The Table and Chairs Project

 

  

Are you on Flickr? Have you heard of the Table & Chairs Project? If you have answered no to either of these questions, I have to say that you are seriously missing out. The Tables and Chairs Project was created by Machel Spence, a supremely talented, creative and kind hearted nature photographer whose love of capturing nature's tiny treasures is undeniable. Seriously, just check out her lovely Flickrstream.

Table & Chairs started when Machel had a wonderful idea to photograph a teeny tiny table and chairs set belonging to her daughter, India, and then send it around to her Flickr contacts and see how they would photograph it. It's been all over the country including (but not limited to) Washington, Vermont, Texas, Mississippi and finally into my hands here in Oregon. I had so much fun photographing this lovely set! You don't really understand how tiny it is until it's in your hands. We had our first taste of snow so I knew I had to get a shot of the Table and Chairs in it. I also took a picture as an ode to Machel's faboulous bokeh shots. My boyfriend even got in on the action and took a few shots of his own. Do you see the tiny ant that is in focus in the bottom right picture!!? I just love it!

Once we were finished taking photos of the precious set, I was instructed by Machel to send the set off to San Fransisco, California to the next contact on the list. The contact just so happened to be Steve Brison and his wife Laura. Steve is actually a Flickr contact of mine who's clever photostream and stories keep me endlessly entertained. I love it when I am reminded how small a world we live.


*Update! Since I first started writing this post, Steve has photographed the set. See his image here!


Here are a few of my favorite Table and Chairs shots but please be sure to stop by the Table and Chairs group on Flickr and check out all the wonderfully creative shots!

 Just having some fun & being silly...table for two anyone??

Safari Time

Reflecting by the Waterside

~ Un Bistrot Tres Petit de Paris ~

A Romantic Dinner for Two

Anniversary Giveaway! {Closed}

Did you know that Tiny Treasures turned a year old on January 13th? I've been a bit under the weather so I wasn't able to properly celebrate until now. I have had so much fun this year seeing all the wonderful treasures that everyone holds near and dear to their hearts. I'm excited to see what this new year holds for the group: giveaways, interviews, prompts... the possibilities are endless!

Today, not only do I want to celebrate the anniversary of Tiny Treasures but I also want to celebrate the fact that the Tiny Treasures Group on Flickr has reached over 1,000 talented members! I am giving away these adorable salt and pepper shakers! Tiny Treasures all started with these little guys, and now you can say that I have become somewhat of a collector of kissing salt and pepper shakers. To win this darling bowling couple all you have to do is leave a comment below. Be sure to leave an email address so I can have a way to get a hold of you if you are the lucky winner!

For an additional entry, feel free to tweet about the giveaway and/or share it on Facebook! Just be sure to leave a comment below sharing the link to the comment with me.

This giveaway ends on January 25th. The winner will be selected randomly and will be notified by email by January 28th!

Thank you everyone for all the love and support you have shown me this year. It's been unbelievable. Can't wait to see how this year unfolds!

Christmas in the Air

"It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air." 

~W.T. Ellis 

During the month of December, I am overjoyed at the site off all the beautiful lights and decorations that can be seen all over the place: in storefronts, on sidewalks and lining people's mantles. Cory's grandmother gave us these darling Santa and Mrs. Claus salt and pepper shakers. They have been in her family for years and she thought we should have them. And would you believe that she didn't even know that I collect kissing salt and pepper shakers! I guess it was all meant to be. Christmas is now over and life is already settling into it's normal ebb and flow but I wanted to share a bit of joy from our Tiny Treasure members that I witnessed over this holiday season.

PS: Please check back here at the Tiny Treasures blog in a few days because I will be hosting a giveaway in honor of Tiny Treasure's one year anniversary!! :D

 

{Nutcrackers All in a Row...}

 
 {Too Early?}

 
 {Candy Canes}                                                                                 {Ho Ho Ho}

 
 {...}
{9~25}                                                                                         {Untitled}

 

 {I'm Dreaming...} 
 {344:365 Christmas Knocking}                                                                    {Sweets}

{Getting Ready}

 {Sparkle Tree}

 {Untitled}                                                                           {Christmas in the Cabinet}

Second Spring...

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

~ Albert Camus

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I have always been fortunate to experience Fall year after year. My heart skips a beat as a see the seasons changing right before my eyes. During September, October and November, the once green leaves of spring and summer alter their appearance and transform before our eyes into glowing oranges, brilliant ochres, fiery crimsons, and deep, rich browns.

