Friday, December 10, 2010

POTD - Christmas Lights


POTD - Christmas Lights
©2010 Kristin Corlett

I was playing around with my settings last night and this is the result!  This house was decked out on the roof and on the ground.  You don't see too many houses like this out here in Florida so this was a nice surprise.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Friday Fragments



It's Friday Fragments Day!  
It's Friday Fragments Day!  

Our fearless leader is Mrs. 4444 whose blog, Half Past Kissing Time, is a JOY to read.  She has gathered many wonderful bloggers to Frag on Fridays and we love her for getting us all together.


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It's been kind of a busy day today.  I do believe that this busy day is going make up the majority of my Fragments!


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It's Thursday so that means that it's the Liver Transplant Support Group day.   We've been having giant groups the past 6 months.  Standing room only!  It's really nice because that means there are more families that get to know each other.   It's always good to have friends around when going through such extreme illnesses.  Even though we have just met everyone, we can become friends quickly.


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My husband had a liver biopsy today as a part of his five year post transplant evaluation.  That's quite a process.  The biopsy takes just a few minutes, but the patient has to lay on a gurney for 3-5 hours to make sure that there is no internal bleeding.  So we just sit and watch TV and chat a little.  I have to admit that I usually don't wait with Tom (I know, bad wife) because he is just going to sit and watch the news the whole time and not talk much, so I don't see the point in sitting there.  Today, since I was already there for the support group meeting, I decided to go and wait with him for the last two hours.

He watched the TV that was on an adjustable arm and it was about two feet in front of his face.  I sat in the chair and kept dozing off.  It was nice though.  I haven't had to be the caregiver for him in quite some time.   His five year birthday is Dec 23rd.


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This evening I went to my friend's church Christmas party.  It was the women's group actually.  Several of the women went with us to Rome in February, so I'm sort of an honorary member at times.  I was asked to bring my camera and take some photos of the event.  It was nice.  I was editing the pictures when I realized that I needed to finish my blog post!




Tomorrow night (Friday) I'm going to be with several of the women who were at the Christmas party tonight.  We are having a girls sleepover.  I think there may be a dozen of us!  I can guarantee that there's going to be a lot of giggling.  I'm really looking forward to it.


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One of the newest support group friends got the call last night and this morning he was given the gift of life by way of a liver transplant.   I spent the day with him and his mom two weekends ago.  I took them to the Riverside Arts Market and then drove them to a few lovely spots on the St. Johns River to see the houses that I photograph so often and just to see the beauty of Jacksonville.  We went into the Avondale community and I took them to an art gallery.  Then we had lunch and chatted up a storm.  I am so blessed to be a part of these peoples lives, even for this short amount of time.    I'm going to go see him in the hospital tomorrow.


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On some Animal Planet show that my husband was watching tonight he heard that hippos kill more people than any other animal in Africa.  I never saw hippos as being that big of a threat.  Maybe people get too close trying to take pictures or something.  If I ever go to hang out with hippos, I'm taking a zoom lens :)  Stay Away from the Hippos!



I sold my first photography print on Etsy this week to someone that I didn't know.  It wasn't a blogging friend, a real life friend, a relative, nothing...it was someone searching for a specific photo and I had it.  I was elated!  Wanna know what they got?  It was the gate detail at Bunratty Castle in Ireland.  I got it printed on metallic paper and it's gorgeous!  I'm always amazed at how lovely the photographs are once they've been printed.


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I guess that's it for tonight.  I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, Happy New Year and whatever else you may celebrate!  Birthdays, anniversaries, liver transplant birthdays - it's all being celebrated this month.

Kristin

POTD - Purple Ornaments


POTD - Purple Ornaments
©2010 Kristin Corlett

It's Christmas all the time around here.  I didn't intend for that to be the case, but I've fallen hard for a lot of these shots and I just have to feature them as the photo of the day.   This was another vignette from the hair salon - It was just a bonus that the ornament was purple!  Purple is my favorite color after all.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Kevin Bacon, Irish dancing, cats and cards.

I've been collecting these videos for the past week and I just can't hold on to them any longer.

Watch and enjoy.



This may be old news to you, but I just saw it and it made me laugh! Kevin Bacon is just such a hoot. I love that he can make fun of himself.



Here's an article on the clip at TV squad.



Two kitty cats gently playing with each other, but the soundtrack and the voice over is what really makes this video.  Take a peek!






