2019 The Year of Small Surprises and Second Chances: Weeks 14 & 15

The year of small surprises and second chances… To be honest I think this might be how I approach the rest of 2019.  Embracing those sneaky, small surprises and allowing for second chances.

The first set of images is a throwback to my 2016 photo project when I took one image per day using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” feature.  I chose the subject, shook my iPhone to activate “randomize” mode and let the app make the editing choices before I could see the final results.  I committed to posting what came out of the camera and in the spirit of fun came back to give it another try in 2019.  This time around though I made one small change and decided to keep shooting in the randomly chosen combination if I liked the settings.  The end result being I had several new photos from each day but could only use one for the post…

So, I was consistent with my photo taking but daily life was a little more time-consuming than I had planned for and my final, wrap up post just didn’t happen.

Faced with this I decided I had two choices:  skip the week or give myself a second chance and write a longer post by the end of the next week including all 14 images.  Since I liked the photos and didn’t want to pass over them just because I was too busy I decided to pick the second chance option.  One thing led to another and my entire next week was structured around second chances.

I started with a favorite 2014 Washington coast shot reimagined in soft pastel Hipstamatic.  The second image came about after a customer asked if I had a color version of my popular black and white forest trail poster.  I went back to the original 2017 photo and worked with colors until I found a combination that made me happy.  You might recognize the next shot of Finn, it’s a re-work of the black and white photo from the first set of images and the rest are all additional photos left over from my “shake to randomize” week.  I hope you like them!

As with previous weeks all photos were taken with my iPhone and edited on my phone or iPad.  If you have specific questions about the editing choices ask a question in the comments.  I’m happy to share!

 

2018 – A New Year and a New Look

While I say I like to reach out and try new things, deep down I’m really a creature of habit.  Many habits.  If I find a breakfast or lunch I like I’ll eat it every day for a year or longer, I play the same albums over and over and over and I return to a few favorite authors time and again because I’m familiar with their style and can jump right into a new story without the “getting to know you” phase.

The same holds true with photo processing.  I’ve written several times about my favorite editing apps and even though I’m currently exploring a few new ones for my go-to list you can always find a few Hipstamatic shots sitting at the top of my photos folder.  Last year I spent almost all of my Hipstamatic time using the lens and film combination of Elijah + Love 81 which led to my Shades of Blue series but on New Year’s Day I took the symbolic step of activating its “shake to randomize” feature and with one quick twist of my wrist found a new favorite combination.  Say hello to these striking (mostly) black and white images courtesy of  G2 and BlacKeys B+W.

 

 

I recommend clicking within the gallery to view each image in the larger slide show format.

Don’t worry, my entire year of posts won’t be black and white but when the days get full and my head is buzzing with to-do lists there is something calming about its simplicity and a quick look around my desk would tell you I’m in need of some calming. 😉

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up January With Hipstamatic (week 4)

Today I’m going to jump right into my last “shake it up” recap so we can get to my final thoughts about this project and start talking about where I’m going for the next phase of my photo-a-day challenge.  Sunday was a little too cold and wet for my comfort but perfect for this pretty hellebore and Monday afternoon I rode an escalator that took me right past this shiny glass wall and a peek into this fancy bar.  Tuesday I walked past a cute sign in front of a wine store and Wednesday I was really happy our new car has heated seats.  Thursday I went shopping for a US map and stopped to admire this antique world map while Friday I stopped to watch these two men walking on a newly installed glass awning.  They’re braver than me!  Saturday I’d hoped my final picture would be of something special or at least a pretty sunset but my errands took longer than I’d planned and I was out picking up pizza for dinner when the sun went down.   Hipstamatic must have felt bad for me so it served up this lens/filter combination transforming my Tuscan Chicken pizza into a colorful little slice of the world.  All in all a good way to end my first full year in pictures.

Daily journal writing is something I’ve never been very good at.  I enjoy pretty notebooks and pens but after a few days of planned writing my creative spark fades and I get tired of recording the same old things.  My closet shelves hold stacks of slightly used notebooks so when I decided to try one last version of keeping a daily record I didn’t have high hopes for a successful outcome.  This time I came at it from a different angle though looking for something to shake me out of a stretch of boring photos and with a desire to move forward with new ideas instead of placing my creative focus on looking back.    Since another notebook project could be set aside too easily I thought posting my process in this public space might keep me more accountable and about six months into the project I was able to admit that I wasn’t going to stop until I’d reached a full year. Now that the initial year is complete I’m actually ready to start year two!

