Daydreamer Press

Heirloom Re-Do

2011-11-08T16:41:00.001-06:00

This was my dad's dresser when I was too little to see the top of it. It's from the sixties, really solid, made of pecan. I have been craving color for a while now (every piece of furniture in our bedroom is some sort of wood), so my husband and I decided to give my favorite heirloom a little color.

Sorry about the crappy iPhone pic, but this is what the dresser looked like BEFORE.

The first thing I did was give the whole thing a sanding. Especially the top, where the finish was flaking off. Then I painted the entire thing in two coats of latex paint. I chose an old Martha Stewart color that Sherwin Williams used to carry. It looked really minty and gross when I finished and I didn't think I was going to like it. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this part of the process. Believe me, it was pretty ugly.

After the paint was completely dry, my husband removed some of the paint to let the finished wood underneath show through. He did this by using lacquer thinner. This stuff is very smelly, so we did it outside and he wore gloves for the whole process.

I like how he just went over the parts that might have naturally been worn off with time.

After the distressing was finished, he painted on a thin layer of oil based glaze in burn sienna on sections of the dresser. (Don't cover the whole thing, because it may dry before you are able to rub it off. Just do section by section.)

Then he quickly wiped over the layer of glaze with a clean rag, leaving some in the cracks and crevices of the dresser. This dresser was perfect for this process, because as you can see - LOTS of crevices. He went through a LOT of rags.

This is what it looks like after most of the glaze is removed. He repeated the painting and the wiping until all of the dresser was antiqued.

See the difference the glaze makes in the color? The drawers have been warmed up quite a bit, so I really love the color now.

When the glazing was finished, a layer of lacquer (in satin) was sprayed on to protect the finish. Make sure to do this BEFORE you put the hardware back on.

Here it is in it's happy little home!

I say "we" gave this dresser a face lift, but it was really my husband, Scott, who performed his magic. He does this kind of thing for a living, you know.

Now, what can we paint next?!

Typewriter Painting

2011-10-04T13:50:00.003-05:00

Last week we had the luxury of spending every day "funkifying" our house! We painted and painted and painted and it was SO MUCH FUN. While we still aren't finished (one project almost always leads to another), our house is becoming more of a reflection of our family - which is a LOT less monochromatic and a LOT more colorful. So I thought I'd share a few projects that may inspire you to funkify your own house. Or at least add some color.

The first project was to paint one of my three typewriters. I have a portable Remington Quiet Riter (which may be a future project), a beautiful black 1930's Royal (that I'm not touching - perfect as is), and this one. Could use a little brightening up, don't you think?

Behold, the Royal HH, cir. 1954, that I bought at an Estate Sale a few years ago.

First thing, use blue tape and painter's plastic to protect the delicate innards of the beast. I wanted to be able to use this typewriter (you can still find ribbon for it!), so I completely covered the carriage (that's the part with the roller on it.)

I sprayed the whole thing with spray paint I picked up from the hardware store. I just love this turquoise color. Very fifties, don't you think?

Uh, oh! This is what happens when you hold the spray paint can too close to the typewriter. Also, I didn't move around the machine enough when I was spraying.

No worries! Just let the paint dry, then go over it with some fine sandpaper. My husband is a spray paint expert, so I'm letting him do the sanding.

This is how far you should hold that can. That's about a foot away! And keep it moving so there won't be any ugly drips.

Ta Daa! Wait, I really didn't like that big brown patch in the middle. I decided to paint that part too - very carefully!

I did some taping with the blue tape and trimmed some off with an Exacto knife. I also taped the heck out of those beautiful green keys.

That's better! Here she is in her home.

And here's her first glamour shot! What a beauty!

If you have an old typewriter, you may consider painting it. If you have any questions about your typewriter, here's a webpage that will answer some of them - including where to find replacement ribbons. The paint I used for my typewriter was Rustoleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover 2x in Lagoon. The blue tape I was referring to is Scotch Blue Painter's Tape. You can find it and the spray paint at any hardware store.

Easy as Strawberry Pie

2011-06-06T14:47:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've shared a recipe out of my mother's magic recipe box, so I thought I'd share something that I've made a few times since strawberries have been in season here in Texas. This is a simple recipe and is unbelievably delicious. Here's the recipe:

And here's the blow by blow:

Put the 1 1/2 pints of strawberries in a pot and mash.

I've used store bought pie crust and home made.
For either one, get it in the oven now,
so it will be cool by the time you need to put the filling in.

After the strawberries are mashed up, add the sugar and the cornstarch.
Stir this over medium heat until the mixture thickens.
I've made the mistake of doing this for only 5 minutes, like my mom says
on the card, but I find I need to stir and heat for atleast 10 minutes.

This is how it should look when it is thickened enough.

Add the rest of the strawberries, the almond extract and the lemon juice and stir.
Let this mixture hang out until it is cooled to room temperature.

Your pie crust should be finished and cooled by now.

Pour the strawberries into the pie crust and put it in the
fridge for atleast 30 minutes to chill. This is when I make
the whipped cream to top it with. I just use whipping cream
that you find in the dairy section by the half and half and whip it
with my hand held mixer. While I'm whipping it, I add
a little sugar to make it sweet. I prefer this to Cool Whip
(too many mysterious chemicals) and it's so easy to make.

When you serve it, just add a big spoonful of whipped cream on top,
and there you have it!

You might end up licking the plate clean.

I hope you love this pie as much as I do. Let me know how it turns out, okay?

Hello..... Remember Me?

2011-06-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

I’ve been sooooo busy that I haven’t put any time into my blog. So to catch you up to date, here’s what’s happened over the past, um, few months.

Since my last entry I have taken a weekend trip to Oklahoma City to see my dear friend, Lynne. She took me to the OKC library book sale, where I snagged so many great books I filled a giant suitcase (thank goodness it has wheels!).

My favorite find.

Too cute!

I’ve painted a mural in my niece’s new "big girl" room in anticipation of her becoming a big sister.

iPhone Pic

I became an auntie again.

Herbie III

I’ve painted a huge mural with my husband, Scott, and was reminded why I love working with him so much.

I’ve visited the CTC Auto Ranch with my girlfriends (yes, I hang with the kind of girls who love old rusty cars, too).

I’ve taken a photography class and have finally moved the dial on my camera from fully automatic to M (woo hoo!).

I learned about panning!

My Favorite Image

I’ve taken engagement photos for a friend.

My favorite shot.

I’ve seen Arcade Fire in concert and still cannot get their magical music out of my brain (and the crowd was the best crowd I’ve ever seen a concert with).

Perfect night.

I went to a wonderful Estate Sale in the Arlington Heights section of Fort Worth and found some beautiful children’s books.

I’ve started taking Spinning classes at the YMCA and have fallen in love with cycling again. Reunited with some of my favorite people in the whole world, who started the Carrollton Music Hall of Fame.

I’ve purchased a new lens (Canon EF 50mm f1.4) and flash (Canon Speedlite 430EX II) and learned how to use them.

I shot my first wedding, with the generous help of my photography instructor, Clay Crowell.

Such a beautiful couple!

This will probably be used for an ad for my photography.

They did this instead of lighting the unity candle. It was so beautiful!

OH, and I was published!

I promise I won't wait so long to post on my blog. I'm really good about updates on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/annadykemaphotography), though. Go ahead and "like" me. All my FB friends get a discount in my shop!

Mabel Dodge Luhan House

2011-02-16T16:54:00.001-06:00

Entrance to the grounds of the Mabel Dodge Luhan House

During our trip to New Mexico in January, we drove over the mountains to Taos, as we do every visit. After visiting our favorite places, Scott took me to a "lodge" that he and our son found last Summer. We only stayed long enough to shoot a few pictures, but I could tell it was extra special and I KNEW I wanted to return and stay for a while.

The Sitting Room

This wasn't just a lodge, this is the Mabel Dodge Luhan House. We grabbed some information on the way out and it turns out this house was written about by D.H. Lawrence himself! Others who were guests of Mabel and her full-blooded Taos Pueblo husband, Tony, include, Georgia O'Keefe, Ansel Adams, and John Collier, to name a few.

Dining Room

While we were there, we were allowed to wonder around and were even offered tea and cookies. I was struck by the absolutely beautiful ceilings. And once we made it back to the kitchen, I was completely in love with the place.

