Because I can't get enough...

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Oh busy, busy workin' on my to-do list this weekend (I have three days, thank goodness!). One of the things on my list was sending some images to the printer for my work-in-progress portfolio. Ah, so exciting and scary too! I'd love your feedback.

More yummy photography to oogle:

♥ Charlotte Sterling Photography
♥ Marmalade Photography
♥ Captured by Carrie
♥ Myra Klarman Photography
♥ Tiny Photo Shop

oh, did i wake you?

i've had a couple of late nights this week because i can't seem to get my brain to stop thinking! when i finally went in to sleep this is who i found. on alex's pillow i might add. ;)

Eye Candy

Today Moki (who is also a photographer) helped me write an ad for a couple local free listings and mom's groups. "Local photographer is looking to build her portfolio and is interested in photographing expecting mothers, infants, and children. She shoots on location and for a limited time only she is offering no sitting fee and no obligation to buy. She will send a link to an online proof sheet with her prices if you are interested in buying prints. This is a wonderful opportunity for great quality pictures and a lower price than most photographers offer. To schedule, please email joleen.thiessen AT gmail DOT com. " What do you think?

Pure Eye Candy:
♥ Photography by Sara Jane
♥ Jinky Art
♥ J. Otte Photography
♥ Work of Heart
♥ Bookout Studio + Design
♥ Grace Photography

And it begins...

This year I am finally going to do it. I'm going to make every Christmas gift I possibly can (extended family guys are hard). Yesterday I wrote out my list of 'who' and have been jotting down notes + ideas for each individual. I was bouncing off ideas with Moki, who also wants to make her gifts and who has started a great flickr group: Holiday Gift Ideas DIY. Since I'm doing the searching and compiling of ideas anyway I thought I would share some of my findings here. I hope you find these links useful. I'd love to hear/read/see your ideas or links to other nifty handmade items for kids. The following ideas are for the babies + toddlers in your life:
♥ wall pocket (pictured above)
♥ stuffed toy
♥ travel lunch set
♥ fabric memory book
♥ story telling tape/cd
♥ quiet book or busy book
♥ felt board
♥ memory quilt
♥ patchwork baby bib

Re: Photography Advice

{Deana: Upland, California}

I just wanted to really thank everyone for their photography advice last week. I appreciate all of the tips as I'm just getting started. I did want to say that the portfolio I am creating is for school admission. There are no set plans but I have been spending a lot of time looking into it for the fall of 2008 and an important criterion for admittance is a portfolio. This means that for the next six months or so I will be shooting whenever possible. I've got to build up enough quality images to choose from. When that time comes and along the way, I'm sure I'll be coming to you again for advice. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

Just a note...

My visit with Heather and her family (Hi Hannah + Greg!) was really great. I can't wait to show you all of my shopping finds. Heather taught me to bead embroider, how very apropos having just finished up with our Bead Issue of Portals! Woot, woot! If you've already purchased your copy be looking for it in the next couple of days! Heather also taught me to solder jewerly while I was there. Sometime this week I'll show you what I made. :) For now, while I catch my breath, please enjoy two of my favorite photographs from our visit to the mission at San Juan Bautista. Thanks again for having me, Heather! I can't wait until our next visit! xo

Adios!

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Thanks for all your help in the pervious post. I think I finally found the one I like (the second crop). I'm off to visit Heather for an extended weekend! We'll be binding and packaging your zines! I'm sure she has some fun in store for us- shopping + playing! I also get to do a shoot with her little Hanny. Yay! :) I hope you all have a great weekend and I'll see ya Tuesday! xo

Advice?

I don't usually post the many photographs I take of my charges but I am currently working on my portfolio and am looking for advice. Even if you're not a photographer I would love to hear your thoughts about this particular photo. Just so you know, I can't do anything about the crop- it was shot this close and the front legs were cut off- oops! Thanks in advance. I appreciate your thoughts.

Edit II: What about this?

graphics

here are the three banners i offered . i hope they like them! i also created this black + white print ad for portals to go in teesha moore's zine, art + life. phew! i'm tired!! have a good night! xo! ♥

need a blog banner?

do you like my new banner? every now and again i feel inspired... and i'm feeling generous! i will create new blog banners for the first three interested people to comment (leaving a contact email) today. to view banners i've created in the past go here.

Edit: Whoa! That was fast! :) Thanks for your interest. I know I will do more another time!

Direction.

I have been thinking that it has been a while since I've posted a "proper" post - not "just" a mini update, inspirational mosaic, or links. I have so much going on right now and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed + confused. I am spending a lot of time thinking about my life and the direction I am heading in. I am spending time evaluating my goals and looking into options. I am considering my own happiness and life's calling. It's all exciting and all a bit scary. Life is exciting and a bit scary, isn't it? There is so much pressure when you only have one! I just want to make the right decisions and be happy. Isn't that what everyone hopes for?

PS- Let's call today "Email Day". If I owe you one, look for it today.

Portals, Portals, Portals

"Be Still" Art Doll By, Sandy Gordon; Los Angeles, California

Portals to be printed this week. The gallery has a wide range of artwork sure to inspire you! Beads is such a great theme and there are some fun articles + tutorials in the issue as well. I hope you'll go reserve your copy now as they sell fast! Thanks again for your support + encouragement throughout this endeavor.

Mark Your Calendars!

