Summer

Well, it has sure been a bit since I posted last. I blame Summer, for we have been living in the light these past few months. It has been a pleasant time spent in the sun having fun, but, also a tumultuous time. So much going on and projects that are being planned out. Changes that are going to be happening as well. I am one of those people who fear change. I don't know exactly why that is, but fear of the unknown is part of it. I have been working more to try and change that as I try to evolve into the person I want to be. It has been a road of introspection and it has also been long, lol. Is it working? I cant say right now, all I do know is I am putting in the effort to spot things that need changing and I am trying to enjoy it. Who knew I would be starting this journey this late in the game, lol.  

As for the projects, I have not decided which will come first as that will depend on my place in the line, but good things are up none the less. I am happy to announce that the coffee table is in the planning stages finally! That is exciting as I have been thinking and gathering photos for it for a long time now. My website will be getting a little revamp soon too. I also realized that I have been lagging on my legging postings. (see what I did there, lol) Sorry about that. After this coming week, I will be around more and be able to post more. We are currently launching our Halloween leggings. They are super cute! As follows and the link is right over there ------->

 Many customers and Lala Family members requesting Halloween designs, My Lala worked around the clock to get these out as quick as possible!!!! These super cute designs will be out today (Friday) by 9am pst.
Halloween……………………….OS, Curvy, EC 24-32, Kids
Phantom…………………………Yoga Band Curvy
Pumpkin Knit………………….High Heat 3-9
Trick or Treat…………………OS, Curvy, EC 24-32, Kids
Candy Corn…………………..OS, Curvy
Creepy Crawly……………….OS, EC 24-32
Hiss……………………………….OS, Curvy, EC 24-32
Full Throttle………………..OS, EC 24-32. Kids
Dead Man Party………….OS, Curvy, EC 20-26, Kids
Pumpkin……………………..OS, EC 24-32, Kids

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy weekend! Hope you are able to get out and live in the light!
Artfully Odd

Paerback is Back!

Hello there! I hope this finds you doing well today and excited that spring is just around the corner. I know I am! Not that this winter was a bad one, but I have to be honest...I have been dreaming of summer for weeks now. I miss my flip flops. However, we are almost there and that makes me happy. 

On another note, The Find of Her Life is back in paperback after having undergone a formatting overhaul. I have seen an advance of it and I think it looks great! Be sure to get a copy today. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my reviews come back over, once amazon adds it back to my author central page. I would certainly welcome new reviews though, even if you have already given one. Keep me posted on your thoughts on the new format too. Looking forward to hearing from you!

I hope you all have a wonderful day and if you are in the path of this nor'easter coming, be safe out there.

Anna
Artfully Odd World

Linkville Press Anthology

I am so excited to share this news with you!!! The Linkville Press author anthology, themed New Year, is almost ready and will be posted on Amazon in the next couple of days. This anthology will feature seven plus stories from various Linkville authors, including myself and the proceeds for this short story collection will go to charity. I am very happy to be a part of this project. Be sure to check back for the final details. 

***The Anthology is LIVE on Amazon now!***

Lost Files-Words & Things

I am always scribbling on paper. I have reams of it all over the house. There are notebooks in a bin by my desk that I write in. When I am gone, someone, (Maddy) will go through all of it and think...what the heck? She was the pack rat of paper, lol! Today, as I was looking for one said notebook, I stumbled onto a poem I had started last year sometime...I think, lol. I never date these things, but none the less, there it was.

Who would have thought? Well, actually, I would have because you never know with me. As I said, always scribbling. So, in the spirit of this new moon and retrograde period...in the spirit of trying new things and opening ourselves up to all the universe has to offer, I am going to share what there is of these scribbles on paper. It has  no title, no form really. Just some ideas that I must have jotted down in between edits this past winter. I have noticed though, after reading this, that I usually write about one thing, lol and it's like this. A working title would be good though....

She walks those darkened hallways

Alone

Barefoot

Red is what she sees the most

It is warm and wet and envelopes her like the embrace of  a lost love

Wet, she feels it on the tips of her toes

The hem of her skirt

Red, like the color of love and life and the blood that she tastes

Wet, with the possibility of a future she could not even imagine

Blood in the silence of cast shadows

She dreams

Red

Wet

Open to the universe

Hmmmm....Definitely needs a title! Need to file this under my Words and Things category and the Lost Files. It's nice to find surprises while flipping through my notebooks. That's probably why I am a serial scribbler. I will be jotting down some more lines to this I hope. Perhaps then I will share how it has turned out. Anyway, I hope that the day has treated you well my friends. Here's to being open to all of this wonderful creativity in this retrograde period! What has been keeping you busy? How are you using this energy?

Have a great evening!

Anna

AO 

1 Snap for 30

Welcome to the 1st of September! As promised, today starts my 30 snaps for 30 challenge. Today finds me running errands. I know, boring right? It must be done though as we have family coming into town tomorrow. So I thought this a fitting that this be my first snap for thirty. Now you all know what kind of car I drive, lol. I hope I have had some takers on this challenge. I am going to use the tag 30snaps and 1snapfor30, feel free to use them too.

