Responsibility and Priority SHIFT!

As we age, responsibilities shift and priorities change.

My daughter's weekend art project for school! 

For example, it's October. Even up to a few years ago I was plotting out all my weekends around "Oktoberfest" - which I still love - it's just not a huge priority now.

October means playing in the leaves at my "day job."
We are learning how fast shutter speeds capture movement in images. 

Right now my October is full of things like helping my daughter with school work, and coming up with some fun fall activities for us. Apple picking, sunset watching, seeking the best Halloween costume, and her education are all important. 

Sunset watching with my girl!

October is also when I work at home football games to help offset the expenses of home ownership, my daughter's needs, etc.

HOCO Spirit Week - Jersey Day - at my "day job" :-)

Walking in New Haven the first weekend of October with my daughter. 

I also plan to fit in a very quick weekend visit with my buddy Travis in Dallas, TX...oh, and of course a few portrait sessions. I do love to photograph in October. The color here in Missouri is often stunning. 

Add all that up, and toss in my full time "day job" demands, Oktoberfest is taking a back burner. If it happens, great! If not, I won't be crushed. 

Hitting up Soulard Market with my kiddo! 

Speaking of priority and responsibility shifts, I've now obtained a third cat. I didn't want a third cat, trust me. However, a housesitting gig for a friend who moved to Texas turned into an adventure with Murphy kitty. 

Two is company, three is a crowd! I thought two was plenty...but...

Murphy is an interesting fellow who somehow landed on North Bend Road just outside Union. Apparently a lot of cats end up out that way. This guy, though, is super friendly and seems to like snuggles and a warm place inside. 

I tried (with no luck) to find this boy a home for nearly a month. I even talked to various vets, and the Humane Society. I finally let him adopt me.

I never had much company use my spare bedroom, so after a two-day vet visit...this became Murphy's room at our house. 

We are slowly opening doors and letting him explore. The other cats are the issue. Zoey is angry. Patches is all over him wanting his friendship, which makes Murphy angry. Emotions run high! I can also tell that Murphy is wondering why he can't go outside anymore. I am praying he gets over it and accepts a life as a spoiled inside feline. 

I didn't want three cats, but as I said before: responsibilities (and priorities) shift as we age. 

Side-note: I am almost 42. I like myself more than I have in my entire life. This version of Michelle is very content (minus the extra pounds I carry, but that's neither here nor there right now - because I am actually taking steps to make those extra pounds a little less). 

Have your priorities and responsibilities shifted as you've made your way through life? I am willing to bet so... and if not... well, that is something you may wanna look into! :-)

Thanks for reading, M of MK Designs 

Time to Step Back and Evaluate

As I look at the 2015 calendar, I see July slipping by and August creeping in. It’s time for me to take a look back on my “Agenda” I set for 2015.

#1. Something I want to go for to help my career... DONE!

I am still so humbled and honored to be the MIPA Missouri Journalism Teacher of the Year 2015. It feels odd. I don't know where to put the plaque for that honor or the Taft Award I also received. For now they are safely wrapped on a shelf. 

...the #2 thing I want to go for to help my career...NOT DONE!

I am honestly contemplating if I want to attempt this again, but I have had several people say I need to. Time will tell if I go for it. I’ll need to decide soon since a deadline is slowly approaching. And, as you know, that word slowly really means QUICKLY. 

#3. Camp more.  WORK IN PROGRESS!

My daughter and I have camped 9 nights so far in 2015. 3 in Illinois, 2 in Missouri, and 4 in Wisconsin. I am pretty proud of us for making this happen. 

This also led me to take a serious look at the amount of camping gear I have. Do I really need 7 tents? No. I ordered a new one to try out this fall for us since Karlene is growing, but I also have sold or given away quite a few. I would like to end up with 2 tents. One for just myself, and one for when it is K and I on the road.

I won't even go into how many airmatresses and airpumps I have realized I have. Is CampGear Hoarding a possible problem? Hmmm?

#4. Hike more. PITIFUL. Needs serious work. I am a bum these days.

If it means anything, I did go on little walks while in Yellowstone National Park at the start of the month. For the one that led to the stream above, I sang a "Please Don't Scare the Bear" song I made up loudly as I strolled. The bear signs all over kinda had me on edge. I am not bear food. I am sure that I certainly would leave a bad taste in their mouths!

