THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

This is so special.....couldn't resist posting it.  Hope everyone had a most special holiday.

Wading In

I'm toying with the idea of taking a photography class from Vivienne McMaster.  She was kind enough to send me 

her eBook called Wading In.  It's all about self-portraiture. I suppose it's also a form of self-examination. I panicked 

at the thought of publicly displaying images of myself.....on my blog even!  I have to admit this first photo 

was doctored a bit with a texture.  Okay..... I'll get more daring as time goes on, right?  First, I need to get 

the hang of 

taking photos with my iPhone.  This was bright light 

mid-day, so shadows and glare are prominent.  I was hoping they would hide some of the wrinkles, but they 

actually just magnify them.

I've said this before but, for the life of me, I cannot understand why there are so many more nooks and crannies 

in my face and neck in a photograph that 

do not show up in the mirror.  I look in the mirror everyday very closely when applying make-up.  It never looks like this!

The next photo I took when I went out 

to my driveway to capture an image of the stains the Liquidambar leaves make after a rain.  I love the pattern.  In the process I captured a self-portrait of my shadow.  I rather like it, and notice..... there are no wrinkles showing!

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.

~ unknown ~

Happy two days before Christmas, everyone.

Art District - Santa Ana

My good friend Jacki and I decided to do a photo walk in the art district of Santa Ana.

We started with lunch for her birthday.  We ate at the funky Gypsy Den.

  The inside is early grungy garage style.

Jacki had a grilled cheese with avocado

and I had a salad/soup combo.

And..... the dessert was....drum roll, please.....

creme brûlée.  Okay, we split it!!

The food is terrific -- mostly vegetarian but also some healthy chicken/tuna.

Our darling waitress Emily.  

  

There are some beautiful old buildings in the art district.  The architecture is straight out of the early 1900's -- maybe even older.

 The entrance to the Santora Building below 

 a Corinthian column which is part of one of the buildings

 Even a gargoyle on a magnificent old building

 And the clock tower

Since downtown Santa Ana is heavily Hispanic, there

were windows of Quinceanero dresses for sale.

  For those of you who are not familiar with the term, Quinceanero is a celebration for a 

girl's 15th birthday, sort of a Spanish Bat Mitzvah or coming of age party.  I like the way 

the image shows the dress and a wonderful reflection.

Since it is the art district, I tried to capture some of the 

local color.

Does this mean my hair cut would be permanent?

A cool sign with Marilyn Monroe for a tatoo store.

 I like the happenings for this restaurant right on the window. I   also like the reflection of the staircase in this image.

And heavens, we must remember to take care of the bartender!!

The sign on the entrance to the Santora Building

My friend Lissa started a linky party called Walk and Click Wednesdays.  I think I'll submit this for the coming week.

See you soon.  

Live with all you've got!!!

Hiding Muse

I've heard about missing muses many  times and felt fortunate not to have had it happen to me.......

until now (maybe there was one other time).  

But here I am floating somewhere in the ether without 

my muse.  It's an odd feeling.  

Maybe I just OD'd on my eClasses.  My paintings are unfinished, and there is not a texture out there 

right now that gets me excited enough to want to create a masterpiece in Photoshop!

I even cheated and purchased my Christmas cards this year.  For the past 17 years I have created my own cards. Pretty depressing.....

I finished my Lightroom class, and I feel like I don't know anymore than when I started.  

Okay enough of this!

I saw this quote in my "Whole Living" magazine.  So I found 

an image I've posted previously and changed the 

text.  It resonates with me.

I have to go look for my muse right now.......