BBRuthie giveaway winner :)

Sorry for the delay folks, my family and I spent the weekend at the Sand Dunes and didn't get back till yesterday afternoon. Once we got everything cleaned up and de-sanded it was getting late.

So... without further adieu, the winner of the lovely Ode To Twilight bracelet from BBRuthie is Kathrin Zupancic! Katherine please send me your mailing address so I can mail you your prize.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated, I had fun going through each comment. Please be sure to check out my friends shop BBRuthie, her prices are GREAT and her jewelry is gorgeous.

xoxo
Georgia

3 new necklaces

I have listed 3 new necklaces in my shop today.

A Blue Morpho Necklace

A Madagascan Sunset Moth Necklace, like the one I gave to Ashley Greene, remember?


and a Marcella Daggerwing Necklace...

Mothers day is coming up... just sayin' ;)

~G

Lily at the lake

When I was in Utah over spring break I got to take some fun pictures of my sister when we went out to Utah Lake. She was wearing our Grandmothers old dress from the 70's, and my Mom's turquoise jewelry. My sister is gorgeous.

I took a TON of photo's, but here are a couple. I will load more as I get the chance. I have been experimenting with different editing techniques... Still trying to decide how I feel about the second photo. I like it... but did I over do it? Its hard to know after looking at it for too long. I still am trying to come up with enough money to buy Lightroom and Photoshop CS4... *sigh* But this seriously old copy of Photoshop CS will have to do for now :)





I still have many photo's of THE Lisa to upload, as well as Project Book Babe... I swear it will happen. Soon...ish.

~G

I would LOVE to see this...

I would be SO very happy if I were to happen upon a train station where this happened.

Sound of Music Train Station @ Yahoo! Video

BBRuthie Grand Opening Giveaway!

My super fantastic friend Jessica has been feverishly working away, making some fabulous jewelry. I have one of her bracelets and I have to tell you that I adore it.

Jessica finally opened up her Etsy shop this past week, and in honor of her grand opening she has donated her Ode To Twilight bracelet for a giveaway! This bracelet is made on memory wire, and has genuine swarovski crystals in black, ruby red, and a stormy grey. There are also 3 charms, a swarovski heart, a wolf, and an apple. Perfect!

Jessica makes her memory wire bracelets with spacers on them, to give them a slinkier feel, it gives the beads some movement and I really love the effect. And, just LOOK at her prices! What a DEAL! Her jewelry really is beautiful, I love all the springy bracelets.

If you would like a chance to win this bracelet, please simply leave me a comment on this post telling me what you think about Michael Sheen being cast as Aro. Jessica and I are big Underworld fans, and we happen to think that Lucian = Delicious... So needless to say, we are quite please with this choice. How about you?



This giveaway will be open until Sunday, on Sunday I will randomly select a winner by the number of their comment using Random.org and then post the winner here on my blog.

Here are a few more pictures of the Ode To Twilight bracelet, all the images are clickable for a larger version. Don't forget to click over to her shop and check it out! And please pardon my terrible nail polish job... time for a manicure!

New Bracelet, and stuff :)

I listed a new bracelet in my shop tonight :) Its purty.

**Update** The bracelet sold pretty quick... I will be making some similar ones soon though.



I have 6 butterfly wing necklaces almost ready to list as well, including a Madagascan Sunset Moth, and a Blue Morpho for those of you who have been asking about those. AND My Team Adam, and my Wicked Necklaces should be finished soon as well! *wipes forehead* That was a lot of work.

I am getting ready to post my next giveaway, check back soon!

xoxo

I want Laini Taylor's hair...

I finally had a little bit of time tonight to go through some of my shots from Project Book Babe last weekend, and I just want to say that I REALLY love Laini's hair... a lot. I want her hair. When I was 14 I dyed my hair turquoise, it was fantastic. *sigh*

Dear Laini... I really covet your awesome hair.

This picture is not the greatest... I was REALLY far away. But, do you see her hair? LOVE IT!

More pictures from Project Book Babe coming soon! I hope everyone has a good Easter tomorrow, and if you don't do Easter, I hope you have a great rest of your weekend.

xoxo
Georgia

And the winners are...

The time has come, the time is now... The time is later than I meant for it to be when I announced the winners... Ah well :)

The winner of the lovely Pepper Hostess Apron from Cottage Road Designs, goes to rfun6, whose birthday is also today! Happy Birthday!!!

And the winner of my 8x12 print Through The Mist, taken just outside Forks Washington, is GracieNEgansMom.

