Fall Favorite

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know we have a special fall tradition around these parts: The Fall Walk. It truly is my most favorite day of the year. I was even telling the kids on Sunday morning, when I decided it had to be Fall Walk day, that I love the Fall Walk more than Christmas. It's true!

This year, we headed down south to Dansville, NY, just about an hour away. The weather when we left was beautiful and by the time we arrived, the clouds rolled in. Oh perfectly fallish, yes? We were in and out of spritzy showers, but I didn't care. It made the moments the sun decided to shine just that much prettier. The park we strolled through is one we had never visited, Stony Brook State Park. And we will be sure to visit again. It is an absolute hidden gem of a place. It seemed there was a picturesque bridge and waterfall around every turn.

As you can imagine, I took a lot of pictures. Five hundred fifty four, but who's counting? I was able to narrow those down to 80 and from those I'll share my most favorite. It is so hard to choose!! I love them all. I hope if feel like you were right there with us...





















And... there was a playground. The funnest playground I've ever been on. Yeah, the kind that is fun for kids and adults. I have never been on a see-saw like the one in the photos and I must say, I was deprived. I must have one in the backyard... I must. And as you'll see, I liked having my picture taken while balancing on one foot. Best do it while I still can, right?









If you would like to browse the full selection of Fall Walk 2011 photos, I have an entire Flickr set devoted to them! In fact, I have a set for each of the past several years. There were beautiful photos in 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007. And I am sure if I dig through the archives I could find photos from before those too, but I'll spare you. Five years worth is plenty to see. It is amazing to me to see the kids grow in an instant with the years seen consecutively.

Now it is your turn to share...

What is your family's favorite Fall tradition?

New York in a Random Flash

~* Tuesday *~
:: despite my nervous anxiety, I was able to make it from JFK airport, to the airtrain to Jamacia station, to the LIRR, to Penn station, to the F train at 34th & Herald SQ, to the 2nd Ave stop, to my hotel on E. Houston.
:: phew
:: my hotel room was a closet of a place, but clean and up on the 5th floor away from the ground level noise.
:: after dropping off my stuff, I set off for some exploring in the afternoon... Anthropologie at Rockerfeller Center, NBC News, Times Square...
:: then back to Soho for coffee with a Rochester knitting friend... HI MARY ELLEN!
:: she was taking a class at a place I've lusted over in advertisements... Purl SOHO... oh yes, I brought a few skeins home with me
:: then I met up with my editor, Erica Smith, for dinner at Frankies 17
:: I recommend the ricotta and honey crustini... amazing
:: Erica and I hit it off like we've known each other for ages
:: excitement over starting the big shoot in the morning had me tossing and turning til 4am... ugh







~* Wednesday *~
:: excuse the bags under my eyes... I told ya I couldn't sleep!
:: rather than navigating the trains, each morning I walked the 1.5miles to 48 West 21st St to the photo studio of the fantastic Jack Deutsch
:: naturally I stopped for Starbucks along the way
:: just like Totally Twisted, we started by picking the backgrounds for photos... the techniques are on a lovely light blue linen, the wire on an old plank of drift wood, and the process shots on cream
:: could not be more excited about how these shots came out... amazing
:: and Jack has a full time retoucher, Priscilla, so despite chipping my manicure while working the wire, the photos will all look lovely
:: I loved Jack's space... it reminded me of my studio... high ceilings, exposed brick, wood floors... love
:: 9, yes nine, hours later, we wrapped for the day and went out for sushi
:: apparently I was having sushi with Mondo from Project Runway, but only Erica noticed
:: back at the hotel by 7:00pm, I couldn't go to sleep...
:: so, I made my way back to midtown to the Top Of The Strand for a visit with a dear friend from high school










~* Thursday *~
:: another 10 hours of shooting... so many projects, so little time
:: you are going to love every project!
:: despite exhaustion, there was still enough energy for a site or two
:: Eataly is CRAZY! so we didn't stay
:: who in the world could resist going into a Marimekko store if give the chance?
:: oh yes, that fabric will be inspiring beads
:: I had the best cheeseburger... e.v.e.r... at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park
:: and some how managed to get myself back to the hotel in time to catch the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy... you know how much I love Grey's, right?
:: and yes... another sleepless night.



