Today was supposed to be catch up day after my weekend away trip. Well instead, I designed christmas cards for clients. It has been so fun to be able to use my creative ideas and be a blessing. I also designed my own cards. I will show and give you a sneak peak at mine.

I stayed up late last night, having so much fun. I designed Christmas cards and a special book for a friend. I am up early. I got 3.5 hours of sleep, but I shall catch up tonight. I can feel my little feet getting ready for today. I am loading my car to go see my daughter and her husband. It is actually more of a business trip since I am delivering ten books that clients have ordered. Today will be awesome!

This is a quick magnet. I cut a small piece of matte board.  I used the spray adhesive on the matte board and the photo. Trimming the corners can be tricky if it is your first time. I need to figure out how to secure the corners with such small overlaps. If I attach a bit of string to the magnet, it can double as an ornament for the tree or anywhere.

I went up to the craft area to hunt for wicks to make lighting cones with wax for gifts. I found a roll of magnet, which made me think of ornaments made from wallet size prints, which sent me right back to thinking of photography, which made me think of my Christmas tree covered in my clients pictures, which made me think of a party, which made me think I HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE CRAFT AREA!!!!!

Goals for today!
  1. Go through office desk.
  2. Hike 4 miles up the mountain behind the house.
  3. Show wonderful pictures to a mother.
  4. Stay focused and quit creating collage prints.
  5. Create Slide show for a meeting next week.
  6. Cook Lima beans and sausage for dinner.
  7. Plan and pack for a trip IF a package of books comes.

I have completed the edits on such a sweet girl. I cannot wait to show them to momma. After momma sees, I will show a few here.  Good night my sweet friends.

Today, I feel very solemn, hurt, and disappointed. Last night as I watched election results, I thought of how sad it is that a people can be so selfish. I have to ask, "Lord, am I selfish."  I hear in my heart the answer, "Sometimes . . .      I have enjoyed having my own little world. I am not afraid of pursecution for my faith. I am not fearful of where my next meal will come from; it is quite obvious that my body suffers no lack. My house is filled with wonderful trinkets, props, and tools that allow me to pursue my selfish ways. 
Now, I shall walk some stress off and go to the neighbors house. I will return with new resolve to practice some selflessness.

I absolutely loved spending time with this sweet little girl and her wonderful mother today. She was such a sweetie, very forgiving, and good natured sweetheart.

Music sets my heart to thinking. It's almost like traveling down the sandy roads of my childhood. I could not wait for the future, and now with more years behind me than in front of me, I best be careful that I not fall into melancholy.  I am sitting at my sons house as he plays the piano. It's almost like David the psalmist soothing the moment. He is playing Christmas music and I LOVE IT!!!! He says he is trying to record a Christmas album of music. I cannot wait. I think I will use it in my office. So soothing and peaceful.

Lately, I am wanting to get back to my writing. I miss it. I had hoped to incorporate it into my photography work. Maybe I will start a yearbook of each year and publish it at the end of the year for Christmas gifts for my family. Thinking this next year, I forget totally about the business of photography and only shoot for myself. I have figured the books this year and I am under by$173. SO if I make $173 by the end of December, I will break even.

If I break even, all my props, prints, and supplies will all be paid for. I am thinking this is the year I will shoot a couple of "Trash the dress" shoots because I want to. I have been relunctant because I looked at the dresses as valueable "sale" items and did not want to ruin resale value. BUT I bought  them to have fun. So I think this next year, I am going to do that. JUST HAVE FUN!

This past week has been very productive. My house is back in order, the props are being sorted out, and I am getting a handle on what I want to do.
I spent one day on a room in my house, just cleaning and straightening this past week. I worked a little bit today in the office. I have been working on an order of my photography book, 'Garden Party'. It is an awesome compilation of flowers and gardens (Huntsville Garden Tour) that I went on back in June. It is a 100 page book filled with flowers and garden things. I offered it for sale and have 10 orders to fulfill. I am so excited and think I would like to do more of that.

Rethinking business plan - I was going to ask for advice but then I think if I would just do what I tell others I would have all the advice I need. My biggest problem is probably discipline. After my fourth year of keeping books, I am, once again, pondering direction. My first goal was not to drive the family budget into the ground while I followed a dream. My second goal was to be where God wanted me to be. Photography is more than sticking a camera in someone's face or transferring my passion to others. I tell myself, FACE IT, some people will never understand that moment in time, that second of joy, when all the word is right and the click of the camera eye freezes it, giving a place for all the special people.

It is hard to describe a journey that is deeper than the outside appearance. I do know that God places more worth on what I do than I do. My camera touches lives in ways I will never know about. Sure there is a print that can be looked at and shared around, but it is the relationships and the hearts that I touch that matter most.

Maybe as a child, I heard so many stories and never saw the pictures. Maybe somehow when my mother discovered all of my baby pictures ruined by a leaking roof, she transferred some desire to get the pictures back. Did I somehow think, the pictures were more than paper dripping wet and running with blurred ink.

The youngest picture I have of myself is around 18 months old. At 10, I was given a camera for Christmas. Snap, snap, snap. I still remember an image I took of feet coming out from under covers. The arrangement, composition, and perspective remain in my mind. I have that image burned into my mind. Happy Feet! A happy time in our lives before a very tumultuous time.     . .

I sit here going on and on.   See discipline.  Gotta go.