My life...just not on the road I expected (but it's still dang good).

Here's to the crazy ones.

I love this.

Have a great weekend.

Spiffing up the place.

The last time I updated the photos on my banner was May, 2006.

A little overdue.

So I did a little organizing around here tonight.

Added a few things.  Got rid of a few things.

It's not like I don't have at least a bazillion other things that I could (and should) be working on instead.

I added an album for  layouts (over in the right hand column).  I've been wanting to add this for a long time. 

I'd like to eventually upload all of my layouts, but for now, I'm just starting with the older ones (I think that everything I uploaded was done around 2002-2003-ish).

I still like my old layouts.

Although I might have gone a little overboard with the "Dream", "Believe", "Inspire" titles.

And the brown script 7 Gypsies paper.

And the overly sappy journaling.

I even have an "I Hope You Dance" layout (don't we all?)

And since I had no love life whatsoever back then, I did a lot of layouts about people I knew who were in love.

And since Ross has always hated the camera, there is a disproportionate number of Coley layouts.

But all that aside...

Looking through all of these old layouts tonight just made me feel really glad that I scrapbook.

 

One of my favorites (isn't he a love?).

Wow & Thanks (and more info.)

Thanks, thanks (and more thanks) for putting so much time & thought into your posts yesterday.

I appreciate the honest feedback and all of the suggestions.

I read everything.  I printed up everything.  I highlighted, I circled, I made notes.

I just really want to make sure that this class is what you are hoping for (and I realize that I can't please everyone all the time...I'm just aiming for a high percentage).

So thanks again.

A couple of gals had suggested that I give away a spot in the first class as a doorprize and it sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

So I used a random number generator to pick a winner and Nona, you won the first seat in the online photography workshop!  It's funny, because Nona wrote in her comments "Looking forward to being one of your first online students".   Nona, email me (karencrussell@charter.net). 

Ok, so to answer a few more questions about all of this:

1. I am hoping to offer the first class in March (this is of course dependent upon when the website is up and running), but I will keep you posted.

2. I haven't decided how many students I will take in each class yet.

3. I can't think of any other way to take sign-ups other than on a first-come, first-served basis and to start a waiting list after that (I know some of you are concerned about this, but I just can't think of any other way to go about it - I'm open to suggestions though).

4. Yes...I will still be giving photography tips out on my blog and will still answer questions as I am able to.  If I can answer a question in a couple of paragraphs, I am more than happy to answer it.  I've been struggling a bit lately though, trying to answer questions on really in-depth subjects (subjects that take several hours of explanation in my photography classes) and am finding that I can't answer all of them with the limited amount of time I can dedicate to this blog (I had to give myself a daily blogging time limit awhile back because I was finding that some days, I was blogging more than I was working).

5. Almost everyone commented that they would prefer to have a photography class and a photo editing class offered separately (some people don't need the photo editing info. and some people don't need the photography info.).  And realistically, as I was working on a class outline today, I realized that 8 wks. is barely enough time to cover everything I want to cover on the subject of photography, let alone photo editing.

6.  I am going to focus on the photography class first, see how it goes and then tackle the photo editing class.  I'm really unsure what direction to go in with the photo editing class because there are so many variables (JPEG or RAW? ACR or Lightroom?  Photoshop, Photoshop CS2, CS3, Elements?) and it would be impossible to teach a class like that unless you narrowed down the variables.

7. I have put a ton of thought into the price of the class, because I realize that it may not be affordable for everyone.  The decision for me, came down to how important it is to limit the class size so that everyone could receive direct feedback, critiquing and answers to their questions and to also have a lengthy enough class that I had time to cover a ton of information.  I also looked into the pricing on a lot of online photography classes, and for an 8 wk. class, $250.00 is on the low side of average.  Again, I hope everyone realizes how much consideration I have put into the price.

8. If it would be helpful, I can look into having the web-designer make it possible to take a deposit to hold your space in the class (maybe 6 wks. before the start of the class), allowing you to make payments on the class up until a week before the start date.  I'm open to suggestions on that one too.

