Wednesday, 14 December 2011

My first photo shoot

Oh I feel like such a big girl, hehe. I have recently finished my Shoot by design course which has taught me so much about taking a good picture and how to use my camera so I highly recommend that you do this course if you receive a SLR camera.

I asked a friend if I could come over to shoot her children (umm like take photo's).

3 elements to make a good photoshoot:
1. Early morning light. I love that kids get up so early.
2. A brand new cubby house to play with.
3. 3 gorgeous children.

Here are some pics for you.












So I better shoot off and give these images to their mummy. Beautiful family.

Hope you enjoy them, please feel free to give me some feedback.

Thanks, Kel.

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Mates

Mates


It's just two mates and good times. I love these guys.

Kel.


Playing along here.

Monday, 12 December 2011

Remembrance II

Here I am again. Talking about remembrance.

I had a great week last week. Just had such a good vibe and everything was going along relatively smoothly. I knew Dad was around. He lets me know he is there. We he had just passed I needed a little bit of time for myself. I headed off for a walk, this might have been to purchase more chocolate... I needed it, anyways I popped my iPod on and a song was cued ready to go. The weirdest part of this is that I use my iPod all the time for music in my sessions. I had just flown from Dubbo to Perth so had been listening to music but I never wait for a song to finish, I just stop the music when I need to so the fact that a song was cued ready to go was weird enough, then I listened to the first line.

Have a listen Lisa Mitchell, See you when you get here.

It could be a bit morbid when you listen to the first line, especially after just losing your Dad.

'How do you feel about being dead? Said one to the other.
How do you feel about being lonely? Said one to the other.
She said darlin, darlin it's alright. She said darlin, darlin it's ok.
But I'll see you when you get here.'

This song gave me a great amount of comfort. Like my Dad just came to let me know he is ok. So last week while my iPod was on random, this song played quite a few times so I knew he was around. It works both ways when I want him to be around I play the song for a special moment.

I was surprised last Tuesday night. I arrived home to have found a beautiful daisy bush on my doorstep. My favourite flower is the daisy, it always has been (what can I say? I'm a girl of expensive tastes). My mum had organised the local nursery to deliver me a remembrance tree so I have a little space that I can spend with Dad, and I want to share it with you.

A little Daisy

For my Daddy little legs

Oh and look who decided she needed to be in the shot

Oh Bella

The funniest part of mum getting me a daisy bush to remember Dad is that it actually brings back another memory. Growing up we had a puppy dog called Marlee (and yes she had the exact same personality as Marley & Me). After mum and dad split she went to live with Dad on a semi rural property so all of a sudden, no fences!! She ran amok and when people would come over apparently she would bite them all (what did he do to her?). She ran out on the road following my brother and was hit by a car. When Dad buried her he told me to pick a plant we would plant on her 'grave' surprise, surprise I chose a Daisy bush. As Dad was planting it a bee stung him so he would say that she finally bit him.

Oh I have the best parents in the world.

Kel.





Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Millthorpe Markets Weekend

Millthorpe is a beautiful little town just out of Orange in NSW.

The weekend just past the local school held a market a big market. People travelled to get there and see what was going on. Farmer's parents make beautiful liqueur and fruit cakes. They held a stall to sell their Christmas cakes right before Christmas and almost sold out. I headed along as 'construction crew,' they hire me for my muscle hehe. Farmer was harvesting so it was just his parents and me. They are a great couple and so easy to talk to, I had a great weekend with them. I totally forget that they are his parents and not just my friends so I chatter on non stop with them (I can tell you are surprised here). I took a lot of pics because I'm always experimenting and getting to know how to take pictures so it was a little photo shoot and some pics for Farmer's sister.

Up at dawn to get to the market to set up. A quick dawn photo shoot was in order. 

Roses have been my theme in my Shoot by Design course. 







Off to market. I love a spot of bunting. 





Rich fruit cake, ready to sell. 

A gentle hand to beautifully decorate these cakes. 

More bunting. 

By the end of the day the stall saw a few more empty spaces. 

One of my favourites. 

Available in a range of sizes.

While they were busy selling away I was busy shopping away with some great bargains. A couple of friends travelled from our town to have a look so I got to shop away with them and even have a peruse down at the town.