~* Friday *~

:: on the final day of shooting we had amazing thin crust pizza
:: and managed to crank out 10 projects in about 6 hours
:: as soon as we finished packing everything up to ship back to my studio it down poured... so we sat on Jack's couch and imagined future book projects for me...
:: a lampworking book? hmmm...
:: Jack gifted me the most amazing gadget for my camera!! can't wait to show you what it can do
:: THANK YOU JACK!!
:: when the rain let up, it was time to make my way home
:: it took more than 8 hours to get from NYC to Rochester by plane... I could have drove home and been in my bed faster
:: and no mister officer at the sobriety check point on the way home, we have not been drinking, we are on our way home from the airport, ugh
:: oh how I love my home and my comfy bed and perfectly shaped for me pillows and my hubby by my side
:: I still can't believe I was gone for 4 days... it felt like a moment

NYC

I made it to NYC safe and sound!! So excited to share my adventures with you when I get home.

past and pending

:: the weekend passed in the blink of an eye
:: jacob has been called up from the freshman football team to the junior varsity team
:: i can't believe i'll miss his first jv game while in nyc this week
:: i washed and reorganized the pyrex display cabinets in my kitchen... it looks so perdy now
:: lauren took her first learn-to-knit class at the local yarn store on sunday
:: my girl picked orange and black verigated yarn... um yeah, interesting choice... orange is officially her new fav color
:: for the second time this summer, i was miserably disappointed with the goods at the avon flea market
:: loved sitting in the backseat of my dad's '62 fury convertible with my grandma, while flying down the expressway at 70mph
:: grandma giggles
:: doesn't my sister's hair look like troll hair in that upper right pic?
:: sun on my cheeks, wind in my hair (a lotta wind)
:: had an inpromptu dinner with friends last night too... great night
:: saturday night was a late night talk/visit with a broken hearted high school friend, poor thing
:: can't believe that this time tomorrow i'll be on my way to nyc for the first time
:: i'll be packing an umbrella
:: now probably isn't the best time to cast on a pair of socks, but it is happening anyway... stripes
:: feeling terrible that i haven't gone for a run in a week... craziness should not equal laziness
:: i will walk lots in nyc, yes?
:: um, i should probably start laundry so i can pack... yikes!
:: manicure at 1pm

On Being A Bore

I feel like a total bore at the moment. By no means am *I* bored. No ma'am. I have a million and one things to do at the moment. But, when it comes to being witty, having things to say, sharing my life... I think I'm a bore right now. I'm lacking ideas... just like one of my kids. I can't think of a thing to do, here, in this space. So, I thought I would make soup. This soup, Soule Mama's Carrot Tomato Soup. And I thought I would tell you about the time I tried to make it last year. Silly me, I accidently poured curdled cream into it and oddly enough, no one in the house would try it knowing that. And it went to waste. This year, the cream and basil and tomatoes are fresh. I'll warm this at the studio today while I spend another day tooling away on things I can't show you, and I might even have a grilled cheese sandwich along with it. Oh yes, a grilled cheese made with pepper jack cheese.

Every day this week I have tooled the day away in my studio. As a result, my studio table is covered with the 25 progects that will appear in my new book, Rustic Wrappings. I have been stepping out each project for all the process photos we will be taking when I'm in NYC next week. Have I mentioned I'm going to NYC instead of Loveland CO for this book? Do you remember when I went for the Totally Twisted Shoot? In my 33 years of living in New York State (with some years spent living in Flordia and Texas), I have never once visited the big apple. I am a nervous wreck about it. I have no idea how I am getting from JFK airport to my hotel in SOHO, with my baggage, by myself. Everyone I have talked to has said to just get a limo, HA!, wouldn't that be fun! Yet, so not going to happen. I am putting off figuring out those details until Monday. Then I'll fly down to NYC on Tuesday and shoot on Weds/Thurs/Fri.

Gosh that all sounds so mundane in my head... if I were reading this on someone else's blog, I would be excited for them! But as the writer, I am thinking... who the heck cares if you are nervous about getting from the airport to the hotel. Alas... such is life.

