porridge

The moments in between

2012-03-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

Often when I'm doing a shoot, I try to stay aware of those moments in between. When we stop to: try a new pose, to follow the light, to chat about what's next, or..

...to fix the hem of a dress.

Something so simple and commonplace becomes beautiful to behold when you stop the moment forever with one click. This is what I love about photography. I have always been a person that notices details--and looking for them through the lens of my camera has heightened that sense so much. I can barely walk through my normal day doing normal things without constantly seeing and framing photos in my mind. The world we live in, and I'm not talking about the planet at large but each of our own worlds; suddenly becomes so rich. The moments in between are often where we find ourselves, and our art.

What little boys dream of

2012-02-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

Along came Sally

2012-02-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

As I passed by Hannah's room and glanced in, I was struck by the lovely light glowing on our old friend Sally. There she lay, with her bow askew and her lone buck tooth--and I just fell in love with her all over again. Sally has been around since my Simple Sparrow days (the craft blog I kept for 4 years) when I made a handful of these humorous little monsters from old sweaters.

Sally (the name Hannah so perfectly chose for her) has provided quite a bit of entertainment. Several times Hannah and I have laid across her bed and laughed at that goofy expression.

Me:"What do you think is on her mind right now?"

Hannah: "That she's completely exhausted."

Me: "Totally. Just look at that bow. She's definitely letting herself go."

----riotous laughter ensues-----

And this is why we love Sally so much.

It's the little things

2012-02-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a happy clip from the good people over at Spoonful.
Hoping your weekend is filled with the best of little things!

xo.

Orchids live here now

2012-02-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

All three of my orchids are blooming again! I have no idea what I did right, but I'm so happy something is working in my favor. This was not ever the case in the past. Orchids and I never hit it off well. They seemed to need fussy care and I was trying to raise five kids. I for sure didn't need any plant-babies.

When we lived in Germany I brought home an orchid--against my better judgement--from the market. I didn't have much hope that it would look gorgeous for long, but felt our apartment was in great need of some cheerful flora, a.s.a.p.

My first orchid in our apt. in Germany. That flat had amazing light...

To my great surprise that tropical princess kept blooming, and blooming, and blooming--for months! I bought another and that one did just as well. Hope had sprung anew that orchids and I could live together happily.

Which brings me to my happy little lot today. I don't want to keep testing my luck and thought I better brush up on some orchid care so I can maintain this blooming business. Here's a helpful link that answers a lot of questions...

Orchid Care Tips

Do you keep orchids?

In which something went terribly wrong

2012-02-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy a good laugh, then by all means read on...

I was so excited about these slippers. I read through the pattern, and it seemed easy enough. I did the gauge, with the right hook and the right yarn--it turned out to be on the largish side. I tend to crochet more loosely so I thought I would just do a size smaller then planned. Easy fix, right? Of course...no prob.

And this, my friend, is when a dark cloud started to loom in which I was utterly oblivious to. I was in the land of All Is Well and could not be reached.

Knowing that yarn is stretchy, and that I've worn one too many pair of crocheted slippers that were too big; I set out determined that this pair would be different. That this pair would actually fit.

Nearing the end of the first stage with slipper #1, I saw trouble on the horizon. The thing was gigantic. And my feet aren't small either (size 9.5-10) As I remember, I was sitting with my good pal Emily (Who happens to have way more crochet experience then me--a fact I'll want you to recall in just a minute) and we were analyzing the humongous rectangle that I was pinching around my foot with concern.

I counted my rows and found that I had added a couple too many. Rather then rip them out Em suggested that I just finish it to the original size I would have worn, which was just a couple of rows away. That meant adding two more rows (It's time to recall that fact I mentioned above) And in my inexperience and total disregard for common sense, I went along with that.

Now, before you smack your forehead in disgust--let me just say in our defense that there was some glimmer of reason that that decision made sense.

.....(thinking)....... .......... .........

I can't remember what it was.

The first slipper was finished and not what I hoped. I felt I could live with it though, maybe with a pair of socks it would be just fine. I set out to create a second boat-sized slipper. I couldn't very well make the next one smaller--they should at least match, right?

The second slipper was way worse than the first, it ended up being so much larger! (please refer to right foot in photo above) It's Semi truck size for crying out loud.

Well, I'm going to try and work some kind of cinching magic around the heel and see if I can't make these at least functional. I mean, all that time and yarn right?

By the way, I'm wearing them right now and they do keep my feet warm. Just as long as I don't try to walk in them. That's a whole different story.

In the meantime...

2012-02-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I'm still here. I haven't found my blogging groove again, but I'm working on it. I really hope I'll be back in this space more regularly again--very soon. I miss it, miss you guys!

xo.

Diving in

2012-01-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

Hello, it's been a while. I hope you are well and happy.

I've been a little sad that I've lost my blogging enthusiam as of late. I'm afraid I'm going through that familiar thing again--where I'm wondering just what is my blogging all about anyway? (no need to comment on this, you've been very kind in the past...just sharing my thoughts :)

I am excited about a fresh, new year though. I've already made some changes (super tiny, but change nonetheless) in my daily routines and have begun the task of getting better organized. Oh how I love being organized, how has it eluded me most all of my life? Let's just skip that question for now...

In other news, I'm taking my photography more seriously then ever now. And I'm not talking about selling on Etsy or stuff like that. I have way bigger dreams and I recently plunked down a nice chunk of moola to help educate myself in that direction. For so long I've just been dipping my toes in the water, we decided it's time for me to dive in. So I did. And you know what, it wasn't that scary.

Do you have any dreams that you just need to dive into...now?

And yet another beginning

2012-01-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year friends! How is 2012 starting off for you? Even though I'm not one for resolutions, I feel very inspired. A new year is like a blank canvas, ready for a fresh creation. I'm filled with thoughts, ideas, and all sorts of goodness I would love to see happen for me and my family this year. Big things--such as all of us relocating to be closer. We all miss each other terribly, and Mark and I would love for Noah to spend the rest of his growing up years near his big brothers. And small things too--like sewing again and organizing my spice cabinet. The significant to the mundane all has a place on my mental list.

So far, my year is getting off to a fantastic start with having my two oldest sons + their wives visiting for the week. We took family photos yesterday--and boy was it a sight! Four of us all do photography and you should have seen the pile of big black Canons and tripods we were all toting around. Micah made this instagram collage and I stole it to show you guys--nothing's been downloaded off the cameras yet.

From the top clockwise: Mark and I, Perri and Micah, Seth and Vanessa, the family shot with the rest of my loves--Noah, Nathan and Hannah.

What are your hopes for the new year?

Softly

2011-12-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

It was that gorgeous, tippy balance between darkness and dusk when I got home from my walk the other day. As I walked through the door my kitty stretched, yawned, and said hello with a sleepy looking face. It was silent and peaceful as I plugged in the Christmas lights--the rest of my family not home yet. The glow was special and cozy. I've always thought twinkle lights look their very best at this time, the tippy-balance time of dusk and dark.

As I was looking at this photo the word that came to mind was softly. Softly the sun dipped beyond the horizon, softly the glow filled the room, softly the light of the stars sprinkled down on a tiny baby long ago. Because of that sweet night my life was forever changed, and countless others.

Wishing you much love and joy this season~

xo,
Toni

Oatmeal cookies: my luxe version

2011-12-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

This is a first time creation--I may tweak with it just a bit--but I'm happy enough to share it here. They were also totally gone in less then 24 hrs. so I think that means my family approved.

I have to give a shout out to Jen over at Nectar (her food blog is fabulous! go now and check it out..wait, read this first then go :) who inspired me to grind the chocolate chips in her recipe here. That my friends is one fantastically tasty piece of advice--my oatmeal cookies will never be the same.

I call this my luxe version because it's loaded with extras--and even so it has about half the fat and sugar then the usual oatmeal cookie recipe, which makes my little health conscience mind take it easy.

:Lux Oatmeal Cookies:

1 stick of butter

2 rounded teaspoons of organic coconut oil

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter + coconut oil together in saucepan. Let cool slightly. Cream sugars with eggs and vanilla then slowly add melted butter/coconut oil while whisking until all is combined.

Mix:

2 1/2 c. whole oats

1 c. unbleached flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

Add this to the butter/sugar mixture, stir until combined.

Fold in:

1 c. ground semi sweet chocolate chips

(I pulsed mine in the blender until they were the texture I wanted)

1/2 c. un-sweetened grated coconut

1/2 c. dried cranberries

2/3 c. chopped, toasted pecans

Scoop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet lined with baking parchment.

Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 min., depending on your oven. I think these are best when the bottoms are lightly browned and the centers have just lost that gooey look.

Intimate and candid art

2011-12-07T09:47:00.001-08:00

When I'm doing a photo shoot, these candid and intimate captures make my heart sing. They are the ones I often love best in my own collection of family photos--and the ones I wish I had more of when my children were small. It's so satisfying to capture these moments for others, and that's a very happy thing indeed.

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I'll be sharing my recipe for lux oatmeal cookies, and peppermint hot cocoa soon. What does lux have to do with oatmeal cookies, you ask? Well, I'll tell ya in just a bit.

Fashion shoot with Tim + my sidekick

2011-12-04T19:50:00.001-08:00

Tim is a good family friend. You will often find him at our house hanging out with Nate and Hannah, playing Nerf wars with Noah and stuff like that. He's part of the fam. I also like his look and fashion sense and thought it would be fun to do a photo shoot with him. After we both got over feeling awkward and a little lost--the photos started to take shape just as I had envisioned: authentic, simple, and very cool.

And then there's my sidekick with his own fashion sense...

After I had been shooting for about 10 min. or so, I looked up to see my little man observing from an oak branch. The whole moment just cracked me up because here I was doing a fashion shoot per say, and Noah's mismatched socks, one leg cuffed-hole in the knee pants and his favorite pair of running shoes was a hilarious but adorable contrast to me. I quickly snapped a picture then and there--with the focus right where I wanted it.

New Paris Photo Collection

2011-12-03T12:11:00.001-08:00

I have been working on my photography website whenever I can gather a few spare moments. I'm excited to have an online portfolio again--but these things can't be rushed, as much as my little heart would hope! So much work goes into curating a portfolio--decisions, decisions, decisions! Head-spinning stuff for sure.

Anyway, as I'm filtering through my plethora of images, I was inspired to put together this collection from Paris for my shop: three 5x7, black and white prints for 32.00 That's four dollars less then if you purchased them individually. Add to that my 30% off coupon code and well, what a flippin' good deal.

This set of course can be ordered in larger sizes and I'm always happy to fill a custom request.

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All of my family is out of town this weekend! It's just me and Noah keeping each other company, so I'm off to treat him to a peppermint hot cocoa and a card game together at the coffee shop now. Wishing you sweet little moments this weekend.

xo,

I would give you flowers but...

2011-12-01T10:56:00.001-08:00

...they haven't figured out how to squeeze a bouquet through the cyber waves yet. But giving you a 30% discount on any purchase from my shop is super easy to do! Just use the code December30 when you check out.

Just a little--but very sincere--thank you to all who visit me here--new readers and my old faithfuls alike. I appreciate each and everyone of you very much!

Happy December 1st!

Thankful

2011-11-28T22:13:00.001-08:00

Hannah and Noah with Ruby and Ginger, my good friend's little girls on Thanksgiving day.

The perfect timing for this post would have been last week. But time got away from me, as it often does. Family arrived early for the holiday, I've been working doing portraits (thankful for that) and in between the busyness of it all one needs time to themselves. I took a long walk early on Thanksgiving morning by myself and it was just what I needed. Time alone is so re-charging for me. How about you?

My list of thankfulness is huge, as is most people's. Here are just a few that have been on my mind recently:

For a home that feels safe and peaceful.

My kids that are happy and confident.

A husband that supports all my dreams.

Quiet, slow mornings.

The tiny birds that fill my yard.

A soft, warm bed.

I hope that your Thanksgiving was a happy one! Now it's time to gear up for Christmas--oh boy ;)

Delicate Webs & Tiny Surprises

2011-11-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

I love spider webs, they are so fascinating to me. Intricate and delicate, they are diligent works of art by their owners. I know spiders and their webs are less then lovely for many--but for me, when I come across a web like this one during a forest walk in Oregon; I must stop and pay my respects.

Here are a couple more pretty images of webs I found browsing on Etsy: here and here.

Speaking of forests, we took many walks in them during our summer stay in Bavaria. I'm excited to share that a handful of my photos from those walks will be featured in issue 6 of the lovely zine, Spoonful-A Happiness Companion. The release date is not out yet, but Thea and her helpers are working feverishly to make it available in time for Christmas. My contribution are photos I've not shared publicly yet. So there you go--a tiny element of surprise!

I keep envisioning this web photo hanging on my wall--within a grouping of other nature images. What do you think? Would you hang a web photo in your house?

Holiday Inspiration

2011-11-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

Image via Creature Comforts

Ez has produced another labor of love with her second volume of Gifted. It's gorgeously filled with gift ideas of all types--over 125 of them are under $30.00! Flip through to the back where you'll find a generous amount of free, downloadable gift tags that are super, super cute. I've already spotted a few items that I'm definitely taking note of for the people on my Christmas list. Grab a cup of tea (or hot cocoa :) and have a look here.

Hearty and Comforting Beef Stew

2011-11-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

I don't make this often, but when I do we are all so happy about it--especially the males in the family. I'm not a huge beef eater, and since I do the shopping my family has had to kind of be like that too. And to be fair, I need to say that it was against their will most days. They've had to get their 'beef fix' on street. In fact, when ever any meat would come into the house they all hoped that I would be serving it in nice big slabs on each plate. But I always had plans to chop it up and put in soup, pasta, etc... so it would go farther. I can still hear the despair in their voices when I had to break the news to them...yet again.

Anyway, this stew is bound to please even the most hardcore beef eater among you. I don't have measurements for you because often that is how I cook. But this is easy, and there is lots of room for adjustments.

Hearty and Comforting Beef Stew

*lean pieces of stew beef

*sliced carrots

*chopped potatoes

*sliced mushrooms

*chopped fresh, garlic

*a generous handful of fresh, chopped parsley

*water or broth

*flour

*oil

*seasonings: salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf.

1.Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a skillet on med. high, then add the lightly floured pieces of stew beef a few at a time to brown on both sides, seasoning with salt and pepper. (you can fill a ziplock partially with flour and shake meat inside, or toss it in batches in a large mixing bowl) You don't want to crowd the meat--then it ends up steaming instead of browning nicely. Continue this in small batches, adding browned meat to a large stock pot as you go along.

2. Fill stock pot with water or broth, just enough to cover meat about a 1/2 inch or so. Bring meat to a boil and then lower to a nice simmer. Add bay leaf, herbs and chopped garlic (I add salt and pepper at the end of the cooking time) I also like to add a little hot water to the skillet I browned the meat in to loosen any brown bits and add all that to the pot as well. There is a lot of flavor left over in that skillet!

3. While meat is simmering chop potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Add to simmering meat. You want to cook this until the meat is very soft and pulls easily with just a fork.

4. When stew is done, adjust any seasonings, add salt and pepper to taste. I love parsley, so I always add a generous handful to the pot at this time--and garnish with a little more too!

That's it. Simple and so satisfying. Often my soups and stews are not always the same, it depends on what I have on hand. So many options to be had, but I think this is a nice basic plan.

Enjoy your weekend! Hope it's a cozy one :)

Apple Picking

2011-11-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year. Apple picking and apple baking of all kinds. Tomorrow I will try my hand at apple butter. I haven't canned in years, but the idea of a few jars of apple butter in our pantry sounds so cozy. Totally takes me back to my childhood when I would slather mounds of it onto my toast.

Easy DIY fall/winter planter

2011-11-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

I was determined to spruce up our small front patio, especially since it was becoming a catchall for Nathan's surf gear and other odds and ends. It's the first thing people see when they walk up to our door and it was looking pretty t-a-c-k-y.

Among the general arranging and clean up I made two fall planters. They were so fast and easy! I already had the pots---they were filled with dead plants : /

I bought a six pack of Kale and Dusty Miller, the succulents came from my front yard.

Succulents are such rock stars. All you do is snap them off with a couple of inches of stem and stick them in the soil. Wa-la. They will root and thrive in no time.

I added a couple of stones and some seashells for decoration that I had laying around. If you live in a mild Mediterranean climate this should work well through the winter. So here's the sum up:

Kale--edible or ornamental

Dusty Miller

Rosette shaped succulents (or some other trailing or compact shaped one)

stones or shells (totally optional!)

What kind of gardening spruce-up do you do for the fall and winter?

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Welcome to my new corner!

2011-11-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

Hello! Welcome to my new diggs! Why am I moving? Well, several reasons. All not so interesting for you so I won't blather on--but I have been thinking about the move for quite some time. Typepad has been giving me headaches. So anyway, it's a little sparse here at the moment, but as I get time my new corner will take shape and become a little more interesting to look at! Please bookmark my new address!!

peanut butter hot cocoa

2011-10-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

i love hot cocoa and i drink it year round. i'm not a coffee person (although i've tried to be at times as i explained here.) hot cocoa especially shines during the fall and winter and i got inspired to try my version with peanut butter after i pinned a recipe for it on pinterest. but instead of trying that recipe--i just dove head first into creating my own. mainly, because i wanted a version that was not so decadent--something i could have a couple or three times a week if i wanted.

here's my simple concoction:

~peanut butter hot cocoa~

2 c. milk (i use 1%)

3 tbls. cocoa powder

1 tbls. natural peanut butter

1 rounded tsp. vanilla sugar*

3 tsp. fine, raw sugar

*i brought back vanilla sugar from germany--if you don't have any add a few drops of vanilla extract and one extra rounded tsp. of raw sugar.

place all ingredients into blender and mix until peanut butter is incorporated well. use a rubber spatula to scrape down any cocoa powder that stuck to edges, pulse a couple more times. pour mixture into saucepan and heat until hot, stirring frequently.

this makes enough to almost fill three, 8oz cups.

the honest truth: this is not a knock-your-socks-off-i'm-in-heaven recipe. in fact, when noah drank his first cup his response was, "this is wierd". but he drank the whole cup. it's not real sweet and because i used 1% milk it's not very rich. but this was my plan from the start--something a little on the healthier side. i find it quite comforting in it's own lack-luster way. you can of course up the ante by using a higher fat milk and adding more sugar. there is tons of flexability here to suit your taste. what we often do is add a splash of half and half to each cup before serving if we want that lovely 'cream' taste.

one bonus of whipping it all up in the blender first is that you get a luscious foam going, and this is especially desirable for my hot cocoa tastebuds.

the two c's

2011-10-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

the first c, is that i've started a crochet project. it's been aeons since i picked up my hook and it feels good. my friend crocheted me a beautiful scarf for my birthday and i was instantly inspired. she used the pattern above from the book, crochet inspiration by sasha kagan. she calls this a 'peacock' stitch--which i think is so appropiate (and pretty) because to make those giant scallops there are 13 triple crochets in one single! i'm using an all cotton yarn from my stash in a color that matches my livingroom because, in the end i hope this will be a lovely pillow for my chair.

the second c, is that noah has a terrible cough which leaves him wheezing which then means he needs to spend some time on the atomizer. it's been 6 nights of interupted sleep for all of us, which explains why my crochet project is somewhat wonky. but this to shall pass. i'm thankful that in between coughing he is doing just fine.

hopefully, i'll be back soon! i have a whole list of ideas to post about and that i'm anxious to chip away at.

honey oatmeal bread

2011-10-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

i made some really delicious bread this past week. two loaves totally devoured by the end of the day. my family gets a little crazy when fresh bread is around.

the recipe was in a pile with others that hannah and me brought home from a recipe exchange we did with some family a while back. there's no note as to it's origins so i'm unable to give credit to anyone! i can't even remember which family member it came from.

well, i couldn't find my loaf pans (???) so i sent noah to our neighbor to borrow a couple. he came home with one (?) instead of two, so i improvised with a pie pan for the second loaf. it worked out just fine!

this bread is a little on the sweet side, light and moist without being gummy--you know what i mean? i really, really, liked it and will make it again. and again. it's wonderful with some sliced fruit and a cup of tea!

here is the recipe as written with my modifications in { }.

~honey oatmeal bread~

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup honey

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. salt {i forgot the salt! still pretty tasty!}

1 cup rolled oats, quick or regular {i used regular}

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

5 cups all purpose flour {i used 3 c. unbleached, 2 c. whole white wheat}

in a large mixing bowl stir together boiling water, honey, butter, salt and oats. let stand for 1 hour. in a small bowl dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. add to oatmeal mixture. stir in 5 cups of flour, beat well. cover and let rise until doubled in size--about 1 1/4 hrs.

turn dough out onto a floured surface and kneed until elastic and stops sticking to hands and surface. shape into loaves. put into 2 greased 5x9x3 inch pans. let rise until doubled in size. heat oven to 350 and bake 30 minutes. tops should be well browned. remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.

the recipe said you could glaze the loaves afterwards with honey and sprinkel with oats, which i did--but won't do next time. the honey didn't soak in like i thought and just got sticky when they were put in palstic bags. i think i'll try an egg or milk wash next time and sprinkle the oats on before baking.

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a little sidnote on the styling of this photo: i didn't add the crumbs on the cutting board. these were there already from a day of cutting bread. sometimes real life provides the details all on its own ;)

bird inspiration

2011-10-20T02:51:00.000-07:00

most everyone enjoys birds in decor and design. i would venture to say (without doing any research) that they are the most used animal when it comes to these kind of things. (nothing against mountain goats for example, but they just don't seem to have the flexible appeal of birds)

here is a little bird inspiration from my pin boards on pinterest:

1. i love the wooden circles hosting a bird in the center. via the inspirerdroom.net

2. gorgeous art by hadley hutton.

3. amazing embroidery via theberry.com

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i just commissioned my mom to paint a little bird for me from a photograph someone sent me in the mail. i can't wait to get it! then i'll show you too.

hey, have a great thursday!

xo.

home

2011-10-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

so good to be home. traveling and experiencing new things is awesome, and the times we've spent in germany have been true gifts. but i'm always happy to come home. we are unpacked and settled in nicely--the routine of life has started again, quite happily.

here are some photos from an eveing walk we took on the beach the other night. fall sunsets are amazing here this time of year. breathtaking really. and when the horses are out--well, it's a little bit magical.

{hannah running}

{this horse was running so fast, splashing through the water. it left mark and i in awe}

all of these photos were taken within the same hour. the range of light and color was so fascinating!

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more soon,

xo.

toni

the last of summer days

2011-10-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

it's midnight my time which means we have exactly two more days before we wake up bright and early to start our trek home. we have been totally blessed with fantastic weather during our entire stay! on thursday hannah and i took one last bikeride before dinner--zooming through the countryside and down dirt roads--knowing that friday fall was going to officially arrive. and it did--rain, wind and temps. in the 40's. the timing of the weather change feels poetic to me--seasons are such good analogies of life. it also feels dang practical because we didn't bring any coats!

we have had such a wonderful time--we feel so blessed, and so rich! rich in friendship, rich in experience, rich in memories. here is likely one last peek into our summer days here--at least to this extent--27 photos ahead!

just a few from hundreds...

2011-10-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

i've taken hundreds of photos. i bet by the time i get home it will be at least a couple thousand. not uncommon for a photographer--but there is this little big part of me that gets so overwhelmed with them all! anyway, here is another small handful to share with you. we have just five short days left and then we will be winging our way back home. it's time, i'm ready to be back in my own little nest.

hannah told me to climb into the corn--so i did :)

super cute earring giveaway!

2011-09-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

my lovely and creative daughter-in-law makes these super cute earrings out of recycled starbuck's gift cards! pretty genious idea, and they are so fun and unique. i love my pair. she has actually been making these for some time, but the project got put on hold when we all moved to germany. it's time to help spread the word for her! early christmas shopping anyone?

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getting back to the goodness of this post: she would love to give away a pair to one lucky reader here--and you can choose the pair of your choice from her shop. leave a comment here on this post and i'll pick a name at random on the evening of the 30th.

the fine print: please check back with this post to see if you've won. i've always contacted the winner myself but that gets a little time comsuming because it usually takes 2-3 emails before i hear back. if you're the happy owner of a new pair of earrings--please contact vanessa directly! her links are below. thank you!

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but wait! there's more! vanessa is also offering porridge readers a 50 percent discount on any purchase from her shop for the whole month of october!! wow!! some of you know that she is a wonderful photographer as well, so you can snatch up some beautiful prints at a great savings. she also offers postcards and a few paper goods. use the code 'porridge' at checkout and you'll be set.

vanessa's blog: le happy (take pictures, be happy)

etsy shop: le happy

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the winner is nicole! yay!

nicole, please contact vanessa via her links above. thank you everyone! don't forget about vanessa's awesome 50 percent discount to porridge readers during all of october.

short on words, tall on photos

2011-09-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

we left baden württemberg on wed. and now we are back in bavaria--our german home so to speak. so many photos of that time and not enough mental energy to share it all in words here. i hope you enjoy some of the photos i picked out to share with you--a peek into our first three weeks in germany.

p.s. thank you so much for your input on my last post. as of this moment i've replied to each one of you in the comments.

xo,

toni.

time: you can't go back

2011-09-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

******

i'm diverting from sharing my travel stories as planned to share something instead that's been on my heart and mind. it's about making mistakes, and the regret that follows. it's also about swallowing your pride, making sincere apologies and then allowing yourself to move on.

a few days ago we were spending a lovely day traveling to the rhine river, crossing into france for a cup of coffee and then back to hang out in beautiful baden baden. i don't want to go into details--but only to say that something personal began to irritate me and i couldn't shake it. my irratation started to grow and soon everyone around me could see somthing wasn't right. before i knew it i had a majorly bad attitude. i was trying hard to hide it, and fake smiles. but i'm a lousey actor. i was being self centered and cold to my family and friends--innocent bystanders that i care about had to suffer--it really was so stupid and i was so mad at myself that after all these years i could still fall prey to something like this.

while we were walking around window shopping, noah found one of those springy riding toys that you often see here on the walking streets. he jumped on excitedly and said, "take my picture mom!" as he sprung back and forth with a wide grin. when i didn't really respond he asked again, then mark stepped in with his iphone and took a picture. i was too busy having a pity party to think about anyone else.

later that night after we were in bed, i layed there watching noah fall asleep on his mat that is next to our bed here. his face still looks so young to me, so little boy when he's sleeping. but i'm wise enough to know now after having four kids before him that the tender age of 10 is only slightly behind 15, and then 20 is here before you know it.

at that moment, i could hear him asking me to take his picture earlier that day. his excited, happy voice (oblivious it seemed to my flaws at the moment, or was it just the beauty of a child to overlook and love anyway?) kept repeteing itself over and over in my mind. my eyes got teary and before he fell asleep i told him i was sorry for not taking his photo when he asked. he said, "that's ok. it's just that we'll never be in that place again." and then i felt a little stab in my heart. for me, it wasn't just that i didn't take his photo. i take pictures of him all.the.time. it went so much deeper then that. i suddenly felt very aware of how easy it is to let bad attitudes, selfpity and the like rob you of the important things in life. for me, it meant a wasted afternoon that could have been spent laughing and talking with my family and friends, enjoying a city that i will never be in again, and of taking photos that now i can't replace.

life is way too short. each day matters, a lot. we are not guaranteed a tomorrow. i certainly don't want to waste days--even hours--with attitudes that are so counter productive. after a very thorough apology to mark (who seemed to get the brunt of my bad day, why is that?) i felt so much better, and able to move on. there is such freedom in swallowing your pride and admitting your wrongs. it doesn't give you back the time you missed, but it is definitely a key in shaping a happy future.

some thoughts on being back

2011-09-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

there is so much to take in when you visit a foreign country. your senses are on high alert constantly, not wanting to miss anything--being aware of almost everything. i've been reaquainted with the same love-hate struggle i had when we lived here, and that is my desire to relax and just 'be' without my camera vs. 'seeing' photographs everywhere i look that i 'must' take.

one thing has changed for me since being back, and that is i'm not self conscience anymore about being a tourist. the fact is that i am one and i've accepted it (ha!) and quite honestly i know the germans can tell i'm no local quite easily no matter how low key i try to be. i don't want to hide who i am, i just don't want to stand out so much. that's just part of my personality--even at home. it's humbling not being able to speak the language, getting lost sometimes, and making simple mistakes that wouldn't happen in a million years back home (like the time i thought i was buying toothpaste only to find out later--after using it--that it was something most definitely not made for your mouth!) i've learned a lot being a foreigner and i'm much, much more sympathetic with them when they come to my home town now! sometimes we need to walk in someone elses shoes for a while to gain some understanding and sympathy.

back in beautiful germany again

2011-08-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

getting here was one long trek, but that is behind us now (can you say amen?) and jet lag is getting better with each passing hour. although i don't expect to feel totally normal again until day five or so. we are staying our first 3 weeks in the sate of baden württemberg, in the small town of haiterbach. our friends, who are hosting us, are so good to us! so kind and hospitable. they definitely have a standard that i can only hope to immulate in my own home!

today hannah, myself and heidi went for a nice long walk and i was so happy to be surrounded by the beauty of germany again. the sky, the clouds, the light--it's different here. it's gorgeous. and everything is so green and apples fill the trees, and wild plums too--i ate three right on the spot. hannah picked a wild bouquet, heidi and i talked and helped each other--me with german, and her with english. it was absolutely a delightful day.

apples everywhere, but not quite ready for eating yet.

i can't remember the name of these, but they make tea and marmelade from them.

hannah and heidi.

baleu hears a mouse.

a bouquet from the earth.

me and hiedi way up ahead. so this means hannah had the camera ;)

my current crush--these tasty little plums.

soon, blogging from germany again!

2011-08-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

{taking my morning tea--by myself, by the bay}

******

the pinnacle of our summer is about to happen in only ten more days--we fly out to germany where we will be until oct. 11th, part work for my husband and part fun for all of us. for a week or so in between we have plans to be in london. i can't wait for mark and noah to share in the excitement that hannah and i had when we were there together last year.

i think it will be a different experience going back for the second time to bavaria--we are a little bit seasoned and have a level of comfort and familiarity that will feel nice. (for anyone new to my blog we lived in germany for almost a year during 2009/2010) so these days my life is filled with lists--making them and checking them off. and i haven't had time to mention it, but right now one of our good friends from bavaria is staying with us and tomorrow two more arrive! they are stopping in on their way to seattle for a few days. so, i don't need to tell you that i'm pretty much stuffed to the gills with things to do right now! mornings like the one above are quite cherished now especially.

good news is that i will be blogging from germany once again! i'm really looking forward to that. if you do instagram, follow me there too because i plan on taking full advatage of that little app during our travels.

ok my lovely friends, hoping to check in again at least once more before we leave. maybe even twice if i'm super lucky. xo.

instagram-ing

2011-08-06T04:36:00.002-07:00

{the vine in our back yard}

do you instagram? many do these days and i'm a little late to the party. mostly because i didn't think the app would work on my model t ford of an iphone. i decided to give it a try recently, even with mark telling me in the background, 'don't do it, don't do it' ; as if there was some risk that my iphone might mushroom into a cloud of cyber smoke before our eyes. lo and behold the old grey mare still has some kick--and the proof is up there ^. now i can document my life on the go. i feel so liberated.

on twitter yesterday ez shared a link to blurb, who now offers a format for making instagram books. ( twitter has little gems of info. flying about all the time--love it!) these books are just the cutest things ever. of course i want to make one! at the moment though i have only three insta photos--3 photos would be a very sorry example of a book.

if you'd like to peek in on me on instagram, you can find me at: toniweber

summer shop sale and it's a good one folks

2011-08-03T08:41:00.002-07:00

ok, so sorry i didn't get back here yesterday like i said i would. i know that no one was biting their nails waiting, but i like to be a woman of my word. btw, i could use some serious help with time management. share your tips if you care to....

******

well then, lets move on to my summer shop sale! until august 10th at 6pm you can get 20% off all prints--any size, and all mounted photos will get free shipping in the U.S., that's a $9.50 savings! this applies to all custom orders too! remember, you can request different sizes and any photo can be mounted.

have you seen a photo on my blog or flickr account that you like but is not in my shop? no prob, request a custom order!

use the code 'happysummer' for your print discount. mounted photos already have free shipping in place. **please do not use the print code on mounted photos.

you can see from my little collage up there that i've added a few new prints--and there's more on the way. i'm always so behind. seriously. i feel optimistic though that that will change one day.

soon.

please.

amen.

my photos in print--woo hoo!

2011-08-01T01:58:00.002-07:00

happy august 1st!

just a quick pop-in to mention this gorgeous new book that's now available:

still...the art of living.

i'm totally honored to have my work featured along with so many other very talented photographers. the book is self published by fpoe (female photographers of etsy) hats off to the girls that worked hard to bring this together! my copy is on the way, so i have yet to look through the whole book (or see my own photos in print!) but judging by the preview--this collection is nothing short of amazing.

******

check back tomorrow for the start of my summer print sale and a look at some brand new prints!

photos. and lots of them.

2011-07-28T11:44:00.002-07:00

we loved washington dc! not the heat or the humidity mind you--we come from a climate that has an average temp. of about 65 degrees so we wilt like lettuce quite easily, it's part of our charm. but everything else was wonderful! yes indeed. it was our first trip to the east coast and quite exciting for us to travel all the way to the other side of our huge country. we weren't there long enough to really get a feel for the differences, but we see more visits in our future for sure. the nature of my husbands work makes it possible for me to go with him at times, and hopefully, next time a couple of our kids can join us too! you can see a lot more photos from this trip here.

i was in the bay area a couple of weeks ago for a photo shoot i did for a floral designer. she wrote a lovely post on their blog about the shoot here, and you can see more photos! flowers are such wonderful subjects, i will never tire of photographing them! never ever.

******

i hope you are having a happy week so far, tomorrow is friday! love fridays. noah will be taking part in our local library's kid's craft faire on saturday--always a good time. i love seeing what all the youngsters come up with. they are so creative!

more soon.

xo,

toni.

a little cookbook love

2011-07-20T15:21:00.002-07:00

i've been wanting to share about these cookbooks for a while now. they would be worthy considerations for your collection, in my humble opinion. i own baked explorations, the others all came from the library. love, love, love the library.clockwise from the top:

1. gather: memorable menues for entertaining throughout the seasons

she divides up her menus according to seasons and common holidays, but also includes some fun ideas too; such as 'a house warming', 'movie night', and 'a book club buffet'. nice photos throughout and two recipes that immediately caught my eye: popovers with orange-scented cream cheese and mexican chocolate sorbet with toasted almonds. you can bet your bottom dollar i'm putting that concoction in my little maker very soon.

2. all in one--fabulously simple and convenient one-pot recipes

several simple and yummy sounding meals in this. all recipes have a photo, which is a bonus. so much more inspiring when trying something new. i'm actually making a dish from this book tomorrow: florida chicken, it's full of tasty things like: fresh corn, orange peppers, orange segments, soy sauce, fresh parsley, etc. one pot meals is the way the cook in my house rolls most nights.

3. baked explorations--classic american desserts reinvented

i came across this book sometime ago while clicking around on the web. i was so smitten with it i went straight to amazon and bought it. the two men who wrote it have a popular bakery in brooklyn called, 'baked'. i haven't actually made anything from it yet, but oh. i will. so far i've just really enjoyed reading the history and anecdotes they share before each recipe. so interesting, and funny too.

4. organic and chic--cakes, cookies, and other sweets that taste as good as they look

ok. this book. i loved it. the cakes are so unique and really gorgeous. and the thing i loved was that many of them did not seem undoable unless you owned an arsenal of baking and decorating tools and fancy whatnots. i actually believed i could make one. me, with just my regular ol' cake pans and my sad collection of 3 different sprinkles. well, ok. so i might buy some fancy metallic dusting powder one day but that's not a culinary mountain to climb. she uses that quite a bit and while at first, i wasn't sure it was my style--it totally grew on me. she also included a nice assortment of some other baked goods, so it's not just cakes. lastly, gorgeous photos. the end.

my mini reviews don't cover all the bases, but what i wanted was simply to give a shout out and say these books are worth a look.

******

ack. so much going on here in my world right now. life is piling up with friends from germany coming, seth and vanessa coming, photo shoots, wisdom teeth coming out (hannah), a craft fair for noah, and all the little stuff that has to be done in between. and the cherry that's on top of this mountain-cake of activity is that we will be going back to bavaria for six weeks at the end of august.

{{{ phumph }}}

that was me falling face first into my bed.

seriously though, i've got to suck it up and stop being so overwhelmed. a good attitude works miracles, i'm a firm believer in that. a good attitude and a couple bottles of wine.

just kidding! i don't even drink wine, it makes me sick.

ok, this post is becoming an epic novel.

bye for now.

xo.

sunday morning

2011-07-17T04:07:00.002-07:00

noah turns 10

2011-07-13T05:12:00.002-07:00

hi there! i've much to share, but at the moment finding the time is the needle in the haystack. mark and i just returned from a five day trip to washington DC. it was work related for him, but this time i got to tag along--definitely more on that later.

******

today is noah's 10th birthday. there are festivities planned for the evening, much running around by me to get ready, and hopefully a moment to reflect on this young life that has been with us now for a whole decade. our surprise baby, the one that came after we decided our baby days were over. the one who, when he made his presence known--rocked our world with bewilderment. for me, that passed quickly. i was soon very attached and in love with the little life inside. as for our kids, some had questions how a new baby would change our family--how there would now be one more person who would need their parent's attention and time. it wasn't really the 'happy news' that most families experience.

but that changed. nine months helped our family adjust and prepare. isn't it great that babies don't just show up the next day? good grief, that would be a shock to the system! the moment he was born he was showered with love and protection by his siblings. he became the hilarious new addition that made us laugh and love like only a baby can. as he grew i treasured seeing the world again through a little person's eyes, and i'm positive his brothers and sister would agree.

so, happy birthday dear noah!

we are all so glad you came along.

xox.

strawberry milk? yes please.

2011-07-03T08:06:00.002-07:00

this is our new love around here. strawberry milk--super simple and super good.

i took inspiration from have cake will travel , the wonderful new-to-me food blog i found via hannah. she whips up a heavenly sounding version with almond milk and rose water, but since i had neither in the house this is my version:

{simple strawberry milk}

1 cup milk

3 large, fresh strawberries

1 tbls. of agave nectar (or your choice of sweetner)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

about 4 ice cubes

blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. the end.

this fills one 16 oz. glass, or there about.

****

hey, happy fourth of july tomorrow!

sometimes being loved is annoying

2011-06-30T10:58:00.002-07:00

this is our cat otter. we love him so much. he puts up with photo shoots pretty well. see, the look on his face is pleasant.

he's just a big ball of fluffy cuteness with size 11 feet. mens.

but now he's starting to feel disgusted with the whole thing. *note the expression on his face: not pleasant.

but do we stop? naw, we're having too much fun. otter breaks his silence and starts to verbalize his desire for this whole silly thing to end. please.

it now takes some effort to keep otter on noah's lap. otter is temporarily distracted with the neighbor's barking dog. this works in our favor. *note expression on face: curiously distracted.

otter's distraction is short lived and he is thoroughly disgusted at this point. in fact he's yelling now, and skipped saying please altogether. noah prepares for a potential swat.

otter demands a conference. right now. noah puts forth a valiant effort to keep a straight face.

a treaty has been reached and all is well. hugs all around. well, hugs from noah. otter might still be slightly miffed.

**********

{no animals or humans were harmed in this photo shoot. maybe slightly agitated, but not harmed}

toasted coconut frozen yogurt

2011-06-24T05:08:00.002-07:00

do i love to create with food? yes.

do i enjoy presenting beautiful food to family and friends? yes.

do i enjoy photographing food? definitely yes.

have i always felt this way? yes.

why haven't i blogged about it more then? don't know.

****

now that i've had that conversation with myself and let you in on it too, i can move on.

toasted coconut frozen yogurt.

delish.

if i do say so myself.

i recently acquired a nifty little cuisinart ice cream-frozen yogurt-sorbet maker. in fact, i got the very last one on the shelf (what a moment of triumphant that was) i had a coupon, which made it a deal i couldn't pass up. my vision was to be able to make frozen desserts that were healthy--ones we could eat a few times a week without consuming tons of fat, sugar, and calories.

the recipe book it came with is filled with the super yum stuff--heavy cream, and all that. that's wonderful for a once in while treat. but there was nothing in the book that fit my vision for everyday eating. no worries, i knew that would probably be the case and i love to experiment anyway. love it. here's my recipe:

******

{toasted coconut frozen yogurt}

2- 6 oz. containers of Greek, nonfat, plain yogurt

1- 14 oz. can of light coconut milk*

1/2 c. xylitol, or sugar if you prefer

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. shredded toasted coconut

toast coconut until nicely browned on baking sheet in oven at 350 degrees. set aside to cool completely. i usually transfer it to a plate which speeds the cooling. add remaining ingredients to blender and mix until creamy-smooth. add coconut, minus a tablespoon or two for garnish, to blender and pulse just a couple of times--only enough to chop the coconut up a bit, not puree it.

at this point, if you have an ice cream maker, add the mixture according to your machines instructions. if you don't have a maker, i'm thinking you could transfer this to a bowl in the freezer and stir every 30 min. or so until it's the consistency you want.

******

this was SO good. i loved it, and so did my family. although one person (same guy who thought the limeade was too tart) is not a fan of greek yogurt--he says, can you guess? it's too tart. next time around i made it with european style plain yogurt and he liked it better. but the greek yogurt is so high in protein, and the texture is really thick and creamy. i think it makes a better soft serve frozen dessert. you could substitute your favorite vanilla yogurt too, but then i would cut out the xylitol or sugar.

i actually heard this same son talking on the phone with his older brother--telling him that mom just got this ice cream maker but she's not making ice cream--only healthy frozen yogurt. he went on to say that he would like to get a hold of that machine and put some real cream in it. ha! made me laugh.

one day soon, nathan, i will put some real cream in it. just for you.

******

*light coconut milk is the second pressing of the meat. it has 65 percent less fat and calories then regular milk, but is still full of wonderful coconut flavor. (although coconut fat, the oil, is very good for you--i think the reduction in calories is worth it for everyday eating)

finally, a shop update!

2011-06-20T05:29:00.002-07:00

there's a bunch of new stuff in my shop! prints, postcards, bookmarks, and a few mounted images that are ready to hang. these are fantastic. they can go right from the box and onto your wall. instant decor gratification. if you have a moment, take a peek!

*****

tomorrow is the first day of summer! what bliss. best time of the year in my book. why not celebrate with a batch of raspberry limeade for two? actually, double or triple the recipe and celebrate with the whole fam!

raspberry limeade for two

2011-06-18T15:57:00.002-07:00

i bought a bag of pretty limes the other day, they won me over with their summery good looks. i put them in my cart and decided to think about what to do with them later. after a few days the thought came to me: raspberry limeade for two. i like the thought of two straws and one large mason jar. here's my own recipe:

{raspberry limeade for two}

20 ounces of water

juice of 7 small limes

1/2 c. fresh raspberries

1/2 c. xylitol** or sugar

puree raspberries with water, juice and xylitol in blender. pour into a 20 ounce mason jar. add ice and don't forget two straws!

----------------

nathan thought this was a tad on the tart side. i don't favor a syrupy-sweet lemon or limeade, which many of them are, so i went sparingly with the sweetener. honestly though, this really is plenty sweet! you can of course vary this to your own taste by adding more sugar or using less lime juice.

**xylitol is a totally natural sweetener that i use in place of sugar often. you can substitute it 1:1 in any recipe. here's a link to learn more about the health benefits of xylitol if you're interested.

i hope you enjoy this!

******

p.s. i've been getting my foodie thing on and have a few more recipes/ideas to share soon...

where the greatest influence lies

2011-06-15T10:14:00.002-07:00

i picked up my blog book the other day, the one i had made of simple sparrow. i hadn't thumbed through in quite some time. it's fun to look back and remember, and i was feeling just so happy that i took the time to turn it all into a book. so many happy times and memories of our family that i posted about, some a little emotional too--like when my eldest son got married, and then when the Kim family got lost in the snow for a week and her husband didn't make it. some posts i feel embarrassed about now, and some i feel pretty proud of. overall, it's a reflection of how i've grown--as a mother, a crafter, a photographer, a writer, a blogger, a person, and i'm so glad i have it.

one post i enjoyed re-reading featured this quote on parenthood that i wanted to share again with you all here. the words are precious, and the wisdom and truth that they hold--priceless. it's so good for me to contemplate this quote again and again. there is so much i want to accomplish with my creative life, but i still have a young one to focus on, and he will not become second.

"of all the work we do, nothing will have a greater impact on lives, including our own, then the work performed with the little ones who encircle our knees and call us father and mother. how comforting it is then, with all the changes taking place in the world around us, to know that there is a place, with tangible results, to focus our interests. our homes: where our time, attention, thoughts and efforts become the building blocks for shaping both communal relationships and individual character. where our own attitudes, choices and personal deportment carry the greatest influence..."

quote taken from "seeing the everyday" magazine, volume 2

*******

to everyone who commented on my last post: thank you!! i was so impressed that you took the time to share such nice things. as of right now, i've replied back to each one of you in the comments. i made an extra effort to do that this time. after all, you were so kind to answer my question and it helped. it also confirmed how i want to see my blog, and how i want others to see it too. i feel encouraged and full of inspiration and direction. thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

hello, remember me?

2011-05-31T14:09:00.002-07:00

well, hello there. is anyone still reading? it's a bit horrifying that i've been away from my blog for so long, more then three weeks i hate to admit. i'm hoping that this sweet newborn photo will be a happy peace offering for you to lay your eyes on. i had the very fun honor of taking these photos for our friends who just welcomed their first child into the world.

******

there are reasons i could give for why i haven't posted, but i certainly don't want to bore you with them. nothing life changing, nothing particularly interesting. i can tell you though that once you let your posting slide for a time it becomes harder and harder to get back into it. i start feeling like i have nothing to say and wondering if anyone cares anyway, and, and, and....

but, the truth is i love blogging and i will keep blogging. i just need to find my way again.

so here i am, and i'm wondering if you could help me out. i would love to know, if you've been a regular reader of my blogs ( simple sparrow, waking up in bavaria and porridge) what it is that you've liked about my blog/blogs? what keeps you coming back? what would you enjoy seeing more of? is there anything you don't care for?

i've been thinking about my purpose, my focus, the direction i want to go with my blogging--but i want to hear from you too. your opinion matters to me. tell me your thoughts, and i thank you so much for them!

xo,

toni

photography guest post: tips for better composition

2011-05-04T16:50:00.002-07:00

please welcome vanessa as she shares what has helped her take better photos. this is my second guest post on photography tips with more planned! you can read the first one by my friend claudia here.

******

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen something- something that has me utterly inspired, a thing of beauty, and I no sooner try and capture it with my camera only to be sorely disappointed to find out my inspired vision looks nothing like I had imagined it would. So, my first method to get the perfect photo was to just take a lot of photos, I mean, a lot! I usually found that after three hundred or so, there might be four I would like. (Toni will agree, I’m not kidding). But, eventually this got tiresome. Looking back now, I wish I had known more about composition- I think I could have saved myself a lot of time- but I suppose that’s the learning curve. Over the past couple years of shooting hundreds of photos, I have learned a couple of tricks.

Perspective is an easy way to create an interesting photo. I often like to take a lower perspective- I think it can be more interesting than expected.

***

Balance is another great way to keep your photos interesting. Balance, in a photographic sense, has a way of making photos look harmonious. It gives each component in the photo value in respect to the other components.

***

One of my favorite aspects of composition is space, or negative space. I think the use of space can really draw attention to the subject in ones photo. It’s an easy way to make a statement.

***

Framing your photo can also help with composition. It can help draw interest as well as attention to the photo’s subject.

***

Lastly, color. Color is quick to catch the eye. It can also create a mood as well as evoke emotion.

***

In my opinion, composition is one of the greatest aspects of photography. No one is ever going to see the same view that you see from your lens. Your photo will always be different, unique, and possibly one of a kind. I think it’s important to grasp that opportunity and make that “one of a kind photo” interesting and set apart.

Thanks for having me Toni. I look forward to seeing more photography tips and tricks.

XO,

Vanessa

******

thank you, vanessa! that was a super post and i loved the images you chose. for those of you who don't know, vanessa is married to my oldest son. we have had many picture taking adventures together and i love that we share a passion for photography.

you can find vanessa's blog *here*

and her etsy shop *here*

stop by and say hello, and have a peek at her beautiful photos in her shop!

***

p.s. if you're thinking her eiffel tower photo looks awfully similar to one i have, that's because it is! we were together in paris, just the two of us. one day i'll have to tell you about the hotel receptionist stuffing us and our luggage into the very, VERY tiny elevator and shutting the door before you could say croissant. it was then and there that we had absolutely no more doubts that europeans and americans view personal space very differently.

wooden rings of hope

2011-04-24T15:37:00.002-07:00

{jonathan of chasing victory}

imagine that in one tragic instant you lose the use of your left hand. for jonathan this was a horrific reality. but he has turned the tables on tragedy and now creates exotic works of art--with only his right hand.

******

this story is about a special family that is very dear to us. lisa was a friend of ours before she met jonathan. she always had a smile on her face and we loved her sweet gentleness. one day she decided to go away to school. when she came home for a visit a few months later she brought a kind, soft spoken guy with her. jonathan. we were all amazed at how perfect they were for each other--a match that was meant to be.

"I am a deep guy who loves a lot."

when school was finished they both moved back down and jonathan spent some time living with us. what great memories we have of that! my boys welcomed him into their crazy-messy bedroom with open arms. life carried on as usual and jonathan fit right in. some time passed and jonathan and lisa tied their knot of love and commitment (i'm waxing poetic here) mark was honored to perform the ceremony and micah did the photography.

{one awesome family self portrait: lisa, jonathan and eliora}

jon and lisa settled into life, added an hilarious little dog--charlie--to their family and soon welcomed their first beautiful child, eliora. two months after eliora was born an immense tragedy happened: while at work jon nearly amputated his left hand on a table saw. this terrible, terrible accident left them devastated as you can imagine. the stress it caused is something i can't even fathom, and all this while they were just learning to be parents to a brand new baby girl.

"It's so easy to slide into the hole of depression and believe there is no way out, but there is always a way out."

{the very cute and silly charlie-dog}

two years and twelve surgeries later jon is still left with a hand that does not function. lisa went back to work to help support the family and jon stayed home to care for eliora and learn to do everything over again with only one hand. they have been getting financial compensation through insurance but that will be ending soon. we really felt for jon as the months passed and he had to figure out a whole new lifestyle for himself and ponder that question that i'm sure was constantly in the back of his mind: what do i do now to earn a living?

{jon and eliora}

"Tragedies are hard and you can take control. So many times have I slipped, fallen and beaten myself up over the situation I am in, but I know that I have to make it over difficulty or life will pass me by."

searching out possible jobs he could do only left him feeling depressed and hopeless. he and lisa love to thrift shop, so he opened an etsy store re-selling their finds--specializing in vintage cameras. while this has provided some money, i know jon would agree that it was not the final answer to earning a new living! jonathan loves to be creative and he started challenging himself to work with wood. the first photos he sent us were of wooden toys that were very promising, we were so excited for him! then all of sudden we were getting photos of these beautiful wooden rings! what? these were amazing! keep in mind he is creating these without the real use of his left hand.

{just a few of jonathan's gorgeous rings}

"I want my rings to bring inspiration and hope to others to stay strong and be reminded to push forward through hard times."

after some time of building an inventory and perfecting his craft, jon has just opened his second etsy shop: chasing victory--bands of wood and stone. i hope you will take a moment and admire this mans beautiful handiwork. what an inspiration! god has given this family beauty for ashes. and while times can still be hard for them, they have overcome so much. they have walked through fire and are coming through it all to tell a story of hope, strength and love.

{eliora. jon and lisa's bright ray of sunshine}

jon has started a blog to share his journey: chasing victory --pop on over and say hello if you have time. he would love it! if you would like to help spread the word about jon's rings and his story, then please do! just link back to this post or his blog and share his shop link. i know that jon and lisa would be so grateful.