I expressed my love for the duo Up & Over It when I posted their video here a few weeks ago (the Irish hand dancers) and now they have been featured in a McDonalds commercial. Since I'm a Burger King gal, it kind of irks me that they are on a McDonalds commercial, but I love that they are getting some more exposure. (I could only link to the video, not post it.)


And finally -



Who says that you can't have fun with a business card?  Well this kid can certainly do a lot with one.  This video was originally created to highlight the camera they wanted to sell.  I think the card throwing kid is the star.

POTD - ribbons and glass


POTD - ribbons and glass
©2010 Kristin Corlett

This is a beautiful glass ornament with white and gold ribbon that was a part of the decorations at the Aprés Salon where I did the photo shoot yesterday.  I really like all of the lights and rainbows reflecting in the glass. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Christmas at the salon


I had a great day today.  One I'd really like to repeat!  I was fortunate enough to photograph the Aprés Salon, where my fabulous stylist April is part owner.  She asked if I would photograph the salon all decked out for the holidays.

You know I said Yes!!

Since I'd already taken a lot of photos of Aprés Salon right after they opened, I decided to concentrate on the decorations.  I also needed to get one more shot for my photography class so this photo shoot was serving double duty!

Aprés Salon is such a lovely place every day, but I have to say, the vignettes that have been created around the salon add the perfect amount of holiday sparkle. 

Enjoy!
I'm starting off with the Christmas tree shot.  It's really the perfect size tree for the salon but the colors are so complementary to the whole place.



I like this little spot. 





This is the first thing you see when you walk in the door. 

The fabulous bathroom. 

This is a close up of the wreath on the door.  The light was so bright coming through the windows that this was the only way I was able to get a shot of the wreath.


Aprés Salon
14444 Beach Blvd., Suite 17
Jacksonville, FL, 32250
Phone: 904.992.2399

April is my stylist and if you happen to go in, let them know that The Goat sent ya!

Have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - Feliz Navidad


POTD - Feliz Navidad
©2010 Kristin Corlett

This was discovered painted on the window of a barber shop in my neighborhood.  It's the first sign of snow I've seen around here!

"Feliz Navidad" is also a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Año y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Año y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Monday, December 06, 2010

The unveiling


I mailed out my handmade Christmas ornaments a few days ago to my ornament swap partners, hosted by Freshly Blended. I think they have probably received them already, so it's time to unveil the ornaments!


I decided that I needed to use my photographs in the ornament.  That is what I do these days, so I thought it was appropriate, right?

I've always been intrigued with the matchbox as a small piece of art.  I've seen so many beautiful matchboxes and I hoped that I could come close to delivering.

Wellllllll, they are cute, but they are far from high art!



I took one of my snowman row photos and found that I could get three snowmen pictures out of it to fit on the matchbox.   Then I looked through my photo stash to find something festive for the other side.  I found several things, but I have to say that I really liked the palm trees best.


I decorated the matchboxes with green glitter glue, red sequins and some ribbon.   I received some red and white bakers twine as the embellishment on a package I received awhile back.  I saved it, hoping I could use it for something and I did!  I had just enough to use as the hanging loops for the boxes. 

I got a little carried away with the green glitter glue on the snowmen.  Sometimes I think I got them a little more St. Patty than I did Christmas!

If you'd like to see more of the handmade ornaments made by others in the groups (I was in group 11) there's a Flickr group.  There are some really creative folks out there!  I hope mine measure up.

I'll feature all of the beautiful ornaments that I received when I get them all.  They are really great, too, can't wait to show them off!

Have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - For Sale


POTD - For Sale
©2010 Kristin Corlett

This house is for sale.  It's got a lockbox on the front door, the house was empty, the exterior needed some clean up and there was a paper on the stoop.  It's in an excellent neighborhood, very close to the river and for a reasonable price I would totally move in and take care of it for them until they got it sold.  I wonder if the owners would go for that?

Enjoy!
Kristin

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Real v Artificial



I wrote a paper in college about real Christmas trees verses artificial trees.  I'm allergic to real trees, so when the more realistic artificial trees started surfacing I was on board.  When this assignment came up, I thought that might make a good argument.  I got a an A or a B on the paper, I'm not sure right now, but I do remember the professor having a long talk with me after class.  He was a "real" guy and couldn't imagine that anyone would ever buy an artificial tree.   I recall telling him that if I could buy stock in artificial trees I'd be a millionaire in a short time.  I told him that it was the wave of the future.

