As the world turns . . .

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{Galveston Bay sunrise, 6:26 A.M.}

Each morning as the dawn breakswe all start with the same amount,and it can be a challenge to manage it well.It is a gift,that some use wiser than othersbecause we simply take it for granted,and are seldom thankful enough for it.And although it unfolds right before our eyes,it can not be seen or touched.But even though we can't hold it in our hands,the memories gathered from it can be held in our hearts.Some always seem pressed for it,but it requires some patienceas it can not be rushed.We race against it, we run out of it,and some try to buy, borrow and even kill it.But it is a non-renewable resourceworth its weight in gold,meant to be used in the present,and can not be sold.Its only requirement is that we be here, now.That we celebrate and not squander it,and that we not wish it away on the futureto spite today.Because once we waste itit can't be turned around.But make no mistake, it waits for no one.It will go on without us, guaranteed, time after time. . .
- Kim

I made it to the bay this week twice to watch God paint with his many brushes. And to think that millionsof people world-wide are sleeping, unaware of the beauty, the artistry that goes on without them. When we first moved here to the gulf I thought people just had to be crazy to want to live so close to a body of water that can cause so much destruction during a hurricane season. But I have come to understand the pull it can have on you, the addiction to want more. There is something incredible about watching the sun rise, and it's not just the beauty of it, but the reminder that time does not stand still, that it waits for no man. So I'm sharing some pictures from the sunrise just yesterday morning and how time changes, and sometimes it is so subtle that unless we take the time of day, we don't even take notice.

6:33 A.M

6:34 A.M.

6:41 A.M.

6:56 A.M.

6:56 A.M. {photograph life, looking up at the sky}

7:06 A.M.

7:18 A.M.

This was later on in the afternoon . . .

{Textured with Pixel Dust Photo Art age it, and painterly}

And lastly my Flower Art Friday submission, using Kim Klassen's Oh My, and Red.

{shoot.edit.submit}
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke,thoroughly used up, worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow, what a ride!"
- Hunter S. Thompson
Time, it's that one thing we can't save, that must be used. As the world turns we get 1440 minutes a day, how are you going to use yours?
Make it a great day!Love, KimXO

     

Look down long enough . . .

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. . . and you may lose your sense of direction.
Unless you are surrounded by a field of aromatic lavender, which is not a bad thing, but . . .

{Kim Klassen textures, kkred in hardlight and kkwarm sun in overlay}
"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down,you can't see something that's above you."
- C. S. Lewis

Today, I'm hurting, feeling a bit angry, and a lot perplexed. I know this isn't somethingI normally share here but I promised myself that I was going to be authentic when I started this blog.And occasionally I need to stray from the candy store, because well, life isn't always sweet.
To quote my daughter from a paper she wrote: " Is it at all hypocritical that the the thing that confuses me in life is my own species? You would think that, being a human, I would understand them. But really, humans are the most inconsistent beings I have ever seen." Honestly, I wonder the same thing at times.
Life, between all the beautiful moments is just hard sometimes. Sometimes people make it harder. Sometimes those people aren't the ones you can choose, but the ones that you cannot.
You see, this weekend on facebook I saw a picture of my nephew. He turned 2. It was the first timeI had ever seen him, and it was a picture, on facebook from someone who is not related to him. And in allhonesty I thought I had come to terms with the fact that my brother, for a reason I do not know, does not include me in his life. But it got me, like an arrow in the heart and not the kind from cupid.
Right now, my brother is that proud man, who is unfortunately looking down on things and people.People I love very much.  My nephew is missing out on all the things his father is not looking at above him. I can't help but wonder how he will feel about that when he is older.
And quoting from her again, "Even if you look among your peers, your family even, you will see that all of you are completely different. No two people are the same, but yet we all share a common trait. We all live on this Earth, we all have souls and we all feel pain, happiness, heartbreak, joy. Why do other humans feel the need to cause someone just like them pain and suffering?" Well, that's the million dollar question for which I will gladly take a 2 cent answer.
You know, if you walk long enough with your head down I'm pretty sure at some point you will hit a brick wall. And I can think of only a few reasons why one would really need to look down anyway . . . when you come across a beautiful field of lavender (of course), to avoid stepping in the (BS) from the proud man in front of you, and while in Texas to avoid stepping in a pile of fire ants!
Oh, but most importantly,
"Never look down on anybody, unless your helping him up"-Jesse Jackson

Love, KimXO
P.S. - come back next week, I'll be sharing more on that lavender field . . . happy thoughts only! ; )




   

Be still . . .

