Hellooooo

Once again, it's been a long time since I posted on the Cottage.  I've truly not been idle, but busy busy.  There's too much on my agenda to write about, but here's the jist...a wedding in October and a new business venture has me spinning. First the wedding...

My son proposed to the delightful young lady a top a mountain and she said YES!  That was a year ago and now we're knee deep in wedding preparations. I'm putting my sewing skills, as limited as they are, to good use by making the ring bearer's pillow. It will be special and personal with a handkerchief, edged in tatted lace created by  my son's great-grandmother.  The hankie is folded into a triangle and carefully hand sewn to the satin pillow.  Sweet pearl buttons from the blouse of another great-grandmother's wedding attire graces each corner. 

Then there's the flowers.  Yes, with help from my sister-in-law and others we're designing wedding arrangements from bride's bouquet to church decorations to centerpieces on the tables at the reception.  And by the way...these are all fresh flower arrangements with a touch of dried hydrangeas and wheat.  The Fall Harvest theme is coming together nicely.

The second biggie in my life is my new business venture. I've always found vast satisfaction in working in computer programs like Powerpoint and Photoshop Elements. Through blogging I discovered how much I enjoy creating digitally. I grabbed onto manipulating my photos with Picnik (now defunct), Picasa, and eventually Elements with gusto. I progressed to adding textures and created my own from time to time.  Then one day I wanted unique side graphics and set about to create them and fell in love with digital art.  Let's cut to the chase...I've opened an Etsy shop for my own digital scrap papers and embellishments that I gather into themed kits.

A Midnight Dreary Digital Kit by Teresa O @ Studio on the Corner

 I named my shop Studio on  the Corner (yes I still live on a corner.)

I've learned so much over the past months and I continue to learn.  I hope you'll join me on this journey from time  to time. Here are the links to the shop and my new shop & blog: 

Studio on the Corner Etsy Shop

Studio on the Corner blog    

If you enjoy scrapping, digitally or with paper, you might find something that appeals to you.  If  vintage and/or historical fascinates you, there may be a little something to interest you. 

I hope each and every one that has stopped by The Cottage on the Corner is well and happy.  Take care...

Teresa O

Of Spammers, Scrivener, & Storyboards

When I was posting on a somewhat regular basis I rarely had problems with spammers leaving comments, but since I've been letting The Cottage stand idle, spamming has become a nuisance.  I hate to make people jump through hoops just to leave a message, but on the other hand I dislike deleting comments. 

The reason behind spamming is obvious...it's all about the numbers.  The more people reached the greater the odds that someone will actually click on the spammer's link.  I have to wonder though...how much time is wasted running from place to place leaving the silly comment that doesn't pertain to anything the blogger wrote? I doubt very much that the spammer gets much traffic from their ridiculous methods. 

February is heaving its last long sigh as we enter the last week.  Not alot happened in February.  I downloaded a trial of Scrivener.  Scrivener is a writing program that organizes and puts notes, storyboards, and everything needed in one place, but I'm finding it harder to learn than Photoshop Elements.  Speaking of Elements here's a storyboard I created...

This storyboard gives a quick view of the protagonist's childhood home, a gardener's cottage that rests on the edge of an aristocrat's estate.  Her father is the head gardener, a crusty man with vision and a strong sense of duty.  I discovered the little cottage with floor plan in Ackermann's Repository, the August 1816 issue.  If you're curious about this marvelous peek into the Regency era you can find the link here.  

Hello February

Hello February

I'm checking in for my monthly update of this, that and nothing much.  My camera continues to sit idle while I write and write and write some more. Instead of taking snapshots with a camera I've chosen to create snapshots of life with words, at least for now. 

Do I miss taking photos?  Yes. 

 I took this lonely tree photo on  February 3, 2012 & it's pretty much SOOC

Will I pick up my camera and begin snapping shots the way I have for the last few years?  Not for the foreseeable future. 

 Such a Valentine photo!  A gathering of an old book, Sans Famille written in French, a bit of ribbon roses on lace, and my mother's charming little heart bracelet.  I like the way the heart caught the light.

