I am going out of town to a short trip and I am taking an Internet brake. I will be back next Wednesday, I think!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

I wanted to do some lunch bag stickers for my son and brighten up his days at school. I guess he will be happy seeing us on the photos! You can do it for your kids. Simply hold a blank paper and ask someone to take your photo. Some cameras can shoot by itself. Mine has a remote control. You can ask other members of your family to participate too. Upload the images to your computer and resize them in inches, my photos I chose something like 3x2 inches, because you will print them. Stores like Office Max and Staples sell full page sticker papers. You can do it with any photo editor, I use Photoshop Elements 5. Write whatever you wish on the blank paper image and make stickers for lunch bags.

My son is starting to read and I thought these words would be a bit challenging for him...

I am bit down today. I though that I had a cool idea and so excited I was that I forgot that this world of creative people is big. I am impulsive sometimes. I forget to look around, to do a search. Not long a go, we brought home a mac computer. Gorgeous, perfect. After 3 days of use, I decided to bring back to the store. I don't really regret it, because I would have to buy a bunch of programs again and that would cost a lot. I got so frustrated. I almost cried seeing that machine going back, but seriously, I did not really need it. So, if I had talked to people, if I did stop a bit to think, would save me some frustration. Maybe next year...because money doesn't grown on trees.

I've deleted one of my accounts over Etsy. I can't put up with hours on the computer listing things that people is already doing successfully quite sometime. I know how honest I am and I would not like to be called a "copy cat", because in the end, some communities can be hard on those ingenious members like me. I don't have time and energy to deal with issues like these. If I had an idea of taking photos in certain way, what can I do? I know who I am, I know I am serious, but I do have shame on my face and I would not like to share a place with someone that does similar work. I won't stop making what I like, I won't stop photographing the way I like, the way I have discovered and show on this blog, but selling is another story. Not at Etsy though. Similar doesn't mean exactly the same. Have I seen her work before? I have no clue, because I don't remember. Who knows? Go figure it. Just like the pincushions I make using styrofoam balls, I have no clue if someone else does the same, if they did before me or whatsoever. So...sorry if my brain works just like yours!

In fact I am kinda tired of selling things. Because I am not selling like I would like, because I don't put enough efforts to it and because it's not that important. A little push would be great to start, but...this happens with lucky ones or if you know "hot" people out there. As a 89% introverted, let me just stop throwing my tamtrums and be shut. Make a living (hahaha!) with crafts or photos seem to be an odd for me and it is, really. There are some great things that I need to do in my home and I am starting soon, better...tomorrow!!! Also, I have a swap with a sweet lady from Germany and I need to prepare the goodies. So, this is the last fit in the subject.

Yes, I know I am a stubborn. Just like a bull. In fact my astrological sign is taurus, does it count? I see the obvious in front of me, but I will believe and learn the lesson after some falls, some slaps on the face. Sometimes it's patetic to believe too much on myself and on people...

Well, I think I am getting closer to what I want...

This image was the last one taken yesterday. After making a mess in the living room, trying all sorts of angles and compositions with the flowers I got in the grocerie store, I was about to give it up! I started to clean up the place and keep things when I looked back to the table. I saw those flowers, petals and branches scattered all over it. So, I had the click to arrange these items on a blue canson paper...I want to try with other colors some another day. I liked it very much, I don't know about people's...tastes may vary. BTW, macro lens is on the way!!

Good Sunday, blue sky. Somehow it feels like spring, but I think we will have more snow. To be honest, I am tired of it. Enough snow for me!!

It happens that I am a bit not satisfied with some of my photos. I like the colors very much, but they seem dark, sometimes depressive. Today I will try new ones. Natural light as always and some flowers. My intention is to pass some sort of good feeling (at least for me). I need more light! I was thinking about selling my cameras and purchase a Canon 40 D. I have a Canon EOS Rebel and a Sony Cyber Shot DSC H1. I am not sure what to do, since right now I could get a 60mm macro lens for my Rebel, because I really would like to shoot small things, but I am not sure if this lens works on Canon 40 D ( I guess it does). It's funny that I think my best photos I took when I was 21 years old, while attending photography classes. After 15 years, I just let it go, the camera I had (film - 35mm) got broken and I did not read about it anymore, I don't really practise it much and all I learned in the past, seems to be gone like dust! So...It doesn't feel right to purchase a better camera, if I am not taking the photographs I want (because I am picky, thanks God!) with what I own at the moment. Well, if anyone is interested, I can sell the cameras described above and with the money, I get something better! They are in great conditions, I would take my Canon to clean up the mirrors though. Later I will make a speacil post with the prices.