More Information Coming Soon!

hit refresh!

what in the world is going on with blogger/bloglines lately? something about a beta version of one of them- makes no sense to me. well, i've gotten a few emails from people wondering where i am. i'm still here! just hit refresh. chances are you'll find my 'missing' posts. so weird.

wish i were with you.

what a crazy week! i feel like im spinning in circles and accomplishing nada. what's worse is dealing with a two year old toddler! omg! how do you do it?? i briefly considered taking a mental health day today. LOL and because i'm so super busy, you get links. happy clicking! :)

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*blogs*
♥ all buttoned up
♥ mizu tamago
♥ handmaid
♥ distressed
♥ luckybeans

unplugged.

today i started a post about this past weekend when i realized my charger wasn't working and my laptop battery was quickly dying. when i plugged it in i accidently dropped it on the travertine causing some sort of short so for the rest of the day i was unable to work. it was so frustrating because i have so much on my mind (re: issue 3) that i want to get onto a layout! it also means i'm unable to check my portals email inbox so if you've emailed me recently please have patience a while longer. tomorrow i'll be visiting my local tech store for another charger and i'm hoping it doesn't cost my right arm.

weekend news: the women of faith conference friday + saturday was really great. it was nice to spend time with special family members + hear the great speakers- each with her own powerful testimony. i didn't realize robin mcgraw would be one of the speakers so that was a fun surprise for me. it was neat to see her hubby (dr. phil) walk her off the stage like she does for him everyday on his show. sunday my mom, sister: aimee, and i participated in the heart 5k run/walk. we had set the goal of walking it in 45 minutes. we each completed the 3.1 miles in the 41st minute! :) my exact time was 41:31. i was/am so thrilled with that and proud of our accomplishment. now we're training to run a 5k (and beat our time!) in about 4-5 months. thank you for your continued support!! i also want to share that as of last thursday, alex and i have each lost 18.5 lbs.! :) i still have a lot more to go but i am really feeling great about myself right now. thank you for being such an encouragement to me!

9/11

{clip-art image found here.}

Today I encourage you to check out 2,996: where 2,996 volunteer bloggers join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each person will pay tribute to a single victim by celebrating their life.

Edited: Please click here to see the list. The original site had too much traffic and was shut down, which is why the link didn't work.

{nature walk}

today was my day off - but that meant nothing to spencer who woke me up at 6:30 to go for a walk. with my eyes closed i threw on some clothes and tennis shoes, sans bra + socks and let him pull me around the block. i woke up when i heard thunder and dogs barking- storms are so exciting to me. the sky and fog were amazing - more like home at the beach if you ask me. as soon as we got home i grabbed my camera and spencer + i jumped in the car. i wanted to get a little closer to the mountains so i could get some shots without all the houses and telephone wires in the way. i was so thrilled when we got up there just a few blocks and there was an entrance to a walking trail! spencer seemed excited too by the way he pulled on his leash to get going! ;) if you want to see the images seperately + larger go here.

ps- i am away for the weekend- conference with my mom, aunt, and sister tonight and tomorrow. then sunday is the heart walk (5k). thanks to everyone who donated- my team raised $550! have a great weekend! xo!

Writers WANTED!!

We are looking for written submissions for Portals zine! If you are interested in contributing your short stories, poems, articles, or reviews (now or in the future) please email me at: joleen AT portals-zine DOT com. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Portals Zine - Issue #3

Check out our NEW and improved website and order issue #3 today!

Thank you Hope and Heather!

i ♥ anthropologie

i ♥ anthropologie!

oh how i love love love when the new anthropologie catalog comes in the mail. it's pure eye candy! not only are the items simply stunning but the photography couldn't be more perfect. flipping through it is truly uplifting to the soul- the mood of the photography feels like coming home. i hope you enjoy the diptychs i've created using a few of my favorite catalog images and some of my own.

fall on my mind

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this week i'm inspired by images that remind me of fall. sometimes photos with entirely different subjects can portray that feeling. it's hard for me to imagine fall here in the desert but i'm definitely looking forward to cooler days. i'm sad there aren't trees as proof of the change but i'm hoping to find it in other things. if anything i know there are changes going on in me.

Advertise in Portals!

We're offering a great new deal for advertising space in Portals zine! Hurry and get your ad in before our third issue goes to print. Lots of exciting things happening with the zine and we hope you'll be a part of it! Don't forget to reserve your copy now!

{dreams}

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i'm dreaming about owning a little old house - a bungalo - with a garden and a little white fence. i'm dreaming of cool air and rainy days; snuggling with a good book and long walks. i'm dreaming about making a modest living and going to school. i'm dreaming about meeting friends for a drink and late night study sessions. i'm dreaming of taking three steps back and feeling at peace.

happy labor day!

friday to saturday alex and i went camping + hiking but i'll tell you all about it another time very soon. i found my camera charger too close to leaving so we had to use a disposable camera and are waiting for it to be developed. saturday night we stayed at my mom's house in apple valley and sunday afternoon they had a bar-b-que. i was camera happy so there are lots to see but not yet because i don't have time to upload them all right now. the ones in this post are my favorites. :) alex took the very top photograph of me and aimee and i took the others. we had so much fun!

meet spencer. isn't he beautiful? we're his foster parents right now but if we have him for a while and everything works out then we'll probably adopt him. i really like him already! he's really a sweet dog. we brought him home last night and he seems to like it so far. this morning we went on our first walk together and i am really looking forward to having him as a walking buddy. :)

we hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend!