More zoo pics

Here's a few more zoo pics from my excursion this week.

Zoo time with friends

Within the city there is no place like the zoo for taking photos. Four of us girlfriends went yesterday. It was so much fun. Took over 700 pics, here are a few.
More tomorrow.

Brain pieces everywhere!

I feel like my head is going to explode. I started a class on Adobe Photoshop at our local college. I hate realizing my limitations!!! I will learn this stuff. I love the Photoshop part, but I am so inept with my computer knowledge. It probably is taking me four times as long as the other students to do my assignments. But in a few weeks I should be able to start posting some of my collages (I hope).


One good thing is that my friend, Ella, took my gears to clean and rust so that she could use them. Thank you Ella! I do not anticipate that I will be working with them for at least a month.



I have taken over a thousand photos in the last ten days. One day at the Bio Park here in Albuquerque. I spent that wonderful day with my daughter Lisa just browsing and doing macro photography. A walk in the neighborhood with an artist friend gave me more. And then a day at Fiber Arts Fiesta gave me lots of inspiration and targets for my camera.

Macro shots of fabric

I have been looking to find backgrounds for my immersion into Adobe Photoshop. I was going through some fabric samples and realized that I could do macos on them and get some really cool backgrounds. Since I receive so many samples I will keep an open eye when I go through them from now on. One twelve inch piece can give you many different images.

Walk with a camera

I know I am supposed to exercise but I don't like to, however give me an excuse to take photos and I will get out and do it. So the idea is to trick myself into walking to where the subjects may be. In truth I know that there are things to photograph everywhere. I went for a walk with my friend Lynne and found many within a half mile of the house.

The day was sunny, great for shadow play.

Found an old wall that had great texture.

Texture and light is what it is all about.

Repetition makes for comfort and depth in this photo.

I love macro photography. This is actually a edge of a four inch wooden landscaping post.


Part of a grate for water drainage.

Keep working forward

OK I am breathing normal again. It is nice to play off of all the things I started in my week of chaos. Yesterday I worked at a polling place for a local school election. Boring!!! However, good things come from strange places. One of the ladies there uses Adobe Photoshop (a program I just got) and she showed me how to get started on the system. So much better than trying to learn from a 700 page manual. Also with the down time I was able to do a Zentange that I really like.

My Zentangle

Done on a piece of paper from a card I received. Look at Christmas cards and other cards, they often are done on wonderful paper. There are areas of the paper where there is no writing or it is thick enough that the printing does not show. In these cards there are other gorgeous papers that can be recycled.
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I am working on some ATCs for an exchange. Not done yet, but definitely making progress. I need to make 22 of these puppies.

These are all made from scraps and recycled items (an old lab coat, scraps from my machine felted art pieces, pieces from upholstery samples).

I have been working on an ATC workshop. I love working on the pieces but so far have only been working on the bases. I think I am intimidated by the paper. I just am not sure what to put on it. I will figure it out, but right now fabric is easier. But what the heck, by the time I finish the workshop I should be able to sing and dance, stand on my head, and put embellishments on paper, right?

intuitive drawing on watercolor base

stenciled acrylic - acrylic base

stenciled acrylic - acrylic base

acrylic paint on stamp - watercolor over metallic pen for base

acrylic paint on stamp - watercolor over metallic pen for base

pearlized paint on paper towel - torn and applied to base

torn paper applied to base & inked

Lumiere paint on paper towel and applied to base

Lumiere painted paper towel - torn and applied to base - ink stamped

slide holder painted and stenciled

slide holder painted and stenciled

I have not forgotten about my photography. I still am carrying my camera most places I go. I was in the bread store the other day and snapped this picture. I love fresh bread but I don't make my own anymore.