Room to explore

About 2 years ago i got my first DSLR. I have loved photography for a long time, probably stemming from my dad’s love of being behind the lens and the beautiful images from my childhood that he captured and are now treasured. I was given a Kodak Advantix for my 18th birthday... you know the ones where you just drop the film in and then it sorts it out for you. I was so pleased with it! My own camera! It came on camping trips and to murder mystery parties and before long I had boxes and boxes of pictures.Then when I turned 21 I was given my first digital camera and that was it.. me hooked! As the years went on my Nikon Coolpix and I shared a lot of times together, big memories, like our move to Long Island and the road trips to Washington and Niagara Falls. The Nikon recorded the trips back home for weddings and Andy’s graduation and provided memories for me to hold when I returned to being 3500 miles away from family and friends.

Anyway, to cut a very long story short, whilst I loved my Nikon with all my heart,  I found I wanted more. I was ready to explore more with my photography... along came the Canon 400D... and it makes my heart sing! It goes everywhere with me. In the past 2 years there have probably only been 2 or 3 days when it has not been by my side. And finally I could explore. And with that has come my abstracts. I just love playing and creating and letting the camera see what it wants to see. I know a lot of people don’t really get it. Can’t see what they are meant to be looking at. Think its not artistic because it was created in a few seconds. Or just don’t like abstract stuff anyway. Which is completely fine, its not for everyone. But for me its about letting go. About being free and capturing a moment, a feeling. Most of them involve me jumping around or dancing in the sunshine. Letting go, giving up creative control and allowing the camera to show me what is there. I love the mystery in them too, that only I know the moment that the image is talking about. I love that others may see their own moment in the image or their own emotions. They leave room for others to explore too. See what they want to see. 

So what do you think... have I tempted you to give it a go for yourself? 

finished!

Ok so you know I said I was collecting buttons for a project? Well I finished it yesterday and thought you might like to see....

Yep... Its a button lamp! I have threaded my favourite buttons onto a lampshade frame and now I can look at them all the time. I found this lamp base in TK Maxx (one of my favourite shops) and it was super cheap... bonus! Then I collected the buttons (I already had quite a few but I picked up some bargains from ebay too) and voila!

It was a lot of fun to do, searching through the button tin and selecting the right ones in the right size and it was so simple! And I think it has turned out quite cute. Although it took far more buttons than I thought it would... 254 in total.

Plus It casts some cool shadows when lit!

I keep looking at it, trying to choose my favourite button, favourite row. And when I have looked and looked at one section I can just turn it around! winner.

So... what do you think?

In awe...

I stumbled across this amazing music video today. Its 'I Don't Know' by Lisa Hannigan. Not only is the music beautiful but the paper art is stunning. It totally tempts me to go find the scissors and huge sheets of paper! The final creation is revealed in the last few moments so keep watching! Hope you fall in love with it like I did!

Go on... treat yourselves to a few minutes of soothing goodness...

A little bit of wonder...

I have been collecting buttons for quite a while now, I have a craft project in mind that I need quite a few for... I think I am nearly there! (I will post a shot of the finished product) But they never fail to capture my attention. What is it about buttons? Best kept in a tin so they make a gorgeous sound when you are riffling through.

When I was young I would be amused for hours searching through my nan and mother's selection. Carefully choosing my favourites. Then lining them up and admiring my choice. I would then ask everyone around me to choose their favourites too and be fascinated by what they chose and why. They seem to say a lot about a person... to me anyway!

Now as I have my own collection (in a tin!) I can't help but wonder about their history. Who did they belong to, what garment did they adorn? Were they cherished or did they fall away un-noticed? Were they worn amongst hundreds down the aisle holding precious memories or solitarily catch tears that fell in moments of sorrow? Such little things that can hold such significance. And now they have found their way to me, in my little corner of the forest! And you know what... whatever the past history... they are most certainly loved now!