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So much for Rich’s week off from work!  It didn’t take long for the plowed out back deck to get covered again with snow.  Summer … summer … come fast summer.

It’s being called the Holiday Blizzard of 2010, and it is still hammering the east coast. These pictures were taken about 10:30 p.m., and the snow is suppose to continue until tomorrow early a.m. However, I believe it’s starting to taper off now. The problem is very high winds that will continue throughout tomorrow. In some areas there are thunder snow storms going on.  I’m glad Rich is on vacation for the week, and I work from home. As long as the power doesn’t go out, we should no reason to leave the house tomorrow.

Buddy looks like he wants to go outside.  Hmmm ….

Off he goes!

In he comes!

Buds gets comfy and is ready for sleep.

It’s a bit too much snow for my taste.  I’m a summer girl.  Bring on the summer!

Wow … this year no more waiting for the Dr. Who Christmas special.  This year it’s airing the same time as in the UK.  Christmas day, 9 p.m. EST.  I’ll be setting my DVR!

Christmas Lights (live from Liverpool)

Every  holiday season I am a nut in trying to figure out what I’ll make for our greeting  card.  My ’09 card was from a picture I took in Yosemite.  The image on the card is tightly cropped and doesn’t do the original justice.  The original is one of the best photos I took while there; pure luck of being in the right place at the right time when a glorious rainbow graced the incredible landscape.  You can see it here.  My favorite card is the holiday snow globe I did a few years back. I put a crazy amount of time into making that globe!  You can see that one here.  This year, initially I kept it simple until Rich said, “Dress it up more.  Add a tree, and some lights, and some Christmas balls.”  While I really didn’t fell like putting more time into it, it was at least a lot faster than that snow globe, and we both like it.   Happy Holidays!!

I had endoscopic surgery last week to remove my gallbladder.  It was a bit more difficult than I thought, although far better than traditional surgery.  Today I was finally able to get back to some me time (well, aside from all of the me time sleeping and working limited hours each day).  While I am still taking it slow, I am trying to get my collages finished for the One Cause fundraiser.  While the fundraiser doesn’t happen until February, work is due January 1st.  The pressure is on!

I returned to the digital images I printed early December, which you can see a couple posts down.

The original print.

This is a version of the design that I digitally printed onto thin Lutrador.  My goal for this collage was to work with it and possibly some of the digital prints I did on metal.

I placed the print onto a piece of fabric that I first dyed and then airbrushed with fabric paint.  I made this fabric some years back, and it’s been sitting in my stash.  Using a heat tool, I burned away sections of the print that is stitched onto the fabric.

While I like the look, knowing that I’d have other elements on top, I decided to add a bit of bright neon yellow/green paint for added punch.  I dry brushed it onto the Lutrador and let dry.

Next up I started experimenting with some printed metal pieces (it’s the same design) along with a copper mesh.

Then I placed a piece of watercolor paper that I painted a bright color (also from my stash) underneath a piece of yellow/green spun poly.  On top of that are some Tyvec cloth pieces that I painted and heated to get a rounded blob shape.

I then tried a longer piece of printed metal, the spun poly, and tyvec.  Still not there.

I added another piece of printed metal and further rearranged things until I got the above.  While it’s not the final collage, it’s close.  I did a slight rearrange and added some copper mesh to hold the top piece of metal in place.  I didn’t post its image because I want to first finish it.  Then, once I get permission from the fundraiser organizer that I can post, I will. The final collage will be in the 6×8″ range and mounted onto 8×10″ watercolor paper.  If it appears it needs more breathing room on the paper, I’ll cut it down a bit more.

It does feel good to be making something, even if it’s little and not finished.

Can you hear "Give Peace a Chance" flowing through the air

It’s hard to believe it’s now 30 years.
I took this photo several years ago in NYC’s Strawberry Fields area in Central Park.

Sarah and Bob.

Rich and me.

This is the infamous area where Rich hurt himself.  Today we got word that he will be out from work another two weeks.  :(  It seem he tore a muscle.  He may get another xray, as there’s still the chance he cracked a rib or two.  However, since there’s nothing you can really do for either except give it time, it seems silly to spend more money on medical bills.

I didn’t add copyright notices on these images, but please don’t use without my permission. :)

Mom and I were wondering where all of the neighborhood kids were.  Why wasn’t anyone coming around for halloween candy.  Then Rich called and said, “Get over to Stockton Street and see what’s going on at your favorite Victorian house.  It is wild.”  So, mom and I went over.  We immediately saw the haze of smoke, glow of lights, and a mass of people everywhere.

And there were all of the trick-or-treaters!

