I Heart Faces–Anything but a face!

This week’s photo challenge at I Heart Faces is “Anything but a face”.  It was once again a hard choice to make, but I love this shot so much I thought I’d give it a try.  This photo was from this summer, the day I turned my back for a second and discovered JC had found the only mud puddle around as was wading in!

THIS one was my first runner up for today’s post.

Want to see other entries?  Please visit I Heart Faces!!

Friday Fragments!

It’s Friday! Which to all you working people means something.  To me it means my last day to clean before the kids are home all day for two days destroying the place.  Join Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time in unloading the week’s events!

 

  

   

• The kids both passed their orange belt tests for Tae Kwon Do.  Max had said earlier that he wanted to quit after this test, but has since changed his mind and wants to stay in.
• Since they start a new session after tests, we decided to let Piper give TKD a try.  I think it’s going to be better than physical therapy for her!   (pardon the cell phone camera)

• I got myself a Nook Color with the money I made selling a professional camera I no longer use.  I bought a cool cover and a skin for it, too, before I somehow ruin it.  I REALLY love it.  There’s so much you can do with it!!

• Jackson and Piper were both sick this week.  Lots of extra laundry for pukey toddlers.  I look forward to the age when they can make it to the bathroom to vomit instead of erupting like a volcano where they stand.  Especially when they’re standing on my bed.  Lucky for you, no pics.
• Four of my friends had babies this month.  I hope to photograph at least two of them.  Unfortunately I won’t be able to travel to Japan to see one.  I’ll have to rely on Facebook pictures!
• There’s not much else to say…… I can’t wait for spring?  These –20 degree F days are killer.

I Heart Faces–Phone Photos!!

If there’s one thing I have a lot of, it’s cell phone shots.  When I first got a cell, I really didn’t care if it had a camera or not.  I figured, “I have a great camera, why would a need a less-than-great camera?”  Now that I have one, I use it almost daily.  I’m surprised at the clarity of the little camera, especially when we’re out doors or have lots of natural light…..

Taken with my BlackBerry 8330 on 8/20/2010 (I made it B&W with PSE)

Want to join in the fun and check out other entries?  Head over to I Heart Faces for more info and tons of photos!!

Inspiration Through Art

I am really excited to say Affectionately Yours Photography (that’s me!) is honored to be a new participating photographer for Inspiration Through Art.

“Inspiration Through Art (formerly The Littlest Heroes Project) is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people to give back, and make a difference through the beauty of art. We are artists with a passion for giving and inspiring others. Through our own artistic talents we are able to come together as one, to let children around the world know that they are loved,despite the challenges they face everyday.”

As a participating photographer I will be assigned families through ITA’s application process. I get to meet that family and learn a little about them, then set up a free photography session either at their home, outside, or even in the hospital if they aren’t able to be home. I’m really happy to be a part of their organization!

You can learn more:

“Like” them on Facebook: Inspiration Through Art on Facebook

Visit their website: Inspiration Through Art and see the wonderful portraits provided by other talented photographers!

March to Mandaree

The march is something my husband has been working on for a few months now, and I wanted to share what this is about.  From his Facebook page:

“Four years ago today, my friend Corporal Nathan Goodiron was killed in Afghanistan. In honor of Nathan, next summer I will march across the state of North Dakota. I will march 20-36 miles per day and it will take me two weeks. Nick Harr has volunteered to march the entire distance, but anyone who would like to participate, in whole or in part, is welcome to come along.”

Nate’s parents, friends and family are in full support of the march.  He has mapped out a route and has planned to march June 17 – July 3, 2011.  I plan on setting up camp with the kids each night and preparing food ahead of the marchers so they can stop with us along the way.  Steve’s been organizing and planning this event, so the kids hear about it often.  Today, as I was going through Aria’s school papers, I found this.

You can learn more about the march by friending March to Mandaree on Facebook.

The event page is here:  March to Mandaree event

I’ll eventually help him get a blog up and running as he gets closer to the date.

Friday Fragments

Mrs 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time is here to rescue our brains from the clutter of the week (or two in my case!).  Drop everything at the door for Friday Fragments!!

• I have ignored my blog all week as I became an Ebay junkie.  Now, I’ve been a buying junkie for a while, but this was the first time I’ve sold anything.  I got rid of some photo stuff I don’t use anymore, AND two broken lenses.  They were both dropped (not at the same time….)and were completely unusable.  Apparently lens repair-types scour Ebay for parts.  I sold both lenses, as is, for more than I thought I would.  Since they are worth nothing to me, anything it pretty good.  The problem is, I couldn’t help but check in often and see where the bid were, and how many people had viewed the items.  It was fun!
  
• Besides being an Ebay junkie, I’ve become a Korean Drama junkie.  I mean a true junkie.  First thing in the morning I head straight over to DramaFever.com (some are at Hulu.com, too) and pick up where I left off.  Except one series called “Boys Over Flowers” which I watched non-stop for 25 hours (or more, each episode is about 1hr 5 minutes). Junkie.  My family was about to stage an intervention, but I started going to bed again so they backed down.  I took my laptop downstairs and set it up next to the sink and did dishes while I watched, cooked while I watched, I was on the elliptical while I watched, I even sat on the couch in front of the TV with head phones and my laptop and ignored the prime time shows for K-drama.  Maybe an intervention will still be necessary….
  
• JC keeps stripping down and running naked through the house.  I thought I’d try putting him on the potty chair since that seemed the natural progression for a diaperless toddler.  He sat on the potty (in front of the TV) for a good half hour, then got up, left the room….I should have followed faster……and took a crap on the carpet by his room.  He then came back to let me know.  After the 8th time I put a diaper and clothing back on, I decided duct tape was the way to go.

   nope…..  

so I resorted to putting his footie PJ’s on backward.  It seems to be working so far.

• We almost had heart attacks when we tuned in to the Super Bowl just before kick-off to discover there was something wrong with the local affiliate’s TV tower!!!  The screen said they were working on the problem.  Can you imagine how many ticked off people there would have been if they hadn’t gotten it up and running.  We only missed about 5 minutes of the first quarter.  I guess we also missed the Christina Aguilera trainwreck, but thanks to YouTube we really didn’t miss anything.  Whew…
  
• I’m sure I have more….but K-drama is calling my name!! Happy Friday!!

Fix-it-Friday #86

I don’t get a chance to do these too often, but I had a few minutes while I was waiting for the kids to get ready for school this morning and I noticed I Heart Faces’ Fix-It-Friday.  I love a good Photoshop challenge, so I wanted to give it a try.

The original was obviously in need of lighting help first, so I adjusted the levels.  My idea of a yummy photo has a white white and a pure black somewhere.  I cropped it in and gave it a texture.  I also backed down the red hues, but once I did I lost her amazing hair.  I went in by sponge tool and re-saturated her hair and face.  By doing this I allowed her natural coloring shine while not letting her clothing overshadow.  Who wouldn’t want to show off that beautiful red hair? 

Want to give it a try?  Go to I Heart Faces’ Fix-It-Friday and follow the instructions, then post your results!