Indoor Stuff/Creativity/Play

Generally around this time of year, I get stuck inside not because of bad weather, but because I am tired of the scenery outdoors.

I get weary of the same black/brown/white scenery that is being offered up outside and in the woods.

So I get out my craft stuff and start making a mess. I am all over the place. I can be painting a skull or thinking about photographing Still Life. The table can be littered with various paints, my 'craft' table has projects and 'stuff' all over it.

However, I am getting better and not leaving a mess in the house all of the time. I don't like clutter, so by the end of the day, I generally tidy up and put things away. The house is too tiny to clutter up all the surfaces.

I started messing around with the white skull. It looked nice in all white, but I wanted to add shades of silver and grey. The pearl white showed up very nice and the black looked out of place. 

Hubby liked the black on the skull and asked for more of it. In the photo below, the various shades of grey and white do show up. I turned the light box on its side and used a white tea towel. I kept moving things around...

I ended up using masking tape to attach the tea towel to the sides of the box.

--- of course, Farmer Bob was very helpful in taking care of things....

The towel experiment didn't work out so well so I went back to the basic white plastic back drop.

Hmmm. This sort of sucked too. However, there is always a possibility of a little editing to help out. I used ON1 and made the shot into more of a High Key shot which eliminated the box edges.

The result was satisfactory, so I went on to experiment with a tiny pitcher I'd picked up ages ago at an indoor flea market. 

the set up...

the shot...

the edit...

I actually liked the slight textures from the towel in this shot. It felt right. Of course, I should have had something else in the shot, but I was just experimenting with light and exposure.

I experimented with different lights and different ways to diffuse or soften the light. I wanted to use things that I had on hand. Below is a flashlight with an amber pill bottle as a diffuser, a plastic cap on another light, and even bubble wrap!

Rich walked by and just shook his head. 

However, before it got too bright out, I decided to see what the purple light and bubble wrap over the flashlight would do.

Purple light in back, flashlight in my hand from
the right.

What it looked like with the curtains opened and taken with my very crappy cell phone:

And now I have to deal with this...
somebody wants to get out and explore....

You can't use up creativity

the more you have

the more you use...

Maya Angelou

Not Puppies and Kittens!

I have to say that I have the most interesting children living at the 'top' of our driveway.
Okay.
Mom and Dad are pretty darn cool too.

The kids got new pets.
And I am not talking about the 4H goats that they have. Nor am I talking about the chickens. Allie showed her chicken in open class at the fair because she couldn't show in regular 4H. Logan showed his goat in open class for the same reason.

I'm not talking about the cats that they have.

Nope.

Ever hear of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches? No, I didn't either. But do you recall Allie, my neighbor's daughter who became fascinated with collecting insects for her Clover Bud 4H project?

This summer she discovered that fireflies ate slugs. So she collected them. And showed them to me...

When a little girl presents you with so much enthusiasm how can it not interest you? Allie went to a presentation to learn how to 'mount' her insects properly to show them at the Fair.
Can we just say that she is a budding Entomologist?

And Kudos for mom and dad for allowing her to explore this interest without getting grossed out.

Allie let me pet her Hissing Cockroaches.

I did not find them revolting, but actually very interesting. They eat dog and cat food and fruits. Any kind of fruits!
YES.
I did hold one and did not freak out. They were cool. They do hiss loudly.

I am amazed.

Then Carson pulled me into his room to introduce me to Sissilia. She is a Royal Python aka Ball Python. Known as a Ball Python because the will curl into a ball.

Here Carson takes Sissilia out and she curls around his wrist like an exotic bracelet. He told me it was OK to touch and pet her. And I do. Like the cockroaches ... I feel no revulsion at all. The snake is warm. Carson coaches me on how to pet her properly.

Not a great shot but here is a book image of the python and Sissilia.

We move upstairs were I can take turns petting and holding the Hissing Cockroaches and touching a python.

Let's not forget Logan's rabbits. They now live outside in a hutch. Their names are Medusa and... uh oh... OH! Skull! I didn't get their photos, but they are beautiful rabbits and soooo sooo soft!

Carson has a bath drawn for Sissilia.

It has to be just the right temperature. Baths are important as Carson tells me that Sissilia may have slithered through poo and a bath will keep her clean and healthy.

Whoa.

Stop the presses.

Basil.

Okay....she is .. just a puppy an ordinary doggy!

How on earth could there be a normal pet? Oh...gosh. Why not!

So while Carson and I were supervising Sissilia's bath, Basil peered over the tub edge.

Sissilia turned herself upside down as if to play dead to the sudden surprise.

I found a snake to have an incredible personality and learned so much from Carson regarding their behavior.

I hope I can go back next week and hold her.

I was able to witness a 'feeding'. I didn't record it. But watched with the whole family as we witnessed how a constrictor ate. 

It was not gross or disgusting. But a lesson in nature...and very educational.

Madagascar Hissing Beetles. Ball Python. Bunnies.

Goats.

Cats.

Basil [Charlie loves free time rough and tumble time with her...]

I am blessed.