Exercise Two: Your Reflection

The other day I realized something.  There are only three more months in this year. September is almost over and then comes October, November, and lastly, December.  The first official day of Fall was only a few days ago.  I can't believe how fast this year is flying by!

To be honest though, I'm so glad summer is over and am really looking forward to cooler weather (so I can wear my boots and scarfs!).  Summer is my least favorite month because I don't like the hot weather and I just can't help but get excited at the fact that it's over until next year.

I figured it's about time I got around to another post on this blog.  I have been meaning to get to the next photography exercise in my book but I just haven't had the time. At the moment I currently have two seasonal jobs so I have been busy with work and as soon as I get home I just want to relax. Today is actually the first day in awhile for me that I have, for the most part, been home the whole day and have been able to get things done that I've been wanting to do.   

Anyway,  for the second photo exercise I am supposed to take a picture of my reflection.  I have taken pictures of my reflection multiple times before so I am just going share with you those instead of waiting until I find the time and inspiration to take pictures.

This picture is from a few years ago.  We were at the zoo and this picture was actually my friends idea so I can't take full credit for the creativity. The mirror is part of a carousel that was at the zoo. That's why there's a pole in front of the mirror.  The only thing I don't like about this picture is it's really grainy.  

I actually stumbled upon this picture the other day.  Last year my family went on vacation to the San Juan Islands in Washington and we visited a manor house from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. It was called Rosario Resort. It had a little museum but it was also a resort that people would stay at on their vacation.  I saw this weird mirror set up in one of the rooms.  I believe the idea behind the strange design of this mirror was so you could see more than one angle of yourself at the same time.  I really like this shot because it looks kinda deceptive.  Not only did I capture my reflection, I captured the reflection of my reflection as well.

Last Christmas I found the perfect ornament.   It was so red and shiny.  I opened up my Bible to the Christmas passage in Luke and took a picture so that you could see my reflection in the ornament.

I don't know if this one really counts, but I took a picture of me taking a picture.  It's kinda is a picture of my reflection but not really because it's my iPod's camera.  I really like this picture a lot because it's not your typical self-portrait picture.

*UPDATE*

I have to add my newest reflection picture!  It's my absolute favorite picture to use as profile pictures.  I took this picture at a really cute candy story in Monterey Bay.

Exercise One: Glimpses of You

I'm so excited!  Today I actually get to share with you some of my photography! Photography is one of my favorite hobbies and it will probably always be only a hobby for me but I know how a camera works and I can't stop myself from taking pictures of everything that catches my eye.

In my last blog post I introduced you all to a book I am currently going through; Shooting with Soul.  I've been busy reading and I have finally come to the first exercise; Glimpses of you. For this exercise I am supposed to take a picture of myself that captures my personality in a creative way.  Being that I like to take lots of pictures I ended up with quite a few pictures that I believe capture the essence of who I am.

One thing you may notice with my pictures is that the colors in these pictures aren't very vibrant.  I figured since these pictures are supposed to describe me I went ahead and edited them in a way that I thought fit me.  I love everything that has a vintage feel to it and when I edit my pictures I love fading the colors to get a vintage effect. For editing my pictures I use Photoshop Elements 11, and also Picmonkey. 

This may sound weird but I love taking pictures of my feet with different backgrounds.  I'm a girl and I love my shoes and I will admit that I may have a few pairs to many. You can tell a story through your shoes, whether it's a shot of your boots buried in snow, or rain boots splashing in a puddle.  These our my all-time favorite shoes to wear in the summer. They are comfortable and did I say cute.  

As I snapped a lot more pictures of my shoes trying to get the perfect shot I was thinking of other ways to express who I am.  I've learned to never take only one picture.  Usually if I share a picture I'm not showing you the 50 pictures that didn't turn out right. Anyway, as you can see in this picture, I've been growing my hair out for a long time and even though it's not quite as long as I want it yet it's getting to be really long.  I think this picture really captures this aspect of myself.

As a photographer I've learned that props really help.  I love old books and I love reading. You will never be able to guess, but this picture has a double meaning for me. This picture tells you that I love reading but the book in my hand is actually a blank notebook.  Not only do I love old books but I feel like I can never have enough empty notebooks. I have my own little collection of notebooks just waiting to be filled with my writings.

And of course we have here the picture that was never intended to happen but it did and I love it. I was really bummed that this picture ended up being blurry but after downloading my pictures to my computer I actually really liked the dreamy effect the blurriness adds to this image.

All these pictures have been taken by me using my tripod and shutter remote (Nikon D5100 and my 35mm lens).

Shooting with Soul

About a year ago I bought a bunch books and I'm sad to admit I haven't read most of them yet.  I bought quite a few books on photography since photography is one of my favorite hobbies. One of the books was Shooting with Soul by Alessandra Cave. This book is full of exercises to help you express yourself creatively through photography.  I got stuck on exercise three and then this book somehow found it's way back to the shelf and was forgotten. The other day I found it again and starting flipping through it's pages. 