In order to keep myself on track I decided to start with a structure that was as simple as possible while still producing an interesting product.  Hipstamatic was my favorite app at the time so I challenged myself to explore everything it had to offer in a random fashion.  I activated the “shake to randomize” setting, agreed that I would avoid all post processing and placed my focus solely on composition by selecting small objects and moments to tell my daily stories.  Even though Hipstamatic went through a major upgrade part way through the year I stayed away from the shiny new features and continued to shoot using classic mode in order to maintain visual continuity from start to finish.  By the end of the year I amassed a collection of 365 photos and stories  that I hope will be a great reminder of this unique period in time.

The daily photo routine isn’t always fun, some days I just don’t feel like taking pictures, but apparently I’m not ready to walk away yet so this post is also an introduction the next phase of my photographic journal.  I’ve spent the past 12 months shooting daily images in a square format limiting myself to one iPhone app so for a change of pace the next 12 will be wide open, both literally and figuratively.  Square photos really lend themselves to small views of solitary objects or quiet moments in a busy environment and while I enjoy this style tremendously it’s time to stretch a little and try something new.  Going forward you’ll see a mix of everything ranging from traditional landscape and portrait orientations to circles, fish eye and panorama.  I’m sure there will be a few square images every month but it’s time to open up the point of view and show you a little more of what’s around me on a daily basis.  I’ll be experimenting with all the apps I’ve collected but not explored in depth as well as work through new themes for as long as they hold my interest.  There may be a week of daily dog photos, a week filled with black and white, a week of interesting signs I’ve passed or maybe even a week of new bottles of wine.  The point is to have fun and show some aspects of the Pacific Northwest that live outside of a small, square frame.

My final change, and what really will make this new project a challenge is how I’ve decided to share the new photos.  Instead of filing each photo away until it’s time to write a recap I’ve set a goal to post everyday on Instagram with a quick caption of where we were followed by a weekly recap here on the blog in a format that will be similar to what you’re used to reading in the shake-it-up posts.  If you’re a daily photo person I hope you’ll stop by Instagram to follow along but if this is too much to keep up with then don’t worry, you can still get your weekly recap right here. 🙂

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up January with Hipstamatic (week 3)

After a difficult stretch mid month we were ready for a quieter week here and I think all of us had their fingers crossed hoping for a few days to catch our breath.  Looking back I see we did indeed find a little peace mixed in with a few signs of spring and one big change that was well overdue.

Sunday morning started with this nice moment next to Finn at his favorite spot on the top of our stairs.  He spends hours here every day watching the yard and street for signs of squirrel activity and If you look closely you can see the windows reflected in his eye.  Monday afternoon was the first time this year I could see daylight at 5:00 pm and Tuesday morning I tried to take a quick photo of the first cherry blossom spotted during our morning walk.  I guess it was still too dark for proper focus but the pinkish blur is enough for me to know spring is coming. 🙂

Wednesday I took Ryan and his crutches out for a visit to Starbucks and Thursday we posed for a moody selfie in our new-to-us car.  My tried and true vehicle of 8 years finally told me it was finished with long commutes so we made a few calls and found a great deal on a car that will carry us through many years to come. Friday afternoon I stopped to look at this interesting piece of art made from strips of leather inside a wood frame and Saturday we drove north to my parents house for a nice lunch and a welcome distraction for Ryan as he is truly tired of our couch.  This photo is of a few books resting on their coffee table.

Next week closes this project and I’ll have the final shake-it-up post ready soon along with an announcement about what I have planned for the next 12 months… So, for one more week I’ll say:  Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up January With Hipstamatic (week 2)

I know I started this random photo a day project as a way to acknowledge the good in every day but there are some weeks when I just want them to hurry up and be gone.   This week was definitely one of those and while nothing terrible happened sometimes a series of complications can really put a damper on normal life.

I started the week appreciating the small signs of a new season in this patch of heather and heuchera in our backyard but this Monday morning photo of water where there shouldn’t be water meant trouble I didn’t want to deal with.  The plumbers came and went leaving behind several holes in my office wall, laundry room wall and laundry room ceiling but we can now say the pinhole leak has been found and fixed.  Now to fix the sheet rock…  Tuesday night we sampled a new candle blend that will debut our Etsy shop in the coming weeks and Wednesday I started to work on end of the year tax preparations.

