Shelly Pickett Photography

365 Project - Day 46 REVIVED!!!

2011-10-17T12:10:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the hiatus folks. Life has a way of running away with all your free time occasionally.

As you can see, during the break MegaCase was born. This thing is HUGE. But I love it. It is going to be so awesome when it's finished. The bottom row is going to be cabinets. I had the awesome idea of incorporating metal into the door. It is going to look so cool. We got some of the decorative metal sheeting that you see covering radiators in old homes. It will be spray painted dark bronze to match the door hinge hardware. It will really spice up the design of the bookcase!

The final design ended up being 10 ft tall, which works perfectly because of the size they sell the wood sheets in. Or something like that. So the ladder will be 8 ft tall, which has the smallest horizontal footprint so it won't take up much floor space. And we've decided to replace the carpet in this room with wood flooring.

Chloe seems to think this is the greatest homemade cat jungle gym ever created for her personal use.

MegaCase is born!

And apparently at some point I deleted my signature brush in photoshop. Blurgh. But I have been hankering to futz with my watermark design anyway so I guess there is no time better than now! Just have to pick a font from dafont. That will only take FOREVER!!! If you've never visited DaFont and don't mind losing your entire afternoon I suggest you head over there. They have sooooo many really cool fonts!!

And I am very happy that Blogger now offers more flexible design views. The only problem is that this design template doesn't allow the option of fancy fonts in the blog post. Oh well, I like the design view so much more than the previous. And this one allows extra large pictures, which my previous template did not. And since this is a photography blog, I want my pictures as big as possible!

Until next time. (Which will hopefully be tomorrow...)

365 Project - Day 45 AND PLEASE HELP!!

2011-09-18T13:14:00.000-06:00

Today's post is going to be a little different. I (we) are actively soliciting advice on the design of our future library.

Below is a pano-schematic of our library (Image A). We are currently designing our custom made bookcases (custom woodworking provided by Ryan's dad, with some help from Ryan) for the library. They will go against the back wall (see below, Image A). The couch, small bookshelf and boxes will obviously not be there. We are definitely going with larger than normal bookcases, as you can see this wall is very large. Approximately 19 ft high and 12 ft wide. The front door to the house is directly to the right of the lower right window and juts into the room slightly, ~ 2 ft.

The question is do we want to go big or really big. I've marked 2 possible heights for the bookcases. The Big option = 8.75 ft line will bring the bookcases flush with the top of the stair banisters. The Really Big option = (which Ryan prefers) is 12 ft tall, which will bring the top of the bookcases just a few inches below the upper left window which sits above the stairway. And I should mention that this room is open to the loft above so it is a REALLY big space (Image B). While a 12 ft tall bookcase might seem huge, it would still only take up a small part of this open space.

Both of these options will require a ladder. And I'm talking a really cool ladder that slides from side to side of the bookcase. Here is where I believe things get tricky. With 8.75 ft bookcases, the ladder would probably go up to about 6 ft high, allowing plenty of reach to the top shelf and the top of the bookcases (because you know I'll be displaying my pictures up there). With 12 ft book cases the ladder would have to go up to at least 9 ft high to allow reach room to the top shelf and top of bookcase. Now this will be a sturdy rolling ladder that slides along a bar on the bookcase, so safety isn't an issue, but a 9ft tall ladder has to sit out several feet from the bottom of the cases you aren't climbing 9ft straight up.

Image A -Library Room, view of wall where bookcases will be placed

Image B - View from front door of library room looking into upper loft area

And after we do decide on a height, then we have to figure out what to do with furniture. Ryan wants to get a love seat to go along the stair wall. I want to get a couple of wing back chairs and a little end table to sit between them, to really give the room a library feel. But I must admit a love chair would be much more comfortable.

And look who's all decorated for Fall/Halloween!!In Image A Ryan is eating an authentic Belgian Sugar Waffle painstakingly made in our new All-Clad Belgian Waffle Press. We stayed up extra late last night tending to the yeast dough. I watched two movies awkwardly half-sitting, half-laying in the big chair. And now I can't move my neck more than a inch to either side.

365 Project - Day 44

2011-09-17T19:19:00.000-06:00

Here's a cute little guy from the zoo. He was having the time of his life swinging around with his "enrichment medium", aka - toy. He delighted his viewers by turning somersaults and daring to drop down into the ditch only hanging on to a few grasses. He was quite comical! There was also a old man orangutan wearing a t-shirt and another happily chomping away on a carrot.

We went to the New Mexico State Fair today. The Expo grounds where the fair is held are very nice. Tree-lined streets and several nice galleries. Didn't find any deep-fried rattlesnake or cactus like I was hoping, but we did find deep-fried Captain Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, and cookie dough. We tried the cookie dough, it was ok. Mostly just liquid cookie dough.

On another AWESOME note, I ordered my sewing machine!!! I went with the Broth CS6000i. Can't wait for it to arrive, I'll have to sign up for the Quilting 101 class at my Hand Applique class next weekend!!

365 Project - Day 43

2011-09-16T15:10:00.000-06:00

Another quick one today. My allergies are acting up and I just don't feel well. This is a little deer-like guy from the zoo. Can't remember their name, and the zoo doesn't have a website listing all their animals so I will have to wait until I go to the zoo again to figure out what they are. I realize it looks like it's stuffed, but it was alive and well. Promise!

365 Project - Day 42

2011-09-15T14:10:00.000-06:00

Nothing much exciting to say today. Except that I want to start making stuffed plushies in addition to quilting. My how I have missed my crafting!

Today's picture is a lily pond from the aquarium. I really loved the back-lighting and bokeh in this image!

Heading to the New Mexico State Fair this weekend. That should be interesting!

365 Project - Day 41

2011-09-14T13:43:00.000-06:00

This guy was really cool. I've never seen a puffer fish this big, this one was the size of a carry-on suitcase! I thought they were baseball size. Pretty cool!