As Fall is coming to an end, I'd like to share some of the lovely leaf photos that have been filling up the pages of Tiny Treasures:

{I Spy...}

{Untitled}

{Untitled}

{Autumn Morning}

{It was a Nice Afternoon}

{Resting Place}

{Rainy Days and Tuesdays}

{Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more}

 {Coffee in Fall}

{Untitled}

{Unraveling}

Pumpkins

"May Jack-o-lanterns burning bright

Of soft and golden hue
Pierce through the future’s veil and show
What fate now holds for you."

 

~Author Unknown

I don't know about you, but every year I look forward to seeing pumpkins everywhere I turn: piled in grocery store aisles and sitting on porches carved up into Jack-O-Lanterns. I eagerly await biting into pumpkin pies, muffins, and bread. I even have visions of pumpkin lattes dancing in my head. I can't wait to head off to the pumpkin patch and look out over a sea of bright orange pumpkins (not to mention the hot apple cider, hay rides, and corn mazes)!!

There have been so many gorgeous pumpkin shots being contributed to Tiny Treasures that I couldn't resist sharing a few here today:

{Pumpkin Goggles}

{K.I.S.S. - Pumpkins}

{Marche Lachine}

{Waiting For Jack}

{happy... um... november!}

 {Pumpkin Patch}

{Day Two Hundred and Eight Three}

{Untitled}

{295/365}

{( o (}

{Happy (it's the Great Pumpkin) Bench Monday!}

{Untitled}

Treasures of the Heart

 

"The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart."

~ Author Unknown

The sweet, lovely and talented Tracey Clark of Shutter Sisters asked if I would be an honorary sister and guest blogger. They thought I would be a perfect fit seeing as though their word of the month for their One Word Project is Treasure.

My post is up today! Be sure to check it out :)

Remember my first post? Once again, Cory and I were out together (this time it was at the Woodburn Tulip Festival) and we stumbled across another pair of kissing salt and pepper shakers. I knew they had to be mine.

"Be like a flower and turn your face to the sun."

 

~ Kahlil Gibran

Most of us know the old adage, “April showers bring May flowers.” In 1557 a gentleman by the name of Thomas Tusser compiled a collection of writings he called "A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry." In the April Husbandry section he wrote,"Sweet April showers do spring May flowers." This poem represents many things. The coming rain and sunshine make flowers grow and spring to life during these months. The most unpleasant of things can bring about pure joy. I believe that is something we face daily: getting through the hardships of life, to grow together and as individuals, and to face the beauty after the storm.

May is also a time in which we celebrate our mothers. The traditional practice of honoring Motherhood is rooted in antiquity; societies tended to celebrate Goddesses and symbols rather than actual Mothers. Only in the past few centuries did celebrations of Motherhood develop a decidedly human focus. Now, on Mother's day, it is common for Mothers to be lavished with presents (flowers being an extremely popular choice) and special attention from their families, friends and loved ones. This year I gave my mother a bag full of old fashioned candies (including Boston Baked Beans, Chico Sticks, Wax Bottles, Mars Bars, Abba-Zabba Bars) to remind her of when I was born. She always tells me stories about how she was addicted to Snickers and Abba-Zabba Bars when she was pregnant with me. Cory and I were walking around downtown Portland's much talked about 23rd Street when we came across "Northwest Sweets." It's new to the area so we had never been inside before. It's filled with old fashioned candies and confections made by the owner (I highly recommend the Buddha's delight caramels... DELICIOUS). 

Another flower filled event that to look forward to is the Woodburn Tulip Festival at the Wooden Shoe Tulip farm here in Oregon. My grandparents live in Woodburn and I have been seeing an Acupuncturist/Chiropractor in the area and saw all these signs that the festival was taking place. I told Cory that we might as well go after one of my appointments and take some pictures before it came to a close for the year. We were blown away at the remarkable beauty before us. It was a sea full of tiny treasures. I couldn't believe I had lived so close to such a gorgeous place my entire life and had never been before. I can't wait for next year!

 "Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."

"Nature is just enough; but men and women must comprehend and accept her suggestions."

 

"Untitled"

 "17/52 Bench Monday {Windmill Edition}"

I leave you today with some fabulous floral photographs from a few of the many talented contributors at Tiny Treasures (we have nearly 700 members, wow!!). Hopefully they inspire you to stop and smell the roses...

"Still Life"

"Untitled"

"Happy Mother's Day!"

"Untitled"

"Full Bloom"

"Untitled"

"All Things Bright and Beautiful..."

"Field of Tulips!"

"292/365"

"123/365"

"Oh Hello There Wednesday "

"Busy Bee"

 

"111.365 - Yuki ♥s Spring"

"Day 98: Relax"