Vintage Photos, Laces, Hearts, and Dried Roses

Nostalgia, Blessings, Remembering, Growing.

It always seems that when I work with my laces, I'm thinking of people who lived long ago.

When I touch the beautiful designs made by hands long ago, it connects me in the NOW, with people from the PAST.  And it makes me think.  What will people in the FUTURE think or know about me?

Am I leaving something behind for those who will come after me that will be of value?

I know I am.  Because I'm a living, breathing, human being of value to God, and so are YOU.

We have a purpose here.  We have a place, and we have HIM.

My value?  Only God knows the real value, but I can name a few that I see.

To my husband, my children, my church family, and my friends.

You see, things would be a lot different if I wasn't here.

And that's what I guess I'm getting at.

I almost wasn't.

These vintage photos are just so sweet.  Beautiful children who lived long ago.

Their pictures left behind for others to value.

But the people themselves, they had value, and they probably grew up to have their own children, and then THEY had children who may be those of you who are reading this today.

Being you today is a gift from God.  Life is a gift.  And it's God's to give or take.

The old things I collect and love to play with are truly just things.  They have little value.

And as I grow older, I seem to be able to pass more of the items I've cherished on to others.  Realizing that it's the OTHERS who have value!

I'm so thankful for photos.  They are the visual history of our world.  Truly, a picture is worth a thousand words!  And the photos I cherish of my loved ones from the past as well as my children from today make my life happier.  Those have value.  Because THEY had/have value.

And some day when photos are all that is left of me, I hope that the people seeing them will realize that life is precious.  That life if of value.  That THEY have value!

Mankind is always trying to do or make something that will keep their NAME remembered.

I don't care if my name is remembered.  I want them not to remember my name, but my JESUS!!

And the VALUE He puts in THEM!

I almost wasn't born, I was not wanted. And in a day and age where life is now an item that has little or no value, it makes me incredibly thankful to the ONE who gives life.  And to the one who decided to go against her parent's wishes and give me a life. 

Each of you who are reading this have been given a miracle.  LIFE.

Live it for a purpose.  Live it because you are special.  Live it because YOU HAVE VALUE!!

And thank the ONE who gave it to you.

Blessings,

Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday #82 A Few Finishes

I've shown you my now finished redwork (previous post) of which I thoroughly enjoyed working on.  I decided I was a big girl now and could graduate to a finer sized weave of material, therefore making the aida cloth no longer my favorite.  I feel like a child with a cardboard laceing toy with that aida now!!

But, before my official graduation, I wanted to show you what I finished in January.

I apologize for the terrible photography...more on that at the bottom of this post.

But, also sorry for the wrinkled pieces!  I have a hate/hate relationship with my iron.

I've also included a simple needle keep that I made out of an old bit of quilt.

I am having a problem with my vision it seems....every time I take a picture with my Nikon, I look at it from the screen on the back of the camera.  It looks clear and crisp.  THEN, I go to the computer, tranfer the images, and they look BLURRY!!!

What's the deal???  Is it me?  or could it actually be the Camera?

Maybe it's the editing software.  I don't know, but I'm depressed about it.

Do any of y'all have problems with your camera editing software?  In fact, could you please tell me what software you use?  I have this wonderful camera, a Nikon D5000

It's like putting a sports car into the hands of a 6 year old I know, but still, shouldn't I be able to take some good photos by now?  I mean, I've had it for over a year!!

I don't know how to use it to its full potential, but at least sometimes I get a few good shots.

What really makes my day go south though is when I 'think' I've taken some good photos and then I get to my computer. 

I've been using an old software edition from my old Kodak easyshare camera.  It was fine.  But when I went to try to use the Nikon software that came with that camera, I just couldn't figure out the editing.  No where does it let me crop, adjustments of photos are few, and I'm at a loss as to what to do.

So, my question to you is, what software is the least expensive, and the easiest to use???

I went to the office supply store near us (45 minutes away!), and Photoshop software made me loose my appetite.  Here I was all ready to shell out some big bucks (@50 of them), and lo and behold, they wanted my first born son and my right arm for the LEAST expensive version!!!

When I took the photo of the sampler above, the picture looked clear to me in the screen on the camera back.  I even showed it to my husband to PROVE that I could take a clear picture.

 I guess I'm just getting old.  These bifocals are a pain too.  I finally am getting used to wearing them, and I haven't fallen because of them (after a year and a half it's about time I am used to them!), but they are a real pain.

Well, enough of that.  If any of you have any suggestions, I would truly appreciate them!

If you'd like to join me for Pearls and Lace Thursday this week please add the url code of your post to the link below.  I've really had fun doing these, but I'm getting tired people.  I think this might be the last one for a while, so I'd like to thank you all for joining the party and making it so much fun to blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Blessings, Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday # 28

The Old Black Camera.

Bodies were held still as the cameraman (woman?) got the camera ready for the photo.  Probably just one shot.  More than one would cost too much.  No room for error, the poser stood perfectly still trying to keep their eyes open and ready for the huge flash that they knew was coming.

The picture had to be perfect.  If it wasn't, it would just have to do.

Could this picture be the one that he would send to that Mail Order Bride and would she approve?

Could that shot be the one that she would send to the possible suitor and would he like her looks?

Is the dress hanging just right?  Is the suit creased perfectly?  Do the earrings show and does the lace look right?  Did the hat need to be held in the right hand or the left???  Did I remember to shine my shoes??

Is he a gold digger or a preacher?  Did his mother receive the picture or did his girl?

Oh the stories that those photographers could tell!  Each one had a dozen new stories to add to the others each day.  They just hoped that no one would come in with their horse or chickens for the next shot.  That was hard to clean up after!

The different hues of black seem to be a huge part of our past heritage.  Pictures are now in color, our Bibles come in different colors now, and our instant society now emails a color picture to someone continents away in a flash.  Even the cameras now come in colors other than black.

But somehow, that old black cameras and pictures evoke a sense of history, of nostalgia, and a one-ness with those who no longer are with us.  Who were they?  I will not know that here.  But I know Who does!

One day, all those color pictures I took and printed will be handed down to another generation.  They will look at them and say, oh look, an old-fashioned photo.  I wonder if it's worth anything on Ebay?

And they won't know or care who it is.

That doesn't bother me.  God knows me.  Does He know You?

He knows us each by name, He made us, He knows our future.

Aren't you glad He does?

Please join me for Pearls and Lace Thursday, here each Thursday.  It runs for the whole week, so if you don't get a post ready for Thursday, just add it later!

Please choose the code for your post's url only, not blog urls or etsy/sales sites please. And please link back to this site as a courtesy and so others can find us!

Click on the Linky below and follow the prompts!

Just that easy!

Laces and Jewelry, whatever you love, share it with us!

I'm linking up with http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ for Show and Tell Friday! Be sure and check out the cool blogs!

Blessings to you!

Doni