While browsing around at Etsy recently, I was blown away by the photograph above.  I loved the poppy pods, and I LOVED the “shabby chic” or vintage look to the photo.

After clicking over to ScarletBeautiful’s Etsy store, I learned that this photo is part of her “Through the Viewfinder” series.  Basically, these photos are taken though the viewfinder of any camera with another camera.  Who would have thunk it?  Not me!  I can’t look at this enough. 

But was this the only thing I loved?  Not by a long shot.  There were many other beautiful shots using this technique, and tons of others that were such visual inspiration for me.  I just had to write ScarletBeautiful and ask permission to share this with my readers.

While Etsy is a great place to find cool stuff to buy, it is also like a virtual gallery, where every page brings more creativity right to your computer screen.  I encourage you to visit today and get inspired!

My Etsy site  is there, also, if you’re interested in taking a look…!

“It’s not what you look at that matter. It’s what you see.”   -Thoreau

I’m trying to learn the art of really paying attention to every moment.  Of being aware of the moments that go by at lightening speed.  People miss the majority of what goes on around them because we can’t possibly process it all.  But most of us even miss much of the rest because of distractions. 

I’m trying to lessen my distractions and really see things around me.  I’m going to start carrying my camera in my purse again to capture some of the everyday things I see.  I don’t want to miss it all.  I am amazed by what others see and create, and I want that vision back.  I don’t want to be too distracted not to see all that I can possibly process in my life.  I am going to try to share some of the visual inspirations that come my way in future posts…stay tuned!

This week I:

•  found out my X lost his job…
•  doesn’t have another one…
•  moved back in with his parents (he’s 42)…
•  doesn’t get unemployment, which means I don’t get child support
•  started a new part-time job
•  nursed my daughter through the flu.  She missed 5 days of school.
•  took her to the doctor today because she broke out in hives all over her body
•  made homemade chicken soup to hopefully help my daughter
•  made it through the half-way point in my courses this semester…
•  etc.
•  etc.
•  etc.

And now I’m tired.  I came home ready to put my feet up.  My daughter’s hives have subsided for now, so it was a frozen pizza supper and a second viewing of “Hairspray” at our house tonight.  Who can stay tired or stressed during that show?  We all felt better after an hour-and-a-half of singing along and toe-tapping.

Tomorrow I need to get going photographing some jewelry, and making new designs for Spring to bring to The Old Church Gallery in Cedar River, MI next weekend.  They are re-opening on May 1st, and I’m really excited for their second year in existence.  Last year, it was so fun to head up along the bay to visit the gallery and see all the stuff…mine included…

So tomorrow in-between the laundry loads and the shopping and the nursing and the cooking will come some creative time for jewelry creation and photographing.  My photos up to now have been more for inventory’s sake than for beauty. Hopefully I’ll have something better to show soon.  Now’s the time to learn to use that fancy digital camera I got my daughter for Christmas. 

Because tonight I felt my creative urges return somewhere during “Hairspray.”  I can’t wait to play among the beads tomorrow.