New Hobby!

I have a love/hate relationship with blogs. I love keeping up with friends and family, I love seeing pictures of fun happenings in the lives of people I love, and I love being inspired by the craftiness (as in arts and crafts, not cunning) and wittiness (is that a word?) of people around the country. I hate, however, reading the blogs of the ultra-talented, creative, trendy people who can turn trash into treasure and still look cute in the process. Don't get me wrong - I wholeheartedly wish I was one of them. And I don't intend to stop reading their blogs just because I am insanely jealous. More than anything those blogs remind me that the Lord gifts us all differently - I just sometimes wish He had given me the gift of creative expression as well. :)
With that in mind, I fell upon a new blog that falls under the above mentioned list-of-things-I-wish-I-was. I love it. It is fun and creative and attainable! Not only have I found the first project on a blog that I feel like I might actually be able to tackle (once a friend shows me how to use a sewing machine, that is), but it also offered the simplest tutorial I have ever seen for my new fancy-pants Canon Rebel (thank you, Ginger!). So what did I do this afternoon? I played with my camera!
I do not profess to be awesome at this; in fact, I keep reciting the things that I'm reading on this blog to myself as I try out new settings ("low light, high ISO...high light, high aperture...is that right?"). But I am excited about the prospect of getting better at something I've always loved.
Here's some of what I did today. Please do not judge them. Remember I am neither ultra-talented, creative, or trendy. But I like to pretend that I could be if I tried REALLY hard. :)


Deen didn't even try to lick the camera this time! She's really growing up...


Little Deenie was the blissfully unaware test subject for trying out my camera settings. I ventured off of auto - a big step for me!


Our hammock. Beautiful, isn't it?


This one is a bonus - John and I went on a dessert picnic yesterday afternoon. It was delightful!