Design Blog

I've added an additional blog that will be specifically used for scrapbooking as well as custom templates and design. The link is on your right.

366-Discovery, Swing, Sunrise

We got about 8 inches of snow in 3 hours yesterday, it was Anna's first time to be in the snow. She looked like the Michelen man...and couldn't hardly stand up with all her snow clothes on. Good thing she didn't need to stand up in her...

Swing:

So it wasn't a suprise when we woke up this morning that everything was still covered with the white stuff. It was a gorgeous morning. A Sunrise from the back door\

Sunrise:

And of course we had to go out and play in it this afternoon...

Discovery:

366- Ruined Magnets

Ruined:

I like my bananas on the green side, so these are definately ruined (or only good for banana bread, which is what they became shortly after this photo was taken.

Magnet:

Anna loves to repeat back her ABC's and 123's, and also loves taking Mommy's magnets off the fridge. Now she has her own, and they don't stay where they are supposed to very long, instead they are scattered throughout the kitchen.

Valentines Special

Creative Valentines cards....

Check out the website for a Valentines Special.

Valid from Jan 25 thru Feb 3rd.

366-A Challenge and a Pair of Eyes

Wow! It's so easy to get a day behind. Things here have been crazy, so I've got a little catching up to do. I was playing with the new flash, just trying to get a grip on its functions, etc. While trying to catch a few moments with the little Miss before she's grown-up completely!

Every morning starts out with breakfast, well today she didn't want help eating. So the challenge of the morning was 1) how to use a spoon 2) how to get through breakfast without wearing 1/2 a bowl of banana cereal?? Needless to say, she's becoming more and more independant everyday.

Challenge:

As our afternoon went on I kept snapping photos (actually in two short periods of time ended up with almost 80). Sometimes it's particularly hard to get her to sit still. She has a fascination with this camera of mine, and tends to gravitate her little fingers toward the lens (yes the same little finger prints that get left on the sliding glass door, get left on my lens). So in the midst of trying to get her attention and keep little fingers away, all the while taking photos, I managed to cut off the bottom 1/3 of her face...but in it's own way, it's kinda cute! So photo #2 is...

Eyes:

366-What's cooking??

Cooking:

Tonights dinner was our version of Philly Cheesesteak Sandwhichs and a broccoli salad.

I'm giving you a rough idea for the recipe (because I don't use them that often, and don't really believe in measuring)

-2 broccoli crowns

-3 strips of crispy bacon, chopped

-Some thinly sliced red onion

-handful of raisins

-handful of chow mein noodles

-handful of nuts (tonight we had glazed walnuts, but sunflower seeds are good too)

-1 clove chopped garlic

-to make the dressing: about 2 tablespoons mayo, capful of vinegar, spoonful of Splenda, garlic salt, pepper to taste (like a coleslaw dressing)

366- Memorial Statue

I was thinking of places to go to take some photos for 366 today, and it hit me that there was a place that I hadn't been in a while. When hubby got home we got in the car and took a drive up to the Living Memorial Sculpture Gardens. It was nearing sunset. I've been to this place many times before, but never really saw it in the same light. So for today I have 3 photos but I'm only using 2 of the themes.
The memorial wall lists names of people who have served in some branch of the military during various combats. The two names listed in my collage are that of my very special Grandfather and Uncle. The sculpture with it's hands opened up to the sky is the top piece of "the Why Group". The group with the flag is titled "the Greatest Generation". I loved the way the light reflected on this piece. And my favorite sculpture at the gardens is the one titled "Nurses". I don't really know why it's my favorite, but it always has been, for as long as I've been a visitor here.

Monument:











Statue:

366-Shoes

Shoes:

Everyday I look at Anna and I'm amazed at how she changes. It doesn't seem possible that a year has already passed since she came into our lives (well technically not yet, but pretty darn close). I still am amazed at just how tiny her little feet are, and how darn cute her little toenails are when they are polished. But someday she'll be playing dress up in my shoes, just like I did with my mom's closet.

366-Tattoo

Tattoo:

When I turned 18 I took a trip to Missouri. It ws my first time on a plane, my first time away from the West Coast (CA, OR, NV). I flew from Reno, NV to St.Paul, MN, on to Kansas City, MO and spent a week. While on vacation I got myself a tattoo. Not for any particular reason. I thought about it for a while and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. Something unique that would show my personality. I was born and raised in a small town, and had just finished training a young filly. I really love country life and being around & riding horses. Not to mention horseshoes are supposed to bring good luck (we even have on above the entry door of our home).

366-Jagged

Jagged:
I learned the hard way just how jagged this stuff is. Barbed Wire, especially painful when it rips your skin on your way to the ground.
Took this yesterday on our drive in the country. We went Sunday driving on Saturday.

January 12 of 12

January's 12 of 12.

Tonight I was playing with the new flash I got this week. Anna's birthday is coming up and for her 1 year photos I made 3 different color tutu's. We've used the pink and purple for her birthday invites. So I thought I'd let her play in the blue one.

Then she followed me to the office and LOVES to play with my hat. So I'm using this months challenge to show her two sides:

Glamourous Princess and Beautiful Tomboy!