Thank you SO much to everyone who participated! It was so fun to read every comment ( I am a comment junkie... they make me happy ), and to learn a tiny bit about each of you. Also a HUGE thank you to Brittany Soucy for providing the apron. If you did not win the apron but would like to purchase one for yourself please visit her shop. They are a STEAL at only $30 dollars. Click the button below to be magically transported to her site ;)





Please, if you are one of the winners, email me at georgia.cranston@gmail.com with your address so that I can mail the items to you.

That is all today... but keep an eye on my blog because I have a new giveaway I am announcing tomorrow, or monday... I meant to do it today but I ran out of time... But you will definitely want a chance to win what I am giving away, it is super fabulous :)

~G

One of those days...

Today has been one of those days...

My 3 and 4 year olds brought me the lovely gift of dead kittens this afternoon... It seems the neighbors brand new (3 weeks old) kittens somehow found their way into our back yard and were quickly killed by our dogs... And my boys found them when they were out there playing... and thought they were alive... and were PLAYING WITH THEM! I almost passed out when Jett smiled at me and said "Look at these cute kitty's we are playing with mommy!" and the poor things head was rolling around on its body...

*shudders*

I found 5 kittens, all dead. I hope there aren't any others back there. I now have to figure out how to properly go about telling the neighbor. Ugh.

After that happened my 7 year old came home from school with the message that he had been using inappropriate words. Oh dear... what was he saying you ask?

Peacock.

Yes, he was saying peacock... and then breaking it into two separate words and trying be funny... not realizing that what he was saying was actually NOT funny, and it got him into trouble. peacock... pea...cock... pee... well, you get the idea.

okay... maybe that bit about the peacock is kinda funny... just a little... and it sorta takes away a little bit of the dead kitten horror... just a little. But I can't tell him its kinda funny... Nope, that is a very bad word and we don't say that... no we do not.


Peacock...


*giggles*

Gypsy's Birthday Giveaway Extravaganza of AWESOME!

So... I have been wanting to have a giveaway on my blog for a while now, and I figured my birthday was the perfect time to do it. So, in celebration of my impending oldness I have put together a few fun items to give to you, my faithful blog readers. And I think I should add here that Extravaganza, is probably WAY too strong a word for this giveaway as I have only 2 items I am giving away at this time... but it sounded good so I went with it :)

Item number one (and my personal favorite...):

This GORGEOUS Hostess Apron from the lovely and talented Brittany Soucy of Cottage Road Designs.



Isn't it fabulous? All you Twilight fans out there will appreciate the colors in this I am sure! I absolutely adore it, and I am buying one for myself... because I must have it. Check out her shop, she has several other designs as well, and I think I may have to own one of each... They are handmade, and the price is a steal. She also has some beautiful journals that she sells... I think I need one of those as well.






Second up, (and still cool... but not as cool as that apron):

This 8x12 print of the forest outside of Forks Washington.



I took this photo last September when I went to Forks... Have I mentioned how much fun I had? This was printed in a professional lab on a very high quality paper, Fuji Crystal Archive Pearl. This paper gives the photo a beautiful metallic look, which makes the colors pop out and appear so crisp they have a nearly 3D appearance. The reason I chose this print from all of my prints, is because it really captures the foggy mysterious look I imagined from the books.

In order to be eligible for this giveaway, you must do 2 things. First, subscribe to my blog. Its easy. See that little thing up on the right hand side of your screen, near the top... it says subscribe. Click it, choose how you want to subscribe... easy!

Once you have subscribed (or if you are already subscribed) leave me a comment here on this post. Tell me what your plans are this weekend, tell me happy birthday... tell me your favorite ice-cream flavor. Just leave me a comment telling me something fun :) This is important LEAVE ONLY ONE COMMENT PLEASE.

On Saturday, I will randomly select the 2 winners. I will do this by either putting pieces of paper in a hat with the numbers of each comment on them... or using an online random number generator. Depends on if I am feeling lazy or not ;) Once I choose the winners, I will post here to my blog who the winners are and how to contact me so I can get you your prize.

Okay, now... SUBSCRIBE! COMMENT! WIN (hopefully)!!!

I have several other delicious giveaways planned in the next few weeks, so be sure to keep checking the blog!!! I will also be posting some photo's from Project Book Babe this weekend. It was a blast, and a HUGE success.

Baby Jacob

When I was in Utah last week I had the opportunity to hang out with my old friend Sarah. She has a new baby boy and he was just ADORABLE!







I think the one with his toes could be a bit sharper... but I am happy with these!

I have MANY MANY photo's from Utah, some of my sister, and my friend Lisa... and lots more. I will try to get more up this weekend! Also, keep an eye on the blog because I have a really fabulous giveaway planned!!! YEAH!

