Photo of the Week: July

Better late than never, right? This should have been posted at the end of July, but we were in the middle of a week long camping trip. Things have been a bit behind since, but I'm almost caught up.

Anyway, here are the photos that made it to Photo of the Week (POTW) for July:

For photo details, check out my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ArtfullySuperior/.

Challenge: Photo of the Week

Well, the year is nearly half over already. Hard to believe, right? But, it's true.

I know it's kinda silly to start some sort of project, like Photo of the Week, mid-year, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. See, I've been a bit of a slacker on creating new photos. Most of what I work with, and sell now, are photos from years ago. I love them, and they sell well. But, they're not new. 

So, I'm wondering why I don't have that much new work? Am I really that busy? Do I lack inspiration? Or, am I just plain lazy?? Whatever the reason, I think that having a definite goal in mind will force, I mean help, me get out there and capture some sweet shots.

Being a person who functions better with structure, I'm giving myself the Photo of the Week Challenge starting in July through the rest 2016. That gives me 6 full months to significantly add to my portfolio. Here's how it's going to work. Each week, I will get back out there and search for those sweet shots. Then, I will choose my fave photo from the week and post it on Facebook. Be sure to "Like" my page here: https://www.facebook.com/ArtfullySuperior/ to see the weekly winners.  I will also post them monthly here.

Stay tuned for something new...

So it's been awhile...

Wow, I'm shamefully embarrassed at how long it's been since I've posted. Nearly 3 years seems ridiculous, so I must have been so busy right? I guess so, but aren't we all?

So, what have I been so busy with over the last 2 1/2+ years? Most importantly, I am still a stay-at-home Mommy first. But, now I'm also a homeschooler. We tried our local public school, but for many reasons, it just wasn't for us. We took the plunge and tried homeschooling for the second half of Kindergarten for my older daughter. The verdict:: we loved it!

Our Classroom

I also formed a local homeschool group last fall, so that has kept us in touch with other like-minded families. We also take super fun monthly field trips to local parks, farms, mines, etc. It's a ton of fun, but also keeps me pretty busy.

Over the last year, I also took on an online job as an "Internet Relevance Judge". Translation: I spent 10 hours weekly judging horribly boring information to ensure that when people search on Bing or Google that their searches find what they want. I made it about a year, but my husband and I both agreed that my time would be much better spent focused on my true love: Art.

So, I'm back. I will throw myself back into this full-force. I have lots of new ideas, and I'm excited to really do this! Here some of my new things below, and I recently opened another shop on Redbubble. Check it out on the right of my blog.

Lake Superior Stone Necklace

Stone Keychain

Stone Necklace with New Acrylic Treatment

I will do my best to make an awesome effort to blog regularly. To start, my goal will be to blog monthly. I can do this!

Where I've Been...

It's been quite awhile since I've done anything with this blog or really with my photography for that matter.  So, what have I been up to?  Most recently, I had another beautiful baby girl, Cassidy.  She is now 5 months old, and my first baby, Savannah, is about to start Kindergarten.  I can hardly believe it!

Savannah at almost 5 yrs. and Cassidy at 5 mos.

But, before Cassidy, there was quite a lapse with no communication here...I have been pretty private about it, and I don't plan to elaborate about it now.  But, in the last couple of years. I have finally come to realize and attempt to deal with my depression and anxiety.  Unfortunately, the pregnancy didn't help my condition much, and I am currently finding my way out of post-partum depression.  Thankfully, I have an incredibly supportive husband, great doctor, and a great determination to get back to the self that I remember before I felt paralyzed by this stuff.

I am realizing now that turning away from things that once made me happy, like photography, although it can also ramp up my anxiety too, is not the answer.  I need to keep doing the things that make me, me, and do my best not to let my depression and anxiety run my life.  I think that this blog may even be somewhat therapeutic in that respect.

So, there it is...I have broken my silence about something not many even know about me, and I shouldn't feel ashamed of.  Anyone else out there been through this and care to share?