Reflections on Finishing

Here it is, the very end of 2012, and to be honest I am very surprised that I am still here on this blog. I have always been an excellent "great idea" person. I buy all the supplies I will need for this new and spectacular "great idea", and sometimes I will even start this new "great idea". But then the next visually stimulating project will come along and the first "great idea" is set aside, rarely to be returned to.

January 1, 2012 I set a few goals to complete in 2012. It was time to step up to the plate and finally become a "Finisher". My five goals for 2012 were:

1. Master Lightroom for photo editing. Master might be too strong of a word, there is still so much to learn. I do have a good understanding of the program at least. Although with my new computer I feel like I am starting back at the beginning.

2. Complete all 52 Weeks of the P52 project. This was accomplished last night. Not a week was missed, even though at times I wanted to miss a few.

3. Work on this blog for the whole year. Well, 108 blog posts later and here it is December 31, 2012. I did it.

4. Redo the Sun Porch so that it is finally a usable, functional space. Labor Day weekend the paint went on the walls and then later that week the couch was delivered. A lovely new writing and reading space.

And then we come to the last goal...

5. Finish the weight lose I started in 2011. This goal was NOT finished. Instead of losing, I gained. Not a lot only 7 pounds, but still not the direction I intended to go.

I debated long and hard about whether to keep this blog going in 2013, since I do have Paisley Rain Boots as well. Did I really need two blogs? But with goal No. 5 unfinished, the answer became clear to me what the focus of Becoming A Finisher should be for 2013.

Tune in tomorrow for the answer...

Christmas Treasures - P52 Week 52

Here it is the final P52 post...

I received some wonderful Christmas treasures from my family this year. Each treasure was given with love from my husband's and daughter's heart.

My daughter gave me this beautiful cup and some delicious Pumpkin Pie Chai Mix that she purchased at the craft fair up at college.

She knows my weakness for a beautiful cup.

My husband gave me these wonderfully warm Smart Wool gloves, perfect for photography in the winter.

The big present...a new MacBook Pro 15" with Retina Display. All I can say is...LOVE!!!!

The best Christmas treasure of all though, is spending the holidays with my family. 

Anticipation - P52 Week 51

I am not sure if this is anticipation for Christmas... or boredom with all the Holiday preparations...

Either way he looks very comfortable.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cards - P52 Week 50

I haven't done Christmas Cards in a few years. I use to hand make 50-100 of them every year, but as life got busier and time at the holidays got shorter, the art of Christmas card making fell by the way side.

This year though, I am so fortunate to be part of an awesome on-line community of bloggers and photographers. We met through some on-line classes taught by my favorite on-line instructor, Kim Klassen. We decided to do a snail mail postcard/note card exchange this fall using cards made from our photographic images. It was only natural that we do a Christmas card exchange as well.

Here are the wonderful cards and postcards I have received so far...

Cards from - Diana, Mary and Donna

Cards from - Denise, Lissa and Helen

Cards from - Viv, Roxi, Barbara and Nancy

And even I was brave enough to put my own image on a postcard...

I have to say it is pretty cool to see one of your own images in print like this.

Oh The Rush - P52 Week 49

Oh the rush to wrap the presents...

Oh the rush to make the Christmas Party treats...

Oh the rush to dress for the Christmas parties...

The rush is almost over :) Time to slow down and enjoy the season.

Reflection on a Goal - Lightroom

It is that time of year, time to reflect on things accomplished for the year...

When I started this blog on January 1st, I stated five goals, things that I wanted to "finish" in 2012. Number 2 on that list was - Master Lightroom for photo editing.

While I can't say that I have "mastered" it, I do have a fairly good understanding of the program. Some of the credit for learning it goes to reading Scott Kelby's book Lightroom 3 this summer, and a lot of credit goes to Kim Klassen's Lightroom on-line class Roundtrip.

I know that I still have lots more to learn and I look forward to accomplishing that in 2013.

Here are a few more of my personal favorite Lightroom developed photos...so far...

Giving Thanks (for a new tree) - P52 Week 48

Growing up as I did in the country, the question of where to get our Christmas Tree was never an issue. My parents in the early years of their marriage had planted young Christmas trees on part of their 23-acre property.  As the trees grew they sold some each year for a little extra spending money. There was still one for us and enough for family and friends.

Fast forward 20 years to the early years of my own marriage. Glen and I could never agree about what to do for a tree. Do we buy one from one of those tree lots? My parents own trees had long grown into a giant spruce forest.

Or do we bite the bullet and just buy an artificial one? Most years by the second week of December, we would climb into Glen's little gray Ford Ranger and head out into the evening darkness to try and pick the perfect tree from one of those tree lots. When Glen traded in his truck for a little red Plymouth Neon, that was the end of the tree lot adventures.

Finally, we caved in and bought an artificial tree. That first one met a tragic end after only a few short years. One of the cats decided to use the tree and the box that it was stored in as a litter box.

The replacement to that tree lasted nearly 20 years. Two years ago it was decorated for it's last Christmas. Too many branches were losing parts each year, so that the shape of it wasn't so nice any more.

Last year, much to our daughter's disgrace we used our 4 foot tall artificial tree for the main tree. I put it on a wooden box, that I covered with the tree skirt to give it a little extra height. We weren't having the family Christmas party at our house, so I didn't feel compelled to buy a new one just yet.

This past weekend the replacement was finally purchased. I hate spending so much money on something that sits in your basement for 11 months out of the year. But, if this tree lasts 20 years, it will work out to about $20 per year. That is cheaper than a real tree every tree, and I don't have to worry about watering it.

The new tree is pre-lite and snaps together in three easy parts, so Glen and I are both happy. I hate doing the lights and he hates assembling.

This year we went for a less cluttered look to the tree. Only the ornaments that Mallory has made or ones that we have been given as gifts adorn the tree. Along with some simple floral embellishments, that Scout has found great delight in chewing up already.