First Project Smile Party. Please join me.

If you are new here, welcome. This is Project Smile. We've been recording our smiles over the last month. And today we are sharing them with each other. Making the world brighter one smile at a time.

I am so thankful for this project that reminded me to look around and find the beauty and the sunshine even on days that were dark and gloomy. It's been a rough few weeks here, but life is good. This month these were the things that made me smile (in no particular order).



Nothing big. Nothing earth shattering. Just sweet, simple moments.


I wanted to share just a few other examples of some recent smiley moments...

1. Yesterday Little Man exclaimed that he had "breaking news" upon his arrival home.

"I gotta girlfriend. I think her name is Kaylie. And she's 4 inches taller than me. She already had her elementary growth spurt."

As I sat and listened to this 11 year old beam with his "breaking news" I couldn't help but smile.

2. There have been so many sweet, thoughtful comments and emails lately, but my friend Kristi over at Live and Love...Out Loud has been an extraordinary friend. This tweet made my day. Thanks for the smile friend.

3. Hubs saved the day (and $200) by figuring out how to clean up a fake trojan virus on our computer. I was so worried I was going to lose my videos and journal. Then I woke to a note that read "computer is fixed". My hero.

4. After pouring out my heart in a recent post of self reflection I had a flood of sweet comments. They were all so thoughtful. I loved every. single. one.

5. And we received a cash offer on our home today after multiple disappointing setbacks. If you have been following at all you know how incredibly HUGE this is. You better believe it brought a honkin smile. And yes, I know that nothin's over til it's over. But still smile worthy all the same.


To bring more smiles let's focus on the beauty, the sunshine, and the happy moments.



And don't ignore the minute moments because that's what makes it all worth it.

What made you smile lately? I've been dying to hear. If you aren't linking up feel free to share them here.

If you want the button, here's a grabbable one for ya.

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FYI: Project Smile will be open Now until Wed, Oct 6th at midnight! It's also a bloghop, so grab the linky if you want.

Wordless Wednesday Linky Party: Enter at Your Own Risk.

I hope you aren't eating right now. If so, you might wanna sit whatever it is down for a minute.

This WW is yet another example of the cycle of life. And although it's not quite as gross as this one that happened in our backyard (and was one of my first WW posts), it still made little man cringe just a little.

And if it makes little man cringe, you better believe it's gross.

Drum roll please....



Here it is in all it's glory. Can you guess what is eating what?

But before I do the reveal, I wanted to mention that it may or may not be why
little man got violently ill the next day...



and puked 14 times and looked like this.

OK. Ready? Here is a labeled photo....



Praying mantis is pretty easy to guess, but did you know that it was eating a grasshopper? While Little Man held him he never let it go and it gobbled the entire thing except for a foot (which FYI: I didn't stick around to see). Check out the guts of the grasshopper on little man's finger above. Yes, EEEeeeewww. Agreed.

If you have stuck with me through this whole post I thank you.

And I apologize for so many words lately, but I must tell you that these are not things that I would normally be drawn to, but it is my fate as a mother of a child with an intellectual appetite bigger than I know what to do with. And although it is exceptionally disgusting and maybe better to be oblivious to such feedings, I am thankful that little man is so passionate about life around him and helps me see the world in a new light. The end.

Oh, and don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the first ever PROJECT SMILE party!! Can't wait to see all your smiles.

Thanks for stopping by. Time to get this party started. Add your link below and then head over to some of my other bloggy friends... Kristi at Live and Love Out Loud, Amanda at Parenting For Dummies who replaced my bloggy friend Angie at seven clown circus (she'll be missed), and Susan & Janice at 5 minutes for mom.

Tasty Tuesdays Bloghop: For the LOVE of Candy Corn

I love fall. As the days shorten and temperatures crisp, the quiet green palette of summer foliage is transformed into the vivid autumn palette of reds, oranges, golds, and browns.

Plus let's not forget about the candy corn. Ok, so I may have a tiny problem. I wouldn't consider it rehab worthy just yet, but addicts tend to be in denial. So they say...



I love me some candy corn. And although too much could rot your teeth out or give ya a coronary, a good healthy dose will do wonders for your spirit.

So, thought I'd share some of my favorite candy corn treats. Just don't have them all at once. Wink, wink.

Candy Corn Puddings.


Ingredients:
1 box (4 serving size) butterscotch instant pudding mix
1 box (4 serving size) banana cream instant pudding mix
4 cups milk
20 drops red food color
45 drops yellow food color
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
12 pieces candy corn

Directions:
Make butterscotch pudding as directed on box. Stir in 20 drops red food color and 25 drops yellow food color. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Make banana cream pudding as directed. Stir in remaining 20 drops yellow food color. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place 1/4 cup banana cream in bottom of 6 (8oz) glasses. Top each with 1/3 cup butterscotch and about 1/3 cup whipped cream. Garnish with candy corn.

And here's a card for the taking.


Candy Corn (Sweet 'n' Salty) Snack Mix.
This one is fab because I can just grab what I have on hand. It's very forgiving.


Plus the kids love to help.


And it looks festive on my counter.


The actual recipe calls for:
2-1/2 quarts popped popcorn
2 cups salted peanuts
2 cups miniature pretzels
2 cups raisins
1 cup plain M&M's
1 cup candy corn
1/2 cup sunflower kernels

We didn't make popcorn and didn't have the raisins or sunflower seeds on hand- cause who keeps all that healthy stuff around (kidding of course), but I thought I'd add those in next week when it starts getting low.

And last but certainly not least,Candy Corn Bark.

Super duper easy and perfect to wrap up and share with a friend.

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place a layer of milk chocolate (or white chocolate chips) and melt in a preheated oven at 250 degrees for 5 minutes. Spread melted chips in a smooth thin layer. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes till chilled. Then add your next layer of white chocolate. Melt the chips in the microwave for 20 second intervals stirring the chips between each turn. Let cool till warm but still spreadable. Quickly spread over first layer. Add candy corn and sprinkles and place back in the refrigerator to chill. Once chilled break into bite size pieces. Store in a tupperware container and keep refrigerated to prevent melting. (Recipe found at the idea room.)

Hope you're off to a great week. I took a few days off for a much needed break to recharge a bit and it did wonders. Happy Tuesday, Y'all!

I'd love for you to play along. It's a fabulous way to mix it up and find some new favs. Grab the button and then link up below. (This is a bloghop so you can also add the linky to your blog post as well.)



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I am but a work in progress.

I will never forget the first time I heard the term blog. I was going to school full time, hubs was working 80+ hours a week, and it was all I could do to keep the kids in clean socks. I was working on some kind of dental research paper when I decided to take a break. There sitting in my inbox was a note from my sister telling me I was tagged on her blog.

Blog? Tagged? I sat there with a blank stare. How does one respond to what they don’t know? Under normal circumstances I would have consulted my handy friend mr google, but time was not my friend. And there were deadlines to be made. And hungry kids to feed.

Fast forward 4 years.

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Here I sit at my computer for the 4th straight day this week thinking about a blog. More specifically, my blog. The thing that seems to have taken on a life force all its own; that somehow forged its way into the forefront of my life. That same thing I was absolutely clueless about just a few short years ago. Strangely enough, I have written in it for nearly 2 years now on an almost daily basis and am just as confused about what a blog is as that first time I saw it in my inbox.

What started out as a way to connect with loved ones far away morphed into my daily project 365. Then along with what appeared to be a midlife crisis came a redirected purpose and name change for my blog. A Beautiful Mess: Project Alicia.

Then I found SITS. Those four little letters altered my blog. And certainly changed my life. At least the life that I had once known.

I now had followers and comments. Comments from fellow bloggers that weren’t family. I was awakened to an entirely new world I was oblivious to prior.