Why?  Because I've discovered that if I spread myself too thin nothing gets accomplished.  There's not enough time in the day to be a photographer, an editor of photos, a writer, a researcher, a reader, a commenter, Mimi to a grandson, and still do all the things that need to be done on a daily basis.

This photo just makes me smile, the light shining through the petals gives it a softness and yep, this is another SOOC photo from February 2012

In the wee hours of a sleepless night I need a quiet occupation, so I thought I'd catch up with my favorite blogs and write a bit of a post.  I sincerely wish all a lovely life every day. 

Good bye & Hello

With a wave good-bye 2012 became twelve months of memories stashed away in files with names like good times, remember when, and glad that's over.

The year began with imagine, a chosen word that lasted a month or two and ended with months of blog silence. No banners proclaiming The Cottage on the Corner as a stand out blog will fly in the winter sky. Nope...2012 went out in silence.  

When all aspects  of blogging become a chore it's time to take a break so in the midst of penning a whine, I simply stopped, clicked the X in the right hand corner and walked away. 

Taking photos came to a screeching halt the September day I set my camera aside. I could go into a long list of reasons as to why I stopped photographing my world,but I'd rather not. 

With no picture taking going on, no posting to a blog, and frustration fueled by the loss of a friendship, I returned to writing. I can lose myself in research and words and so I did.  I'm nearing the end of a first draft that needs to be edited and edited again before it's ready for submission, but submit it I will.  

Hello 2013! There will be no resolutions this year or promises to be broken.  Choosing a word to live by for the year is not in the stars, but if I were to choose a word it would be fearless, but I'm not going to. Nor am I committing to 365 photos or a year of challenges.  Heck, I refuse to promise that I'll update The Cottage on the Corner in a consistent manner.  In fact, I'm making no promises to anyone about anything and that includes myself. Geez it feels good to say that.   

What I am asking of 2013 is simply this...May you be kind to me and all those who could use a soft place to land every once in awhile. 

 

Colors of September

September is a season unto itself.  Summer holds on to the hem of autumn with warmth of days, while fall sneaks into the year with chilled nights. 

 

Leaves shaded with leopard and tiger like stripes warn of the advancing year. 

I like them very much for their exotic coloring, but the red, orange, and golden hues of autumn await to be called for the grand show.

Soybean fields are turning from green to yellow to brown as temperatures linger in September modes of chill nights and warm days. 

I love this time of year when apples redden, pumpkins turn orange, and golden corn stalks and bright bales of straw decorate suburban homes, but...

 there are still pink zinnias in the garden. 

Linking up with Rural Thursday today.  

Inspiring Words

Back to School Sewing

Back to school was an exciting time in the house where I grew up.  School was a costly business for my parents with new clothes and shoes, school supplies, book fees, and lunches to pay for times six.  The process began in August when the Fall Sears catalog showed up in the mail.  My sister and I would carefully turn each page dreaming over the skirts and sweaters, the darling dresses, and adorable shoes.  Usually Mom would place an order for new undies and socks and double kneed jeans and cords for the boys. We girls could pick an item or two, but the majority of our clothes came from my mom's talented sewing ability.

One day Mom would say, "It's time to get busy making you girls new school clothes." We'd march uptown to Hill's Dime store to browse through Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity, and Vogue pattern books searching for the latest styles.  Then we'd slowly walk up and down the aisles of fabric to select just the right fabric for our dresses, skirts and blouses.  To be honest, I was not always happy that my mom made my clothes.  I wanted to dress in Bobby Brooks skirts and sweaters when I got older, even though Mom was an amazing seamstress.  I realize now that the clothes she made were far better than anything purchased, but at the time all I saw were girls in name brand clothing and I was in no-name, homemade frocks.

   I found these fabrics in a bin I have kept for years.  The fabrics in the photo are the leftovers from dresses my mom made me in school.  The red rooster print was a top that went over a yellow knit bodysuit that I wore with jeans when I was in high school.  The striped knit became a shift type dress with sleeves and little round buttons at the neck. The tiny print was a dress that had a white bib, and the red corduroy was from my junior high cheerleading outfit.  Yep, my mom made red and white outfits for the entire squad that year and continued sewing cheerleader outfits for me and any girls who needed a seamstress until my junior year in high school when the school began purchasing sweaters and skirts to pass down from one year to the next.

