2. Experiment with Photoshop - Twirly Trees

I have not really got my act together on this blog yet, partly due to time constraints, but I want to use it at least in part to record my progress as a photographer and Photoshopper.

Thanks to Martin H at Square Sunshine I have had a little experiment with his 'twirly trees' effect, which involves taking a picture of a tree, solarizing it and then inverting the effect, darkening it in Levels and then applying the distortion filter 'twirl'. The effects obviously vary according to the original photo and the degree to which you apply the effects and filters. But it's fun, surprisingly quick and produces some wonderfully fantastical images, rather like illustrations for a children's fantasy book.

I made the picture above from two original photos of mine - a pathway with trees and a 'tall ship'. I don't know what I could use it for but I think it has made an interesting image.

Jackie & Her Children

I was recently asked 91 questions in an interview for an exciting thing I will be involved in later this year. One of the questions I was asked was;

Who, in your opinion is/was the best dressed woman?

I answered Jacqueline Kennedy. I googled images of her recently and became instantly obsessed with the images of her and her beautiful children. It must be my current nesting instincts which drew me to these photos. I thought I'd share a few here today. Aren't they beautiful...

Observation

Ferran Illa : He talks about Food in Briatin. He was nervious, but I really like it.
Jordi Marias : He talks about Animals. He is very good.
Júlia Masó : He is good and interesting.
Francesc Rigau : He was a good. He didn't read and he is very interesting.
Ferran Veciana : He talks about Animals. He was nervious, but it's good.
Ivet Sànchez : He is a very good presentation, there is excellent.

Out & About: SGAR Opening

Renai Grace & Paul Spiro stand in front of one of the paintings we purchased last night by artist Simone Louise Gillespie

This is the other Simone Louise Gillespie painting we purchased

It was so nice to get out of the tracksuit pants I've been sporting all week and into some proper clothes with make-up on last night to head out to the opening of Spiro Grace Art Rooms in Spring Hill.

Brad, Harry & I decided we needed some adult time out so we decided to leave Max with his gorgeous Nanny Rhonda for a few hours whilst we attended the gallery opening. I had my first glass of French champagne in 9 months upon arriving at the gallery. It went straight to my head of course. We ended up purchasing 2 paintings by emerging artist Simone Louise Gillespie. I was so thrilled we decided on them straight away as every painting I looked at as the night progressed had a sold sticker.

Gallery owners Paul Spiro {yes he is related to me - he is my uncle} and Renai Grace will be showcasing emerging {and therefore quite reasonably priced} artists in their space on a quarterly basis. I for one can't wait for their next exhibition.

For all enquiries or to be added to SGAR's mailing list email Renai renai@sgar.com.au

An Update

Max


The shop renovation in progress

A snippet of one of the rooms in our new Design Studio

Last week we welcomed our second son, Max into the world. He is perfect in every way. Thank you for all your lovely emails and comments.

Our shop renovation is proceeding very well...still lots of work to be done. Our Design Studio is now in full swing upstairs. The girls and I are enjoying having a very special space just for our clients. Some photos are above for your viewing pleasure. I'll be back soon with some more news and posts. Just enjoying my newborn for the moment. Hope you are all well.

xo

Anna

Computer Broke! Be Back soon!

When I look Into The Sky...

...from the fallen tree I lay on, I don't see much sky. Mostly trees reaching their leaves towards a sun that only comes down into small blotches of light. The plants and animals don't seem to mind.

Things I thought of while laying on the tree trunk:

1. Taking a nap
2. All the creatures that have walked through that very spot
3. If I will fall off
4. What it's like to never have 'human' needs (like groceries or toaster ovens)
5. If what all the old people in the FOXFIRE book say about how people were happier back when they took care of themselves without using any money is true?

Xoxo

Rare Native Orchid: Pink Lady's Slipper

I knew when I saw this flower next to a creek behind my cabin it was something awesome... it has a presence that would have made Georgia O'Keeffe swoon with sexy flower delight! After some investigating, like asking peeps on facebook and calling friends to describe my find - " it's a pink flower on a tall stem that looks super sexual, almost like a guy's nutsack") I soon found out this was a rare endangered orchid, native to the Appalachian mountains & surrounding states.

