I can’t believe I made it to 50! I bet you can’t either. I have watched as my Blogger followers (that’s what they are called here on Blogger, I didn’t make that name up), have followed and un-followed in rapid succession. I have to say that I am so co-dependent that I take the un-follow as a personal slap that I am not doing my bit to satisfy you ‘followers’. I don’t like the wording ‘follower’, when I know you are all leaders (will that keep you following me? compliments? they always work for me).  I have an awful lot going on right now and this project of editing is the only thing that is keeping me coming here each day and checking in. I’m serious, I have wanted to stop blogging so I can add an extra hour into my work day, I want to not do the project so I can focus on the blog re-design, etc., but I know those are pipe dreams, the only thing that works for me is to keep moving, when I stop I can’t get anything done, when I am going, going going, things are accomplished. I am going to slow down this upcoming weekend though as I am going away to meet some blog friends in ‘real life’. It’s quite a thrill and something I missed last year as I started a job that I promptly got fired from, for what else? blogging. oops. If I knew I was going to get canned (a first, ouch) I would have gone away for the weekend prior. Live and learn.

I will be editing a photo a day for the remainder of 2012::Project MMXII, this is my ‘after’, you can view the ‘before’ here.
  

Mandrill’s, quite the exotic primate, no? A bit vicious looking with sharp canine teeth and natural ‘war paint’.  Not a species I would like to be locked in a small room with, but enough about the Mandrill, let’s talk about me shall we? 

I tackled a pile of Besotted Brand orders so high that we didn’t have space to move today. I honestly thought I would be packing until next Tuesday, but I had help and she was fast. When the last of the orders was packed and in the capable arms of my Postman I heaved a sigh of relief, until I came back into my studio and took in the mass havoc that was reaped on it. There was wood shred everywhere. Even my dogs had wood shred stuck to their coats. Bella thought it was a toy and I had to stick my fingers into her slobbery mouth to retrieve a handful of it, pretty. She thought it was a new game, and tried to hold on tight to her wood shred ‘toy’. Never a dull moment. After being up since the crack of dawn, working like a madwoman for twelve hours straight I had to resign myself to the fact that I would never be able to relax unless I cleaned the mess up. A couple hours later I was done, both literally and figuratively. I then had to set up a shot for the Souvenir Foto School class and do this edit. Believe me if I were going to give up this masochistic project, today would have been the day, but I persevered. I am feeling a little like I think someone that climbed Mount Everest might feel, just a total sense of accomplishment.  Now forgive me, I think I am going to go pass out.

I will be editing a photo a day for the remainder of 2012::Project MMXII, this is my ‘after’, you can view the ‘before’ here.
 

I decided to go to the museum this morning, which would have been great but I felt anxious knowing that I needed to get cracking on orders. I couldn’t get started though even if I wanted to, I had shipments of extra inventory arriving but not into late in the afternoon. I still managed to drive myself crazy. I tried half halfheartedly to enjoy the exhibits and take it all in, but my mind was on all the work that needs to be done this weekend. I cut my museum visit short and came home to no deliveries, so I basically sat at home in a state of limbo which was very productive. Here’s to Saturday being a day of kicking butt and taking names!

I will be editing a photo a day for the remainder of 2012::Project MMXII, this is my ‘after’, you can view the ‘before’ here.

 P.S. Don’t forget to enter The Luxe Correspondence Set giveaway!

Some days when you edit, nothing turns out quite like you planned. I tried No. 47 about half a dozen times, once I even uploaded a finished image but quickly deleted and started over again. I knew going into this ambitious project that I wouldn’t love all my uploads but I didn’t count on loathing some of them.  I have some ideas for No. 48, I am eager to put No. 47 behind me. This feather is from a domesticated parrot, it’s feather molted naturally (I don’t go around plucking parrot feathers). I have mentioned my husband’s disdain for anything avian in the house. Birds are disease riddled animals to him so when I shot this it was as covert as a Green Beret special ops mission. 

I am taking a couple hours off Friday morning to just hang out with myself. I plan on shipping straight through to Monday starting Saturday and need to get myself mentally ready for the mountain of orders that need to be fulfilled. I thankfully have help on Saturday and she will get to witness first hand my complete type-A packing style, wherein one package will take an hour to prepare. Hopefully she will be faster than me. Thank you again to everyone that ordered, that was sure nice of you, I promise to take real good care of your parcels.

I will be editing a photo a day for the remainder of 2012::Project MMXII, this is my ‘after’, you can view the ‘before’ here.

 P.S. Don’t forget to enter The Luxe Correspondence Set giveaway!

I wasn’t planning on doing two giveaways in one week, but fate has it that the Universe has smiled kindly on me and given me the ultimate in write ups, (on par with an Oprah mention), a small write-up in the venerable Daily Candy Everywhere edition!  My inbox has been flooded with nice notes, orders from around the globe and garnered me a high-five from my naughty Frenchie (she’s very supportive). In order to spread the good will I am going to be giving away one of the Luxe Correspondence Sets. I mentioned yesterday that it is one of my favorites in the shop. If you would like to know exactly what is in it, you can read the details here. For someone that just quit her job to go off on their own, this nice gesture from DC is such a completely delightful surprise, thoroughly appreciated and the timing couldn’t have been better. I am grateful. 

So please join me in celebrating this momentous day by entering to win the set. Just leave a comment and let me know why you would like this set, you will have until Thursday, February 23, 2012, 11:59 p.m. Pacific to enter. I will choose my favorite answer  and announce the winner on Friday, February 24, 2012. This contest is open worldwide! Thank you Daily Candy!

P.S. Don’t forget about the Natural History prints giveaway. Here’s the details.