I've removed all my images from Etsy (my second account for photographs only) to re-edit them, to come back with different ideas (if I get any). It's hard. That shop could work for me as long I do it right and take it seriously. I am thinking about postcards with nice rounded corners, big ones. The Pixie Blossoms shop gets great views, but since I've raised my prices, people look only. Fine. No problem, to be honest, I don't blame people looking for bargains, I do the same sometimes. The economy is bad, the budgets are tight everywhere and if there are people making awesome stuff for 20 dollars, go for it. They are just all right! I enjoy my sewing machine a lot. I've finished some darlings this past week and I just need quiet time to upload them to Etsy. I guess it's time to stop making things to others (for sale) and start thinking about a new home decor for us. As I am not satisfied with my dark photos, the same applies to our home decor. I like my furniture, it's dark wood, but I would like to brighten up a bit. I can't go crazy and bankrupt my husband. This is a long term project. I never thought about my home decor before. I had 2 kids, one after another, I am always busy doing something else and decoration is the last thing I would think. But hey, this is my nest and I think it's time to do something about it!

Here are the photos I did on Friday...

Aha, you guys like reading, hu? Thanks for the comments...I will be right back! Perhaps, talking more about my feelings (not really confident about this) or the way I view things in life (but I am sooo lazy lately for that and I became introspective girl lately, better not to say much to feed a few - not you, of course - curious mad people), instead of making that diary of my every day routine...and no ladies, I am not thinking about closing down this blog, I was just saying that...hmmm, I don't know about the future. I don't really plan the future...btw, I took the this personality test. I think I will agree with it for a while, there are few things that I am not really sure...I am an ISTP person. How about you?

Just like millions of people out there, I also keep a blog, not because I don't have anything better to do, as a lot of people think, but because I have a lot of things I would like to show. In the beggining, back to 2002, I kept a blog to vent my anger, my sadness and also happiness. I used to blog only in portuguese, because it's my mother language. The time has passed and I don't feel like venting those things anymore. I go through different phases of life as any human being and right now, I am introspective. I've learned some lessons about not showing too much details of personal and private family life. We never know who is reading this...

I've always loved to make things by hands, I've enjoyed school's art projects as a child very much, I've seen my mom being creative. I've been into Photography since 1993 and I am not sure which were the blogs that inspired me to begin Pixie Blossoms in September 2006. In fact, Pixie Blossoms was named Desert Blossoms for the first months, but I did not really like that name. I saw so many creative bloggers from all over the world and I thought that I could do it similar and help myself of getting out of the housewife's boring routine for a bit. I love to create, to learn, to try. Pixie Blossoms is not only a delicious hobby, but also a challenge. I write in english and this is difficult for me. I've been improving my english vocabulary, and reading other blogs helps a lot too. Another reason to write in english is the fact that I live in The United States. My life is here, my husband is an american citizen as my children are and I speak english all the time. Writing in english gives me the opportunity of reaching the world. I have visitors from Australia to Canada. From Brazil to Norway. I miss talking in portuguese, I miss writing in portuguese and I wish I could handle one more blog to utter some deep feelings, but not at this moment, my time is short and I am always in a rush. I love my mother language, it's truly beautiful and I also love brazilian music as well. One of my wishes is to bring some of my culture to this blog.

I like this show and tell, I like to meet new people and who doesn't want to belong? I don't participate a lot in blogland because my time is hectic, as I said before, but once in a while it's good to get in touch with readers. I am also visually inspired, since little. Beauty attracts me, art is real love although I don't consider myself an artist. I would say I am an artisan in process of learning, because there are a lot of mediums I don't know. I also don't consider myself a Photographer, but a picture taker. I say that not because a low self- esteem I would have (sometimes I do), but because lack of knowledgement. Because I believe that Art is so complex, not simple.

The computer is a good company. I don't have friends nearby. My best friends are in Brazil. We recently moved to this town and I've met the neighbours, but perhaps people is busy, just like me. It used to be easier to make friends in Brazil...here in US people have a different life style, different culture... My husband works a lot and I feel much better when he is at home with us.

I don't know how long I will keep Pixie Blossoms on the web. The Internet is an endless source of information and inspiration. It keeps my creative mind moving forward to the unknown. I want that, I want to discover new things. I also like to discover myself through blogging. I think I am drawing a path to my own style. The colors I like, the projects I like best, the blogs I like to visit...I feel like growing into something really cool. Being part of this blogland, being creative, being inspired and admiring others work, making things and showing to you, surely make me feel a happier person! Pixie Blossoms is me. The way I build the posts, the way I design my templates, the way I love colors...this is the way I am, the way I like. It could be fake for some people because I don't go deep regarding my feelings and private life, but it's ok...the way it is...that is what matters.

Yesterday in Sedona, Arizona. I really like that place, not so far from where we live. They did not get the snow we got and it's only 30 minutes down the hills! Amazing, beautiful day! I must go there often, just to enjoy the nature!