random reflections

Celebrate!

We're home, and we brought the freezing temperatures with us. The city schools closed for today, and several school districts have now closed for after-school and evening activities. The wind chill is -14°; not as cold as Chicago or Racine, but pretty bitter. Makes for a good day for crafting.

I have four cards to share today; no stamping in sight. While we were away, PinkFresh Studios had a wonderful release. One of the dies I ordered was the Gatsby. As soon as I saw it, I knew it had great potential for masculine cards. There are two dies, meant to be layered one on the other, although the top layer is lovely on its own. I die cut them from a variety of shimmer and metallic cardstock and came up with four variations.

The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's "Good Times" set. The stamp set came in an odd size, and so it's stored at the back of my box for birthday stamps, and I often forget it. Over the weekend I organized dies, and started to inventory them, and rediscovered it.

I think this is my favorite. I found this card in a box; I'd already trimmed the front and added a black border to the inside of the card.

Gray, silver and black

White, bronze and black; I die cut the sentiment twice and layered them for a subtle shadow.

Black and silver; only the top layer die cut. This card proved to be very difficult to photograph!

This week's challenge at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is "Anything Goes." Perfect!

Photowalk #04: Wingspread

Sarah and Adam’s new home is just a mile or so away from The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. Wingspread was originally the home of H. F. Johnson and his family and was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who also designed the corporate headquarters for the SC Johnson Company. Completed in 1938, it remained their family home until the late 1950’s, when Johnson and his family moved into a newer home on the property and Wingspread became the home of the Johnson Foundation.

The Johnson Foundation is a retreat and conference center. “The mission of the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread is to create intimate, inspiring meeting and conference experiences that foster collaboration and innovative problem-solving.  Bringing almost six decades of convening expertise to regional, national and global groups of leaders and experts, the Foundation is wholly dedicated to convening for positive and lasting change.” Their initiatives have resulted in the formation of the National Endowment of the Arts, the International Criminal Court, and National Public Radio, among others.

When there are no conferences being held, they offer free tours of the building. Given the weather, we ended up having a personal tour of the house which includes a video about the design and building of the house, as well as some interesting history. Two of H.F Johnson’s children share their memories of growing up in the house and tell stories of some of the design problems inherent in Frank Lloyd Wright’s design.

We've been lucky enough to visit several Frank Lloyd Wright homes: Taliesin, Taliesin West, Oak Park, Fallingwater, and the Darwin D. Martin House. This home is more dramatic than any of the others we've visited. The main room is 30 feet high with four fireplaces.

The tall windows you see in the back are also doors that open onto the veranda and lawns. One hallmark of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture is the connection he makes between the home and the natural landscape. If you click on this link, you can see an aerial view of the home and can immediately grasp why it was named Wingspread. One of the design flaws involves the beautiful, small windows that encircle the main room. They leaked during rainstorms!! It took a long time, and lots of work to correct the problem.

One of the four fireplaces in the main room reaches from the floor to the ceiling. Frank Lloyd Wright thought it would be very cool to put birch logs in the bottom and watch them burn. Turns out the logs burned on the bottom (of course!) and fell out of the fireplace into the sitting room!

Another idea that didn't work out was the dining room table. (Frank Lloyd Wright almost always designed furniture for the interiors of all the homes he built.) You can't see them in this photo, but there are wheels just inside the legs. The cupboard at the end of the table opens up into the kitchen. His idea was to roll the table into the kitchen after the first course, reset the table with the next course, and wheel it back out. The problem was that not everyone finished their course at the same time, and some found their plates disappearing before they had finished. According to one of the family members, it was only used once or twice.

The light from all the windows changes constantly throughout the day. As we were finishing our tour, the sun came out and made lovely patterns on the walls. And now, some views of the outdoors.

The view of the patio from the main room.

And because I like trees, one of a snow-covered tree that was along the circular drive. (I had a tree image from the first photowalk as well. Maybe I'll have a collection by the end of the year.)

On our next trip, we're hoping to get in a tour of the SC Johnson company campus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take Three Thursday: Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt

I'm joining Mary-Lou for Take Three Thursday with three photos taken in the last week or so for the Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt organized by Eileen at A Bracelet of Days. For some reason it's taken me some time to get into the groove for this years scavenger hunt. I now have six of the items, but will share three today.

The first prompt was "At the end of the day." We arrived by boat in Disney Springs just at sundown. I shared a similar photo on this post.

Here's Hannah, "Dressed for the Season," #11.

"Flight" was #15. I took this as we left Orlando, headed back to cold temperatures and lots of snow!

Photowalk #03: Milwaukee Art Museum

The weather here in Wisconsin is a bit frightful. We haven't had as much snow as western New York, but we got several more inches last night, and it's still snowing. In between storms (and illness--almost all of us have had a stomach bug) Tracy and I managed to get to Milwaukee to visit their wonderful art museum. We had been there almost 10 years ago. It was the first stop on our cross-country road trip, and we loved it. 