I learned that there were millions upon millions of bloggers out there, some like myself just trying to find their voice in a noisy world. Others were in it for fame and notoriety. Or monetary reasons. And they came in all genres… couponing, religion, crafting, book reviews, giveaways, foodies, motherhood, photography…

I learned about the rules and etiquette of commenting. The dos and don’ts of blogging. The social media requirements to stay connected. Oh, and the vocabulary. Who knew blogging had a language all it's own?

It was intimidating and overwhelming. It was about that time that I asked this question in the SITS community.

I admit there was a time I, myself, was intoxicated by the sheer idea of making money from blogging.

I do it regardless. It was something I enjoyed. What a novel concept. A perk.

Then hubs put me in my place. He has a knack of doing that. But the words he spoke rung true. “If you are good enough the sponsors will come to you.”

Now fast-forward to present day.

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Somewhere, somehow in all the craziness that is the blogging world, I lost my focus. My initial direction and purpose. My reason for doing this. Because this should NOT take precedence over the finer things of life, particularly my family. Or feel like a chore.

Initially I was never in it for fame or fortune. Or numbers.

So, what went wrong? When did I make this detour? Because this is not who I am. Nor is it who I want to be.

I am not an idiot. I know that I’m not a writer. Sure I can spell and throw together fragmented thoughts, but I am not a writing blogger, I am a blogger who writes. I will never get any book signing or publication in my lifetime. But I know enough to appreciate a great read when I see it.

And although I love photography, I’m not a photographer. I am an amateur at best who shares her passion.

I’m not even a foodie, although I have thoroughly enjoyed finding new recipes with my Tasty Tuesday's meme.

But my blog has allowed me an outlet to express my thoughts and share my interests. It has stretched me creatively. And helped me discover myself in the process.

And the most amazing gift is the connections I have made with such talented, inspiring individuals who move me and drive me to be better. I hope you know who you are. Your friendship was unexpected and a wonderful surprise, something I will always treasure.

But I was also under the false assumption that the blogging community was this tight-knit group of women and mothers that were there to bolster each other up in the spirit of camaraderie. To offer kind words and support. Turns out I was wrong, disillusioned perhaps. I'm sad to learn that there are many out there that are also cut-throat. Driven merely by numbers. And willing to sell their soul to get there.

Perhaps I am too trusting or accept too readily. Perhaps I should have been more cautious on this blogging expedition. Perhaps I should have never allowed myself to go down this bumpy road at all. I was perfectly content with my 2 comments per day on average. After all, I was blogging with purpose. I was blogging for me.

But as I've stated before, if we only stay where it is comfortable and never take risks we will never progress to our truest potential. So, I ventured out on a limb and made my blog public and put myself out there, opening myself up to critics and fans alike.

It all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. I went from 12 followers to 350 just like that. You may remember my vlog from back then- the only way I could think to say thanks. Now there are days I can barely keep up with my emails. Don't get me wrong, I love them all.

But as much as I want to always reciprocate, I am a wife and mother first and foremost. Soccer, pukey kids, frog hunts, matching socks, wiping tears, hunting down bullies, figuring out what's for dinner, math homework... these are just a few of the things that fill my mundane days. You know, the real stuff blog posts are made up of.

So I have to continually remind myself that I am but one person and that "life is not a sprint, but a marathon".

This transcends to all aspects of my life, including my blog.

So, I've made some mistakes along the way. Encountered a few hiccups.

As we mature and grow, we evolve. This is an inevitability that comes only from the culmination of life's experiences. Some good, some bad. This is not a process that happens over night.

And 4 years ago I would have never thought I'd even be contemplating the purpose of my blog today. It's a confusing place to be.

I don't know much, but I can tell you this with certainty... I am but a work in progress. And blogging is not for wussies.

I don't need to win any races. Or set any records. I just want to find a happy steady pace so I can enjoy the ride. And regardless of what obstacles I may encounter I will always try to stay true to who I am.

My blog is merely a reflection of my journey.

For those of you who are reading this or have been following me I thank you. You seemed to believe in me even when I had my own doubts about myself.