Isn't it charming? I can't wait to go back. I'm thinking maybe this summer, when Texas gets SO hot I'm ready to move away. That usually happens around late August, early September.

Bird Houses

Aren't these fantastic? They're giant and they're in the courtyard.

Go here to visit their informative website. And go here to read a post from their blog that features an essay written by a guest (who happens to be a photographer) that captures the feeling of this beautiful place.

Found in the courtyard.

What a beautiful place.....

It's Girly Time

2011-01-26T12:53:00.002-06:00

Ali and Lynne.

It's not very often that I have the chance to get together with my girlfriends. Most of my time is spent at home with our three male dogs, one male cat, my husband and son. The other girl in the house besides me is my 16 year old kitty (Lucy) who sleeps in my closet most of the time. Needless to say, I LOVE spending time with my girlfriends. It brings me back to myself and reminds me how much I LOVE being a girl.

This time we got together for the day and did a little vintage shopping at one of our favorite places, Ahab Bowen Vintage, in Dallas. Having first discovered this place in the 80's, I was sweetly surprised that it is still the same - no, it's better! Reasonably priced, clean, and fun: that's how I would describe their collection of vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. My favorite room is in the back - the men's section. Hats, coats, suits, ties and shoes! I never walk away without a treasure or two. This time I walked in with some treasures: Lynne, Ali and Nikki. Love love LOVE those girls!!

Every girl needs something sparkley.

I want them aaallll!

One fantastic pair after another!

Different discounts for different tag colors = FUN!

The perfect hat for Ali.

Hello!

I'm so happy they are still around!

Scat

2011-01-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

The neon beckoned us down the long alley and
into an elevator that took us down to heaven.

This weekend, a dear friend of mine came to visit and we decided to stay up past our bedtimes, but we didn't want to be the oldest people in the room. Just our luck, we stumbled upon the coolest place I've been to in AGES. I'd heard about Scat Lounge in downtown Fort Worth, and was curious to see if it lived up to it's image. After all, it has a tough act to follow. In high school, my fellow band buddies and I would sneak our way into a tiny jazz club in Dallas called the 6051 Club on Forrest Lane, because it made us feel like grown-ups but mostly because the music was so fantastic. I don't remember the names of any of the musicians we saw, but there were many. Scat reminds me of this place. The clientele is low key, great music is the focus and the drinks are de-lish. My friend, Lynne, and I spent the night gabbing, and trying to nail a good shot of Joel Cross, the performer that night. You can see her shots here and here. I think I learned something that night, dirty martini's and all. I need to stay up past my bedtime more often.

One Hot Day in December

2011-01-12T06:36:00.000-06:00

It was on December 21st that my husband, son and I decided to head over to Fort Worth, finish up a little Christmas shopping and hang out at the Botanic Gardens. We ended up a the Japanese Gardens on that day. I had to take my shoes off because the temp had reached an really strange 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After I wondered around barefoot for a while with my film camera, shooting up the last of my Kodachrome film, I found this guy!

We were laughing at him because he looked like he was eyeing the giant Koi in the pond, like he was going to have one of those mega fish for lunch! Then, suddenly... he speared a smaller fish. And we got to see the entire thing unfold before our eyes!

Taken just before he speared his lunch.

Had I not been so surprised, I might have gotten all his beautiful wings in the shot.

Down the hatch!

I'll never laugh at a Great Blue Heron again! I wonder if he's ever gotten one of those Koi....

New Year: Clean Slate

2011-01-11T17:56:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! Have you made any resolutions? Not me! Not a single one. But I did make a firm decision to start this year off with a clean slate. Inspired by the video of Lotta Jansdotter's Open Studio Tour with Etsy, my first plan was to simply clean off my bulletin boards. But then when I took a good look at my mess of a studio, I decided a bigger re-do was in order. I spent half a day planning and choosing furniture and accessories at Ikea with a $500 budget and several days after that putting the stuff together and figuring out what to do with all my clutter. My arm almost fell off from screwing everything together and my recycling/trash heap was pretty darn big, but I think it was worth it.

Here are some Before and After pics.

The piece of Victorian architecture was a gift from my husband for my first mother's day. The two glassed in shelves are from Ikea (Billy bookshelves with Kiaby doors), so's the lamp (Tral). The work desk is actually two desks from Pier One that I pushed together (I need a big space to work on). The cat is Frank!

That big fat black chair was not very comfortable, so I replaced it with a very comfy red one (Ikea Klemens). I got the desk (Micke), printer cart (also Miche), desk lamp (Mil), file holder (Spontan) and three magnetic bulletin boards (also Spontan) from Ikea. The hubcap clock was a gift from my husband for Christmas this year. It's from a 1960's era AMC Rambler (and from Etsy seller 8MileCreekDesigns). Cool, huh?! Oh, and there's Frank again, in the window.

Most of the clutter went into the shelves. I covered the bottom six panes of glass with some mulberry paper so I could hide the ugly stuff down there.

The before picture makes me look like a hoarder, doesn't it?! Most of that stuff is sewing supplies, which I inherited from my husband's grandmother who just recently passed away. I've stored most of that under the work desk, to be pulled out when I finally learn how to sew. And that bulletin board - what a mess! I decided to just stick to one place to put up things I want to see every day - inspiration. Some of that stuff had been up there on that bulletin board for at least 3 years.

Look at all that junk everywhere! Boy, did I ever need me some drawers. And now my computer is up off the floor, too. This Ikea desk had a little space to hide all the cables from my printer and computer. There is a very messy cable party going on that nobody can see now. Yay!

Now there are only a few "dust catchers" out. All my little horses and cars went behind glass. But I had to display the beautiful 1950's Singer sewing machine that I inherited from my husband's grandmother. He still raves about the ninja costumes she made for him on that machine when he was a little boy. She took very good care of her first and only Singer. It's still in perfect working order.

What about you? What are you doing to mark the beginning of a new year?

I'm Dreaming of a Round Christmas.... Tree

2010-12-16T16:15:00.002-06:00

Every Christmas I am plagued with the grand idea of replicating the Christmas trees of my early childhood. Every dang Christmas, I dig up old photos, turn house upside down for a very un-informative drawing, trying to figure out how my mother managed to create the coolest Christmas tree - ever. I even asked her how to make it once.

Isn't it cool? That's my dad handing out
presents and me next to him. Those other
kids are cousins, and the woman on the left
is my mom.
1965

This is what she told me years ago: You just go to the hardware store and get some chicken wire and some pliers, then go to the tree seller and ask for the limbs they cut off the trees that they'll be throwing away. After that, go home and form the chicken wire into the shape of a ball. Then you attach the limbs to the ball-shaped chicken wire with some other florist wire, one by one, until *poof*, you got yourself a round Christmas tree! Of course, it must be hung on the ceiling, strung with lights and decorated with glass balls and a long pretty ribbon that hangs gracefully off the bottom. And when you're feeling really fancy, you go have it flocked!

Viola!
1968

Keeps the kiddos away from the glass ornaments!
That's me (one the left) and my sister.
1968

Every year, I get the ambitious notion that I will just whip up one of these doozies and hang it in all it's strange glory in our big front window for all our neighbors to admire. And every year, I get busy and put it off until I don't have the time, this year being no exception. Next year, though. Maybe I'll blog about it, too!

Oh My Getty

2010-12-14T17:52:00.000-06:00

Today, I am doing a little happy dance in my head. Atleast a year ago, I submitted some photos to Getty Images. Didn't hear a peep out of them. I just figured that I wasn't "there" yet. But, still, it is a little goal I've set for myself. Some of my favorite Flickr photogs have that cute little "g" down by their licensing info.

Okay, so today I got a request from Getty. They liked these images:

Yaaaayyy!!! Happy dance, happy dance!

For the Love of the Lake

2010-12-08T10:49:00.001-06:00

White Rock Lake in Dallas has been a lifelong friend of mine. My mom and dad brought me there as a child. We'd pick up a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and have a little picnic by the water. It became the permanent home of my childhood pet duck, Herman P. Duck, when he got too big for the bathtub (much to my dismay, I might add). In the early eighties, it went through a rough period, seemingly forgotten by everyone except for motorcycle gangs and druggies. Then in the early nineties it had its renaissance. People began taking an interest in it again and recognized it for the jewel it is. When I worked in Dallas through the nineties, I'd ride my bike around it several times a week - which soothed the artist in me that I was trying to force into a "real job". And it was a place for healing when my world fell apart over ten years ago. There is a bench there that I would sit in for hours at a time to watch the sailboats race and the sun move across the sky. What I wouldn't give now to sit in one place for that long! After my father died (only a month before my son was born), my brother and I planted a tree there in his honor. He loved that lake too. The tree overlooks the playground, giving shade to the kiddos on the hot days we have here. Each time I visit White Rock Lake, I notice new improvements they've made to the lake. Right now they are building a new spillway - complete with an observation deck! It is such a beautiful and well loved place. Thank you, For the Love of the Lake, for taking such good care of my lifelong friend. Thank you!