With love and talent, she made the dresses we three girls wore to the prom and wedding gowns for me and one of my sisters.  Sewing was my mother's creative outlet.  When we grew up, she turned to piecing blocks and then quilting tiniest of stitches to create masterpieces of color and texture that she gave to her children and grandchildren. 

I still have the outfits my mom made for me when I was a cheerleader, but the dresses and skirts are long gone.  She sewed for my daughter and those sweet dresses remain tucked into a container for safe keeping.  I must photograph the quilts and dresses she made when my daughter was a toddler. Each one is a labor of love and a tangible way to hold her close to me, even now.

Blowing a kiss to the sky, Thank you Mom

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I'm linking with Kim Klassen for Texture Tuesday.  I used Kim's If Only texture with multiply mode at 70% opacity.  I added a running stitch brush by Obsidian Dawn along the right and bottom edges. 

One more thing...yes I was a cheerleader through junior high and high school.  Over the years cheerleaders have been given a bad rap...well it ain't always so. Not all of us were uppity, good in the back seat of a car, snobbish stuck ups with no brains.  So laugh if you want, but I'm proud to say I was a cheerleader back in the day, so there! 

Monday Morning Page

Ok...so I was reading my well-worn book, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and thinking that it's been a long time since I wrote morning pages. I thought about taking out pen and paper, as she strongly encourages, but instead I think I'll just write it out here.  Please excuse bad grammar, misspelled words, and any salty language that may occur.  This is all about free thought writing.  Just getting it down. So here goes....

Monday, September 10th

Leon grapes at Stoney Ridge Winery photograph taken 9/9/2011

What a glorious weekend of cool, early fall temps and sunshine. Much was accomplished.  The pie safe is reorganized with all the 'stuff' that makes me smile like a little white cream pitcher, odds and end dishes, a few old tins, graniteware, and those pesky cookbooks that defy organization. It's a treasure trove of still lifes just waiting for me to photograph.  The little stand that M sanded was painted on Saturday.  It was ready to place in the kitchen by late afternoon.  It's opened things up and provided much needed counter space in the tiny kitchen. Damn! I love an organized home!

M has joined the Obama campaign as a volunteer, putting in around 8 hours this weekend.  I'm so proud of her!  I don't tell her that often enough.

I'm such a doofus sometimes. I lost the cord thingie to my cell phone and it's out of juice.  Anyone trying to call is going to get voice mail.  SHEESH! The prospects of designing a blog for another person is on the horizon and now I'm without my phone.  I wonder if it's all that smart to get  rid of land lines.  Oh well...too late now.

I wish I knew how to quiet the monkey on my back.  It's constantly cautioning me to be careful, don't reach for the brass ring because I'll probably fall off trying to grasp it.  Besides just who do I think I am?   The editor in me just has to go back and check for mistakes...that's so not morning page kosher, but it's nagging me like crazy.  Is that a bit o/c?  I just can't help myself. 

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So there it is, a morning page snippet. Have you ever read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron?  How about morning pages, have you ever gotten up early, sat down with a cup of coffee and wrote all that was on your mind?  I did it for years, but stopped a year or so ago.  I'm not sure why I stopped...I just did.  Maybe it's time to get back to it.  It feels good to celebrate the small victories and get rid of the crap that pisses me off.  Give it a try.  You just never know how it might make you feel.  Check out Julia's website here.   Curious about morning pages?  You can find morning page information here and here. 
What does the photo have to do with morning pages?  Not a daggon thing...I just like it. 

Create a wonderful day! 

   

5 Fact Friday

I'm linking with Kim Klassen & Xanthe over at Reflection  of You for {5 Fact Friday}.  Wanna play along?  Just follow the link.

kevin & amanda have a fun selection of free fonts like the one I used, Pea Amy Sue. Check them out!

In the Country OOOOPS!!

A quick update....after my snaffu yesterday I'm linking with Rural Thursday...today, a September Thursday.  I'm finally caught up!