It is funny because I'm a trainer by trade people think of it as a conflict of interest helping out with the cake stall but I just say portion control (I might have to work on that one), plenty of exercise and enjoy the cake.

Enjoy your Christmas cake but I highly recommend you have one of these ones.

Kel.

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Hello Harvest.

It rained and it will rain again.

I have learnt a lot in my last 12 months of living in the country. A country town is very supportive of their farmers and I guess this could be because most of the people who shop, buy, eat, socialise in the town are in some way attached to a farming company. Everyone feels it and no one talks about it when it rains.

Farmers love rain, but only at certain times of the year. When the crop is sown or is growing, rain is liquid gold or as I learnt when I was in Ireland, liquid sunshine. Rain at this time of year means more crop, more to harvest and more money. I actually learnt to real meaning as to why farmers love the rain at this time of the year, it means days off work, counter lunches (lunches at the pub with other farmers who also have nothing to do) and a big old yarn about crop. Luckily I also get to experience this because I generally have time off during the day so I also love a bit of rain.

Unfortunately when it is time to harvest the crop, rain is the worst thing you could imagine. And here for the second year running it has rained at harvest time. This is Australia in November/December and it's rain, what the? Harvest gets put off, the grade of the grain gets lowered and sometimes those grains get shot and sprung. This means this grain is only good for animal feed.

Right at harvest it rained and it rained. The crop grade has lowered but at the moment the rain has lifted. Tomorrow though, it is due to rain again. Hoping the crop can get off before the rain.

Lesson learnt, don't mention politics, religion or the rain.

 Rain, rain, rain.

More poor roses. 

When it was all over, a beautiful light.

Hope you're weather has been better than mine.

Kel.


Sunday, 27 November 2011

While the cats away the mouse will...

Play I did.

With the Farmer away on a Bucks weekend what better excuse does a girl need to have a girls night? It was a lot of fun especially being on the dance floor at the local pub, wedged between the pool table and a drinks table but it was still a great night out and I can't wait to do it again for the FIVE fitness Christmas party.

Here are some shots (pics of course), from drinks on the porch. Playing away for my course again.

Hey Smella

Excuse the legs but I'm so happy I got the soft light.

Where a girl should be, drinking on the porch.

Just down the end of the street, so beautiful.

This is Australia.

Luv Kel

Playing along with Sunny + Scout.


Sunday, 20 November 2011

The weekend that wasn't so much a weekend

My goodness. I feel like I haven't stopped from last weekend!

Friday night was a girls night in at a gorgeous little shop, Ruby Maine. Shopping, girl time and raising money for cancer... Win, win, win. I even got myself a big floppy hat.

A wee bit of a hangover for work Saturday morning. Wouldn't be so bad if I didn't do physical work but you get over the hangover pretty quickly. Back to town in the afternoon to help Gol with the paving. Great friends helped out over the past 2 weekends but it's done now. A gazebo and a table and we are set for a summer of fun. We will definitely return the favour with dinner and drinks!

Sunday was paving ALL day in the rain. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the rain? Well being out in it anyways? There were plenty of times where I had to go back inside because I was getting too wet but managed to soldier on.

So, so tired today. Might need a little snooze to get me through to 8pm.

Here of some pics during the week of the work in progress.


I promise, I was helping before I got distracted.

The sunsets out here are amazing. There might not be any water but this somewhat makes up for it.

I bought a bird cage and I love it. 

I hope you had a lovely weekend that was relaxing & fun!!

Luv Kel


Playing Point + Shoot here.

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

And then it was 12 months

No we haven't time warped forward a few months. This is my 12 months. My anniversary.

12 months ago today I arrived in this little country town called Narromine. A complete city girl and beach girl to a tiny little country town... What the? You weren't allowed to mention the beach to me, this would cause me to tear up (I'm not even joking), and my mission was to find or start a DF, Dance Floor, one of my favourite places to be.

So what has happened in the last year?
I started my business
I've made a heap of new friends
I wormed my way into a family, hello Brennans
I moved out
I met a boy
I've flown back to Perth 3 times and spent more weeks there than planned
I lost my Dad
I missed my family
I missed my friends
I took lots of photos
I've had an amazing time

I think I might stay.

My year in pictures



























Can you see the progression?

I wouldn't have this life any other way.

Luv The Accidental Country Girl xoxo