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  As the dawn breaks over the horizon, for which I see no beginning or end,I sit in stillness and know that you are God. When I silence my heart and mind,
I can hear you call my name. And as my eyes take in the beauty around me,I see all that you have written.  - Kim

I had set my alarm, but hit snooze a few times too many. I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it on time for the show, but decided to just go anyway. I'm glad I did . . .  I raced out of the car with camera and tripod in hand, and this was the very first click of the morning. And surprise, this week I do have more than just the sunrise. ; ) 

And as soon as the sun rose just behind the clouds, it turned into this . . .

If you look really closely in the photo above, far in the distance in the golden light, is this shrimp boat that I zoomed in on.

There is just something about the stillness at the start of the day, although that doesn't mean everything else around us is still. There seemed to be a fierce game of chase going on.

And I wasn't the only one in need of a little reflection.



And then I was off, just down the street, to sit and just think about nothing. It's one of my favorite spots along the coastal birding trail, a small wooden platform off in a little alcove. This place is kind of likean eraser for my mind, where inspiration comes in the stillness. The silence of real life. Where you can hear things you can't see rustling about, where you can hear the buzzing of a dragonflies wings.


And on my walk, I have to say that I was a bit surprised to see Wisteria blooming this late in the season. The photo art Friday theme this week is container and I'm stretching this one a bit. The heavenly scent iscontained by this beautiful vine....I know, I know, but it's all I got.
{Flower Art Friday / Photo Art Friday - textures, RHWest Script, and age it from Pixel Dust}
As I started heading back to the car I just happened to spy this Night Heron up in the trees. He wasn't at all
liking the clicking of my camera and didn't stick around long.

And then shortly after that, I had found a bench in the shade and sat down to take a break from the heat. And there it was, this Green June Beetle rustling around the ground. It was incredible, as the metallic colors seemed to glow in the shade. Oh, but I didn't have my macro lens with me (it was still in the car), so I looked around for something to carry it back on, hoping the whole while it didn't fly away and that I could actually change my lens without losing it.  

Just check out that antennae! And it was no small beetle at about almost an inch long and half an inch wide. It was pretty difficult to really capture all its shiny metallic colors, and he didn't want to play dead and roll over so I could show you his belly that was a metallic copper. He would have made a great specimen for some resin jewelry, but I wasn't about to kill it.
{Shoot.Edit.Submit}
"Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don't realize thisbecause almost everyone is suffering from it, so it is considered normal. This incessantmental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from being."
-Eckhart Tolle
How do you quiet your mind, do you have a special place?Wishing you a wonderful weekend with some stillness!Love, KimXO




    

I'm a Zombie . . .

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I'm afraid that in the wrestling match I've been having with thisfirst week of school...well...let's just say I'm NOT winning.Nothing in my brain is coming out coherently and my eyesare so tired, I can't properly see the computer screen.I finally hit that proverbial brick wall . . . and my phone the floor, it smashed the screen to bits!
Yep, it's just been one of those weeks . . . .


But one with a long weekend, so I can hopefully get caught up on some sleep and everything else, and come back with fresh eyes. Did anyone else turn into a Zombie this week?
Have a great Labor Day weekend and be safe!Love, KimXO

A textured Friday . . .

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"Everywhere water is a thing of beautygleaming in the dewdrop,singing in the rain."
- John Ballantine Gough

Oh wow, I haven't even been out with my camera this week - I haven't felt well, which is why it's been a little quiet on my side of the pond. So, I finally went to the doctor and have a sinus infection, fluid filled ears and seasonal asthma! UGH!!  It's amazing what a couple of days of medication can do though . . . which is a good thing . . . because I'm not very good at doing nothing.
This week at Bonnie's photo art Friday the theme is liquid. So I went to my archives for a few photos with some kind of liquid and decided to have some texture fun.