I decided that I should give this book another try.  Since I spent money on this book it only makes sense that I should read it all the way through and get the most out of it.  I'm all for improving my photography skills so my plan is post each exercise here on my blog. 

There are a lot of exercises and some may be a bit challenging  but I know it's going to fun. 

Plus I've been kinda wondering what to do with my blog.  I've run out of ideas and this seemed like a great way to motivate me to post more frequently.

Now I best go and start reading this book...

Book Review; A Lost Pearle

A while ago my family went to a homeschool convention.  They had a lot of booths set up, most of which sold curriculum, but there was one booth that I was drawn to. I'm not lying when I say I could have spent my whole day at that booth.  It was the Lamplighter booth.

I love Lamplighter Theater.  In my opinion, they make the best Audio Dramas. I've recently learned that not only are they known for their audio dramas but the republication of old books. I love books and old vintage things so it just comes natural to love their books.  I'm in love with the old style covers of their books.

So I knew that I could not leave that booth without buying a few books.  One of the books I chose was A Lost Pearle by Georgie Sheldon.  It sounded like a very exciting book and after reading it I am quite pleased with myself for buying it.  

So far, this is my favorite Lamplighter book. From the first chapter you are swept into this exciting story about the beautiful Pearle who is suddenly, and of her own accord, thrown into a life of hardships and trials.  I loved Pearle mainly because it was not her outward beauty that made her shine but her inward beauty.  Everyone she met seemed to always be falling in love with her. It didn't bother me too much because the Bible says, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Proverbs 31:10, and that's what I saw in Pearle.

With each chapter you get pulled even more into the story as each you lean more of the mystery.  I don't usually read mysterys but  I find that whenever I read a book that has a mystery in it I love it.  The author wasn't revealing all the facts and it kept me flipping pages, eager to find out what was going to happen next. Each character you meet has some important role to play in the story and the author doesn't reveal to you their role until the end.

So, in conclusion, I really love this book! I have to say that each Lamplighter book I have read has been a real treat. The Lamplighter books are always so rich and, in my opinion, very satisfying.  Plus, since they are Christian books, they teach about very important lessons in the Christian's life.  If you want to check out Lamplighter their Website is: http://lamplighter.net/c/

Learning to Notice the Little Things...

God is good to me.

Sometimes I need to constantly remind myself of this because life doesn't always go how I want it. I have my good days and my bad days and each day I'm faced with a boatload of new feelings and important choices to make.

But one thing I will always be able to do, no matter the circumstances, is look back at my life and see how much God has blessed me. Even when I find myself facing trying times I know that God is always right beside me all the way.

I've come to realized that it's not only the obvious things in life that can cause one to feel blessed by God.  Though those moments when God makes Himself so clearly known are quite incredible, it's important that we find God also in the simple and rather ordinary happenings of life. I'm learning that God is very present in my life and He wants me to notice Him in the small areas in my life.

A year ago after I graduated from High school I was really anxious about what to do with my life (I still am, hehe). I was feeling overwhelmed by the closing of one chapter in my life and the opening of another.  I was hoping to maybe find a part-time job because I knew college wasn't the next step for me. Things didn't go my way and it wasn't until I surrendered and came to a point where I could truthfully say I was content with the point in life I was at (which was staying at home and serving my family) that God opened the door for a local job.  The fact that God didn't choose to change my circumstances until I was happy and content with where He had me in my life at the moment had a huge impact on me. It showed me that God truly did care for me. He was not distant from me but, like I said above, right beside me the whole time.

That job only lasted a month and turned out to be a hard and trying experience for me.  But God had opened the door, and I can now see that God used that job to teach me some very important things about myself.

Too often I get so overwhelmed by the busyness of life.  And then when life is the opposite and I'm not busy I feel unproductive. Regardless of which way I feel, I can always find peace in my morning devotions. Before I start the day I usually read a passage from the Bible (I'm currently reading through the book of Job) along with reading a chapter from a book about Christian living. One morning I was again struggling with being content and I was feeling really anxious about the future. In my devotion that day I read Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  That verse was just what I needed to hear that morning. I prayed to God He replaced my anxiety with peace.

God continues to bless me in these small, yet wonderful ways. I can't tell you how many times the sermon on Sunday has been exactly what I needed to hear; or I finish a project and the next thing I know God opens the door just in time for me to start my next project.

It's the little moments like these in my life that cause me to stop and feel the blessings of God pour down around me. 

I'm still at a point in life where I still struggle with learning to be content with God's plan for my life.  I'm anxious about not knowing what's next.  Sometimes it's hard to be content.  But I have to take it one day at a time and keep my eyes focused on God as I wait to see where He chooses to bless me next. One blink, one look away, One short second of taking my eye's of off God causing me to give into my doubts and insecurities and I might miss the next blessing God sends my way.

God does care for me (and you) and I'm learning that each day it's the little things in life that cause me to feel the most blessed.