Thursday I was back to looking for signs of spring and found our temperamental Christmas cactus ready to bloom.  This plant is from a cutting that started with my grandparents so whenever it flowers is fine, we’re simply happy to see it’s still alive and living with us.  Friday’s photo is of a small Tibetan bell that hangs from a lamp in our living room and Saturday night I found this concert program from one of the many David Bowie concerts I attended and thought it was a nice collection of images to remember him by.

For those of you who’ve asked about Ryan he’s still on crutches and will most likely be for several months.  His primary care Dr. referred us to a specialist who ordered more tests and referred us to yet another specialist so after a solid week of phone calls I think he’s finally booked to see someone who can really help.  Poor guy!

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 5)

It’s fitting that on the day I decided to check off the last remaining items from three old “to-do” lists I’m ending it by writing a post that bridges the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016.  It’s a day to clean house, both literally and figuratively and according to WordPress my three-year blogging anniversary.

Sunday’s photo is the image that prompted my post about the many shades of Finn and Monday’s is a slightly out of focus close up of the Amaryllis blooming in our kitchen.  Tuesday we have the National Geographic’s Climate Issue  and Wednesday afternoon Ryan and I waited in an endless line at Barnes and Noble with nothing to look at but cat calendars so he could spend his gift cards.

Thursday’s photo captures the cool blues of a Washington State December on the water and Friday I stopped in front of our local movie theater to capture the different lines of people waiting outside.  The line on the left is for the next Star Wars showing while the line of white-robed people on the right are brave members of the “Edmonds Uplift Society” sharing a few cans of Rainier Beer before marching down Main Street as part of the 10th annual Polar Bear Plunge.  The week ends with this sign that proves some churches really do have a sense of humor. 🙂

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 4 – the Christmas edition)

In the few hours left before our New Year’s Eve countdown I’m here online to recap a 7 day stretch that was filled with Christmas.  We spent last full week of the month surrounded by festive displays, holiday decorations, good food, and family.  Next week will bring a fresh start and end of the year recap but today let’s slow down and look back to where we were 10 days ago.

Sunday started with our annual walk through Downtown Seattle to see the holiday decorations and visit Pike Place Market.  Our last stop of the morning was at Beecher’s Cheeses for their amazing Macaroni and Cheese before driving over to the Pacific Science Center for our IMAX 3D showing of Star Wars.  Ryan was beyond happy and later said this was one of his “best ever dream days.” 🙂  Monday brought us back to reality but after dinner John delivered a nice Gin & Tonic with a straw so I could continue to work on an Etsy project while sipping my cocktail.  Tuesday you have a glimpse of our Christmas tree and Ryan’s 1st Grade holiday ornament next to my tiny disco ball sparkling in the lights.

Wednesday’s photo is a close up of the Santa Mail Box in our town plaza and on Christmas Eve I had to snap a photo of Ryan’s awesome “Believe” shirt.  Friday afternoon we took a walk along the waterfront at Sunset before sitting down to Christmas dinner and Saturday morning we were on the road to my Parent’s house for a fun weekend filled with family, plenty of food and more presents.  All in all a great week!

I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve and a fantastic start to 2016!

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

 

A Surprise Everyday: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 3)

Now that our shopping is finished, the house is almost clean and I have a few minutes of quiet before cooking Christmas Eve dinner this set of photos from mid-month is a reminder of what it took to get us here.  All in all we had a good week and it’s nice to take a breath and reflect before the festivities officially begin and it’s time for another recap.

I’ll jump right into the week since our chicken and green chile enchiladas, fresh salsa and almond cake won’t cook themselves but if I’m really lucky John will start things off early with a sparkling gin and tonic delivery as I type.  We were slow to get decorations up this year and as you can see from Sunday’s photo the light stringing didn’t go quite as planned… Monday night was another trip to the Dr for a check on Ryan’s shoulder and this clump of pretty grass sparkled underneath a street light in the parking lot.   Tuesday afternoon I followed a crowd of photo-snapping people through a department store and saw they were all watching the singer Ciara during her appearance as the brand ambassador for Top Shop.  She is the lovely, tall woman standing at the “V” between the two sides of the escalator.