9. Although I think that a person with a digital SLR will get the most out of a class like this, I think that anyone who is serious about learning photography, regardless of what type of a camera you own, can learn a lot.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon how you look at it) I think that a lot of people with point-and-shoot style cameras, put a new camera on their Christmas wish-list after taking my class.  If you have more specific questions about this, feel free to email me.

10. I spent most of yesterday putting together a detailed class outline based on everything that I think should be included in the class and based on all of your comments.  As soon as I have it finalized, I'll post it here for your feedback and and review.

11. Funny, you gals are worriers, just like me.  Yes, I am still teaching at the store locations I already have booked for 2008 (and I'm sure I'll add a few more) and yes, I am most definitely continuing to design product for Creative Imaginations (I'm ready for a change...but not that drastic of a change).

12. I'd still love to hear any additional comments or questions related to the class.  Just post them here under the comments section.

13. And an older picture that I stumbled across today (back in 2005 when Cole & Courtney both had curly hair).

14. If you would like me to send you an email once I have a date established for class sign-ups, email me at karencrussell@charter.net and put "email me when you are taking sign-ups" in the subject line.

Online Photography classes.

A lot of store owners have been contacting me about teaching at their stores and a lot of people have been emailing me about when/if I am going to teach online photography classes.

My response has generally been the same...

I don't really know what my plans are for 2008 yet.

But, with 2008 just a few weeks away, it has been making me really nervous to not know "what my plans are for 2008" yet.

Usually I'm a really quick decision maker (sometimes too quick...which I think is also called hasty, or impulsive).

But this one's been harder for me.

Because there are a lot of variables (and I'm a worrier, so believe me, I've thought of every variable).

And because really, I have to decide somewhat between teaching scrapbooking classes all over the place like I've been doing, or teaching photography classes right here from my computer.

Time-wise, I just can't do both (at least not at my current pace).

So Josh & I sat down last night to come up with a decision since I haven't been able to come up with one on my own.

And I am going to start online photography classes (and I am still going to teach a very limited number of scrapbooking classes).

For now.

I say "for now", so that if in 6 months, I miss teaching scrapbooking classes really badly (because honestly, teaching scrapbooking classes is my favorite part of what I do), I have an "out".

Right now though,  I want to be home with my kids more often.  Right now, I am so in love with photography, that I am having a tough time focusing on anything else.  And right now,  I don't want to give up teaching. 

So teaching online photography classes just makes sense.

And so, here's my thought process so far...I'm going to have a website designed so that there can be a forum specifically for these classes (so that I can post lessons and visuals, so that students can ask questions and so that students can upload photos for fun or for critique).  Each class would run approx. 8 weeks.  I would take a limited number of students so that I could really have time for each person individually.  I haven't settled on a fee yet, but I think it would be around $250 for the 8 week course. 

I do have questions though and am looking for input, because although I know what I would want from a photography course, I don't know what you all would want.

So, if you have any thoughts at all on this, I would love to hear them.

What would you be looking for in a photography class?  What specific topics would you want to cover?  What teaching style helps you to learn better?  If you've taken any sort of photography or online class in the past, what did you like about the class?  What didn't you like about the class?  Would you like two separate classes (one devoted to photography and one devoted to photo editing)?  What are you struggling with most in photography?

I'm looking for any input or question (however big or small).

And if you leave a comment or question, I'll do some sort of drawing tomorrow...not sure what you'll win...but I'll think of something.

And, since a post without a photo, really isn't a post at all...

Christmas tree hunting.

We were having a tough time getting everyone's schedules coordinated this year to go Christmas tree hunting, so it was beginning to look like just a few of us were going to be able to make it.

Everything kind of came together at the last minute though and we ended up with a 12 car caravan heading up past Butte Falls to get trees yesterday.

As soon as we hit snow, we always tie a couple of sleds to the back of the truck (Josh's Mom was sitting on the tailgate taking pictures).

Snow Angels.

Ross, Grandpa Tom & Dillon (Ross's best friend).

Hard to take pictures when you're trying to dodge snowballs.

That's Ross up in a tree (he climbed up there to shake snow on everyone who walked by).

If you look really close, you can see the snowball that Josh had just thrown at Ross, mid-air.

I laughed at that hat of Josh's all day.