I'm still not sure what I want from my blog, but rest assured that I do it for me and will never be driven by the voices of the blogging community or the world. I strive to be a girl with integrity.

My Visual Landscape.

Our eyes are such a curious organ.

They come in all shapes and sizes and a multitude of colors.

They water when you are sad.

They process light and allow you to see beautiful rainbows and awe inspiring sunsets.

They allow you to read words and have muscles that let you focus on things close up or far away.

Can you imagine your world without this organ?



And although they can look a bit scary up close, they are expressive and mysterious and are known as the window to our soul.

I know that there are some who have lost this ability and it makes me sad. It also makes me want to cherish it all the more; to take in everything I can and not take this gift for granted.

Have you ever really thought about what a blessing it is?

Or just how much you actually take in with your eyes?

I’ve been thinking about this for some time now. Just as our personality can be reflective of whether or not we are a glass is half empty or glass is half full kind of person, our eyes take in what we allow them to.

We are the camera and our eyes are the lens. What images are you capturing?

Kristi over at Live and Love out Loud shared a beautiful post along these lines. She spoke of finding beauty in the most unsuspecting of places. You should check it out. Very thought provoking and inspiring.

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And by the way, just a reminder that there is 1 week left until my first Project Smile party. Are you remembering to look for your smiles? If not, it's not too late. You have seven whole days left. All it takes is a little more awareness. And remember, smiles come in all forms. Some are outward, while others are just warm fuzzies. You get those still, right? Mark your calendars for Sept 30th. See you then!

Wordless Wednesday: The First Signs

I hope you are getting out to witness the first visible signs of fall. We have been having fun finding acorns and playing in our maple leaves.

Our world is such an awe-inspiring canvas. Look around...

Oh, and Happy Wordless Wednesday folks.

Ok, let's get this WW party started. Add your link below and then head over to some of my other bloggy friends... Kristi at Live and Love Out Loud, Angie at seven clown circus, and Susan & Janice at 5 minutes for mom.

Tasty Tuesdays Bloghop: Grilled Pizza in a Pinch

I was all stoked about making my chili after we froze our kiesters off at the soccer game yesterday (well actually I was in the car watching most of the time which may or may not be why the battery died), but then the weather had to go and flip a switch. It's 85 and hot. And doesn't seem like the ideal chili weather anymore. Geesh! Make up your mind already.

So... grilled pizza it is. One last hoorah for the ol' grill.

When hubs and I were first married we made homemade pizzas together from scratch every weekend. Granted, we were dirt poor back then. But it was a tradition we looked forward to. Not sure what happened, maybe just life. But kids came along and that tradition like many others went out the window.

So, thought it'd be fun to have a homemade pizza night. Although I admit we sorta cheated and bought the crust. Choose your favorite ingredients. Get your family in on toppings.

And Voila. Easy Peasy dinner in a pinch.

Ok, so not as yummy as homemade crust. But still delish.

If you want to opt for a cheaper, yummier, and possibly healthier alternative, here's a great crust recipe. (It's the one we have always used.)

BETTY CROCKER PIZZA DOUGH
1 c. warm water
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. oil
2 1/2 c. flour

Dissolve the dry yeast in the warm water. Mix all ingredients together. Let rise 5 minutes before rolling out.

They also offer pre-made whole wheat crusts at most groceries these days.

Troop Petrie also shared a great money saving tip- 15 large pizza crusts at Sam's for $17. If you make pizzas frequently or have a large family, you could freeze them.

Here's some other yummy pizza ideas from previous linkups:

BBQ Chicken Pizza from Around My Family Table

Muffin Man Pizzas from Ma What's For Dinner- Fun idea for kids!

Hope you are having beautiful weather in your neck of the woods on this lovely day. If so, get out and breathe it in.

I'd love for you to play along. It's a fabulous way to mix it up and find some new favs. Grab the button and then link up below. (This is a bloghop so you can also add the linky to your blog post as well.)

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Music Monday: Hide

I ask. And you rise to the occasion. Thanks for being such loyal bloggy readers.