These images are all non-retouched.

Another Challenge: 12 of 12

Oh, another Challenge. This time it's 12 of 12. (credit for the idea belongs to Chad). Take 12 pictures on the 12th day of each month. So at the end of a year that's 144 pics. So I guess this year I'll have taken 510 pictures for Challenges.
So my adaptation of this will be to make a collage each month in a 12x12 page layout, and I'm going to keep the same subject throughout the 12 months and use them for a book/calendar for Anna.

366- Church

Church:

The Little Shasta Church established in 1878 is a little country church. Located in a rural area population 160. Across the street from this beautiful piece of architechture is the Little Shasta School which was established in 1858. When I was a little girl I spent lots of time at my grandparents, and when it was time for them to bring me home, I'd always want to go the "back" way. Which as I grew older was really just a more scenic and more rural route than we were already on, which was perfectly fine with me!

The inside of this beauty is hard wood floors and the old wooden pews. It's a real one of a kind, at least around here.

366-Water

Water:

As I was making my daughters lunch today, I thought, "Hmm..366 themes...!"

Photo moment..grabbed the camera and there you have it. Almost ready to boil water.

Happy Shooting!

366-A Herd of Deere

Collection:

My kitchen is abundant with John Deere replicas, toys, etc. You could say I'm a collector. These are part of my collection.

366-All Caught Up

Okay, so I so enjoy this challenge that I'm officially changing my "update every Sunday" to I'll try to post something everyday. I can't wait until Sunday!! So check back often for more!

Coins:
Almost everyone I know has some sort of coin collecting jar, mug, or container. However our doesn't get additions like it used to, but that means that hubby is working local, so it's a good thing.

Politics

Politics, I just got this in the mail yesterday and thought that adding a little bit of comic book/cartoon feel to it would perfectly sum up my thoughts about politics. Just get the job done people, quit the B*tchin' and sucker punching one another, work together and get it done. Stop acting like babies!

Finally all caught up! That's 9 photos down and 357 to go. Happy Shooting!

366-Tall Chilly Snowflakes

Snowflake:

Actually tons of them. That's not fog in the background between the trees, it's blowing snow. At 50+MPH today. We're having blizzard like conditions and blowing snow warnings. Chains are required pretty much everywhere, so we're staying home :-(
I'm ready for spring and summer already!

UPDATEED 7:19PM

Tall: So hubby got bored sitting at home (I'm actually suprised he's not buggy, this is the 4th week that he's been out of work and unable to find any) so we drove into town (about 10 miles) too see how they weathered the storm. So, being the photographer enthusiast I took my camera. Everything was plastered with snow and so BEAUTIFUL!

Chilly:
The wind was still blowing. Some places had drifts 5 feet tall. Most of the people we saw out and about were either shoveling or snowblowing driveways and paths. The wind made snowcliffs that hung out about 3 feet.

366 Playing catch-up

I know I said I was going to post on Sunday evenings, but since it's the 7th already and I've only got 2 themes posted so far, I thought I would go ahead and post 2 more tonight and play catch-up.

Clutter:
This is currently the state of my desk. The end of the year filing and inputting information into the computer along with the other daily tasks and mail just seem to pile up. Hopefully by the weeks end it won't look anything like that, but hey it is still early in the year, lots to do.




Rings:
Yesterday when I set out to take a photo specifically for "Commitment" this was one of the first ideas I had. Then I looked at my daughter and knew commitment meant much more at this stage in my life. So from the set-up I did, this is my most favorite shot of our rings. The others were simply laying flat on a page, but I thought these had more depth and conveyed more emotion.

Enjoy! Happy Shooting and will probably post more before Sunday rolls around...

366-Week of 1/1-1/6

Bubbles:
Opps! You caught me trying to climb the wall!! Daddy's girl decided to act innocent when I called him to come and see her climbing the wall of the bathtub. We have a little dare-devil. She loves to climb over and on top of any and everything she can.

Commitment
The two most important commitments in my life are represented here: My daughter and my husband. A few weeks ago DH thought he lost his wedding ring on the job (in about 6" of snow and spent 45 minutes melting with a little propane torch). When we got married I didn't think he would wear his ring because of his job and knowing he didn't like things on him (no watches, etc). But to this day (we've been married for almost 2 years) he doesn't take it off, for anything.

Welcome...

Welcome to the blog at Amanda Pratt Photography. I am completely new to the blogging adventure so please bear with me as I learn this new and exciting form of communication. As I learn more the "blog" may change it's looks, etc.

366 Photos for 2008

The idea of this Challenge is to take 366 pictures during the year 2008, each one depicting one of the 366 themes that have been specified. The themes can be taken in random order, and the pictures don't absolutely have to be one per day.
However I am making a change to the original. Original rules disallow Photoshopping, I am allowing myself to post process and enchane in the digital darkroom.

Every Sunday evening I will be posting the photos from the previous week. The first photo-blog will be posted on Sunday 1-6-2008. Check back soon to see the progress.


Original idea is from: http://dogearedphotos.blogspot.com and http://366-pictures.blogspot.com/

Thanks for checking and happy shooting...photos that is!!