Ok. Here’s my final planned project for 2009. As you will notice the
numbers go down: 365 photos, 52 tags, 52 catalysts, and now 12 areas of
focus. I want to make sure these projects are realistic and no more than
I can handle in one year, especially on a year when I’m expecting a baby.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I’d like to learn to use Photoshop
better. I’ve been using Photoshop since 1992 and while I’ve learned a
lot over the last sixteen years, I really haven’t learned as much as I
could have and I’ve never spent focused effort to improve my knowledge.
Obviously, the main area of focus on Photoshop for me is the digital
photography since that’s my business. But I’m also interested being able
to make brushes and overlays, and basic things to help me do more hybrid
scrapbooking. This list might change over the year and I learn and
explore more but here’s main areas of focus I’ve chosen so far:
- layer masks
- image modes: lab color
- channel mixer
- hue/saturation
- curves
- layers: fill or adjustment layers and layer styles
- channels
- textures: grunge, vintage etc.
- paths
- creating brushes
- clipping masks
- lighting effects
This project will include finding and doing workshops related to each
area. Ideally, at least one a week. As I do them, I will post links to
workshops and any examples I produce.
And, this will also mean that I will finally work my way through David’s amazing tutorials
especially since I’m already a member and receive them all. Just because
I need to be ultra-organized for things to actually happen, here’s the
order in which I plan to do his tutorials: (this may also change if my
focuses change)
As you’ll notice, these end in April because that’s when the little one
comes. I figure after that things might get blurry for a while and by
the time I have my sanity back, David will have put up a whole bunch
more so I can add them to my list then.
Well there you go. If you know Photoshop very well and have some advice
on how to revise the list above, what to add or remove, all advice is
welcome. I plan to start this weekend so let’s see how much progress I
make.
Another one of the little boy. You know I will have a lot of those this
year. See the crooked smile again? When I ask him if I can take his
photo, he immediately dons this face. This is on the way to school. He
likes to run down this road and this morning he had a small snack of
pretzels and wouldn’t let go of them as he ran.
Things have been hectic in 2009 already. Working on a big dream I had
that is so far promising to come true before the little one arrives.
Christmas tree is still up and I just decided I am not ready to take it
down yet, so there. Other than that life is same old same old here. I am
really exhausted the last two days, not sure if it’s the pregnancy, the
hours of work I’m putting into the aforementioned dream, or the fact
that David’s been waking up in the middle of the night and requesting
hugs and kisses. Either way, I am glad the weekend is coming soon.
Today I just wanted a smiley boy. He’s doing his weird smile but I still
love it.
The Christmas tree is still not down here but we’ve already gotten back
into the routine of things. I generally start my day by checking my
mail, reading AMM, and my
RSS feeds. I make breakfast for David and then jump in the shower. We
then both relax as we eat our food. I make David’s lunch for school and
we both get ready and we’re out the door. I drop David off at school and
get to work and our days begin.
It might sound boring or tiresome but I love routine and I love this
one, especially on a morning like this when I miraculously woke up
before David and he slept all the way to 8am. This never happens. I have
a lot of work today for both my job and a scrapping project I am working
on so I needed the little bit of extra sleep and the quiet time in the
morning, so I feel extra blessed for the tiny break I got.
Well, off to start our day. May yours be a wonderful one.
I know I should stop adding new projects to what promises to be an
already very full year but after this one I only have one more in mind
so I think I’m close to the end.
For this project, I decided to combine my own version of Julie’s Project
52 with Emily’s 52Q.
I wanted to spend more time trying new techniques, exploring and seeing
what I like so I made a list of all the techniques I could think of
(almost all of which doesn’t require me to buy any new supplies of any
kind.) I ordered manilla tags so that I can do a tag a week using
Emily’s questions as my prompts and a tehcnique from my list. I used
Excel to randomize my list (I am a computer geek afterall) and I’m only
allowed to go up or down 4 in the list each week for my technique just
so I don’t spend too much time picking one.
Since the tags are still on order, this might take another week to start
or I might just make my own tag for this week, we’ll see. But here’s the
list of all my techniques.
- Misters (tim’s mini misters)
- 3-dimensional embellishments
- water soluble crayons
- brayer/paint
- Vinyl
- paper pleating
- paper piecing
- Wire
- make my own flowers
- something with a lot of ink/watercolor like debee
- play with transparencies (made at home)
- UTEE
- create a lot of layers/depth
- Metal embellishments
- resist ink/castaway ink…
- Fabric
- Sanding
- Polymer Clay (SculpeyIII)
- beeswax
- bubble wrap
- Diamond Glaze
- gum arabic/pearlex
- alcohol inks
- Chalking
- flocking
- Acrylic paint (dabber or golden)
- use only rubons
- Grungeboard
- masking
- spray paint
- microbeads
- Masking Tape
- bleach
- doodling
- Machine Stitching
- printing on canvas (using canvas in general)
- Something with stamping
- Fragment charms
- something with complicated stitching
- Alcohol ink mixatives
- crackle paint/glaze
- do one of tim’s tags
- Stickles/distress or otherwise
- Vintage
- embossing
- Glossy accents
- Glimmer Mist
- Felt
- paper poking
- Distress Ink
- hand stitching/emboridery
- something with metal
I picked tags cause they are small and make this project more manageable
for me. This will be my version of an art journal this year.
