Outside: autumn leaves

Well, autumn is upon us, so that means it's time to wander around outside with the camera...

 reflections

 oak leaves in autumn

oak mix

propeller

Outside: Autumn begins

The first day of fall was officially 22 September. So, the leaves have started to turn in the last week or so. And that means it's time to charge up the camera batteries and put on my shoes and go wander around and enjoy the season. So, here we go:

So, the leaves have started to turn and fall, and the light is more atmospheric, and the insects are getting in their last little bits of activity before it's time to hibernate.

  I also found myself standing in a Target in the last week or so, and picked up cds by The Avett Brothers, fun, Awolnation, and Green Day. It's nice to put on some new music every now and then.

 Apparently I've moved into the 21st century, or I've been dragged there kicking and screaming — so you can check me out on facebook.

Anyway, go outside and enjoy the view : )

Oh, so it's September now...

Yes, Mr. Calendar, I see how we're going to be about this. The sun goes down, the sun comes up, days pass... and suddenly it's the middle of September.

So, I've been working on some of those projects that I think about every now and then when I'm at work or doing something. Those thoughts you might have that usually begin with "that'd be cool..." Yes, those.

I've mentioned before that I enjoy kitsch. Yes, I like weird stuff. I decorate with color and silk flowers and have a massive collection of figurines of lizards and frogs and turtles and the occasional snail... I have birds & butterflies from the ceiling in the summer, and winter time is for glitter snowflakes.

Yes, I like kitsch.
So, every year I dress up for Halloween to pass out candy. I wear the same costume every year. It's a long dark robe (it's navy blue that's almost black) and it has lizards sewn onto it. I have lizard and spider barrettes that I made, and I do some gothy makeup.

Anyway, for whatever reason, I thought it'd be fun to make some lizard barrettes. Yeah. No, I don't exactly recall what spurred the desire to embark upon this craft project. I just went out & bought lizards and barrettes and glue, and well...

I sat down on the cement floor in front of the paper cutter last weekend with my acrylic paints and gave all the lizards new paint jobs while watching Haven on Syfy. Yes, that show is awesome. I like shows like that. I used to watch the X Files back in the day (Fox Mulder, whatta cutie) and I also like Fringe and Supernatural. So, yes, watching Haven and painting plastic lizards (and frogs, yes, there were frogs too, I just haven't finished them yet).

After I painted them I coated them with varnish, and then glued the barrettes on, and waited forever and a day for the glue to dry, and then went outside and took "product shots."

Yes, frightful, I know ; )
You can find them here in the Weird Stuff section of my sarahknight shop on etsy.
And yes, those are my green eyes, not contacts.

I finished this at the end of August. I suppose I made it on a whim.

fall fantasia

And now I have to get back to my craft projects... and maybe cleaning, before they have to send a professional organizer and a Hazmat team in here to deal with the after crafting mess.
: )

Here's a little peak at another project I'm working on...

Autumn Leaves: colorful still

I think these are some shots from Saline. I took a lot of photos, so it's iffy sometimes if I remember where they were.

It's been a busy week so far (yes, I know, it's Tuesday). I spent 2 of the last 3 days coming home from work to then spend my awake time filling orders, printing things, packing them, and finally driving off to the post office just to come home and head for bed. So, my scenery has pretty much been the printer, the other printer, the other printer (is 3 printers really that excessive?), the paper cutter, and my beloved imac.

I just needed a little change of scenery.
That and last night I literally had a dream about getting in bed and trying to fall asleep. I'm sure dreaming about going to sleep is my unconscious mind trying to tell me something...
Who needs sleep?

I'm a glutton though, so if you're looking for something colorful & whimsical, then stop by:

sarahkdesigns | sarahknight | sunshinesight

Sidewalk tourism: my favorite maple

Of all the trees I photographed this fall — this was my favorite maple. It's somewhere in Saline, MI. Of course, I don't live in Saline, and I'm one of those people who is terrible with street names, so, I know where it is, and yet I have no idea where it is...

Anyhow, I was mesmerized by this tree. Standing under it and photographing it was a sublime experience, even if it did happen to be really really cold that day.

I would like to thank Hilary at The Smitten Image : )
for being featured on her blog post: Three Photos and the Posts of the Week
http://thesmittenimage.blogspot.com/2010/11/three-photos-and-posts-of-week.html

Thanks!

Please excuse me if it takes me a day to make rounds with comments. I've been working on a time consuming project this week, complete with a number of "5 hours of sleep" days. I am exhausted. Fortunately, it should be done today (I hope). So, take a nap for me : )

Autumn Leaves: water droplets

It has been like Indian Summer here lately. And apparently with Indian Summer comes the trappings of summer, warm weather, sunshine... and wind. Yes, there was a tornado warning here yesterday. Oh, Indian Summer.

Anyway, in my travels of sidewalk tourism I have photographed many leaves, and trees, and tree bark (and even the occasional squirrel). And every once in a while (since I am a sidewalk tourist in the morning) I see dew on fallen leaves. There's something about water droplets that is just intriguing.

On a completely unrelated note - my collection "autumnal mood" made the front page of Artfire on Tuesday - whoo-hoo! You can check it out here.

Outside: colors of autumn

A bit of a break from just leaves & trees... although technically, there are still autumn leaves here. It's somehow amazing how there are still flowers blooming, but then it has been like Indian summer presently. So, on with the color:

It was serendipitous that there happened to be a ladybug puttering around on the sweet gum. And that bird taking off to flight as I was taking my shot was a bit of a delight...

This last one is for sheer gluttony. I have now made my first pumpkin pie. Of course, being of the slacker generation, I did not hand mash a pumpkin or something exotic or earthy like that. Yeah, it's Libby's "Easy Pumpkin pie mix" - yeah, not "pure pumpkin" — I mean the stuff that you just add eggs and concentrated milk. Of course, I did dress it up with top layer of cream cheese with sugar, garnished with walnuts and cinnamon, and made a graham cracker crust.
It's delicious; and I'm not exactly a fan on pumpkin pie. I'm generally that person at Thanksgiving who buries the pumpkin pie under a heaping helping of whipped cream...

Autumn Leaves: sweet gum

I spent most of the morning wandering around photographing leaves and other autumnal things that are out & about.

These are some shots from the sweet gum, veining is always interesting to look at.

Enjoy your fall!

more Autumn Leaves

This is another installment of autumn leaves. This time with some maples that have turned to that bright red and orange hue...

I hope you enjoy autumn!

Autumn Leaves

Stephen Colbert has "Better Know a District" and in order to keep things relevant and timely, this will likely be the first of many many installments of "Autumn Leaves."

I have apparently taken to photographing the fall leaves as a seasonal hobby. So, when autumn rolls around, the daily question generally becomes: to drive into town and wander around and take pictures / or not? It partially depends on the weather, and the rest is up to my personal whims.

Either way, regardless of how regularly I get out and do it, I always end up with hundreds of pictures.

So, this is the first installment of a potentially endless series of Autumn Leaves

Outside: fall colors

I've been spending more time outside lately. Since fall is upon us, the colors are changing, and it's time to go out and take some pictures... Okay, by some I mean hundreds. I am not known for my 'restraint' (at least with the camera).

So, here's to fall color!

I hope you're enjoying your autumn.