Wednesday I liked this small detail from a outdoor wall mural and Thursday I finished the Etsy listings for a new set of colorful, linen cocktail napkins.  These little napkins are a wonderful alternative to disposable paper napkins and come in a fun variety of stripes, plaids and solids.  Friday afternoon I tripped over one of Ryan’s favorite puzzles from his toddler days.  I’m still not sure why it was in the middle of the floor but at least I didn’t step on the hard wood handles over each letter, they are almost as bad as a hidden Lego piece.  Ouch!  Saturday’s photo is a touching reminder of how we need to appreciate each day and always do our best to be careful on the roads.  The first winter we were in this house an elderly woman drove her car over this embankment on her way to church.  Every year since someone places a bouquet of flowers in memory and those of us who ran across the street to help and call 911 stop to remember.

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 2)

I’m pretty sure I read hundreds of “how to” articles before starting this blog in January of 2013 but only one piece of advice really stuck in my head,  “never apologize.”  At first I thought this was just a throwaway line from the kind of person who thinks manners don’t matter on the internet but once I got to the content part of the post I actually agreed with what they had to say.  People choose to spend their precious free time reading blogs for many reasons but most of us are connected by the desire to experience something different.  A moment to look through someone else’s eyes, take an armchair adventure around the world or escape into a new piece of fiction.  Of course you can’t truly escape when your chosen blogger spends most of their post complaining about the very same things that drove you to find escapism entertainment in the first place.  Opening each new post with an apology for being late or not keeping a regular publishing schedule is a surefire way to drive people away so all of this is my long-winded way of acknowledging my postings have been few and far between lately but I’m trying not to bore you with apologies.  This blog has become my creative home and I am so thankful that you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes of your free time reading and watching as I continue to explore my corner of the world.  I treasure the friendships and conversations that have grown from such a diverse global community and while I can’t promise multiple posts each week I can promise each one will be full of something that interests me and hopefully entertains you. 🙂

I started this random photo of the day series in February as a way to shake myself out of a creative rut and spark some new ideas for the year ahead.  My plan was to find one thing interesting in each day and take a photo that I would then post “as is” without any post-processing, shifting my focus toward composition and storytelling instead of editing.  I decided to take each photo with my iPhone using Hipstamatic and its “shake-to-randomize” feature further removing myself from editing choices because part of the fun of the app is that I don’t even know if the image will be black and white or color before it “develops” and appears on the screen.  I really have to take what I get so composition is everything.  In the beginning I wasn’t sure how long I could continue the one photo every day pace but somewhere around the 6 month mark I decided to finish the year.  Now I’m thinking about a fun way to recap the entire series once we reach February 2016 but don’t worry, I won’t republish all 365 photos!  Maybe a top ten post or some greatest hits.  Any ideas?

The first photo this week is a corner of our mantle decorated for the holidays, and Monday’s picture made me think somewhere out there is a sad little princess missing her sparkly tiara.  You’ll have to take my word for it that this was bubble gum pink with lots of glittery rhinestone accents. Tuesday brought the darkest day Seattle’s seen in the past 10 years.  Apparently there is a light measuring device on a rooftop at the University of Washington and we’ve been setting records. 😦

Wednesday’s photo is a close up of Ryan’s sling and Thursday you get to see what I saw looking up while Finn did his business on the tree trunk below.  Friday night I walked past this lonely piano wishing someone was playing it and Saturday morning found me finishing this custom order for a lucky young girl’s Christmas present.  Our Etsy store has been keeping me busy but we’re off to a great start and I can’t wait to share the new items we have ready to list next month!

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

 

 

 

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 1)

Hello everyone!  I didn’t plan to be away for so long and don’t think I’ve ever gone 10 days without a post but sometimes life just gets in the way… One thing I didn’t let go though was my daily photo habit  and even though this set of 7 images already seems like ancient history I’m back in business and ready to recap the week that was.  As of tonight my unexpected car, computer and (big) kid issues are temporarily resolved, I have a nice glass of wine beside me and a few minutes of quiet while John cooks dinner for the three of us.

The last Sunday in November was the end of our Thanksgiving holiday with family. John, Ryan and I spent the night with my brother and this frosty sunrise accompanied our blueberry pancakes, sausage and plenty of hot coffee.  Monday was filled with work and catching up household chores so you get a shot of one of the botanical prints on my office wall.  To welcome the 1st of December I found this Santa waiting to greet his first child of the day and Wednesday morning I liked this combination of a faded tulip dropping into my crystal votive.

