a graduate project

It seems as though my projects of late have taken an extremely long time to complete. It's not that they have been too difficult, but more that it is difficult to gather all of the needed materials. And today's project is another one of those.

This project is something that did take a bit to plan. The girls in my creative writing class have just been amazingly wonderful this year. And I wanted to do something special for the six seniors. And I knew that I wanted to use a piece that they had written for class. It took quite some time for me to decide just which project I would use. But when I read Ann Voskamp's post about where she was from, I knew that I had to have my girls mimic her style but write their own verses identifying their roots. There was no doubt in my mind that this piece would absolutely be a part of their senior gift.

While they were reading the pieces, I was trying to decide the best way to use these in a project. I knew that I wanted to do the words on a board. And there were just too many words to paint. I thought about choosing a favorite few lines to put on each girls board but really wanted to use the entire piece. And then I saw this on pintrest and knew that I had my project!

On one of our wonderfully sunshiney days, I took the class out to the football field and snapped pictures of everyone. Little did the seniors know, but I was getting shots for my project. I then put their poems with their pictures and went to Staples to have engineer prints done. Problem #1. The first print came out of the machine with lines going all the way across the prints in several places. I questioned the lines, and the girl told me that it was supposed to be that way. Really? I left  there and went to Lowes to get my plywood. I knew that the sheets would fit in my truck, but I would have to drive home with the back tied down. I needed six pieces of wood, so I asked them to cut three sheets in halves. Problem #2. After paying for the wood and paint, I went over to select the pieces of wood that weren't warped, and the guy told me that he couldn't cut that wood. After a discussion, it was decided that he could, after all, cut the wood.  So then I only needed to make a trip to Little Rock to visit a Staples there and get my prints.

These sheets of underlayment are about $11.00. This one has been cut in half already.

I decided that I wanted my shapes to be something like the shape in the pintrest picture but more fairy tale-ish and wonky.

I started with a basic shape and then added some curves and bumps. Until it looked just wonky enough.

I cut them out with a jug saw. Lovey cut two of the six. He's a very precise and proper former construction worker. My wonky shapes were not quite his taste.

The wood is very thin and will splinter easily. I think the splinters just add character. Notice that I didn't stay exactly on my cutting line - if I thought it was too smooth and matchy, I just ignored the line.

After I cut the shapes, I sanded the edges which rounded them a bit.

I painted each board a different color. The other girls in class helped me to decide which girl got what color. It was funny how much we agreed on the colors for the senior girls. While I was at Lowes getting the wood, I went to the paint department and selected colors. I had them mix my colors and got the sample sizes for less than $3.00 each.

After painting, the boards were ready for hangers. I carefully chose hangers for the thin wood. However, after putting the hangers on the first one, there was a problem.

Yep. That's the hanger poking through on the painted side. Redo. Lovey to the rescue! I held the tiny metal hangers, and he ground the ends with his electric grinder. Now believe me when I tell you that I wouldn't let just anybody get that close to me with an electric grinder. But I know that he is very precise, and I still have all of my fingernails.

I had to trim the prints. Then I used spray adhesive to put them on the boards. After that dried, I applied mod podge over the entire board and let it dry completely.

The paper did crinkle a bit when I put the mod podge on, but it smoothed out again as it dried.

It took a lot of mod podge! I had to make a trip to Walmart to get more so that I could finish the last three. Lovey painted the last board while I made my Walmart run. He is such a sweetie sometimes. I had these board all over my house all weekend. The prints were 2 X 3, and the boards are just a bit bigger. Finding room to lay them flat was a challenge.

But with each step, I could tell that I just loved them. And I hoped that the girls would too.

I started thinking that I would love to have these hanging in my classroom.

But this morning Lovey helped me to load them in my truck, and I took them to school. I lugged them into my classroom and lined them up in front of my white board. This afternoon the girls had to come for graduation practice. I had them to all come to my room. I think they were surprised. And I think they really liked them.

I've already told my friend Carrie to choose pictures of her kids. We have to make these for her.