Btw - LOVING having a car again. It's nice not to feel like you're on house arrest! And if you're a fan of Starbucks seasonal latte's, the pumpkin spice is now out!! And I can actually drive to get one - YIPPY!!!!

365 Project - Day 40

2011-09-13T12:56:00.000-06:00

A little shake up today. A picture from the aquarium of a goat. And if you know me, you know I am not a fan of goats. They are creepy little monsters. The botanical garden has a heritage farm exhibit with goats, a cow and horses.

Goats are still creepy.

365 Project - Day 39

2011-09-12T11:28:00.001-06:00

Sorry, but here's another one from the aquarium. Only a couple more, I promise! Apparently this guy is pretty pesky when the divers are in the tank. Poor guy, he just wants some attention...

Isn't he the cutest ever? Makes me miss my turtles :(

365 Project - Day 38

2011-09-11T20:03:00.000-06:00

Whew. What a long and busy weekend. Got some more boxes unpacked. Only because we got the fall/Halloween decorating bug. But the house looks great!

This is another image from the Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium. This crane guy flew right over us as we were entering the facility. Then we found him hanging out in the koi pond of the Japanese Garden!

365 Project - Day 37

2011-09-10T22:16:00.000-06:00

Finally made it to the Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium and Botanical Garden. And I was quite impressed with both of them! The aquarium was on the small side, but I really enjoyed their open air stingray exhibit. The shark tank was also quite impressive, as evidenced below. The botanical garden was spectacular and had a very wide range of display gardens and flora. I quite enjoyed the Japanese Garden. And, I think we may have even found a possible location for our wedding! Just have to see how much the rental fee is...

OK, off to bed. I'm pooped from a day of sight-seeing and purchasing supplies for my quilting class. And my 4 quilting reference books arrived today so I may not actually sleep tonight. Again. Soooo tired....

365 Project - Day 36

2011-09-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

Let me start out by saying that I did not actually take today's picture. Tyler did. This is Ryan and I just next to the Kiwanis Cabin overlooking the Sandia Mountains. You can see the tram drop-off and the High Finance Restaurant in the distance (just to the right of my waist). We've only been to the peak during the day. Sometime when we have guests who won't want to hike, we'll take the tram up and have dinner at night. I'm sure the view is spectacular!

365 Project - Day 35

2011-09-08T12:01:00.001-06:00

Since we now have a fenced in yard, the dogs can run free! Nobody loves this more than Buttercup. She always wanted to run and play, but got the short end of the stick, or more accurately, short end of the lead. Good thing she's got that thick, muscular neck! So with her new found freedom we have bestowed upon her a frisbee. And she is happier than a pig in mud! Yes, she think it's a chew toy, so she can't have 24 hour access to it. But she loves it when she can play with it! She is getting pretty good about catching it mid-flight. But more than once, the throw has gone off course and she's run full steam into the brick wall. Good thing she's built so sturdy!

Trying to get a good shot of her catching the frisbee has proved harder that it seems. I tried shooting from straight on, but I can't really afford a new camera when she inevitably runs smack into me and my camera. So I have been shooting from off to the side. None of these are "great" shots, just really funny. I love how much spittle you can see flying when she thrashes around to catch it!

Hannah on the other hand, will have nothing to do with this childish recreation. Frisbees are soooo below her.
We are definitely going to have buy frisbees in bulk because Buttercup easily pokes holes in it just from chomping down.

365 Project - Day 34

2011-09-07T11:43:00.000-06:00

No trip to the zoo is complete without a visit to the reptile house. And boy do I love the reptile house!! The Albuquerque BioPark zoo has a great collection of snakes!! I was particularly excited to see the rattlesnakes, since I have not been lucky enough to encounter one in the wild yet... Hopefully that will be remedied soon as Ryan and I are planning some more hikes in the mountains and surrounding areas.

Today's picture is the deadly Green Mamba. How cute is this little guy? OK, so it's not so little, but it is definitely cute!! Love the vibrant coloring. So festive!

365 Project - Day 33

2011-09-06T20:37:00.000-06:00

Just a fun monochrome today. I've had a hankering to shoot some barbed wire. Only had a few seconds as we were hiking back out to head on to Santa Fe. Just thought this was a cool shot.

365 Project - Day 32

2011-09-05T20:52:00.000-06:00

Today we headed up to Santa Fe to wander about the city for awhile. On the way out we stopped for a quick hike to check out some local petroglyphs. We did the shorter of the 2 hikes open in the Galisteo Basin, La Cieneguilla, which hikes right up to the rim of the wall where the you can find all manner of petroglyphs. Hard to believe that these markings have survived for thousands of years!

I was been always interested in genealogy, one time when ancestory.com was having a free trial I mapped my family history on my maternal grandfathers side all the way back to England in the 1500's. Apparently the Sheffield's came over to Massachusetts in the early to mid 1600's, shortly after the Mayflower. I had meant to get over to Rhode Island to poke around some old cemeteries, but we ran out of time. Found lots of old family names, like Dorcas. Crazy, but very cool. Definitely need to dive back into my family history. I'd like to find out more about my father's family before they came over from Ireland.

Our gang at La Cieneguilla petroglyphs

After our hike, we headed on our way to Santa Fe. We lunched at The Shed. Pretty good New Mexican food. I even tried posole and green chile sauce! And we finally got around to doing some engagement photos around Santa Fe - Thanks Tyler and Maria!!

365 Project - Day 31

2011-09-04T21:32:00.000-06:00

Today I climbed a volcano. You heard right, A VOLCANO!!! And we went to the zoo. It was a pretty big day.

This adorable little guy blowing a raspberry at me is a spider monkey. What a cutie! We spent the morning at the Albuquerque Biopark Zoo. It is a really nice zoo. They have a good diversity of exhibits. I had SOOO many great pictures it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just one to post! More to come, for sure!

"Chip, I'm gonna come at you like a spider monkey!"

After lunch at Flying Star, we headed over to Volcanoes at Petroglyph National Monument. It was a really nice, fairly easy hike. And the weather was perfect for it today. Partly cloudy with temps in the 80's with a nice breeze. The volcanoes provide an awesome view of the city and the Sandia Mountains. This a view from the top of the first volcano looking over at the second volcano.

Off to Santa Fe tomorrow!!

365 Project - Day 30

2011-09-03T20:34:00.000-06:00

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

I finally signed up for a quilting class!!!!!! It is a beginner class for hand applique. I am SO excited!!! I wanted to take Quilting 101, but you have to have your own machine, which I don't. It will be on this year's Christmas list - hint, hint - Ryan :) I've always wanted to learn how to quilt!

Thank goodness Maria wanted to stop at the quilt shop! I'm hooked and I haven't even quilted anything yet. This is the kit we will be starting to assemble during the class. The final size is 24" x 24", so it's just a wall hanging quilt, not a lap blanket or anything fancy (yet). Ryan has wanted to decorate a room in our house with the southwestern zuni oso theme (a bear with a lighting bolt down it's back). I think this will be the perfect start! And a good test of my creative homemaking skills!

I'll post pictures of my progress after class!! YAY!!!!!!!!

365 Project - Day 29

2011-09-02T20:49:00.000-06:00

Yay - Maria and Tyler have arrived! Today we checked out the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. Then we lunched at everyone's favorite, Chick-Fil-A!! Then we headed over to Northeast Albuquerque and rode the Sandia Peak Tramway and hiked the crest trail to Kiwanis Cabin. While taking a picture out one of the windows of the cabin, I totally got photobombed by a squirrel or chipmunk. Unfortunately the creature is totally out of focus, but I may post it at some point. After our hike we headed down to County Line BBQ for some absolutely delicious barbeque! FYI - Appetizers at the County Line include 1/2 lb sausuage and baby back ribs...

Today's picture is the Kiwanis cabin overlooking the Sandia Mountains and the City of Albuquerque. It was a really nice hike. The peak area is usually 20 - 30F lower than the city below. And since it was around 90F today in Albuquerque, the 70F at the peak was very, very nice! The hike to the cabin was about 3 miles. It was pretty easy, even for me. Until I got hungry.

365 Project - Day 28

2011-09-01T10:59:00.000-06:00

We had our first interesting multi-legged visitor last night. Meet the Jerusalem Cricket. Quite terrifying if you just stumbled upon one while gardening or cleaning up, but perfectly harmless. Other than it's defensive bite. A very interesting find. Unfortunately I have not located my little terrarium in the unpacking process yet, so I had to release this guy. Sorry the picture isn't the best, I was shooting through mason jar glass. I included a pen in the picture so you can get any idea of the massive size of this thing. It was over an inch long! That is one meaty cricket!!

We found it out on the patio while we were trying to get scaredy-cat Buttercup to go potty before heading to bed. Lately she has been very timid outside at night and usually won't walk off the patio. Her "big" sister (the 14 lb rat terrier) is not afraid of anything and has no problem being out in the yard at night. We just learned that we do have a large coyote population in the area. I'm sure she hasn't seen or come into contact with them, the outside walls of our yard are close to 6 ft high or more. But she must have heard them and is now forever spooked. What a baby. But that's how most of the big block heads are - big babies. It's those little terriers you have to watch out for! (Love you, Hannah Banana)

Blogger doesn't let you post very large pictures, so if you'd like to see this guy upper-close-and-personal check it out on my Flickr Page.

365 Project - Day 27

2011-08-31T13:33:00.000-06:00

Seeing as though Facebook keeps reminding me that one year ago I was in Yellowstone (freezing my a** off, I might add) and Tyler and Maria will be arriving in NM tomorrow for a visit, I thought this was a fitting image for today!!

While camping at Yellowstone, Tyler and I ventured out one morning, long before the sun rose, when it was really, really cold to head to Mammoth Hot Springs for sunrise pictures. Crazy, I know. It was beautiful the day before for sure, but at sunrise, it was amazing. So pristine and completely other worldly. We could have been on the moon from the looks of the landscape! And the animals of Yellowstone are so much more active at this ridiculously early hour. We saw jack rabbits, and a WEASEL, and heard a rutting elk just behind us in the hills. And on the way out we had to drive through a whole herd of Momma and baby elk! The elk in this part of the park are particularly docile, as they live directly in the town of Mammoth Hot Springs. They were all over town when we were their the day before, just sauntering through the gas station and across the road. Not a care in the world!

I hope to spend part of my unemployment FINALLY editing about 2 years worth of vacation photos. A lofty goal, I know. But someone has to do it!

And yes, it was August/September when we were in Yellowstone. But considering our camp was at 8,000 ft elevation and the park ranges from something like 6,000 - 12,000 ft elevation, that means it can snow any month of the year. And it did just that - snow and sleet! Just what you're looking for in a summer vacation, right?

365 Project - Day 26

2011-08-30T14:18:00.000-06:00

Very proud of myself today. Got bit by the cleaning bug and cleaned the whole kitchen, reorganized the pantry, and Pledge'd all the wooden furniture. I'm not sure how I made it 30+ years without using Pledge, but it's the bees knee's for sure! Holy crap, that stuff is amazing!!

This is a view of our kitchen/living room. Well, one of our living rooms anyway. The wall to left side of shot holds the tv and entertainment center. We definitely need a bigger tv... I love the nook over the fireplace, it's the perfect place to display my prints, or more likely Tyler's landscapes. They rock! And he is much more dedicated than myself and can actually drag himself out of bed BEFORE sunrise on vacation to get these amazing images!!

365 Project - Day 25

2011-08-29T10:23:00.000-06:00

Ok, here is the picture I meant to post yesterday until I got distracted by the sparkly lightning...

Emily is going to be 10 years old next month! Her kidney failure is starting to worsen so I'm not sure how much longer she'll be around, so I have to take advantage of all the snuggle time with her I can!

Busy week - getting ready for our first visitors this weekend!!!

365 Project - Day 24

2011-08-28T22:00:00.000-06:00

Quickie post tonight as it's past my bedtime. I was going to post a picture of Emily, but then we got a crazy lightning storm. Me, being the picture crazed idiot I am, ran right outside with my camera and started snapping away. Didn't really get any great lightning shots and I had to retreat inside once is started raining and the lightning was striking just over the other side of the mesa next to our neighborhood. But I did get one nice "eerie" shot of the clouds lit up. A lot of the lightning was striking inside the cloud banks and not actually hitting the ground.

Enjoy! I'm off to curl up on the couch in our new library and read some trashy teen supernatural romance!

365 Project - Day 23

2011-08-27T13:40:00.000-06:00

You'll have to forgive me as today's image was taken before I started this project. However, as I am completely immersed in editing Rick and Jen's Wedding pictures I thought it was fair to post one of the images that has totally blown me away! And since it's MY project, I'll do with it what I please!!

Seriously, I am in LOVE with this image! It's just the perfect storm of composition, tone, and expression. Just perfect...LOVE IT!!!

I'll be posting a full blog post for wedding in the near future, so stay tuned!!

365 Project - Day 22

2011-08-26T11:12:00.001-06:00

Another image from my walk about the other day. This was taken at the top of the little hill next to our house, looking out over the rest of the development.

I have been informed by 2 people now that 2012 is a leap year. So I guess that makes this a 366 project? What do I do with that extra day? Can I take it off? It would be my first day "off" in 6 months! Who knows. I guess I have some time to think about it.

Looking forward to grilling some steaks with my honey tonight! Best wishes to all my East Coast friends this weekend. Hopefully Irene will find a better spaghetti line to follow.

365 Project - Day 21

2011-08-25T14:29:00.000-06:00

Today's post is inspired by my BFF, Laura! She made the cut for Round 3 of the quest for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe on the Cupcake Project!!!! Why, oh why did I move 2,000 miles away? Since she recently researched shipping cupcakes I will expect my trial run cupcake soon...If you're a fan of baking, or even just eating cupcakes, I highly recommend you check out this site. It will inspire anyone to take up baking! And if you live on facebook, like most people I know, you can check them out there. I definitely need to give their Peanut Butter Cookie Dough FROSTING recipe a try very soon! And I'll definitely add some of their No cook, safe to eat Peanut Butter Cookie Dough to my first batch of homemade chocolate ice cream.

I'm really enjoying this domestic goddess thing! Aside from my sleep schedule going completely to hell. That really sucks.

Best wishes to Laura on her Vanilla Cupcake Quest!!

365 Project - Day 20

2011-08-24T13:22:00.000-06:00

Quick post today. One of the wildflowers from my walk about yesterday. Busy, busy, busy - working on Jen and Rick's wedding pictures, getting the guest room ready for our first visitors next weekend!

365 Project - Day 19

2011-08-23T15:08:00.000-06:00

Decided I needed to get out of the house today. I felt a little sunshine was in order. So I grabbed the camera and took a walk through the open area that borders our house. Didn't find any wildlife as it was mid-day in the desert and around 90 F, but I got lots of great shots of the plant life.

As I was wandering around in the sand and brush I realized I was wearing flip flops. NOTE TO SELF - make a point to remember NOT to wear flip flops when your wandering in rattlesnake/scorpion/who-knows-what-else territory!

Today's image is from the view point overlooking the creepy Model Village of Loma Colorado. It's like a weird little atomic test village, all spruced up and decorated like it's full of families. With creepy music piped in playing out of rock speakers. Weird. The view point has a great view of southern Rio Rancho and Northeastern Albuquerque. One morning when I was out walking I saw two hot air balloons taking off in the distance. Looking forward to the Balloon Fiesta in October!

365 Project - Day 18

2011-08-22T13:54:00.000-06:00

I decided to lead with the picture today because I just don't feel like I have much to say. Definitely feeling uninspired, unmotivated and just plain cranky. I think the "stay at home" thing has played itself out.

I did however find a funny website - Animals being d*&#'s. Watching the little dog whiz on the bigger dog lifted my spirits.

Does anyone watch The Guild? Ryan and I recently found it online and have worked our way through to the most recent episode. It's really good, I highly recommend it. Who doesn't love Wil Wheaton in a kilt?

365 Project - Day 17

2011-08-21T17:10:00.000-06:00

This is Chloe. She is either saying "Mama, I love you" or "Watch your step, b#*&$". Not sure which. Hard to tell with cats, really. Chloe is the kind of cat who will roll over when you start petting her so you can rub her belly, then 3 seconds later sink four set of claws and all her teeth into your hand. So cute!

And she REALLY hates the dogs. Good times in the Pickett-Kristensen household!

Going to start planning our wedding soon!

365 Project - Day 16

2011-08-20T11:56:00.001-06:00

A bit of a departure today from the wildlife and scenic images. Today's image is a HDR (high dynamic range) of our 'formal living room'. I have to admit when we first saw the house and even when we moved in, I had NO IDEA what to do with this room. I mean the house already has an upstairs AND downstairs living areas. Did we really need a THIRD living room? And if for some reason we did, it certainly did not need to be formal. I mean, come on, we have 2 dogs and 2 cats. Animal hair is just a part of the house. We have no formal furniture. (Although I did find several really cool wing back chairs at Pier One, but they cost a fortune)

However, after the moving truck arrived and box after box, after box, after box of 'Books' boxes were unpacked, it quickly became apparent that this room did indeed, have a purpose! OUR NEW LIBRARY!! Here is a picture from our old house of the bookcases Ryan's dad BUILT for us. Yes, built, from scratch. Not just put together out of a box...