Thursday night found me shopping for shipping supplies and even though we have a fake Christmas tree because Ryan and I are both allergic I still stop to smell the fresh greens when I walk past a display of cut trees.  Friday night was another shopping trip, this time Ryan needed more music holders for his flip chart so he could play his trumpet at the first home basket ball game of the season.  Saturday morning I pushed, pulled and dragged an exhausted boy out of bed at 6 am for his first high school wrestling tournament.  Fourteen hours later I drove an even more exhausted boy home with an ice pack on his shoulder and an arm that needed medical attention… more to come in next weeks recap. 😦

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

 

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up November With Hipstamatic (week 4)

I’m still shaking my head at the fact that as I write this there are only a few hours left in the month of November.  Our wintry weather, family activities, busy work days and holiday decorations are all telling me the end of the year is almost here but I swear it we should just be wrapping up September not Christmas packages.

The steep learning curve involved in opening our new  Etsy shop means all of my spare time is spent at the computer so Sunday’s photo is a behind the scenes view of my listing manager page while I was writing item descriptions, uploading photos and calculating shipping charges for new items.  Monday is a larger than life Nutcracker I found walking through Seattle and Tuesday’s image is part of a dusty display case I noticed in the hallway by Ryan’s wrestling room.  Apparently his High School changed their mascot from the Chiefs (Chieftains) to the Mavericks in 1999.

Wednesday morning I stopped for a quick snap of a corner of our living room and Thursday I convinced Ryan to bundle up and take a chilly walk along the waterfront before we sat down for Thanksgiving dinner.   Friday night was the first time in 310 days I almost forgot to take a photo for this project… as you can see I cut it pretty close but the glowing numbers in our kitchen prove I had 32 minutes left to find an interesting subject to share for the day.  If you don’t typically click through to see these daily images in a larger format be sure to check out this particular one, the addition of the Spiro Gel affect added some fun details to the background.  Saturday morning found us back on the road driving to my parents house for a the first full-family Thanksgiving dinner we’ve shared in many years.  Yes it was a few days after the official holiday but I’ve always felt it’s the spirit of the holiday that counts and this year we came together to fill our childhood home with three generations of family, a few dogs and plenty of great food and wine.

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

 

 

A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up November With Hipstamatic (week 3)

“Wow what a week”  is all I can say as I after seeing this set of 7 photos together in a gallery waiting for my post.  It’s been another non-stop whirlwind of activity broken up by a major wind storm, a night without power and some chilly days.  Brr…winter is coming.

Last week I mentioned a big project that has been limiting my blogging hours and Sunday’s photo is your first real look behind the scenes of what I’ve been up to.  After years of talk and “someday” plans John and I have opened our own Etsy shop selling handmade accessories and home decor!  The store is in its early days now with plenty of new items ready to be listed over the next few weeks but if you’d like to take a peek at what’s been filling my spare time and keeping me away from WordPress please come by for a visit at Northwest Frame of Mind on Etsy.    These pillows will be available by the end of the week and in keeping with my blog I’ve got a few fun projects coming soon using our favorite photos. 🙂

I’ll continue share one or two new shop previews every few weeks but Monday’s shot is of how I keep myself entertained during some very long commutes.  Currently I’m listening to Louise Penny’s A Rule Against Murder while sitting in freeway traffic.  Lots of people like to complain about holiday decorations going up before Christmas but I have to say, rainy days look a lot prettier when viewed through brightly colored snowflakes.  Tuesday’s rain storm turned into a major wind event and we were one of the 350,000 households that lost power. I’ll count us as lucky that we didn’t have a tree come down on the house but we did spend a chilly night waiting for the hardworking power crews to restore our electricity and it will be weeks before our yard is back to normal.  Wednesday’s photo is the end of our street buried in green branches and storm debris.

Thursday was Finn’s annual Vet exam and final post-op check up.  I’m happy to say he sailed through with flying colors and even tolerated all of his shots and a nail trim for good measure.   I found this poster in the high school gym advising students to “Pause before you post” while waiting for Ryan to finish wrestling practice Friday night and Saturday morning brought our first hard frost of the season.  It was such a pretty morning I didn’t mind bundling up for an early dog walk and Finn waited patiently while I knelt down to take a picture of the shimmering leaves and fresh salal growing in the neighborhood.

Now that our shop is open I hope to return to a more regular posting schedule. I’ve missed all of you and can’t wait to dive back into my reader.

Each photo was taken with my iPhone 6 using Hipstamatic’s “shake to randomize” function then posted without any additional editing. If you like a particular combination and want to try it at home just click on the image to see the lens, filter and flash used.  For variety I continue to add new lenses and filters so if you want to try Hipstamatic but are unsure how to start let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.