Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes!

Metamorphasis by Tiffany Teske
Mixed Media Collage on Record Album Jacket (from the series Wanderlust)
SOLD

Come along with me as I change this blog for the better. I have enjoyed the randomosity but had sometime to think about it during our recent holidays, and I would like to have more of a plan. Hmmmmm, me! I just think that it would be helpful for me to have a bit of a guide, a loose guide, to what I would like to cover in each week. And, it would let regular readers know what to expect each week. I have decided not to do something specific each day, such a Monday being a recipe, Tuesday being a craft, because I am not sure I would stick with it, but I do want to have several topics that I will cover each week, every week. They are as follows...

1) 365 Days With Kiddos - This is something I have been yearning to do. It will be ideas and inspiration for moms, dads, and kiddos, on ways to spend time together, being creative, being grateful, making memories, and so much more. There will be lots of surprises! I will post something EACH DAY, some simple (just a line or two), some with added suggestions to take things in a more personal direction, and some that have recipes or craft tutorials. I will also include guest bloggers. The sky is the limit. This is a way for me to record the many things I do with my kiddos and to share them with others who are interested in connecting as a family in a fun and meaningful way. I will welcome comments, as always, and I think these posts will be all the richer if you let me know if you do these activities, and how you go about them, or if I have inspired you to do one of them, what YOU did.

2) One Recipe - There will be one recipe each week, in addition to any that are in 365.

3) Photo Day - Since I am a professional photographer, and I love to share my images, there will be a day where I share maybe one photo, maybe a whole photo essay with you.

4) Vintage Love - This is where I will share my favorite vintage finds, whether from my own collection, or that I have recently found while thrifting and rummaging.

Now, there will also be some topics that I blog about bi-monthly or monthly. These will include What I Am Working On (my art), Book Recommendations, My Talented Friends Feature, Grown Up Crafting, Giveaways, Happy & Healthy (natural health tips) and a Wanderings (travel) Feature. Whoo Hoo! I hope you will enjoy my new blog. I have put it out there and will now make it so...

What Do You Think? A Giveaway...

I am having a little contest of sorts, to welcome this New Year. I would love some feed back on whether to rename my blog or to keep it the same. Let's just say, I love change, but maybe things should stay the same? You can let me know your thoughts by participating in the poll at right-hand top of the page, and then leaving a comment here to let me know you have voted. Then, sometime on the morning of January 9th, 2009, I will have a drawing for two free gifts. Not just free gifts, but free hand made gifts. The winner will receive the set of two bamboo tile magnets you see pictured above. These magnets are beautiful and functional. They are made using prints of my Polaroid transfer images, Golden Blooms. They come in a gift bag for easy giving or storage. You will also receive an original Polaroid transfer of my choice, which I will select using things like your user name and blogger profile. I know, so mysterious, but I promise you will love it. If you would like to see my Polaroid transfer you can go to my Etsy shop. So, that is about $45 in prizes, for taking the time to vote and comment. And of course, I hope you will return to read my posts in the future, maybe even consider "following" me? I will be sure to check out all of your blogs. Thanks, friends! May 2009 be a year of positive changes for us all!!

Consolidating My Blogs

I have too many if you add in the ones that are group blogs, and since I am pregnant, have a 2 1/2 years old, and get busier than usual from time to time, I think it would be better to just have one personal blog for now. That way I can post daily in one place, instead of deciding where to post. This will be my official blog and I will no longer post to my blog at http://www.mypartforourplanet.blogspot.com. Since environmental issues are as dear to my daily life as art, food, and motherhood I feel this is a move in the right direction. Putting this all in one blog will make it more complete instead of fragmented like it was before. I appreciate your comments and hope you will enjoy my "new" blog, thank you :)

So Much To Do, So Darn Little Time...

I miss my blog. Things have been insane, all in a good way, aside from some colds around our house. I hope to have more time to write soon.

I have been editing photos from 17 photo shoots I had in Ottawa this summer. I am done with editing and uploading to online galleries, now I am working on building the albums for each of my clients. Here is just one of my favorite images from the shoots. What an adorably cheeky little lady!



In addition to that I am working two days a week at my friend's shop, Silver Spoon. It is an awesome job that I look forward to. I can bring my little one, since it is a children's shop, and the owner had a 3 year old of her own. His name is, of course, Silver. Here is a photo of two peas in a pod, hanging out at the shop. Admit it, you wanna ride an elephant, too :)



Aside from that, I have been preparing for my teaching my fall community courses, through the town of Banff. The first one started last Thursday night. It is Basic Digital Photography for ages 12 - 14. My class is small, all girls, and really fun. I forget sometimes how much I prefer to teach kids. Even the "difficult" ages most people dread. Kids are so much more open to new ways of thinking and seeing. And they are not as hard on themselves as adults. Adults let failure paralyze them. Kids just have fun experimenting. I hope to take some fun shots to share this week.

Next week, I am teaching a Lunch and Learn course to town of Banff Employees, on blogging. They have a public staff blog that they need help getting off the ground. I am going in to try to inspire everyone to give it a shot. I am looking forward to it.

I am also start teaching next Monday for the Banff After School Club. I will teach recycled art! Yippee! At one point I was to be teaching weekly but then sadly it was not in the program budget so it was changed to once a month. I was really sad so I mentioned to both the program coordinator for the program and the program coordinator for the Town that I would love to write for a grant, with their backing, to pay for my "position". They put their heads together and came up with a plan of their own that now has me teaching weekly, at least through the end of the year! On Monday we will make puzzles using old books that someone donated to the Club.

Lastly, I have been preparing for my upcoming solo show at the Banff Public Library, for the month of October. I will reveal more in upcoming posts but lets just say it involves Polaroid film and double exposures...

Photographers of Etsy Blog

I have had the honor of being a part of the Photographers of Etsy (POE) Team for quite awhile now. I was recently named an admin of th team and look forward to getting to know even more of the talented photographers on Etsy. The team has recently taken a new direction and is growing in leaps and bounds. The blog was started this week and is not only a great resources for all team members but also for anyone who loves photography.

My Etsy Shop