Still to come, later tonight or tomorrow..Friday Town Shoot Out-----

I apologize for being late on FMTSO.  I just now got internet up and running.

I will be posting later, and I can't wait to see everyone else's photos and read the commentary.

Please check back later.

Thank you,

and I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Joe Boxer and I are a perfect match

Not to be confused with Joe the Plumber.

I'm talking about Joe Boxer.

You know, the maker of underwear and other such garments.

Yesterday,

I was roaming around inside K-Mart

and I gasped with delight  when I caught sight of

these black and white striped gloves

that nearly grabbed me when I walked by.

In order not to be a tease,

I reached out and touched these lovely striped fingers,

caressing the fabric ever so lightly.

It felt so good.

I put my hand inside these dark empty gloves

allowing the softness to cling to my flesh.

That's when I knew

we were the perfect match.

Don't you think we look good togehter?

Joe likes to change his style every now and then.

Sometimes he doesn't like to accessorise

but he still looks good on me, don't you think?

And then there are times when he likes to be more sophisticated

when we go out.

Still looking good.

Yes, Joe Boxer is quite versatile.

That's why I like him.

He puts up with my many moods.

Thank you all for visiting.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I will be traveling tonight.

A Club With An Agenda.....Woo Hoo!

Some of you may recall that I mentioned in an earlier post that I was joining a camera club.

Woo Hoo!

Yep, I took tha first step.

 I jumped out of my comfort zone,

went to my first meeting,

paid my dues for the rest of this year,

 and all of next year.

Whew!

I did it.

I opened the door for more photo opportunities

and a chance to learn with some of the best photographers in Las Vegas.

Okay, the truth is,

I had a friend join with me

so it made going outside my comfort zone a little more comfortable.

We went to a second meeting Friday night.

Joining this club is the best decision I could have made.

This isn't your ordinary run of the mill club

where a few people gather and take photos.

No, this club is a corporation that has been in existence over 20 years.

It is extremely professional and this club has the opportunity to display images

in exhibits all over the city of Las Vegas.

There are to date around 260 members.

There are two meetings every single month.

One is a program meeting where you learn about different photography techiniques and software, etc.

The second meeting of the month is strictly for photo competitions.

There are five classes for competitors:

Junior (18 & under)

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Master

Of course, I am in the beginner category.

There are 13 categories:

Abstract, Animals/Pets, Commercial, Creative, Documentary,

Nature/Wildlife, People, Photojournalism, Pictorial,

Portraiture, Still Life, Unclassified

and Club Challenge

There are two divisions for each of the categories:

Color and Monochrome

So, with all of that you can imagine all of the wonderful images we saw on Friday night.

The judges are very professional and a little bit harsh

but it's good because they critique the photos in a way that helps you to improve your photography.

If you'd like to see some of the members photography

There is a gallery  you can browse to see some of the images.

just click here and it'll take you there.

After viewing these photos you will understand

why I might be a little intimidated to submit my photos

but I assure you I will as this is the only way I am going to learn and grow.

The camera club is having a dinner banquet at Arizona Charlie's

on December 6th and I am bringing my husband to this event.

The purpose of the banquet is to announce the photographer of the year

and to give out awards and raffle off prizes, etc.

I'm really looking forward to it so that I can meet some of the members

and interact on a personal level.

My friend Gayla, who also joined with me is bringing her husband to this event also.

Also in December, there is a club field trip to the Ethyl M. Chocolate Factory

and Catctus Garden for their annual holiday light display.

I'm excited about this field trip because I'm hoping someone will help me

figure out how to take night time photos.

I can't hardly wait until next year to see what kind of field trips will be offered.

This year, I missed out on going to all of the following places:

Lovell Wash Narrows,  Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

Mojave National Preserve, Valley of Fire State Park

Walking Box Ranch,  Cathedral Gorge State Park

Rhyolite, Nevada;  Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest;

Las Vegas Lights;  Escalante, Utah;

Buffington Pockets;  Zion National Park .

I haven't heard of half of these places.

While we were at the last meeting, someone mentioned that Time Magazine had picked up
one of the images that was displayed in an exhibit, submitted by a Nevada Club Member.
It doesn't mean that Time Magazine will use the image,
but it does show what kind of exposure we will have by being in this club.

Also, another member, Paul Sobel, will have one of his video images used in a new TV show
that will be aired on E channel.  I don't recall the date or time but I thought that was pretty darn cool.

So, I look forward to talking about how much I learn and I hope to showcase
my imporvement as I take this journey in photography.

My favorite truth:

I am in the process of becoming.........

Today,
I am in the process of becoming a photographer
and that is the truth.


So, if you ever have doubts and need to recondition your thought process,
tell yourself that you are in the process of becoming.
That is not a lie because you are always in the process of becoming something
and your mind will acknowlege it as a truth.

Until next time.......

Hugs and Best Wishes to all my blogging friends and visitors.

I love it when you leave your imprint on my page and you all
inspire me so much, so thank you.

Friday My Town Shoot Out ~ My Town's Premier Attraction

(Please enlarge photo to see a more detailed image)

Believe it or not,

the sign that welcomes visitors to Las Vegas

is one of my town's premier attractions.

The sign was first erected in 1959 and was designed by Betty Willis.

The circles that encompass the letters that spell Welcome,

represent silver dollars because Nevada is nicknamed

The Silver State.

According to Wikipedia,

the design is characteristic of the googie architecture movement.

Over the years, the sign has been moved several times

farther south on Las Vegas Boulevard due to the city's growth.

It is so popular now,

that it has its own parking lot so that visitors can stop

and take pictures of this historical landmark.

Other premier attractions include casinos, shows,

helicopter rides, hiking in Red Rock, Bonnie Springs Ghost Town,

Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Raceway, Mt. Charleston,

And

One of my favorite places in the summer time

is boating at Lake Mead.

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

Lake Mead is one of the largest man made lakes in the world.

It spans over 247 square miles of shoreline.

When the lake is full it can hold over 28 million acre-feet of water

  the equivalent to about 2 years of normal average river flow from the Colorado River.

(that's about 9 trillion gallons)

There is an abundance of fish in Lake Mead

and ducks too.

This is a fisherman's dream.

(Click to enlarge)

There was even one fish who thought he was a duck.

I think in addition to the attractions I have already listed,

one of the most popular reasons people come to Las Vegas

is to get married in the wedding chapels.

We even have drive-thru wedding chapels.

I wanted to get photos of all the chapels

but I just did not get around to it.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed my perspective on my town's premier attraction.

To see more town attractions

please visit here where you will find a list of participants

on the sidebar of the main page.

This week's theme was chosen by Kent in Montana.

Gaze Into My Crystal Ball

What do you see?

I see possibilities,

creativity,

growth,

inspiration,

motivation,

and light.

I see an ordinary photograph

that used to look like this

I'm having a lot of fun with this photo editing.

I still don't know how to create textures though,

and that is what I really want to learn.

Does anyone have any advice

or specific programs for this?

It's A Yellow Peacock And Lavender Grass....

Lately, when I look at other photography blogs

I notice something strange happening to me.

Every part of my being becomes charged with electricity

while adrenaline courses through my veins.

I feel excited.

I feel alive.

My eyes widen and I swear I can feel the brightness

bounce off my enlarged pupils.

I am inspired by what I see

and I am amazed at all the creativity, talent, and artistry

that I come across.

My soul is nourished, yet restless

because I know deep down

what I aspire to be.

Lately, when I look at other photography blogs

I see all the possibilities that can come from inside of me.

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

Some of you may recall this peacock from an ealier post

Inspired by other photographers creativity

I decided to tweak it.

At first,

I was afraid to do too much,

and I was careful to maintain the original image

and here's how it turned out.

But,

I still wasn't quite satisfied.

I wanted something dramatic

and different.

So I kept all the original editing I did

and then I tweaked some more.

I added more effects here and there

and I turned my peacock yellow

and the grass a purpley lavnedar color.

It's not traditional by any means

but I sure do like the effect

and I think it's much prettier than the original.

I printed it out this morning onto a postcard.

The colors are so vibrant and beautiful.

I'm patting myself on the back.

I did good.

Now, I need to learn how to add texture to my photos

because that is what makes my heart beast faster

when I see it on other blogs.

It just adds so much originality to the already amazing photos.

I am learning so much

and I am very appreciative to those who came before me

and unknowingly showed me the way.

Friday Town Shoot Out~ Places of Worship

Let me preface my post by saying that this week's theme, chosen by Rebecca at The Dusty Cellar

was a very good subject.

Unfortunately,

I didn't do her theme justice and my photos are pieces of crap.

I procrastinated and so I wasn't able to capture the type of architecture I wanted in my photos.

I tried playing with the effects to make my pictures pop more,

but I even messed that up and made one of the photos worse.

So, I present to you what I call very ugly places of worship.

Very modern buildings that have no character whatsoever.

Bear with me.

I am embarrassed to post this

but I don't want to miss a shoot so I have no choice

unless I want to be really late in posting.

I'm even more embarrassed to post this one.

I tried to undo my color changes but I couldn't.

I played with it some more and this is what my editing skills created.

I don't like it at all.

