HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May 2011 be filled with Joy & Laughter
Loads of love
and if there might be any troubles
may they be small ...

cathi

Peace on Earth~ Good will to man

So, My daughter is learning film...

and she has made a film featuring Israelis, religious, secular, Arabs, Palestinians, Russians, Americans, Ethiopians..

she is learning film in the middle of one of the hot spots of the world..Israel.

This is her very short film..I wanted to share this with you all..
so proud of her

cathi

Christmas is just around the corner

I will confess...I have been so slow to update my blog...but i have been soo busy with getting my presents done..
amazing..it is now the 15th of December and I am almost done shopping..
I think it is a first..

and along the way..i found myself at a frame shop..
why..

well, i do have alot of photos...and so many times, i just have to frame them...they are true pieces of art.

There is this one photographer..( THE ABOVE IS ONE OF HIS PHOTOS...he titled it: A head c 1909 and it is for auction this week)
named CR Tucker..I don't know anything about him, except that I got these from a woman in the hills of Pennsylvania and she bought them at an estate sale..
well, it appears that he was some local artist..might have been famous in his day..although I have yet to find information on him..

anyhow..the more i see of his stuff...well the more i am a fan..

his photos are simply amazing..

but why they are amazing is why i love them...

the photos he did was when photography was in it's infancy, when photographers were experimenting with all different kinds of styles..

his was primitive in his style..yet there is such a softness to them..so unique and such a contrast to the studio photos that we all find from the early 1900s

anyhow..i will be introducing more of them.. I will confess, I have many sitting in my own collection but after going to the frame shop and looking at my walls i realize there is no way i can keep them all...
so be on the lookout...they will be showing up from time to time and these are quite magnificent..and so rare to find...

Hope your holidays are going well..and that you will be surrounded by love, light and laughter..
(oh and yes, just that right amount of art!)

cathi

Thanksgiving & Dancing

Dance is the hidden language of the soul.

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.

You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.

~Martha Graham


I love dance photos..maybe because these days, I am older, don't move as fast or as well..but in my soul..there is a dancer inside. It could be a piece of music that makes the dancer within me begin to twirl...or it could looking at a large field in a distance...and picturing running and dancing through it...

The photos of the early 1900s dance..to me are the most beautiful..

this next month, I will be listings some special dance photos from several collections that I have found...

so as you think of what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving, give yourself a moment...
dance in your heart as you think of those things...


Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...

Cathi

Jesse James is in the house!

could this be Jesse?

a couple of gun slingers..and in Jesse's gang of outlaws tintype


Belle Starr..Jesse's one true love?


Well, I am so sorry it took me so long to post..but wow, i have been wading thru Jesse James stuff..

So now it is up on Ebay and will be due on Monday, Nov 20

Things began to go so high, that I decided to save some stuff and not list it and give it to the high bidder..
so the highest bidder is in for some real surprises, letters from Jesses grandson, a negative of his wife..and oh so much more..it is crazy all this Jesse stuff.

Years ago, I used to visit St Joseph Missouri..such a neat town. It was where my mother's step fathers 2nd wife (got that? so basically No relation) lived. Well, she never had kids, and her name was Millie . We called her Aunt Millie.

She used to take us to the Patee house, and I remember all the Jesse James things, the pony express things..

well in this historians collection I even found original dees for the Pattee house..crazy!

So this was quite a fun find..

Take a look if you are interested in Jesse...he is in the house right now..but not for long!!

Cathi

St Joseph MO Madinger Shoe Store- Jesse James?

Well this batch is turning out to be a mystery for sure!!
I went to the auction bought BOXES of crazy stuff...and there are notes on just about everything..but dont have a clue what it all means!

I do know that the person who loved Jesse James seems to have looked for everyone that looked like him, claimed they were him and so on...
so there are so many wild and wierd things...

But this is a batch of cabinet photos..on auction right now..
the one is supposedly Frank and his sister...
now is it Frank James?? I do not know really...but it is with all the goodies...

Then there is the Madinger shoe Store..in St Joseph Missouri...what does that mean..
I really dont know..but apparantly alot to this collector..as i found notes and notes on the Madinger family and their shoe store..

well..this is up to you history sleuths..

anyway..these are some pretty neat Cabinet photos!!