#5. Help my daughter (the K of MK Designs) take more ownership of her school work and education, yet continue to help her grow her love of the Lord and others, hopefully continue to grow more empathy, and more compassion... WORK IN PROGRESS! 

Daily devotionals, planning for Operation Christmas Child, seeing God's Creation, and more things...are hopefully helping her become an independent person who has empathy and compassion. She certainly has a sense of humor, as seen in this image from Illinois in mid-July. 

#6. Get my financial house and my actual house in better working order. DECK and whatnot! (which also includes getting my lower level rented again) COMING ALONG NICELY WHEN I VIEW THE BIG PICTURE!

New renter on board for August, deck redone minus staining (it’s been too rainy), some money back in savings (not nearly enough, but some to help replenish the deck expense), and finally got two new ceiling fans installed on our main level. 

Next step this fall: light updates/replacements on the lower level. I love these lights. Lowes is a dangerous place for the pocketbook and bank accounts! 

#7. Continue to grow my relationship with Jesus Christ and try to practice more of His teachings in how I love others. CONSTANT WORK IN PROGRESS. 

However, the end of July started a big “test” for me. I decided WWJD isn’t just a motto for a t-shirt, but that if I see one of my fellow humans is suffering, alone, in need – I have to try to do something to help. As one of my favorite sayings goes: “I am one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something." 

I have to add, that the cell phone shot above is a moment I felt very close to God in early July. The first time I have ever seen the Grand Teton range in my life in person... and that is what He had to show me. God is good. 

#8. Continue to spend more time with my Grandma in 2015. BETTER THAN 2014, but I STILL HAVE ROOM TO GROW! 

#9. Try to continue to grow clients for my MK Designs Photography / Fine Art and Portrait work. FRUSTRATING PROCESS, BUT STILL WORKING AT IT.

I have had the honor of getting into some art shows this summer in Soulard and St. Charles. I also was able to sell some work to a client who has remodeled her home with a lovely addition. 

Also, I had a recent image used by the National Forest Foundation. How cool is it that my daughter's hand is famous!? We found that little guy in the Shawnee National forest while camping this June. See, it pays to camp! (Well, maybe not financially - but you know what I mean!) 

#10. Be the best mom, teacher, daughter, friend, etc. I can possibly be. I HAVE MY DAYS. 

I hate it when I am crabby, or "down" - so I do try to stay "up" as much as possible. Especially for this face:

#11. GET ME A BEDROOM SET! BAM! Had a kicking bedroom set in 2009, that along with the bed "left the premises" that year. While I did replace the bed in 2010, I never got a bedroom set. I have one in my garage now courtesy of my aunt Shirley. HEADBOARD DONE & INSTALLED – THE REST, I HAVE ON HOLD SINCE IT’S SO HOT OUT NOW IN THE GARAGE. 

On that note, it is super hot today and we haven't had a proper creek day all summer. I got sammiches to make, coolers to pack, etc. 

If you know me or my work at all, you know I live for a good creek day. Maybe we'll be able to fit in two creeks today? Hmmm? :-)

Until next time, 

M of MK Designs

July 2015. 

Push Yourself to Take the Photographs No One Else Can (or will) Take

As you guys know, this MK Designs photo gig is not my "meat and 'taters" in my "meal of life." I would call it more of my "dessert." 

Teaching is my main pursuit, but the art of Photography is interwoven into my career. The thing that captured my heart at a young age is something I now try to get other kids jazzed about!

First, it was teaching Photography via Photojournalism (Yearbook). Then, a few years ago, I hopped out of Photojournalism (note: I still teach Broadcast) and into the Photography courses at my high school. 

They are housed in the Art Department and I can say that move has not only enriched my life, but it has made me feel more whole. 

There's not a day I am not working on, with, or for the art of Photography. Yes, it is for my students and their advancement, but I get so much joy from the experience when I have students who grow and step up to the challenges Photography presents us.  

I  face the task of teaching kids how to see and view the world creatively. That's hard.

We don't use Photoshop. We pretty much learn how to use the camera, maybe a touch of iPhoto, and/or some free online editors... but the key is to do as much as possible in camera and not rely on processing. (note: If they want to learn Photoshop, we have tech classes for that program. I am not anti Photoshop, I am PRO learning your camera and training your eye!)