To continue with what feels like a bit of monotony to me, I'll tell you about knitting. While my vegetables simmered on the stove yesterday, and I waited for the kids to get home, I stitched a few rows on a pair of arm warmers I'm making. My sister requested these, but apparently, she doesn't approve of the pattern. She wants something she can lace with a ribbon. I guess I'll just have to keep them for myself. I could really use them. My studio was so cold yesterday that I needed two cups of almond tea to keep warm. These arm warmers round my wrists would have helped... and left my hands and fingers free to do their tooling. About 40 more rows and the first one will be finished. Let's all hope I don't suffer from Single Arm Warm Syndrome (an illness that would lead to me only knitting one and not the other).

Isn't it interesting how warm the photos in my kitchen are and how cool the light in the living room is.

I think I hear the bus coming. Time to shoe Lauren out the door, pack up my soup, and get into the studio. I wonder if I'll see something in today to share tomorrow...

***************************************

Remember, registration for SNAPTASTIC The eCOURSE is open!! I would love to have you join me and the other awesome SNAPTASTIC students in class!! You don't want to miss this...

mondays aren't so bad

:: fall hit with full force this weekend... blustery and washed out... i'm loving the first fires of the season and crockpot-made hearty meals.
:: a bit of panic hit me with force too... so much to do, so little time
:: time is passing with such earnest... so many good things to come
:: i've taken to sketching design ideas everyday... even if just for a few minutes... must keep the ideas flowing
:: i feel the pull and call to create... the studio has never been more inviting
:: at the same time, there is a slowing happening too... with the turning season, i want to curl up and snuggle in too
:: balance must be embraced... you can make time for anything if you try




:: i have a plan... wake, kids to school, run, studio, bead, make, home, family, dinner, knit, snuggle
:: i know i'll have to let some things go... hmmm... a month of photos instead of posts might be in order.
:: don't forget, THE SNAPTASTIC ECOURSE is open for registration and starts two weeks from today!! be there or be square.
:: i think pasta and sauce might be the way to go for dinner tonight
:: running out of toilet paper while in the bathroom, after everyone has left for the morning, is a tough spot to be in... just sayin'
:: can't for the life of me figure out where i put my camera lens bag... i need my other lens, like right now
:: oh wait! the clouds just parted and the sun is peaking through... that's my que to hit the road running

Couple of Things

First, THANK YOU for such a fantastic response to the release of Snaptatic: Clicking Your Way To Beautiful Jewelry Photos. I am gitty everytime I see a new student registration or eBook download. I couldn't be more excited about the adventure we are going to have!! If you haven't signed up, you should.

Second, I have ANOTHER surprise for you! My box of ArtBliss supplies arrived and I have just a few kits left from the retreat. If you hop on over to Kits & Supplies, Oh MY! you'll see three new kit offerings. I have a couple of those coveted ArtBliss Bang Gal sets, some new Split Personalities in BRIGHTS (one of which I made in the studio today and I love it), and lastly there is the Flying Trapeze pendant too. With all that I have on my plate over the next several week, these will be the last new things (kits/beads/jewelry) that will be posted on my website until Decemeber.

The Snaptastic eCourse & eBook

Oh my stars... I am full of that nervous energy and butterflies that come with an exciting announcement and putting yourself out there in a vulnerable way. This is my 1500 post on this blog and I can't think of a better way to celebrate that than with something I am incredibly thrilled to share with you. Deep breath... strong heart... let's do this!

Snaptastic:

Clicking Your Way To Beautiful Jewelry Photos

In this fast paced digital age and highly competitive market, beautiful photos are a must if you are looking to sell your jewelry. If you have been struggling with your digital camera, and just can't seem to achieve the images you are hoping for, then this is the class for you. I am thrilled to offer my first eCourse and eBook in the form of Snaptastic: Clicking Your Way To Beautiful Jewelry Photos, a beginner's guide to setting up, styling, and editing jewelry pictures. I'll be sharing my knowledge of jewelry photography in a way that is fun and informative. We'll cover everything from how to set up an inexpensive photo booth in your home studio, to tips and tricks on taking unique shots that grab attention, to talk about props and product styling, and I'll walk you through the various settings on your camera for getting the types of images you are looking for. Plus the class will cover instruction on photo editing in both free and professional grade programs. It is time to stop taking photos on your kitchen counter! This is truly a must-take class for jewelers looking to take their digital presence to the next level.

