Haley & Josiah

It certainly was my plan to try to get out with my camera more often.  But it seems my camera comes out more with the grandkids than anything else, so I'll just have to share some of those photos this week. 

Christmas is just around the corner, and for the first time we will have grandchildren around to increase the wonder and magic of Christmas.  We are looking forward to that! 

Haley will be 11 months old at Christmas and sure is noticing the decorations, lights, etc, that are showing up.  Everything is exciting to her, and so she will certainly add to the excitement of the day.

Josiah will be 6 1/2 months at Christmas.  He is certainly aware of the people around him, but maybe not quite as aware of the lights and decorations.  He loves attention.  Since I come from a large family, I love gatherings with lots of people including babies... so I am looking forward to Haley & Josiah's first Christmas!

Three Down; Two To Go

I have done three craft fairs so far this fall.  Each one was a learning experience, and although I'm not making a pile of money at it, I am learning, and that is also important.

Providence College was the first one I got into.  Since this was their first year, I must say I was impressed with the thought and detail that went into the fair.  I'm sure that seasoned crafters will have noticed things that were missed, but that is inevitable, I'm sure.  I suspect that next year, because more people will have heard about it, there will be more shoppers.  What I liked about it: Lots and lots of room!  There was room to walk between tables everywhere, so I didn't feel crowded.  I did have an ideal table... the first one in the room.  It is a good feeling when a shopper has made their rounds and then comes back to my table for their cards. 

I signed up for one Sunday fair... and it was the following day.  I won't do that one again, but not because it was on a Sunday.  If I had read more carefully, I probably would have avoided it in the first place.  It wasn't a 'Craft' fair, but rather, a 'Trade Show'.  There is a difference.  It was mostly home party companies, and in a very very crowded room.  I think the Tupperware lady across from me did okay because she was able to book a few parties.  But it was also a first for this Community Centre (I think) and so the shoppers were few and far between.  And the vendors were crowded.  Very crowded.  I couldn't get into my booth without asking the folks next to me to 'let me in.'  That would have extended to our whole row, except that there was a no-show, and so a table could be moved out of the way.

I was at St Norbert Community Centre this Saturday.   Because I registered late, I was in a side room with 4 other vendors.  Without knowing how the people in the main room fared, it's hard to determine whether that was an asset or liability.  What I do know, though, is that we had a lot of fun together.  We had time to chat, and so there was a comraderie there that I quite enjoyed.  Rachel came out to help, and brought Josiah. At five months, he is certainly not a liability at these sales.  He's very good, and loves the attention, and so people come close to chat just to see him. 

In my conversations with other crafters, I am finding out where I should go (and not go) next year.  Watching the shoppers (and listening to my daughter) lets me know what people want, and what they are not interested in.  It's good to find a niche.  If I could find a good source for barn board frames, I'd love to frame more of my photos in that way.  I once had the number of a source in Southern Manitoba, but I wouldn't know where to find that paper after our moves, so if you know where to find a crafter who does that, let me know.

Besides cleaning and digging out my Christmas decorations this week, I will need to get some calendars and cards online.  As soon as I do, I will post the address for the online store.  I don't have any sales this weekend, but will be doing two more in December. 

Focus!

Like most crafters, I like to dabble in many crafts.  While photography is something I think about much of the time without any effort at all, I also like to sew, crochet, and try my hand at various things.  I also love the idea of reusing materials that are already out there, and perhaps, 'past their prime' in one way or another. 

When I worked for Mennonite Central Committee as a Thrift Shop Coordinator, I was often distressed by how much 'stuff' still makes its way to the landfills. Yes, there was a lot that was kept out of the landfills, but not everything is salable.  In my other job at MCC, as Material Resources Coordinator, we often talked about Recycling and Repurposing, and some of the larger centers had staff dedicated to Caring for Creation.  So I dreamt.  I dreamt about a larger warehouse where I could 'store' some of the rejects, and perhaps have kids come in for project days.  Kids live to make stuff with someone else's junk. 

Now, as I try to get my photography business back on track, my daughter is starting an Upcycled Kids Boutique.  (See http://www.upcycledkids.blogspot.com/ and http://www.penguinkisses.com/)  So I'm back immersed in the 'repurposing' or 'upcycling' world.  And I like that world.

So I'm trying to figure out how to fit our two worlds together.  I went to a Thrift Shop today in the hopes of finding a few frames I could reuse.  From my findings, I would think I'm the only one who has thought of this.  Or perhaps others have thought about it and rejected the idea... maybe it really isn't a good one.  In either case, I will get out the elbow grease, try a little cleaning, a little sanding, perhaps some painting or decoupage, and see what happens.  I can't resist a bargain, either, and this cost me the same as one or two brand new frames...