Often to end the semester for Photo II, as a part of their final exam, I have students use objects I provide to quickly (and creatively) photograph and maybe lightly edit them on iPhoto or another basic platform. 

This time around...APPLES! 

I can't thank my neighbor across the hall, Juli of Olive and Ash Studio, enough for her apple donation!

I was impressed by the range of images I saw. Housed in this blog entry are my faves from the experiment.

I feel an assignment like this teaches us all to practice this lesson left to us by William Allard: “You’ve got to push yourself harder. You’ve got to start looking for pictures nobody else could take. You’ve got to take the tools you have and probe deeper."

None of these images are mine, they are my students' images and they gave me permission to post them here - please do not copy or use without permission. 

If you'd like to see a similar blog post with an assignment like the "apple" challenge... here's the link: http://mkdesignsphoto.blogspot.com/2014/06/learning-how-to-see.html

Thank you for stopping by. This could very well be my last blog post for 2014... or not? Maybe I'll find the time to get one last one in for the year before it is 2015. Since more of you guys are reading, I just might have to! 

Until next time,
M of MK Designs

Be Still... and Know... During this Christmas Season

Another crazy-busy week. 

If you follow my photography page on Facebook, you know that I'm in the middle of a 30 Day Photo Challenge. It's one of those things that I give myself as an assignment to push myself to be a little more creative. However,  today I stopped. I had to take the day off. This is what I posted instead of a picture. 

Sometimes we get so busy that we forget to take a break. We forget to be still. On Friday I got a great gift from a coworker that I respect (her blog: http://oliveandashstudio.blogspot.com). It was handmade by one of my former students (her blog:http://www.happylarkdesigns.com). I took about 15 minutes off from grading final exams and enjoyed doing a little light painting photo project with it. And it has one of my favorite Bible verses on it: be still.

One of the devotional entries I read this week reminded me to be still, also. I decided to share it here, too.

There's nothing wrong with being busy this time of year. Holiday concerts. Beautiful Christmas decorations. Being able to get gifts from people that you haven't seen in a long time. Or the chance to realize that somebody that sees you every day thanks of you enough to give you a present, also. Those are all great things. So is cooking and shopping and gift wrapping and... (Insert more here!)

But as beautiful as those holiday things can be, they can also be overwhelming. Especially in my case, when I just endured final exams week and the end of almost all of my classes I teach. I have had so much to do at work, and with the holiday go-go-go time, that today I just needed to be still. 

...from what I can tell, all of the messages He has sent recently have told me that I should! So, today I didn't leave the house, I didn't fight off shoppers for some last-minute gift, and I didn't participate in the photo challenge. That's okay. I was able to drink some coffee and burn a few DVDs for work and really get caught up on laundry. I've also watched movies with my daughter. Oh, and most of the day I stayed in my pajamas. There is no shame in that. 

So the next time you feel that you need to be still, do it...without apology :) 

Look at paint samples, take some cheesy online personality quiz, and maybe have a chocolate while sipping something decadent. It's more than ok. Don't let society or the world tell you it's not. 

future basement paint color to hide that green the former owner did

cheesy online personality quiz! lol 

Until next time, 
Michelle with MK Designs. 
PS I am leaving you with one of my favorite images I have created lately. All in camera. Just gotta know how to use it! (NO PHOTOSHOP!)

The Mondays... and what is good for the soul

Today was indeed a "case of the Mondays" - there were so many moments, I kept thinking to myself I had to be on that old Candid Camera show... that at some point someone would step out and say this was a big joke.

However, that did NOT happen.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Repeat.

And, that's when it hit me, that I need to do more of what makes my soul happy. 

My Photo II students were doing a Photo Walk of 15 items. I went with them. 

"Walking"

"Creative"

Today I found 5 of the 15 on the photo walk list and am happy with the results. Plan to do the remaining 10 as we continue this journey. 

"Selfie"

"Texture" 

Yes, I am doing the assignment with them. It makes my soul happy. 

"Tiny"

This got me to thinking of this "word art" I like about things that, in general, do the soul "good" - thought I'd share it today... especially if you have a "case of the Mondays" rockin! 

MK Designs Sept 2014