More Zoe

To see this larger go HERE.

I will be in Utah next week... I am looking forward to seeing some good friends and doing a few photo shoots there. I plan to spend some time photographing my lovely friend Sarah and her new baby, my super amazing friend THE Lisa, My girl Special K, and who knows, maybe some other people too! I hope I have enough time to see everyone. I miss you ALL!!!

xoxoxo

Meet Zoe...

She likes to wear bright orange pants, with her hair in a side ponytail and heart shaped sunglasses...

She likes to read, a lot, and thinks Harry Potter was the best series ever... until she discovered Mortal Instruments... and then she said that was the best series ever, but only because Potter was over... And because "Jace is hot".



She used to sneak into my room when I was sleeping and hide under my bed waiting for me to wake up. She also would sleep walk to the kitchen to get herself chocolate milk.


She and I share the same crazy personality, and if I were still 18 we would probably share the same crazy wardrobe.



She likes Napoleon Dynamite, and Nacho Libre... Because she has amazing taste in movies, just like me.

She is my cousin, and I adore her :)

Transform

I loved this short film, made by photographer Zack Arias. I especially LOVE the ending.



"Every photographer, in all of history, was a horrible photographer for some period of time. They learned. They grew. They had dark days. They persevered... That, is the way of the artist. Just be patient, keep on going. Transformation takes time, and from what I've seen in my life... It really is worth the wait."

learning... working... living

Learning...

I have been working very hard to LEARN the technical aspects of photography. Sure, I can see something that would make a pretty picture and point my camera at it and shoot... but I want to understand the HOW and the WHY behind all the settings I can use, and I want to master them. I have read my users manual several times, and while it all makes sense while I am reading it somehow I was getting all screwed up when it came time to implement what it said, so I would switch back to Auto and let it be.

I have been reading dozens of photography blogs, looking through flickr to see what it is people are doing in their photo's. I want my photo's to look as good as possible right out of the camera, so that any editing I do will mostly be to enhance the photo, and not to fix what I didn't get right in the camera.

My husbands friend is a photographer, and he has started to teach me. Its amazing, for some reason, all the times I read everything about how to do this or that to achieve this or that in a photo it all just didn't make sense to me when it came time to apply it. And then, after one time working with him and him sitting with me showing me, it suddenly clicks in my brain. HOW did it not make sense before??? I have already gotten a little better, I hope I can continue to do so. In general my only subjects to practice on are my children, since I spend all day with them :) Here is one of the photo's I took of Kayden this week.



Working...

I have been creating lots of new jewelry for my shop these last couple weeks. Most of it Twilight stuff, just because that seems to be what is selling the most. Which is fine with me, I have all the money I need for Squam now, and I am working on the money for my plane ticket now :) I will also likely have a vendor's spot at TwiCon this year selling the Twilight jewelry and my Twilight prints. That should be a fun weekend!

Another thing I am working on is getting into better shape. Now... this is not coming along very well LOL! I honestly think I have a thyroid problem and I will be setting an appointment with a Doctor soon to get it checked out. I hold no illusions that I will EVER be a size 4 again. But if someone cuts back their calories to roughly 12 to 15 hundred a day you might expect they would shed a few pounds... even just ONE! but I have actually gained weight. AMAZING! I have magical powers of expandability! so yeah... Trying to find the motivation to continue with this whole getting in shape thing that so obviously works for me *sarcasm*. I think I mentioned a while back that I stopped eating meat, and for the most part I am still going strong with this. I have had an occasional nibble of chicken, and I made chili last week (I ate around the meat, but it was still in there LOL). This has made it so i very rarely eat out. Fast food doesn't offer many non-meaty options. I have been eating a lot of Tofu and brown rice with veggies... Again... you would think at least a FEW pounds would have decided to go away and leave me along. Wouldn't you???

*sigh*

Living...

Life is good :) We are still here in Arizona, and it looks likely we will remain. At least for a while. Which makes me sad because I want to be with all my friends and family in Utah, but happy because I get to stay near all my friends and family here for a while. We are going to Utah for spring break though... maybe we will change our minds for the umpteenth time LOL! That was especially funny to anyone who has known us for the last oh... 3 years or so. EVERY time we have visited Utah we have come home making pronouncements of moving there within a few months time... we even sold a business once... and then ended up staying here. *sigh* I guess when the timing is right we will be there... right?

