Capture this.

This is one of the earliest known photographs of a human. This photograph was made 171 years ago, it shows a young Robert Cornelius aged 30, standing outside his families business in Philadelphia. It has been argued that the most poignant thing about this photograph is that what you see is a real man - a man you could reach out and almost touch, a man you could talk to, or even desire. This daguerreotype did not only change the way we see photography now. It works some kind of alchemy. One glance and it drags us back into the past. It is bringing history to life.

Photography is, to put it simply, a pure passion of mine. Something that creates happiness, love, and creativity on a different plane from most other things in my life. It allows me to take an adventure, and re live it over and over and over again. Sometimes in snapshots of the beautiful faces of the people I am blessed to meet, other times, its in stills of the land in which I walk. More often then not, they aren't anything entirely special to look at, but somehow, they manage to tell a story, better than any words I may ever be able to write.

Sometimes Sweet

Danielle Hampton is the author of the lovely blog Sometimes Sweet. I have only just recently stumbled upon this little piece of internet paradise, but boy I am glad that I did. Danielle's blog is filled with love and happiness, and stories of her wonderful life with her Husband Hank and their adorable boston terrier pup Madeline. She drops by to talk about pie, tv on dvd boxsets and what the year ahead will bring.

Hi my name is Danielle, but you can call me Dani if you'd like. My blog is a place for me to document every little bit of it for my future self to look back on and smile. When I was a kid I wanted to be an "international business woman," whatever that means! Every morning I wake up and give my husband a kiss. The best thing I have learned in the last 7 days is that the organization of my surroundings is in direct correlation to my stress level. An uncluttered home and workspace equals a clear, happy mind. In my bedroom you will find a huge comfy bed and lots of books! I cant live without exercising every day, my husband Hank, talking to my family and girlfriends, and our puppy Madeline. My Favorite thing to cook is pie! It's my number one dessert and thing to create. If I could hang out with one person (dead or alive) for a day it would be Syliva Plath. I believe in myself and in the power of love. On Sunday afternoons I like to go grocery shopping, catch up with my best friends via telephone, and take long naps. I think everyone should know that I love you! My guilty pleasure is getting a boxset of a television show I love and staying in bed for hours and hours until I finish it! The best advice my mum ever gave me was be yourself- who cares what anyone else thinks! My favorite disney movie is The Little Mermaid or Snow White. In 2010 I will hopefully have many, many exciting life changes take place! ;)

Make sure you check out Danielles super sweet blog to catch up on all her adventures and to see exactly what 2010 holds for her!

And remember to enter my very first competition by clicking here... oh how exciting!!

Feeling Lucky?

Introducing... Miss Sparkle.

Oh how exciting! She Waits For Whispers is holding a little competition!

You know what they say, You have to be in it to win it, and this is super easy! All you have to do is simply comment on this blog entry, and tell me 2 things.

1. What is your favourite item on the Miss Sparkle felt page?
2.If you had a magic wand, and could do any one thing in the world with it. What would you do?

I have two of these gift packs to give away, which will include all sorts of lovely goodies! Some of which are featured on the Miss Sparkle felt page, and some items which are only just being finished as your read this little entry, and have yet to be uploaded to the little online store!!

So what are you waiting for! Entries will close at the end of day on Friday 26th of February. The lucky winners will be contacted via email, so dont forget to leave that in your comment too!

The next Installment

Oh I have been so slack in uploading these photos.
Here are a few weeks worth of images for the 365 project

