around the world with fPOE ... this week it's Naperville, Illinois

So from Rhode Island to Indiana, Indiana to Michigan & Michigan to California we  finally made it across the pond to Manchester, England. But now after one week away we are heading back to the states & Naperville, Illinois to check out the work of the Shutterbug Eye otherwise know as Diane Miller. With Diane's work i have focused on nature as i find her images so peaceful & calming.  For a girl who grew up with absolutely no interest in flowers as my photography has grown (excuse the cheesy metaphors) over the years i have begun to love the shapes that nature gives us, & the colours & the feeling of being at one (again excuse my use of cliches) with nature. & in Diane's work i see the things i love about the outside world.  

To say there's nothing special about her work would be lying, whilst i find these photos to be full of light & joy there's no lack of drama in them. Diane has the ability to take something which could otherwise been seen as simple & ordinary & to turn it into something beautiful & special. It's about more than just the flower, its about the environment around the flower & herself. & her use of colour is wonderful, whether it's muted tones or bright bold vivid shades they are all as glorious as each other & of course there's always a twist to give it that extra something. 

From the classic wild of the countryside ...

... to nature's most beautiful creatures ...

... & of course how could the crazy cat lady not post this gorgeous creature (see nature really does create all things amazing). 

As always all the images in this post are available to purchase on etsy ... but you can also check out her work on her website, blog & flickr. 

it's the simple things in life that make us happy ...

one week closer ... 

yes it's a tote ...

if it's a boy ...

love supernatural ...

excited about the craft fair this weekend!

around the world with fPOE ... this week it's Manchester, England

So i know i'm a couple of days late ... but with everything else that's been going on I'm sure you can forgive me. & i'm super excited about this week (because i haven't be excited so far) because we get to take a hop skip & jump across the pond to my homeland of England. Having travelled from Rhode Island to Indiana to Michigan & then west to California this week we're heading to blighty or more specifically Manchester to check out the work of Ozlem Haluk. 

The thing i'm loving about this series is that no two weeks are the same & i'm getting to see the world in a whole new light. Ozlem's work is totally new to me, gritty & real. It makes me think of being in the city, dark & dirty everything i hate about them but they are stunning. They're all about reality, & have a wonderful sense of movement. It's as if life doesn't stop for the moment the shutter clicks. 

She has a wonderful eye for life ... the small things we don't necessarily see or that pass us by as everyday in the chaotic world of the city. But within her desire to show us the revolving world around her she can still create a vintage feel & a sense of loneliness & peace. 

A memory from my childhood ...

... a thought never said ...

... & the idea that beauty is always around us. 

As usual all these photographs can be found for sale on etsy in Ozlem's shop, or you can check out more of her work on flickr & her website. 

it's the simple things in life that make us happy ...

finally i get to tell the big news ... 

it's hearts beating at 160 beats a minute ...

at least one arm ...

2 legs for sure ...

& a big head & belly ... just like daddy!

as summer becomes fall ...

I was asked by the fabulous Heather of Gathering Spriggs to write a guest post for her this week ... it was an honor & i'm super excited about this ... head over to her blog for a look. Have a wonderful wonderful day everyone! 

around the world with fPOE ... this week it's Los Angeles, California, USA

From West Warwick, Rhode Island to Edinburgh, Indiana & then on to Saline, Michigan this week we're heading out west to one of my favourite places, California. More specifically Los Angeles, a city i have seen from the skies & as i drive out from the airport. But having spent the past how ever long checking out the various shops of Myan I am in love. I want to see Los Angeles & I'm totally not a city girl. 

I hate being in the city, it's dirty & noisy & full of people but as i look at Myan's work i fall in love with the beauty she seems to find in the things i generally hate. She's turned what to me is a concrete jungle into a romantic haven. I want to visit this city, to see it through her eyes. I want to experience the calm she finds in the chaos. 

She uses wonderful soft tones to capture what i would really consider to be the city of dreams through Myan's eyes ... 