"...keep chasing victory as i am doing, no matter the devastation."

******

photo credits: lisa stroud, ring photo: jonathan stroud

all quotations taken from jonathan's blog.

not much, but a most sincere hello

2011-04-19T15:08:00.002-07:00

i've been a very shabby blogger of late, but i'm still here. do you see that paper and pen on the left corner of my table? yeah, that's one of my to-do lists and recently they have been rather large. but i'm hoping really hard that it won't be more then a day or so before i'm back here with a proper post. in the meantime, how do you like my new chairs? i got two of them and i'm quite smitten. thank you mark!! huge, HUGE brownie points for you, xox.

lemons from a friend are sweet

2011-04-10T16:15:00.002-07:00

hello! gosh, i'm sorry i didn't pop in here on friday. we still have a winner and i still have two photos to give away! mark was my random number generator for this drawing and this is how it all came down...

me, in bed with lap top: hey, pick a number between 0 and 15.

mark, looking at me blankly--wanting to ask why but decides to just do it: 3.

me: thanks. (the clickity-click-click sounds of typing ensue...)

soooo....the winner for the double photo drawing is Sis!

send me your address sis and i'll have two sweet photos coming your way soon. many thanks to everyone who put their name in the hat!

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the photos up above are two new still lifes i'll be putting in my shop tomorrow. a friend sent mark home with a big bag of lemons from their tree. i so wish i had a lemon tree! do you have one? what's your favorite thing to do with them? i recently made lemon icing for nathan's birthday cake (my third born just turned 20!!)

spring photos give-away

2011-04-04T16:00:00.002-07:00

i have two 5x7 photos i want to pass along to you! both represent the sweet newness that comes each spring--fresh blossoms and little babies! (actually, my the little bird was found in the summer--you can read about his story here) when spring arrived in germany during our time there, hannah was in the habit of stopping to adorn her bicycle while she was out riding. oh how i loved that. and our little cedar waxwing baby was found by noah this past summer. he had a very happy ending with the audubon society. i was soooo thankful they were local and able to take care of him! the 48 hours that i had him for was almost more work then a newborn! true story.

i'll choose a name at random on thurs. evening and announce the winner on friday. i don't get very many comments so your chances are excellent! ha! go ahead, do it. the pictures are so pretty!

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i have a whole host of personal projects i'm working on--thus my absence here--some i will share with you soon. for now they are taking up all my spare moments it seems. in the meantime, i hope all of you are enjoying the first days of spring!

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oh!! i was able to donate 90.00 to shelter box for japan yesterday from the proceeds of my photo sales! woohoo! thank you again to those who helped me! xox.

now will the real you step up and shine?

2011-03-28T03:40:00.002-07:00

{ photo by katie quinn davies via what kaite ate }

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i just discovered the amazing katie quinn davies in the recent issue of martha stewart living. as quick as a wink i ran over to her blog and sat in blissful joy as i poured over her beautiful images (recipes included!) i have always loved to photograph food and it has been a frequent subject of mine from the moment i started to pursue photography seriously--but i feel a new inspiration for it right now, so i must tip my hat toward katie for stoking that flame again--thank you katie!

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inspiration is a wondrous thing and i love to feel it flowing through me! when one is inspired by another artist, the trick is to let who you are brightly-glow-through what you produce after that. how does one do that? well, i don't have all the answers but i do know i don't ever have the desire to copy someone else's work. life is too short to bother with that when you have something very unique and special that no one else can claim--you. your eyes to see things with, your mind to think with, your heart to feel with. and those are exactly the tools one must start with to create beautiful art. let the real you shine for all the world to see!

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if you would like to share your thoughts on this i would love to read them! and...if you wouldn't mind sharing any links you know of to other gorgeous food photographers i would love to see them!

a joyous monday to you all~

xo.

{just a friendly reminder, there's still time to help japan with your donation through the purchase of my art: 100% of all sales "from sparrows in flight" (2 sizes available) and 20% of all other purchases will go to shelter box at the end of this month} a huge thank you to those who have already donated--i'm so excited about that!

guest post: creating art with a point-and-shoot camera

2011-03-23T17:12:00.002-07:00

happy thursday to you! i'm so very excited to be launching a new series of guest posts on the topic of photography. my hope is that this collection of tips from other photographers as well as myself will be a helpful resource--for those with serious aspirations, to those with just a simple desire to improve, and for everyone in between! i will keep them linked in a tidy little spot on my sidebar so you can access them easily anytime your little photographer's heart desires.

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our first post is from my lovely friend claudia who makes her home in lisbon. she writes the happy blog a place for twiggs and has three online shops where she sells her very pretty photographic art here, here and here.

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Hello there Toni’s lovely friends! My name is Claudia and I am the author of {a place for twiggs} blog and when Toni asked me to write something about photography, she suggested a few topics of extreme importance to photography, however a different idea came into my mind in that instance. Why not talk about point-and-shoot cameras? Well, I am not sure if you know me, but asides from the blog, photography is my passion and I do have three online shops dedicated to photography, lomography and another one that matches photography and small written (teaser) messages. Excluding the one dedicated to lomography, I would like to focus on the other ones.

So to begin with, what camera do I own? A very simple one… a Canon Digital ISUS 80 IS. A crappy one? Maybe, but this camera has been with me for over three years and have given me several moments of pure joy. I have read many many times that what matters is the photographer’s eyes, not the camera. But of course, someone with a Canon 5d will have a lot more to give in terms of digital image than I… but in terms of meaning… of composition… of sensitiveness… will this be just like 2+2=4? Maybe not… maybe this person can afford a Canon 5d… but lacks deeply in world observation… when looking for a deep image, a beautiful detail… and this my friends only eyes and heart can look for and actually find it.

But does the camera has its flaws? Of course it does! That is my effort! If you have a point-and-shoot, my first advice goes to change it into manual. I remember when I first started to use it, I only used the automatic settings. They were great! But then again… a few months later, I started to think that they were not so great. You need to observe. You need to learn from others. Even if they have different cameras… or the most amazing camera on the market. You can still learn and adjust what you learned in your camera. Asides from technical details, there is so much where you can change to make it better. You can learn about using only natural light (usually these cameras are indeed crappy for indoors), you can learn about composition … you can learn about focus… you can learn about framing… you can learn about exposure… and please do take dozens of pictures of the same thing, challenging yourself in different framings and positions.

What then? Well, after challenging yourself you can also learn a bit about editing. If you have a point-and-shoot camera, light will be one thing that you always need to change. Because no matter how beautiful is the day… you can always make it better by adjusting light afterwards. I use Photoshop and Lightroom to edit all my photos. I try different solutions until I find the one that actually speaks to me! I am a self-taught girl in these matters, but in less than a year, I believe I have learned quite much and I really like the results.

And when it comes to printing… well, here you shall have another challenge. These point-and-shoots don’t take very large sizes… from a certain size your picture will lack of quality and I believe that you will not wish for that, right? So, you have to know your limits! Try different sizes, challenge yourself once again! Until now I can only take my point-and-shoot camera to print 12’x16’ what I think is pretty good! One thing you will also need to be alert is zooming. When you zoom and then edit, remember that this image will not have the same quality when printing a 12’x16’ when compared with a picture you took without any zoom.

So this was it about point-and-shoot cameras! They are not the best cameras around, they are perfect though to carry on an everyday basis on your bag. If you cannot afford a real professional camera, then do not think it is impossible to have excellent results, to learn more about photography or to challenge yourself. Just do it manually! There will be a moment when you wish for more than your camera can give. I believe I am on that phase now… that is why I am focusing on film cameras, because I just find them magical… but until then… challenge yourself with what you have!

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thank you claudia! an excellent post and one that i think will be very encouraging to point and shoot users. i hope all of you have enjoyed this! more tips coming soon...

a tiny something just for spring

2011-03-22T06:43:00.002-07:00

while hannah and i hung out together on her bed drinking tea and watching masterpiece theatre, these little boutonnieres came to life. we think they would be a super cute "little something" to add to your springtime wardrobe. you can find them in our porridge shop here!

i've also added a 5x5 size option of my "sparrows in flight" photo available in my print shop, and remember that all proceeds from the sales of these photos go to shelter box to help japan. i'll be making my donation at the end of the month.

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here's a fun bit of news, the super sweet claudia of a place for twiggs has interviewed me on my photography. if you care to read, pop on over!

lastly, speaking of my sweet friend claudia, she will be guest posting here on porridge this thursday--kicking off a small project of mine. i'm collecting photography tips from other photographers that produce beautiful work and i will eventually have a nice little resource available here for those of you that wish to learn more about photography. so please do come back on thursday, claudia has a wonderful post waiting for you!

helping japan

2011-03-17T13:23:00.002-07:00

i'm sure just like you, i feel moved to do what i can to help japan. one way is through my art. during the month of march or possibly longer, i'm donating 100% of the sales from my 8x8 'sparrows in flight' print and 20% of all other prints to ShelterBox. you can learn more about this awesome organization here.

i'm a firm believer in many little drops eventually fill the bucket. here are a few other photographers i've come across that are donating as well:

abby try again

a place for twiggs

alicia bock photography

amy longberry photography

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i'm looking forward to getting my house in ship-shape this weekend! there are still signs that a-family-has-just-moved-in-here hanging around and i've had just about enough of that!

happy weekend to you all~

spiff up your pancake

2011-03-13T14:47:00.002-07:00

i love, love to make simple food just a tiny bit special. this sometimes happens quite spontaneously, like it did with this pancake. what then inevitably follows is a major inspiration surge to photograph it--which can take 10 to 15 min.--which then means i sit down to a cold meal. it's happened many a time and it seems to come with the territory of being a photo addict.

so here's another one of those ordinary things in life that i get excited about and then feel compelled to tell you about too!

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~spiffed up pancakes~

whole grain pancakes

agave-maple syrup blend

plain greek yogurt

a dash or two of cinnamon

sliced blood oranges on the side

recommended, but not necessary: one pretty cloth napkin.

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i want to wave a big thank you over to blair at wise craft for featuring my simple succulent how-to on her sidebar under ever changing inspiration.

how to make a simple succulent arrangement

2011-03-10T08:16:00.002-08:00

there was a day, long ago, that i dreamed of being a floral designer. i imagined myself in my own little stylish shop--eyelet curtains blowing from the paned windows, happy customers coming and going, and me singing all the live-long-day while i worked. well, my life took a different direction--a very happy one. and since then i've known floral designers that have told me it can be one of the most stressful jobs EVer.

but, my love of flowers and of making arrangements remains as true as ever. and i have a simple tutorial here for you that is very low stress, so sing your heart out.

i've started with a small vintage bowl and a flower frog. if you don't have a frog, a chunk of florist foam will work. this is a small arrangement, my bowl is only a little over 5 inches across the top and 2 inches deep.

arrange your clippings so you can easily see what you have and so that they're not all tangled together. besides the succulents, i chose a variety of greenery with different leaf shapes and textures--some with tiny flowers. doing this helps to add more interest. also, i think it's better to stick with 3 or 4 different filler plants. to many differences seems to distract, in my opinion.

everything for my bouquet was found in my front yard. now before you think that i have this awesome garden on my doorstep, i don't. to give you some perspective nathan has said that our yard is like the secret garden---before they fixed it up.

start by adding your succulents first. the are visually heavy and the focus of this arrangement. in this photo i started with them off to the side, but then i changed my mind and preferred them completely filling the bowl, as in the next photo below.

once those are placed where you want them start to fill in along the edges and in between the succulents. in my arrangement i'm going after a roundish dome shape, so i don't want the other plants to tower too much above the succulents. slight variations in hight look very pleasing though. this is nice and compact, so don't be shy--stuff away! artistically please :)

very important: stop and admire your little creation along the way....

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as a final step, i take a look from the top to make sure it's balanced.

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and now, the very satisfying part: place your creation in a seat of honor for you and everyone else to admire.

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i know many of you are still covered in snow with not a secret garden to be found anywhere--not even one in it's undiscovered state like mine. may i suggest purchasing a store bought bouquet and disassembling it into something uniquely your own? i think if you're still under a blanket of snow you totally deserve it. do it!

xo,

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p.s. don't forget that my buy-one-get-one FREE print sale is still going on through saturday!

hello march! photo sale

2011-03-06T07:58:00.002-08:00

happy sunday to you friends! are you as happy as i that march is here? march has always felt like the bell ringer of spring for me, a sure promise of what is just around the corner. when mark came home with this simple bouquet i knew it would mark the first of my spring photos.

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i've added the two prints above and a couple of other new ones to my etsy shop. AND!! through march 12th i'm offering a BOGO sale in my etsy shop. just convo me the title and size of the free print you would like after you purchase your first one. it's that simple.