They have a lovely permanent collection that they rotate over time, and there are no restrictions on photography except for not using flash.

This is the magnificent outside of the museum, which would be even more stunning if there were a blue sky behind the image! The wings open up at 10:00 when the museum opens, flutter at noon, and close at closing time.

The view from the lobby of Lake Michigan. Again, these photos would be more stunning if only there had been some sunshine and blue skies. Nonetheless, the interior of the museum is nearly as dramatic as the outside.

The hallway between the lobby and the galleries. There is art work along the hallway as well as views out to the lake:

The same view through a piece of art. We got through only a small portion of the galleries and decided to become members to encourage us to return. Just three visits during the year will more than pay for the membership. One of the most interesting pieces of art was by an Israeli artist, Yaacov Agan. I put three views of it in a collage.

The middle photo shows how the painting (oil on wood) looks as you stand before it. When you walk to the left, you realize it's three dimensional and the design and colors change. Walk to the right, and another totally different view awaits you.

Another gallery I enjoyed was the Design Gallery from the 20th and 21st centuries. I loved this colorful chair by Garrrit Rietveld, a Dutch designer.

I couldn't pass up a photograph of Walking Cabinet by Wendell Castle, a well-known sculptor and designer from Rochester, New York.

I'll leave you with this piece of sculpture, sitting in front of more windows with a view to Lake Michigan.

 

 

OLW 2019: Intentions

My intentions for this year were inspired by a comment in an email from fellow blogger, Honoré, indicating she was thinking of 19 things to do in 2019. I thought it was an inspired idea and have settled on 19 things I’d like to accomplish this year.

1. Complete a photo book about our trip to Istanbul and Greece.
2. Complete a photo book about our trip to Morocco.
3. Catch up with Project Life
4. Project 52: complete 52 photowalks and post at least one photo from each on Instagram or on my blog.
5. Master the controls on my mirrorless camera.
6. Try 12 new techniques for card making. (I’ve got a list and a Pinterest board.)
7. Conquer the Cameo.
8. Master the art of layering stamps.
9. Complete 100 sketches.
10. Complete six online classes.
11. Journal daily.
12. Meditate/reflect three times/week when I’m not traveling.
13. Read 50 books. (I keep a record on Goodreads.)
14. Keep one day free of commitments each week.
15. Work out 120 times. (My goal when we’re home is to work out 3 days/week. I set this goal by estimating the number of weeks we’re likely to be away this year---quite a few, I think.)
16. Maintain the eating plan I’ve adopted in the last month. (I’ve been meeting with an integrative health practitioner and have had good success in eliminating discomfort from arthritis and other annoying symptoms of old age.) Admittedly, it’s a challenge.
17. Do weekly meal planning on the Paprika app.
18. Continue with my volunteering.
19. Attend Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C.

Over the years, some of the words I’ve chosen have been transformative, and others not so much. Last year I lost track of both my word and my intentions, so this year I signed up for Ali’s course. I don’t have any desire to create an album, but I have set up a little notebook, some tracking pages, and intend to use Ali’s prompts to reflect on where I am each month.

I think I purchased this notebook at Target a year or so ago, and I think it will work well. The pages in it are a bit heavier than most so I think it will hold up to some stamping and some embellishment if I choose to do that. So far, this is how I have it set up.

My word and the inspiration for it.

I have three Trackers downloaded from Elise Joy. I put them at the very front since I'll need to access them regularly. Once I get home, I'll start tracking all three items: diet, exercise, and meditation. There was no way I could keep up with that while we're away, and besides I don't have access to a gym here. I am, however, being very careful with my diet. In December, I started working with a holistic healthcare practitioner. I've been following an eating regime that is basically no carb, no sugar since the beginning of December. It also involves some supplements, and I have to say it's been a good experience. I've tried in the past to follow an anti-inflammatory diet, but had a hard time sticking to it. Being accountable is key for me. At the beginning of November, I was seriously considering another set of cortisone shots for my hips and knee, but now I don't even take across the counter medication for pain. I walked 26+ miles the week we were at Disney without any significant discomfort. I gave myself a break while we were there, but even with some "cheats," the pain stayed away. An added benefit, is losing seven pounds. I'd like to lose three more, but this wasn't about weight loss to begin with. 

The last tracker and the list of intentions for 2019.

More on my intentions and a calendar for keeping track of what I accomplish each month.

And, finally, two of several lists to help me remember some of the things I'm thinking about for creative projects.

I'm hoping this will help keep me on track this year, and make YES one of those transformational words.

