Mammarazzi Monday: {Out of the Ordinary}

Over the weekend, James and I borrowed his work's Transit van, packed up much of our belongings and placed them in storage.

Sitting up higher in the van made the trip so different. There were so many things I have missed on all the previous trips. So many things I didn't even realise were just over there.

It was a long weekend. Long and busy and seeing our lives stacked up in boxes, barely filling one half of a 6x3 shed was quite sobering and strange.

Joining in with Mammarazzi Monday and Point + Shoot

What did you do on the weekend?

Success and Such

Lotsa Labels. If I have to write my name again I may just scream

The photos are printed and mounted, labels have been bought, written on and adhered, entry form filled out and the final product has been delivered to the show office.

I'm nervous. I'm excited. Most of me is happy and enjoying this new challenge, savouring it. However, there's still that pressure. That part of me which desires a card, a ribbon. That part of me that wants to be a success.

It is something that I have been struggling with of late.

I love being a mum. I love staying home with my Munchies and I would not have it any other way. Yet, at the same time I yearn to be something. To do something. And to be good at it. Plus, a little cash in my pocket wouldn't go astray.

In particular I want success in my photography endeavours (obviously) and in the blog world. Until the past six months or so I didn't even know there were awards and acclamations for bloggers. I've never been an awards person. I have never even received a trophy in my life. And suddenly, here I am less than two months off 28 (what? How'd THAT happen?) wanting some kind of acknowledgement, wanting to be better.

The recent Aussie Mummy Bloggers with the X-Factor Awards (congratulations lovely Glowless on your win) opened my eyes to how I have been feeling. I, in no way, put myself in the same category as the amazing bloggers entered in that competition, it just made me realise I want to be more. I want to be nominated for something. I want to be recognised. Which means I need to be worth recognition. I would like to know what it feels like to have Award Fatigue, for a moment - until it got annoying.

Plus, I really want an iPad2.

I am a nominee for the Sydney Writers' Centre Best Australian Blogs for 2011... where I may - or may not - have nominated myself. I honestly don't remember doing it but I am certain I must have before promptly forgetting.

So, now begins the two week wait to see my prints displayed. Successfully.

Freakin' Out!

 Two days ago, I reminded James that I had wanted to look up the guidelines for submitting photos to the local show, it was such an innocent comment and now here I am stressing, waiting for a phone call from the printers to say they have finished mounting my entries, wondering what I was thinking.

It took (what seemed like) forever to choose which photographs to have printed. James, Mum and I spent time going through thousands of photos, culling and then doing it all again. And again. I felt like we were stuck in a constant slide show of my most loved photos. I even put up the 'finalists' on our Facebook page.




After many hours, many discussion, lots of contemplation, debate, and a few tantrums (I'm not temperamental but "that's my faaavourite" was uttered once or twice) we had 16 entries chosen.

Once we had all that sorted James started freaking out about the whole thing, possibly taking his anxiousness the wrong way, I had a whinge about him not believing in me. In my dream.

I was feeling good. Excited. For me, just getting some of my prints out there and seen was enough, not to mention the fact that digital media has left me sorely deprived of any physical representation of my work.

So, this morning I took that good feeling, my sidekick* (Mum) and my girls off to the print shop. I assumed it was going to be an in, select, pay, collect, out kinda deal. Turns out I was wrong. I spent an hour going over my (our) choices with the print lady choosing sizes, bumping brightness here, playing with contrast there for optimal print quality.

She was lovely, attentive and had a knowledge of the ins and outs of show entries which helped me feel a little less clueless. She also told me I had a good eye and when we looked at my one and only landscape she said "That's a winner. I've seen many recently and I really like this."

And there it is. Pressure. Expectation. I was happily going along, excited about the experience and now there is this part of me that has hope for something more. Who's to say she doesn't encourage each entrant who comes to her to print? Maybe everyone she sees is told they have a winner, I mean positivity is a great way to get repeat business is it not?

