The Market Wall

this hand painted wall is tucked into

this little nook by the market 

in the city.

i stumbled upon it one day and was immediately 

drawn.

the texture.

the old paint.

but what drew me the most was the people.

and what was the artist trying to show those that

stumbled upon it.

for me..

the sadness in the faces tugged at my soul.

i saw 'me' some days

in her face.

heartache, loss, pain, suffering.

yet i find her strikingly beautiful.

a woman's heart and soul is a vessel into 

her being.

i plan on venturing back to this market wall soon.

to spend more time on capturing the beauty of it.

blessings!

shay

A Hunt Of Our Own

so my bff photog and i came up with a plan in

order to get our creative juices flowing again

AND get our cameras out of hiding.

6 prompts in a week.

3 mine.

3 hers.

i have to admit i was excited over 

the idea.

but Wednesday came and i was like 'ugh'.

so despite of this uncanny weather,

i pushed through.

shot all 6 right inside my

warm, dry home.

here's to sticking with this Thelma..

so we can get outta

this funk we are in!

blue, vintage, fiber

crazy, happy, love

blue

love these antique candle holders i found

vintage

i was SO blessed to receive my Great Nana's

vintage knitting needles

fiber

think i am a little addicted to fiber!

colors, textures, the feel..oh my!

crazy

yeah, crazy about fine yarns!

happy

part of a print my boys got me as a gift..

full of words to live by!

love

this is my favorite picture of 'me' as

a little girl. my Daddy took it.

on the left, my Mama as a little girl.

LOVE!

so..

there's my first 'Thelma & Louise'

hunt captures!

all things that speak to me and hold close to my heart!

i will blog.

i will blog.

i will blog.

have a blessed week!

shay

Thelma & Louise

i have been feeling a little down lately.

time and jobs has kept me from spending time with my 

best friend.

we share so many dreams and goals.

then life gets in the way.

but today..today i feel inspired.

we spent the day together at a camera class.

talking shop, learning.

and i think it lit a little spark.

we are some team!

here's to making sure we find moments, brief as they may be,

to spend time.

together.

dreaming.

learning.

pursuing our passion.

we met knew people today that assumed we have

been best friends since we were children.

and although that time frame is far from the truth,

i can say it feels like we have known each other

forever.

we complete each other.

and i am SO very thankful and blessed God

crossed our paths at just the right time.

blessings!

shay

(aka: Louise or Weezy)

“The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God's eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love. If eyes are windows to the soul then tears are Heaven's rain."

when reflecting on my quick morning shoot,

these photographs stood out.

i have always felt a horses eyes were 

deep windows.

almost always appearing mysteriously sad.

and painfully beautiful.

so out of all i captured,

these are the ones

i felt the need to share.

i saw myself in these eyes today.

for a brief moment.

blessings!

shay

Reflections....

as i reflect on 2012,

the fact that i am posting an image of

myself is proof enough

that i've grown and changed in the last year.

i started a new job.

improved my knitting skills.

built a best 'friendship'.

started charging for photography sessions.

got new equipment for my photography.

(camera, lenses, laptop, upgraded editing software)

survived another year of teenagers.

promised myself i would try harder with my marriage, 

improving it as the years change things, as our children become older.

it was a hard year.

but a good year as i reflect upon it.

was does 2013 have in store?

challenge myself with knitting..going beyond the hat and scarf, learning new stitches..and finishing my son's blanket!

building Studio 139:13, our photography business.

hosting a newborn photography workshop.

learning my new Canon, inside and out.

reading more.

blogging more.

getting my RN degree (unless Studio 139:13 soars beyond our wildest dreams)

deep cleaning every room in our home and getting rid of SO much unnecessary stuff!

continue to build my marriage.

help my oldest son find himself and become a man.

help my youngest son continue to grow and mature.

moving mama to PA.

learning to love 'ME'.

so..

not resolutions.

just goals, dreams, wishes.

happy new year!

blessings!

shay

so. i am 41.

i started this blog 30 days before my 40th birthday.

as a challenge.

here i am..

still feeling like i am stuck in this transitional stage.

of life.

i would like to think most people

know who they are by now.

and i have to wonder am i the only one with 

this struggle.

i certainly know who i DON'T want to be.

but fear of the uncertainty,

the unknown,

keeps me stuck in these chains.

i know, when i look back over 2012,

i have made significant changes and accomplished many things towards who/what i know i want to be.

i have a huge support system in my husband, children, mom and best friend.

but learning to believe in 'me' has 

always been hard.

lack of confidence.

lack of belief.

certainly lack of patience.

when will i have the courage to stop flying with the crowd?

and learn to stand on my own 2 feet!

i would like to believe 2012 was year of baby steps and growth.

i want to shout '2013 is my year of incredible change'.

i owe it to myself to seek 'me'.

and as i watch my sons grow into men, i owe it to them.

to show them a confident mother,that no matter what, she pursued her passion in life.

she stood on her own 2 feet, strong and confident.

so these are my last thoughts of 2012 as i ponder the goals i want to set for myself in the upcoming year.

boys..go out there and grab life by it's horns. do what makes you happy. everyday. you are capable of ANYTHING you set your hearts out to do!

blessings!

shay

i remember how hard it was to be 18. so many expectations from the adults around me. to find myself. to make life decisions. to transform from child to adult in a matter of moments. it was a painful time for me. looking back now, i know i made some horrible choices. but i also know i learned from them. became wiser.

now, i am watching my first son go through this transition in his life. and my heart aches for him. the 'mom' in me, wanting to fix it and make it all better for him. 

he is struggling with 'who am i?'

'what am i supposed to be?'

he is experiencing life and making choices.

some that he is regretting. some he is not.

all i can do is be a 'constant' for him.

give advice, whether he wants to hear it or not.

hug him. tell him i love him no matter what.

be there. for him.

always.

stay in constant prayer that he will continue to seek God's will in his life and stay on the path that was formed before he was even born into this world.

Cole..

this time will pass.

you will come out stronger.

you will come out a 'man'.

love you to the moon and back and more than all the stars in the sky!