This first one, dew drops on a weed stem . . . 


If you haven't noticed, I do seem to have a fetish with water drops. In fact I carry a small spray bottle in my camera bag along with an eyedropper . . . yep,  my big tip for the day!!
{Photo Art Friday and Foto Friday}

This one I textured with her new freebie, Blue Depths in overlay - just love how it complimented the stone wall but in a subtle way.




These are the same rose, different textures . . . the bottom photo has her soft sunset texture in 2 layers, both in overlay. Such a great painterly effect . . .
{Flower Art Friday}
Short and sweet this week, I'm going to go take a nap now! ; )
Have a great weekend!Love, KimXO

Sharing with Photo Art Friday, Flower Art Friday, Fabulous Friday, This and That Thursday,Finding Serendipity, Foto Friday

so not shabby { Shabby Apple Giveaway }

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Summer is in full affect and that means I am wearing dresses and skirts, when I am out and about, of course ;) Have you seen Shabby Apple's fun dresses and skirts? I adore the bright, summery colors! I'm pretty sure I need that yellow dress.I am more of a casual girl, but they have fancy dresses too.
Shabby Apple wants to make sure you are dressed up all pretty this summer and is offering one lucky winner $50 towards a purchase at ShabbyApple.com.
Also, if you just can't wait to buy something you can take 10% off your order with the code penandpaint10off through July 31st!
Enter to win below using Rafflecopter. If you haven't used it before don't be scared, it doesn't bite and it's self explanatory. Good luck!
No purchase necessary to enter to win.Sweepstakes open July 6, 2012 - July 13, 2012.Odds of winning are based on number of entries through Rafflecopter.Winner is selected randomly through Rafflecopter.This giveaway is open to US residents only 18 years & older.Prize value of $50 towards purchase at ShabbyApple.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway

new things and a discount

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I've added some new prints to the shop and of course that means it's time for a discount.There are three new colors added to the "Do Small Things With Great Love" series.{ green }  { orange }  { purple }
I stepped out of my comfort zone and did a print with simple hand lettering and no additional design.The verse (Hebrews 3:13) is actually something my husband wrote on a scrap of paper and put on our refrigerator. I see it every day and it's a constant reminder for me.I knew I wanted to do a print of the verse, but just couldn't decide what. After drawing the text and trying to figure out a design I finally realized it could stand alone.
{ found here & available in multiple colors }
There is also something new here and here.
You can save 15% on your order (any print) by using the code NEW15 through today.

yes, that was easy { magnet clothespins }

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I am constantly putting pieces of paper on the fridge(invitations, coupons, business cards, reminders, whatever I don't want to lose or have the boys turn into a pirate map).I like magnets, but I like them even better if I can clip something to them. Enter the easiest craft on earth:Magnet clothespins covered in cute washi tape.What you need is magnetic tape from your craft store, washi tape, and wooden clothespins. Tear off a strip of washi tape a tad bit longer than your clothespin, stick it on the clothespin and fold over the edges. Boom, cute clothespin. Then cut a small piece of magnet tape, peal off the little piece of paper and adhere the sticky side to the bottom part of the back of your clothespin.There you have cute, clip magnets.
I used mine to display my fun print from Yellow Heart Art.You can find washi tape here or at Target (I hear they carry it now).I got my clothespins for a dollar at Walmart, and my magnet tape is old, but I am sure it was from Hobby Lobby or Michael's.
Go get your craft on.

everything

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Family is not an important thing;it's everything.-Michael J. Fox
I am already sketching this quote.
And I am just busy being a mama.
The other day I had to be reminded being mama is my job first and for most. It's before anything else. I am thankful for a husband who can keep me in check. I am thankful for a family that keeps me busy. There is never a time when I don't have things to clean, cook, fix, the list goes on. And though it is exhausting and demanding I am so thankful.