I visited the lake last week when I had some time to myself. The whole time I was there I kept wondering why I hadn't come there to take photos yet! I guess there's a time for everything, right?

I remember this day at White Rock Lake. That's my dad's Impala. He took this picture. I'm 3 1/2.

I loved my soldier dress. And I LOVED my dad's car. We went fishing in it together and
I spilled a milkshake in it. He didn't even get angry. I just had to sit in the milkshake until we got to the lake!

Sweet Rosie

2010-12-07T11:57:00.000-06:00

Last week I needed to take a trip to Dallas to deliver a couple of my prints, and I had some time to tool around my hometown, alone, with my camera. The first place I stopped off was the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority garage. Before I actually got into the garage, I ran into this sweet little lady.

This is Rosie. She's 100 years old!

The moment I stepped into this streetcar, I could feel a sense of her, like I
feel when meeting a person for the first time.

I don't know what this does, but it's pretty, isn't it?

All rides are free, but please make a donation so Rosie can stay as beatiful as she is now.

Later, when I finally made it into the garage, I found out that Rosie may love her passengers, but she is a cantakerous old woman. The head mechanic told me that she has a reputation among the streetcar mechanics of MATA. "She'll hurt you if you let her," he told me. I'd be a little fiesty, too, if I were 100 years old!

Find out a little about Rosie's history, here. And here's a little movie I found of the streetcars that were in operation around Fair Park in Dallas in the 1950's, before the took them all off the road and replaced them with busses. Legend has it that the day after they took them off the road, a huge blizzard hit Dallas. Not a single bus could make it out. That would not have been a problem for these lovely streetcars. I'm so glad we have them back.

I Love to Drive

2010-12-02T09:34:00.000-06:00

Aztec Mill in Cimarron, NM

View from a Rest Stop in Texas

Bison in New Mexico

Cotton Harvest near Memphis, TX

New Mexico Barbed Wire Fence

Roadside Telephone Poles

For the Thanksgiving holiday, my family and I drove up to the house in Angel Fire, New Mexico. I ended up driving the whole way back, which is about an 11 hour drive, but I LOVED it! Mostly because I went through all of "The Photography Show" podcasts that I saved on my iPod. If you haven't listened to this show, it is a MUST for anyone who is into photography. I love it because it's not too techie and the hosts, Wade Griffith and Ted Forbes, are so generous and down to earth with their experiences as photographers. There's no photo-snobbery going on here (except for Ted's disdain for William Wegman and wedding photography - which I totally get). At the end of each show they share their "Picks". Sometimes they pick books, sometimes documentaries about famous photographers, sometimes blogs. It's SO educational and pretty darn entertaining, too. Hey - it would HAVE to be for me to listen to almost every podcast back-to-back! Go here to find "The Photography Show" podcast on iTunes. Go here to see the show notes (links and picks) and to learn more about Wade and Ted (uh, Ted and Wade). Ted also has a podcast called "The Art of Photography" that I plan to subscribe to as well; find that here. Both have Flickr accounts(Wade's here, Ted's here) and there is also a Flickr account for "The Art of Photography" - here.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Villagers

2010-10-29T12:32:00.001-05:00

Another trip to The Granada last night did not disappoint. What drew us there this time was Ra Ra Riot, who were fantastic! But the big revelation for me was the opener, the Villagers, who is the remarkably gifted Conor O'Brien from Dublin. So much talent compressed into such a compact frame, he was mesmerizing from the moment he walked out.

I thought I had never heard of them before until they performed “Becoming a Jackal” which is the title track on their debut cd. I may have only heard this song once (I cannot for the life of me figure out where – probably KXT 91.7 – my public radio station) and I had most of the lyrics memorized – to my astonishment! I think that’s what happens when I hear great writing – it gets burned onto my brain and I replay it as background music to my dreams while I’m sleeping. Does this happen to you? This has not happened to me in a long time. Take a listen:

In case you haven't hear enough, here's a really good World Cafe Interview. Could this be where I heard them? Here's their official website where you can find links to their Facebook and MySpace pages or buy cds or tshirts. Conor does all the artwork, btw. LOVE that. You can also download the album on iTunes. But I bought a CD because I wanted to have the words. Oh, the beautiful words. The cd as a whole is a cohesive collection of slighty dark, deeply passionate, beautifully spun personal glimpses into a human experience. And, lookie: they even signed it for me!

If you still want more, here's a Tiny Desk Concert from NPR. Happy Listening.

One Hot Halloween Mess

2010-10-25T12:07:00.000-05:00

I can feel Halloween coming. It's windy out, the weather's kinda freaky (tornado in October?), the days are getting shorter and the moon has been making me want to hoooowwwl. So I celebrated the crazies this weekend by making this. Can you see me in here?

Speaking of crazy, does anyone remember a Disney record of spooky sounds called "Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House"? My brother sent me a link to it on YouTube a couple weeks ago and it shot me right back to my childhood.

We used to play this out the window of our house while the trick-or-treaters slowly inched their way up to our front door. It used to scare the heck out of of those kids! I was thrilled to find out that I can get this record on iTunes now! Go here to see for yourself! What about you? Are you feeling kind a spooky???

......BOO!

Playing with the Lensbaby 2.0

2010-10-22T10:04:00.000-05:00

I've had a Lensbaby 2.0 for atleast a year now and I've just now gotten around to taking it out for an afternoon. I've seen some beautiful photographs made with one of these things, both landscapes and still lifes. I am no where near controlling this thing like I'd like to, but I'm having fun playing with it.

Here's a little video made by the inventor that shows how to use the Lensbaby that I have:

The Lensbaby website also has some videos and a gallery, so you can see what a photographer who knows what she's doing can do with it. I need way more time with this little toy!

Keep Dreaming !!

2010-10-15T15:09:00.002-05:00

Gosh, I have never been so proud of my husband! As you may already know, he has illustrated his first children's book! Written by his friend, Jake Brittain, this little book has a very powerful message for kids ages 2 to 12. It even comes with a cd of accompanying music recorded by Jake himself. Kids can look at the book and follow along with the lyrics of the song – in three fun versions! We keep our cd in the car and play it while we’re out running errands. We like it and our seven year old loves it, too!

The message of the book is about how our dreams can become realities. In essence, Scott and Jake hope to give children the inspiration to begin to have dreams of their own and to nurture their dreams. Just think of what wonderful things could happen if children receive this message early in life – to remember their dreams. Isn’t that how wonderful things happen?

What dreams do you have for yourself? Your family? Have any dreams you’ve had come to fruition?

The message is strong and the music is fun to listen to, but the kicker is that for EVERY book sold, one book will be given to a child in need. Their first donation of books will go to The Boys and Girls Club! One for One.

To purchase the book, learn more about Scott and Jake, and find out where they will be talking about their wonderful book, go to http://www.newdreamstudio.com/.

And have a fabulous weekend!!!

One for One

2010-10-13T15:01:00.002-05:00

I’m so excited right now, because I am about to see the first copies of Keep Dreaming, a book for children that was written by my husband’s friend, Jake Brittain, illustrated by my husband, Scott Dykema, and designed my me. Jake and Scott have decided on a One for One business model for the book. What that means is that for every book sold, one book will be given to a child in need. They have decided that their first donations will go to The Boys and Girls Club. Isn’t that cool?

This One for One idea came from one of Scott’s friends from Martin High School in Arlington, TX, Blake Mycoskie – the founder of Toms shoes (or chief shoe giver - as he calls himself). As you probably already know, for every pair of Toms you buy, a pair of shoes will be given to a child in need. LOVE this! And apparently, so do a lot of other people! Business is booming for Toms.

