Time - playing with time and playing with toys......

My personal blog is called Time to Play but that is not what I seem to have at the moment. I retired and did quite a bit of volunteer time and still had time to play with my hobby. However, nowadays, I seem to have less and less personal time and I don't do any volunteer work anymore. I have become my husband's full time carer. He is not in need of high level care but it is amazing how much of one's day can be consumed by locating lost things and repeating (and repeating) bits of information.

I have now got an exercise book permanently on the table to write the information into once and then to refer him to it when the inevitable question is asked. So my time to play seems to be quite diminished - it probably isn't that much less; it may be I am diminished in my energy levels and capacity to be creative.

Talking of creativity, here are some shots of some of my 'stuff' gathered off my work desk for the photo - taken late afternoon, some with the lamp on some with the flash - terrible shadow problem and reflected light from the lamp.

I tried the flat layout of items off my desk that represent some of what I use in my creating. I often refer to these items in my challenge blog Unstampabelles. I chose to use a formal analysis style for this series.

Image 1.

Content: Part of a bigger layout that I cropped as I didn't like the bigger photo. It contains some items that I use in my daily work to create a paper project. Smooch and the Wink of Stella pen look like nail polish and maybe an eyelash wand but in reality they both add a sparkle and/or sheen to items or to something on the paper that I might have previously coloured in. It is a way to add texture to a flat surface. The glue bottle on the top left has a fine nib for detailed work. The glue eraser (bottom left) is a useful tool after working with the glue! These items are (mostly) reusable, especially the bone folder and the ruler - constant companions. 

Composition and Technique: I laid things onto the craft mat that were within my arm's length from my standing desk. I have a lamp on this desk and the harsher light from this was shining down on the items from above. As well, there was some natural light coming from a window to the left. I deliberately tried to maneuver the light so it did not throw a glare off the mat but was not that successful. In addition, I did not allow for the deep shadows I was creating. They do give some depth to the photo though. I used the macro closeup on my camera but again not very successfully as I was holding the camera in one hand and the lamp in the other and it was difficult to keep steady. I deliberately lay the items at cross purposes to each other rather than in straight lines so they looked haphazard and as if thrown from a bag to be strewn across the mat. Doing so has created several triangles of empty space(see below). The repetition of straight lines on the left juxtaposed with the ruler coming in at almost a right angle while the bone folder is following the line from the left adds interest. I like the touches of red to the mainly neutral palette. 

Context: I wanted to show some of the things my brand uses to create. I use these particular items often in my creative journey.  My work space is neat but messy - a messy neat space! This haphazard way of laying them out indicated that. I often have several things laying on the every decreasing space I work in while making something. They do get put away when I am finished and all have a particular space. 

Connection: I saw this technique in the Week 4 notes and Discussion Board and decided to try it as the first representation of myself as my brand. I have been playing around with a mood board but have not come up with anything I like yet. It is difficult to find people who photograph what I do in a professional manner but I have always liked and admired Becca at Amazing Paper Grace and the way she sells her brand.  D'Lish Scraps on Instagram are also always displaying their work beautifully. 

Image 2

This does not work

Image 3

Boring

Image 4

also boring.....

Image 5

Content: Some dies and some sparkly card behind the dies. These are sitting on the small ledge of my photography board and so are upright. The dies all belong to the same set and are rectangular in shape; with the exception of course of the oval shape, which is both inside and outside the rectangles. The sparkly card has been die cut at the top right but not by this die set. The dies themselves are metal and the die cutting surface is facing us. I cropped this bit from a larger photo. I have boxes of dies and am always purchasing more - as I cannot use stamps in the challenge blog, I tend to compensate with die cuts.

Composition and Technique: This photo follows the rule of thirds. The paper begins at the first vertical third and the centre line of the oval is the second vertical third. The top of the smaller slightly sideways oval is on the top horizontal third and the second horizontal goes straight through the middle of the larger oval again. The repetition of vertical and horizontal lines with the ovals to break it up creates more interest. Th dies that lay against the black background seem sharper that those against the pink. I used a quick release paper in the more decorative oval rectangle and it is mostly still there caught in the holes while the other decorative rectangle towards the back has no paper in it. Your eye is drawn first to the blank oval space, and from there mine went to the other oval and then followed the vertical lines created by the other dies. This was taken in natural light outside but there appears to be more coming from the top right hand side, flowing over that top third. The area in that top left third where the paint on the board is thicker and had slightly run has caught the light as well. The smooth surface contrasts with the pink card, which being sparkly has a texture not unlike an emery board and diffuses the light. The hue of the card is less bright against the black background and seems to absorb the light without reflecting it. 

Context: I took this photo because I love my dies so much - they are certainly part of my brand - and I was working on a card using this set at the time.

I wanted to layer this card and to have decorative borders so the die set suited my project. There are six layers used here (can you see them all?) and I have used different mediums to achieve a vintage effect.The saturation here of the pink hue is bright and intense - especially in sunlight and because the medium is sparkly - and it contrasts strongly against the vanilla card and gold card. The embellishment of the roses adds another pop of colour. 

The dies were designed to layer one on another and can create a perfect effect with little effort. The card was there also as I wanted to show what variety of medium I can work in to create a project. 

Connection: This is where I tried to emulate some of the stuff  Paulina Arcklin is doing in her work.  I tried to keep the colours limited to three as she has done in a lot of her work so that the actual items themselves (the dies) are the main thing the eye is drawn to first in the photo.