Here I am again.

Reprioritizing. My spell checker put a red line under that one, but I think it's a word.

I was spending a lot of time working on assignment 8 of 10 in my writing course from the Institute for Children's Literature when I stopped and asked myself, "What am I doing?"

I was stressing about turning in this article when I realized, with great clarity, that I really didn't have any good reason to be spending my time that way.

Instead of finishing my assignment, I wrote a letter to my instructor and said I was withdrawing from the course. It was so liberating. It may seem silly, but I guess I wasn't considering that taking the course was my decision, and so ending it could be too.

So here I am, I've found out that I love photography, design, and helping people build their small businesses. I'll be working on a secret book project with a friend, and will post all about it after it is published. For now, color me busy, happily busy... and contact me if I can help you out!

Don't laugh...

Red Bubble

Another place to find my art laying around...

That song keeps popping into me head...

But it's not why I made this one...

Life is a dance.

Stop...
Listen...
Love...
Dance...


Go.

People Portraits

I took photos for some friends this weekend. The
De Lano family didn't even think twice when I asked them to sit on the edge of the concrete under the park bench and look up so I could take an upside-down photo of them! I guess they already know I'm a bit out of the box.

At Freestone Park, in Gilbert, Arizona, there were easily a dozen photographers with their clients on Sunday. I was there at Noon, and again at 4PM. The park is attractive to photographers with its rolling hills, boulders, ponds, and fountains. We just had a few days of rain as well, so everything was bright and green.


The Siegels are very good friends of ours. It's not hard to capture the happiness that they share, especially the joy of a new addition coming very soon!

We spent some time at the park, and took a train ride. It was a beautiful day.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

I've lived in Arizona for almost 8 years now. Sometimes, I think I might be missing the winter of the Midwest. In those moments, I take a trip outside and remind myself why I live here.

I took the kids and my camera to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum yesterday. It's about 30 minutes east of us. I'm not sure why we don't go more often, that must be remedied...

We spent a few hours there. Ollie free to run and explore, and I enjoyed taking some photos. Brandy examined the outside world from the stroller, then napped for a while. The air was cool, the sun was warm, the sky was clear blue. We were surrounded by the sounds of bugs, birds, water, breezes in the trees, and most of all, silence. Sitting in the Eucalyptus forest under towering trees, we enjoyed everything there. Ollie made friends with some rocks, and laid down in the dirt at one point. We watched bees buzz from flower to flower, and found the goldfish hiding in the pond.

So I ask myself... Why on earth would I ever go to the mall again when I can go there?

Portrait Session

This weekend, I set up a backdrop in the boutique of the Apache Junction laundromat boutique and took some photos. It started when I was renting an appliance dolly from their U-Haul portion of the business. I spoke with the owner, Julie, and she found out I was a photographer. One thing led to another and there I was. I was also able to use it as a fund raiser for a friend. She is taking a trip to Europe as a student ambassador next summer. Here are some of the results of my first "on-site" portraits! I learned a few things, and overall it was a good experience.

This is Danie, the student ambassador friend of mine!


Karen McLain - Oil Painter