Another wonderful company with this same business model is Warby Parker. They offer beautifully made, vintage inspired frames with top of the line lenses (the lenses you pay extra for at the stores) and a 30 day return policy for one price - $95. They’ll even send you 5 pairs of glasses to try on before you decide which frame is right for you! Great deal, right? But the clincher for me is that for every pair you buy, they’ll give a pair to someone who needs glasses but can’t afford them. I’ve already picked out the five I want to try, but due to high demand (eh-hem), I may have to wait a few weeks to get them in my hot little hands. Want to know how I know this? I emailed them to ask how long it would take along with several other questions. The next day I had an email in my inbox from a real person answering every question I had. I just LOVE that!

One more recent discovery that is along these same lines is a website just I found called Collect.Give. The amazing photographers who sell their work on this site have pledged to donate 100% of their profits to the charitable organization of their choice. Very cool!

So stay tuned to see how the new book turns out. Since this is the first book I’ve ever designed, I’m both excited and nervous at the same time. I’m just hoping that the design of the book will show off Jake’s important message and Scott’s gorgeous illustrations. Fingers crossed!

Here's a little preview of the cover:

Go here to see the website where you can buy the book, learn more about Jake and Scott, and see what events they have planned.

Love at First Sight

2010-10-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

1939 Pontiac Coupe

Have you ever fallen in love with an inanimate object? I can honestly say I have in the past - an old windup clock, a gauzy vintage dress from the 1920's, an antique armoire. Usually, I fall in love with things I can just barely afford or can somehow scrape cash together to take it home with me. But this time was different. This is a 1939 Pontiac Coupe that I spotted at the Good Guys Lone Star Nationals at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth last weekend. I'd never been to a car show like this one! There were muscle cars, beautiful old cars from the fifties, bigger than you could ever imagine station wagons, an old school bus and my new favorite - the rat rods. I swear, by the time I left that place at the end of the day I had a "happy headache". And I had an ache in my heart because I had to walk away from this beauty.

Love the cracks in the steering wheel.

Isn't this hood ornament perfection?

You can see the famed Silver Streak in this shot.

Love the simplicity in the design here.

The sign on the car read:

1939 Pontiac Coupe

Barn Find, Always Garaged

6 Cylinder

Original Motor, Doesn't Run

$6,500.00

Donald Greer

(817) 228-1411

Gosh, if I just had a spare $6,500 stashed somewhere..... And a friend who is a mechanic.... And the extra cash it would take to get it to run.... Yeah, that would be awesome! I can see myself driving this lovely machine.

Here's a little history about Pontiac from Edmund's:

Pontiac originated as the Oakland Car Company of Pontiac, Michigan, in 1907; it was founded by Edward Murphy. Acquired by General Motors in 1909, Oakland introduced the first Pontiac vehicle in 1926. Dubbed the "Chief of the Sixes," the car was powered by a six-cylinder engine and made its debut at that year's New York auto show. It was so successful that the Oakland name was phased out in favor of Pontiac, the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa Indians. Throughout the 1930s and '40s Pontiac made coupes, sedans and wagons in the low-to-mid price ranges. A unique styling cue of Pontiac cars from the mid-'30s to the mid-'50s was known as "Silver Streak," a set of art-deco-inspired chrome "speed lines" that ran up over the length of the hood to the base of the windshield.

Well, a girl can dream, right? I mean, that's where it all begins in a dream.

Making Space

2010-09-30T11:37:00.001-05:00

Hipstamatic

New York - yes. San Franciso - yes. But Dallas? Thank you - thank you - thank you to whoever booked Coco Rosie at the Granada. Not an ounce of predictability, so creative, fantastic sound and the best audience (thank you glow-stick guy). There aren't many artists who can open up a space in my head like these two. I see them as two people who are so authentically who they are, what we see is quite magical and cannot be replicated. They reassure me as an artist to just keep going, even it it doesn't look like what everybody else is doing.

I've posted videos of them before, but just in case you missed them, here's another:

Their official website is here. If you happen to be in Austin tonight. Get your hiney to Emo's. And bring a glow-stick or two.

One of their openers was Sleep Whale, from Denton, Texas. FAN. TAS. TIC. Here's a little taste:

Their blog is here. Their MySpace page is here where you can listen to what they do. You can also find them on iTunes. I won't be able to get them on my iPod fast enough!

A Light Just Went On

2010-09-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

"What if loneliness was simply a feeling of impatience, telepathically sent to you by friends you've yet to meet, urging you to go out more, do more, and get involved, so that life's serendipities could bring you together... Would you still feel alone?

What if illness was just the signal a healthy body sent to urge clarification of your thoughts, feelings, and dreams... Would you still, at times, think of yours as diseased?

What if feelings of uncertainty and confusion were only reminders that you have options, that there's no hurry, and that everything is as it should be... Would you still feel disadvantaged?

What if mistakes and failures only ever happened when your life was about to get better than it's ever been before... Would you still call them mistakes and failures?

And what if poverty and lack were simply demonstrations of your manifesting prowess, as "difficult" to acquire as wealth and abundance... Would they still cause you to feel powerless?

Well, whatever you feel, I still consider you my only begotten, my champion, and my equal.

Are we close, or what?"

- The Universe

This is from a daily email I just subscribed to called "Notes from the Universe" by Mike Dooley. I've had some pretty stinky thinking going on lately and this was just what I needed to hear. You can subscribe to the "Notes" here and learn more about Mike Dooley here and find his website here.

I've Got the Sky in my Pocket

2010-09-22T17:41:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Walk to School

My husband and I recently jumped on the iPhone bandwagon. My justification was so that we could synchronize our calendars and get email "on the road". Well.... honestly, I think I might be regretting this decision. Not only did it take practically all day at the Apple store to get our phones switched over (AT&T likes to put people on hold), I have been trying for days to figure out how to set this Mobile Me doo hickey with Outlook (that I thought I had when I purchased the subscription to Mobile Me and had to purchase in a bundle with a bunch of stuff I didn't want). And to top it off, our internet is acting funny because apparently with all the iThis's and iThat's in the house, there's way too much firewall action going on, so I needed to change some settings which meant lots of learning about something I really don't care about. Holy freakin cow! My little brain hurts....

The worst part of this bandwagon is how my husband jumps whenever he hears the "new email" bell go off on his phone. He stops mid sentence to see what it is. And I know our son notices this because he was happy when I took his dad's phone away to set up the calender today! I have to confess, I sometimes jump to see what it is, too. Once I even caught myself grabbing the phone while driving because the bell went off. We may have to set some boundries here.

On the bright side, I love the camera! Whenever I see something interesting and don't have my Canon with me I can just whip it out and shoot away. So far I have video of my son singing when he didn't know anyone was watching (I'd post it but he was in his underwear!), pictures of goats, my dog smiling really big, and lots and lots of clouds....

How do you manage technology in your life? Has it taken over?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-09-09T14:33:00.001-05:00

This week I thought I would share some vintage snaps I found at the Cattle Barn Flea Market in Fort Worth last weekend. Because I do love me some vintage snaps.

I give up. Who?

Isn't he sweet? What a cool harness, too.

Cracks me up on so many levels!

Magic.

I first saw the photo with the bird a few months ago and came across it again so I couldn't resist it this time. It's now one of my favorites.

Speaking of vintage snaps, I was contacted today by The National Building Museum for permission to use two of my father's snapshots from the 1939 World's Fair in New York City for and exhibition entitled "Designing Tomorrow: America’s World’s Fairs of the 1930s" which runs from October 2, 2010 through July 10, 2011. He would have LOVED that! Go here to get more info the exhibit. To see the photos, go here and here.

Until tomorrow.....

Things I Love Thursday

2010-09-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Click Here to See More

Time to take a look at some amazing photographers on Flickr. So much inspiration here. I have SO MUCH to learn!

Vintage Car Viewfinder Love

2010-09-01T18:11:00.000-05:00

Hello! I'm baaaaacckkk! It was a very relaxing no-tech break. While I was gone, I went to California (didja get the hint?), school started up again and I'm just about finished with the book I'm designing with my husband and his friend. More about all of that later.

But, first I wanted to ask you a question: What do you get when you cross a vintage Argus 75 with a classic car show? Tadaaaaa:

Fin

Headlight

Whitewall

These are available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Stay tuned for vacation photos......

Taken a Break

2010-08-11T12:28:00.002-05:00

I'll be away from the internet for a bit. Time to recharge my batteries. Here's a little something till I get back....