*IMPORTANT NOTE*

This class is designed for BEGINNER to ADVANCED BEGINNER students!

I am offering Snaptastic 3 ways.

Option 1 - The eCourse! - $75

The Snaptastic eCourse is run over a 5 week time frame. Once registered, you will receive an email before the start of class inviting you to log into the private blog where class will be hosted. If you do not have one already, you will need to register for a free Google password to log in. (Please email if you need information on how to do this.) Posts will appear daily on the blog, Monday - Saturday. Your access to this private classroom will never be closed, so you can work through the content at my pace or your own. You will also receive an invitation to share photos on a private Flickr group created just for Snaptastic students.

After my recent live version of this class, I am now expanding some of the content and going even deeper into what students really want to know!! There will be more on shooting in Manual Mode, a glossary of photography terms, additional comparison photos, and so much more.

Class will begin October 17th 2011 and run through November 20th 2011. Once class ends, you will still have access to the private classroom! So keep coming back to read the posts, classmate comments, and visit the class Flickr group.

*Special Note* - I will close the eCourse comments on December 10th. Any questions that come up after that time can be sent directly to me. Remember, you will still be able to read all the comments and responses which will be loaded with information.

Option 2 - The eBook! - $25

The Snaptastic eBook is a 100 page PDF version of the content that will be shared in class. With more than 140 photos, this comprehensive guide to digital jewelry photography and photo editing is a must have for those that want to take beautiful photos of their designs.

Option 3 - The Combo Pack! - $90

Sign up for both the eCourse and eBook and save! You will have the same unlimited access to the private blog and Flickr group while also having the content PDF to use as a reference guide.

Some FAQ's -

How do you register? Visit the Snaptastic page on my website. Check out as you would in any other online shop. You will receive an order confirmation and before class begins, I will send all your class log in information. If adding the eBook to your order, you will automatically be redirected to a download page where you can save the book to your computer.

What are the benefits to choosing the eCourse instead of just the eBook? Within the daily eCourse posts you will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions. I will be replying to your comments and also creating comprehensive Q&A posts. Although I will be available to answer questions that may come up via email, these Q&A posts will not be available in the eBook. In class, we'll be digging a little deeper and expanding on some of the topics and having discussion on thing not covered in the eBook as well.

Can you still register for class even though the first 5 weeks have passed? YES! The way that this course is set up, you can join at any time. Comments may be closed, but I will always be available via email to answer your questions and you will have unlimited access to the site so you can work at your own pace.

Is this a MAC friendly eCourse? YES! I have viewed the two editing programs I use in the eCourse and eBook on a MAC and they work the same. Sweet!

I truly could not be more excited about this new offering! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a message at kerry(at)kabsconcepts(dot)com. It is going to be a Snaptastic few weeks, my friends. I hope you'll join me!

PS... Help me spread the word about Snaptastic with a badge for your blog! Simply highlight the text in the box below and paste it into an HTML gadget on your blog!!

<a border="0" href="http://www.kabsconcepts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=479" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l614/kabsconcepts/snaptasticblogbadge.jpg"/></a>

A Glimpse At Bliss

As promised, today I'm sharing a little glimpse into my short time at ArtBliss this past weekend. Cindy and Jeanette really put on a wonderful event. The instructors are fantastic, the atmosphere lively, and the inspiration is endless. I think everyone there have already marked their calendars for next year.I know I have!

The thing about being caught up in a wonderful experience though... you are so in the moment that you often forget to take pictures!! (This from the teacher of the photography class, oops.)  I took my camera out just a couple of times for blog shots. During my Snaptastic class I took over 100 photos, but that is different. So you'll just have to make do with these few and read the recap words to relive the experience instead.

My plane left a little after 10am on Friday and after an hour that just flew right by (pun intended), I found myself in the Dullas airport grabbing the shuttle to the event hotel. I couldn't wait to see venue I had heard so much about in phone calls with Cindy through out the year. Lots of hugs were exchanged as well as little gifts, then we were all swept up in the hussle and bussle of the retreat. There was happy hour drinks, setting up for the Meet & Greet, introductions to new-to-me instructors and quick catch-ups with those from last year.