When Courtney saw it, she said "Dad, are you wearing that as a joke?".

\

Annie pretty much looked like this all day.

And just hung out wherever there was a Grandma and/or crackers.

 

I love this one (Cole hiding with a snowball in hand, waiting for Ross).

And Ross getting even by shaking a tree branch full of snow on him.

Coley decided that Courtney was an easier target than Ross.

My Uncles (and one of my Uncle's weiner dogs that resembles an armadillo).

Not sure why I love this one so much, but I do.

In search of a Christmas tree (that's my Mom).

Grandma Jo, Grandpa Tom & Courtney.

Josh (and his ridiculous hat) scoping out the perfect Christmas tree.

Yes, that's the same guy who had the olive stuck up his nose at Thanksgiving.

One of the weiner dogs chasing Coley.

Josh taking seven kids sledding.

Three kids who fell off the sled.

And roasting marshmallows back at camp.

Shot just about everything in manual (it's hard to shoot in Aperture Priority mode in the snow because the snow reflects so much light that it throws off the light meter in your camera) with my 50mm lens.

And I went searching to see if I had posted about our Christmas tree hunting trips the last couple of years and found them:

2005 & 2006.

Back-washed.

 

Cole & Courtney were arguing the other night and Coley got in trouble for not being able to keep his hands to himself.

Later that night when Cole was saying his prayers, he told Josh that he wanted to get "back-washed" (baptized) so that God would forgive him.

Kingsley Christmas party.

We spent most of last weekend over in Klamath Falls at Kingsley Field.

Josh, Courtney & Coley headed over Saturday at 4:30 am so that Josh could get some work in at the base before the Civil War (the annual Beavers vs. Ducks game, which the Beaver's won in double-overtime).

Annie and I headed out later that afternoon after we did laundry and packed for everyone.

I realized as I was putting on my skirt (for the Christmas party that night) that I didn't have any tights (I will only wear a skirt if I have black opaque tights to camouflage my white sausage legs).

We were running late, so I threw on the skirt anyhow and my cute new shoes and figured that I would stop at the store on our way to Klamath Falls to get tights.

So we stopped at a store here in town (Fred Meyers).  I parked at the entrance closest to the women's apparel section to minimize the distance that me & my white sausage legs would have to walk, therefore, minimizing the number of Fred Meyers customers that would have to witness my white sausage legs.

I was trotting just as quickly as my sausage legs could trot with Annie in my arms, when the unthinkable happened...

My cute new shoes (which apparently have traction problems) decided to slip out from underneath me.

It all happened in slow motion, as I was thinking to myself "This is going to look ugly".  I clutched Annie tight with one hand and tried to brace our fall with the other hand.

We landed in a pile on the floor.

And if no one in Fred Meyers had noticed my white sausage legs before...I'm sure I drew plenty of attention to them laying on the floor in the middle of the store.

Nothing injured other than my ego though.

Josh's Grandparents kept the kids while we went to the Christmas party.

Tons of people, decorations, dinner & music.

I went up to the bar to get a drink.

As she was pouring the Vodka, I said "Make it weak, please."

She kept pouring and said "Ooooops, too late."

Josh got me a second drink after dinner.

We danced (a lot).

Josh got me a third drink (I think he was amused because he had never seen me go past my drinking limit before).

We danced some more.

I think we were dancing to Frank Sinatra's New York, New York and I had just finished doing the "Can-Can" when Josh decided to dip me.

And I hit the floor for the second time in one day.

Which was also about the time I decided to find someone to drive us back to Josh's grandparents house.

I checked the clock when we got home to see how late we were getting in (it felt like at least 2:00 am). 

It was 10:30 pm.

Took the kids to the base on Saturday.

Santa arrived on a jet.

Annie had a really tough time keeping track of her Dad (because all the Dad's were wearing the same thing).

Some bean bag tossing.

Face-painting.

A Sponge-Bob pinata.

And a fishing game that won Annie a tiara.

 

And we stopped on the way home (in the dark) for a snow-ball fight.

Found this card while I was in Portland with Jill a few months back.

   

And it just seems so completely appropriate for me today.

Swamped today...

But I'll be back tomorrow.