More to come....
cathi

Happy Halloween Jesse James (and I dont mean Sandra Bullocks ex)

So today...i was at an auction...
and yes, it actually was a bit spooky!!
It was some person whose OBSESSION was with
Jesse James..
the criminal.

and they were on some kind of hunt on whether he was actually
killed or not...and all the fakes of Jesse James

anyhow..in the next day I will be listing the large lot of crazy and unusual photos, letters, and crazy memorabilia of Jesse James..
(yes, of course i bought it ..it is Halloween..time for a spooky mystery don't you think!!)

i will update as soon as the collection is up!!
cathi

Beauty Parlor photos...where did they all go??

Before I was old enough to go to school, I used to go with my mother to her weekly hair appointments. She went to a lady, named Ruth, that had a beauty parlor (as they called it then) set up in her basement. There would be lots of ladies all around at the different stations. It was a place that I can still vividly recall the sights, sounds and the myriad of smells. There were two rooms set up in the basement, as well as a bathroom. I was relegated to the back room, where the hair dryers were and all the magazines and the coloring books for the children that might tag along.

Now the noise level was quite high, with ladies voices chattering away, and the big hairdryers were loud too, so no matter how hard I tried, I learned it was hard to talk to your mother when she was under the hairdryer. Then there was that smell, the scent of permanents, hair dye and lots of hair spray, and the occasional sneak to the bathroom for a smoke. But what I really remember, was looking at all those photos that were posted up on the walls. Photos of beautiful women with all their bubble hair dos! How I wanted to look just like them!!

Not too long ago, when I was getting my own hair done, I thought of those thousands of photos that were given out to all the beauty parlors of the world and wondered where they all went.

Then, the other day, I came upon some wonderful old photos made for Hair Salons in the 60s. They are really incredible..and came from a photographers estate. (It was a photographer in Paris) wonderful because they do not look like they had years of hair spray and cigarette smoke all over them.

Looking at them, I was brought back instantly...to the time when my mother would finally be finished and we could leave. Every week, I would look at her afterward and think she looked so good..even better than the models on the wall.

Now that she is gone, I smile when I see these photos...and remember...


cathi

Black Face & how it used to be acceptable

After my mother died, I was cleaning out loads of her things, of course, and I ran across her old Woman's club book from when she was a president. The era: 1950s. She kept a scrapbook and throughout the book were several photos of women dressed up in Black face for programs that they did.

I gave the scrapbook to the ladies of the woman's club today, and some were shocked that this was in their history.. I teased them threatening to show them to the local newspaper!! (i was kidding!!)
Yet, as I go thru stacks of other peoples estates..you would be surprised how much I have run into this..not just the 1920s..but all the way to the 50s...

This photo was from another estate..a show that a group was doing..much like my moms womans club..I think it is 40s/50s era...and when i look at these..i am sad that this was our past...but happy that this is no longer our present..i know we have a long way to go...but we have come a long way...

cathi

Post Mortem Photos

I know this is a strange topic...but when i found this photo, I found it something that I thought i would bring up.

I buy out old estates of people's personal things, so every now and then I run into these photos.
The ones of the children..to me ..are so sad..this one, although sad, is a bit different.

At first, when I was scanning this, I didn't realize it was Post -Mortem, I just thought it was an old woman that might have been blind. That was until I saw her hands. And I remembered being at funerals and seeing hands like this. So I was immediately taken back, until I looked at the items all around her. The hymnal in her hand (there is no piano there, why is this a Hymnal?)
The china, all different kinds, and stereoscope near her..even the peaceful way she was sitting..this was a loved woman..a woman who was loved by those around her..who cared enough to surround her with the things she loved.

It was a few weeks ago, I ran across the show Chasing Mummies, that is the History channel show all about a famed Archeologist that is finding mummies..
And what happened on the episode i saw, was that the mummy was surrounded by the pets, pottery, utensils..all things that the former person loved and would use in the after life.

I suppose we all grieve in different ways...