This morning when I took David to school, his teachers told me about how
he loves playing with these trains and likes to make a really long one.
The classroom is really dark (especially since it’s cloudy outside, too)
so I wasn’t able to capture anything better. But I love this photo cause
he’s smiling and the way he’s sitting is exactly how little kids sit. I
am pretty proud of myself for letting imperfections go and just
capturing daily life. Trust me, it’s not easy for me.
I also decided I want to learn a lot more about Photoshop this year and
concentrate on bettering my photography as well, something I constantly
strive to do. It’s good for my business but it’s good for me. I love
taking photos so why not be better at it?
And here’s a shot from the tree which will probably start coming down
today. I honestly am still not ready to take it down yet.
Today’s my mom and dad’s 40th wedding anniversary. 40 years…wow! My
sister came up with this amazing idea of getting them 40 roses, each
with a message of why we’re so thankful to them. Some are more generic
like we’re thankful that you taught us right from wrong and some are
specific like thank you for a fantastic trip to Disneyland, etc. So I
asked my sister to snap a photo for me so that I could keep the memory.
Here’s the photo. And here are all the translated reasons (the originals
are in Turkish).
For being our mom and dad
Daddy, for always being a kid with us
Mommy, for never putting up with our acting spoiled
For accepting your son-in-laws as if they were your own kids
For always giving love without expecting it in return
Daddy, for being the most fun grandfather
Mommy, for always showing us the cup’s half full side
For putting us first in your life
For raising us with the right values
Daddy, for putting on unforgettable parties for us
Mommy, for teaching us to be thankful every day
For always managing to stay young at heart
Daddy, for explaining us the values of our roots
Mommy, for always putting up with us
Mommy, for teaching us not to worry about penny-accounting
Daddy, for teaching us to never hurt anyone
Daddy, for staying with us with love each time we got sick
For being the best grandmother
Mommy, for teaching us to save money
Daddy, for quitting smoking even though it was incredibly difficult for
you
Daddy, for never hurting our feelings
Mommy, for your creativity and always being an example to us
Mommy, for being near us under every condition as we became mothers
Daddy, for watching movies with us for hours when we were little and
translating every word
Daddy, for teaching us math with games
For always urging us to do anything we wanted in life
For always sharing every topic we were interested in
Mommy, for warning us that true friendship is rare and hard to find
Daddy, for taking the time to save our memories
For an unbelieavable and unforgettable Disney World trip
For teaching us honesty and integrity
Mommy, for teaching us the importance of standing on our own two feet
For getting remarried (to each other)
For encouraging us to learn foreign languages from a young age
For emphasizing the importance of sisterhood
For telling us family is more important than anything else
For giving us the opportunity to see different countries and meet
different cultures
For your unlimited patience and understanding
For accepting both your daughters as who they each are
For reminding us the importance of love every minute of every day
We love you because for 40 years for each other, for 38 years for yona,
35 years for Karen, 15 years for Jake and Isaac, 10 years for Axel and
Jeff, and 4 years for David, you were by our side for each joy and
sorrow and we cannot imagine a life without you.
We love you.
Love you both madly.
The year’s finally started today. David’s back to school and I am back
to work. It feels good to be back in the routine but I miss him already.
We still have our Christmas tree up too so I am not ready to let go of
it all just yet. I gave myself one more week. Here are a few shots of
David from this morning. He’s been loving the lightsaber and plays with
it constantly.
Love this boy.
I know, I know, another computer screen photo with not much to see. But
there’s a story and a good one. Today’s my grandmother Maya’s 90th
birthday. My whole family and her friends and loved ones are all
celebrating in a restaurant in Istanbul and my wonderful sister found a
way for me to be there without flying there.
At the end of their dinner, we used the wonderful iChat to connect to
them live so Jake and I could wish her the best birthday. David was
excited about the idea but got shy in the last minute, so he didn’t come
to the screen. It was really special and for a few moments I felt like I
was there with them. Happy Happy Happy Birthday Omamika, to many many
many more!!!
In case we couldn’t make a connection I’d prerecorded a message to her
and then we also made a movie the three of us. here’s that movie. It’s quite funny.
Just so you don’t think I’m not taking photos of the little boy, here’s
a shot of David watching Winnie the Pooh on his little DVD player.
Happy Sunday!
Today’s catalyst is up: Tell
us about a BIG dream you want to achieve (aim high!).
My text is right from the blog entry a few days ago:
Anyone who really really knows me would know that I am not peaceful. I
don’t feel comfortable in my own skin. I’ve always felt different and
not in a good way. Like something’s wrong with me. Like I don’t belong.