We filled these bookcases immediately, just with our 'for fun' books. We could have filled another whole set, or two, of these bookcases with binders and school books as well. With 5 degrees and approximately 17 years of higher education between the two of us, we have A LOT of school books.

In my mind I see something just like the A.D. White Reading Room in Uris Library at Cornell. Kinda Beauty and the Beast meets Hogwarts - wrought iron, walls covered in books with that cool ladder that slides along the bookcases so you can reach the higher shelves. Like the restricted section at Hogwarts, only mine would be filled with trashy supernatural teen romance books. So little fingers (human or pet) can't harm my precious literature. I would say I'm kidding, but I'm not. I have a large collection of both trashy teen romance and classic literature. And that stack of books on the end table (below) is only a portion of my photography books.

So here is our new library. The couch is just hanging out until we get the bookcases built. Then we'll have to splurge on some fun, eclectic reading chairs. Maybe from Pier One, if I get a job! While the actual floor space isn't huge, the room does have a cathedral ceiling so I can at least build straight up and get me a really cool sliding ladder. I also need to plan some fun wall art for the Kristensen Library.

And in case you're wondering what books made the unpacking list:

Top Shelf: Pride and Prejudice sequels (just can't get enough of Mr. Darcy) and the Twilight Series (trashy teen romance)
2nd Shelf from top: Classic literature (if you would like a recommended reading list, let me know!)
3rd Shelf from top: Contemporary Classics (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings)
Bottom Shelf: Photo albums, nature guides, and Gregory Maguire books. (If you've never read any of his books, you absolutely must!!)

365 Project - Day 15

2011-08-19T12:44:00.000-06:00

Buttercup is weird. This is how she sits, pretty much all the time. The tip of her tail is a 90 degree angle. She is really enjoying New Mexico. She likes to lay out in the yard in the sun, soaking up the rays. And she is convinced that there is some monster living in the vines climbing our backyard wall. She stares at them endlessly. Weird, but adorable.

I love her :)

365 Project - Day 14

2011-08-18T12:21:00.001-06:00

Another rainy day yesterday. But the ground smells different when it's wet here. Not the refreshing "fresh rain" smell of the NY. More like, mildew. Weird. Luckily the clouds and rain only last a short while, then the skies return to their blindingly bright blue hue!

The Herkimer County Fair and Altamont Fair are going on back home right now. I'm actually kinda bummed I didn't get to hit them up one last time before we moved. We'll definitely be checking out the New Mexico State Fair in September. I wonder what kind of insane food-like objects they deep fry out here???

This picture is from our upstairs loft window. The mountains were shrouded in mist and fog most the day yesterday! A little too reminiscent of The Mist, the movie that drove Ryan and I to make an end-of-life-in-the-case-of-unnatural-apocalypse-pact. If you've never seen it and you find that you are sleeping too soundly at night, go ahead and watch it. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Btw - Happy Birthday to my sister, Coleen! And yay me for keeping my 365 for two weeks straight!!

365 Project - Day 13

2011-08-17T13:41:00.001-06:00

Back to my roots today.

I've always been fond of shooting black and white, particularly flowers . As evidenced by the images found here, here, here, and here. A lot of people don't get it, they seem to think that color is all a flower has going for it. Hogwash, I say. There have been very few times that I have photographed a flower and preferred the color images to the monochrome ones. Add a spritz of water and you have a bokeh-licous beauty.

These flowers were given to us by our AWESOME real-estate agent - Carrie Traub!! Carrie went above and beyond to help us find our home. We could not have wished for a better home buying experience! If you're looking to buy and sell a home in the Albuquerque area, you will not find a better agent, I promise!

365 Project - Day 12

2011-08-16T15:01:00.000-06:00

Another visitor we've had in the yard several times! I've seen these swallowtails all around the area. Oddly enough, there were tons of them at the top of the Sandia Mountains.

Saw another sunrise this morning. Just as beautiful as yesterdays. I'm guessing they are all that beautiful!

New Mexico fun fact - the capital city of Sante Fe is the nations highest state capital at 7,000' elevation!

Sorry I don't have much more to say today. Still pretty exhausted. I haven't found a cause for my recent insomnia or a way to fix it. Blurgh.

365 Project - Day 11

2011-08-15T13:42:00.000-06:00

So, our household was up bright and early this morning to see Ryan off to his first day of work! Before the sun even crested over the Sandia Mountains, so, way too early. But it gives me several hours head start on my day! This is actually the first sunrise I've seen since we arrived in NM!! Not to shabby either!

I'm tired...

365 Project - Day 10

2011-08-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Nothing much to report today. Had a nice, and very needed, relaxing day yesterday. Watched some zombie movies and Nat Geo documentaries (Yellowstone, Yosemite). Found a really great one on National Geographic Photographers, a must see if your interested in photography. Netflix has it on instant queue.

Today it's back to unpacking and organizing. Ryan starts his new job tomorrow!!

Today's picture is of my all time favorite sea creature, the Stingray. Yes, I know that is what killed Steve Irwin, but that was a completely freak accident. I still love 'em. If you see them from the underside, they look like their grinning!

Yay - 10 days straight!!

365 Project - Day 9

2011-08-13T14:09:00.000-06:00

Finally - a jelly! My first, and only encounter with a jellyfish in the wild was while snorkeling off of Key Largo in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The waves were huge and it was quite a struggle even for me to make it to the reef. I stumbled upon many creatures on that adventure, one of which was a jellyfish. It was drifting aimlessly, directly towards my mid-section. I had to do a quick twisty-back-tuck maneuver to avoid getting stung. I successfully avoided getting stung, however I did fill my snorkel with saltwater. And damn near drowned. Did I mention a barracuda was following me the entire time? Despite the perils, it's still one of my fondest memories!