After a music poll I learned that only 10% of you actually prefer music on blogs.

These were the reasons given...

Baby sleeping.

Working.

Annoying.

Not my type.

Listening to pandora.

Don't like autoplay.

Don't do blogs with music.

So, after a little research I finally figured out a perfect solution.

I can still use playlist.com and opt to not have it autoplay. Der. I'm thrilled because I already have about a dozen different playlists set up.

Thanks for the swift kick in the fanny. Not a tech genius here. So, I needed the extra push.

If you prefer music, you can click play on the bottom of the screen. If not, no prob. No music.

I will still update periodically and share some of my favs on Music Mondays from time to time.
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Today I wanted to share a song that really helped me through a rough week...

"Hide" by Joy Williams.

A truly great message about embracing ourselves as we are, mistakes and all; that we shouldn't hide ourselves away from the world when things get rough.

The video is by togetherana and is artistic and although I love it, it does have one swear word written in the middle just as a heads up to all my christian followers or anyone who may have little ones nearby who can read.

And if by chance you play piano like myself, click here for free printable sheet music for this one.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only.

Week 37 {365} Life.

This week has definitely had it's moments...

It started out lovely enough. Hubs and I had a date night.



We stopped by the park and had a few quality minutes together.



We went to see an independent film made in McGregor, IA called 16 to Life. I liked it.

And then 15 minutes before the movie was to be over a stomach bug came on out of nowhere. I hate that feeling when you're not sure if you are going to throw up, you don't know if you can make it to the bathroom in time, and you are miles from home. Not pretty.

Oh, the band-aid (in first photo- on my middle finger of all places) is due to a wart that I had removed. What started out as a tiny pin prick of a mark turned into a monstrous, blistered wound as a result of the doc overspraying the area 4 times. The pain managed to radiate for at least 4 hours following the procedure. Who knew warts could be such a pain?

Hubs has had a week of testing so he has actually been home a bit more. He had several days he went in late and came home early. So, if you haven't heard much from me this week know that I've been doting on hubs.

And he was a trooper, doing all kinds of errands with me...



I was in line for some time and when I was ready to leave this is how I found him. Can you guess where we were?

He also cleaned out the garage, had a movie night with the kiddos, and did a bass fishing tourny.

I didn't take many photos this week, but couldn't resist Pokey riding her bike in a skirt. She sure is something else. Rain was forecasted almost every day, but lucky for us they were wrong- perfect bike riding weather. The helmet was a bit of a battle. And luckily I won this time. Because some battles are still worth fighting.





You know you are havin one of those weeks when even the simplest of tasks, such as making a sandwich, goes to crap. We had just bought this sliced cheese and I can't recall ever having this issue before...



but I couldn't manage to get even one slice. I wasn't about to let some cheese win, so I collected what I could and had myself a delicious sandwich.





Do you notice anything different about little man here? Or something that maybe doesn't belong?

Oh, and then came the email from our realtor in Utah saying that the prospective buyer's financing fell through for the third time. An EMAIL!!

But as I've read through your stories and your kind, uplifting words I'm reminded that I'm not alone. That we all have struggles, in one form or another, and that there is still much beauty and plenty of smiles to be found in the midst of all the messes and unpleasantries that come with this so-called thing called life. So, thank you.

I managed to venture out and find some beautiful things to photograph. That always seems to lift my spirits. You'll have to stay tuned. I'll share a few of my captures this week for my wordless wednesday.



Hope you had a great week in spite of any hiccups you may have encountered...

A sad story.

3 hours ago I was in a fetal position crying my eyes out like a baby. And longing to go back to those carefree days void of responsibilities and heavy burdens.

2 hours ago I just wanted to scream any and every profane word in any language known to mankind.

Now at this very moment as I sit to write I am void of all emotion. It has all been siphoned out of me and my brain appears to be misfiring. And is all sorts of messy.

You see, 2 days ago was supposed to be the end. The end of worry and fear. The end of stress and anxiety. The end of this never ending nightmare that has consumed our lives for the better part of 4 years now. And what has seemed like an eternity.