The most important thing is how we lived...and for this photo..what I read into it..is this was a woman that was loved..

meaning she learned enough in life to have others love her.

In the song "Nature Boy"
that was sung by Nat King Cole refers to this:

Take a listen:
These are the Lyrics:

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise
Was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me

"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return"



have a great week,
Cathi

Do you ever feel like everyone is looking at you?

I love this photo...I felt like this yesterday...i had a fashion meltdown...
my hubby had all these things for us to do..we had a big event for his business and a party afterwords..and no matter what i just didn't feel like i had the right outfit....

when i saw this photo..i loved it...exactly how one feels sometimes..that the whole room is looking at you..

of course they usually aren't...but it just is that way sometimes..

anyhow..in the old photo world..i find many funny fashions..and definately ones that would cause me a fashion meltdown! i mean those tiny little waist dresses..ugh..those are really tough..
um...this would be ME in those fashions..(not really..but I sure would feel like this!)

ah well..thought i would share these photos with you................cuz sometimes..you do just feel like the room is looking at you
smile

cathi

Christmas in September?

How annoying is this?
I am posting a Christmas photo!!

But I am posting it BECAUSE NOW is the time to begin to plan to make things..or start to buy things for the holidays..

Why?
Because if you do..you will save money!!

It is a proven fact...that the more you plan...and buy things in advance you will SAVE MONEY

soo..i am reminding you..(and myself!!)
so that you can begin to look for all those treasures that make a gift a GREAT gift!

Also..
I learned on an eBay powerseller post that if you buy thru some of these rebate companies..you can get a rebate..yep..money back to YOU if you buy thru their website.
what is the catch?
well..they are advertisers...and everyone today wants more business..so they drive people to the website, you buy thru their portal..and voila..you get a check every month in the mail..
and it is totally TRUE
i havent had spam or anything from it..

if you are interested there are alot of sights.
but the one I work with is Big Crumbs so if you are interested in checking this out...
( and i mean there are some deals here) go to BIG CRUMBS
it is FREE to sign up..

anyhow...
HAPPY SEPTEMBER...

cathi

Is this John Wilkes Booth?

So I found a large group of tintypes in a book..to me they are always fascinating - a much more primitive photo- but there are some really fun images in them..

and in the back of the book was this lone tintype..not in as good of condition..and the face looked so familiar..

so what do you think?
Watch my auction on eBay on this one(just click on the tintype) and lets see what others think!

the top image IS John Wilkes Booth, the bottom is the tintype i have..
dont you love being a history detective???

Cathi

The wonderful last month of a glorious Summer...

Ah Summer...
that wonderful time of year...when life feels free...

the flowers have bloomed..
and sometimes the grass has turned a bit brown...

the beaches are full...
there are block parties, cookouts...ahhh....it is August..
That last glorious month of summer..

Enjoy those special moments...fall is marching right around the corner...

cathi

Eastman's Solio Print out paper photographs

I do apologize for being so late on updating my blog..but oh my...it has been SUMMER and the sun is shining..the flowers are blooming and it is HARD to work!!

anyhow..the other day, I came across this wonderful BIG box of stuff from an estate.
It was full of all sorts of unique photos, cabinets and so on..

But then i found..the most interesting thing...
a packet of Solio paper photographs from Eastman.

Well, of course that is the Eastman of Eastman Kodak, and the era is early 1900s.

But what is really GREAT about these photos is this.
Solio paper is a print out paper..meaning the sun develops them... a neat process but not so good to keep these kinds of images for long periods of time..as there would be lots of fading

And through the years..there have been alot of photographs that have been lost to fading..

But this package was all kept together, in an envelope..for i dont know how long....meaning that the images were crisp and fresh and not as faded as you would expect for 100 years. especially on SOLIO paper.

Rare indeed, So I listed them this week on ebay and these are a few of my favorites..
and it was a history lesson for me..

oh of course..as soon as i listed them..i covered them in archival covers, and put them in a drawer..they dont need any more light if they are going to make it another 100 years.

Neat items..

Well..have a great summer..I hope in your travels this summer you find some good surprises...and take time out and enjoy the sun!

ps....in my spare time, i have been playing with ZAZZLE as you might be able to see..really a lot of fun..
check it out if you like..there are all sorts of cool things on that website

As always,

Cathi

1st Communion headpieces from years ago..

