Trumpeting Angels

Went out to take some photographs on Sunday afternoon. It was very overcast and kind of damp and cold. I went to the public cemetary to take some photos. They actually welcome visitors and even sponsor a "fun run" in the spring. It is really a beautiful, historical, quiet place with curving brick roads and hills. My husband just looked at me like I was crazy when I told him where I'd been!

These two life-size bronze trumpeting angels are from the Guardian Angels section. The sun was trying to peek through the clouds as I was taking these shots, so you can see a little of the bronze highlights. I hope I have "guardian angels" like this watching over me when I'm laid to rest!

Focus on the Jingle Bells

Got most of the holiday decorations put away this weekend but I left a few things out for the month of January. Here are some more large jingle bells - I had a red and silver theme going on for Christmas this year! These are sitting just inside our entryway so there is natural light coming in the front door. Taken in shutter priority SS 1/50, f5.6, ISO 200, FL 53, no flash.

Thanks for all the nice comments on the vintage hat photos. They were taken on the dining room table with a white tablecloth used as a backdrop. We have a large window facing east, but it was overcast that day, wish it had been a little brighter. I'll have to get some more hats out of storage for another shoot. I enjoyed hearing what everyone collects.

Vintage Hats

I have a collection of vintage hats, so I decided to pull a few out and take some photos for this week. Whenever I browse through an antique store, I can't pass up a cute vintage hat! I'm not sure what the attraction is, but when I was a little girl, my aunt would let me, my sister and cousin go to her closet and play "dress up" with all her party dresses, jewelry, hats and gloves, so maybe that is why I love them!

Most of my collection is in storage and I rotate them every-so-often. I also love old/vintage hat boxes, although this one isn't old, I love the look of it. What do you collect?

The Cat in the Hat

The Cat In The Hat . . . a book I used to read to my boys when they were little. We loved the rhyming, silly words and imaginative characters & illustrations of all the Dr. Seuss books and these were some of the first books they learned to read on their own. Canon 40D, 17-85mm lens, AV mode, AWB, AV 5.6, SS 1/60 and on camera flash. Adjusted levels a bit and added a soft light layer in PShop. I need to stop using the on camera flash and get out my new electronic flash and learn how to use it. I think these are a little dark.

A few of you asked how I made the little gumdrop people in yesterdays post. I used a couple of sizes of gumdrops, asst colors of licorice twists for hair etc, and sprinkles for the features. A plastic knife works great to cut the gumdrops, then mold into shape and use the sticky inside as glue to connect all the parts. Use a toothpick to attach the eyes, nose and mouth and insert a wire hanger. I even made a garland by stringing lots of gumdrops onto nylon thread.

Gumdrops

We had this little white Christmas tree on the kitchen table during the holiday season. It was decorated with a "candy" theme. For the past few years, I have made these gumdrop people to add to it, saving them in ziploc bags from year-to-year cause they take quit some time to create. Notice that each one is wearing a hat, so I'm on theme for today!

These were taken with my Canon 40D and 17-85mm lens. It seems like the few shots I've taken with this new camera are in sharper focus than those taken with my DRebel Xti. Anyone else have experience comparing these two cameras?

Ringing in the New Year. . .

These red jingle bells are attached to an old fashioned sled outside our front door. They'll probabley stay there til springtime. The temps are dropping below zero here tonight!

This is one of the first pictures I've taken with my new Canon 40D (Christmas present from my DH). I increased the green saturation in photoshop 'cause the evergreens were a bit faded. How does it look? I'm looking forward to using my new camera, lens and flash. Any advice?

Happy New Year and I hope it's warmer where you are!

Ice Skate

My birthday is next week, so my sisters-in-law gave me my birthday gift a little early so I could hang it on the front door for the holidays. I just love this big ice skate and had to "embellish" it a little by adding white marabou feathers along the top edge. I am so lucky to have four wonderful and thoughtful SILs!