Much better, but still not up to my standards of where I want to be

and the architecture is just so blah! 

there's no personality in the building

even though it has more than the previous two.

This is the prettiest building of the four churches I took photos of

but it is still so modern.

Again, I see no personality in the building.

A place of worship of another kind.............

Whenever I need to feel close to God

or feel connected to the universe

I gaze up into the sky

and I breathe in the beauty of the swirling clouds

that remind me of cotton balls and soft pillows.

I outline the shapes and colors with my mind's eye

filing the image away for future comfort.

 I am mesmerized by the sun peeking through,

casting light onto the dark shadows

proving to me that every dark cloud has a silver lining.

When I gaze up into the sky

I see miracles that I was too busy to notice before

I feel God's presence all around me

And I am grateful that I can see beyond the clouds.

To see the beauty in other places of worship please visit

Friday Town Shoot Out main page for a list of participants.

You will see amazing architecture and amazing photography.

You won't be disappointed, I can promise you that.

From The Archives~ Final Resting Place

(Click Photo To Enlarge)

I took this photo on my husband's birthday in September

in the small town of Moapa, NV

This is one of my favorite photos and one that I am most proud of.

I like outdoor country themed objects.

To me, this rope on a fence represents the life of a rodeo cowboy.

I like to imagine that after practicing roping in a home arena,

the cowboy tossed his rope onto the fence post

making this its permanent home.

Mel's Diner

(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

No, this isn't the same Mel's Diner made famous by TV's Alice,

but it did catch my photographic eye and it is a nice neon sign

that would make a great postcard.

It's a cute little diner located on the scenic route in Boulder City

on the way to Las Vegas' famous Lake Mead

and the incredibly amazing wonderous awe of Hoover Dam.

Mosaic Monday~ Art Journals

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

The above mosaic showcases an art journal that I just started yesterday.

It was inspired by a post I read on Deb's blog over at Posted From Home.

There is a daily word prompt at dblogala's website to inspire an art entry for that day.

I thought it was a fun idea and although I'm not actively participating

I am playing along at my own speed. 

So far, I have completed the first five days worth of words.

November 1st and 2nd are on the same page.

The word prompts are Freedom and Purity.

Inspire is the word that prompted the above art.

Beauty:  It's all around.

Solitude.

I'm still playing catch up.

I've never done an art journal before but when I read the post on Deb's blog

I just knew I had to try.

I watched some you tube videos made by Teesha Moore

that show you step by step how to make a layered art journal

which is the process I am experimenting with.

To see more mosaic and collage creations,

visit Mary at Little Red House for a list of participants.

Thank you for stopping by.

I'll pay you a visit too, if you let me know you were here.

Solar Sunday

Please visit Rebecca at The Dusty Cellar Shoots

She is the creative mind behind this Sunday Theme

And she is a fabulous photographer.

Friday Town Shoot Out: Skylines

This week's theme is skylines, chosen by Kate.  Kate lives in Kanasa and she says, " One of my favorite things to see when I go to a new city is the look of their skyline - and for me, skylines can be the look of a small-town Main Street or the giant buildings of a huge city's downtown or a field full of corn. What is the "skyline" that you think of when someone mentions your town?

My town is Las Vegas:

I encourgage you to click on the photos to enlarge

and see more detail.

Normally, I avoid photos of the strip because I think

that's what people expect to see when they hear that I am from Vegas.

I usually try to showcase parts of the city

that might change your paradigm as to how you view my town. 

I like to present it as a family oriented place with lots of places to go

without having to be a part of the place called sin city.

So, until today,

I think I've been pretty consistent in the types of photos

that I post.

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the city

and all it has to offer.

The energy here is amazing and I love that the city never sleeps.

But, I like the slower pace most times.

Today,

I will be showcasing the city as you probably imagine it in your mind's eye

or show you pictures similar to what you've probably seen on TV.

(REMEMBER TO CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE)

This photo was taken on my birthday this year

on our way back from Laughlin.

This is a shot of Main Street taken from inside our truck

driving down the freeway headed westbound

and this view is looking southbound.

I think the Main Street Casino has the best buffet

even better than your fancy hotel casinos.

Today, I headed out with my camera looking for something to shoot.

This is the south end of the Las Vegas Strip

My perspective comes from the top of the parking garage of the Rio Hotel Casino.

This is the same view at a slightly different angle.

I like that I captured the railroad tracks in this photo.

This view is about as far west on Tropicana Avenue as you can go

looking east onto the strip.

I edited this photo and added several layers of effects. 

I think it looks so much better like this, because the reality is

Las Vegas is ugly during the day.

This is the exact same view as the photo right above it

taken just a few seconds later.