Coooool! I have found a Pink Lady's Slipper (also known as the "moccasin flower", cause somebody thought it looked like a shoe because they couldn't admit what it really looks like)!
"The plant has two wide basal leaves that stay horizontal and a single stalk growing to about a foot high bearing the pink flower. Transplanting from the wild is strongly discouraged because of the rarity of the plant and the almost nil chances of success. New plants are difficult to start because of the need for symbiotic fungi in supping nutrients to the seed. It takes years for the new plant to develop leaves for supplying its own energy. " - briartech.com

In other words... LOOK but do NOT touch this pretty flower! Even if ya like to normally touch things that look similar to this. ;)
XoxoxoXXX

Blue Dragonfly (AKA- Mosquito Hawk)

It's eyes look like they are made of blown glass found in some exotic far away land.

Here is a random bug question: Do different color dragonflies mate with each other, or are the colors each a distinct species that only mate with the same color as themselves?
Xoxox

Another Dream Come True (and it's just a pair of used boots!)

I have looked far and wide --- I have scoured Ebay & Etsy for years trying to find hiking boots that would fit this one weird idea(l) in my head.... this idea of tall & cute knee high military style canvas boots that had good shoe soles for gripping the ground while walking in these mountains.
I finally have come to my hiking boot climax after all this time!
The title of these boots (pictured) from Etsy says it all... i mean really, it ALL! Like every keyword i have ever used trying to find something just like this:::::

"Vintage Denim and Leather Boots Canvas Hemp Buckle Combat Retro Knee High Riding Boots Safari Hiking Boots size 6"

I am gonna confess my enthusiastic girlie-ness for shit like this, when I find a sweet pair of boots I need badly and happen to also be hot to trot (freakin' sexy with leather straps), i am totally taken back in time to my mom's shopping bonanzas where she would have us model our score for my dad when we got home from the Lakeside Mall. He was not thrilled ($$$), but we felt awesomely adorable & prepared for all the events city life may throw our way (catholic church on sundays, school functions such as bingo night, seeing my boyfriend on the Westbank, going out to eat at Impastato's with my parents).

Confession #2 : I will wear (now as an adult) high heel cowgirl boots when hiking in the woods, and walking miles along the road. Why? Cause I like them, they are so pretty I can't take them off even when it's an inappropriate terrain.
These old canvas boots I found are gonna save me from this reckless fashion love/consumer zombie/ hurtin' shins fate.

BTW- these are used/vintage boots I got, I haven't bought brand new shoes in over 5 years. I try to stick to an eco friendly plan when buying footwear cause usually the thrift stores, ebay and etsy are full of amazing footies for alot cheaper. And much more interesting looking. Don't ya think?
Xoxo

Animal Tracking: Bobcat... Coyote or Fox?

Finding tracks by a canine is pretty common, and usually easy to identify because their claws show up in the print above the toes...

the deal is, bobcat prints are very similar to that of a coyote, dog or even a fox --->
They all have 4 toes and a pad underneath, the main indicator that separates the bobcat/large feline from the canine is the claws that show up. It is rare I find a bobcat print (maybe once in my life) and the pics i took here in my muddy bog don't appear to have claws. But what do ya'll think? Bobcat? Canine? (Or maybe the infamous and disbelieved local mountain lion?)

Pictured in the black and white drawing below are a rendering of bobcat prints::::




The mammal print above is a coyote and the one below is a common fox. You can see both leave distinct claw marks in their tracks.
The track you see below is the second track, ahead of the one in the first two pictures - appeared to be a stride. These tracks were large, only a tad bit smaller then ones I have seen from a large domesticated Pit Bull Dog. Get guessing!!!!

Xoxoxo ROar! Woof! puuurrrrrr!

Animal Tracking: Itty Bitty Birdie Feet & Mystery Trail

Tiny bird tracks! Aren't they cute? There is a perfect area a little ways behind the Luck Cabin that is all muddy, mushy and bog like - many creeks branch and converge in this area making it a tiny wetland that attracts alot of animals & birds. The cool part is they all leave perfectly shaped tracks in the smooth wet silt.
This second track looks more like a slither... but I am not certain that it is a snake trail? The slither track is coming up out the water of the creek, in a spot that is shallow and slow moving.