I do believe I was right.

I never did buy stock in artificial trees and I'm not a millionaire, but I do own an artificial tree. (shown above)  This is my tiny table top condo version.  

So what do you have?  Real? Artificial? One of each? 

Have a great week!
Kristin

POTD - Holiday decorations

POTD - Holiday decorations
©2010 Kristin Corlett

The Neptune Beach area of Jacksonville have some great decorations.  Last year they had giant christmas bulbs and this year they have these lifeguard chairs with wreaths.  I can't wait to go back when there isn't an event going on and take more photos of these chairs.  I'm just fascinated with lifeguard chairs and bonus!  I don't have to walk through sand to get to them!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Bicycle Parade

Unknown Mami


To see more great cities go on over to Sundays in my City.  This is what I did in my city, Jacksonville, FL yesterday.   Unknown Mami, our host for SIMC is the best!


I'm finding Christmas time in Florida to be a lot of fun. This is the first year that I've made an effort to go to the event that are happening around town and I'm finding that I have missed out on some events.

Today was the Beach Town Center Holiday Celebration. There was a bicycle parade, Santa, a little train for the kids, Mr and Mrs. Claus and of course, the lighting of the Christmas Tree. It was a kids event, as there was a ton of things just for them, but I had a great time.

Even the adults had fun, like the woman above who rode in the bicycle parade dressed up as a Christmas Tree. She won second place in her age group!

On the top of her head she had a hat with a springy thing with a star on top.  The middle was green tulle with ornaments, brown tights representing the trunk of the tree and I think the socks were supposed to be like the tree skirt.



These boys opted for the Jacksonville Jaguar Santa hat colors.  I can't remember what bikes they had but I think they also won a prize for best dressed bike.


This vehicle called for family member participation.  


Razor scooters were a popular entry in today's parade.


This was my favorite entry.  The sign said "Just Merried" and the dad was attaching these cool round coke bottles to the back of the kids bike.  hee hee


Rudolph even made an appearance.  Clever use of pine branches!



Here they come around the corner.  Grandma's scooter was entered.



This was a cute tricycle!



A dance troupe came in and did a couple of routines.  They were very good. 


But I think my very favorite part of the event was watching these two girls sitting in the bushes with their reindeer antlers on.  They played and played and the antlers just kept bobbing and dipping.  Too cute.

My photography assignment this week was to get some action shots.  I'm not sure if any of these are great compositionally, but I enjoyed taking them!  It's nice that the bicycle event came around when I needed action shots :)

Hope you're having a great weekend.
Kristin

POTD - Quilling


POTD - Quilling
©2010 Kristin Corlett

This lovely quilled snowflake is among my favorite ornaments, although I have to admit, I really don't have any ornaments I don't like.  It sure makes a pretty shadow.  It's among my favorite shadows!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Friday, December 03, 2010

Wise words from Santa


One year the plain brown box that held these ornaments was magically decorated with this beautiful tissue paper.

The neatest thing is that it was wrapped Soap Opera style.  That means that instead of ripping off the paper to reveal the contents, the box lid and box bottom have been wrapped separately so the lid can just be removed without damaging the paper.   This type of gift wrapping is common in TV shows (and soap operas) so they can do the scene over and over again without having to rewrap the box. 


Inside the box with the two ornaments was a note from Santa.


Dec '94 Housewarming

These two ornaments have spent 19 years in that box.

If ever you quarrel - look at the box & the ornaments ... and resolve.

Love Always,
Santa


This housewarming gift was given to Alison* and I.  She was given the yellow ornament and I was given the purple.   I guess I was got possession of these when we moved into separate places a few years later.  I'll have to ask her if she'd like to take care of them for a few years.




These ornaments have always been my favorites.  We had two or three of each color, but I do believe that these are the sole survivors.  They are so fragile that they aren't allowed to be on the tree anymore.  Several years ago I picked one up and it literally disintegrated in my hands.

These ornaments will probably remain in that box for a very long time.  However, they've now made it 26 years -  I guess they've already passed their silver anniversary!

It's always so much fun to go through the ornaments. 

Have a great weekend!
Kristin


*Alison is my sister and we had just moved into an apartment together.  I was 28 and she was 21.  We ended up living together for two years.  It was a very very good two years. 

