Everyday Beauty

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."  -  Confucius

Sometimes I look too hard to find things to photograph and end up overlooking beauty that is right under my nose.  This week I looked a little closer...

Nature Abstracts

'Everywhere we look the complex magic of Nature blazes before our eyes.'  -  Van Gogh

      Sunday it was rainy.  Between the storms I grabbed my macro lens and headed out the door.  

 I captured my irises in a way I had never looked at them before.  

I am joining Kim Klassen's Friday Finds.  I used Kim's Lightroom presets DM_ Autotone and DM_kk_Sunday (with some tweaks) on all the images.  My Finds are my beautiful irises and realizing if I just take the time to stop and look, I will be amazed at what I find.

I am spending time with my family this long Memorial weekend, so it may take me longer to stop by and visit your blogs... but I am looking forward to seeing what you have discovered this week.  

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a happy and safe weekend!

Michelle

Spring Tulips

'In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.'  -  Mark Twain

Spring is definitely in the air, soggy yards, warmer temperatures and I wore flip-flops yesterday.  

I wish these pale pink tulips were from an Ohio yard but they are from Trader Joe's.  They are still pretty, but I am looking forward to having flowers soon grow outside my door.  

My birthday was yesterday.  I asked for an olloclip macro 3-in-1 lens for my birthday.  Guess what? I got one.   This daisy picture was among my first attempts at using it.   I can see many more iphone macro shots in my future...  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.  I used Kim's texture flow on my top image.  

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a great week!

Michelle

Spring?

"The front door to springtime is a photographer's best friend.:  -  Terri Guillemets

"The sun has come out... and the air is vivid with spring light."  
 -  Byron Caldwell Smith, letter to Kate Stephens

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."  -  Henry Ward Beecher

The sun has been shining.  It brightens my day.  

  

I am cautiously optimistic that the early spring weather will continue, our snow is almost melted, the temperatures are above freezing and we may see a 60 degree high temperature this week.

I have become rather lax about my winter gratitude list.  (You can read my first list here.)  I do keep it in mind, even if I don't officially write anything down.  My winter gratitude list has really helped me keep a better attitude about winter.  I plan to continue my gratitude journal because it seems if I count my blessings, I find even more to be thankful for.  I keep an eye out for blessings to write down, or just acknowledge, and guess what?  I always find something, no matter how small, to be grateful for.  It reminds me how wonderful life is truly is...  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday and the class Be Still.  The assignment for Be Still was Glass...Light...Shades of white...Airy.  I textured my images with Kim's texture mondays.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle       

Open The Door...

Open the door to your heart

And set your talents and dreams free.

There is only one you,

One unique you,

Your talents are needed in this world.

Don't keep your beauty, talents and uniqueness locked away.

Share it.

No, not everyone will like it,

Sometimes not even you,

But if it comes from your heart

It is exactly what this world, and you, need.

When we do what feels right in our heart

We rarely go wrong.

We create what we love,

Not what we think others will love.

We stay true to ourselves,

Creating the work that we are here to create.

Learning as we go

There are no failures,

only lessons learned.

Sharing our gifts and talents will embolden others

To light their heart and soul on fire,

Learn their gift,

Share their gift,

Then the cycle will continue...

What lights your soul on fire?

Go.

Do it now. 

Live how you would want your children to live:

Brave, bold and confident.

Knowing you are enough,

Exactly how you are,

Today.

I am joining Kim Klassen's Friday Finds.  My image was processed in Lightroom with Kim's preset slightlight, with a few changes, and textured with Kim's texture monday.  My Find is this cute little bird cage. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Michelle

One Word

'Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself.  Be bold.  When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore.  Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.'  

 -  Alan Alda

'Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.' 

-  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

'Freedom lies in being bold.'

-  Robert Frost

'Put a grain of boldness into everything you do."

 -  Baltasar Gracian

If you were to choose one word to guide you through the year, what would it be?

I chose 'bold'.

bold /bōld/

1. (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.

Definition courtesy of Google

There is no part of me that is bold... at all.  I asked my daughter if she thought I was bold, she said,"Uhh...no."  I usually play it safe, do what is expected of me.  I am not one to rock the boat.  

This year I want to step outside my comfort zone in life and art.  I don't want to worry about criticism or live for praise.  I want to rock the boat, even if it is just a little bit.  I want to be bold.

Today I am joining Kim Klassen's Tuesday Texture and the class BeStill 52.  My images were textured with Kim's textures 0212 and 0603.  The assignment for Be Still 52 was to hang a bottle and take a picture of it.  

Thank you so much for spending some time with me!

Have a great week!

Michelle