February Photo Project

I changed my rules up a bit because I thought that a story behind the photo might need to be added and if I waited until the end of the month, I might forget the story. I am posting my photos right here each day so keep coming back to view this February project!

DAY ONE: MY VIEW TODAY...



This is actually my view most days with little changes here and there. It really bugs me, I hate this view, but I love how I made it look in this picture. It's our burn pile which is kind of just sitting there as California has been enjoying spring like weather this winter. Perhaps these items will disappear in the near future *fingers crossed*

DAY TWO: WORDS...



When I was looking over the list of items to photograph, I was pretty sure that this one would be fairly easy...I was wrong. It took me pretty much all day to try and figure out what I wanted to do. I actually photographed something completely different only to keep coming up with numerous other ideas. I finally settled on this sign that I purchased before Christmas. It's been hanging out on the side of my piano waiting for a new kitchen to put it in. I love everything about this sign. I love the colors, I love the "subway" feel to it and I especially love the word. It took me awhile to get the photo how I wanted it, but WOW!...this is why I'm doing this project folks! I love creating awesomeness!

DAY THREE: HANDS...

What's cuter than pudgy 1 year old hands?



Pudgy one year old hands playing the piano. This is my cute nephew. I babysat him for a little bit today and whenever he comes over, we always play the piano together. Love that kid!

DAY FOUR: STRANGER...



I was really worried about this particular challenge. I had visions of what I wanted, but truth is, I am a wimp and was not going to go and ask some stranger if I could take their picture. The family and I went to The California Museum today (which totally helped with this challenge) and with my wide angled lens, I was able to "pretend" to take a picture of the skateboard exhibit. I actually planned how I was going to edit it while I was shooting it. I darkened the stranger up because it kind of fit the whole "stranger" idea. Strangers are dark, until we get to know them, then they can be bright and cheery just like the awesome skateboards.

DAY FIVE: 10AM



This is me at 10am in all my morning glory. Still wearing my PJ's, you can see me here with my iPod in hand. I had been cleaning up until this point and can't seem to stop listening to an audiobook I purchased a while back. A book that every American should read...Unbroken. I probably should have been getting ready for church, but well, you know...I would get there...eventually.

DAY SIX: DINNER...



This is what's for dinner! Award winning, straight up awesome, homemade Rachael chili served up in the finest china around. Super yum!

DAY SEVEN: BUTTONS...



I so badly wanted to take a picture of my favorite button...you know, the one that shuts that annoying sound off in the morning...aka the SNOOZE button, but as hard as I tried, it was BORING. So, I created this piece instead with the help of my neighbor's button stash. I think she's pretty awesome...and my neighbor is too!

DAY EIGHT: SUN...



So today I cheated and took this picture with my phone. I was worried that there wouldn't be any sun to photograph since yesterday was raining and overcast all day, but today I woke up to beautiful blue skies with no clouds in sight. Originally I had planned to do something at sunset, then I thought I would do something similiar to yesterdays and make a sun out of articles of clothing, but while I was waiting for the kids to get out of school, I stepped out of my car and shot this. The only editing I did here was darken the colors. The eye looking thing is actually lens flare from the sun. I love how it looks like the sun is rising into space. You can interpret the picture anyway you like, but I imagine lives being dark like the top of the picture, but we always know that God is watching us and if we follow Him, the sun will rise in our heart and we will be like a fresh new day. I totally wasn't going for this look when I shot it, but somehow art takes on its own form and this is what I got. Perhaps there's a message in it for me...

DAY NINE: FRONT DOOR...



My front door is...well, not exactly my cup of tea. One day it will be replaced by a nice red one, but since it hasn't been replaced yet, I am forced to do a picture of it. This is a picture of the stained glass window in the front door. It's actually not ugly by any means, but imagine walking down your hallway in a quiet house with only your thoughts accompanying you. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you think you see someone staring in at you through it. Yes, that is a constant "freak out" in my home caused by my front door. So, even though the stained glass window is pretty, it is soooo going away sometime real soon!

DAY TEN: SELF PORTRAIT...



Of course this day's project was torture. I have "issues" with the dark circles under my eyes and the fact that I could possibly benefit from an eye lift. BUT, it's me and I normally don't care about these things until I see pictures of me. Perhaps that is why I stay on the other side of the camera...

DAY ELEVEN: MAKES ME HAPPY...



There is four things in this picture that make me happy.
1. Ethan Lewis...such a rad kid!
2. The presence of "art" on his fingers and hand. It makes me happy when he creates.
3. The trampoline. It's been Uh-Mazingingly quiet in the house since we finally put it back up (almost two years later!)
4. The kids are outside. Like I mentioned above, my house is less noisy...the noise just moved outdoors...which makes ME happy...but probably not my neighbors!

DAY TWELVE: INSIDE MY CLOSET...



First of all, there is NO WAY that I would share with you my side of the closet as it isn't as meticulous as the mister's side. It is fact that I cropped this photo in order to "fool" my viewers into thinking that my entire closet looks this way. Let me assure you that it does not, but I can pretend anyway. Patrick has taken over his laundry duties from me (phew!) and all of a sudden his side of the closet transformed into what I wish my entire house was...organized! Hmmm, maybe I should let him take over the rest of the laundry, the dishes, cleaning the bathrooms...I could go on and on...A girl can dream can't she?

DAY THIRTEEN: BLUE...



I had a few ideas for today's assignment. "Blue" can be interpreted in so many ways. I ultimately chose to combine my feelings of the word blue with the actual color. So you see above clouds breaking into blue skies. The skies of California have been beautiful lately and I can't seem to stop taking pictures of it. I loved how blue the skies were behind the dark storm clouds which seem to bring hope in dark days. If we could only rise above the blues like the yellow balloon, we can find peace in our stormy lives. Not sure I am accuratly describing my feelings behind this photo, but the photo makes me happy none the less.