I am super happy that American Idol is back on! I LURVE this show... although the way they are getting to the top 12 this year is not my favorite. So far, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Adam Lambert ( I saw him perform in Wicked when I was in LA last year, and he was simply amazing. Like Uh.Maze.EENG!!!) And Danny Gokey, and the girl with the pink streaks in her hair... But mostly Adam, There is something about a guy who can REALLY sing... his range is ENORMOUS, and I admit that I dig his eyeliner, and nail polish... and did I mention his voice? YOWZA!

Observe his awesomeness as Fiyerro.





I *heart* boys who sing.


Overall though things are good. I hope things are well with everyone in blogland. Drop me a comment to let me know you are out there :) I have become so bad at blogging I feel out of touch with all my bloggie friends.

xoxoxo
Georgia

The Forks Fork... and other news :)

My shop was featured over the weekend in the blogs of a lovely lady whom I have been messaging back and forth with on Etsy.

Stop by and give her some bloggy love :)

HERE

and

HERE

Thank you Ana Cristina!

Also, I wanted to share something fun I created over the weekend and will be adding to my shop soon. I have made several of these with the word Forks, and several with the word Cullen on them... They are my Forks Forks ;)



I made this one from a silver seafood fork. Its real silver baby :) The rest of them that I will be listing are all stainless steel, I only had the one that was actual silver... I will have to be watching the ebay auctions to try and get more silver ones. Random fact: Real silver is expensive! The stainless ones are equally as cool as the silver one though.

In other news, I sent off my registration to Squam yesterday, I sent it Priority :) I am so excited for September to come so I can go! I am taking a song writing workshop from Jonatha Brooke, who as many of my friends know, is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE musicians. I have been a fan since I was about 15... that is a long time! I emailed her because I was nervous about taking it as I don't actually play any instruments, unless you count my voice, and she put me right at ease :) She is so cool. I am also taking 2 other writing workshops and a painting, mixed media type class. I just know that these classes (especially the writing ones) are exactly what I need this year. I have been talking about writing a book for about 10 years, I am excited to take these classes and hope they give me some tools I need to get started writing :)

Bella and Tara

I LOVE this!

Busy busy busy :)

I have been very busy lately, spending time with my family, trying to put together a cookbook (HUGE cookbook... I am making it for the TwilightMOMS website and there are HUNDREDS of recipes that were emailed in...) and making jewelry to list in my shop. I have made several of my butterfly wing necklaces, and of course I have still been making Twilight inspired jewelry. The Twilight stuff is a big hit, and I have been working hard to make money so I can attend Squam later this year.

The image above is my latest design, I just listed in my shop tonight. I am loving my new supplies! I bought a couple sets of alphabet metal stamps a few years ago, and never used them... And as I was packing to move I found them again and thought they would be fun to use. so I purchased the rest of the items I would need to make jewelry with them and went to town! The necklace says "Plus que ma propre vie" which means "More than my own life" in french. This is the saying that Bella had inscribed on the inside of the locket she gave Renesmee.

44

Three times, I reached down to lift a slippery crying infant from the water.
Each time, overwhelmed by love, joy... the perfection of the tiny new face.
Three faces I watch each day, and see in those eyes the promise of a better tomorrow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several blogs I follow are participating in a fun little thing today, I thought I would share it here.

Basically the gist of it is, to honor the changes being made in our country today, post a picture on your blog that speaks to you of hope, optimism, etc. It doesn't to have anything to do with the inauguration itself, just something that speaks to you on a personal level. Then post the photo along with 44 words about it or about today itself. Obama is our 44th President.

You can do this regardless of your political views, you did not have to vote for Obama in order to be able to participate.

This idea originated here: http://practicalbrownbob.blogspot.com/2009/01/44-calling-all-bloggers.html and I first learned of it on Shuttersisters.com

I *heart* my sister.

When I was in Utah over Thanksgiving my sister asked me to take some photo's for her for head shots. I am still learning how to do everything, but here are a few of the shots we got. I noticed that most of them were a little underexposed, and so I have been playing with the settings on my camera, and learning a bit about how to fix problem. I can't edit RAW files in my version of photoshop (I have an old version of CS, and it won't open the RAW files from my camera), and I have heard that that makes it easier to fix something like this that was underexposed... I will have to save up for a new version of photoshop soon... AFTER I pay for Squam :) I am going in September and hope to be able to meet some new and old friends there :)

These first 2 are some of my favorites from the photo shoot with my sister. She is so beautiful!





This last one is one my sister likes a lot, I think its okay, but it was so underexposed I had to do a lot of editing to make it work. I also think the focus is a little soft on her eyes, you can tell in the larger version.



I am really enjoying my camera, I have not had a lot of time lately to use it, but I pick it up every chance I get.