Selfie Time

The Capture Your 365 monthly photo challenge prompt for Jan 4th was "This is so me / Self-Portrait". Today I was playing with the camera in my phone and took a selfie. I usually don't do the selfie thing cause I'm too busy taking pictures of everything else. This photo is SO me. I'm sitting in my work truck wearing my orange hoodie and my Wally's work coat. I'd wear that everywhere but my BFF and daughter give me a hard time cause it doesn't flatter me but darn it's warm! I don't like being cold. Lol. 

January 4th - This is so Me / Self-Portrait

Capture Your 365 January Challenge

This month I've decided that I will complete a monthly challenge. I've done bits and pieces over the last several years but never completed a whole month. This month will be different. I'll start by completing a day. Then a week. Then I'll have a month done. I can eat an elephant one bite at a time. Doing the challenge for a month is my elephant. I can do this little by little - bite by bite. 

January 1st - Fresh Start

 I thought the first page of a notebook would be a great background. Fresh notebook and the quote about the Fresh Start just seem to fit the prompt.

January 2nd - One Word

 

 This picture is a contrast. The background is blurry but the word focus is clear. I used a low aperture setting and held an object in front of me for the camera to focus on then took a picture of my Christmas tree. I used my Samsung N5 to write my name and upload it to my computer. In Photo Shop I changed the background of the focus photo to be transparent and combined it with the photo of the blurry tree.  

 Today's prompt is "This is so me / Self-Portrait" and I haven't done it. I'm kind of at a loss of what to take so I'm going to put this one on the back burner and think about it. I can come back later and take a photo that will make the statement. Tomorrow's prompt is "Need This" and I can think of many items that will fit that prompt. Just have to go to Lowe's and take a picture of the Saw I want and I'll be good to go. Lol.

FOCUS

 

 January 2 Capture Your 365 photo prompt is One Word. How perfect as that fits with the One Little Word class I'm taking. 

I used my Christmas Tree to create a Bokeh photo. I set my camera in Aperture Mode and set the aperture to the lowest setting I could. I held an item at arm's length and "forced" my camera to focus on it. I then took the picture so the lights and tree is blurry. To get my handwriting on the photo I used my Galaxy Samsung S5 note taking feature to write the word "focus" which I uploaded to my computer then cropped. I found a video on YouTube by Visual Broccoli called "Removing a Background in PhotoShop Elements" that taught how to remove a background in a photo and make it transparent. After I did that I placed my word on the Bakeh photo and saved. Took a little time to get the way I wanted the photo to look but I think turned out great. Makes the statement I wanted.

Catching Up

I've been behind in my writing. As much as I keep telling myself I am going to post at least every other day, it just isn't happening right now. So much is going on. My daughter has a baby on the way and I get the chance to spend time with my grandchildren when Laura needs me to watch them. I'm also trying to keep up with my school work and projects I want to do. I'm working to get caught up with my Project Life for 2014. I have Week 2 complete and am starting on Week 3. I'm not too far behind. As long as I only get a week or two behind then I'll be able to keep up.

My Week 2 of Project Life turned out to be three pages. But that's okay. Some weeks may only be one page and others may be more.

This week was my granddaughter June's third birthday so lots of pictures was taken. Then I had some things that documented what I did. I worked on June's quilt and almost got it completed. I read about an "new" way to do my hair. I gave a sock bun a try. It was so much easier than I thought it would be. 

Last year I didn't get past my Week 1 in Project Life in this format. I switched to a smash book Project Life because I was on travel and that was an easier form to carry with me. I still have to complete that but it's doable. I'll work on getting that done here and there. 

I've also been doing the Capture Your 365 challenge. Although I'm not diligent to take a picture every day I've been following the prompts and taking pictures of some of what's on the list. It will take time for me to get into the habit of taking a picture every day.

Here's more of my Capture Your 365 photos. 

January 9 - Where I Stand (Capture Where I Stand)

I've not gotten any of my January Bucket List completed yet. I still have some days in January left to complete it. I have to admit I am not too hopeful that I'll get them done so I'll just roll them over to February. February may fly by just as quickly as January. The new baby is due to arrive February 10th so free time may be at a minimum then too. I may just have to give up on sleep and get my stuff done. But with the excitement of a new baby, who can sleep anyway?!