I'm so darn delighted that I have zinnias blooming that I go out every day to see how they're coming along and how many I can pick.

Why not take a jaunt down country roads and see what other photographers are capturing...

I'm joining up with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday today!  Won't you join me in a merry romp through wonderful photography?  Just click below...

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Well I feel silly! Today is W E D N E S D A Y!!!  I missed Texture Tuesday by a day. Well I'm still gonna visit...still gonna play as if today was a day ago, but I might also pretend like today is tomorrow and join Rural Thursday.  

The Flowers of September

The calendar may say September, but it's still summer in the garden. The zinnias are blooming in bright and pale pinks with a few whites and oranges in the mix. A bouquet of flowers that includes Queen Anne's Lace adds just the right touch of sweet feminine.

Orange is a loud color that seems to scream look at me, but oh how I love orange in the fall.  Until the frost is on the pumpkin, making due with an orange zinnia works. 

Then there's the whisper of white zinnias.

A small rose blooms along side the garage. It was nearly choked out of existence last year by an overly vivacious trumpet vine, but its hearty nature won out.  It was still blooming in late November.  This summer it weathered the drought and is in a full flush of tiny blooms with a blush of color before opening.

I love photographing flowers using the macro setting.  The little rose above is only an inch or two across at the most; the buds even smaller.  Through the wonder of technology we can capture every detail from the secret center to the blemishes on the outside petal.

And sometimes it's a different perspective that creates a delightful surprise.  I totally ignored the law of thirds in every one of these photos and I don't care. 

Break rules, have fun, and capture all that makes you smile, dance, sing, and sometimes weep. 

Blog Design & Focus

Greetings!  Long time no see!  Well I've been visiting once in a while and leaving comments here and there, but I admit I've been neglecting the blog world.  I'm in the state of wishy-washy can't decide which way to go.  I've made umpteen headers for The Cottage unsatisfied with any of them.  Here's a sample:

 I want a new look, but finding that perfect blend of imaginative graphics that convey the message I want is proving to be something of a conundrum.

So what I do I want The Cottage on the Corner to be?  I've thought long and hard about that as I turn the corner toward something new.  The Cottage started out as a garden blog, but morphed into being more about photography as I discovered the joy taking photos brings me. And by the way, this is not my first blog.  I had a couple blogs on Wordpress before moving to Blogger.  I've had blogs about writing, a couple blogs under pseudonyms, and personal blogs. I've blogged with another person and created a blog for a business. 

Learning design and how to create unique blogs has been fun and frustrating, but the bottom line is I really enjoy it. BUT...I can't seem to come up with a cohesive idea for The Cottage on the Corner, which is why it's taking me so long.  I wonder...could it be because The Cottage on the Corner lacks focus?  Is it time to close the doors and head in a new direction all together?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on blogging and honest opinions about the headers up there.  

A couple things are happening around here. It's so quiet that it's nearly distracting and I've been so busy on projects that there's been little time for posting at the Cottage.  It's going to continue to be quiet at the Cottage on the Corner. When I said I was joining the August Break, it wasn't planned for it to be quite like this.

For the next few days and possibly a week or so, this little corner of the blogosphere will be undergoing some drastic changes. There may be days when you can't view the site at all....not to worry, it's just me designing and tweaking behind the scenes.

In the meantime check out this fun & crazy blog.  

 

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

~ George Bernard Shaw

The Color of Morning

Have you ever wished you could capture the colors of a morning?  When the sun rises in pinks and fills the earth with light I am filled with wonder and long to hold on to the painting. Since I cannot hold the beauty in my hand I'll create it. I set to work in Elements 10 stacking four morning glory photos on top of each other, adding touches of delicate light, and finally a soft Kim Klassen texture.

Draw out the colors using The Coffee Shop's Color Bar.  Add a bit of text and there it is...a pink sunrise in the depths of a morning glory.     

 

Editing Story

Random Stuff

Here we are six days into August and I'm making my first post.  I took up the August Break banner challenging myself to take at least one photo every day and post it, but darn...life or rather a yard sale just got in the way. 