Also, there is now the price of what I am having done. The photos alone cost double what we originally thought and then the mounting cost double that again. I feel like we're practically paying our life savings for a brief  'exhibition' which anyone can enter anyway. If the print lady hadn't applied pressure, the price alone would have made up for that. Plus, James is a 'gotta win' kind of guy, I can practically feel him thinking it whenever we talk about it; "You'd better win.".

I feel like this is where I find out if I can do this or not. And what if I can't?

Have you ever felt you've been on the verge of either living your dream or giving up? How did you deal with the pressure that comes with going for what you want??

It's ALL About You: A Giveaway

I am so excited to be bringing you the first giveaway in conjunction with my It's ALL About Me posts and I have to tell you, I love what's up for grabs (I wrote posts, I get to enter, right?) from my first IAAM sponsor; Amelia Rose.

From her website:

 Finding beauty in the details, much of my work revolves around close up and macro images. Capturing creative, bold lines and gorgeous colours, images are filled with beauty, happiness, inspiration and sometimes moments of reflection and remembrance. 

I chose to approach the creative genius behind Amelia Rose, Carly Webber,  because the images really do bring a smile to my face. Gazing at the images give me great joy.That is how I am choosing who I ask to sponsor; I have to love them and think you will, too.

Enough about me, this is about YOU. 

First, let me show you what you could win. I have these 2 gorgeous prints to give away to two lucky readers:

Sunbound

Vision

Both are 5x7” Photographic prints, matted and ready for framing (8x10” Finished size). YOU want these. I want these and I already have a beautiful print generously given to me to light up my day - and it does.

To be in the running all you need to do is make sure you are a follower of my blog, pop over to the Amelia Rose website then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which is your favourite print.

For extra entries; join in with my It's ALL About Me linky this week (open now) or next. Those who have joined in the past two weeks have also received extra entries.

Entries close March 5th 2011 (AEST, ie Sydney time) and will be drawn by Random.org. Please note, entry is only open to Australian residents and be sure I have your contact details in case you win!!

If the prize is not claimed within a week, this competition will be redrawn. 


You can keep up-to-date with Amelia Rose on Facebook (tell her beckyandjames.com sent you), Made It and Etsy. I, for one, am excited to see what's to come.

Musings

Our Frangipani - Finally Flowering

One of the things I want to pursue this year is my photography. I want to explore, grow and create. And I want to know if there is a future in this dream of mine.

I love to take photographs. To capture the world through my eyes. Through my lens. And, of course, I could endlessly snap away where my kids are concerned, however, I really want to be more.

I have a RedBubble account. I'm not sure how long it has been active; awhile and I've never had a sale. Rarely even a comment. I occasionally go there now to upload something else, but I feel so disappointed when I am there because I want people to want my photographs.

I want this to be my purpose outside of being a wife, mother, home maker. I just don't know if it is. I suppose that is what this whole year is about... I wish I had more patience.

I've created an album on the BeckyandJames.com FB page with some images I am soon to upload to RedBubble, along with some of my 52 Week shots, feel free to take a look and 'like' us while you're there.

What is your purpose? What do you want it to be?

October Photo Hunt

Last month I participated in (and completed) my first photo hunt. There was some themes that really tested me and, honestly, my photo might be a bit of a stretch but it was fun and a great way to learn more about my new camera as well as give my creativity a work out. The best thing is that I didn't have to dip into my archives at all!!

Okay, enough chat; here are my interpretations of October's items.

In Disguise

I had a few ideas for this one, but most of them involved buying the girls some kind of costume first. I got lucky when I arrived at Mum's and my youngest brother, Caleb, had just bought himself a Jason mask!

Crisp

 I was starting to get a bit desperate as the month drew to a close and I still hadn't had a brain wave for Crisp, so when Kahlei had a nice crisp, crunchy apple I thought it was pass ;)

Fall Colors

  As it is currently Spring here, I had a brilliant idea of going to the paint shop and getting some test strips, but I took some of one of our trees which still had some Autumny reds and yellows just in case.