Well, I am back from my overseas trip...and after flying standby and waiting thru 5 different flights til we got on, a broken down train in France..and loads of miles to go..I saw my beautiful international daughters...and am full of mommy love..and am sad to get back home...

but...

i found some really pretty photos..along the way...and had to show them to you!!
Isn't this the coolest headpiece??

It was from a studio years ago named Sol Young, which I have found are incredible photos..
Here is an excerpt from an article i found on line about him:

" Sol. Young opened his first photographic studio in Union Square, New York in 1893. By the turn of the century he was operating at six separate premises, starting in Brooklyn, New York and Newark, New Jersey, and later spreading to Philadelphia and Connecticut. By the time of his death on 23 September 1921, there were eighteen studios. He was also one of the pioneers in the pastel and crayon industry."


Sometimes, I randomly run across these kinds of things...and they are simply a step above most other photos..

So this is my 1st Communion girl..guess it was all that visiting churches in France, and looking up family..that made this one catch my eye..
but it is a beauty, eh??

and what about that headpiece!!

have a great summer...........and a happy 4th!!
cathi

Going to see my girls........

Well, summer has begun and I am getting to see my daughters...
CANT WAIT!
I have recently aquired SO many COOL photos..but you will have to wait a bit til I get back
so that I can list another day!!

until then...enjoy the warm, your family...and make magical memories

cathi

American Idol and summer!!

Ok...so it was a crazy couple of weeks..
Why haven't I posted? Well.....we just happen to live right near where the latest American Idol winner lived...
meaning ..
we were completely caught up in IDOL mania!
From banners to Tshirts, to every restaurant, coffee shop, bakery, you name it..there was no where that his songs weren't playing and VOTE 4 LEE was everywhere!

Oh and when he had his hometown visit...we had a phone call from the police telling us which roads to take that day so that we wouldn't get stuck!! it was crazy ...EVERYONE was caught up in it!! we even got tickets to the hometown event along with 41,000 people in our town!!
a paint salesman that worked only minutes from our home and mixed our paint last year in our last reno project...the other night he was on Larry King...what a difference a year makes!

So...it was a crazy time...and soooo much fun!!

and then FINALLY..last week, the finale came and Lee Dewyze won!!
( yes, I LOVED crystal..but this WAS a hometown boy!)
Lee's banners were everywhere..the screams were genuine and finally after all these weeks, we all are breathing a collective sigh of relief as summer has come, idol is over and we and our entire town can get back to regular life!!

SO back to photos!!...This week, I am featuring some cool snapshots that i happen to run across..that show the JOY of summer...
don't you just love summer??

Today, my hubby and I walked around a lake...with the ducks..kids running around...people out fishing, the wind was in our hair.. and .ahhhh i could taste the freedom that this wonderful weather brings!

anyhow..just wanted to give a short update and wish you ALL a happy healthy summer!!
and i will be posting more ideas of things to do with photos..
Listed on this page is ETSY and in it are things I have made with photos during the past few weeks, I keep trying to make some new things and put them up from time to time...
hey it is great for mental health!!


SO have a glass of ice tea..put your feet up and enjoy the warm weather!
cathi

Things to do with old photos

Well, I have been MEANING To do this...and Thinking of doing this...

But FINALLY I DECIDED to do this..

I am going to be posting things to do with OLD PHOTOS

I mean..really I love old photos..but what to do with them all???

So, I made a few ACEOs tonight

ACEOs are ART CARDS EDITIONS AND ORIGINALS

They ALWAYS measure 2.5x3.5

and are made of all kinds of things..painting, collaging, photos..you name it..

So I decided to look around the house and find some pieces of paper..and copy a few scans of photos and try my hand at them..

Very simple..and wonderful for that little gift for someone that you just dont know what to get them...

Project #1 ACEOs are something that are a GREAT use for old photos...

I will be posting some more things to make... (as soon as I make them!!)

Cathi

i found some really neat new photos!

When I find a new photo collection..it is so much fun...