Now where'd I put that miniskirt..... ;)

What a Poser

2010-08-05T13:51:00.000-05:00

If you're ever looking for some self portrait pose ideas, this is your goto video.

I seriously wish I had thought of this.....

Please Pick the Flowers

2010-08-03T16:50:00.001-05:00

Well, it's hot here. Today my car read 106 before 2pm! Needless to say, there aren't many flowers in these parts - as they need a less hostile environment to thrive. My rose bushes bloom, but by the time the evening rolls around, they're - literally - toast!

Needless to say, I was delighted to find these alternatives to the real thing while nosing around Etsy today. I love each and every one of these beauties.

Beautiful tissue....

Orange Kisses

Unbelievable. This is soap!

Satin and Birch

One or two of these in my hair, please.....

Paper + Ribbons

And these make me want to get married all over again, just so I could have one on my dresser.

So lovely......

Lionsgate Designs

Goin' Junkin'

2010-08-02T14:34:00.001-05:00

So this past Sunday was supposed to be one of the hottest days here, thus far (103!). What do we decide to do? Go to the Flea Market at the Cattle Barn in Fort Worth, of course! There's no air conditioning! That's how much my husband, son and I LOVE goin' junkin', as my mother used to call it.

Still, we were not prepared for just how HOT it was inside - even though they did have giant fans blowing. We only stayed 30 minutes and I didn't buy anything this time. I just wondered around with my camera so I could share this with you. I usually give my son $5 and he goes wild! On this day he managed to buy two action figures. He even haggled someone down from $3 to $2!! That's my boy.

It was a little skimpy. Who could blame anyone for not showing up.

Vintage jars.

I just know there's something in here I need. Oh Yeah! Fake chicken leg!!

Vintage 1930's cast iron toy car.

Violin.

All original vintage 1930's car with matching trailer. LOVE!! If I had the $600.00 cash in my pocket, I would have walked out with this thing. I really SHOULD carry more cash!

She's looking over at my favorite room. The room with the only air conditioner FULL of vintage snapshots. I've posted many of my finds here.

Music for Outside

2010-07-30T07:49:00.001-05:00

River Legacy Park

One of my friends from high school posted this to his facebook page this week and I find myself going back to it over and over again. I just love this guy. And when I close my eyes and listen to this, each time I have a different little video going on in my head.

Some music just makes me want to run out outside and play.

Flickr Inspiration

2010-07-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

Some of my favorite Flickr photographs from this week. Go here to explore all these amazing photographers.

This mosaic goes good with blackbird.

Because Indie is Better

2010-07-05T08:20:00.000-05:00

I'm making a motion to proclaim July 5th Indie Day! Isn't that a good idea???

Danielle Ate The Sandwich. Her CD comes out July 6th, 2010.

Learn more about her here. Buy her CD or download it on iTunes.

Happy Birthday to U.S.!!

2010-07-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Independence Day! Heck, I think I'll extend the Buy One Get One Free sale in my Shop through to the end of this month! Yipee!!!

No where are my sparklers.....

Buy One Get One Free in My Shop!

2010-06-28T14:28:00.002-05:00

This month I am having a Sale in my Etsy shop. This offer, buy one print get one print free, applies to EVERY PRINT and EVERY SIZE! Your free print will be the same size as the print you purchased.

What a great deal, right?

I Love a Man With a Sense of Humor!

2010-06-21T16:23:00.000-05:00

This came on after True Blood last night and made me laugh! Love it!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite picture of my husband with our son. I just love watching them together. We have one lucky little boy.

If you like a good story, you might like this. Oh, and this is great, too.

Happy Father's Day.

Old Time Music Love

2010-06-18T11:37:00.002-05:00

Last night my cutie and I snuck away to Dallas to The Granada to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They were so fantastic I can't stop humming and dancing barefoot in the grass. Here's a peek.

And another:

And another:

And if you can't get enough, here's their website.

Can you tell I'm in love? Some music just hits me to the bone. It takes me back to the Summers of my childhood spent in the Tennessee countryside catching fireflies, chasing grasshoppers and making mazes in the tall grass with my brother and sister. And the long walk to the mailbox with my great aunt. LOVE it.

8 mm Shenanegans

2010-06-17T17:51:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago I happened upon an Estate Sale. I wandered around the house and found nothing until I reached the cabinet below the bookshelves in the den. And what did I find? An 8 mm camera! It's very cool looking so I decided to take it home with me. I was just about to leave when a big metal box caught my eye (I kind of like old metal boxes because there's always something good inside - even if it's just "junk"). It was SO heavy. So I opened it and BOOM a projector. Beside it were three cans of film. Beside that Quick Splice moving makers kit! And beside THAT, an old coffee can full of, my guess, unused film. And what did I find in the coat closet? A SCREEN! It was all priced WAY cheap, so I loaded up my arms and schlepped the whole thing to the cashier to be told my grand total was 40 bucks. Yay!

As soon as I got home I plugged in the projector and watched two of the reels. They're from the late fifties, early sixties and most of the shots are of a couple and their little dog. I got out my camera and shot a few pics of the film. I love the quality of the film and the vintage look SO much. The image above is cropped and I've added several layers to the image in Photoshop. Below is just a pic without any fiddling with.

I can't wait to go through all of the films and make something. Even if I just use these as layers for other things, I'm still SO excited about it. All this inspiration and excitement for a mere 40 bucks!

Vintage Car Emblem Collages

2010-06-11T14:41:00.000-05:00

They're finished and listed for sale in my shop! I had them printed today at 12" x 12" each. SO cool! When You put all four together, they're really something! Here they are. Just click on the title to go to the listing:

I still can't believe I had all these! Have a wonderful weekend!

We Need Some Stinkin Badges!

2010-06-09T18:00:00.002-05:00

Been spending all day working on this little ditty. First, I was just curious as to how many of these badges I'd photographed over the past couple of years. Then I just wanted to see them all with the same treatment. THEN I just wanted to see what they all looked like together. And THEN.....

Well, this is what happened. Obsessive? Maybe just a little. But I kinda like it. ;)

I'm having this printed at the lab at 30" x 20". If it turns out looking fab, I'm putting this bad boy in my shop!

Stay tuned....

My Heart Goes Out

2010-06-04T15:52:00.001-05:00

Destin, Florida July 2009

I am so sad to hear that the oil spill has reached the beautiful beaches of Florida today. I have been looking forward to visiting Destin with my family again this July. We all were looking forward to the soft powdery beach, the gentle surf, and the rays we could spot just off the shore in the crystal clear water. The beautiful emerald water. I'm so sad for what this means to the wildlife that lives in and around this water. And the businesses. And the thousands of families that will most likely change their vacation plans. Some of the families that we met last year had been coming to Destin year after year.

God, I hope we all learn something from this.

Things I Love Thursday - Strange Dreams

2010-05-06T10:41:00.003-05:00

Things I Love Thursday
Originally uploaded by Anna Dykema

More fantastic photographers on Flickr. All but one of these is Polaroid, it IS Roid Week and I just can't get enough....

However, the portrait on the bottom right is a "wet-plate" process. Go here to see more of this photographers amazing portraits. They are all quite haunting.

Restless

2010-05-05T16:26:00.005-05:00

O
Been feeling like getting on a plane and going somewhere. Maybe I have spring fever or something. Found this the other night. It is delicious in every way. My little escape.

Anita O'Day = Amazing. This is from Jazz on a Summer's Day.
Bye!

Yay: Etsy Front Page!

2010-05-04T09:37:00.002-05:00

My "Fly" print made it to the front page of Etsy this morning. Yay! What a wonderful thing to wake up to. :)

Gosh, I LOVE those boots! And that necklace. And those earrings....

Monday Inspiration

2010-05-03T07:21:00.006-05:00

The Layers

by Stanley Kunitz

I have walked through many lives,

some of them my own, and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray.

When I look behind,

as I am compelled to look

before I can gather strength

to proceed on my journey,

I see the milestones dwindling

toward the horizon

and the slow fires trailing

from the abandoned camp-sites,

over which scavenger angels

wheel on heavy wings.

Oh, I have made myself a tribe

out of my true affections,

and my tribe is scattered!

How shall the heart be reconciled

to its feast of losses?

In a rising wind

the manic dust of my friends,

those who fell along the way,

bitterly stings my face.

Yet I turn, I turn,

exulting somewhat,

with my will intact to go

wherever I need to go,

and every stone on the road

precious to me.