I didn't get to the paint shop until the first of November!

Jack O Lantern 

 When I first saw this item on the list I thought it would be very hard to get, as in Australia we do not celebrate the holiday. Imagine my surprise when only days later I found this in a store! 

Shot from the ground

Nanna plays basketball.  

Landscape

  Riverside Park

Fall Tradition

  When the weather starts to cool off and Autumn turns the leaves beautiful colours, I love to curl up in a chair with a book, a hot coffee or chocolate and wear a scarf. I don't get to do it much now, but when I do it's bliss.

Books 

Some of my favourite books by my favourite authors

Book Thong made by Jane of Me 'n My Monkeys 

Dining

Nachos made by my hubby

Children

 My girls <3

Faces formed in Nature

  Okay, this is a BIG stretch, but when I saw this devon I figured it might just pass...

Tilt-Shift Photography

  I ran CoffeeShop's Tiny Tiny World action to create the effect.

I am interested in playing some more with this at some stage

B&W with Selective Coloring

Bokeh

 This is my first attempt at Bokeh. I love the effect, but want to learn more about this technique

Best Photo from October 23

  I'm not sure if this was the best of the day, but it was my favourite from the 23rd.

Something from the kitchen

  Chocolate chip bikkies and a little munchkin trying to steal them!

Something Creepy

  

Something Vintage

  We don't have anything Vintage in our house, neither do any of my family. I don't even know if we have a Vintage store in town. This is my favourite type of Vintage though, my Nan :)

Something Golden

  Ellie's little bucket that she collects pretty little flowers in

Self-Portrait

 

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

For quite some months now I have been following Ashley Sisk's Scavenger Hunt Sunday and dying to participate but I never end up getting everything and sometimes I never manage anything. Even without being part of the hunt I love checking out all the amazing photos and creative interpretations of the week's themes. This week, however, I decided I was going to join in and here I am!

Of course, I realise I am nowhere near the calibre of the other participants, but it's been fun and I like to challenge myself to try and grow my skills.

The 5 Senses

 This meal was all about the 5 Senses. Especially for Kahlei. It was all about eating with fingers, experiencing the different flavours and textures, smelling the aromas, crunching on the corn chips and wearing as much of it as possible. All in all a very Kahlei meal!

Child or Children

 My beautiful girls dancing and holding hands, I just love when they're like this.

Dining

 Nachos made by my husband - you've already seen how much Kahlei enjoyed them!

Night

 I struggled with this one. I wanted to get a nice shot of the moon, but it's been nowhere in sight! So, instead I thought I would get one of Ellie in bed. I love bedtime!

Sky

  Lots of clouds, sunshine the promise of rain

Be sure to pop over to Ashley's blog to see all the other wonderful entries!

[Capture] Bathurst 1000

While nobody else wanted to play along with my [Capture] idea, I still wanted to share the photos I took to record the atmosphere of the Bathurst 1000. I have to admit I found it harder to find the things I wanted to, sometimes because James found a passion for photographing the goings on and other times because I was unable to go trekking for the shots, once I was sitting... that was it!!

Maybe next year I will try again with the same challenge.

Now, onto my pics.

Category 1: Team Spirit

 My girls all dressed and ready to cheer for Craig and Jamie

Category 2: Passion

This one might not come across, but when all the drivers lined up before the race the whole place was crackling with excitement and passion, so I felt it was appropriate.

James watching the podium presentation. I'm pretty sure there's tears behind those glasses!

 

 And this is representative of my passion. We tackled these stairs twice everyday except Sunday and they killed me! Being 34 weeks pregnant and suffering SPD made them very difficult, but it was sooo worth it.

Category 3: Action

 

 

 Category 4: Weather

 

 If you know anything about Bathurst, you know the weather is crazy. Here we're all getting ready for the rain.

 

Category 5: Entertainment

 

 For the boys ;)