Slump Time

Right now I'm going thru my creative slump.  It seems to happen every two-three months. 

I'm not allowing myself to get anxious about it though.  I'm already feeling the stirring to get my camera back out and begin working on my business.

Right now my date for having new pricing effective, new policies written and my website updated is October 1, 2012.

Excited....

Sara

Are You Wading or Jumping?

I don't know how to swim.  True story.  I can't even float.  True story.

But it doesn't really bother me.  Maybe, someday, I'll learn but it's not a priority in my life.

However, I do want to swim in the figurative sense.  I want to not have to wade at the edge of the hotel swimming pool of life, or the ocean of life (whichever you prefer).  I want to be able to take a running jump and dive, headfirst into the water

It's something I've been pondering recently.

There are lots of things I want to do.  Languages I want to learn, classes I want to take, books I want to write, photos I want to take, adventures I'd like to have and sometimes, instead of just going ahead and taking the leap to begin them (sending an email, signing up for a class, getting out my camera, etc) I start analyzing (yea, not a good word).  And before you know it, I've talked myself out of it.


I'm challenging myself (and you too, if you want to join me) to not analyze so much.   Instead, the next thing that I desire to do, I'm just going to run, jump and dive headfirst into it and see where it takes me.....

How about you?

Sara

Framing Keys & A New 365 Photo

  I FINALLY pulled my camera out.  It was feeling very, very neglected, especially since I promised to use it on Friday but didn't actually take it out until today.

  Anyway, I was feeling crafty after viewing this blog post on framing old keys.  I have had three keys from a necklace I purchased a while back parked on my dresser for a very long time.  I kept wondering what to do with them because I loved them but they were so tiny and I knew at some point I would deep clean my room and see them and think, 'really, I need to get rid of these because I have nowhere to put them.'.  So, after reading the post, I decided to try framing the three keys.

  After work today I went to Marshalls (I love all their floral, vintagey stuff) and looked for just  the right frame.  When I saw the one I purchased, I knew it was the one.

  Came home and began crafting right after supper. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done it.

  Here is the finished product as well as my photo of the day. 

  So, what do you think?  Give me feedback!! 

  Also, one of my goals this year was to complete 6 crafts.  So I've done one!!!! Yay for me.... =)

Sara

New 365 Photos [Finally]

  I have been sick, am still sick in fact, since last Tuesday.  I have Bronchitis. Something I haven't had since my childhood.  It's been quiet the adventure. 

  It's so funny how when you are sick it feels like this huge dream state and that you won't ever get out of being sick but it will just last and last and last and you might die in that terrible, purgatoryish state between feverish imaginations and foggy, mecidine induced trances.  Yea, that's how I feel in the worst stages of being sick.  Am I the only one?

  Anyway, I've gotten some antibiotics and the last two days have been a little better.  I was able to pick up my camera today and it felt so nice in my hands!!!  I took a picture of several of the things that have been sustaining me these past few days.

December 19, 2012





  Yes my friends, these three items are only a few of the things I found very dear to my heart during these past very long days (and nights).  I am so thankful for medicine and for Gatorade and juice in general. And cough medicine!!!

This photo below is one I mentioned that I was planning in the post last Wednesday.

December 11, 2012

  This verse is one that resounds in my head almost every day.  It helps me to refocus on the Lord no matter what situation I find myself in.  I thank the Lord that He is there to guide us even when everything seems like it's going awry.

Sara

What I've Learned from 3 Days of No Photos

  Today is the fourth day I havent taken a photo.  I actually plan to take one today and I have the perfect picture outlined in my head.

  I just haven't felt like picking up my camera since Saturday.  And its OK.  I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

  However, I am realize a few things about when I don't take my photo a day. 

  1-The days don't seem quiet as rich.  It's almost like looking forward to creating that one photo is the icing on a rather plain, boring cake.  There are so many options and opportunities to be creative with the photo and when I don't take it it's like I'm a non-creative being.

  2- When I go to bed at night I don't really feel I've accomplished anything.  Whereas, if I MAKE myself take that one photo, even if I've neglected the rest of that day's "to do" list, I can go to bed feeling like I've done something.

  3- It's MUCH easier to take a photo a day if you have specefic events or special occasions that you're going to.  All during the Christmas holiday's, I was so busy with friends to visit, holiday lights to see, holiday baking, etc. etc that there was a constant plethora of interesting things to photograph.  Now that it's January, there aren't that many events going on.

  So, having a break from the camera is ok.  Like I mentioned above, I'm not going to beat myself up or feel like I have to start over on my 365 day journey.  I just have to know I can't stay in this place forever. 

Sara

PS. What about you? Have you taken on a photo project for 2012 and are getting behind or have skipped a few days?  If so, I'd love to hear your remedy for getting back on track.....

Guilt Tripping - When it's a Good Thing

  At the end of September, I found an amazing website called www.365project.org.  In a nutshell, you commit to taking one photo a day for a year and posting it on this site.  I HAD to do it.  I wanted to practice and grow my photography and begin thinking outside the box.  So, I set up an account and began (entheusiastically) snapping away and posting every day.  But as the days passed (really, it wasn't that many, maybe a week at the most) my entheusiasm began lagging.  Sure, I was still snapping every day (or every other day) and posting them when I could but my initial excitement was gone.
 
  My last picture was posted on October 3, 2011.  My friends, that was 2 months and 11 days ago. 

  Honestly, I haven't given the project any but a passing thought during the past two months.  But that changed when last night one of my good friends posted on my 365 facebook album, "are you still doing this? your last picture was October 3rd....."!  Bring on the guilt.....And, of course the motivation.

  So that got me thinking, I'm glad she made me guilty (not intentionally of course) because now I plan to pick up my camera today and begin the project again.

  Which brought up some more deeper thoughts.  We don't see guilt as a good thing.  Normally it's associated with something negative.  But when guilt leads you to DO SOMETHING or CHANGE SOMETHING in your life to a positive, then it's a good thing. 

  On the spiritual side, guilt and shame and sorrow over the wrong things you've done can lead you to repentance.  2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."  When God shows you that you have done something wrong and it needs to be changed and you follow God's recipe for forgiveness (1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) then you can begin living your life anew, in a positive way!

  Bottom line, I am thankful for my friend's unintentional guilt trip.

Sara