POTD - Address Stamp


POTD - Address Stamp
©2010 Kristin Corlett

Funny thing happened on the way to the mailbox.  I realized that I didn't have any more address labels for my Christmas cards.  Zero.  None.  Nada.

I thought about printing some on label sheets, but we've tried that before and our printer will not feed the paper evenly, so the addresses are always on multiple labels.  So I did what any desperate person does, who doesn't want to write her return address on 100 envelopes, I bought a do-it-yourself custom message stamp with over 590 characters! 

It's actually very cool and I'm very happy that I have it now.  I love the font and the spacing and the totally handmade look to it.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Friday Fragments



It's Friday Fragments Day!  
It's Friday Fragments Day!  

Our fearless leader is Mrs. 4444 whose blog, Half Past Kissing Time, is a JOY to read.  She has gathered many wonderful bloggers to Frag on Fridays and we love her for getting us all together.


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 Now that's a deal!  haha!


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A while back I posted a link to beach sounds.  If crashing waves and seagulls aren't your thing, you may enjoy Sounds of the Forest. (I can't find the beach link right now, but I'm sure it was in a FF post.)


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Happy red business card file by Free Style Gifts. Oh my goodness, this card file is made from old record albums.  I love all the crazy colors, but this Etsy seller also has a black and white version which is just as nifty.


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The above photo is from Roadside America and shows Mark Cline, the creater of Foamhenge in Natural Bridge, Virginia.  I was sitting next to a couple today at lunch who mentioned that they had been to this place and they loved it.  I'm thinking I may need to add this to my list of places to go see the next time I drive to Michigan. 


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Simple decorating ideas make me happy.  Oooh, I'll have to add that to my happy list! This idea that I found over at oh, hello friend: you are loved, is fun.  It's practical, inventive and so simple. By the way, isn't that just the loveliest name ever?  I enjoy seeing that blog in my reader.


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My husband came home on Monday.  He was dead tired after several very long days on the road and three weeks of being hunter man in Michigan.  He went to bed very early and I didn't come to bed until 2am or so.  When I did crawl into bed he did something that he never does.  He put his arm around me and pulled me over to his side of the bed and cuddled with me.  It was kind of funny because after two months of us being apart (I was in MI for a month and then he was in MI a month) I wasn't used to having anyone in my bed, let alone cuddling with me!  It was very sweet.


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I think I'll end my Friday Fragments post on that note.
Have a wonderful day!
Kristin

POTD - Vintage ornaments


POTD - Vintage Ornaments
©2010 Kristin Corlett

It's so much fun seeing all of the vintage Christmas ornaments in the antique shops this time of year.  I would love to stage little vignettes and spend a day photographing all of it.  The shop owners frown on that unfortunately so I need to just click click when I get the chance.  This was a pretty beat up box of ornaments, but I loved the santa standing on the chimney.

Enjoy!
Kristin

I used Photobucket to alter the photo a bit by using Fresco and then the Vignette border.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Yes! I got it!





The mini assignment has been completed!  Whatever was holding me back for the this part of the assignment finally clicked this evening.

In the photos above - which one do you think looks the best?  (properly exposed) 1, 2, or 3?

Lisa wondered if I was possibly being a perfectionist about the assignment.  (I've been known to be that way, so it was a good question to ask)  I thought seriously about that and went through my photos again and no, there was something wrong.   Maybe several somethings.

I thought maybe my gray cards were too light, so I went to Kinkos with a file for the gray cards and they came back VERY different than the ones I had printed.  I think getting that part right was half the battle!

I was also setting up my scene in poor light, so once I moved the scene and chose a few different colors all of a sudden could see what I needed.

The second part of of the assignment I still haven't done.  Once I finally got the gray card section finished, my model went to bed.   I think he knew that I needed a model.   I just read through the third part of the assignment and I think I can get that done tonight as I don't need a model to complete it. 

Week three was given last night, so I don't want to get too far behind.  I also didn't want to fake learning this part - it's obviously very important!

The middle photo, number 2, is the properly exposed photo and I got two thumbs up from my instructor.   Whew!


Oh, I love that plate.  It's from IKEA and I only purchased one.  I didn't need a set, but I needed one!
I really did need it.  :^)

Happy December!
Kristin

POTD - Sailboats


POTD - Sailboats
©2010 Kristin Corlett

Sailboats sitting in the water in St. Augustine, FL.   I really like the pops of color against the cloudy sky.  It's just so pretty. 

Enjoy!
Kristin