totally beautiful girls~totally unedited~totally at the last minute

the weather here

has been fabulously beautiful

so

on friday

afternoon

at the last minute

my neighbor decided

that I'd have better luck

getting a picture

of her girls

for a

christmas card photo

than she would

so off we ran

to my favorite abandoned house

and

one hour

later

150 photos

of pure beauty

~~~~~

these girls

were so great in front of the camera

and

now I can't wait to edit

the photos

but

where do I begin

when so much

natural beauty

already oozes

from these sisters

~~~~~

teeny tiny sneak peek.....

beth's photography

beth's photography

of a beautiful

teeny tiny

new

baby

{and yes, this is the baby from the pregnancy shoot a few weeks ago}

nope, I'm not a teacher, but I can do this...right ?

all it took

was a tour

of the facility

and

a look

around the art room

and

I was hooked

~~~~~

completely hooked

on

the

boys and girls club

~~~~~

so

after a lengthy

application

process

3

written

references

{thank you kathy, chris and suzanne}

and

a

background check

I'm good to go

~~~~~

I start teaching

on

monday

YES

yikes

monday

~~~~~

if I said I wasn't nervous

I'd be lying

~~~~~

I'm not a teacher

but I've always loved children

who

need

an

"it's okay"

smile

or

some

reassurance

or

a

hug

or

someone who believes in them

or

says "good job"

or

teaches them that writing down their feelings

in an art journal

is better than

keeping it all inside

~~~~~

so

on

monday and wednesday

nights

from

6:30 to 9:00

I'll be missing

some

of my favorite TV shows

and

instead

I'll be with teenagers

who

will be working hard

to trust me

and

like me

or

even want to be in the art room with me

instead of playing basketball

or

playing games

~~~~~

so

it won't be easy at first

I'm guessing

or

maybe

just maybe

it will be

so easy

that

I'll find

that 2 days a week

with these

kids

just

isn't

enough

~~~~~

side note:

for those of you who have known me for awhile, you know that my heart will always be as a CASA, but due to the fact that the CASA program here in wisconsin, just isn't one that fits what I believe a CASA to be, I chose not be part of their program.

the CASA children, especially the teenagers I used to work with, taught me more about life than I could ever imagine or even begin to share with you here.

so this is my new adventure.

and

the best part

I can bring my camera to class and take photos of the kids

and I can teach them to take photos

and we can use our photos in our artwork

or

hang them on the bulletin board

or

they can just take them home for mom or dad

who just might not have a current photo of their son or daughter

because sometimes

that's what happens

*

trying to decide.....

I've been looking at a number of

photography sites this weekend

and many of them

have

"left their mark"

on their

photos

with either

a water mark

or

their name

so I've been playing around

trying to figure out if

I should be doing the same thing

~~~~~

or

if I need to do it

to protect myself

and

my clients

{not that the goose really cares}

~~~~~

so

if anyone has any suggestions

based on blogging

and

photos

the right and the wrong

the good, the bad and the ugly

please let me know

I'll listen

kind of makes you glad you got out of bed.....

A Community Service Reminder from the Universe:

Buffy, your gifts are innumerable; your depth is incalculable; your presence is unforgettable.
Your touch is healing; your style is appealing; your power is mind reeling.
And you are loved and adored on a moment-to-moment basis, more than you can now comprehend.
Just like we planned -
The Universe

and this added to my weekend fun......

film: 1000 journals

1000 journals is a film about people whose lives are touched by blank journals released into the world in 2000 by san francisco-based artist, someguy.

some people found a journal, some had signed up to receive one in the mail.

some worte in them, others doodled, pasted in photographs, or added art.

some kept them.

some passed them on.

there were no rules and no one really monitored their movements. and yet they are connecting and inspiring people worldwide. number 526 returned to someguy filled.

what happened to the rest ?

this film tells their stories.

~~~~~

I decided that I really wanted to see this film as I had purchased the completed book, titled: 1000 journals project

earlier this year

and loved the concept.

So hubby and I took off for state street on sunday afternoon,

to a lecture hall at the museum of contemporary art

and enjoyed every mintute of this film.

If it comes to a city near you

go see it

as

you will not be disappointed !!!

~~~~~

it's all about me....mostly

we started our weekend

at the cottage

where the last of the fall colors

have almost disappeared

and on our way home

a stop at the apple orchard
for apple cider donuts
and
a photo shoot
in the pumpkin patch

last stop
of the day
was at
my favorite old
slightly abandoned
stone house

where I handed over
my camera
to my hubby

and
then to
my daughter

where they "caught" me
having
a great time
on such a beautiful
fall day

and
once we got home
I
edited
these pictures
so that I could
soften
my
smile wrinkles
and darken
the shadows
around me
or otherwise
I'd never share this many pictures
of me
at one time
and
while my family did
great
with the
camera
I've taken it back
as
I love
"being the photographer"
and
being
on
"that"
side
of the
camera
more
than anything else
right now