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okey doke. i'm signing out for now because i have just one hour before the thrift store closes and i have a serious craving to go sift through from junk treasure.

xo,

saturday's baked doughnuts

2011-02-28T15:49:00.002-08:00

i've been following honey and jam for quite some time now. in fact, i take an eency weency bit of pride in finding her early on--before she was the hot baking blogger that she is now--and knowing that first moment that she would be hugely popular. and she is, totally. i'm so happy to also call hannah my friend.

but let me stop congratulating myself on knowing a winner when i see one and get on to the fluffy goodness. before she posted about them i had a brewing desire to make doughnuts again. it's not like i make them often, or even infrequently. i've made them once in my whole married life. my fondness for them comes from my memory of making them with my mom as a child. but i'm not so hip on all that deep frying so when i saw that this recipe baked them, i was in!

i will cut to the chase because hannah does a wonderful job of filling you in on the details of the recipe over at her place.... these are super good. super duper good if you eat them still very warm and freshly dipped in the butter and cinnamon sugar. in fact, they flew so fast off the platter i was lucky to get a photo of the last two. i wanted to show you all the cute doughnut holes but not a chance. my kids made quick work of those. it was a homey and delicious way to start our weekend.

so, what say you? are you up for some baked doughnuts, perhaps on a happy saturday morning?

baked doughnuts with cinnamon sugar

hannah's woolen neck ornament

2011-02-24T15:02:00.002-08:00

i have been wanting to show you this for some time now. i think it was in november when hannah made it! not really a warmer and to substantial to be called a necklace, we agreed that they should be called neck ornaments.

as usual, my amazing girl just designed this on the fly. she starts crocheting with an idea in mind and makes decisions as she stitches. often times she ends up with something very wonderful, like this. this is so wonderful in fact, that i've urged her to please make a pattern! it will bear repeating many times over. hannah and her crocheting ways are such an inspiration to me!

this one is made from creamy fisherman's wool, wonderful for winter--but thoughts of spring are heavy on our minds and i bet that's true for you as well! so hannah and i had a little meeting last night to discuss the poor state of our etsy shops and how they've been collecting loads of dust. in short, we plan/hope to update both shops with some wonderful goodness--including a few spring versions of hannah's lovely neck ornaments in a weeks time. that's our sincere goal anyway, staying focused and organized is not always a strong point with us. (um, should i be saying that? too late.)

there's no place like home

2011-02-21T14:47:00.002-08:00

hello, remember me?

i hope so.

i haven't forgotten about you, quite the contrary. it's just that moving into a new home almost two weeks ago has had me completely swamped with setting up house--our own house with our own stuff (insert high-five here) since we moved to germany in 2009!

we are back where we started on the central coast for now--very much with the understanding that this rental is not our long term home. we have high hopes of buying a house this year and we're open to where that might be. so, another adventure awaits us but for now i'm so grateful to settle in for a bit and just "be".

ok, enough of my news! and quite enough of me being gone from this little blog of mine. i can't wait to starting chatting again about all things happy, creative and beautiful.

xo,

the art of the silhouette

2011-02-07T15:38:00.002-08:00

{noah on a recent crab hunt. strictly catch and release...}

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when done right, silhouette photos can be so striking and interesting. my first silhouettes were captured by mistake, but now i've learned some tips for making them happen on purpose! here is an article that lists a few solid guidelines to put you on the path of taking awesome silhouette photos of your own.

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have you taken any silhouettes you'd like to share? please do and leave a link in the comments!

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and....the winner of the roots and wings photo chosen at random by noah himself is RebeccaL! Rebecca, please email me your address!

thank you for participating everyone, i truly appreciate it! i had a few moments to respond to a few comments on that post as well.

xo,

toni.

finding my style groove

2011-02-03T13:25:00.002-08:00

sometimes i can really flounder when it comes to style. one day i'm sure and full of confidence, the next i'm convinced i need professional help. i'm in my forties, you would think i would have it in the bag by now. isn't this the stuff of high school?

in the big scheme of things fashion has little importance, so i don't give it lots of time. but i do think it's fun to develop your own style, to play with color, to experiment with accessories, to put your unique stamp on your wardrobe. it's another way of expressing creativity.

i put together this set on polyvore. seriously very fun. and time consuming, careful! you are limited to the choices they give you, but i think you can usually find enough to make it worthwhile. putting a fashion inspiration board together on pinterest is next of my list. that is, when i have spare play time.

what about you, full of confidence or needing professional help? or like me, a little of both!

******

{there's still plenty of time to put your name in the hat here for a chance to win my new print}

roots and wings

2011-02-01T01:18:00.002-08:00

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children:
one is roots, the other is wings.
- Hodding Carter, Jr.

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early each morning these doves gather on the phone wire right outside the kitchen window. watching them while i wait for the tea kettle has become a peaceful part of my routine.

i've been pondering the above quote. it's a beautiful metaphor filled with so much truth. i think i feel inspired to make a list of what i think gives a child "roots" and "wings". i just might do that!

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i want to give one of you a 5 x 7 print of this photo! partly because i love to give gifts, partly because i'm always so grateful that you come here, and partly because it's my way of saying thank you for hanging in here with me while my blog has been so quiet.

so, leave a comment for a chance to be chosen! if you tweet or facebook this post you can enter your name again for each one. just say so when you do. i'll choose at random one winner on sunday evening.

soaking in...

2011-01-27T06:10:00.002-08:00

....all the beach i can get.

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i'm here! i read your comments! {and thank you so much for that, i have every intention of replying to you all again} i'm just not able to get back into the full swing of things yet around here. i'm hoping soon that my life will return to some state of "normal". all is well, so no worries!

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xo,

back in the sunlit lands

2011-01-18T08:37:00.002-08:00

hello! we're here in california safe and sound and hit the ground running with all the festivities and preparations for my nephews wedding this past sunday. it was a beautiful and touching ceremony. two of my sons stood up with him and i found myself feeling the bitter sweet pain of children growing up. i'm sure everyone near me could hear my sniffles.

yesterday, mark and i had the distinct honor of baptizing hannah in the ocean. we've baptized four of our children so far--3 in the ocean and one in a hot tub. it's so very special for mark and i, i can't even express.

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anyway, life has been busy here and i'm afraid my poor blog has sat lonely because of it. i think i will try to do a couple of photo posts next. unlike my blog, my camera is rarely lonely.

xo,

winter's sugar

2011-01-08T02:13:00.002-08:00

a few days ago i woke up to a sugared layer of frost. in my pj's and a pair of mark's shoes (they were the ones that were handy) i clunked around outside with my camera. i couldn't be happier. i have such wonder and curiosity, such a desire to notice everything. i truly see moments like this as a gift.

in two days we head back to california. i'm not sorry to be leaving the rain here in the northwest, although i find much to love about this area. this is the next step for our family, whether or not we will make the central coast our home again is yet to be known! i will say i'm very much looking forward to feeling some sand between my toes!!

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thank you for bearing with me here while we make our transition. i will always be so touched that you care to come here! xo.

the passing of time

2011-01-01T08:53:00.002-08:00

a very happy new year to you, on this first day of 2011!

i started my day with kissing mark and hannah goodbye for three days (they are on a short trip together) and then i hit the gym for my cycle class. after which, i promptly came home and have been tuckered out all day, not accomplishing much of anything on my giant to-do list. my dad said to me, "i thought exercise was supposed to give you more energy?" and earlier that morning my mom said, "what's going on, you look tired and flushed?"... mom, i always look this way when i get back from the gym. so, it seems i've raised some curious questions about my gym activity on this first day of the new year.

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i discovered pummelvision via my pal blair and thought it was pretty neat. so i let them do their stuff with my flickr photos--all 1,230 of them. the vast majority are from my simple sparrow days, leading into waking up in bavaria and finishing with porridge. from mainly being craft oriented to evolving into my passion for photography--it's a 3 min. flash from a piece of my life over the last five years. it feels fitting to share this today--the passing of time is a wild thing.

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Pummelvision from simplesparrow on Vimeo.

scones and photo shoots, in that order.

2010-12-28T05:30:00.002-08:00

after christmas greetings to you! hoping your holiday was fun and relaxing. a good time was had by all in this house, and my dad made the most delicious roast i've ever tasted for christmas dinner. sure to make any vegetarian do a rethink--maybe :)

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i baked up another batch of our traditional christmas morning scones, and this time i think i found a keeper recipe. here's the story: when i first started this tradition several years ago i came across a scone recipe that was amazing (say "amazing" in a sing-songy voice for the full effect) , dense and flaky at the same time, creamy and rich. basically perfection. lo and behold because of my awesome organization skills i lost that recipe and never, ever again could find it on the internet. i marched on each christmas trying a new recipe. all produced good results but nothing like that "wow" moment of my previous recipe. this year i found dreamy cream scones via smitten kitchen.

they puffed up nicely and had that crumbly-flaky-melt-in-your-mouth goodness. these are definitely rich, made with a cup of heavy whipping cream, so not your everyday scone if you care at all for your faithful ticker. my only personal preference would be to make them a little bit sweeter. oh, they are wonderful with jam or lemon curd like we ate them but i really enjoy a good scone with just butter so i appreciate a little more sweetness in the dough. even though i still pine for my long lost amazing ( sing-songy, remember) recipe, this is overall a great scone i can completely encourage you to try.

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i went on a photo shoot with my son micah yesterday just to assist and give my opinion when he wanted it. i also was an umbrella holder because it was raining but the poor guy still got pretty wet. if you live in the portland/vancouver area and need a great photographer, micah will not disappoint! he's not your typical portrait photographer--he's very creative and artsy. he is also willing to travel to where you are!

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when i wasn't needed i was looking for my own pictures to take....

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micah didn't ask me to do this plug for him, but i'm a very proud mama and find it quite hard to resist.

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i think my blogging will be spotty over the next couple of weeks as we prepare to leave my parents house here in the northwest and travel back down to the central coast of california. if i go missing for a bit you'll now that i'm upstairs in my room trying to make sense of the mess and stuffing it all into our suitcases.

xo, t.

from me to you

2010-12-24T02:36:00.002-08:00

{dec. 20th, 2009 oberndorf, austria}

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today i'm wishing you: delicious food, warm drinks, cozy blankets, lots of laughter, the company of those dearest to you, the singing of christmas carols, the reminiscing of fond memories, moments to gaze outside and ponder the beauty of nature, to sit close to someone you love very much.

a very, merry christmas to you my friends! i hope your holidays, however you celebrate them, are filled with everything that warms your heart.

xo,

toni

christmas style: past and present

2010-12-15T16:37:00.002-08:00

{our christmas cut-outs this year. i love the missing eyeball on nathan's snowman...hehe}

why, hello there! i've been away far too long, tsk tsk. sometimes it just can't be helped, but here i am now and quite happy to be so.

how are your christmas preparations going? are you having fun? are you avoiding being stressed out and running around like mad? i hope so! we have further simplified this year and it feels great. we've always exchanged names for gift giving inside the family, but this year we've decided that we will only be buying gifts for the one person whose name we got. in the past we've always bought small gifts for everyone else too.

when my kids were young, i felt a lot of pressure to make the holidays fantastic and to develop all kinds of traditions. while much of it was fun, there was a growing dread each year christmas would roll around. i was forcing many things that weren't coming naturally but feeling insecure that i could just relax and be "who we were". we are a very laid back family and i was surrounded by some moms that left me in the dust with all that they would accomplish! what would end happening with all my "plans" is that i would inevitably feel worn out and let down, and the family would sometimes be a little cranky that i was insisting we do this or do that.

it's been several years now since i've learned to relax and just let my family "be". and you know what? i have a lot more time to just enjoy hanging out and to be spontaneous--which is the best thing about being all together anyway. and no one is being dragged into making fantastic holiday traditions. ha!

we do however have some traditions that have stuck without any pressure, such as making cut-out christmas cookies, christmas morning scones that i make, waiting for gifts until after breakfast and taking turns opening so we can all enjoy what was given. i plan a simple, but nice meal for dinner because i don't want to be cooking all day! we've often had friends over later in the day for egg nog and chatting. but mostly we just relax and be together.

****

i'm curious about your christmas style--wanna share?

wednesday's moustache....

2010-12-09T13:35:00.002-08:00

...is brought to you today by: hannah.

******

hoping all of you are getting more sunshine then we are over here! i must say though that my girl up there is always a bright spot, no matter the weather.

*****

back soon,

holiday shop trade guide

2010-12-05T06:30:00.002-08:00

{photo via oh, hello, friend}

*******

i was so happy to find out this morning that my shop was chosen to be featured in danni's 2010 holiday shop trade guide among so many other wonderful artists! i had mailed danni a while ago with my submission and actually then proceeded to forget that i had! just this morning i remembered and went to check out the guide--and there i was! (my fall cupcake photo is lower right) i'm very honored, i know she gets tons of requests from wonderful shops.

so, what is the holiday shop trade guide, you ask...well, all of the shops listed are open for trading (they are divided up into categories) just like they used to do in the good ol' days. shop owners can contact each other and see if a trade will work out--nothing is obligatory. i'm mentioning it here for two very good reasons:

1. the list of shops featured also doubles as a great gift guide for handmade!