For a girl who always dreamed of being a marine biologist, I've spent very little time in the ocean. Won't go near lakes though. Fresh water creatures are terrifying. Just watch ANY episode of River Monsters, you'll never go near a freshwater body again...

Still have a few more pictures from theShedd Aquarium to share! Stay tuned!

365 Project - Day 8

2011-08-12T13:03:00.000-06:00

One thing I was quite worried about with moving to a higher elevation area was that my baking would suffer. Have you ever noticed all the cake and cookie recipes on the box always have "High Altitude" directions? I don't make any cakes or cookies from the box of course, I'm a 'from scratch' kind of girl. But I wondered, would I lose my golden baking touch due to being approximately 5000' closer to the sun?

So today was my first run at "High Altitude" baking. I made my quite famous Salty Oat Cookies. If you worked at the Food Lab with me, I'm sure you remember those tasty treats. Delicious oat cookies ever-so-lightly sprinkled with yummy sea salt. Yup, THOSE awesome cookies.

I was quite surprised to find that my baking didn't suffer. It improved actually. Not sure why, but I got the perfect "light and fluffy" butter/sugar consistency that I always struggled with previously. And the baking time, shorter that the recipe called for. Back east I would have to bake things significantly longer than the recipe called for even though I checked our oven temp every single time I baked.

One concern I do have is the gas oven. It does not heat evenly. The bottom rack was running at 375 (the set temp) and the upper rack at 400. So I have to keep an eye on that, but as most things are rotated and racks switched halfway through, it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

So no cutesy animal picture today, or dramatic landscape. Just a picture of some damn good cookies. I'm sure all you Food Labbies are drooling with jealousy right now.

Bon Appetit! Well, to me and Ryan anyway. Unless you want to chew through your computer screen, but that won't taste nearly as good as these cookies do!!

365 Project - Day 7

2011-08-11T20:43:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the late post. Bet ya thought I flaked already, huh?? Nope just had a busy day. Had to visit 2 different Motor Vehicle Division offices for the supposedly simple task of registering a car and getting NM licenses. Bluuurrrggghhh. It was not fun. I will definitely be bringing a book with me next time!

I had intended to post a jellyfish picture from the Shedd Aquarium, but I found this one as I was going through those pictures and it made me miss my turtles. So I had to post it. I'm sure my turtles are much happier in their big pond back in NY, then they ever were in their tank!

And YAY me for making it a whole week with my project!!!

365 Project - Day 6

2011-08-10T12:36:00.000-06:00

If you happen to know me personally, you know that I love animals. Have a home full of them, majored in them in college, read about them constantly, and I very easily get sucked in to Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel. I'm pretty much a geek, through and through...

One of the reasons I was so excited to be moving to the desert was the completely different wildlife set that exists out here. Leaving the lush, green Northeast for the desert has been a very exciting journey for me! Just by looking out my window or over my backyard wall, I've been introduced to so many new, and in my opinion, totally adorable creatures!! And of course, my camera comes with me!

I was most excited to discover these little beauties. Squirrels back in NY became my mortal enemy. They are huge, most of the time quite rotund little rodents that decimated our lawn and taunted our dogs. Squirrels out here however, are adorable little pocket pets that live in burrows in the ground. I am in love with them!! I'm pretty sure I've identified at least 2 kinds of squirrels living in the open space next to our house - White-tailed Antelope Squirrels and Spotted Ground Squirrels. After doing some research it seems that the White-tailed Antelope Squirrel are supposed to live further west and it is their cousin, the Harris's Antelope Squirrel that lives in this region. But I beg to differ as the White-tailed Antelope Squirrels tails are white on the underside, which they arch over their back to use as a sunshade. The Harris's Antelope Squirrel tail is darker underneath. And these squirrels definitely have white tail undersides. So the debate is ended, the White-tailed Antelope Squirrel have moved much farther east than previously believed.

There have been several other visitors I've snapped pictures of as well. More to come. When I started this project I was worried that I wouldn't have enough to post something everyday, but it doesn't look like that is going to be a problem!!

So here is our Rio Rancho White-tailed Antelope Squirrel neighbor. I think I am going to call him Chester. Now I just have to come up with about 150 other names for all his family members!!

365 Project - Day 5

2011-08-09T10:18:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is one of Hannah's images from our stay in Illinois. My little girl is getting pretty gray - she turned 8 this year!!

I need to get some good images of the cats soon. Unfortunately Emily's kidney failure is getting worse, and now Chloe may have liver disease.

Ryan has returned from his annual Guys-Go-To-Lolla weekend, so it's back to house stuff before he starts work next week. And we have to start planning some activities for our first visitors next month!!!!

365 Project - Day 4

2011-08-08T14:11:00.000-06:00

On our way out to New Mexico we stopped in Illinois to visit Ryan's parents for a few days. The girls quite enjoyed visiting their grandparents and romping around their yard. Buttercups favorite activity was unstacking Grandpa's log stack. I took about 160 pictures this afternoon, and I think about 150 of them are awesome and I want to print them all and wallpaper our new house with pictures of our adorable pooches!

During our stay in Illinois, we headed into Chicago for the day to see the sights (I've only ever been to Chicago in the dead of winter, so this was quite a treat for me) and visit some friends. While in the city we visited the Shedd Aquarium to see their Jellies Exhibit. I got some really cool pictures at the exhibit and I'll be posting them soon!!

Don't worry - Hannah got plenty of camera time as well, her images will be up soon!