First..I just fall in love with it...look at it all the time..

then s l o w l y I begin to list them...say goodbye..as though it was an old friend..

I have many here I am having a hard time parting with....

so you sometimes see them eek out in my store..as i can part with them..........

This photo is of a baby...

well it is mothers day this weekend..and I thought i had to celebrate it..

so I will be posting these WONDERFUL cooll VERY AWESOME fabulous photos of babies that I just got..

Today, I posted 3..in the next few days I will post some more...

like I said..it takes me a little time..to let them go...............................

Happy mom's day to all you out there that are moms..

Have a wonderful Day!!

Cathi

( a very grateful mom..I LOVE my kids!)

SOUND OFF: Do you like the new Ebay changes?

As of March 30th, 2010, Ebay as we knew it has radically changed.

Everything that was in peoples stores were released to the Core Search Engine

Giving people more ability to BUY IT NOW and getting people more and more away from Auctions.

I personally love auctions..love going to them..love selling at them..just love them..it is the thrill of the hunt.....

But Ebay has been changing to mostly a fixed price format and as of April 1st, everyone who buys or sells on Ebay could feel it.

I am trying to take an informal survey of how everyone likes the new Ebay changes.

Some of you I have asked personally, but if I haven't and if you have not responded, please take a moment and write a comment and let me know how you like these new changes.

If you don't know the changes..or havent noticed them..it is is like this:

Before, when you looked for photos..it would be 40,000 photos that were in the entire category..

plenty to choose from!!

but now..

there are 430,000+ photos in the category.

To me, it is kind of like being stuck in rush hour...being one of sooo many and getting lost in the crowd.

Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing..as for me..I found things very cheap because they were so hidden and no one else could find them...

but it also makes sellers struggle...kind of like being a retailer in an average size town with competition but..able to stay in business...

to having a HUGE MEGA MALL grow up next to you...and trying to keep your sign lit up so that people can see you over the HUGE MEGA MALL sign...

kind of like that..

and that means that many of the smaller ebay sellers just wont be able to continue as Ebay continues to go more and more with big sellers and lots of "buy it nows"

please sound off...do you like the new Ebay changes???

Comments please!!

Thanks!!

cathi

Heart for the world and photos that show it..

This week was a CRAZY week.

It was the week my daughter..the one that had 2 different ebay websites..and had taken over mine for awhile..left with her hubby to Europe..to live..

So I now have 1 son in America..and 3 daughters overseas.

Mmmmm was it a smart idea that I taught them to love to travel??

Anyhow..

Then..

My computer crashed..

I was talking to my daughter on the telephone and then everything went BLUEISH GREEN

Yukky color ...no red at all......it was all gone..

so off to Best Buy and they said..

Mother board is ruined.

so after 2 nights til 4 am ..total confusion with a new computer and another daughter that left overseas.. (mother board felt ruined alright!)

I took some time out to look over my photos

This photo is from Naples Circa 1924

One of my daughters was married in Sorrento not too far from Naples..

Our family is very at home traveling around the world.

I dont regret it...we have had some incredible experiences..

My children have a heart for the world and they live it out..

making a difference..

taking a different road...

finding their path

I found a collection of snapshots from a couple that traveled all over the world in 1920s.

Incredible places...all over Europe, Sri Lanka, Bombay, Australia, you name it

I am sure their parents missed them, too...

But there are some pretty snapshots here....

cathi

Just a Quick Happy Easter ~ Happy Pesach!

Spring is a magical time of new beginnings...

For those of you that celebrate Passover...it is the celebration of freedom from Slavery...
from the desert to the Promised Land...

For those of you that celebrate Easter...it is the celebration of Freedom from Slavery in a spiritual way...

a celebration of new life...of resurrection...

and for those of you that just like Spring...

it is the celebration of new life...of the resurrection of everything that was once dead and now is alive again...

for whatever you celebrate...

may you enjoy 2010 Spring and may it be a time of new beginnings..may there be new life...and freedom for you and for those you love....

blessings
cathi

NEWS UPDATE: JJay is moving to Germany

Well, after helping me out and working on ebay and developing her own stores...my beautiful middle daughter..is going to be moving to Germany with her hubby! They have been offered a Wonderful job..(it is one of those save the world type of jobs) and she is currently liquidating her inventory....This job opportunity came up quickly and it is something that she and her hubby have been waiting for..for a long time...and now, the time has come and she has to leave shortly. (sniff sniff)

SO...
if you love her photos...
then please check on Catherine Simms Bridal and buy buy buy because you will not see these kinds of deals very often. She also has a website named Uncle Bing's photos and things
so check it out.

