Creative Exchange – Week 10

Before the snow arrived  I was able to capture on Sunday a pair of frosty leaves left abandoned in our garden.  So I have combined them together for this week’s The Creative Exchange over at Lisa’s blog the White Cotton Tee.

Birthday flowers

It’s been a funny Saturday, were I have just felt out of sorts. I can’t really pin-point why I have felt like this today.   I am probably just over-tired and could do with a few early nights. 

So I am sat cozied up on the sofa, watching some trashy tv and flicking through some of my pictures from today trying to decided what to share. 

I have picked these two pictures, which I captured early this afternoon.  I bought this gorgeous bouquet of flowers for a friend’s birthday today.  So with the remaining light I was capture these two shots.

The first for November in Black and White, which I have really enjoyed.  I have been trying to look for opportunities to capture in black and white instead of colour.  I don’t think I would have even thought of trying to capture a bouquet of flowers in black and white.

And of course I had to include this beautiful colour capture, as this rose would brighten anyone’s day.

I am also giving this as a virtual gift from for the virtual party that is happening over at a new blog A Common Thread hosted by Rosie, Justine, Lisa and Jude.

Macro Friday

Another Macro Friday at Blogging from Bolivia and I am starting to thinking about planning for Christmas. 

Digging around in my drawers I found the scrap of ribbon which I used last year to decorate traditional pomander.

B&W Wednesday

It’s  B&W Wednesday (and November In Black and White), except it is actually Thursday now. 

So far we have little or no snow and I have a suspicion that we probably won’t get much either. I don’t know whether I am slightly disappointed by the prospect or not. 

I dug out my date stamp which I use in my craft and creative projects (and not as part of the my job or profession) and managed to grab this close-up shot.

Funnily enough with the advent of self issue in our library, we very rarely use date stamps anymore.  It is a shame, as there is something quite satisfying stamping books.

Creative Exchange – Week 9

I should be busy rehearsing my presentation for tomorrow, but I have taken a short break to think about this week’s The Creative Exchange over at Lisa’s blog the White Cotton Tee.

This week I have taken an old photograph I took in October and played around with some of the visual effects tools in Photoshop Elements to create this new picture.  Hope you enjoy it.

Black and White Sunday

Another weekend has flown by, and I have barely picked up my camera.  So as I have a couple of minutes while Sunday lunch I though I would try to capture something for November in Black and White.

This is one of my favourite bracelets, though completely impractical to wear everyday as it bangs and clangs against the desk and keyboard.

I have really enjoyed participating in Justine’s November in Black and White, which I can’t believe is coming to a close shortly.  It has given me a real appreciation of capturing in black and white.

Macro Friday

It been a very long  and very tiring week with the prospect of potential cold on its way.  Things haven’t really work out as I had expected recently.  But as my step daughter so profoundly put it in her FB status this evening ‘sometimes things don’t work out, but then you get something good.’  

Over at Blogging from Bolivia for Macro Friday, I can only enviously admire the stunning water droplet that Laura has captured on the the lively pink material.  (I am not sure I have fully recovered just yet from the picture of the spider last week).

In an attempt to match Laura’s colourful capture this week, I grabbed this shot of my new potpourri I bought from my bathroom. 

Five Question Friday

It’s Five Question Friday over at the Five Crooked Halos blog.

1. What Christmas song do you loathe?
Can you actually say that you loathe a Christmas song?  It feels wrong somehow.  Out of the modern songs, I probably can’t stand A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh.   If I am being honest I am not a huge fan of the Christmas carol Away in a Manger, but I still sing it with gusto at the carol services.

2. Do you and your significant other cuddle at night or sleep on opposite sides of the bed?
We mostly sleep on opposite sides of the bed unless forced to huddle together for warmth when we have been camping. 

3. Have you ever had surgery?

Nope.  Short and sweet.

4. When do you typically have your holiday shopping done?

Usually finished by 24 December.  I always think that I will be more organised this year, but I never am.

5. If money were not an issue (and you HAD to pick something), what would your ultimate luxury item be?

It strangely difficult to think of something in particular, or more correctly of one thing.  I think if money were not an issue, it would probably be something gadget-y, so I would probably pick an i-Phone or an i-Pad or a really expensive DSLR with all the works.

B&W Wednesday

For  B&W Wednesday and today’s November In Black and White I have used the theme of time. 

Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back,
Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,
A great-sized monster of ingratitudes:
Those scraps are good deeds past; which are devour’d
As fast as they are made, forgot as soon
As done:

Ulysses from Troilus & Cressida Act 3 Scene III
William Shakespeare

Together with the close-up of my old and broken watch, I have included the only  quote I can remember from my A Level English Lit studies of Troilus and Cressida.

Creative Exchange – Week 8

Trying to kill two birds with one stone with today’s blog entry. Scary how quickly time passes by and I haven’t really thought much of photography over the last couple of days.

As it is Tuesday, that means it The Creative Exchange  over at The White Cotton Tree. 

As this capture is also in Black and White, I thought I would also include it in my collection for  November in Black and White.   

In terms of creativity, I have eventually printed out two of my most recent pictures (which I capture for November in Black and White) and have framed them and hung them on the wall.  I am really pleased with the results.  Thank you for the suggestion Erika B.