30. Girls + Rom Coms + Junk Food

31. Doodling in my album.


32. an afternoon at the city gallery

33. Delicious Dinner34. Feeding the Ducks

35. Cross Stitching.

36. Playing with my Diana.

37. Ruthy came to play.
38. Notes on Reciepts and New Magazines.

39. Some much needed rain.

40. Instant Fun.

41. Computer Updates.

42. Stormy Nights


43. hanging out with the gypsys at the fair



44. The start of a new project

46. Happy Valentines.

Shake the Dust

This is for the fat girls.
This is for the little brothers.
This is for the school-yard wimps, this is for the childhood bullies who tormented them.
This is for the former prom queen, this is for the milk-crate ball players.
This is for the nighttime cereal eaters and for the retired, elderly Wal-Mart store front door greeters.
Shake the dust.
This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them,
for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns,
for the men who have to hold down three jobs simply to hold up their children,
for the nighttime schoolers and the midnight bike riders who are trying to fly. Shake the dust.
This is for the two-year-olds who cannot be understood because they speak half-English and half-god.
Shake the dust.
For the girls with the brothers who are going crazy,
for those gym class wall flowers and the twelve-year-olds afraid of taking public showers,
for the kid who's always late to class because he forgets the combination to his lockers,
for the girl who loves somebody else.
Shake the dust.
This is for the hard men, the hard men who want to love but know that is won't come.
For the ones who are forgotten, the ones the amendments do not stand up for.
For the ones who are told to speak only when you are spoken to and then are never spoken to. Speak every time you stand so you do not forget yourself.
Do not let a moment go by that doesn't remind you that your heart beats 900 times a day and that there are enough gallons of blood to make you an ocean.
Do not settle for letting these waves settle and the dust to collect in your veins.
This is for the celibate pedophile who keeps on struggling,
for the poetry teachers and for the people who go on vacations alone.
For the sweat that drips off of Mick Jaggers' singing lips and for the shaking skirt on Tina Turner's shaking hips, for the heavens and for the hells through which Tina has lived.
This is for the tired and for the dreamers and for those families who'll never be like the Cleavers with perfectly made dinners and sons like Wally and the Beaver.
This is for the biggots,
this is for the sexists,
this is for the killers.
This is for the big house, pen-sentenced cats becoming redeemers and for the springtime that always shows up after the winters.
This? This is for you.
Make sure that by the time fisherman returns you are gone.
Because just like the days, I burn both ends and every time I write, every time I open my eyes I am cutting out a part of myself to give to you.
So shake the dust and take me with you when you do for none of this has never been for me.
All that pushes and pulls, pushes and pulls for you.
So grab this world by its clothespins and shake it out again and again and jump on top and take it for a spin and when you hop off shake it again for this is yours.
Make my words worth it, make this not just another poem that I write, not just another poem like just another night that sits heavy above us all.
Walk into it, breathe it in, let is crash through the halls of your arms at the millions of years of millions of poets coursing like blood pumping and pushing making you live, shaking the dust.
So when the world knocks at your front door, clutch the knob and open on up, running forward into its widespread greeting arms with your hands before you, fingertips trembling though they may be.

Shake the Dust - Anis Mojgani

Make me beautiful

Images found on we heart it

Its no secret that I love tattoos. I have eleven so far, and have numerous planned for the future. I love the idea of carrying my story on my body, memories on my skin. What a perfect way to document your life. I can remember each trip to the tattoo shop, the feeling, the excitement. The buzzing of the gun working its way through the layers, to permanently imprint a little bit of magic. My tattoos document the hard times and the good ones. The people I love and the things I need to be reminded of. They serve as not only decoration to my body, but encouragement to my soul.

I know that alot of people have a lot of opinions about tattoos and what they represent, what are your thoughts? Do you have tattoos? Do you want them? Do you even like them?

I really love your shirt...

Today, while I was picking something up from a local shop for my work, the lady behind the counter told me that I had beautiful nails and she liked the colour of the polish I had chosen. I smiled, said thank you, and went back to work with a smile on my face. I have been having a great day ever since. Isn't it funny how these words this lady decided to speak to me, had such an effect over my whole day. This got me thinking, about the negative things that people say, and really the power of our words.

I know we have all heard it before, but for some reason or another, I think that maybe today it sunk a little further into my mind. We really do have the ability to shape people. Thats kinda a little bit HUGE dont you think?

Its so easy to assume the negative position, to analyse the clothing someone decided to wear, or the way that their hair is looking, its even easy to outright make a decision you do not like someone, purely based on appearance. Which, I personally think, Kinda (alotta!!) sucks.

So here is my challenge. To make at least 3 genuine compliments a day. Whether it be to strangers who are packing my groceries at the store, or the people I work with or love. Sounds easy right? I wonder if it will be. Join in with me? It will be fun, and might just put a smile on someones face, someone who even though you didnt know...really needed it.