Linking up with

six sisters
uncommonly yours

bloopers

I don't care how beautiful you are - sometimes you're just going to take a bad picture and look like a goob. And if I'm doing the clicking, there's an even higher chance of those photo fails. I just click - it doesn't matter if everyone is "ready" or not. And sometimes I get the best pictures this way.

This morning I posted pictures of Abby and her friends all dressed up and looking beautiful for prom. Now you're going to get a look at some not-so-perfect shots. While I love the perfect pictures, some of these are my favorites - some because they are funny, some because I see personalities just screaming in these pics.

I love this picture of Julie.

I have no idea what was going on here, but the expressions on the girls' faces crack me up.

Here's another of my favorites. Abby likes this one too.



Ever been photo bombed by a cat?

In a large group it is so difficult to get a good picture of everyone, with this group it was difficult to get a picture where someone wasn't talking. Here, everyone is talking to someone - this one makes my top ten favorites of the day.

There are more of these photo fails here.

If you missed my post of Abby's homecoming this year, it's here. And here's a few from last year's prom.

thirty days of thanksgiving 13

It was such a beautiful day. Windy as all get out, but beautiful!

Abby texted me asking if Nannie was cooking lunch. I texted back that we should take some pictures. So we did.

Dear God, thank you for small blessings each and every day. I know that there are families who are scattered across the country and the world. Thank you that I am close enough to be able to spend a few hours with my brothers and sister or nieces and nephews almost any time.

photo fail?

Yesterday I made tamales. And a few friends came by for supper. And it just happened to be JD's birthday.

So of course, we took a few pics. Because if it doesn't get posted and tagged  on Facebook - it didn't happen.

But the lights were low. Because I made tamales all day rather than dusting, and low lights do wonders to hide dust and cobwebs.

So all of the pictures are a little fuzzy.

But maybe you noticed that the dark room wasn't the only problem.

Lovey had my camera - and he's a little slow on the draw.

But there were two others who were like paparazzi popping from behind the bushes. And every time Lovey would get ready to press the button, these two iPhone photographers would jump in front of him. It was hilarious to watch his face.

And we had a great laugh, just trying to get a picture without one of their backs or elbows or hands in it.

We take pictures to remember, to freeze a instant, to remind us of the way we were at one moment in time.

So look past the shadows, the white blur, the elbows, the cluttered background, and the glare.

Now can you see the silliness, the laughter, the fun? That was our night.

Photo fail? I think not.

no competition

If you are a professional photographer, don't worry - I'm your job security.

Saturday was such a pretty day, and I didn't have any plans, and my niece had asked me several weeks ago to help her get some pictures of the baby, and Brooke had to bring me something anyway, and my sister thought she could talk Lulu into pictures if the baby was involved, so we decided it would be a good day for a photography session. Whew!

Things didn't go as planned.We should have gotten a clue of how things would go when he peed all over Brooke when she was changing him for the first pictures.

These two are the best ones of our first attempt. Not a happy baby - he really doesn't like bright sunshine.

He looks just like his daddy in this one. I love those blue eyes. We were trying to come up with a workable plan and decided he might be happier outside.

Sister had this vision of Lulu in black and white, hair surrounding her, with a serious expression.

Lulu thought the idea a little ridiculous.

We got this. And decided maybe she would be happier outside too.

This is comfortable Lulu.

She has never been one to do much posing for the camera.

But give her that nephew and she totally relaxes.

She loves that baby.

Even when he pulls a wad of hair! After this we gave her a break sent her for a wardrobe change and tried to do some of Eli.

Again, not happening. There were times when we was happy...

Anybody know how to photshop that pacy out of his mouth. After this he was given permission to take of those clothes and take a nap so that we could take a few more shots of Lulu.

We got a few good ones and headed to the house. But on the way back I remembered the really pretty patch of black eyed susans near my drive way and demanded that she pose for just a few more. I didn't realize that because of the glare from the gravel road, the sun would be blinding at that moment. So Lulu's already squinty eyes were impossibly squinty.

"Open your eyes!" And then I get this -

then this -

We headed to the house for real this time. But Eli was awake when we got there, and Chris had just pulled up on the tractor. We couldn't resist putting the baby in the driver's seat. And I think this expression sums up the day.

What the hell are you talking about?

Eli might not have laughed much, but we sure did.