DAY FOURTEEN: HEART...



Oh the possibilities of todays subject! Especially on a day devoted to hearts and love. Ethan's first grade class has been learning how to cut hearts out of paper for the last week. Because of this, I've been finding hearts EVERYWHERE! They have been on the floor, on the fridge, on the table, and on my bed. I've actually gotten three little hearts placed on my pillow this week. One that simply said, "I love you mom". Another colored red, and a sweet hollowed heart he was most proud of. The other day, I was cleaning up around the house and found a heart he had given to Carly. What a loving message he gave to his sister. I love the spelling that he used too. I was impressed with his writing skills. Happy Valentine's Day my friends!

DAY FIFTEEN: PHONE...



My original thought was to capture a pay phone of sorts so that someday my kids will know what one was and looked like, but I went to my sisters house and in her garage was the phone above. Still old. Phones don't look like that anymore either. Per my sister's request, I got the interesting light fixture above it. They just bought their house and this was left. Kind of cool actually. Someone must have worked out in their garage alot. I decided that I wanted a very vintage look because the phone is kind of vintage. I learned some new techniques editing this picture. Perhaps that is a benefit of this project...now if I can only remember how to do it later...

DAY SIXTEEN: SOMETHING NEW...



Ok, I cheated again...I took this picture with my phone camera. Truth is, I was too lazy to pull my camera out today. I think it is because I really didn't like today's subject. Boring...anyway, here is my new cup. I purchased it a few days ago and I really do love it. There is something about having your very own cup that no one can use. My new cup has been very helpful in my quest to hydrate my body fully. Because of this, I've seen the toilet a lot more lately...

DAY SEVENTEEN: TIME...



Time: Something I wish I had more of. This is the clock above our piano. It's pretty but no one likes it because it has the Roman Numerals. It's hard to teach kids to read an analog clock with Roman Numerals too, so sometime soon, we are going to replace it...maybe.

DAY EIGHTEEN: DRINK...



Diet Pepsi rocks...'nuff said!

DAY NINETEEN: SOMETHING I HATE DOING...



Laundry would probably be the one thing I should have documented here, but a full sink of dirty dishes comes in a close second.

DAY TWENTY: HANDWRITING



I've been blessed with the awesomeness that ambidextrous brings. I actually used it to my advantage when I played softball...It messed everyone up when I went to bat left handed but I threw the ball with my right. They thought I was bunting when I got up to bat. It messes with me sometimes though. I use my left hand when I write. I always have, but put a piece of chalk in my hand and ask me to write on a chalkboard, then I have to use my right hand. Perhaps it has something to do with the angle. I really do most things with my right hand. The only things that I do with my left hand is: write, bat, and eat. Not sure how I am wired, but I like to think that I am wired special...

DAY TWENTY ONE: FAVORITE PICTURE OF MYSELF...



I didn't take this picture today. I took it back in December, but it is a picture that I like of myself and I figured it will do for today because I wasn't going to take a picture of a picture that I already took...say that 3 times real fast...HA!

DAY TWENTY TWO: WHERE I WORK...



I work everywhere but the past few days I've been working in my garage painting up these bad boys for my brother in law to come and put up trim and case out my openings. He's also making new window sills to accompany the trim. I'm pretty excited!

DAY TWENTY THREE: MY SHOES...



These are my converse. Truth is, I'm not brave enough to actually draw hearts on my shoes. It's probably because I'm getting older and it is quite possible that I've reached the age of old and I don't want to be that old lady trying to be young...so, I will just photoshop the hearts on instead.

DAY TWENTY FOUR: INSIDE MY MEDICINE CABINET...



I didn't read the entire instruction for this post and I am not going to change my picture so you get what you get...This is my mirrored medicine cabinet reflecting the wall in the kids bathroom. That wall is about the only part of that bathroom that I like so I will stick with this picture instead. You don't really want to see the mess behind that mirror anyway!

DAY TWENTY FIVE: GREEN...



This is weed/grass growing in my front yard. It won't be that green for long though as I have sprayed the entire front and back yard with Round Up and it will be yellow and crispy by weeks end. This will hopefully be the last time I have to spray my yard in preperation for sod...hopefully and fingers crossed x3!

DAY TWENTY SIX: NIGHT...



I had a really cool idea to photograph my house at night with the windows open and lights on the inside. I tried it but didn't like the outcome of that idea...so here you see a lone street lamp on my street...at night.

DAY TWENTY SEVEN: SOMETHING I ATE...



Green Jello with whipped cream. Yum! And yes, I always use a baby spoon to eat my Jello products...they seem to taste better that way.

DAY TWENTY EIGHT: MONEY...



One of many coin holders around the house. This one happens to be in a hard to reach spot...perhaps that is why it's empty? Oh, who am I kidding...there just isn't enough of that bling bling in this house.

DAY TWENTY NINE: SOMETHING I'M LISTENING TO...



RAIN!!! It's finally here! Mother earth needs it badly! Glad it's here, but I think I'll stay inside and drink hot chocolate and take a nap...I deserve it after listening to it pelt my window with its friend wind last night!

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I'm so glad this project is over. It was fun at first but quickly became a chore. I do have to say that looking at every day objects and creating art with it was probably my favorite part about this project, but having to do a photo every day was what got me. I have a few more photo projects in store, but I think I will take a break to get my creative juices flowing again...Oh, and in case you didn't notice...there are 29 days to my post. Leap Year...got to love it!