Art Teacher

 Many of you don't know this yet but I just accepted a job as a part time substitute art teacher for 1st through 8th grade at a local private school.  I LOVE it!  I get the privilege of teaching kids about artists and techniques that I didn't learn until college, for crying out loud! ( And I had many art classes in middle and high school.)  My, how curriculum times have changed.  I can't post photos of the students, for obvious reasons, but I can post a few fun shots I took.  

Today's project was self-portraits, "Modigliani" style.  Here is their example to follow and here are their vivid chalk pastels.

Isn't this great?  This artist is only 12!  I didn't learn chalk pastels on black paper until college.

This artist is actually a boy.  It almost looks like he made dreadlocks on himself.  He actually has short, dark hair.  This project was about expression and not "reality."

I love the way this artist used heavy black outlines to emphasize the elongation of the portrait.  It's SO Modigliani!

I'm so proud of these guys!  Check back for more artwork......

Our New View 2013 (its all about perspective)

Today marks 5 days since a giant tree crashed into our house.  This morning Jason of A1 Tree Service came to tackle and cut down most of the tree, taking enormous pressure off of the roof over our family room.  He will come back Thursday to cut the remaining trunks (yes, there were two trunks stemming from one base) down to haul away, as they are still resting on our patio deck.

What a lovely new view, don't you think?  So bright and sunny!

The french doors to the right enter into our sunroom, {a.k.a. family room.

Here is the new view from our master bedroom window.  So open!

Here I am sitting on my deck aiming the camera up to the sky, what used to be the patio ceiling.

It's a gorgeous but chilly day, about 37 degrees.  It was also quite breezy today and while you can't tell from the photo, those trees towering above me were swaying quite a bit.  Very unnerving after what I've experienced.  I asked Jason if anyone gets more than one tree falling on their house in a lifetime and he told me just around the corner a family had 2 trees fall on their house in one month's time.  He admitted that was a rare case, but he has seen it.

 Earlier today I read about all the Tent Cities that STILL exist in Jamaica, even years after the quake.  They are now being nicknamed "Rape City."  Puts everything into perspective.  I am so fortunate to live in America, and I am so fortunate the tree only took out our covered patio and partial roof.  I have a good roof over all the living spaces of my home AND food, AND health.  I am blessed for sure.  

Stay tuned for DEMO day!

Tree House 2013

I always thought it would be cool to have my own tree house, however, I never wanted a tree IN my house!  Seriously, only an hour ago we had a giant tree crash into our house taking out our covered patio and roof.  Fortunately none of the living area of our home is damaged, yet.  We are emptying the sunroom/family room as we speak since it's connected and shares the roof of the patio.  It is storming today and they are predicting snow tonight so we need to move all of our furniture and electronics out of this room asap.  Good times!

Well, there goes our view.

I never did like that old ceiling fan.

Here's the other side of the house, that is our sunroom below the tree.

And here is how it started, snapped off above the root system.  Looks like the root ball is still in the ground.

The lights on the lower level is right where Gracie and I were sitting when the tree came down on us.  We had a front row seat, yay!

Well, our insurance man was here within the hour and told us we bought the cadillac of all home insurance plans so other than a $1000 deductible, they can rebuild everything even better than before.

Now I need a job more than ever to pay for this, ugh!

Matthew McCoy 1970-2012

On Monday, December 17th, 2012, the world lost a special soul.  My brother Matt passed away leaving behind a beautiful wife, Dana, and the sweetest, prettiest little daughter, Zelda, only 5 years old.  Matt was special to everyone who knew him, even a stranger was a friend.  He was truly the funniest, happiest, most positive guy I've known.  He will be so missed and Christmas will never be the same without him.  I am posting some of my favorite recent photos of him.  The ones in the snow were of the BEST Christmas of our adult lives.  It snowed on Christmas, an unusual event for North Carolina, and we sledded all day until we were black and blue.  I'll never forget that day!

This photo epitomizes Matt, always laughing, always goofing.  He was so banged up.  I've never laughed harder in my life than when I was with him.  

I'll see you when I get to Heaven, Matt.  Until then.......

Christmas Cookies 2012

I love Christmas cookies.  In fact, I love making them more than eating them.  Now that Gracie is five I knew she would have fun making the dough AND decorating but I didn't realize how creative and controlled she would be in the decorating department.   I snapped a few shots with my Hipsmatic and thought they turned out pretty cute; had to share.

 How cute is this Gingerbread Man?  Precious to me. 

 And now the fruit of her labor...... Mmmmmm!

Messy?  Yep.  Vacuuming sprinkles for days?  You bet.  Memories created?  The BEST!

Santa!!!

I love a Santa photo.  Gracie is 5 now and this may be her last one.  I just had to share.  She still believes and is so excited for Christmas but also daily acknowledges that Jesus is the real reason we celebrate Christmas and St. Nick is just a wonderful man who celebrates Jesus' birthday by giving kids all over the world a toy.  I can live with that.  Gracie thinks that Santa only brings ONE gift and mommy and daddy give the rest.  This keeps Christmas a little less commercial in our home.  

Happy Birthday Jesus, and Ho, Ho, Ho!

Santa portrait by Steve Norman Photography, Salisbury, NC

Heath Brothers {Rowan County Portrait Photographer}

 In all of my holiday busyness I forgot to post this darling shoot I did last week.  It's on my Facebook Photography page but I've neglected my blog lately.  These are the Heath boys and they were a lot of fun to photograph.  In between shots the twins were climbing on EVERYTHING they could possibly climb on.  Boys are very different from girls, no?

I love this portrait of the three of them.  Aren't they dapper?

Love this!

Boys will be boys......

Thanks Heath family for the privilege of capturing childhood memories.