Homemade Giving

This year, a few of the gifts we're giving are homemade or gifts of time. This particular one is a tree skirt for my sister in law. (I don't think she checks this blog, but if you do, Katie, please act surprised anyway.) It was a really fun gift to make, from a pattern my mom used for her own, and for mine a few years ago.

Giving Christmas Cards

I took this on Sunday night. Only editing I did was to add the black frame and add text. This was using Nikon d50. This is my sisters family in an inpromto photo shoot so they can give/send Christmas cards.

NICU Holiday Bags

The picture isn't the greatest but a group of Mom's here in FL who had preemies or babies who died, we got together to make holiday bags for families in the NICU on Christmas Day. The christmas card was designed by a little boy who lost his twin brother who were both born prematurely. We put in the bags christmas cookies, layettes, a camera (sometimes when you have a preemie you dont have time to get your camera to the hospital), snacks, water, chapstick, hand sanitizer, teddy bears, lotion, laundry detergent, note pads, pens, etc... We are very proud of this project. I have spent two months of my life in a NICU between our two boys and it was no fun. We're delivering these bags next week to the families in the NICU at varying hospitals in Jacksonville...

Challenge: Giving

Merry Christmas M24'ers!

In the spirit of the season and because I know everyone will be busy this next week I wanted to just slip one more challenge in and then take a break during the week of Christmas. It is a good time of the year to keep giving in mind so lets see what pictures you have for this challenge. Perhaps there are traditions you do or something you did for someone, etc. Show us what you think of the word.

Lets post by Sunday December 20th at 11:59pm PST. It is one day less than usual so get it in if you can then enjoy your Christmas!

Sitting Silent...

This is a water wheel at the Gardner Village near Salt Lake City (there for a family vacay). Using the Nikon D50, I took this picture on Saturday morning and conditions were over cast and gray. I only increased saturation so you could actually see the wood. Because it is old wood, the color was a washed out gray which made it difficutl to see against the gray ice. recent family vacay. (Getting ready for this trip, Thanksgiving, broke camera, and busy schedule have prevented me from posting on recent challenges. Sorry!)

1/125s,
Focal length 18.0 mm
f 5.6