Our little Treasures

Hello everyone.

Today, I’ll post my response to the assignment “Treasure”.  I was overloaded with ideas for this one.  Of course, my husband Joe is a treasure.  It’s been a busy week, and we’ve been coming and going it seems.  My new wedding band is definitely a treasure.  I can’t believe that we are now living in the world that we are.

I also treasure our dear companions, Dudley and Lucky the “kitty-potamusses”.  Although, they are getting up in years, they continue to be a comfort around the house.  Lucky has his own personal treasure.  It’s his purple pillow.  If he’s not eating or going downstairs to do his business, you’ll likely find him luxuriating on the famous purple pillow.  What a life…

I hope you enjoy meeting our boys!

dudley eyes wp_1024 lucky on the purple pillow wp_1024

Have a creative day!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

County Road PP

Hello everyone.  I’m posting another photo today for the Photo101 assignment “Double”.

Q:  There are a three doubles in the photo.  Can you find them?

county road pp wp_1024

I know this is a quirky photo, but I noticed the doubles, and thought it was a perfect response to the assignment.

Have a creative day!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

A:Two Sinks, Double P’s, and the diptych of Buddha

The Edge of Paradise

Hello everyone.  For today’s photo challenge, I’m taking it back to quilting.  The assignment, “to capture an edge”.  Of course to me… I think of the edge of a quilt, the binding.

This quilt has 4 different treatments to the binding, but today, I’m going to give you a detail shot of the flowers, accented by the edge treatment between the center and the border.  I really love color, and the combinations in this quilt are perfect.

bird of paradise quilt wp_1024I paper-pieced this beautiful quilt nearly 10 years ago.  Bird-of-Paradise blooms are one of my favorite flowers, and I just love this design.

Have you tried paper piecing before?  It is time consuming, but the results are such perfect, sharp points.  I’ve learned a few different methods over the years.  If you are curious, a link to a paper piecing tutorial can be found here.  This is the way, I do it nowadays.

Happy Quilting,

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

 

Glass Fringe

Hello everyone.  I’ve had a busy beginning to this Thanksgiving week.  I am a few days behind on the Photo 101 challenges.  I’m going to catch up now.

For Tuesday’s assignment, we were to photograph glass.  Our house is filled with glass.  To be specific, we both collect glassware, and our home has 47 windows.

I just finished sewing 80 more strip sets for my scrappy quilts, and turned off the main studio lights, thinking I’d head to bed.

However, I noticed the awesome fringe on this lamp, just outside my studio in the hallway.  It’s late in the evening, so not much light in the upstairs hallway, except for one of the bulbs in this lamp.  I love the effect that a lone light can play on the mood in the area.

I had to play with my camera.  My favorite things about this photo…

lamp fringe wp_1024

1-the mood the light gives.

2-playing with the juxtaposition of in-focus strands against the out-of-focus ones in the background.

3-the way the layers just lure you into the center of the lamp.

I hope you enjoy this photo too.  Have a great night on this Thanksgiving Eve!

Create something special!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

Sunset Lane

Looking South from Sunset Lane
Looking South from Sunset Lane

Hello everyone. For today’s assignment, “Landscape”, I headed out around our great town with my camera in hand. I thought about a shot of Stalker Lake. Umm, not today. I saw the bluffs behind the school, and actually settled on a spot just down the road. I expected to focus more on the cliffs, but the sunshine was bound and determined to take center stage.
I was glad there were a few clouds to add more interest to the gorgeous blue sky.
The dirt road does pull you into the scene, and I love the way the sun rays explode in the sky.
I’d say it’s another beautiful day here on the eastern plains of Colorado.
Have a great day, and be inspired.
Fellow Quilter,
Brian

Kewpies

Hello everyone.  Today, for my Photo101 posting, I’d like to share this “Swarm” of Kewpie Dolls.

My Sister-In-Laws doll collection is very large.  You can’t help but wonder what they might be thinking, Right?

Enjoy this small sampling of some of her favorites.

A few of Ann's Kewpie Dolls...
A few of Ann’s Kewpie Dolls…

Her first doll was made by the Cameo company, and she received Kewpie (We call her “Number 1”) for her birthday as a small girl.  “Number 1” is on the right with the necklace.  If you want to read more about Cameo Dolls click here.

Have a creative day!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

Stop

Hello everyone.  Here is my entry for “Moment”.  The assignment… to capture a moment, and enhance the photo with blur or motion.  I think the photo is pretty cool.  I am pleased with the location, which is the auto parts store along the highway in our town.  I did enhance the color vibrance with photoshop a bit to give it an ethereal vibe.

auto stop wp_1024Have a creative day!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

 

Craftsman

Hello everyone.  Today’s photo blogging prompt… “Architecture”.  Well, that was an easy target.  Joe and I love our 95 year-old craftsman bungalow.  We are only the third owners of this grand home, and it’s beautiful inside, and out.  I could have shown you photos of the original woodwork inside.  Mrs. Groves had the foresight to apply 15 coats of varnish to the trim and doors, so aside from a few minor dings, they are as perfect as they were back in 1919.

I chose to go outside.  It’s been pretty cold here, but today is a bit of a break from that.  I took several totes of recycling to the local center, and I shot 38 photos of our home, all in black and white.  (a suggestion from the photo blogging assignment team)

I chose two images.  One for the literalists, and one is a bit more abstract thinking.

A beautiful craftsman bungalow, built in 1919 by T. Barr and Merle Groves
A beautiful craftsman bungalow, built in 1919 by T. Barr and Merle Groves
Architectural Elements - from about a century apart.
Architectural Elements – from about a century apart.

Let me know in the comments which image you like better.

Have a creative day!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian

Flower

tomatoes and dish towel

Hello everyone.  Today’s Photo Blogging Challenge was “Pop of Color”.  I had originally planned to photograph three hedge apples in the kitchen.  This dish towel was on the towel bar, and these tomatoes were on the counter, so I created a small still life to showcase the wonderful color.  The lighting was great, streaming in from a couple of windows and reflecting on the luscious skin of the fruit.  I hope you enjoy!

This photo might make you hungry, so I’ve linked to a recipe for Tomato Bisque Soup.

Have a creative day.  Use some color!

Fellow Quilter,

Brian