God is so good to me!



...Oh, and  by the way, since I'm done with my Astrid cosplay, I don't know what to do on here next.  Maybe I'll make another tutorial, Or maybe I could share a story I've written.  I guess you could say I have a collection of short stories and I'd be more than happy to share them. Hmm, what shall I post next...?  

Book Review Time

     

Okay, time for some book reviews!  Remember that post from awhile ago when I shared all the books I had bought?  I promised some book reviews - so here we go!

First, out of all the books I bought, I read Perfectly Unique by Annie f. Downs.   The title of this book reminded me so much of the title I chose for my blog!  This book was actually recommended to me by a friend so I guess you can say I felt a little bit obligated to read it first.

One thing you just can't help but love about this book is how fun the author is - Annie is so personal and funny!  I love the kind of writing that just makes you laugh out loud.  It's everywhere in this book. She is not afraid to share her stories no matter how embarrassing they may be.

I loved how she broke down this book into chapters on the different body parts and how we can use each body part to bring glory and praise to God.  My favorite chapter was the chapter about the heart.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a great book especially for girls who are struggling with accepting themselves for who they are.  It was fun and full of lots of truths and lessons that will benefit most girls.

The next book I read was The New Lady in Waiting by Jackie Kendall.  This book focuses on the story of Ruth and it just so happened that I had decided to read the book of Ruth a few days prior. I love it when little things in my life line up like that. It makes it clear to me that God is in control of everything and He cares for even the little details of my life.

Considering that this book focuses on the story of Ruth this would be a great book to read alongside a Bible study of Ruth.  I knew that Ruth's example was helpful and applicable to young women but I didn't know how much you can learn from  Ruth's story until I read this book.  

I've read a lot of books about waiting for that day when you meet that special someone and guarding your heart until that day.  This one has to be my favorite - so far.  It wasn't too hard to understand. It made sense and had great insights. It was full of Bible verses and other references.  Plus, the questions at the end of each chapter helped to make me think about how I can apply what I was learning to my everyday life.

So, if  anyone is looking for a good and worthwhile book about waiting for 'that special day' and what to do while waiting, The New Lady in Waiting is a good choice.  

Astrid's Ax; the final addition to my cosplay

I can't believe this is going to be my last post on making my Astrid cosplay.  I just finished making the ax and  I am now officially done with my cosplay.  

The ax was the one piece of Astrid's outfit that kinda scared me (that and the hood).  How does someone make an ax out of ordinary craft supplies.  I found quite a few helpful tutorials.  Here's links to my favorites.

http://www.therpf.com/f24/astrid-how-train-your-dragon-2-my-little-girl-updated-10-13-14-a-225211/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cosplay-Axe-Astrid-Httyd-2/?ALLSTEPS

http://liv-is-alive.blogspot.com/2014/06/astrid-how-to-train-your-dragon-2.html

And here's what I ended up doing;

 First I stained my wooden pole with wood stain.  It was really sticky and smelled but the effect is worth it.

Then I had to figure out how to make the ax.  I did a lot of measuring until I was happy with the shape.  I initially made it way to big and had to cut it smaller.  My finished ax is actually huge but hey, like I've said before, the bigger the better.

I knew that I wanted to make the ax with foam but I could not find any really thick foam at our local craft store and I didn't want to have to buy it online.  My family love's to shop at thrift stores so I thought why not just see if the thrift store has any of the thick foam. I lucked out.  I could not believe it.  For under five bucks I got more than enough of the thick foam to make my ax.

I made my ax two thickness's. 

I sandwiched the cardboard in between the foam pieces to add extra strength

. 

I was at a loss of how to make the edges angled.  I ended up using a razor blade and carefully cutting along the edge at an angle.

Using craft foam I added the... (I don't know what you call it) metal piece thingy.  

By now I believe I'm an expert and painting things to look like metal.  I actually really enjoy this kind of painting. I used a lighter silver to paint the edges. 

I could not find leather strips in blue and red that were also the thickness I wanted so I ended up cutting up a belt.  I was lucky enough to find a red belt  but I could not find a blue one so I painted a brown belt blue. You'd never guess that I used  a cut up belt to make the leather strips.  

For the skulls on the end of Astrid's ax I really didn't want to make any more and I had two leftover from the skirt so I just used those.  Sorry for the quality of these pictures I took them with my ipod.

Yesterday  I received my wig.  I was almost kinda disappointed with it because It would not look natural on me.  It was mainly my dark eyebrows that made it look so funny.  But after my costume is on the wig actually looked perfect.  I'm really happy with it.  I really enjoyed styling it.

So with the ax done I have come the end of my cosplaying adventure (hopefully it's only the first of many more).  My cosplay is finally done and I just have to say, I LOVE IT!!!

Today was the coolest day before the weather gets really hot again so I put everything on and went outside to get some pictures.  To see the best of the pictures I created a page for my cosplay.  You can find it at: http://uniquelyhis4ever.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html