The place was done up with a Merlin theme — complete with singing, dancing, a king, his lady, Merlin, a sword, smoke, lights, a movie being projected, and more.   Several people wearing lavish costumes were handing out candy by the boatload.   The king was handing out gold wrapped chocolate coins from his challis.

And, no kidding, at one point Merlin was on the first story story roof dancing!

I did take a quick video because these pictures do not give the full excitement of what was going on. It’s not the best quality,  it abruptly stops, and I didn’t want to tinker around with it (lazy) — but it’s fun and gives a better sense of the drama.

While I want to get my Visions pictures up, I had to get these Halloween shots up first!

On 10/10/10, Derry and I were in London.  It was a whirlwind day in which we went to several places, among them The Design Museum, located along the South Bank on Chad Thames  which, according to the sign, is the “best surviving example of the type of street that was very common in London’s Docklands before any redevelopment had taken place.”

There were lots of shops and people strolling about.  For London, it was somewhat peaceful area.

On the South Bank, we had great views of the Tower Bridge, which we walked over earlier in the day.

The Design Musuem.

Inside was a fantastic staircase.

The exhibit on the lower floor showcased The Brit Insurance Design Awards, which includes “the most innovative and forward thinking designs from around the world.”

This was my absolute favorite — a folding plug — and Derry told me about this earlier in the year.  If anyone has ever seen a UK plug, it’s big and bulky and not a fun thing to carry around when traveling.  Min Kyu Choi designed the folding plug, and we were pleasantly surprised to find it on display here.   It’s thin and an elegant solution to the otherwise bulky plug.  (Apparently he was inspired by the MacBook Air.)  You can read about it here.

Above is showing an adapter for multiple plugs.

A font tree!  :)

On another floor was an exhibition called “John Pawson Plain Space.”  The New York Times calls Pawson “The father of modern architectural minimalism.”  The exhibition included models, film, and photographs including some of the elements from a Monastery in the Czech Republic and the Sackler Crossing at the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens.

On the way into the gallery, was a white wall which looks textured.  The light seems to absorb into it in a unique way.  A total surprise was seeing it from the back, which the photo above shows.  Initially we thought it was the back of that wall.

It wasn’t until I saw someone get close to the wall and then seemingly disappear that I ventured closer and closer until realizing it was an opening to a room!   It was a full size installation to offer “a direct experience of his work.”  Wow!

The feeling was absolutely amazing.  We sat for a while, soaking in the the zen-feel, watching people who looked at the outside of the wall.  I wondered if they realized this room was on the other side.  The shadow play was fascinating.  The room had such a sense of stillness and beautiful light.  I loved how the people in the room contrasted with those outside of the room, and I found myself taking several pictures.  (Photography was allowed throughout the Museum, although no flash).

I had to get Derry to take some photos of me in the room.  I kind of wish I had some slinky dress on with high heels.  Silhouette is much kinder to an aging body.  He took several, and this I may print!

Carol Walton, CEO of The Parkinson Alliance, and Terri Chiravalle Patrowicz

On Saturday, September 25th, a sad day as it marked the 10th anniversary of my dad’s death, I took my mom with me to the annual Carnegie Center Fun Run & 5K which raises money for The Parkinson Alliance.  I photograph the event each year, and I thought it would be fun for mom to participate.  Rather than doing the Fun Run, mom decided to walk the 5K!  My sister MaryAnn also joined her to walk the race.  During the awards ceremony, not only did mom win the Raffle prize of a large bag of goodies — such as 3 month membership to a nice gym/spa, body massage, gift certificates, and all kinds of food from Trader Joe’s — she came in 3rd in her division!  Not bad for a 75 year old!!   I included mom’s maiden name above because you never know who may be searching online to find her.

For more information on The Parkinson Alliance, click the link above.  The Alliance raises money to fund the research needed to find the cause and cure of Parkinson’s.  They are a unique organization in that every dollar raised by an individual is matched dollar for dollar,  meaning that 100% of your donation goes directly to Parkinson’s research!

Yesterday I went out for a little while in search of some butterflies.  I did find a couple monarchs and took only about 20-30 pictures before they flew away.  On the way home, Rich stopped for gas.  I noticed a flower with the sun hitting it in a pretty way (lighting is everything).  I hopped out of the car and took a couple quick shots.  Last night I stayed up late playing around to see what I could do with it.  Here are some of the results.  The original photo is on the above left.

These are both similar, but I brightened the one of the right, adding more color to the bottom right.  I also changed the central area a bit.

In this I was using the find edges filter and some coloring.

And here are a few more.  Hopefully I’ll post some more in the coming days.  The biggest problem when I play like this is I often don’t remember how I got from one version to the next.  I use to label the layers or write a few notes, but that always seems to take away from the flow.  So, if you’re wondering how I made these, play with filters and blending modes.