceramic bathroom tiles painted with glass paints and used for trivets during the holidays. So simple yet so charming.

This year I was gifted with two amazing bouquets of flowers. My birthday is near December so it is always a challenge for a gift giver. My sister sent the amazing RED roses and my daughter sent the equally amazing baby orchids to remind me of Bali. Who needs a Christmas tree with such beautiful flowers? They brought such happiness to my heart.

Truth and Bedevilment

TRUTH: I am in love with my iphone! My computer tags along with me wherever I go. My printer is my trusty friend. I love all electronic gadgets. A good day is browsing through Best Buy!

TRUTH: I want to be semi-literate in the electronic age of. Facebook, Blogging, Photo Editing, Websites...you name it and I want to do it. DO IT ALL!!!!

BEDEVILMENT: if you spot a red head with smoke coming out of her ears; glowing eyes neon pink; fingers trembling like the last lonely leaf on the tree, it is probably ME trying to learn all these Modern Day Madness methods of COMMUNICATING!

Case in point: PHOTOSHOP. All around me are magazines with glossy pictures created in Photoshop; open any blog and the writer "touches up" her offerings in Photoshop!!! Hundreds of magazines and books devoted to its devotees.

TRUTH: I have taken two classes (albeit years apart) in Photoshop. Bought updated programs. Own three books (and not the Dummies kind.) My sister a PHOTOSHOP-GENIUS sent me a 100.00 book, top tier!  And still the hair on my head sizzles!  So I wishy-washy between Picassa and Photoshop.  What is a girl to do?????

TRUTH: I signed up for an online course given by djpettit. http://www.djpettitt.com/ a wizard at manipulating photos to seriously die for.  It starts this week. Don't tell my family, please!

BEDEVILMENT: we had to download a form of a zipped file!! Zipped file, I thought only pants and skirts had zippers!  Okay, she suggested Stuffit Expander. At midnight, I did just that. And promptly LOST it. I searched for hours for Stuffit...I was ready to tell it where to stuff it I was so frustrated. I limped to bed with my tail between my legs, this just wasn't fair, my heart was in the right place, just not my brain.  So this morning after I finish writing, I will start all over again. RESOLVE!!

TRUTH: this isn't the last that I will write concerning  Photoshop. I will post my first efforts...and I hope you will all applaud!!!