Have you ever held a yard sale at your home? It's a ton of work, but a great way to purge your house and life of all those bits that accumulate while we're busy living.  And then there are those who decide it's time to unload generations of stuff.

Check out the antique black stroller, yep that's a stroller called the The Junior Tourist. The metal blue stroller is a more recent model.  One gentleman purchased both stollers.

We had two-legged and four-legged visitors.  An adorable Westie stopped by with his lady to browse treasures of all kinds.

 No matter how I tried I just couldn't get him to look at me.  Isn't he cute? 

Cheerios looks so much more delicious in a close-up photo than in person.  Well...that takes me up to three photos.

Today I've promised myself some photo time and I'm going to keep that promise.  Where ever you are, I hope you've been blessed with a glorious day that is as fine as it is here in nw Ohio this 70-something degrees morning. 

My photo editing consisted of a bit of cropping and punching up the color in Elements 10.

Texture Tuesday

Textures Used: KK's February Magic & The Ladder

Linking with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday. Check out more textured photos at:
 

A Preview of August

Wow! What a weekend! It was three days of boxes, lost treasures found, dirt, dust, and finding the remains of unwanted visitors. Once again my daughter, ex-sister-in-law and friend, MJ, and I are joining forces for the 127 Corridor World's Longest Yard Sale. We like to think we have a classy, well-organized sale full of cast off treasures, collectibles and even a few antiques. The yard sale extends from 5 miles north of Addison, Michigan, to Gadsden, Alabama.  This has become such a big thing that HGTV heads out to tape sellers and shoppers alike.  So there's my pitch for the yard sale that begins this Thursday, August 2 and ends Sunday, August 5th.

Sometimes a lady just has to try something new, hence the cut up photo of two coneflower blooms that fought the heat to survive and flourish as best it could.  The flower was planted this spring with great hopes of producing a nice bushy plant, but now I'm just delighted it soldiered through.  By the way...that is the color of the flowers and I just love it. 

August Break!

Yes I'm joining Susannah Conway again this year for The August Break.  There will be a photo most days, but few if any words unless something spectacular  occurs that I just can't keep to myself.  Oh wait...something spectacular did happen over the weekend, but it's too soon to spill the beans. Wanna join the August Break?  Hop over to Susannah's site and check it out. 

Whewwww.... busy weekend shaping up to be a busy week, but ya know busy is good. 

At the Dragonfly Tea Cottage

The sign on the front sidewalk says, "open" 

so let' have lunch at the Dragonfly Tea Cottage in Sylvania, Ohio! 

MJ had told me about this wonderful little oasis and I couldn't wait to visit.  We came in through the backyard garden , passed the welcoming back porch with dragonfly decorated ceramic boots setting a quaint scene.

 

A vibrant sign, just inside the door, greeted us and the ladies smiled warmly creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. 

Everything inside the tea house is colorful, eclectic and artistic.  From the charm of mismatched table settings to the whimsical salt & pepper shakers that adorn each table. 

Then....there's the tea and food.  Hot temperatures outside require cool drinks indoors.  We opted for flavored iced teas, refreshing and delicious. And the food....fresh, home made and wow!

Someday I'm going back for dessert!  

Dragonfly Tea Cottage

"We Love Tea Parties!"

5723 N. Main Street

Sylvania, Ohio, 43560

(419) 824-2153

By the way...there's another whole floor waiting for little girls everywhere to experience their dream fairy tea party, but I'm saving that for another post. 

Texture and Surprises

MJ took me to a wonderful little restaurant inside an old house, but before we had lunch at the Dragonfly Tea Cottage, we checked out  what was hiding just beyond the street.  A tiny historic village with buildings, plantings, and stories to tell. 

There were no guides to regale with facts and fables so we read the markers and peeked in windows...

and wondered what fried marbles tasted like.  Anybody ever heard of fried and marbles?  I'm guessing something like donut holes.

What lay beyond the bend of the sidewalk?

A garden of surprise and delight.  Who knew Sylvania held a secret place right in the middle of town! Read more about it here. 

I used textures on all the photos in today's post, but the last one is my submission to Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.

I also used textures from French Kiss and Distressed Jewell.  

We'll have tea tomorrow....I promise!