One bad decision at the exact wrong time will change your existence indefinitely and possibly alter your thinking forever.

This is all too reminiscent of my post written May 17th. You may remember when my husband declared, "You are Not Becoming" due to a swear word or two that may have slipped out in a weak moment of extreme frustration.

That was after the 2nd buyer walked. Here's an excerpt from that post:

We are by definition conservative. You know, the people who have college funds and a 401K, pay all our bills on time, have a 800+ credit score, who never take risks, and by all means don’t buy a house as an investment.

But we did. We took a risk for once in our lives. And never in our wildest dreams would we have foreseen all of this. Hindsight, right? Due to a series of bad decisions by politicians and bankers our economy is in a recession, hanging on by a thread. If you think it is getting better, go tell that to the appraisers in Utah. In the last 9 months we have waited for this short sale to be processed our home has decreased in value another 10%.

Today our buyers walked. There are better homes at better prices right down the road.

So, yes. I may have cursed. Who wouldn’t? These are expressive words that need to be used at times to properly and adequately convey our emotions. Who wants to keep all that bottled up inside anyways? Well, I for one don’t. And I don’t appreciate being judged. So, I'm "unbecoming" today. There are worse things.

I would love nothing more than to be rid of this weight that has been burdening me for way too long. This has been going on for several years now... everything from trying to sell out of state, to lease option flops, to renting nightmares, to refi attempts, to loan modification rejections, to a never ending short sale. And it is not over yet.

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Today our 3rd buyer that was already approved by the bank and was supposed to close 2 days ago walked because he couldn't get financing. He was 25 points short on his credit score, so we're told.

We have tried every step of the way to do everything right. We didn't want to be "those people" that gave up on a house. It is OUR responsibility. We tried to sell it without success for 9 months. Then we worked night and day to get tenants. We were losing $800+ per month (after lease payments) and couldn't seem to find any good tenants. After going through 3 different families and thousands of phone calls we finally realized it was a losing battle. We researched and explored alternative options. I lost sleep, trolled the internet at all hours of the day and night, and wrote letter after letter. But after being denied for both a refi and loan modification, we were out $50,000 on this house with no end in sight. The development was ridden with bank owned homes, only bringing our property value down by the day. Our HOA was sending us letters and fines on a regular basis and the fact that the home is located in Utah only further complicated matters.

So we did what any sane person would have done-- we hired a realtor to do a short sale. Then it took our bank 11 months to approve it. ELEVEN!! (Even though it is clearly stated in black and white print in their handbook that it is a 60 day process.) Since we started the process (well over a year ago now) we have had 3 buyers walk and our property value has plummeted to $100,000+ below market value.

If the short sale doesn't pan out we are faced with foreclosure which has much more dire consequences, being how upside down we are.

This truly is a nightmare. One that I can't wake up from as hard as I try. And I'm beginning to fear that it is all just one big conspiracy.

And if there is some greater lesson that we were to have learned from all this, I am convinced that we have extracted every possible one. It's time. Time to put us out of our misery already. Time to move on.
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For those of you who are joining me on my project smile, I apologize for being a bad example of smiles at the moment.

Life happens. And today called for a good old fashioned, hearty cry.

Not to worry. I'm a fighter, much to hub's chagrin. I will kick and scream and make all sorts of noise until this is DONE and OVER. And I will bounce back. I promise.

I'm off to find my smile.

Friday Favs

This is my Fall Edition of Friday Favs. I'm certain there will be more fab ideas in the weeks to come as the leaves continue to fall...

I prefer to use autumnal decor in my home so that it lasts through Thanksgiving, so today I'm only focusing on non-Halloween ideas.

As I've perused the web this week, I found great ideas. Thanks for never disappointing!


First, let's talk about yummies.

I found this gem in my tasty tuesdays bloghop and oh my sweet goodness. How ingenious.

Pumpkin Pie Pops from Munchkin Munchies. Check them out folks.