In my darkest night,

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

"Live in the layers,

not on the litter."

Though I lack the art

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes.

Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-29T10:59:00.002-05:00

Things I Love Thursday
Originally uploaded by Anna Dykema

Yes, it is becoming a habit! Here are some of my favorite images from Flickr.

Have a beautiful Thursday. :)

Getting Lighter

2010-04-28T14:09:00.007-05:00

It's Spring time. Time to go through your closets and get rid of the things you no longer have a use for. Time to give up habits that no longer serve you. Time to shed old opinions and see things in a new way. Time to lighten up!!!

Isn't he a little cutie? This is what I did to my husband today. He was sweet enough to pose so I could finally do the before and after I've always wanted to.

I've used a film made for my Polaroid SX-70 by The Impossible Project called TZ-Artistic Paul Giambarba Edition. I love the muted tones in this film. Here's another from that film pack.

If you want to see more photos taken with this film, go here. Also, I am shooting this pack of film with a beautiful Polaroid SX-70 camera that I intend to sell in my new photography shop, as part of the grand opening in May. I have three of these lovelies and I need to lighten up. So stay tuned.....

Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-22T14:47:00.002-05:00

Some fellow Flickrites that I absolutely adore. Click on the mosaic to see who they are.
Things I Love Thursday
Originally uploaded by Anna Dykema

Pacer Love

2010-04-21T16:48:00.006-05:00

I don't care what anyone says, I love this little car. If I could go back in time, I'd make my parents buy one and hand it down to me. Just look at this cool commercial from the late seventies. Hey! I really dig that interior.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDbpmCla0Uk&feature=player_embedded)

So what if Time Magazine AND a Pulitzer prize winner lists the AMC Pacer as one of the 50 Worst Cars of All Time. I love it.

And that's THAT.

Weekend All Stars

2010-04-17T12:07:00.009-05:00

Go here to find out who all the wonderful photographers are.

Can't wait to see these guys tonight at The Granada Theater in Dallas!!!!

If you can't see the video, go here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rQzq-LnlVE

Learn more about the amazing Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars here.

News about my new shop next week.

Happy Weekend!!!

Spring Awakening

2010-03-26T16:21:00.005-05:00

I know I've been away for a long time and apologize. I guess you could say I went walkabout in my own head. Do you ever go through periods when words just don't come? It's as if things inside are shifting and I don't have the extra energy to think of something to say.

During the past month, here are some things I've decided to do:

1, Get off my hiney and exercise again. I know this is a no brainer, but I have been in a bit of a funk since I lost my sister and haven't had the energy to devote to getting myself back into shape again. I feel like I just sat down and haven't gotten up for two years!

For part of my routine I am using my son's Wii (seriously!). I got my hands on a balance board and am using this game to work out - and I LOVE it! Its so easy to fit it into my day and it really is fun AND challenging.

2, Open my own shop on Etsy to feature my photography (but still keep Daydreamers). Opening my own shop is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Again, the "funk" kind of put this on the back burner. And I thought maybe this photography thing was a phase (I do go through phases). But clearly, I'm in love for keeps. It is time to take it all seriously and get my name out there.

3, Dedicate myself to my yoga practice again. I really don't know how I can live without a yoga practice. Those few hours a week on the mat add so much to my life. Again, the funk kept me away, but I am ready to open up to it again. I bought this book to help me along. It is fantastic! And I have a new yoga instructor whom I respect and admire. Namaste. ;)

So there ya have it! Have a wonderful weekend!

A Couple of Crazies

2010-02-10T11:34:00.005-06:00

Just wanted to share with you my crazies, Jackson (the dog) and Frank (the cat). Jackson weighs about 9 lbs. and Frank weighs about 13 lbs. They do this at LEAST twice a day, usually before it's time to eat. Nobody ever gets hurt or runs away angry. At first we would force them to stop and I would scold Jackson for beating up on Frank. Then we realized that they both LIKE it! Crazy, huh?

If you can't see this, go here. Here's the address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/annadykema/4345872815/.

BTW, I shot this little scene on a tiny little camera I got for my birthday.

The Zumi Digital Camera (2.0)

Buy it at Photojojo

(LOVE them).

Happy Wednesday!!

Temple

2010-02-05T11:54:00.003-06:00

I just can't wait to see Temple Grandin on HBO this weekend. She is an angel and an inspiration!

Trailer
And here are some things I've been working on.

These were all taken at the Pate Museum of Transportation. Go here to find out more.

Something Beautiful

2010-02-04T13:49:00.003-06:00

If you can't see this, go here.

After I saw this (thank you, Brandy), I couldn't get this song out of my head!!

(If you can't see this, you better go here.)

Vintage Airplane Love

2010-02-04T10:44:00.005-06:00

Today I stumbled upon some photos I had taken back in March of last year at a wonderful place that my husband told me about. I remember that day because my son was beyond excited to see all the old planes, helecopters and boats outside. And of course, his mommy was excited about all the beautiful vintage cars stored inside the museum (no, I didn't get any good photos due to the - ehem - "bad lighting".

Well, imagine how disappointed I was to learn that the The Pate Museum of Transportation has been closed and dismantled. For some unknown reason, after the owner passed away, his heirs were not interested in keeping the museum open. I'm just glad I got to take my son atleast once. I wonder what happened to all those old cars......

To learn more about the closing of the Pate Museum of Transportation, go here.

Midwinter Dreaming

2010-01-29T14:47:00.006-06:00

Stumbled upon this today and had to share it.

(If you can't see it, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az3SHeMHC6c)

It's Yo La Tengo.

Gosh, I can't wait till Summer.

Print available in my shop.

New Toy

2010-01-25T12:15:00.006-06:00

This weekend I found a cute little addition to my little camera collection. I found this Argus Autronic I with a flash, light meter and instruction book for 20 bucks at an estate sale. The shutter seems to work well and the lens looks nice. It may or may not have been a good deal, but I don't care. I plan on buying film for it and will share what happens with you. Isn't that light meter cool? I just want to carry it around in my pocket and fiddle with it. So cool.

By the way, this is the same kind of camera that Phillip Willis used to take photos of John F. Kennedy in Dallas when he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Phillip Willis, in case you didn't know, swore to his death that the shots that killed President Kennedy did NOT come from the Texas School Book Depository. For some interesting facts on Phillip Willis and his place in history, go here and here.

For a good laugh, there's a photo of me as an extra in Oliver Stone's "JFK" here, where I spent lots of time standing by the Texas School Book Depository talking to many conspiracy theorists.

For the record, my birthday happens to be on November 22nd so I get to hear about the assassination every year. It's like me and this little Argus were meant to be together.

Simple Pleasure

2010-01-23T10:23:00.004-06:00

This shadow only appears on the window over my kitchen sink at a certain time every day. I just love it so much and am so happy when I happen to see it. A simple little thing that makes me happy.

Here's another:

If you can't see this, go here. Happy Weekend.

Some Viewfinder Lovin'

2010-01-22T11:57:00.004-06:00

A few new photos in my shop. The TtV of my vintage Misty was taken during Christmas holiday. I have a couple more of Misty and Stormy in the snow that I'm still working on. I'm having the "Custom" TtV printed large and hanging it in my kitchen. And I just love the Fairlane emblem, don't you? If you want to see more of my vintage car photos, go here.

Too Beautiful

2010-01-21T14:27:00.002-06:00

Too beautiful to not share also:

If you can't see this, click here and smile.

Freaky Cool

2010-01-21T13:24:00.003-06:00

This is making me SO happy right now:

If you can't see this, click here and smile.

CocoRosie has a pretty freaky cool website here.

Easy

2010-01-14T10:27:00.002-06:00

This morning I awoke to a cozy home and my healthy family and a warm breakfast. Then I logged onto the internet to see the dusty, tear stained faces of mothers in Haiti whose lives changed in 35 seconds. I am holding these mothers in my heart today.

It is rediculously easy to donate a small amount of money to help relieve their suffering. I donated via my cell phone...... AFTER I checked it out on snopes.com. This is not a hoax. You can donate to the Red Cross via your cell phone.

Simply text "HAITI" to 90999 and a $10 donation will be made to the American Red Cross. The $10 will be added to your cell phone bill. It's so easy.