What do you think it is? Can anyone give a positive ID on this meandering track...
Xoxox

I Like...

I like big huge rocks and large amounts of water moving really fast...
decaying trees...
decaying buildings...
stained glass...
when a guy flint knaps me a pretty glass arrowhead...
and i super like community centers and their (just my speed) events!
xoxo

Slitherin' Mania: Copperhead, Black Snake, and 6 ft Snake Skin

The snakes are back! Yesterday I was in Big Sandy Mush... me and Bort were talking about how we had not seen any snakes yet this year, which I guess summoned them from the depths cause not an hour later we had a snake fest.The first snake spotted was a copperhead under some thorny blackberry bushes on a concrete path that leads up to the Silo. It was sitting all coiled up and very alert. I did not feel as though the snake was at ease and I kept a good distance and left it alone. The eyes on this one actually look like they are made of metallic copper colored material - which is probably why Bort was utterly 'creeped out'- (understatement on his reaction to copperheads).
We also stumbled upon a large black snake warming itself in the woods on top my favorite tree. It had some unusual markings on it's side that we didn't know was from a fight/injury or if it was getting ready to shed it's skin... it slithered down the tree trunk and literally did a disappearing act (hole in the ground, hide under the bark, hole in the tree???) It slithered into the oblivion.
When Bort tried to show me another black snake that lives in his well house it wasn't in sight, but the skin it shed was hanging from the rafters and I pulled it down. It was split in two pieces (in the middle of the belly it had broke), but Bort held it together and the snake is about 6 feet LONG!
Not only that but the skin was fresh and new enough to have the head totally in tact! How cool is this??! Even the eyeball skin is on there!
I got to keep this snake skin and brought it home. It smells gross like an old fish, but I can't stop myself from loving it.
Xoxoxo'ssssssss

Gettin' Wild With It!

As promised, here's the second post about the Wild Fibers LYS 

(Local Yarn Shop)

and its hotshot owner, Sarah Parker. ;0) 

She's a bonafide Wild Woman... let me show you why!

Remember that display above from my YMN Conference stage presentation? 

Sarah took notes. 

And created THIS in her store window:

Yes, Sarah took my inspiration and ran with it. 

Right down to having her very own giant knitting needles made! 

The giant purple 'work-in-progress' hanging in the window, 

with a cheerful chartreuse wall as a background, 

is positively traffic-stopping from the outside.

From the colors used to the needles to the 'yarn balls',

every detail  is perfect.

Oh, and then on the other side of the entrance
{with the purple-painted door!},

she put this together:

Notice that she provided two viewpoints for this window display:

From the front, out the window, AND from the back - 

because inside her shop, on your way out the door.

you walk right.past.this.display ;0)

It's a WONDERFULLY inspiring view 

as customers leave with their purchase in hand... 

and don't you think that kind of visual 'goodbye' 

makes them want to come BACK?! Yes!

But wait... there's MORE!

These photos show a huge cabinet that Sarah found in a thrift shop. 

It was green. An 'OK'green, which caught her eye, 

but it wasn't really 'HER' yet. 

After a few coats of chartreuse green paint, 

and having a mirror cut to fit in the back space,

it's definitely her!!!

It serves as a great visual draw as you enter the store - 

it beckons you in and connects visually

to the chartreuse color on the logo wall further back.

If you look at the bottom photo very closely,

you can see the vibrant purple paint 

on the wall of her classroom at the back of the store.

This connects visually to the front door, and to her logo wall.

Sarah has created a brand image of color, creativity, and energy

and immersed her customers in it
from the moment they spy her front windows.

Yup. She paid attention. ;0)

Join me, won't you,  as I offer a standing ovation
to this well-deserving young entrepreneur?
I expect continued creativity and success from her!

Way to go, Sarah!

Visit Wild Fibers in Mt.Vernon, Washington 

and online at www.WildFibers.net

{image credits: DWK for Wild Fibers; used with permission;

all rights reserved by Wild Fibers}