2. if you have an etsy shop or otherwise, and are also open for trading, you can leave your link in the comments section of that post! which expands the trading possibilities!

have a shop? open for trade? then go leave a comment now!

xo.

collaging with jen

2010-12-04T13:16:00.002-08:00

{jen and hannah with their creative vibe flowing}

do you like to make collages? hannah and i really do. even though we've made a nice handful of our own, my buddy jen came over for an afternoon to give us some pointers on technique and materials. she offered us some very helpful information--such as introducing us to gel medium. hello? i love the stuff. i was using modge-podge in the past--which isn't terrible, but it just doesn't compare to the gel by a long shot. jen also shared a giant load of her own personal papers and such, so generous!

hannah was totally in her element--if one can be born with a collage gene, then she has it.

noah made numerous visits. hello you fluff of curly red cuteness.

here's my collage. the story is that a migrating bluebird cut his trip short because he found a comfortable spot on her head. she doesn't mind at all and rather likes the festive touch of color he adds.

and this is hannah's. if she were home right now i get could get the story from her. but i can tell you my version--this girl thinks outside of the box and i love it. jen took her collage home to finish it, so no picture. but it was looking pretty cute.

thank you jen for such a fun afternoon! xo.

******************

shop news!!

hannah is ready to move all her hats out of our porridge shop and has marked them all down to 20.00. that's a 4 to 8 dollar savings depending on the hat! and, the snowy pinecone decorations have been marked down to 10.00!

...also...

i've added a handful of new prints to my photography shop, a lovely new oval paperweight and my first ever christmas ornament, which i have very few of. the ornaments ship for free in the u.s. and only 3.00 international!

hannah and i thank you in advance if you have the time to look. we appreciate it greatly!

xo,

toni

sharing some love (just like this cow)

2010-12-01T01:14:00.002-08:00

a happy dec. 1st to ya' all! wow, 2011 is almost here!

i have a few things i've been waiting to share with you, but time + lack of sunlight in these parts has kept me from doing it. pictures do not look so inviting when the natural light is next to nil.

so, i'm taking a moment to give a couple of shouts-out, first to my sweet daughter-in-law vanessa. she is the wife of my oldest and has just opened her photography shop on etsy. the photo above cracks me up! that is hannah's hand reaching out to say hello to one of the many cows that lined the fields on our bike rides in bavaria. check out her bicycle postcards too--so pretty. i already have a set, because mom-in-laws get some perks.

******

and, i just got word that heidi swanson's new cookbook is ready for pre-order now! it looks absolutely gorgeous and delicious. i have her previous one and i adore it. if you love really good, healthy food and amazing photography, take a peek here:

super natural everyday

*******

ok then! i will pop back into my world over here and hope for some sunlight.

xo,

some monday reading

2010-11-29T04:45:00.002-08:00

the lovely claudia at {...a place for twiggs} has put together a fun and informative read over at her place called-- how to blog. she interviewed five prominent bloggers and got some of their thoughts on the matter. they all had good things to say and i enjoyed reading through their different perspectives. one question they all answered unanimously on was blogging etiquette. but you'll have to read the interview to find out!

*how to blog*

************************

what are your blogging goals? do you hope to build it into a means of making it a living, full time or part time? it's interesting to note that most of those interviewed didn't begin with aspirations to become big-time and yet here they are. i find that so interesting and fun to read about.

one thing is for sure, reading through these interviews has me appreciating even more how much time goes into these wonderful blogs. that's not time that i personally have right now, but i sure do enjoy the fruits of their labor! for now, i'm quite content to occupy an itty-bitty corner in this wonderful, and far reaching creative community. i really do *love* it.

snowflakes!

2010-11-26T07:04:00.002-08:00

hello! i hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving. we had a great day, so nice to all be together. the table was beautiful and the food really, really good. it's been so nice today to just sit around and do nothing! no hectic black friday shopping for us.

i must tell you though, that my much-looked-forward-to pumpkin cream pie didn't turn out! dang it! i'm sure it was my fault and not the recipe. i made them (2) the night before and had other things cooking at the same time so i was spreading out my concentration--not the best plan when you're trying a new recipe. i think i over measured the pumpkin for sure, because they tasted like squash. like a baby food squash pie. so sad. i want to try the recipe again because i'm convinced it's wonderful.

*********

about those amazing snowflakes up there, those are the work of hannah's nibble fingers. aren't they just so beautiful? every year she makes these and every year the family stands it awe.

this year she's offering them for sale in our porridge shop, and today you can get a 10% discount on any of your purchases there! enter the code "blackfriday10" at checkout.

and....in my photo shop i'm offering a 10% discount today also (enter the same code) AND free shipping on all prints through the end of november! maybe you'll find a special something for someone on your list or treat yourself to a christmas gift ;)

*****

p.s. i'm going to extend the black friday sale through tomorrow since i'm getting this up so late.

home this year

2010-11-24T09:20:00.002-08:00

this time last year we were far away from home, far from the chit-chat about "are you cooking this year?", "who's coming over?" and all the commotion of everyone gathering their ingredients at the market in preparation for thanksgiving. holidays aren't quite the same when everyone isn't celebrating. but, we did have wonderful friends visiting us and our son micah, AND we have a hilarious story about going to the bakery to pick up some cranberry turnovers which turned into quite a fiasco. we'll laugh about that one forever!

so anyway, i'm so happy to be home this year and going to the market with my list was so fun! when you live in a foreign land for a time you really don't realize just how much you take for granted.

like canned pumpkin.

it's nowhere to be found in bavaria, at least not where we were. when i asked i would just get strange looks. needless to say picking up my cans of pumpkin this year was simply wonderful---cans of it everywhere!

which brings me to this: pumpkin cream pie with a gingersnap crust.

this is what i'm making this year instead of the traditional pumpkin pie. it was the gingersnap cookie crust that clinched it for me. the recipe is in the october issue of martha stewart living, pg. 208. i have a strong hunch this will be a favorite. you can also find the recipe here too--with video!

i always like to try something new, instead of sticking to the same menu year after year. but that's just me. how about you, are you adding anything new to your menu this year?

*********

among so many things, i'm so thankful for my readers! (that's you!) thank you for being interested in my ramblings week after week ;)

**********

wishing you a very, very happy thanksgiving!

pink cookies are a part of my world view

2010-11-21T16:27:00.002-08:00

i've been slowly reading through molly winzenberg's book, a homemade life. she's an awesome writer and many of her stories of growing up in the kitchen are very heartwarming. i won't go on about the book--it's been out a long time and i know many of you have already read it. for those who haven't, she ends each chapter with the recipe that was part of her story--memoir/cookbook!

anyway, when i came to the pink cookie part i knew right then and there they would become a part of my world. i mean c'mon--a buttery, butter cookie + thick, pretty, pink frosting? i'm in, so in.

take note of how one of the cookies progressively gets bites taken out of it. that's not because i was trying to style the photo that way, although i did use it. the truth is that these are so good that i can not spend more then five minutes in their presence without nibbling the heck out of them.

here is molly's recipe, which technically is jimmy's--but you'll have to read the book for the scoop on that one. the minor changes i did are in parentheses.

************

jimmy's pink cookies

for the cookies:

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp.

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

3 cups all-purpose flour { i used unbleached }

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

***

for the icing:

8 ounces cream cheese { i used neufchatel }

6 tbls. unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 1/4 tsp. kirsch, or more to taste, or a capful of cherry extract { i used raspberry extract }

red food coloring { yikes, i really did use a few drops}

****

i'm going to really paraphrase the directions here because i'm staying up late to write this, and my bed *and* my hot water bottle are calling. (yes, i sometimes sleep with a hot water bottle, they're the best)

*combine butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer until fluffy.

*combine flour and salt, whisk well. with the mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture until just absorbed.

*gather dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, press into a flat disk and wrap well. refrigerate for one hour.

*preheat oven to 325 F. line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

*roll out half of dough onto floured surface (while other half stays in the fridge until needed) and cut into any shapes you like about 3/8 thick.

*space cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. bake one sheet at a time, keeping other sheet in refrigerator until first one is done.

*bake for 16 -- 20 min. or until cookies are pale golden at the edge. do not brown. transfer pan to wire rack and cool cookies completely, keeping them on the pan. (i only have one pan, so i cooled the cookies directly on the rack, didn't notice any problems!)

*getting tired....mix all ingredients together for the icing. beat with electric mixer until there are no lumps. use just enough food coloring to make them a pale pink. add enough extract or kirsch to taste.

*yawn....

*spread generously on completely cooled cookies.

(this made *a lot* of frosting--there is still some sitting in my fridge, which is dangerous.)

oh, and about that butter part, you know, the three sticks? yeah, well. just mumble that part in an undiscernable voice under your breath and move on. act quickly.

***********

ok, nighty-night.

little reminders and announcements

2010-11-18T02:38:00.002-08:00

{ paris macaroons print is in my new shop }

hello friends! popping in just really quick for now--but i'll be back soon with a pink cookie post! yum.

little announcements:

i'll be moving all of my photography out of porridge and into its very own shop here, AND i'm offering free shipping on all prints until the end of november! woohoo!

coming very soon to our porridge shop {today or tomorrow} snow doves on sparkly pinecones and hannah's snowflakes!

please take a look at the new gifted magazine linked on my sidebar. ez has put together a gorgeous and inspiring resource for the holidays.

little reminders:

don't forget a 15% discount through november when you mention porridge at these fine etsy shops!

chase victory

and

one little moment

*******

happy thursday!

how to love and photograph a tree (in my opinion)

2010-11-15T02:52:00.002-08:00

first, you notice how incredibly beautiful the hanging raindrops look on your favorite maple as you pass the window. you drop everything and run to get your camera. loving a tree has a way of doing this to you--everything else must wait for just a bit.

you stand with it for a minute or two before you start shooting. the immense beauty deserves a few moments of reverence. you can't help but feel so very grateful that you can witness this wonder of creation.

you notice everything, every tiny detail. because the big beautiful picture of your tree is made up of so many tiny parts.

the cascade of leaves that still hold on remind you of a leafy waterfall. that's a happy thought.

don't forget to notice the ones that have already made the journey down that fall.

because at some point--you do have to get back to all those other things you put on hold, you take one last moment to love your tree. you feel a little breathless, and again so grateful.

************

oh yes. all that above seemed to be on just how to love a tree (in truth, this is loving the one who created that tree) and i did mention something about how to photograph one! well, this will be very simple and to the point. honestly, i'm much better at loving things then i am at being technically savvy--but here's my two cents:

*most importantly let your heart and sense of wonder guide your lens. when you love what you photograph, you will be able to show it to the world in ways their natural eyes have not seen it before--with your own special take on it.

*techno stuff: with my canon 40D i shot on AV, ISO 100, 50mm compact macro lens, f/2.5, varying shutter speeds, changing focal points--both auto and manual.

**********

here's another photo with some editing.

if you have a tree that you love, share the link with me in the comments. i would love to see it!

a little holiday shopping + a diy stocking stuffer

2010-11-11T10:53:00.002-08:00

from top clockwise: 1. photography by honeyandjam, 2. linen pincushion by namolio 3. sculpted top vases by RouDesigns 4. paper ornaments by LBCpaper

**********

1. silver orchid earrings by delicacy j 2. winter in belgium print by ohbara (her shop opens nov. 17th where there will also be lovely calendars and notecards) 3. crocheted newsboy hats for kids and adults by blue corduroy 4. hand dyed scarves by scarf-shop

**********

the lovelies above are some of my favorite things right now. some i own already (like hannah's gorgeous photography and three (!!!) of martha's scarves, which are just amazingly wonderful) and some are on my wish list. anyway, my hope is that maybe this could lead you to a gift for someone on your list. everything listed is all handmade too!

**********

while me and the fam watched a movie together last night, i kept my hands busy by decorating the front of this moleskin journal. this morning it occurred to me that these would make easy and fun christmas gifts! the smaller journals would fit nicely in a stocking too. so, i didn't photograph the steps, but this is just so easy i know you'll get it!

~mosaic journal cover~

1. on the cover of your journal sketch a simple design. in my case, a heart.

2. from adhesive backed card stock (this is what i used, found at my local craft store) cut little block pieces of different sizes.

3. begin by out-lining your design first with your blocks, then filling it in.