365 Project - Day 3

2011-08-07T17:59:00.000-06:00

Finally here is one picture that clearly shows why we chose our house. Ryan said he wanted a view of the mountains, so that is what we got. And you can see these mountains from pretty much everywhere. When you walk out of Target - BAM - there are the mountains....pretty cool!! The trick is finding a house that doesn't have another house blocking your mountain view...which, luckily we succeeded at! This image was taken directly from my backyard...please, writhe around in jealousy, I'll wait :)

Now that you've composed yourselves, here are some fun facts about these beautiful mountains - the elevation of the highest Adirondack High Peak is 5,344'. The elevation of this mountain, the Sandia Peak, is 10,378'. The city of Albuquerque sits at 5,312'. Almost as high as the highest peak of the Adirondacks! You can take a tram from the base of the mountain in the northeast corner of Albuquerque to the peak. From there you can mountain bike or hike back down to the city, or in the winter you can ski down the other side of the mountain! Check out the Sandia Peak Tramway

365 Project - Day 2

2011-08-06T12:02:00.001-06:00

Considering this is the desert, there certainly is no shortage of greenery. I've never had a green thumb, I can't even keep cactus alive, but what I like most about these viney plants is what hides inside them! As I was shooting this image, out scampered either a Sagebrush lizard or an Eastern Fence lizard!! I LOVE LIZARDS!! Hopefully I'll have an image to post of him/her one of these days - but they move REALLY fast!

In case your wondering, I've been carrying around the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southwestern States. Good read. Especially if you just moved here and don't know what can or cannot kill you.

While the dogs were running Nascar laps around the yard this morning, I began looking around the yard for some photographic inspiration. I've always loved shooting textured walls in monochrome, but have yet to actually post one. Not sure what I was waiting for, I really do like these images.

See you tomorrow :)

365 Project - Day 1

2011-08-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

In addition to moving cross country (I have proudly been a New Mexico resident for 1 week today!!), quitting my job, and (discussing) starting a family, I have decided to start a 365 project! I thought it would be a great way to catalog our journey and our first year in New Mexico. I had wanted to take pictures during our drive, however 2 people, 2 dogs and 2 cats take up every available inch of room in a sedan sized car and my camera had no choice but to travel coach via the trunk...

But the moving truck has finally arrived and we are starting to get settled, so off I go! I hope you enjoy our journey!!

Now you might be thinking this is an odd image to start off a 365 project cataloging a move to the desert...but oddly enough it has rained every day since we arrived. And by rain, I mean ever-so-lightly sprinkled for 15 minutes each day. And this is what the Southwest refers to as "Monsoon Season". Today however, it actually rained. Or what I would call "rained". Nothing compared to a good ole' NY summer washout, but it rained nonetheless! Something about the light and dancing droplets on the patio caught my eye and I just had to grab my camera. I actually filled up a 4 gb card shooting in burst trying to get the best splash!

Rick & Jennifer Tie the Knot!!

2011-06-12T20:59:00.001-06:00

Color pop

2011-04-21T14:47:00.001-06:00

Color pop, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

I was in desperate need of some color today and while chasing down our blown around yard waste cans I discovered this lovely little specimen. There is just the one plant each year, but it's in the oddest place - around the side of the house near nothing that used to be garden space.

Just a pleasant surprise each spring!

Wedding season is approaching...!!!!

2011-03-23T19:21:00.001-06:00

And I am VERY excited!!!

I have one wedding in June and I am second shooting another for Tyler in a few weeks. I LOVE shooting weddings - now. At first I swore I would never shoot a wedding. Honestly just the thought of wedding photography scared the bee-jesus out of me! But after giving it a chance and testing the waters I decided it wasn't all that bad. It was even fun. A lot of fun actually. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing your images will be cherished for a lifetime. It gives me a chance to stretch my young artistic wings and create fine art pieces.

I think what I enjoy the most about wedding photography is that it requires all types of photography skills. You have to be detailed oriented so you don't miss all the personal touches the bride and groom have brought to their big day. You have to think on your feet and deal with changing or challenging lighting conditions and backdrops. You have to anticipate all the special moments and capture them photojournalistically. You have to coach and support nervous brides and bridesmaids. You have to corral over-zealous groomsmen. You have to create stunning portraits within the confines of the venue you're given. You have to be everywhere at all times with your finger on the shutter. You need to eat at some point. It's very important to remember to eat!!

Weddings are a once in a lifetime deal. You only have one shot, there are no do-overs in wedding photography. You want the images to be perfect. When shooting a wedding I feel like I don't really take a breath until I chimp (google it - it's a real photography term) and see that one image that makes me tear up. One that will always mean something special to someone. That's when you realize perfection isn't all in your skill or technique. It's in capturing the most special moments of someones life. Giving them something they can always hold onto to remember it.

Weddings are utter chaos wrapped in pearls and gorgeous gowns. And I wouldn't want it any other way. It's a true test of your grit as a photographer.

I'm looking forward to an exciting 2011 season! Stay tuned... :)

Rising above

2011-03-20T19:17:00.001-06:00

Rising above, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Last week I attended a training course for work in Phoenix, AZ. One day after class a group of us decided to visit the Desert Botanical Garden. We arrived about 2 hours before sunset so the light just got better and better as we walked along. The Garden had a huge, diverse collection of cactus and succulents. It was nice to finally see some cactus considering all the landscaping around the city uses palm trees instead of the native flora!

Is forgoing flashy for actually getting something done. Finally.

2011-03-09T17:18:00.010-07:00

Well after a year of attempting to create a real website for Shelly Pickett Photography, I have decided to give up that pipe-dream. I was spending more time on website work than I was on my photography! So I wash my hands. Or whip my hair. Either way, I'm walking away from it for awhile! Shelly Pickett Photography had a pretty successful first season. And I'm looking forward to an even better 2011!!