Waiting for Snow

Yes, I know.  Most folks are thrilled that we've had such a beautiful November.  I am too.  Really.  I marvel at the fact that I still have a carpet of allysum in front of my house.  I should have pulled all my annuals already, but how can I when they continue to bloom! 

But I am also ready to start shooting winter scenes.  The best of fall is over and done with.  I'm always looking forward to the next season.  Sometimes it seems that the beginning of each season is the most beautiful.  At least for someone as impatient as I... 

Busy Week

In the middle of preparing for the fall craft shows, we also took a quick trip to Alberta to visit old friends. So most of my shooting was of friends, of course.  I do have a favorite picture from the weekend, though.  One of our friends was holding our grandson, and had their rooster decoration from the kitchen.  Josiah was rather fascinated by this rooster.

One of the things I am hoping to get into this fall is scrapbooking.  Not with paper and glue (I love those scrapbooks... I just don't have the patience to do them), but with online software.  I recently did an album of my nephew's wedding, and would like to be able to offer this service for weddings. photographers, etc.  The result is a beautiful coffee table book, and for photographers, their name and information would be visible to all the friends of the couple, so it would be a good addition to the wedding package.  Here is the link to Kevin & Jenny's book: http://www.blurb.com/books/1679709

An Afternoon at Milltown

It was on a learning tour to Ukraine that I first met Judy.  And it was partly because of blankets.  I worked for Mennonite Central Committee as a Material Resources Coordinator in Alberta, and Judy was part of a Hutterite Colony in Manitoba that made blankets to send overseas with MCC.  We were there to see how our shipments affected their lives.  But that's another long story.

I have visited Judy a couple of times, and know that I am always welcome in Milltown.  But this time I was specifically invited to come and see them making blankets.  They set aside one week in the fall and set up their sewing machines, irons, and all the necessary tables, and invite ladies from various colonies to come and help them. 

There was much talk and laughter about food.  Their lunch meal is huge; soup, fresh bread, meat, salad, several vegetables, and a generous serving of dessert.  Then there is coffee and more goodies at 3 p.m.  Some of the ladies remarked that they just get going on the blankets and it's time to eat again.  But no one was complaining about the length of their day: they start at 8 a.m. and finish at 8 p.m.

The group was very gracious about my camera and trigger-happy finger, and so I was able to capture some memories of this day.

Judy is the head cook in her colony, and her beautiful stainless steel kitchen is courtesy of their own shop on the colony.

Sometimes you have to get right up on the table to get the job done.  Pinning the quilts before machine-quilting them.

You can't cut a straight square from crumpled fabric.

Judy holds up one of the tops that is ready for the next step.

These ladies understand what MCC really wants: brightly colored quilts (going to people who need a smile) without a lot of white, which would get dirty too quickly in situations where water is a valuable commodity.

A busy place!

Even the preschoolers get involved.  They're playing now, but when there is a job that they can do, they do it.  A lady whose arthritis does not allow her to sew anymore, happily removes the pins from the finished blankets.

Marie does an initial sort to see which pieces can be used for the backs and fronts, and which ones need to be a filler layer instead.  She tests the softness of fabrics against her cheek before they are approved for the outside of the blanket.

Sorting the scrap fabric.

Showcasing some of their work.

A women was talked into showing us the quilt she made for her daughter.

I wasn't the only non-Hutterite there yesterday.  Two other friends from Winnipeg came by to work with them for the day, and another friend from Brandon dropped in for a visit.

Try setting this up in your home!

School children at snack time.

This top we saw earlier, is now a blanket and just needs the final machine-quilting.

 In all, there were 200 quilts by early afternoon on their third day of quilting... the week is only half done!

Providence College - Event Details

Providence College - Event Details

Sunrise, Sunset

I once had a photography instructor who suggested we bring in our photos to each class for critiquing.  His only caveat... he did NOT want to see any sunrise or sunset pictures.  He was looking for our own creativity, I'm sure.

But this morning when I saw the sky turning color, I couldn't resist grabbing my camera and running to the little park at the end of our street.  The colors were amazing.  It wasn't my creativity.  It was the creativity of an amazing Creator God. 

God loves to insert beauty into our lives at the most unlikely times and unlikely places.  Too often I miss it.  I want to open my eyes to see it, and to share it as well.

Photography is my way of sharing the beauty that I see around me. 

I have created photo cards and calendars in the past, and I am back at it, though it is still a work in progress... to perfect the product.  I will be going to several craft fairs in southern Manitoba later this month, and will post those locations.  I am also in the process of getting product up onto the web to share it with a larger audience than just my part of the country.

Psalm 24:1-2 (New International Version © 2010)

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.