Practicing in Manual Mode

 I am practicing Manual mode

on my camera.

I took the first class of Photography 101 from
shootflyshoot.com

and I highly recommend it.

I love that it is available to me forever.

I plan to take their second class

but I still need to practice what

is taught in the first class.

Today's post was chosen because of a party hosted by
Funky Junk Interiors. See the link at the end of the post.
I decided to practice photographing my

 yellow vintage door turned shelf
 and my whitevintage door
turned into part of our headboard

in Pinetop...

See all those Pine trees...

We have 28 of them in our front yard.

Side View

Even my husband said he loves seeing the

scrolls on the sides when out in the yard.

The door used to be in our pantry.

Now it is on the deck and holds

dishes I use for Mosaic.

It also holds vintage bottles and a what not here or there,

waiting to be transformed.

This was the first picture I took this morning.

I looked at it and my first thought was

Oh My...

But

Then

I decided it was sort of

Artsy

and 

I 

liked

it!

I also could not get enough light

in our Master Bedroom

to showcase the Vintage French Door

Turned into our headboard.

I worked with it just a little in PSE

and I also decided I sort of liked the

graniness ( is that a word?! )

Linking up with the party below!

From Ugly to Pretty

 Remember this photo from the golf course?

The above one, of course!

 Doesn't look much like this, does it?

This is one side of our backyard in Pinetop...

Pretty, yucky, huh?

The backyard has been ignored, in order

to make the front yard more beautiful...

Plus,

We did not have a vision for the back

We do not entertain here....

obviously...

but we never would.

The front has all the

entertaining spaces.

 Seeing those aspens

gave me inspiration..

I was sick of looking at this,

 even though it is only seen

outside our bedroom doors.

So, we are on the move...

Nine Aspens now and one Maple

have been planted in the back. New 

gravel placed all over.

We are waiting on pavers that match

the front patio to make a landing

off the back steps and in the side yard, 

a place for the garbage cans.

All those ugly other terra cotta things 

are out of there!

For now, there is a path from the 

steps, to the gate, made with the vintage round

concrete pavers. 

Not sure if we will keep them. I

might mosaic them or we will put

in a paver sidewalk...

Still thinking about this..

And, of course,

one thing leads to another..

The below, along the street,

in the front, has turned into

This ...

 And I could not resist showing

a picture of some of the roses in

full bloom!

 Hope your life is as fragrant and beautiful

as these roses!

What a Difference 10 Minutes Can Make!

 We were sitting on the deck, 
out front, 

having Happy Hour.

Looking around the sky, 

the next four pictures show what we saw...

Just look at the light on the trees..

About 10 minutes later, 

the sky had turned to the below.

What a difference 10 minutes can make!

Hope you enjoy every 10 minutes of your day!

Urban Restoration and All Kinds of Fun

Weekend before last, I went to Gilbert to get my much needed hair done and to

see some much needed girlfriends.

We started out having breakfast at one of my favorite places, Brunchies, in 

Chandler, AZ

If you ever go, and you like Mexican food...here is what you should get..

Chile Reano with the Home Fries.

I never get anything else. It will keep you full all day long and your tummy

will Thank You!

After breakfast, we headed out to

Some of my favorite bloggers,

Mike and Cat Curio http://jackandcatcurio.com 

are now partners with 

another couple who are owners of the

above. It was so good to see old friends 

doing something they love.

One of my finds was these darling coasters. D My plan is to

perhaps paint them white and change out the

butterfly pictures. I might paint the glass with

chalk paint and use them for place cards....

OR

I might put burlap in them and stencil numbers on them

to also use as place cards...we'll see. 

You'll know why the below picture is here in just a minute...

 As we were leaving, I spotted some round, iron, scrolly things.

Mike did not know what they had been. He said they just

liked them. Well, guess what...so did I. I was about to

head back inside to pay for them when Mike took them

out of my hands and then handed them back and said, 

"Happy Birthday"

I was touched beyond words.

It is not the first kindness he has shown me.

The world is blessed to have he and Cat ( his partner's nick name )

 in this world!

As soon as I got home I headed for the living room. I did

not know how I was going to use them but as I rounded the curve,

I spotted the two pictures above the buffet. I could not believe it...

when I held one up, it framed the other frame perfectly!

I was so thankful I had scored both of them!

And yes, in the picture above, you see green Christmas bulbs.

I don't care....they go with my new evolving look

and I love them there. :)

 Then, all of a sudden, I spotted my Waterford cake plate

from my mother, sitting on top of the buffet. Again, another perfect fit!

And then, it didn't stop there....

I took one and put it around my Waterford compote bowl ( again, from my mom )

on the coffee table.

Problem...I only have two and I want four!!!!  :)

 Just look at the perfect pattern of filigree..love it!

At first, before coming home, I thought I would paint

them white...

But No More...

Too Perfect, As Is!

Below is my birthday package from my dear friend, Bonnie.

I should have rotated it..sorry. She always does the most

beautiful packages!

Just look at this vintage tin Handkerchief box...

Be still my heart!

 The package also contained vintage decals and all

sorts of vintage inspired goodies with which to play.

I wish she had a blog so I could send you to visit her!

She took a beach vacation in New Jersey, this summer.

She brought me a darling packaged soap from there.

See the tag...Dream

I want you to dream it is turned around!

I am dreaming about playing with all my goodies and 

being back at our beach place in the fall.

For now, I am dreaming about being finished with a huge endeavor I started

that I hope to share before too very long.

Wish me luck. I don't know what I was thinking

when I decided to take the job on...

O.K. enough for now. Hope your week is going well

and you have something to dream about that is special!

 What a beautiful golf course.

I don't play golf but it is my husband's passion.

Not long ago, I rode around with him. I took my

latest issue of Southern Living to read

while he played the round. I also could not help

taking lots of pictures with my IPhone.

The views were magnificent.

Scroll down to enjoy some of the sites....

We came upon this home that had the coolest railroad

winding around the home.

And look where the train ended....

at the station, inside the home!

It was a beautiful ride and a beautiful day.