A few of my favorite Friday moments...

:: meeting Diane Cook in person and getting the inevitible comment about my height! (Cindy made the same comment the first time we met too. I'm not that tall, people.) Diane is an absolute sweetheart. I just love her!!
:: meeting Robert Dancik and having him tell me several times that melting glass is the sexiest medium. Oh yes, glass is sexy. He also gifted me a couple of tools to test out which will come in very handy for my OOAK Show prep.
:: meeting Richard Salley and talking all things books. He is one cool, laid back, dude. Richard's wife was teaching at the retreat as well, but unfortunately she was across the room and I didn't get a chance to chat with her.
:: finally getting to meet Christine Damm in person!! She is such a memorable character and so great to talk to. She is feisty and fun, and oh my stars, seeing her work in person... it is incredibly amazing.
:: seeing Deryn Mentock again and getting to hear an intriguing bit about toilet paper being a mezmorizing tool in her class earlier that day.




Yikes... so many memories are flooding back from the weekend that I fear this post is going to turn into a novel! Oh well, feel free to click away if you need to. Otherwise, it is time to tell you about Saturday!

If you asked Ron about the ride to the airport on Friday, he would tell you I was a nervous wreck. And not about flying, that doesn't bother me. It was all about Saturday. I love to teach, but, this time was different. I was debuting a class I had never taught before and the jitters about presenting that newness had the butterflies fluttering like crazy in my stomach. Friday night's fun was a great distraction from those jitters and Saturday morning, I threw on my new Fuzzy Ink Picturesque t-shirt and set out to set up the classroom. (Yes, I bought a t-shirt that had a camera on it for my class... wouldn't you?)

Once things got rolling, class really went by in a flash. I think deciding to make this a full day instead of a short 3 hours was the right move. And my Saturday night DeFindings class was just the right length too. Ya gotta love it when you follow your gut and it works out. So, some interesting things from Snaptastic...

:: every student was shooting with a Canon DSLR! I shoot with a Nikon, and both are great cameras. The great thing is that they were all digital slrs and that students were eager to shoot in manual mode.
:: although it is wonderful to shoot right along with students to show them exactly how I would take a photo, I really think this is going to translate wonderfully to the eCourse. (more info on that coming very very soon)
:: I'm thankful to have worked with real life students and hear their questions and feedback. It is going to make the online version of the class that much better.

There was a short break between Snaptastic and DeFindings where a few of us made a quick run to Wegmans. Living in the Rochester area, the hometown of the founder of Wegmans, I find it hilarious what a novelty our grocery store is down south of here. I have about 20 Wegmans stores with in 20 minutes of me, with the closest being less than a mile from my house. I go anytime. In the south though, shoppers will drive hours just to go to Wegmans! Wild.

But, I digress.

DeFindings was a slightly larger class with 9 students. I think it went really well. The three hour time frame was perfect. I was able to spend an hour on each of the three findings I wanted to cover: clasps, earwires, and extras. I was so bummed at the end of class when I realized I didn't take any photos. I would have loved to snap a group shot! Sorry gang! Y'all gotta come back next year so I can take it then.





Saturday really was a long long day. I was in my classroom from 8am until 10pm. I really loved it though and would have happily done it again on Sunday! Alas, it was time to go home. Before I left, I shapped those few Instagrams pics I shared yesterday. Then, it was time to grab the shuttle back to the airport and head back to my family. You see what I mean about it being a whirlwind of a trip?

I have some good news for you! Remember the kits I was showing you last week? The ones you were emailing me about? Well, I have a few left!! As soon as my supplies arrive back here, I'll post the goodies on my website. I have a couple of the Limited Edition ArtBliss kits, as well as the new Split Personality kits and Flying Trapeze pendants. These will be the last new items posted until after the big show in Decemeber. Until the box arrives, I'll be heading to the studio to start prepping for my next adventure coming up in October. I'm heading to NYC to shoot the process shots for Rustic Wrappings. Won't that be fun?!?