Pillow Talk

Click on the photo to see a larger image.

I have been searching my brain for creative ways to display my photos.  A photograph has to be truly special for me to hang it on a wall in my house and I never want my walls covered with my own photos.  Then one day at a craft store I discovered Photo Fabric, a paper-backed fabric for use in ink jet printers.  Immediately, I knew I would make pillows.

 

Most photographs in gallery shows have white mats and black frames, so I made the pillows to look like a gallery show on my sofa.
1.  After printing a photo, I cut off the excess fabric and added two-sided iron-on fusing to the back.
2.  With a hot iron I fused the photo to a 12x12 inch piece of white cotton (the mat) and sewed (zigzag stitch) around the edges to prevent fraying.
3. I cut 4 strips of black corduroy and sewed each one to a side of the white, and then joined them with mitered corners.
4.  I sewed the picture side to an 19x19 square of corduroy, leaving one side open to insert the pillow form and then hand stitched it closed.
5.  VOILA! An 18x18 inch gallery pillow.

If you want one with your photograph, I'll make it for $1,000.

iPhone Magic

Click on a photo to see a larger image.

If I am in a creative slump with my photography, I need only pull out my iPhone and start playing with the artistic apps to revive the juices.  This first photo is all mine.  I grew the flowers, took the photo, and also created the texture I blended on top of the original photo.

I took these iPhotos at Valley Orchids during a Garden Club meeting, then opened them in several different apps to create the final effects.  First the original photo and then the artistic effects.

I love my iPhone

Wildflower Run

For the past 4 years, Noella Vigeant and I have photographed the Wildflower Run, a 10K, 5K and 2K  race sponsored by AAUW.  After photographing the kids in the 2K, we position ourselves at a strategic corner and click away so fast our hands cramp.  With close to 1,000 runners and walkers, we take a lot of photos.  The pictures are posted online for participants to view and buy.  This is a job where I actually make money as a photographer.  This photo of the start was published by the Morgan Hill Times.

 Reebok was a sponsor.

You can see all the photos at:

http://wildflowerpicts.exposuremanager.com/

Jean's Garden

Click on a photo to see a larger image.

Jean, a member of the photography club, invited members to join her in photographing her garden which consists of mostly native California plants.  

After taking this last photo with my iPhone, I stepped backwards into a hole, fell, and sprained my ankle.  I didn't think the injury was too bad until the next day when I looked at my HUGE, black & blue foot.  

I am happy to report the the swelling is almost gone 

and the color has returned to normal.

Lexie

Back in January, I introduced the world to Lexie, a cat I adopted from Town Cats.  She still has a few shyness issues, but her lively and mischievous personality shines through every day.

A window sill is always a favorite perch.

And shredding toilet paper is a favorite nighttime game.

Spring in Morgan Hill

 Click on a photo to see a larger image.
On my way back from the beach (see previous post), I took a detour to look for poppies.  Both these photos were taken with my iPhone.

Since the library is only a few blocks from my house, 

I often pass by it on my morning walks.

My iPhone is always with me.

Beach Scenes

Click on a photo to see a larger image.

The photography club's project theme for March was "Ocean/Beach Scenes."  My goal every month is to take and post new photos, so I took off for a day in Santa Cruz.

 Sometimes I use photography to get me out of the house 

and out of Morgan Hill.

When is the last time you went to the beach?

Uncle Carl

My Uncle Carl (my mother's brother) lived a life like no other.  He served in the Merchant Marines, founded a successful business, married seven times, raced midget cars, raised race horses, and in his 80s & 90s took in foster children with Raney, his wife for the past 21 years.  When I was a child, he scared the b'jeebies out of me.  I was afraid of him and fascinated at the same time.  He was a gruff, no-nonsense, generous man and life will not be the same without him.  So glad I stopped by to see him at the end of my road trip last October.

 At the race track in Grants Pass, OR on his 90th birthday

I took this iPhoto of Mt Shasta on the drive up to Oregon

Valentines Day with Buzz, Woody & Friends

Click on a photo to see a larger image.

 "To Divinity & back!"

 "Come to the dark (chocolate) side."

 "Who will be my Valentine?

 

 "Underestimate never the power of the Force."

Morgan Hill Sunsets

Click on a photo to see a larger image.

More often than not, the skies over Morgan Hill are clear.  So when clouds scatter across the sky, I try to be out with camera in hand (actually, mounted on a tripod) to photograph the sunset.  I like the effect of the clouds streaming out of El Toro.

 

While setting up for an Artist's Reception at the Community Center, I could see the sunset sky was going to be special, so I took my Panosonic Lumix to the front of the CCC and shot across Monterey Road. 

I took this one from the corner of my yard.

Sometimes you just have to take whatever shot you can get.