Random Thoughts..

Random thoughts in the last 24 hours...

And so it goes...

(I told you they were random.)

Birds on the Brain

Life has been really busy lately and that's a good thing. Keeping my mind and ol' body busy is crucial right now.

I've moved into my new studio space (aka the loft in our house). It will take weeks to finally get things properly set up but it will be worth it. As I'm doing mindless things like sorting fabric by color (OCD, remember? But how does anyone find anything if you don't sort by color?) ~ I get fun ideas for new projects.  Stay tuned. :)

My new space is twice the size of my old studio and I have a new view. I am lucky that not only do we look out on a beautiful green space, but our neighbors have a deck that could double as a lovely little seaside cafe. Well, it could if we had a sea in my backyard.

My good luck buddies - made of marble or something equally as heavy.

Remember - I design and make things for kids.

This is a whimsical place. 

I have to start keeping my telephoto lens next to me at all times, too. A beautiful hawk glides by my window at least once a day.  I just hope he's not cruising for burgers (or finches as it were) at my birdfeeder...

In lieu of capturing a hawk just yet, I found this lovely little painted canvas of other birds of a feather. I just love it. It now hangs above my desk and makes me crazy happy. 

One of these days I'll paint that wall a brilliant color.

And speaking of birds... I returned to the park this morning - I don't go there on a holiday weekends.  So this morning things were back to normal ~ just me and the wind.

And my shiny Canon 40D freshly cleaned and spruced up by the camera professionals at Mike's Camera.  

Holy moly what a difference.  

Not only is my sensor crystal clear and clean

but my longer lenses that used to fish for focus

despite both having IS (one of them has double IS!)

are spot on focusing now!

These little birds go so crazy at dawn I just shoot into the masses and see what comes up.

Sometimes they even sit still

And these two 

finally got it together

So in case I forget, remind me not to wait 6 years before having my camera properly serviced again. I'm in love with my little ol' Canon again!

It's a Holiday!

I woke up this morning and for the first time in ~ oh I don't know... months ~ didn't feel rushed to get into the studio and start working.  Having just made a rather large delivery - a combo of Whee Ones

and some fun canvas wrap prints of retro neon signs around Denver (oh and a shot of the Colorado Capitol Dome I was restocking)

I have such affection for retro signs and plan to shoot more soon!
And lucky me - 4 prints were sold this morning!

to one of my favorite shops I Heart Denver downtown I was feeling relaxed.  

[Side bar (no pun intended) ~ it was great to stop on the way home after the delivery yesterday and clink glasses

with The Mister

Ok, ok, glass and copper mug

at one of our favorite Denver haunts Racines and to celebrate and catch up with ol' friends.]

So as we were planning our holiday weekend, being the Mister and I, of course it is a mix of work and play. There are a couple of Art Festivals downtown that we may check out.  We have some yummy ideas for grilling some of our favorite meals accompanied by some serious deck sitting with a cocktail to enjoy our newly planted flowers and trees.

I have a couple of orders to fill, but they aren't rush so I look forward to a few domestic duties I've neglected for ~ oh I don't know... months. Being a little OCD as I am it drives me crazy not to have my closets and drawers and cupboards neat and tidy ~ a place for everything and everything in its place. So that to me is fun! My studio and storage spaces will probably take a month, but this ~ this is a start.

I would show you a "before" pic 

but it was too embarrassing to even take one.

And it should be noted that although it may appear that a 12 year old works at this desk, it is indeed the desk of a 58 year old who creates things for children and hence, has an affinity for the whimsical and finds inspiration there.  

That said ~ it looks like a 12 year old works here.

And I do believe I have a 12 year old poltergeist is tapping me on the shoulder right now.  Five minutes ago my dry erase board fell off the wall. A second ago my "never, never, never give up" plaque fell off the wall.

I think I'm supposed to give up and go have that holiday cocktail with the Mister...

Springtime in the Rockies

I am always surprised when someone who actually lives in Colorado is surprised when we get snowstorms in April ~ and sometimes even May.  I can understand someone who doesn't live in Colorado not getting it.  But if you've been here for a couple of years you know that our snowiest months are March and April.  And that Spring lasts 5 minutes.  

Sorry all you Spring flower enthusiasts.  Although some Spring blooms can survive the snow (it actually insulates them), if you're really into daffodils and tulips, Colorado might not the place for you.   

So as I watch the snowflakes dance outside my window

I'm happy I took a few minutes yesterday ~ when it was 68 degrees ~ with my Lensbaby 2.0 and 4x macro filter to immortalize my little crocuses.  

It was worth getting down on my creaky ol' knees to do so.

And with that ~ Mornin' Peeps!