 

One Little Word 2019

I’m off to a slow start this year, but not because I had trouble finding my word. It ended up leaping out at me from a wonderful blog I discovered through Michelle GD. (More about that coming up.) It’s a slow start because I’m not home. We left Rochester on January 4^th and won’t return until the 27^th. That’s a long time for us to be away, but we’re helping Sarah and Adam while both of them are attending conferences this month. The bonus was a trip to Disney World last week prior to Sarah’s conference in Orlando. We’re now settled in with Adam and the kids. When Sarah comes home, there will be a few days with everyone here, and then Adam leaves for several days. So, despite a lot of thinking about how I’d like to approach my word this year, getting the ideas down for the blog has taken quite a bit of time.

In November, I thought I had chosen my word. Then in December through one of Michelle’s blog posts or newsletters there was a link to ViewFinders, a wonderful photography blog. I happened on this photo by Lucy Loomis.

The minute I saw it, I thought to myself, that might be my OLW. Then I read Lucy’s words and knew I was correct.

We don’t know the reason that someone would tack up a positive little sign like this, but I want to think that it was to encourage us to all say YES to this life, on the first day of the year or the last.  Say YES to the important things, say YES I will make a difference, say YES I will be kind and compassionate, say YES I will love with all my heart, say YES I will help and hope, and finally, say YES, YES, YES, I am here on this earth, in this beautiful and sometimes broken place, and I will give it everything I’ve got.

Lucy kindly gave me permission to share her photo and her beautiful words. So, YES, is my word for 2019. It feels just right.

So I’m saying YES . . .

. . . to time with family

. . . and friends.

. . . to volunteering and helping others.

. . . to healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

. . . to creative pursuits-old and new.

. . . to new adventures.

. . . to reviving my photography practice.

I'll be back tomorrow with more on my intentions for living with YES in 2019.

 

Seize the Birthday

Seize the Birthday has become one of my favorite challenges; possibly because at least half the cards I make each year are birthday cards. Any birthday card is allowed for all of the challenges, but there is also a "topping" challenge each time. The current topping is "stamping only." Theses cards almost meet that criteria. Both cards do use a Stitched Circle die from Simon Says, and a few rhinestones, but it's probably as close as I get to a stamping only card. 

Both cards use Simon Says gray cardstocks and Simon Says "Bohemian Lace" stamp set. The sentiment for the card on the right is from Papertrey Ink's "Good Times" stamp set, and the one on the left has a sentiment white embossed on a thin black strip from Mama Elephant's "Occasional Labels." Here's a closer look:

I've put creating a stamping only birthday card on my "to do" list. The challenge is open until January 29th, so it just might happen!

 

CAS on Friday: Flowers

I have another card made with the Pinkfresh Studio "Dainty Flowers" and "Noteworthy Frames." This one is a thank you note for a friend who gave us a very generous and unexpected gift certificate for Christmas.

The dainty flowers were die cut from metallic cardstocks and tucked into the "Noteworthy Frame" die cut in Soft Stone. That piece was die cut with my trusty "Stitched Rectangle" die from Simon Says. The sentiment from Papertrey's "Thank You Kindly" set was stamped in black . Finally, that panel was adhered to a top-folded card from "Smoke" cardstock (Simon Says.) 

This card is for the current CAS on Friday Challenge: Flowers.

 

Photowalk #2: Animal Kingdom

I had lots to choose from last week for my photowalk, but Animal Kingdom was definitely my favorite park. I'll have other photos to share from this trip, but here are seven from our day at Animal Kingdom where I was consciously thinking about the photowalk as well as capturing our day there.

I think this is the first black swan I've ever seen.

The iconic Tree of Life in the center square of Animal Kingdom

A Bengal tiger on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Asia

Prayer flags across a bridge in Asia

Victoria Crowned Pigeons

Giraffes on the Kilimanjaro Safari

I have no photos from one of our favorite events of the whole trip. The Rivers of Light--a new "music-filled spectacle of water, light, and legend" that takes place after dark. It truly was a spectacle. Stunningly beautiful. Here's a link to a YouTube video which captures a lot of the show.

 

 

Take Three Thursday: Day One at Disney World

We arrived in Florida late afternoon on Tuesday. Our first day at Disney World was yesterday, and I thought I'd pop in with three quick photos from the Magic Kingdom. 

Balloons on Main Street

Caleb and Sarah on Dumbo's Flying Machine

Hannah and Adam waiting for a ride

Tracy and I took a day off from Disney World today and drove to St. Petersburg for lunch and a bit of shopping. We're meeting the family for dinner in about an hour, and will spend two more days in Disney World before five of us head home to Wisconsin. Sarah gets another week in the warmer temperatures while attending a conference. I doubt she'll get a lot of time outdoors, though. It was chilly today, but way warmer than it is in Wisconsin, and the temperatures are climbing back into the 70's tomorrow.