Then I found these caramel apple smores over at Hoosier Homemade. Yum! Kinda like combining caramel apples and smores, the best of both worlds.


I mentioned concina diary last week, but she can't get enough praise. Her blog rocks. She has a new header that is perfect for fall. Her photos are all the eye candy I need. And her autumn pumpkin loaf sounds especially good right about now.

And with it being early September I'm sure you are all thinking about decorating ideas, right? Cause we are all so on the ball.

Well, 33 shades of green is my new fav go-to place. She is all kinds of inspiring. And we appear to have similar taste. She uses great pieces and keeps it simple. You can go here to see more.



And I'm always on the hunt for a great wreath. I found this one that uses ribbon. She gives detailed instructions as well.

Every year we do the annual pumpkin farm trip to score just the right ones. Can't wait to try this clever stenciling idea from better homes and garden. It's beautiful and doesn't scream halloween.


Ok, that's all I've got for now. Hope you are enjoying the cooler temps, football games, and all the wonderful things that go along with fall. If you haven't already, dig out your fall totes. It was just the thing I needed to get me in the autumn mood.

Before & After: Actions

I detest change with every fiber of my being. Particularly the kind that has to do with my computer. And more specifically my editing program. Why can't they just leave well enough alone?

At least that's how this backwards thinking, average gal from Iowa feels.

As luck would have it I dumbed into a blog that linked me to another blog and then another and so on... (you know how it goes) until I found the pioneer woman.

It appeared to be cool stuff, but for one I had no idea what actions were and two, how does one go about extracting it it from her blog to mine?

So I used my handy, trusted friend, mr google.

{Action: A recording of a series of Commands in Photoshop to which you apply a name. Later on, you can play that recording back on a different file and have Photoshop do your work for you. They are mostly used to capture repetitive tasks that are to be applied to a series of files or walk a person through a technique in a step-by-step fashion.}

Then I found this video at texas chicks blog. I only had to watch it 5 times and push pause 183 times.

But this average gal from Iowa eventually figured it out. And it's a good thing.

It has changed my life!

One click and 3 seconds later... VOILA! I've been spending hours upon hours slaving away over my editing for years.

Who knew that all I needed to do was dumb into the photoshop element's cliff notes for the 21st century, aka cheat. I really can't even believe it's legal. And FREE. But who cares how you get the end result. And if you save 3+ hours editing photos per week, just imagine the possibilities...

My eyes have been opened to an entirely new world.

And if I was a tech goddess I'd share a fab video tutorial demonstrating the very easy process of transforming photos since my recent epiphany.

But you're gonna have to just use your imagination 'cause although I am spreading my wings, I'm not quite to vlog tutorials just yet.

But below are some examples of what these actions are capable of producing. I've had so much fun playing around. You might have seen these in the last couple weeks, but they are some of my favs. The first is unedited or SOOC (straight out of camera) and the second is after Pioneer Woman Actions. I currently use Canon EOS 50D and Photoshop Elements 7.




PW heartland, change opacity to 40% and PW colorized, change opacity to 20%
You can see more of this shoot here.




PW seventies, then PW colorized
You can see more of this shoot here.



PW beauty, change opacity to 30%
PW colorized, change opacity to 45%
PW lovely
PW dim the lights, change opacity to 45%
PW edge burn, change opacity to 50%
PW boost, change opacity to 30%
You can see more of this shoot here.

I'm sure there are easier methods to get to this end result. I am still learning and am open to any and all suggestions.

I also just recently added a handful of Coffeeshop Actions to my repertoire. They are free by the way. My favs so far are perfect portrait, baby powder room, and moody pop.

I also bought their watermarking kit. I'm still experimenting and trying to find my niche.

What are your favorite actions?

Linking up with Pixel Perfect's before and after bloghop today. Stop over and check it out. Monica is an amazing photographer who shares free tutorials and tips with all of the wannabes, such as myself. She truly has a gift and is uber-inspirational. If nothing else, just check out some of her work.