Look Up.....

Floating By

Around 8:20am this morning I heard an unusual noise outside so I asked my husband what it was. He was standing at the blinds with a smile like he had planned a surprise. He said, "Look, it's your balloon friends." I could not believe my favorite hot air balloon was right outside our window. I wish they were my friends and they would have called first before they decided to go floating by, ha! As I darted off off the camera and memory card so I asked him to open the window.  When I returned, I pulled out the screen to get this last glimpse of the hot air balloon as it passed by.

After I took this photo, I headed south in hopes of a few additional photos. I discovered they were actually trying to find a place to land as the wind (...or lack of) was not cooperating with them this morning. I managed to get a few more photos before they landed in a cul-de-sac.

Some of you may recall one of my hot air balloon photos Up, Up and Away that I took last summer. Here is a link to my RedBubble page: Up, Up and Away where I have more on the adventure I had taking that photo!

I added Floating By to my Summer's Simple Pleasures album in my Photography gallery on my website: www.tscpgraphics.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor, step by step.....

Many Shades of Winter

I am teaming up with Northwind Image this year in the Inspirations 2011 exhibit and this year I am painting from the photograph by Northwind Image shown below. The photography and paintings / textile art in this exhibit will be displayed side by side to feature what photograph inspired the artists. If you are in the Topeka area during November - December, stop by the Classic Bean in Fairlawn Plaza at 21st & Fairlawn.

The filmstrip image below is a preview of the beginning stages of my watercolor with the last image my reference, the actual photograph. Be sure to check my progress of this painting in my: Original Artwork album within the galleries section on my website at: www.tscpgraphics.com

When I paint I always have some watercolor paper off to the side to check the colors and test the waters, literally!

I want to thank Grant & Delores of Northwind Image for giving me permission to paint their photograph. To view more of their photography, visit: www.northwindimage.zenfolio.com 

I hope everyone is enjoying my new blog, thanks for visiting!

www.tscpgraphics.com

New Jewelry Collection.......

Jewelry Elements Series

The jewelry I design includes 'elements' I am drawn too. The beads are from my personal collection and my favorites include hand blown glass, natural stone, precious gems and filigree metal beads. I enjoy mixing the different beads together to create an unique design one would not find in a store.  
Elements is part of my new jewelry collection. This necklace includes an assortment of handcrafted wooden beads with a mix of silver, gold and copper finished filagree metal beads along with a metal toggle clasp. The length of this necklace is 17 inches from clasp to clasp.

My fascination with creating my own jewelry designs started when I found necklaces in the stores that I would prefer to wear as bracelets. I found myself wrapping them around my wrist and thinking the necklace would make a fun bracelet. I started out simple –create stretchy bracelets for myself since all I had to do was measure them up to fit and tie a solid knot that hid inside a bead.

Over time my bead collection grew and I was asked if I sold the jewelry I made. So if I have enough beads and I would wear the design myself I create a similar one to sell. It has been getting harder to create the same design again as I run out of the beads and can not find replacements. Also, it is fun to create a one of a kind design now that I am more comfortable with wire jewelry and a secure crimping bead. I found some of the jewelry I purchased years ago at a Farmer's Market only had a flat crimp, they did not close the crimp and that resulted in the wire working it's way loose and my determination to fix it correctly.

You can see more of my jewelry and additional detailed photos of this new Elements necklace on my website in my Jewelry Gallery at: www.tscpgraphics.com

Be sure to also check out my facebook page: TSCPgraphics .........thanks for stopping by!

Lightning Never Strikes in the Same Place Twice...

Electric Shock

Electric Shock

This image is straight from the camera.  I have tried capturing an image of lightning for some time. I usually end up with small glowing bursts of light that end up looking like a lightning bug flew in front of the lens. Other times I have entertained myself while on the rode by taking traveling lightning shots. I have never ended up with anything I have ever considered a true lightening capture. 

This evening was finally my perfect opportunity. We had an incredible lightning storm so I jumped at the chance to set up the tripod up right in front of our house. I do not mind a tree line, in fact I think it give perspective but I am not a fan of power lines. I strategically pointed the camera on this brilliant night display of lightning that jetted across the sky without it looking residential. Since it was so late, I really did not want to pack up and head to the prairie though I am sure it would have been a spectacular sight.

I am glad I stayed put because chances are I would have ended up missing out and finally ended up with a lightning photo I am pleased with! 

Thanks for visiting my blog!

I added Electric Shock to Night & Day in my RedBubble portfolio: tscp profile

To view more of my photographs, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com .....I am also on facebook at: TSCPgraphics

This is your LIFE.

This is awesome. I love the message and it is showing up everywhere!

I wish I knew the source to give credit but a friend of mine got it from a friend, we all know how it is with sharing these days.

If you follow your heart, you will do what is right.

Do not let others drag you down and influence you because in the end you are going to be miserable. And most important, if you can not change the situation for the better - get out of it, it is not your loss. Something better is waiting for you.

I did a quick google search and I found both the graphic and this street version photo. I am now curious if the photo on the street is real or if this is Photoshop. If they used Photoshop this was a very creative image someone created with a combination of the photograph and the graphic. I know if I would have seen someone holding up this poster, I would have taken this photo in a heartbeat!

For more journals, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com I am also on facebook: TSCPgraphics and if you are a twitter bug, follow me at:tscpgraphics

Wind of Change...

Kansas Flint Hills

Wind of Change

We had a cool front move in last night dropping the recent high yesterday of 112 degrees to the mid 90's. It was a pleasant change in weather. I was enjoying the day doing errands without breaking out into a sweat. 


Going along with the theme of change I thought I would share one of my photographs from my Kansas Flint Hills Collection. I have been working on sorting through countless photos trying to upload my favorites and most memorable photos to my website while sharing on this blog site the stories behind them.


One evening I noticed this beautiful cumulus cloud towering over Topeka and decided to drive west on I-70 so I could get a good view of it from the prairies of the Flint Hills. Once I found a place to pull over I walked up a grassy hill with this view back to the east. The sun was setting and the light was getting low but everything was still. It was the perfect evening to take in this landscape of the Flint Hills.


As I started taking the photos, the wind started to blow the grass and I thought I was not going to get the photo I wanted. I started out framing up this skyline in the tall grass but then the wind pick up and would not stop blowing. I kept thinking if I had only made it there sooner I would have grabbed the perfect photo. Then as those clouds glowed and the wind would not let up, I started to realize that the wind was adding to this scene not hindering it with the grass blowing in the wind giving the entire scene more interest.


As I stood there in the wind as the sun set behind me, I thought of how things constantly change around us. Sometimes I struggle with what to title a photograph but for this photo as I stood there enjoying this spectacular view I knew what the title would be because this 1990 song Wind of Change by Scorpions immediately came to mind. 

The future's in the air

I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change

"Wind of Change" is a 1990 power ballad written by Klaus Meine, vocalist of the German heavy metal band Scorpions. It appeared on their 1990 album Crazy World, but did not become a worldwide hit single until 1991, when it topped the charts in Germany and across Europe, and hit #4 in the United States and #2 in the United Kingdom. The Scorpions were inspired to write this song on a visit to Moscow in 1989, and the opening lines refer to the city's landmarks: I follow the Moskva,  Down to Gorky Park, Listening to the wind of change (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

To browse for of my photographs, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com You can also like me on facebook: TSCPgraphics and if you are a twitter bug, follow me at: tscpgraphics