Here is one of my favorite images from last year - Libbie walking down the aisle to her husband-to-be, Dominic. It was a beautiful wedding and I had an absolute blast second shooting for Tyler! www.tylermccallphotography.com

Getting the heck of New York next week - heading to warm, sunny Phoenix for training for work!! I am really looking forward to sitting next the pool enjoying a nice margarita :)

Ring Bearer & Pillow

2010-05-18T14:20:00.001-06:00

Ring Bearer & Pillow, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

This is one of my "artsy" captures during my first wedding shoot! The wedding was held at Lakeside Farms in Ballston Spa, NY. It was a gorgeous sunny day for wedding. Of course that made the outdoor ceremony a little harder too shoot, but I think I managed ok!

Quiet Moment Captured

2010-05-13T21:00:00.001-06:00

Quiet Moment Captured, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

TulipFest 2010 Engagement shoot for some friends. In the rain. Very early in the morning on a Saturday! A great couple that was fun to work with and went with the flow very well considering the cold and rain!

Happiness is a puppy with a freshly dug mudhole

2010-05-02T16:26:00.001-06:00

Happiness is a puppy with a freshly dug mudhole, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Buttercup was out enjoying the warm summery day today. She wandered around the backyard until she stumbled upon the mucky, muddy sideyard. Then she promptly went to town digging a very large hole and getting completely filthy. So into the bathtub she went. Now I have a clean, yet disgruntled puppy. Apparently I washed off all her "good" smells.

Our new puppy, Buttercup!!

2010-03-27T20:12:00.001-06:00

Our new puppy, Buttercup!!, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Foleys 2

2010-03-12T17:30:00.001-07:00

Foleys 2, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Family portrait and my sister and her family

My Family

2010-03-12T17:23:00.003-07:00

My Family, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

The first family portrait of my family in probably over 25 years!! Commissioned by my mother as a Christmas present.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2010-02-14T20:31:00.001-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Simple

2010-01-28T18:46:00.001-07:00

Simple, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

See?? I can **occasionally** bend to the convention of "flowers are colorful, therefore you HAVE to shoot them in color". I SO don't believe that dirty lie. I see more texture, contrast, tone and shape in monochromatic flower shots than you ever would in the color version. Luckily, tulips don't have much texture or tone so color will work...occasionally...

Facing the Day

2010-01-27T15:31:00.001-07:00

Facing the Day, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography.

Another beauty tucked away from the spotted lily session. Very different point of view than most flower photos, but I like it. I can't decide if it looks more like an army charging into battle or a crazy flower satellite dishes!

Tilt-a-Whirl of Life

2010-01-27T14:25:00.004-07:00

Tilt-a-Whirl of Life, originally uploaded by Shelly Pickett Photography (mmp177).

It's funny how many times I download pictures, say I hate them all, not look at them for 6 months, they randomly open an old folder and I find that I LOVE several of them. I guess I am just fickle woman:) That is the story for this beauty. I had gotten several bunches of lily's from the supermarket when they were on sale. I had a bunch of plain bright pink ones and these spotted pink and white ones. I really liked the ones of the plain pink ones right off the bat but apparently I had to ruminate on the set of the spotted lily's. Now I love them. Several of them. I did some weird behind the flower looking out at the stamen and pistils shots. More to come!

Christmas card shoot

2009-12-13T17:05:00.002-07:00

Christmas card shoot, originally uploaded by mmp177.

I offered to do Christmas Card Photos for all my friends and coworkers to practice my portrait skills and build my portfolio. These 2 cuties belong to a coworker of mine!

McCall Fall Photos 2

2009-10-12T16:47:00.002-06:00

McCall Fall Photos 2, originally uploaded by mmp177.

My first (well closest to a real) portrait shoot. Our friends, Maria and Tyler, are looking to do a photo Christmas card this year. Tyler is also a (awesome) photographer but thought it would be easier for me to shoot for them instead of him running back and forth using the timer. I think they turned out pretty well, at least for my first serious attempt at portraits! There are more poses and backgrounds on my flickr page.

Black and White and Bokeh, Oh my!!

2009-09-02T20:02:00.001-06:00

Black and White and Bokeh, Oh my!!, originally uploaded by mmp177.

Barn Owl @ NY State Fair

2009-08-31T19:11:00.001-06:00

Barn Owl @ NY State Fair, originally uploaded by mmp177.

This guy (or girl) looked slightly happier than the previous owl. I think this one was more concerned with his next meal (it was eyeballing the small children walking by...) than his personal freedom!

Old tyme'y farm machinery

2009-08-31T14:59:00.003-06:00

Old tyme'y farm machinery, originally uploaded by mmp177.

The 2009 Altamont Fair in Altamont, NY had a wonderful collection of working old fashioned farm machinery and equipment. I particularly like this picture because shows the other machinery parts behind the spinning wheel. Believe it or not, this was a hand held shot!

Whooooo

2009-08-30T16:18:00.005-06:00

Whooooo, originally uploaded by mmp177.

While I enjoy the opportunity to photograph these beautiful birds in such a convenient atmosphere, I can't help but think about how unhappy they must be in captivity. Hopefully most of them (if not all) are in this situation because of an accident or some other rehab necessary problem. They always look bored or angry. Hopefully someday they will all be free and healthy once again...

Pirate Ship operator at Sterling Renaissance Festival

2009-08-26T07:02:00.002-06:00

Pirate Ship operator at Sterling Renaissance Festival, originally uploaded by mmp177.

Funny story about how you "operate" a childrens ride at a Renaissance Fair. The "Pirate" has to run behind it and push the ship like you would a child on a swing!! No electricity because that wouldn't fit with the Renaissance theme! And to slow it down he grabs hold of the end of the ship and rides it on the upswing...probably as fun to do as to watch!

Spinning the clay

2009-08-24T15:11:00.002-06:00

Spinning the clay, originally uploaded by mmp177.

Attempting to get a picture from flickr to my blog...check out all of my photos at www.flickr.com/photos/shellypickett/

Hello!!

2009-08-24T14:08:00.000-06:00

Just starting out here...need to figure out how these blogs work!!