After she leaves, I will go back to selling Loads of Wedding photos ...and will also offer photos from 1950s as well as all the items that I carry now.

Mom is sad...it has been fun talking to her every day...working on a business together...

but Mom is also SO proud!!

so check it out in the next week..she is leaving soon!!

Have a great ebay day!!
and enjoy that WONDERFUL sunshine...
(i am heading to the garden now!!)

cathi

CHANGES ON EBAY MARCH 30

ANOTHER BIG BIG CHANGE!!

The photo above is how Ebay makes us sellers feel these days!

As of March 30th...
Everyone's store inventory will be in the CORE ebay sales.

What does that mean?
That means there is ALOT of stuff to go through if you are looking for something.

To give an example:
I looked at a seller that specialized in Tshirts.
At any given time, he has 50 Tshirts up...
but he has 135,000 Tshirts in his store!!

ALL 135,000 Tshirts will now be in the Search engine..
so you will have to wade thru his 135,000 tshirts as well as everyone elses..
THIS CAN BE OVERWHELMING!

so what to do??

If you like auctions...

(I still love the hunt!!)

Then go to the tab marked AUCTIONS
Then go to place on the upper right that says BEST MATCH
and pull it down and put in NEWLY LISTED
or ENDING SOONEST

This way..you will see what is new in the area you like to look into..
or what is ending soonest.

NOTE: If for any reason, you are NOT happy with this system..(give it time, there will be some bugs that HAVE to be worked out in the next few days)
Then PLEASE write EBAY...they listen to buyers..
Not to us sellers...but they definately listen to YOU the buyers..


I will update this blog more..i promise..

Good Luck!!

Cathi

Wow..So sorry I havent been here in awhile!

Has it really been more than a month?
I am SO SORRY!
Guess..my daughters puppies..
(which have now grown and 2 are with my son)
and my daughter moving

and my other daughter leaving overseas for a job..

I have FORGOTTEN MY BLOG
sorry!!

new post NEXT!

A Valentine Vignette (featuring ...my daughter!!)

Many years ago..I owned a bridal shop..so I took photos of my daughter when she would model flowergirl dresses...
This is from that collection.. (my daughter is now 21..so these are from years ago!)

Happy Valentines Day!
Cathi

GROWTH!! 3+ weeks and counting!!

knew you wanted the LATEST PUPPY UPDATE!!
(i am heading out to see them in just a few weeks..should be crazy fun!)

Their eyes are open!

Watch them grow!!
The latest puppy photos!!

More Changes...and the beauty of Old photos

Hello...
It is the 8th of February and I sit getting ready for a major snow storm about to fall..something that many of you out there are already used to this season...

So...as we "hunker down" I took to reading the discussion boards for us Ebay sellers...and wanted to let you all know one of the latest developments in the Ebay world.

In a few weeks ( about 6 weeks to be exact) all the stores on ebay will be opened up and all the merchandise will be in CORE..which means..that there will be SO MUCH TO SEE!
I am not sure the reasoning why this is happening..it was tried many years ago..and it was really cluttered...and we were all afraid the site would crash...soo much stuff....

but Ebay has decided to roll this out once again..

but so YOU know...if you love auctions..(which I DO!)
then there is the AUCTION ONLY tab...that you can press..which should make things a little easier to manuver...in fact instead of 74,000 + photographic images that we have now to look at ..you will probably be seeing more like 1,000,000 images...now...that is ALOT OF STUFF...
and it could get a bit overwhelming... so practice using the tabs that they have put all over ebay..it should help some...

With all this new competition what is going to set us sellers apart??

Well, that is something that I have been working on these past few months..which brings us to the next subject...
Beautiful old photos...

