miss teapot book cover samples

miss teapot, let me know if we are going in the right direction. <3, kerri
cover front option 1 or 2:

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peter pan

the call from the ballet studio came two days ago, wednesday. "we need a publicity shot for the bankhead. by saturday. can you do it?" i wasn't sure, in all honesty. how would i have time with a schedule already bursting? after the panic, i slept on it and composed a magical image in my mind, consisting of peter and tink flitting through their woodland setting and wendy happening upon them by surprise. i knew to get the image desired i'd need 3 seperate exposures - one of each dancer. the camera and lens must remain basically in place, unchanged throughout the session, to avoid wonky distortions and angles. afterward the images would be layered one on top of the other into a master file. 
we shot this evening, friday. matthew assisted. after taking peter home, i've immersed myself in this project without interruption.
here are the shots, one of each character. the final image follows, composited into a publicity piece i hope she will be delighted with.
Peter: 

Tink:

Wendy:

And the final composite: (click the image to see it larger)

compositing reality

is it a trick? a slight of hand? has he multiplied? no, it's just photoshop. :)playing with composites while my mind spins circles around ideas to fine tune.

also, a composite of dear daughter, who is "test driving" a new hairdo. will she go for the cut? will consult with our stylist friday. can't wait to see what she decides. (no bangs across the eyes or color shifts though.)

a visual comparison

i take it for granted, the ability to visualize a print enlarged on a wall, the reproduction of a wee sized proof into an art piece WOW. but my customers largely cannot "see" the end result of what could be. so i've created a visual comparison for them. take a look-see here:
http://fuloflyfe.zenfolio.com/visual-print-comparisons
next up: collections!

t'was

t'was the truth. platters prepared with cheeses, vegetables and sprouted corn tortillas garnished with fresh rosemary and tiny daisies upon arrival, a jamie oliver dinner of chicken stew over rice, and breakfast of oatmeal and steeped chai - the portions of which i am now the lucky posessor. and yes, all of the food prepared by a 15 year old mistress of the kitchen whose current read is Little Women.
reserved, quiet play and discussion by the girls, exuberant, vociferous frolicking of the boys, a warmly lit night-time play house, dinner with the daddy, bunny time, bubbles, the exchange of ideas and vision: collaboration, and the planning of that which comes. does it get any better than this? i think not. loving the new silk fluffy and anticipating the next. the bending, blending and comprehending of ideas simply works. i love you friend b.

rest and renewal

it is one of those lucky times in the year when we pack our overnight bags and head to the rolling hills of sonoma county for creative companionship at the smith house. there will be good conversation and quiet spaces, scrumptious and wholesome food prepared and served by chefs of various ages under homemade aprons, a comfy down blanket and new creative goodies, outlets, sources, raw materials and delights to behold. and of course, there will be tea.

doing for others

we knitted and sculpey'd, brewed up hot cocoa from almond milk, cleaned out the pond, played instruments, jumped rope, trampolined, scootered to the park, and collected flowers. there were hot wheels cars and neighborhood boys, bouncing balls and "watch me, auntie kerri!" child's play is the nectar of life's sweetness when diversion is the end goal. while grandmother was under ICU care i had the privilege of being the kerri-godmother, a term garnished from her daddy. and i regret i only captured one shot of her brother. more next time. :)
if we are to be anything, let us be useful and available to those we love. let us be willing to do for others and make time when need presses. how else can we then ask for help when we are the ones in want of it?
keeping her momma in my heart.

wanderings

everyone photographs flowers. so i resist them. but they are appearing in our wanderings, from voice lessons in walnut creek to strolls in the hills, at the library in town, etc. their natural beauty is magnetic, their colors and delicacy breathe vibrant life into a grey and otherwise wet, dormant world. the goal being to give new life to the familiar - and often i wonder if that is possible: to make images of that which otherwise seems cliche."pretty pictures of flowers." hoh-hum. i do not know. all i know is i know very little...and that their annual emergence is the physical manifestation of life longing for itself. and *that* is impossible to overlook.

making space for creativity

making physical and mental space for creativity seems fleeting these days. for a few hours at least, the time was mine to play and explore in ruffles, serging, and colorful patchworks of fabric. aprons. love.

variations

i neglected to post this one! it was lovely. variations in motion: such a tremendous amount of choreography - 3 hours of production, twice in one night. so proud of my young dancer and all the others as well. (thank you debbie, for the pic!)
the full show gallery is here: www.zenfolio.com/fuloflyfe

birthday girls

pink. flowers, tea, cupcakes, sugar, chocolate covered cookies, banners from the alaskan fabric she brought me back from her cruise, words of inspiration of the way i think of her. sarah's 39th, and kelly's too. laughing, reliving half a life ago.pretty packages. sweetness. love you birthday girls.

spring approaches

it's coming. the rain continues to moisten the world and the greyness sets my mood just right. wet weather creates a pallette of stillness and space for creative venues and thoughts overmuddled by the daily requirements of life. amid geography and english lessons, laundry, driving, algebra, queen victoria and the civil rights movement of the 60's, spanish, biology, and driver's ed, there is a glimmer of life stirring in a new direction. i am a captive audience of potentiality, and wait in anticipation as the buds emerge, slowly open, affording life anew. spring approaches!

a little escape to the happiest place on earth came with the shocking irony of the horror of japan's earthquake and tsunami on day 4 of our trip. we watched from the perching hills of carlsbad for the impending waves to hit, only to find they had subsided by the time of reaching our southern shores.
filled with gratitude for simplest yet valuable of all things: life. and family. and time. donating to the red cross now. thank you sarah, for sharing your pictures with me.  - mom