Busy Week

This has been a pretty busy week. Last Sunday was my granddaughter's birthday, I've been editing & uploading pictures to Snapfish for printing, working on my Project 52, studying and working, Last night I got my first week of Project 52 or Project Life complete. Here's what it looks like -

I'm using Becky Higgin's Project Life 5th & Frolic, Honey, Seasons and Holidays as my core kits. I'm mixing things up by adding paper from other lines as filler and background cards. I like things to flow so I tend to coordinate and match colors. At least for that week. The only reason I'm adding to the core kits is that I like to have filler card with sayings on them and background cards to put pictures on. But using Project Life Core Kits as my "jumping off" point is a big help.

I've also been doing Capture Your 365. I've not gotten everyday done but the days I miss, I'm going back and catching up on. 

Here's my pictures for 
January 2 - Goals

I hung this on my wall to remind me of what I want to do this year.

January 4 - A Little Bit (Create a Self Portrait) 

  I thought a profile would work.

January 5 - With a Fork 

 The Princess eating her personal birthday cake with a fork.

January 6 - Unique (Create a Macro Photo) 

This is a close up of the quilting pins.

 

January 8 - Blue

 A block from the Buttons & Bows quilt I'm making.

 

I still have to catch up 4 days but I've got some ideas.

 

I recently was doing some surfing and I found a new way to wear my hair. It's called a sock bun. I went out yesterday to the dollar store and picked up a sock. I cut off the foot, rolled the sock up into a "donut" then rolled my hair up in it. It took me three attempts but I think I got it. My hair is almost to my waist so it takes a little bit of maneuvering but I managed. Here's what I came up with.

 

 I'll definitely be using this trick again. The best part is that my hair doesn't feel heavy which is great. A lot of times when I put my hair up I end up with a headache by the end of the day. I'll see how things go.

Starting Capture Your 365 Challenge

I sort of started doing the Capture Your 365 Photo Challenge last year put it was hit or miss. So this year I've decided to participate completely. I am going to do this challenge. I'm sure there will be days that I miss, catch up on another day or substitute with another photo. But I'm not going to beat myself up when I skip. Here is the photo list for January. 

 

  

Here are the photos I've done so far.

Celebrate --

I can't think of a better way to celebrate than a Very Berry Smoothie.

Winter Sports -- 

My grand-children's version of ice skating. 

I've not gotten Day 2 - Goals done yet but I have an idea of what I want to do. To remind me of what I want to accomplish this year I am creating a "sign" that I'm going to hang up where I see often to remind me and keep me motivated. It's hard to stay on track to complete a goal if you forget what it is. Lol.  When I get my sign posted, then I'm going to take a picture and use that as my Goal photo.

 I am going to incorporate Capture Your 365 into my Project 52 that I am doing this year. I started doing Project 52 last year and only got to Week 7. This year I want to complete the whole year. I did print out pictures from last

2014 New Year Resolutions and Bucket List for January

Happy New Year!! It's a new year and a new beginning. A fresh start. I do have some resolutions in place.  Here they are:

Spend time with the Lord daily
Go to church
Volunteer monthly
Exercise 3 time a week
Do 1 Personal Bucket List item a month
Complete Project 52
Complete CaptureYour365
Complete 50 layouts
Sew 12 projects


I'm starting to get the "itch" to get some projects done. I've made a short list for the month of January to get me started.  I'm hoping as I cross items off I'll start to get really motivated and get the list, plus some, done.

Here's what I'd like to accomplish each month in general -
Scrap four layouts this month
Finish sewing one project 
Exercising 3 time a week 
Getting onto a regular daily schedule 
Keep up with my Project 52

Here are specific things I want to get done this month.
Finish Americana Wall Hanging
Finish Buttons & Bows Quilt Baking page
Scrap Cake Pop Baking page
Scrap Carl's Ice Cream page
Make Spice Cake Balls
Orange Cream Cupcakes