& as she moves away from the urban sprawl she still manages to find the peace & calm of california that i love ... 

I love seeing passion through the eyes of another. 

As always all the images in this post can be viewed in one of Myan's stunning etsy stores: ZUPPAARTISTA &   sixth & main: los angeles, & you can also check out more of her stunning photography on flickr & last but not least her website. 

it's the simple things in life that make us happy ...

inspiration being found in the weirdest of ways & the strangest of places ... 

i want this market tote (in green) ... 

making vacation plans with the in-laws ... 

i learnt how to use my sewing machine, let the fun commence ... 

8 days closer! 

a picture is worth a thousand words ...

I've never been very good with words so how about we go with "goodbyes suck" & leave it at that.

around the world with fPOE ... this week it's Saline, Michigan, USA

So far we visited West Warwick, Rhode Island & Edinburgh, Indiana ... & now we're heading to Saline, Michigan to check out the wonderful work of Elle Moss. Now i've talked about the work of Elle Moss before (i adore her photography) but since she has more than one shop this time i'm going to highlight some of the work i don't see as often as i would like. 

Elle Moss is full of self portraits, styalized, contemporary images that leave you asking a hundred & one questions ... Alice B Gardens is packed with whimsical pretty & vintage inspired artwork that i would love to adorn my walls with. Full of pastel colours, pale hues & wonderful quaint subject matters, there's something about her images that remind me of being back in England. 

Again there's a timeless quality to her work, you could imagine her pictures were taken last week, last year of 50 years ago. & she moves between her subject matters effortlessly, from the front porch above to the gorgeous coastline below. All of which have a peaceful quality, like stepping back into a childhood memory. 

& the simplicity with which she sees the world captivates me ... from a lone vase looking out over the ocean ...

... to the springtime blossoms ... 

... & who can resist some cupcakes (not me)!

All the images in this post can be purchased on etsy. You can also see more of the work of Elle Moss in her other etsy shops, Elle Moss & Bird & Bloke, on her blog & of course flickr. Oh & she has created some fabulous actions which can be purchased online (i'm in love with these). 

cassis ...

so i am totally behind on my blogs ... i mean there i was 6 weeks ago sunning myself in the south France & only now am i getting round to sharing more photos with you. & the town in question we all fell in love with. Cassis is a stunning little town just outside of Marselles on the south coast. Yes it was a little touristy but oh so worth it. We went there for the first time on Cassie's birthday (go figure she chose the place with the name similar to her own) ... anyways we fell head over heels. 

So i'm not sure where to start but we can with the beach ... i hate the beach. Ok let me clarify i like the beach to look at, & of course it's perfect for taking pictures ... i hate sand. it gets everywhere & wasting away the day lying on it is not my idea of fun. So whilst my two travel buddies got some sun i took a whole lot of pictures & in the days that followed & our returning visits explored the town. 

The town itself centers around the harbor ... full of restaurants & some wonderful little stores where i spent a whole lot of money. 

& where there's a harbor ... there are boats ... & we all know how much i love the little things in life ... 

From the harbor are winding streets & alleys where i was able to get throughly lost & enjoy the wonderful bright colours, & gorgeous french architecture. I also got to witness "french passion" at it's best as two men fought in the streets whilst being chased by of course a women!

& off the coast of Cassis we were able to take a boat trip to the Calanques a stunning range of cliffs leading skyward from the water, full of natural harbors & inlets. & perfect it would seem for a day spent sun bathing. We actually tried to find some to hang out on but everywhere was so busy ... although possible choosing Bastille Day (France's version of independence day & their biggest holiday) may not have been the best option here. But never-the-less they were amazing. Nature really never fails me!

you see i see ...

week 17: childhood

week 18: travel

week 19: the world

week 20: pets

harvest time ...

hubby bought me a present ... a wonderful wonderful happy anniversary present ... a tokina 11-16mm ... oh yeah it's gonna be fun!