Like I am not good enough. And will never be.
This is not tied to any particular achievement. I’ve achieved a lot in
my life. I’ve been really lucky and blessed to have a great education,
fantastic career, amazing and loving husband and truly the best kid in
the world. And that’s just a few of them. But this feeling of not
measuring up (to something undefined) doesn’t go away. I compare to
others constantly but only in ways where I feel like I am not as good.
Not as intelligent. Not as pretty. Not as nice. Not as talented. I can
go on and on.
So this year I decided to work on the most important concept of all (for
me.) Achieving peace and blooming into my own. This is my year to
discover and embrace who I am. Be the best of me and love it. Relax and
not criticize myself. Not compare myself to anyone. Not worry about
being not good enough. Stop and appreciate the truly amazing things in
my life. Be thankful. Shed the past and be open and welcoming to the
great future. But mostly be in the present.
God willing, I will have another baby this year and I want to make sure
my kids have a peaceful mom who is happy with who she is (flaws and
all). I want to make sure my husband has a wife who is happy. If there’s
one thing I’d like to teach my kids, it’s that it’s ok to be whomever
they are. And how better to teach it than by example?
I started the day by talking to my sister over iChat. We have some
special upcoming family events so there’s been much organizing over the
computer. I like this photo even though it’s low quality because it
shows the twenty things happening at the same time. Chatting with my
sister, backing up David’s DVDs as he sits next to me looking through
them, reading my blogs, all at the same time. Not to mention the crowded
couch showing my anti-nausea medication, the bills I still have to pay,
and just the overall chaos of finishing off last minute chores.
This is what Project
365 is for me, capturing our daily, ordinary life for a whole year.
Here’s David dancing to Pink’s “So What.” His new favorite song. He
rocks out while the song plays and I love watching all of his moves and
the faces he makes.
Another quiet day in the household. David and I spent the morning
relaxing in bed while I read a book and he watched Thomas on the DVD
player. Then we read some books together on the couch and I caught up on
my email and blogs. I have bit of a list of chores to do today like
getting groceries and doing laundry and cleaning up my scrap space which
has gotten completely out of control. But nothing urgent and it’s nice
to know that I can just take the day to relax and read and enjoy my life.
And, yes, my Christmas stuff is still up. I decided I won’t take
anything down until the next garbage day which is Thursday next week so
I can enjoy my tree for another few days.
I can’t remember when I gave up making resolutions but I have. I decided
I don’t want to wait until the first day of the new year to be a new me.
Why not do it today?
Not that I stuck to them when I used to make them. I have realized over
the years that I will never be as thin as I want to be or do as many
things as I’d like to get done in a day or year. The books won’t really
get written, until they do. I won’t learn as much, be as much, read as
much, give as much as I’d like to. Until I do. And when I do, I will.
The first day of the year won’t change any of these facts and why tie it
to something so random?
What I am trying to do instead is have more focus areas for myself each
year. Sort of aligned with Ali Edwards’ word of the year, I am picking
themes for myself and trying to make sure I focus on it all year long so
it’s ingrained in who I am by the end of the year. Last year, my word
was “journey.” I wanted to focus on enjoying the journey that is life
and not always the destination. Enjoy the little moments. Appreciate
life. Stop. Breathe. Look Around. I think I achieved some of it and, of
course, it will be ongoing work but I do feel it to be more a part of
who I am now.
I decided on this year’s word a few months ago when I was preparing a
class I taught (which is when I made the calendar photographed above).
Anyone who really really knows me would know that I am not peaceful. I
don’t feel comfortable in my own skin. I’ve always felt different and
not in a good way. Like something’s wrong with me. Like I don’t belong.
Like I am not good enough. And will never be.
This is not tied to any particular achievement. I’ve achieved a lot in
my life. I’ve been really lucky and blessed to have a great education,
fantastic career, amazing and loving husband and truly the best kid in
the world. And that’s just a few of them. But this feeling of not
measuring up (to something undefined) doesn’t go away. I compare to
others constantly but only in ways where I feel like I am not as good.
Not as intelligent. Not as pretty. Not as nice. Not as talented. I can
go on and on.
So this year I decided to work on the most important concept of all (for
me.) Achieving peace and blooming into my own. This is my year to
discover and embrace who I am. Be the best of me and love it. Relax and
not criticize myself. Not compare myself to anyone. Not worry about
being not good enough. Stop and appreciate the truly amazing things in
my life. Be thankful. Shed the past and be open and welcoming to the
great future. But mostly be in the present.
God willing, I will have another baby this year and I want to make sure
my kids have a peaceful mom who is happy with who she is (flaws and
all). I want to make sure my husband has a wife who is happy. If there’s
one thing I’d like to teach my kids, it’s that it’s ok to be whomever
they are. And how better to teach it than by example?
So here we go, the year of peace and bloom.
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projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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