Hazel and the Visitor

2010-01-13T11:26:00.006-06:00

Look who showed up in my in-law's backyard yesterday. He's an Eastern Screech Owl and I guess he was just staking out his hunting ground before the sun went down.

We had an owl as a pet when I was a kid. My mother accidentally shot the poor thing when she was out hunting with her brother in Tennessee. She felt so bad she took him to the vet and nursed him back to health. We named him Hazel, which I couldn't say at the time so his name ended up being Hay Sue. I remember the wonderful sounds he'd make at night. I don't remember what she fed him, but I do remember he was very happy.

circa 1968

Cute, wasn't he?

Needless to say, I have a little thing about owls now. Thanks to Hay Sue.

P.S. Did I mention how sweet my in-laws are? They called me to tell me about their visitor so I could capture him with my camera. :)

Yes! Fun!!

2010-01-11T14:10:00.002-06:00

Some good stuff here.

Happy Monday!

Freezing Fog and Fantasy

2010-01-07T09:39:00.007-06:00

On the way back from New Mexico during the holiday we drove through the most beautiful phenomena of nature that I've ever seen - freezing fog. I've photographed it before at home, but this was much heavier and widespread. I think we drove through it for atleast an hour or two along 287.

These photos are really fun to play with. See?

Baring My Arse

2010-01-06T17:20:00.004-06:00

So I was invited to join a Pool on Flickr to post 10 Things About Me and I chose the above self portrait to go with my list because, being an introvert, I'm really uncomfortable exposing myself to others and well, this picture just says a lot about that. Though I haven't yet written out my goals or words or whatever for this year, I know for a fact I'm flipping my fear the bird this year. So, here's my list for all to see.

Ten Things You May Not Know About Me

1~ i am married to a man 12 years younger than me and we have a son who's six. i am deeply in love with both of them.

2~ i have three dogs and two cats that are constantly shedding. i have the hairiest house in the universe. it's embarrassing.

3~ in 1995 i divorced my first husband, quit my job of 10 years, sold everything i owned (down to a backpack), and ran away to australia for a few months. it was the scariest thing i ever did and best decision i ever made. the universe gave me a do-over for which i am forever grateful. i just wish i had written a book about it before elizabeth gilbert wrote her book. :P

4~ music is my "go juice". i cannot live without my music.

5~ i listen to public radio almost every day on my transistor radio. i carry it around the house with me. it just sounds better.

6~ i am seriously afraid of cockroaches - like, run-into-oncoming-traffic-afraid.

7~ i need sunshine. i think i'd go into depression if i lived in a place that didn't have lots of sunshine. i can't even stand my windows being covered in the daytime.

8~ my favorite movie is still 'out of africa'.

9~ i have too many books for my bookshelves.

10~ i lost my younger sister to crystal meth a year and a half ago. after over 20 years of using, she shot herself. yeah, it still hurts.

The funny part of this whole thing is that only a few hours after I posted the photo and the list, I get a phone call from my father-in-law.

"I saw your shower picture on the internet."

WHAAAAAAT?????

I KNEW I should have posted this one instead.

Hello 2010 - Let's Be Friends - K?

2010-01-04T16:39:00.004-06:00

Sunrise in Eagle Nest, NM

Ahhhhh...... Finally. It's a new year. Turn the page, start again, take what you like from last year and leave the rest behind. Yeah. I love new beginnings.

Happy New Year to you.

Dashing Through the Snow

2010-01-04T16:22:00.004-06:00

I've had this photo in my head ever since I bought this cute little '53 Ford Crestline last Summer. Luckily, I had lots of time to play in the snow over Christmas.

Available in my Etsy shop.

Addicted

2010-01-04T13:42:00.005-06:00

Okay. So we tried to leave for our annual trip to New Mexico on the day after Christmas at 4:00am (yes, before the crack of dawn - yikes!) but ran into some seriously treacherous driving conditions along Highway 287 near Whichita Falls, TX, so we had to turn around and come back home because there was NO WAY we were going to get through on that frozen road. After I took a four hour nap (trauma makes me tired), I spent the day watching the Man Shops Globe marathon on the Sundance Channel. LOVE that Keith Johnson. LOVE him.

And the fact that he works for one of my favorite stores makes him even more of a cutie.

This Just Makes Me Happy

2009-12-19T15:59:00.002-06:00

Happy Holidays, Y'all

2009-12-19T13:20:00.006-06:00

Boy, have I been busy! After my big studio clean up (epic) I been spending alot of my time making Christmas gifts, decorating, shopping and planning for our annual ski trip to New Mexico (my favorite part of the holiday). This whole time I thought Christmas was falling on Saturday this year only to find out today it's next Friday (gulp!).

I just wanted to take a quick minute out to wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See ya next year!

We've Been Interviewed

2009-12-09T14:18:00.005-06:00

Fellow Etsy artist, David Burns Smith, has an interesting and well written blog called The Studio Chronicle and he's interviewed Scott and me for his Journey Beyond the Artists Studio series. How cool is that! Read the interview here.

Thanks so much David! I look forward to your series every week!

Shared Happiness

2009-12-01T08:27:00.005-06:00

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.

~Buddha

There's a new print in my shop called Shared Happiness. Happy Tuesday!

New Prints and Birthday Cards in My Shop

2009-11-18T14:51:00.004-06:00

Three happy prints in my shop. Click the picture to go to the listing.

and.....

Three new cards in my shop.

Just click on the photo to get to the listing.

Have a lovely day!

Treasure

2009-11-18T11:30:00.002-06:00

Feeling so grateful for my husband, holding our newborn son 6 years ago, who has a gentle heart, an old soul and the most beautiful hands I've ever seen.

When we recognize the divine presence everywhere,

then we know that It responds to us and that there is

a law of good, a law of love, forever giving itself to us.
- Earnest Holmes

**This isn't the best photo in the world, but I just couldn't resist sharing it.

Abandon

2009-11-17T10:11:00.002-06:00

Feeling grateful today for art and freedom.

There is no must in art. Art is free.

- Wassily Kandinsky

Visitor

2009-11-16T12:24:00.003-06:00

Today I am grateful for all those who have come to visit.

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand;

the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.

George Elliot

Tiny Bits of Silence

2009-11-10T14:05:00.004-06:00

Today I am grateful for those tiny bits of silence that occur in my day - a time to take a deep breath and remember that all is as it should be.

There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Play

2009-11-10T08:56:00.005-06:00

Today I am grateful that I was reminded to play.

Play is the beginning of knowledge.
George Dorsey

Birth

2009-11-05T11:31:00.002-06:00

The beginning is always today.

Mary Wollstonecraft

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for. FYI, the Shutter Sisters One Word Project's word for the month of November is Gratitude. Check out their pool here.

Emanation

2009-11-04T08:33:00.003-06:00

Daylight, full of small dancing particles and the one great turning,

our souls are dancing with you, without feet, they dance.

Rumi

Reverence

2009-11-03T09:36:00.002-06:00

...my cup runneth over.

Psalm 23:5

Grace

2009-11-02T10:09:00.004-06:00

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.

Saint Ambrose

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for.

The Subway Is So Beautiful

2009-10-29T11:27:00.006-05:00

I really do wish we had a subway system where I live. I think people would be much happier if we did.

Here in Texas, we drive around in our SUV's getting from A to B quickly and comfortably (thank goodness for air conditioning!). Sometimes we tailgate because the freak in front of us just isn't quick enough for our schedule. Or we yell obscenities at the jacka** that just cut us off who thinks his time (or life) is more important than ours. We listen to our music, talk on the phone, eat fast food from the drive through, all in our little capsules, separated from other people. Its sad, really.

On the subway, your life can't be bigger than everyone else's. It puts you right where you are - one among many. A human being. I just love that. Even when I was squished up against people that smelled funny. Even when the guy yelled at us because we didn't have any change to give him. Even when I was stared down by a young girl covered in tattoos who looked like she wanted to hit me. I love the subway.

(Spring Street Station wall tile)

Blue Moon Hotel NYC

2009-10-28T09:18:00.006-05:00

When we decided to go to New York City for our anniversary earlier this month, we were a little worried that we'd end up staying in some giant hotel with ten million rooms, listening to endless sirens and horns all night, and coming home stressed out and tired. We're just not big giant hotel kind of people, no matter how "fancy". So after an exhausting search online and countless suggestions from friends and family, we finally settled on the Blue Moon Hotel located on Orchard Street between Broome and Delancy Streets in the oh-so-lovely Lower East Side. I found this little gem on Trip Advisor (they have never let me down) - it was listed as Number 38 of 418 hotels reviewed - not bad!