As you can see, I also edited this one. 

I changed it to black and white and then added some color which was accidental

but I really like how it turned out.

Next...

This Skyline comes from my very favorite city

Nashville, TN

This was taken from inside the car while traveling.

This is a photo from my trip there in August of this year.

I really like this skyline a lot.

The above photo is downtown Nashville, TN

(please click on the photo to get a better view)

Thank you Kate for this week's theme

and thanks to the Friday Shoot Out Gang for making this such a great experience.

Over the top blogging award. My first one and I'm passing it on.

Yay!   My very first blogging award.

Thank you Rebecca.

She has two wonderful blogs,

The Dusty Cellar and The Dusty Cellar Shoots

You added something special to my day.

One of the conditions of accepting this award is that I have to answer the following questions.

The catch is I can only use one word for each answer.

1. Where is your cell phone? Nightstand



2. Your hair? Dull



3. Your mother? Sick



4. Your father? Sick



5. Your favorite food? Mexican



6. Your dream last night? Weird



7. Your favorite drink? Tea



8. Your dream/goal? Travel



9. What room are you in? Living



10. Your hobby? Photography



11. Your fear? Spiders



12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Improving



13. Where were you last night? Home



14. Something that you aren't? Ambitious



15. Muffins? Blueberry



16. Wish list item? Cabin



17. Where did you grow up? Bakersfield



18. Last thing you did? Walked



19. What are you wearing? Clothes



20. Your TV? Entertaining



21. Your pets? Sasha



22. Friends? Fun



23. Your life? Secure



24. Your mood? Blah



25. Missing someone? Yes



26. Vehicle? Mustang



27. Something you're not wearing? Hat



28. Your favorite store? On-Line



29. Your favorite color? Black



30. When was the last time you laughed? Today



31. Last time you cried? Recently



32. Your best friend? Jennifer



33. One place that I go to over and over? Thoughts



34. One person who emails me regularly? Mother-in-law



35. Favorite place to eat? Que Mas

Next, I have to pass this award on to six other bloggers.

This is really difficult because there are so many amazing blogs that I follow.

Here are the six I choose to pass this award onto and my reasoning:

1.  Gigi at Afterthoughts

because her photography is amazing, she's from the south (which I love) and she's got personality. 
I feel a soul connection to her world.

2. Beth at Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Taken
because she can create beauty in the simplist form with her words and photos.  She is authentic.

3.  Sarah at Cottage Garden Studio
because she is an extremely talented artist and I admire her macro photography

4.  Pauline at The Paddock
because reading her thoughts always makes me smile. She is fun and I feel a kinship to her also.

5.  Hilary at The Smitten Image
because I was smitten the first time I read her blog. 
A walk with her is never dull and her pictures are wonderful.  She knows how to tell a story.

6.  Alicia at Titere Con Bonete
because she is so delightful.  I love her Iwanna Wednesday posts.  Her energy is contagious.


I really hate having to narrow it down so much because there are quite a few other blogs that I read on a daily basis and I love just as equally as the ones I mentioned above. 

Synchronicity is one of the blogs that I find quite intriguing and read every day.  I couldn't sign off without giving them an honorable mention.

I Want To Scream......

I'M DEBT FREE!

Today, I have earned my bragging rights.

In true Dave Ramsey fashion,

I can scream at the top of my lungs

I'M DEBT FREE!

This morning I made my very last mortage payment.

Yippee!

My husband and I discovered Dave Ramsey in 2004

and we started following his plan.

That meant doing a monthly budget

and living below our means.

There was no deprivation.

We still did whatever we wanted,

we just paid more attention to  where our money went.

We bought our house in December of 2001.

After we discovered Dave Ramsey,

we refinanced our house down to a ten year fixed rate loan at 5 %.

Our plan was to have it paid off in eight years from that date

which was November 24th, 2004.

And today,

 I have earned the right to say that it took us exactly five years.

I am so proud of us.

This is my biggest accomplishment to date,

except for the time I quit smoking.

That's my house in the photo above

and my two roomies on the front lawn.

Yes, that's my husband and my dog.

Don't they both look so cute?

I love that picture.

And below.........

(click on photo to enlarge)

Our next door neighbor, Bob

and a view of our neighborhood.

I must say that we got extrememly lucky with the neighbors that we have.

The whole street is a great bunch of people.

Life is good and we are very blessed.

I am one lucky woman.

Oh, and this post marks my 100th post which is also an accomplisment.

And,

I just found out I was given a blog award by Rebecca at The Dusty Cellar.

I will post a separate blog about that

but I am very excited and so grateful that she would think of me.

Thank you Rebecca!