I have decided to continue to STREAMLINE my own store. I will continue to be working on selling QUALITY photos..photos that are beautiful.....focusing on photos before the 1950s

I have been fortunate to find a few large estates full of really fabulous photos..
I mean photos that are in excellent condition..and are old and beautiful...

My main love is to find beautiful photos that look like art...
Photos that can stand on their own..and take on a new life...and be hung on a wall ...used in design..put in a frame next to your desk...

This photo that I have pictured here is MILVIA WARNER..and she was a real person..who was a bright woman that worked in Archeology and did some great work.....but before all of that..she was from family that had her picture taken..and all the photos from this family were beautiful......ones that can be framed and hung on any wall..

That is what I love about old photos...photos with a story..and photos that take on a new life as an adorning ornament in a room...

well..the snowstorm is on it's way.....but keep your eyes open to the beautiful photos that we have posted ....

Cathi

Musings on portraits.....and a blog contest...

Ok, I admit it...if you have seen my store you must know..I love portraits..
I just love them.

Some people take pictures of places when they have a camera...
"oh my, I must take a picture of this statue"

but at the end of the day..
the thing that everyone REALLY wants to see..years later are all the photos of the people.
"did little Jerry every really look THAT little?"
or
"oh..it is ALICE..wow, I miss her..what a great photo!!"

and then there is me..
I have to remind myself..
"Cathi ..take a picture of the place!! you want to remember what this looks like"
but instead it is always the people...always about the people..

and when i am hunting for photos..
I ALWAYS or ALMOST ALWAYS 9 times out of 10 come away with photos of PEOPLE

portraits and portraits and more portraits.

and when i sigh about a photo...it is ALWAYS a portrait..

so i have accepted it...
if you want to find beautiful portraits...well we will ALWAYS have them...
sure some will be different than others..some more breathtaking..some with more character..but Portraits ARE my first love...

I think it is the fact that these faces are like art...done by the GREATEST ARTIST EVER!

oh......................

now for the other info...
JJAY has a blog..it is named Catherine Simms photos...and
on her blog she is running a contest on UGLIEST BRIDE

so cast your vote!!
here is the link Catherine Simms

and have a glamorous portrait filled week!!
cathi

1 week old.... GROWTH

ok...will write more on my blog...
but tell me..how can you resist a puppy???

cathi

Guess who had puppies!!

So...
I flew out to Connecticut and JUST IN TIME to be there for the puppy birth...
YEAH..
so now JJay is a proud puppy mom...
and me...
well i am the proud puppy grandma!!

Why do we love photos?

oh...because it is the miracle of photos that captures that special moment....

an incredible moment..

a miraculous moment...

moments that only come your way..now and then...

.......

Lola proud mother of 3 puppies...3 little girls...2 apricot and one black poodle!!

cathi

a time to weep...a time to help........

Photos are powerful things.

Like hearing an old favorite song, photos stir the emotions, as their memories pour in our hearts.

Some photos are inspirational, calling us to a higher place.

Some photos are like art and can be hung on the wall to be admired by many and not just a few.

and then there are times...

when photos say so much more...that cause us to feel overwhelmed..helpless..
and we want to turn away....

but we can't

today is Thursday, and I sit at a computer with a roof over my head, warmed by a furnace that works. I sit here without hunger or want, knowing that we sleep well in our beds tonight.

and not too very far away...only hours by jet...is a poor country that has had it's share of poverty...without the basics that I take for granted...and now left devastated after an earthquake. with loss that is so unthinkable it is hard to even look at it...

But as we look at the photos of this devastation..and feel oh so helpless to change anything...
there is something we CAN do....

We can get behind those who are going to help out in this disaster...those who have the tools and the training to do the best they can..

This is information of how to give to Salvation Army, a group I have long loved and worked with over the years: A text message with the word 'Haiti' to 52000 will make a $10 donation, added on to your cell phone credit card bill.

There are many other organizations...Red Cross, World Vision, Doctors without Borders..and others...they are easy to find...and there are soo many of them that are doing so much good work..

When we look at those photos that are too hard to see...... remember, we can reach out...we can help...we can make a difference.....

cathi