Some photographs, taken a few weeks ago, of our friend Olivia (Mikey says that she’s a princess, I think he’s a little smitten). Olivia and I took a day to go out for coffee, take a few photos and do a little shopping. The portraits are mostly black and white, but I had to show a colour one too because don’t you just adore those incredible shoes? I know I do. I think we’re going to go out and shoot together some more, as soon as Chicago weather decides to stop being as completely bizarre as it has been during this past week, and I’m looking forward to going out together again.

Honestly though, last week was just one of those weeks. I barely even touched my camera, which doesn’t help a whole lot with the project 52 that I’m trying to do and is also quite unlike me. We’ve been busy with various other little things, but for the most part we’ve been either playing in the snow when it’s been there or hiding out from thunderstorms and the freezing rain. I’ve really been battling with a lack of inspiration photography-wise, I think that the long arduous task of pulling photos for the (as yet unfinished) portfolio I’m trying to put together has been taking it out of me. There are plenty of things I think I’d like to shoot but of course it would involve leaving our cozy little nest and venturing out into the uncertain weather!

The Poetic Winter Photography Challenge begins next week, on Friday February 3rd. I know at least for me it is coming just in time to pull me out of this uninspired funk that I find myself in! I’m very excited about being able to host this with such an awesome team of ladies, Kristi from Live and Love Out Loud, Faith from Sweet Violet and Alicia from Project Alicia, and I think we’re all going to have a lot of fun looking through your gorgeous photos and pinning them to our Poetic Winter Pinterest Board each week. We’re also going to be offering hints, tips and freebies along with each Friday’s link-up post during February so I hope you’ll stop by and take part, all are welcome to participate. Don’t worry if you’re not experiencing winter in your part of the world at the moment, you can still interpret the prompts in your own way. During our Shades of Autumn challenge last year we had some amazing entries from all over the world! For more and for a list of the prompts please read through our Poetic Winter information page.

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Is it awful of me to say that I feel somewhat relieved that 2011 is over? It was a tumultuous year for us, and although it had it’s good aspects too I am very much done. With the changing of the date I feel a little like a weight was lifted from my shoulders, I know that I don’t have to hold onto so much of what happened last year anymore. I can stop dwelling on grievances and just let it be.

We spent a low-key New Year’s Eve at home, and although the ringing in of the New Year itself at midnight was somewhat anti-climactic because of that, I still have high hopes for 2012. I have made no real resolutions for the New Year I suppose, I’ve never been much good at that sort of thing, but I spent much of the weekend sitting with my notebook scratching down lists and ideas.

I have a number of projects planned that revolve around photography in some way, both art projects and physical real-world goals as such, or at least ideas. One of these is that I’m taking part in an Everyday Life Project 52 with develop and let’s lasso the moon. I’m looking forward to seeing how this unravels, and I’m hoping to be able to put all of the photographs together in a book by the end of it, be it a handmade journal or a professionally printed book, I haven’t decided on that part yet.

One of the personal projects I’m going to be undertaking this year is a street photography project. I’ve fallen in love with Chicago’s streets since we’ve been here and have really felt the need to get out there more. This will probably end up being something I do every few weeks, when I can find the time to get away, but I’m so looking forward to it.

I’d like to get a Portfolio website completed (because I’ve been dragging my heels on that), getting a Fine Art Print Store up and running, to actually print my photos, and also concentrating on trying to convince someone to exhibit some of my work locally. I feel as though a few of these are quite lofty things to hope to achieve, but I intend to work hard to complete them.

Despite what will likely be a lot of hard work again this year, I also have the intention of keeping things realistic. Minimal rushing and trying to exclude the bad kind of busyness, spending calm and thoughtful days. To love, be present, be healthy and make do. It’s easy to say all of this now, with the year ahead in it’s entirety. Cozy and warm in our little city apartment and the soft snow on the ground outside. I suppose all I can really say is, we’ll see how it goes.

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