seeing red ....

okay, once again i am a day late on a' lilhoohaa's photo blog challenge ... but I am here just the same ...
the theme for February was "red" .... here are my contributions to the challenge

although the title of this tile installation in a sidewalk is called "yellow dog" it is the bright red eyes that got my attention.  This is located just outside of the Firehall Theatre.

I love these red doors ... and there are many more ... this is part of the Firehall Theatre ... the building was originally a firehall built in 1906 and it is now a theatre and arts centre.  It is located on the downtown eastside of vancouver in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the country (canada) ...

This used to be quite the grand firehall ... it has been put to a wonderful purpose

Next to the theatre sits the Vancouver Police Museum ... and right on the corner of that building this fabulous red fire sprinkler

and at the intersection ... a red light ...

Everything is from the same little corner and bit of street, it was a beautiful warm sunny afternoon ...

Thanks you so much for stopping by ... if you want to see more red just hop on over to PJ's blog.

peace love and paper
Jo

Photo Blogging Challenge - January

If you are looking for my GYB post, it is here!  Be sure to stop by an comment, you still have time to enter my draw!

okay, I am a wee bit late on this post ... i should have had this up on the 31st of January, but here goes ...  Our challenge for the month of January was the word "new" ...

What a fab word for a photo challenge ... i had so many ideas but as we just do 5 photos, i kept it simple (seriously you really did not want to see a photo of the gas pump putting "New" gas into my car.)

A new french Patissierie is getting ready to open ... I can't wait to see what they bring to the neighbourhood

I have made some wonderful new batches of soap ... several types, but my favourite is on the right, coconut oil with some organic honey (it is not sticky, and honey is a natural humectant)

A new blossom is opening ...

A new village in the making ... my brother cut these for me, I have finished 3, more to come, watch my blog for their finished state!

and finally .... a new line of our skytrain is being built!  I love the skytrain, light rapid transit in the sky!!!

and that's what i came up with for new!  Please consider joining us, we are a small friendly group of people who just like to take pictures.  February's challenge is "red" ... and you have the month to shoot it!  Join us at A'lil hooha's blog, and to see everyones January photos, click here.

Thank you for joining me on my interpretation of "new"!
peace love and paper
jo

Photo blogging challenge - December 2013 "Festive"

Festive .... festive, festive, festive .... what is festive?...   yeah, i was kind of humming and ha'ing on this challenge ... what to photograph to show festive ....

I could do trees, decorations .... pretty packages tied up with pretty strings and bows ... maybe even a fat man in a red suit ...

.... yeah ....

so I went with ..... Bitches!!!!

yes, i said it .... Bitches with a capital B .... let me explain .... years ago, a group of 8 women met at a large paper crafting group ... we enjoyed each others company so much that we broke away from the large group and became a small group of good friends.  We decided to give our group a little brand and decided on the oh so appropriate and happy "Paper Dolls" ... we even made paper dolls of ourselves  and took them with us on photo shoots and exotic locals ...
Then one night .... during a pj party crafting overnighter, we got into lemon meringue martinis .... in a very heavy way .... all i remember is a whole lot of laughter, many many delicious lemon martinis and the "Bitches" was born ....

 Our annual Christmas crafting event ... yeah ... nothing says festive like moustache shaped sugar cookies frosted in pink! (and note the festive christmas necklace)

 and what would our Christmas event be without Feuerzangenbowle!  Izzy is soaking the zucker hut in rum ...  (and check out that festive top!)

and then the cone is lit .... and what is that rum soaked sugar zucker hut melting into you ask???  well a good three bottles of merlot that has be simmering in spices ... yum!

 Every year, one of the bitch's husbands (he is a chef) makes our lunch ... open faced turkey sandwiches, with french onion soup, and a couple of amazing salads ... don't those sandwiches look festive!!!

Amazingly, one of the girls bought us all glasses that say "Merry Christmas Bitches" ... much laughter ensued .... 

and that is my festive contribution to this months Challenge.  Make sure you stop by PJ's blog a'lilhoohaa to check out all of the Festive posts by other bloggers ... 

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year ...

Peace love and paper

Jo

November photo blogging challenge ... People ...

argggg ... PJ's challenge for November left me thinking of hundreds of options ... but i choose something a little different ... the challenge is people ... but what makes people???  we are all just bits and parts glommed on to a soul ... so, i went with one of the bits ... the hands ... after all, the hands carry out so many of the actions that make us people who we are ... they love, they play, cook, build, type ...

So enjoy, my weird little interpretation of the challenge of photographing people ...

ps, these shots were not posed or set up ... just quick snaps of life as it happened...
thanks so much for stopping by to visit!

and make sure you take some time to check out some stellar photography over at PJ's blog a'lil hoohaa ... check out the links of those joining in ... some great shots to see!

October 30 - Fall ...

fall this year has been amazing ... October passed by with mostly clear blue sunny skies, warm temperatures and hey, i'm still running around in my birkenstocks ... no need for boots ... yet!

The streets and lawns are littered with beauty ...

I head off to the Playground of the Gods on the side of Burnaby Mountain ... it's always a fabulous place to walk and enjoy the views ... this day, it was so crowded with photographers it was crazy ... 

Fall also brings out the crazies in us as we try to get a decent shot of Honey in her Halloween costume ... this year, she was pouting big time so this is the best i got ...

and don't you just love the abundance of the season ... ornamental pumpkins and gourds ... squash of every kind ... 

summer roses start to fade ...

I love the colours of the season ... hope you are enjoying your fall ...

Trying something new and hooking up with a photoblog challenge at a 'lilhoohaa