Intimate, cozy, quiet and well located - it was the perfect place for us. The hotel only has 22 rooms and was formerly a tenement building lovingly refurbished by a couple of artists who now run the place.

(view of the Williamsburg Bridge from our window)

As far as location, we couldn't have asked to be better situated. There are lots of interesting shops close by, like Wendy Mink Jewelry (love!) and Earnest Sewn (beautiful store), and yummy places to eat, like Katz's Deli ("I'll have what she's having") and Tre (delish and romantic). We also explored some vintage stores in the neighborhood that were ALL amazing and had a couple of slices of pizza (you can't go wrong no matter which pizza place you stop into). The Blue Moon is close to the Delancy Street Station and the Spring Street Station, where we took either the F train or the 6 train to get Uptown to the museums and Central Park. Also, from the hotel you can easily walk to China Town, Little Italy, and Soho.

I think we may have to spend a few vacations exploring New York City together now that we found the perfect place to stay!

Feelin' Kinda Spooky Today

2009-10-27T13:20:00.005-05:00

And this is what happened......

Are you ready for Halloween, yet?

Miracles

2009-10-26T11:20:00.004-05:00

There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

-Albert Einstein

NYC ♥'s Vegans

2009-10-23T08:43:00.009-05:00

(Babycakes' lovely vintage sign)

(inside)

(aren't they cute? and isn't that true?)

(i love this.)

Who knew? California, sure, but I just don't think "Vegan" when I think of New York City. Boy, were we doing the happy dance when we found an amazing vegan bakery right around the corner from our hotel (more about our hotel later). You know how "alternative" baked goods turn out kind of tasteless and dry? Not here.

The little slice of heaven we found is called Babycakes, located in the Lower East Side on Broome Steet between Orchard and Ludlow. There you'll find several different types of cupcakes, sweet bread loaves, cookies and muffins, ALL vegan. And ALL delicious. I really meant to take a photo of my cupcake, but it disappeared before I could get my camera out. We tried lemon (uh, several times) and red velvet cupcakes. Yum City. We didn't try anything other than cupcakes, but people were streaming in ordering banana bread and muffins late into the evening. I hear sometimes there's even a line. This stuff is THAT good.

Click here to read their blog, written by the genius behind this wonderful place, Erin McKenna. And click here to check out her Babycakes cookbook. I brought one home and I can't wait to recreate those heavenly cupcakes! The recipes look pretty easy.

Another fantastic vegan place we visited was just a few blocks away from the Whitney on 3rd Avenue between 74th and 75th called Candle Cafe. I had a GIANT serving of lasagna served on top of some greens that would have made my mother cry (no kidding, she loved her some greens). I wish we would have gone back to this place because I would have love to have made my way around their intriguing menu. Candle also has a cookbook (yes, we brought one of those home too!). Check it out here.

Gosh, I'm really hungry now!

On Inspiration

2009-10-22T14:06:00.002-05:00

If the Angel deigns to come

it will be because you

have convinced

her, not by tears but by your

humble

resolve to be always beginning;

to be a beginner.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Kandinsky at the Guggenheim NYC

2009-10-22T11:28:00.014-05:00

Have you ever been driven to tears by art? That moment came for me while viewing the Kandinsky retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum last week. The show runs through January 13, 2010 and is a MUST SEE.

Sketch for "Composition II" 1909-10

I studied this painting ages ago in an Art History class at community college. Seeing this painting reminded me of how deeply I was affected by Kandinsky's ideas about apocalypse, renewal, and utopia and how he believed in the transformational powers of art. The retrospective begins with paintings from his horse and rider themes and continues through to his last paintings, most of which I've never seen.

Now seeing this show at a "regular museum" would be one thing, but making my way up the spiral of the Guggenheim (during its 50th anniversary) was almost too much. I can't express how beautiful the Guggenheim is. Every spot a person could stand holds a beautiful view of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece.

Go here to see my pathetic attempt to shoot pictures of this wonderful building (without a flash) and other photos I took while in New York City. An architectural photographer, I am not. But I did enjoy every second of this show.

I ♥ NY

2009-10-21T14:00:00.003-05:00

Yes, I do! I've been absent for the past week because I have been wandering around New York City with my husband. We spent five days exploring, eating and falling in love with this amazing city. It rained almost the whole time we were there and the temperature stayed firmly planted in the 40's, but that only added to the romance. During the next few days I will be posting photos of one of the best vacations I've had in a very long time. New York City, I love you.

And Now For Something Completely Different.....

2009-10-08T17:30:00.003-05:00

Big Man Japan

Something my husband found on Netflix.
It. Is. So. FUNNY!

Inner Voice

2009-10-07T09:22:00.005-05:00

If you want the truth,

I'll tell you the truth;

Listen to the secret sound, the real sound,

which is inside you.

KABIR

Farmer's Market

2009-10-05T09:27:00.006-05:00

Well, it's about time! Arlington has its own Farmer's Market - atleast for now. Located at 215 E. Front Street in Downtown Arlington, the Downtown Farmer's Market is held every Friday from 9am till noon. Right now, its pretty small but the selection is diverse and interesting. There were several growers there, a couple bakeries, a dairy (Lucky Layla - yum city) and a sweet salsa maker (Dread Head Chef), among others. They also had a small collection of tractors (old and new) parked along the side! Too bad my kiddo was in school - he would have loved that!

I'm hoping Downtown Farmer's Market grows into an all weekend affair so I can take my family. Until that time, I'll be there every Friday. See you there.

More Vintage Horse Love

2009-10-01T11:39:00.004-05:00

Another vintage Breyer model horse I found at the Cattle Barns Flea Market in Fort Worth. Isn't he beautiful? Of course, right after I took this photo, I dropped him off a balcony and broke off one of his back legs. HA!

If you happen to go to the Cattle Barns, stop by Valerie Arnett's booth. She's at the south end of the building. In her booth you'll find vintage clothes, photographs, books and tons of jewelry. If you can't get there, check out her website. She has some pretty cool stuff listed and she also holds Estate Sales. Fun!

Some Perspective Today

2009-09-29T11:05:00.002-05:00

After Years

Today, from a distance, I saw you

walking away, and without a sound

the glittering face of a glacier

slid into the sea. An ancient oak

fell in the Cumberlands, holding only

a handful of leaves, and an old woman

scattering corn to her chickens looked up

for an instant. At the other side

of the galaxy, a star thirty-five times

the size of our own sun exploded

and vanished, leaving a small green spot

on the astronomer's retina

as he stood in the great open dome

of my heart with no one to tell.

Ted Kooser, from his book of poetry called "Delights & Shadows" which won the Pulitzer Prize. He is the 13th Poet Laureate of the United States.

Happy Tuesday.

Mommy, Look!

2009-09-28T14:48:00.006-05:00

I happened to have my camera this time...

And this time...

And this time...

Beauty and Frailty

2009-09-23T13:13:00.003-05:00

Every year we make the drive from Arlington to New Mexico along US 287 for our family holiday in the mountains. Each year, I long to stop and take a closer look at the old cotton field farm houses in Memphis, TX. Well, recently, I finally had the opportunity to stop at a few of them.

Some would say they look sad, but I believe that houses, like people, have a lifespan. These houses remind me of elderly women - frail, full of memories of a life only she will know, resigned and breathtakingly beautiful.

This particular house is located at approximately 2769 US 287 in Memphis, Texas. I have a couple more of this homestead in my Flickr.

More on these houses in future posts.

Vintage Horse Love

2009-09-22T11:48:00.009-05:00

As a child, I had favorite book that will forever be etched in my memory: Album of Horses by Marguerite Henry. It was filled with winsome paintings by the illustrator, Wesley Dennis. I spent hours poring over that book and even more hours on the floor in the sanctuary of my bedroom with typing paper and a No. 2 pencil attempting to draw each horse featured in the book. I loved that book.

So when I found a few vintage Breyer horses at a flea market a couple of weeks ago, I knew just what I wanted to do with them: PLAY. And that's what I've been doing.

This is the beginning of a series of photographs inspired by my favorite book, Album of Horses. Stay tuned for more. If you'd like to see more of this horse, please check out my Flickr. I've named her Honey.