Summer Fun Challenge: Water Photos

15 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in iPhoneography, Lifestyle, Summer

Tags

feet in water, floating in water, hands photos, iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhoneography, lifeguard, lifestyle, outdoor pool, photo contest, Photograph, pool, pool photos, red nails, shadow photos, summer fun, summer in Virginia, summer photos, swimming photos

Recently, I signed-up to join Blissfully Domestic’s Summer Fun Photo Challenge where Angela England hosts a different photo challenge topic during each week of the summer. Results are posted on Fridays.

Week One’s task was to photograph Water, and the topic is open to any interpretation.

So the other day, I hopped over to the pool, iPhone in-hand.

No doubt, folks thought I was a bit looney as I waded into four feet of pool water with my iPhone.

Regardless, I managed to keep my iPhone safe from the dangerous waters!

And, people at the pool thought I was even nuttier, probably quite narcissistic, as I spent the afternoon in the water taking pictures of my own hands and feet.

Okay, okay… so I got a little help from my husband taking the photo of my two hands (after all, I couldn’t push the button). However, it was frustrating because he couldn’t see what I saw, so, quickly the team photo tactic was abandoned.

One time, the life guard called out, “Are you trying to get a photo of your ring?” Ummm… not exactly…

And, I snapped a more shots of the pool.

Hummm… what to we have here? A crack in the stair?

Then, more shots of my legs. They looked cool.

Another quick look around to see what I missed…

Then, it was time to get out and hit the pool deck.

All in all, it had been a lovely day at the pool, don’t you think?

The topic for next week’s Summer Fun Photo Challenge is Technology… not in my comfort zone, for sure!

To join the fun, visit Blissfully Domestic’s Summer Fun Photo Challenge. Each week we’ll get a different theme and each Friday we post results. Here’s what’s ahead…

June 15, Week 1 = Water
June 22, Week 2 = Technology
June 29, Week 3 = Fun/Playtime
July 6, Week 4 = Light
July 13, Week 5 = Family/Home
July 20, Week 6 = Money
July 27, Week 7 = Travel
August 3, Week 8 = Friendship/Love
August 10, Week 9 = Food
August 17, Week 10 = Learning

So grab your camera, and join in the summer photo fun!

Fiery Garden Flowers

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in Flora and Fauna, Flowers, Home and Garden, iPhoneography, Nature, Summer

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Tags

cala lily, cala lily "Captain Melrose", daylily, daylily "Stella de Oro", Flora and Fauna, flower photogaphy, flower photos, Gaillardia, garden photography, Hemerocallis "Stella de Oro", iPhone 4, iPhone Photography, iPhone photos, iPhoneography, June, macro photography, orange daylily, Pink flower, pink rose, Pink Traviata rose, rosa Pink Traviata, spring flowers, Spring garden, Virginia flowers, yellow daylily

It’s been raining here for two days, providing lots of water for my just-planted garden perennials. I am a little bummed because just before the rain, some of my roses were about to burst open. Now, the partially opened buds, especially those of gorgeous and dramatic “Pink Traviata” rose, are heavy and rain-sodden. I’ll have to wait for the next round of buds to see gorgeous flowers in full-bloom.

And, this is the second wave of nearly-open buds to get drenched this season. Sad as this is for my flower-greedy eyes, my new plants and their roots will have a marvelously moist season, with lots of sun in-between, so that they may become well-established.

With that in mind, I can wait a little longer for my pretty flowers to show themselves in full boom.

Meanwhile, I snapped some photos the other day when the sun was bright and temperatures were really, really, high.

With temperatures close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it was sweltering HOT in the garden… and the flowers didn’t seem to mind a bit.

Focusing on the bright colors of my garden offerings, these vivid red, pink, orange and yellow flowers reflected the sun’s sweltering early-June heat.

Still early in the season, and with summer not yet officially here, I can only imagine what July’s searing summer temperatures will bring!

So, while I wait for the rain to subside, I’ll quench my desire for more sunny days with these photos of hot flowers waiting for me in the garden.

Even in shade, their bold and intense colors, like those in cala lily “Captain Melorse” are striking and exciting to the eye.

When the rain finally subsides, one again my brilliant garden beauties will be bursting with dramatic, fiery colors. Best of all, they will be even bigger, bolder and better than before.

Rocker Redo with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Craft, Decorative Painting, DIY, Favorite Products, Home Projects, iPhoneography, Lifestyle

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Tags

Annie Sloan, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Color Card, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Colors, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Palette, Annie Sloan Cream, Annie Sloan Old White, Annie Sloan Versailles, ASCP, chalk paint, Color Card, craft paint, decorative paint, DIY, diy furniture paint, DIY furniture painting, girl's paint, Hand Painted Color Card, hand painted furniture, historic paint, home decorating, iPhone 4, low VOC paint, Paint, paint palette, painted furniture, painting vintage furniture, refinishing furniture, repainted furniture, rocking chair redo, vintage furniture

After completing several DIY painted furniture projects, I’m kind of liking my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. As Ms. Sloan promised during her visit to the east coast this spring, her low VOC paint does adhere to anything, and requires no primer or special prep. I like that. Also, it is quick drying and presents a “matte velvety” finish. Perfect for decorative painting projects, especially worn or old furniture that could use a facelift.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint palette offered in the United States for 2012. I’ve fiddled with color settings a bit on my computer in an attempt to accurately replicate the color card in my hand on your computer screen. © 2012 EddinsImages

So far, my eight ASCP colors – out of 29 offered by Sloan today – are each quite conservative and light in tone. They are: Old White; Cream; Versailles; French Linen; Country Grey; Old Violet; Duck Egg and Louis Blue.

I need some more colors in my palette… more intense colors with punch! These are code words, off course, for: buy more paint! The only problem is, when I try to decide which two or three colors will come home next… immediately, my list grows to no less than eight different hues. Hummm. At close to $40 per quart, I’ll be giving some serious thought to my choices.

Meanwhile, here are some photos of a rocking chair I repainted recently. My grandmother purchased the chair about 40 years ago for my brother’s bedroom in the family home on Cape Cod. The chair is quite comfortable, especially for a rocker. However, I am tired of the plain-jane stained wood, and my house today is littered with stained wood pieces. Something had to be transformed…

For the rocker, I used Old White, then layered and textured a bit with Cream and Versailles. Also, I sanded in places throughout the process to let the original wood show through. So far, I’ve not finished this piece with my final layer of wax, however, I plan to top it with Annie Sloan Soft Wax in Clear.

All in all, the project took several hours… a solid half to three-quarters of a day, considering drying time between coats. I was going for a sort of worn, shabby chic, textured look that was light (but not white) and would work in a variety of decorating styles.

I am quite pleased with the chair’s new versatility in our country home. In fact, it goes perfectly well with the little blue stool I painted with Annie Sloan paint earlier in the year…

Reinventing Claire

~ with Passion & Purpose

Tag Archives: iPhone 4

Summer Fun Challenge: Water Photos

Fiery Garden Flowers

Rocker Redo with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint