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I didn’t realize what a challenge this creative project would be. I’ve been working from home since the holidays – which makes it easier to fit in a painting, photo and a page. Today was my first day going into the office, and, well ya. But I was motivated to make it happen and make it happen in a real way. I didn’t want to rush through painting just so I could say I did it. Same for the photo. I wanted to take my time, enjoy the process, make it real.

So, it took some thinking and, in the end, I decided to set my camera up on a tripod and take a long exposure of some Christmas decorations that are still hanging around (to be put away this weekend). I started with a glass vase filled with Christmas tree bulbs and tiny coloured lights. I wasn’t overly pleased with the results, so moved on to my new Christmas decoration – which I just love – a red truck carrying a tree.

Keep in mind that my photos of the day are to be original and straight from the camera – no adjusting or editing in Photoshop or Lightroom. I must say, the image looked better on the LCD screen on the back of the camera. That’s what this project is all about, learning new techniques and getting better at taking photos.

I really enjoyed the painting tonight. I took my time and just added colour, water, and strokes. No sponges tonight on this one. It reminds me of looking at the clouds from an airplane!