4. there is no number four, because now you're done!

btw, you don't have order moleskins online, many bookstores carry them.

a tale of a new deck

2010-11-08T16:33:00.002-08:00

there once were some brothers. they decided to take on the task of replacing their grandparent's deck. it was a huge job and they had never ventured into the world of deck making before. but they were strong, able and smart. that counts for a lot. the big ones did a lot of hard, heavy work. the little one begged his mom to please hurry up with school so he could be with them--which was actually "real" school in his parent's opinion.

the old boards came up and out. joists were replaced and things done wrong in the past were made right again. this was hard work and many days they worked for hours in the rain. copious amounts of tea and coffee were consumed--and many, many bagels.

the dad helped out quite a bit too--while he still made phone calls for work. multi-tasking in action here.

the sister watched from above, ticking away at her german lessons. guten tag hannah!

and the boys worked on......

and on......

and on.

soon there was visual satisfaction.

the brothers are almost done and the parents are super proud. a party to celebrate--on the new deck of course--is definitely in order.

embracing the hodge-podge

2010-11-04T10:29:00.002-07:00

before i start my post, i must say thank you to each of you who shared your thoughts and sweet sentiments regarding my previous post. you had such good things to say, and each comment was savored--even though i wasn't able to respond directly to each of you. several of you said what i know in my heart to be true, and that is, just share what's inspiring you to write, right now. and so many different things do inspire me to start clicking away on my little keyboard here. as i mentioned in the comments, maybe i have been feeling this need to have a narrower focus because one major element in my life right now is out of focus: not knowing where we are going to l.i.v.e. yet. it could be, but you know what? now that i've gotten "that" out there, it's not bothering me so much anymore! ha! awesome. so, thank you. it really was a help to here from you, and for me to just type it all out. xo.

as part of hannah's studies this year we are exploring american literature. for starters we are reading through a few selected works from great american short stories. today we just finished reading the real thing, by henry james. i would love to say that we glided through it, understanding it all and handling the technical virtuosity like old pros. but often this was the case:

after reading an especially difficult passage abounding with lofty vocabulary (we took turns reading aloud), hannah would look up at me with a look that was one part blank and one part searching--i in turn would look back at her with that same gaze in my eyes and there we would stay--for about 2 seconds. my comment to her then would be, "did you understand any of that?" to which i would here in reply a most decidedly, "nope."

but we forged ahead like good soldiers and actually we were gathering the essence of what was going on. and, it got a little easier to read the farther along we went. i'm happy to have added a tiny bit to my mental library of great literature, and hannah might just be happy that we're done with that one.

over the weekend i made a miniature desk calendar for 2011. i wrote out each month and added a simple decoration on each card. they stand on a tiny wooden easel--just so adorable. some of them are a little wonky, the result of staying up late and working in low light. and, some of them are wonky because it was the middle of the day and i had plenty of light ;) i will just tuck these away until jan. 1st then proudly display my wonkiness for me to enjoy all year long. here are some other easel calendars for inspiration:

please note: these however, are in no way wonky.

kittyrogers

alphotography

cabin

*******

this weekend is little winter and i'm so stoked that i can go! as always, it's so much fun to meet the artists behind the creations i so admire. it doesn't hurt that there could be cupcakes too. if you're in the portland area, are you going also?

speaking of artists, my hannah is our in-house snowflake-cutter extraordinaire and she is cooking up something quite lovely for our porridge shop. more on that next time...

trying to find my groove again {warning: long post ahead}

2010-10-29T10:47:00.002-07:00

{the small desk at my parent's home that i share with hannah. where i blog, do school with noah and sit to just enjoy the view}

i find myself in a funny blogging mode. when i think about my blog now, i'm not totally sure what i'm all about. for four years i wrote simple sparrow which was mainly a craft blog. it evolved into some other things as well, especially once i started pursuing photography seriously--but it was always first and foremost a craft blog. it had a focus that guided me most days and that was good.

then, when we learned that we would be moving to germany for a year in august of 2009, i decided to close simple sparrow and worked feverishly putting it all into a book. the timing of our move coincided with the feelings i had been having for several months that it was time to make a change, that simple sparrow was coming to an end and the thought of putting something fresh on my horizon felt really good. enter: waking up in bavaria. this was perfect. we had a desire to keep family and friends updated with our lives and this was also the perfect opportunity to let my photography run wild. for that year (10 months exactly) documenting our daily life and some of our travels was the only focus. photography was my only creative outlet (i didn't bring my bins and boxes of craft and sewing supplies and i didn't buy any there) but i embraced it fully. of course, photography had become one of my passions.

as the months ticked away i found myself desperately missing creating with my hands. i was so looking forward to coming home, getting settled and reuniting my self with all my boxes, bins, jars and tins of artsy goodness and blogging about it again! not trying to duplicate simple sparrow, but including my craft because that's a big part of who i am. alas, i am not settled in my own home. all of my crafty goods are still in storage far away from me and being in my own home will not likely happen until january at the soonest. we decided to help my parents out and housesit for them while they are on an extended, and much needed, RV vacation. this is all good, and our choice--so i'm not asking for sympathy! (but thank you if you were feeling inclined ;)

trying hard to stay concise here, please for give me...

i said all of the above because i love blogging, i want to keep blogging-- i'm just not sure what kind of blog i am now! i was a craft blog, i was a photography/americans living in germany blog, and now i'm a ??? i guess it would help me to have some kind of focus, not to be legalistic about it but to have a guiding factor. then again, is that really important if i just write and share from my heart--no matter what the focus is? well, definitely the sharing from the heart part--one should always be genuine. but something in me is asking for a defining line of some kind, it feels to vague.

even now i'm thinking, "well toni, you kinda like to blog all over the place: craft, photography, family life, sappy posts about beauty and nature, daily happenings, etc... so, face it. you're just an eclectic hodge-podge." ok, so my defining line is...smorgasbord?

i've always wanted my blog to be like a pretty magazine--a place one could go to see something lovely, something inspiring, something thoughtful and sprinkled with a little humor too. if i can help anyone by way of sharing links, tips, tutorials, etc... that's awesome too!

while i hash this issue out for myself, what kind of blogs are you drawn to and why? i would love to hear your thoughts so please share!

xox.

toni

prints and cameras, vintage style

2010-10-27T11:12:00.002-07:00

{polaroid heart photo by jen, of one little moment}

{photo by jon, of chase victory}

my two friends love vintage cameras, one sells them the other takes photos with them. both have shops i wanted to help spread the word about. *and* there is a little something special in it for you too...

jen's heart photo above is one of my personal favorites. she shoots with a vintage 680 slr polaroid and has just opened shop selling some of her prints. hot off the press for pre-order is her polaroid collaboration book, word. check out more of jen's goodness here!

jon and his family are close friends of ours. he started selling on etsy not too long ago, offering up some of the vintage goods he came across. he soon discovered he lives in a world of cast off vintage cameras and even right now has forty-one of them up for sale in his shop! including the polaroid sx land camera pictured above. there's a yashica electro hiding in all that camera goodness too. check out jon's shop, full of cameras and other found treasures here.

*******

now to the fun part for you! both jen and jon are offering a 15 percent discount on any purchase you make from their shop if you mention that you saw my post about them here on porridge. that's a great little deal to get you started on some christmas shopping don't ya think?

{oh! just coming back to say that they both are offering their porridge discount until he end of december!}

something beautiful, something funny

2010-10-24T16:16:00.002-07:00

hey there, how was your weekend? mine was pretty darn good, full of stormy fall weather and some minor crafting. maybe i'll show you later.

****

my boys keep me in touch with some things that on my own i would never come across. like this beautiful version of cosmic love by florence and the machine:

and this very hilarious waffle video by julian smith. oh.my.gosh.

happy monday!

xo,

fall gifts

2010-10-21T04:25:00.002-07:00

{this print, along with new hats, are in our etsy shop now}

hello! i've thought about my little blog sitting here with no updates nigh to be found in five days! shame. but i just couldn't have a seat here with you until this very moment. on to a post now for pete's sake...

*************

have you been enjoying fall? that is if you live in the northern hemisphere! i am loving it so much, and it has been loving me back. we have been walking through the woods lately and the light, the sounds, the sights of fall are serene and gorgeous. it reminds me of a child tucked into bed, not yet asleep but getting cozy and fluffing their pillow. then, laying their quietly with heavy eyes--drifting softly into dream land.

i know what my dad will say to himself after he reads that description, "sappy!" (my dad has been a faithful lurker on my blogs for years) but i can't help it. i do make an effort to control my sappy urges often, but they must be set free from time to time.

********

yesterday mark came up behind me and surprised me with this cupcake. perfectly frosted and filled with bavarian cream. he knows how to make me happy--and it doesn't take much. i was inspired to take it's portrait and added a maple leaf as a nod to the very fine fall day that it arrived on.

i love photographing my life in this way. finding joy and beauty in the ordinary days that we all have is what i'm all about. i thrive on it. it makes such a difference in one's life when you train yourself to see this way. you become more grateful, more thoughtful, more observant of all the little things. you find yourself getting excited over the smallest details. details you never used to notice. and then the bigger things, like cupcake gifts and walks through the woods and catching the sunlight working magic on the morning dew just for those few, fleeting seconds--become grand gifts indeed.

i'm not the only one that lives this way, i know! i think once i started seeing people's amazing photographs of the lovely, ordinary happenings a few years ago--it really brought me in touch with the same things in my own life--in a really big way. photographing them gives my creative spirit an opportunity to shape something of great value to me--and that's so satisfying.

do you have a habit of looking at your life in this way? what started it for you?

two hearts winner

2010-10-16T03:16:00.002-07:00

good morning to you on this beautiful fall saturday!

****

i had noah pick a random number from the comments and the winner is gillian, # 10!

who said: "I've been reading a bit about the rescue as well--this photo defienetly captures the moment.....amazing things sometimes do happen"

thank you gillian for taking part! email me your address when you get a chance.

****

and thank you all for sharing your thoughts and feelings. i, as always, enjoy hearing what's on your mind. what an amazing and joyous outcome for these miners!

****

back soon!

in celebration! a giveaway

2010-10-13T02:25:00.002-07:00

in total celebration of the chilean miners now being pulled back to the surface--pulled back to sunshine, glorious fresh air, loved ones, the sound of birds singing, the sound of their children's voices, their own beds at home, resurrected back to life really--i'm giving away this print above. it fits i think, hearts are being reunited. hearts that have waited so long with hope that this day would actually come.

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it's my very small token that represents the very big feeling in my heart for each of these brave, amazing men. leave a comment here and i'll choose a random name for the winner on friday evening. i would love to hear any thoughts you have on this horrific ordeal that these men have had to endure--and their families waiting above.

xo, t.

{the photo was taken at our dear friend's home while we were living in germany. these hearts were hanging in their window}

paperweights! and some other new stuff

2010-10-09T07:22:00.002-07:00

it's rainy, oh so rainy on this saturday afternoon--but i have a bright view from upstairs out onto my parents yard so the situation outside is actually cozy. plus, there's gingerbread in the oven. sweet.

i've been anxious to share my new photo gift idea--well, new to me. Surely many have gone before me with exactly this. but honestly the thought never crossed my mind until recently. and i love paperweights! always have. my first two feature recent photos (you'll recognize them from my previous post) and i'm quite pleased with how they turned out!

it feels so good for once to be slightly ahead of the game and have a few things ready for holiday gift giving. i've only just begun with making these, but you can find this first pair in our etsy shop now! i was up late adding a couple more of hannah's hats and a few photo prints to our shop as well--yay! finally i get to sell my photos again!

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there has been lots of new stuff going on around here actually! read on, and i thank you ahead of time :)

i take so many pictures, so.many. and as much as i hate to admit it, the bulk of them sit on my computer not being enjoyed by my family. yes, i totally have plans to get them into albums and keep them out where we can see them any time we desire. (i love prints, and no digital techy thing will ever replace the feeling i get when i hold a print in my hand) in the mean time though, in an effort to at least get some of them "out there", to have a small space my family and i can go to with some sense of chronological organization, i set up a personal photo journal: day after day.

it's sole purpose is personal, but because i so enjoying sharing with you too, i made it public. it won't have every photo that i keep and archive of course, it won't have many words--if any. many photos will be snapshots just capturing the moment. but if you enjoy seeing pictures of one ordinary family going through life, i'm happy to take you along. and i thank you for even being interested in the first place :)

i've put a link to it up in my righthand sidebar, under "documenting".

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noah has just reminded me that the gingerbread is sitting on the counter and would i please hurry up and get some powdered sugar on it. this seems like a good time to sign off.

happy saturday!

porridge

The moments in between

What little boys dream of

Along came Sally

It's the little things

Orchids live here now

In which something went terribly wrong

In the meantime...

Diving in

And yet another beginning

Softly

Oatmeal cookies: my luxe version

Intimate and candid art

Fashion shoot with Tim + my sidekick

New Paris Photo Collection

I would give you flowers but...

Thankful

Delicate Webs & Tiny Surprises

Holiday Inspiration

Hearty and Comforting Beef Stew

Apple Picking

Easy DIY fall/winter planter

Welcome to my new corner!

peanut butter hot cocoa

the two c's

honey oatmeal bread

bird inspiration

home

the last of summer days

just a few from hundreds...

super cute earring giveaway!

short on words, tall on photos

time: you can't go back

some thoughts on being back

back in beautiful germany again

soon, blogging from germany again!

instagram-ing

summer shop sale and it's a good one folks

my photos in print--woo hoo!

photos. and lots of them.

a little cookbook love

sunday morning

noah turns 10

strawberry milk? yes please.

sometimes being loved is annoying

toasted coconut frozen yogurt

finally, a shop update!

raspberry limeade for two

where the greatest influence lies

hello, remember me?

photography guest post: tips for better composition

wooden rings of hope

not much, but a most sincere hello

lemons from a friend are sweet

spring photos give-away

now will the *real* you step up and shine?

guest post: creating art with a point-and-shoot camera

a tiny something just for spring

helping japan

spiff up your pancake

how to make a simple succulent arrangement

hello march! photo sale

saturday's baked doughnuts

hannah's woolen neck ornament

there's no place like home

the art of the silhouette

finding my style groove

roots and wings

soaking in...

back in the sunlit lands

winter's sugar

the passing of time

scones and photo shoots, in that order.

from me to you

christmas style: past and present

wednesday's moustache....

holiday shop trade guide

collaging with jen

sharing some love (just like this cow)

some monday reading

now will the real you step up and shine?