Gratitude

"It is not Joy that makes us Grateful, it is Gratitude that makes us Joyful."

During this season of thanksgiving, remember all the blessings you have been given.  Thankfulness brings peace to our hearts and joy to our lives.  Live in Gratitude!

Wisdom and Integrity

The background photo is of a very special place, the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.  As I'm currently living in the UK, this photo has special meaning as I miss this part of being home very much.  We are in a rainy season right now so it has been a bit blah recently.  As I type, the rain is tapping away at the windows.  Dog gone it....if it's going to rain, couldn't I get a nice thunderstorm to go along.  Unfortunately, those are rare here and they are another thing I miss about the US Midwest.

♥Aimee

Spring Photography

I love taking photos of the Spring flowers...the soft, fresh colors draw me in.  This cherry tree was beautiful.  I tried something a little different with this print making it look more like a painting than a photo.  

A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it.  

It just blooms.

♥ Aimee

Find Joy Photography

Here's a little reminder to remember to find JOY in the little things.  Life is full of stress and anxiety that can weigh us down, steal our JOY.  Sometimes it helps if we focus on the ordinary...the simple pleasures.  I went through a time when I found it hard to be joyful.  I turned to writing it down, writing down each little thing that brought me happiness, a smile.  I don't need that journal anymore, but it's a habit, I guess as a photographer, to look for the little things.  So now it's a part of me, all I have to do is look around and see and hear lots of things that bring me JOY.  Sometimes it's a big thing like a life event, but more often than not it's the ordinary...

          a bird whistling in our trees,
          a daffodil blooming as the first signs of Spring,
          a baby's smile,

          or a ride on a ferris wheel!

♥ Aimee

Find JOY in every new day!

I think my life theme is JOY!  If you look hard enough, you will find JOY in all the details of life.....BIG and small.
                      


                      FIND JOY IN EVERY NEW DAY.

♥ Aimee

Our Hope is in the Lord

This has always been one of my favorite verses.  Life may make us weak at times.  Many struggle with money, addictions, health problems, but there is a strength that we can tap into far greater than anything on this earth.  Blessings to all.

 

♥ Aimee

Sedona

It's mid-August and and here in the UK, I've already noticed some beginning color changes in the trees.  If I remember right from last year, the Conker trees were the first to change and start losing their leaves.  The weather is so different here than what I'm used to in the States.  It can be swimsuit weather one day and sweater weather the next.  I have to say I don't really miss those +90 degree days of the Midwest.

♥ Aimee

Lil' Bluebird

I searched for a pattern to make this shape bird to match my logo, but I couldn't find one that worked.  So, I set out to create one of my own.  I think he turned out rather cute.  The bird would make a cute garland strung together on a ribbon.  Would also be a really cute mobile for a nursery.  

 

Lil' Bluebird

Size I Hook

Caron Simply Soft
ch - chain
st - stitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
slst - slipstitch

BODY
Row 1:  Magic Circle, ch 3, dc 14 in circle, slst in top of ch 3,
Row 2:  slst in next st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st. *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, repeat from * 3 more times to beginning of row (first slst).
Row 3:  ch 1, 2 sc along edge of last row (along dc), *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat from * 6 more times, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, *dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, repeat from *1 more times, 1 dc in ch 1 beginning of row, tie off, weave in ends.

HEART WING

Row 1:  Magic Circle, ch 1, 10 sc in circle, slst in top of ch 1.

Row 2:  ch 1, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st, hdc in next, sc in next 2, (hdc, 2 dc) in next st, 2 slst along edge of last dc, sc in next 2, hdc in next st, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st, slst in next, tie off, weave in ends.

BEAK

Attach yarn to center of front, ch 1, hdc in next st, tie off, weave in ends.

EYE

Use tiny black button or 1 french knot embroidery stitch.
 

Is it Spring yet?

As I sit here watching snow falling quietly on my deck, I'm wondering where Spring is?  Regardless of the weather and the tricks it's playing on me, I decided to change out the house decor and usher spring in.  I've been busy crocheting some really cute Easter eggs for my tree (pattern below). I used the left over roses from Ari's wedding flowers to make a pretty little center piece for my kitchen table.  Now I have a reminder of a very special day!  

Easter Egg Pattern

sc-single crochet

sc dec-single crochet decrease

st-stitch

slst-slip stitch

 

G hook

Worsted weight yarn (I used 100% cotton)

 

Working in the round.  You may want to mark the beginning of each row.

Rnd 1:  Magic Ring, 1 sc, 5sc in ring. 5sc

Rnd 2:   2sc in next sc around. 10sc

Rnd 3:   2sc in next sc, 1sc in next sc around. 15sc

Rnd 4:  2sc in next, 1 sc in next 2 sc around. 20sc

Rnd 5-8:  1sc in each st around. 20sc

Start stuffing the egg.

Rnd 9:  (sc dec, sc in next 3 st around) repeat 4 times. 16sc

Rnd 10:  sc in each st around. 16sc

Rnd 11:  (sc dec, sc in next 2 st) repeat 4 times. 12sc

Rnd 12:  sc in each st around.  12 sc.

Finish stuffing.

Rnd 13:  (sc dec, sc in next 1 st) repeat 4 times. 8sc

Rnd 14:  (sc dec, sc in next 2 st) repeat 1 time. Slst in next sc.  Tie off.  6sc.  Using darning needle, pull yarn through top of sc’s and pull snug to close off opening.   

Touched

Spent some time at our local Botanical Garden yesterday to get in some of the last few blooms of the season. They are fading fast, but hopefully to be replaced by some fall colors soon.

 

Thought I'd try something new and give a quick tutorial on how to create the effect on this photo.

Touched

 

I use Photoshop CS5 to create all my textured photos.  First I bring my RAW files into Adobe Camera Raw and adjust for exposure, contrast, and sharpness.  Opening the file into Photoshop, I then add my textures.  In the above photo, I added a bokeh layer set to Screen at 78% opacity and then a second texture layer by Distressed Jewel set to Soft Light at 58% opacity.  I then ran an action from Paint the Moon's Photoshop Elements Set, Fresh Wonderland, called Candy Light Pop adjusting layers to desired look.  If you'd like more information on using textures and actions, visit Rita at The Coffeeshop Blog.  She's got awesome tutorials, as well, as lots of freebies. 

 

To download your free bokeh layer, visit here.  I'd love to see what you create, send a photo to Facebook.  While there, please like our page.  Thanks for stopping by.

Adding Bokeh

Spent some time at our local Botanical Garden yesterday to get in some of the last few blooms of the season. They are fading fast, but hopefully to be replaced by some fall colors soon.

Thought I'd try something new and give a quick tutorial on how to create the effect on this photo.

Touched

I use Photoshop CS5 to create all my textured photos. First I bring my RAW files into Adobe Camera Raw and adjust for exposure, contrast, and sharpness. Opening the file into Photoshop, I then add my textures. In the above photo, I added a bokeh layer set to Screen at 78% opacity and then a second texture layer by Distressed Jewel set to Soft Light at 58% opacity. I then ran an action from Paint the Moon's Photoshop Elements Set, Fresh Wonderland, called Candy Light Pop adjusting layers to desired look. If you'd like more information on using textures and actions, visit Rita at The Coffeeshop Blog. She's got awesome tutorials, as well, as lots of freebies.

To download your free bokeh layer, visit here. I'd love to see what you create, send a photo to Facebook. While there, please like our page. Thanks for stopping by.