Outside My Window ~ 12.18.2011
Outside my window…is nightfall in Hampton Roads. We are currently at 31°F with clear skies…forecast low is 30°F. Cold. Tomorrow is another story with a forecast high of 56°F and sunshine but it will get cold again tomorrow evening. There is no snow in the forecast…chance of rain on Christmas day, but no snow. It appears as if we are not the only ones who won’t have a white Christmas. So maybe the mountains of snow received last year were actually some of this years snow? Would seem so…places that usually have received quite a bit by this time of the season have received only a trace so far this year.
I am thinking about…everything I have to do this next week after a not so productive weekend. One thing I will not be worrying about next week….work! Yes, I’m officially off until the 3rd of January and couldn’t be more pleased. I have been looking forward to this since I went back to work last year after the holidays. 🙂 Seriously, it is something I do look forward to each year….a nice long stretch of time. No getting up at the crack o’dawn unless I want to….no drive to work ~ which is going to save dollars in gas money….just time. Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t have anything to do because I do have a list of things I want to get accomplished during this time off.
From my kitchen…is not so much at the moment but I will be making a few things this next week. I have a couple of new recipes I want to try while I’m off, including some bread recipes. I think I will get a bunch of recipes together while I’m off to share with you after the holidays….perfect time to do so I think. I would much rather take photographs of the finished products in natural light rather than the harsh fluorescent kitchen light and time off allows me the opportunity to do so.
I am currently working on…Christmas gifts….playing with some templates for album layouts…changing the profile image for Magikal Folk Photography on Facebook. And speaking of profile images ~ did you know the new time line layout is suppose to go live very soon? I have already changed mine over the the new look….and created my new cover photograph. The cover photograph fills the large white space at the top. You can add any type of cover image from either your photographs on Facebook or create one like I did using a template. I used a template from Florabella Collection which she offered for free for a limited time. I should note, you do have to have either PhotoShop Elements or PhotoShop to use the templates and have knowledge of layers and clipping masks. If you visit her site, click on the Facebook freebies and it should take you to it.
I am going to…work on my business plan for next year. I have some ideas that I need to work out….some creations percolating in my mind that I would like to try. First order of business before I do any of that is to redesign my work area. I have spent the past year reorganizing this area and cleaning up clutter….it works for a while and before I know it I’m doing it again. There must be a better way and I believe that means a redesign of how I have things laid out ~ furniture and equipment. The first thing I need to change…my space moved around. There are plans….it might require moving furniture from one room to another…and maybe back again…but I’m going to give it a go. 🙂 I will let you know what comes of this….there could be photographs.
I am currently reading…PhotoShop Compositing Secrets by Matt Kloskowski. It has been a while since I worked on composites and after working on my mirror composite, I realized it was something I enjoyed doing. This book is full of tips and tricks to make your composites stand out. Some things I knew…a lot I did not! I’m sure you will be seeing more from me in the coming year. I use to dabble with them now and again but not for a while now. I have another one I’m working on now….it is so me….and many, many layers involved. Perhaps I will unveil it for you next week here on Outside My Window.
I am hoping…that we are finally able to get our photograph taken this coming Tuesday! Yes, I don’t have one yet but honestly it is not for lack of trying. We were all set last Monday….everyone was dressed, everyone was ready….and I couldn’t find the damn part to attach the camera to the tripod. I looked in my camera backpack…my camera bag….my lighting bag…my room….the kitchen…the living room…my purse. It was beyond frustrating because I had just used it a few days earlier. Where did I put it? This was not something I just laid down anywhere because I know it is important. The girls got impatient {I can’t blame them for that} so I let them go on with their plans for the evening. My oldest daughter’s comment was I would find it as soon as they left….well, she was close ~ 20 minutes after they left I checked my camera backpack again and lo and behold, there it was….in the one pocket I don’t believe I stuck my hand in. Sigh. Another date set….not working for anyone when that day rolled around so now we have Tuesday as the deadline…and I do believe I will be working on New Year’s cards this year. 🙂 Stay tuned…..
I am hearing…clothes tumbling in the dryer….the ticking of my many clocks….a Supernatural DVD on television…and my stomach growling ~ I need a snack.
Plans for the week include…not going to work 🙂 ….getting my hair done tomorrow….Christmas shopping for my girls….grocery shopping….making a few gifts for my family….enjoying my time off.
One of life’s little pleasures…relaxing time. Need I say more.
From my camera…sharing a little holiday bokeh with you. If you would like this image, feel free to download it here. You know the drill…..click on the link, once the image opens up you will right click on it and “save image as”. You may use for both commercial or personal work, no restrictions except please do not claim as your own. The download does not have a logo watermark. It is a large file so it will take a few to open. Enjoy!
