Sometimes It's Hard to Choose!

Hi!
This will actually be a post on photography - something I haven't posted on in a long time! Basically I'm going to show you a process of editing and visually selecting what images I put out there on the web. I love editing, but sometimes it's hard to choose which version I like best, or I think works best.

Here we have my retouched image in it's full, original crop:

Now, I'm trying to decide how I'm going to crop it. Though in the end I'll usually choose one version to post on my web portfolios, I'll end up liking a few variations. Like these 3:

Today I picked the 2nd version. But THEN I get I come to a point where I'm not sure which editing to stick with...

No!! I like all of them...but then eventually I decide to go with the 2nd editing. So there we have it, a little glimpse into how I work with my photos!

99% Self Made

Here are some quick photos I took of my Book Media class final project. The project was to make a book, any kind of book really. I've made a mini - 5 x 7 inches book. It was an illustrated poem about a snowflake=) And the book is almost entirely self made. I wrote, illustrated, printed, cut, stitched, sewed, and bound the pages and the cover myself. (sorry the images are small, but I've got to protect my hard work I suppose)
You can read the text better on this post though --> http://mariaolshevskaexpressions.blogspot.com/2010/11/today-ive-decided-to-share-some-more.html

book cover - embroidered/cross stitched design

close up

back cover

back cover detail

Hybrid Family

Below is piece I did that will be part of my last Illustration project for this semester -- Artist Book/Portfolio=)
It started off as a doodle in my sketchbook as just some little hybrid picture that I thought was cute. But then as the composition and concept evolved in head, I realized that what I was ending up with could also be a metaphor...but that is up to your interpretation as always=)

finished product

original sketch

Technical info: 
 the finished illustration is done on 8.5 x 11'' paper
& was drawn with 0.1 and 0.05 ink pens

Can't Rain On My Parade

7x7 inches/coloured pencil crayons/fine black ink pen

Hi there!
This is my third assignment for my Illustration class. It's a psychological self portrait. Can you guess what it's supposed to portray? (I hope so!!) It's my positive attitude conquering any things that could possibly bring me down. That is my outlook on life, my philosophy. And it has been greatly encouraged by The Power - a book by Rhonda Byrne, the author of The Secret. I recommend it!

ABC's of Goodies

The following is the outcome of a writing exercise we did in my Creative Writing class yesterday. The objective was to write a story/poem/piece of writing where each line began with a word starting with the corresponding letter of the alphabet.

"ABC's of Goodies"

All children like goodies
Baked goodies to be more precise
Cookies, cakes, croissantes
Donuts, danishes,
Eclairs,
Fudge brownies
Good treats are hard to pass by
How can one resist soft and warm pastries?
Ice-cream is tasty too though
Jello as well
Kids actually like anything sweet I think
Little it matters to them, as long as sugar is the main ingredient
Many would even eat fruit, if it is bursting with sweetness
Nothing compares to parties
Often there is a variety of things to choose from there
Pie or cupcake? Chocolate or sorbet?
Questions that may be impossible to answer
Really, must one decide?
Silly grown-ups think so
Toddlers and tykes disagree
Unless the dessert table is empty, there's no reason to stop
Very many people admit they
Wish they were little again
Xylophones, hide-and-seek, candy delights are all so fun
You play, laugh, and enjoy life's little things
Zero worries about fat and calories.

Plus, check out my friend's blog, where she posts silly, little short stories that she writes with her left hand during class for fun---> http://thelefthandedmuse.wordpress.com/