Have a great day my friends! Let's see where our eye leads us :)

Anna
Artfully Odd

One Snap for Thirty

Well, hello my friends! I hope that this finds you all doing well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer. We have been fairly active this summer and I have been glad for it as a few weeks ago, we lost my Dad. His death, while I am glad he is not suffering anymore, has affected me deeply. My Dad was a happy, funny, wise and loving individual who always had some wisdom to share. He did amazing things in his lifetime, like working for NASA...No, really...he did! He raised a son and then took on the task of being a wonderful father to me and my brothers. He made my Mother happy. He enjoyed camping, poker and he disliked anything that could not be explained rationally, lol. We once had an argument over the movie The Ring, because of that very thing, lol. Can you imagine? He was never far away and even though we had not talked over the phone much this past year, I loved him. I know he loved me.

I have been very blessed with a very strong support system and while I am not over this hurt by a long shot, they have kept me in the life of the living. Kept me busy. They have not allowed me to lay down and give in to my sorrow. Today, as I write this, I am very thankful for that. I am loved just as my Father was loved...he saved me more times than I can count and that's what it is all bout in this life. Forming lasting relationships in this big and scary world. Giving and being loved...well, I had that and will continue to have it. I was a very lucky girl to have him be a part of my life and I will miss him for as long as I am here on this plane. So, I have had good days and bad. I am sure that will stay with me for a while, but I still have to move forward. Even if there are days that I don't want to. I know that we as humans almost always say this when tragedy touches us, but it rings true. Tell those that you love, that you love them. Not just now and then, but EVERY single day! You just never know... 

In that spirit of things, a challenge has been lay down. Something to keep me from wallowing. Yes, I have decided to take on a little creative challenge. I am going to pursue some inspiration and shoot something every day for the month of September. That will mean that I will never be away from my camera. I will be looking for inspiration in everything I do. Even the boring stuff. I am pledging to post a snap for every day and I am kind of excited to see where I end up then. Just picture it...a snap shot of something every day. What will my life look like in photos? The possibilities are endless!

So, here it is. I am not only challenging myself to do this, but I am challenging you too! Imagine the things we can create or see or do in 1 month? What will all this creativity look like? How and where do we find inspiration? I don't know the answers, but I am excited to find them out! Are you with me?

Let's fill our news feeds and walls with something beautiful every day, just by living our lives!

Anna
Artfully Odd

Dreaming of Gloss

Hmmm Butter Gloss! NYX Blackberry Pie. Getting my Morticia on this afternoon. Ok...Love the texture and it has a cake batter taste to it...but it is a tad messy to get on. It's a true gloss, so it will smudge on contact. Don't give up on the first try of application. The color is extremely dark, as the name suggests...but I kind of like it. Makes me feel mysterious, lol. Perfect for that inner bad-ass I know I have! Wearing it all day though? Or on a night out on the town? I am not so sure that would work without some sort of sealer being applied to it. As I stated above, this gloss will smudge on contact. Having said all of this though, I would most certainly recommend! Go on! Give it a try and have some fun with it! After all...We need more fun in this crazy world we live in!

Dreaming of Gloss!

Maggie-The Find of Her Life

I don't know...kinda looks like Maggie, don't you think? This was a mock up for the cover before we finally settled on the final image. Thanks to my friends at Evil Genius Group for helping me make Maggie come alive!




A big thanks goes out to Linkville for producing the cover on the book now. A lot of hard work went into it and I have received a lot of compliments so far. If you haven't gotten your copy yet, visit me on amazon.

Taking Action

Hello there. I hope that this finds you all doing well. I must say, this winter has been easy on us here in Upstate. That's really nice, because last year? Well, lets just say that Mother Nature did her best to beat us up last winter. So, it has been a somewhat easy couple of months. I will not lie though, I can not wait until warmer temps stop by and say hello. You know, sunshine and some flip flops. Yea, that would be nice right about now. But, I digress...

As the title says, I am taking action and it's pretty exciting! I have some announcements that will be coming soon about some design work with my art and I can't wait to share that with you all. I am on the hunt for a new camera too. My decision is now between a Olympus or a Cannon. I have 2 picked out, just have to make a decision. I am currently researching each one, but I thought I would ask you all. Which do you prefer? I am not a Nikon girl, nor do I think I will ever be. But, if you have u

sed Cannon or Olympus I would love to hear your thoughts on either one. I currently have an Olympus and I LOVE it. We have created some really great photos together, but I need more megapixels...So I have to upgrade. Thank you for your thoughts in advance.

I am also looking to do more portrait session in the coming season and back away from prints for a while. I am currently working on some photo packages, with pricing starting at 150 for a mini session to 350 for a fantasy session. I will have more information on that coming up soon, so be on the lookout. In the mean time, if you are wanting to schedule a session or need some questions answered about a session, feel free to email me.

Hoping that you are all having a wonderful start to your week and are staying warm when you can. Let's have some hot chocolate, shall we? :)

Artfully Odd
Anna

It's Tricky-Total Update

It's tricky, that retrograde! It tried to knock me off my game a bit...put some plans on hold...terrorize me even. However, that is what its there for. To shake us all up a bit. Make us see things more clearly. Decide what is important and what isn't. It's tricky! No more though! I meant what I said and said what I meant. This is the year for getting things done. Seeing dreams come true. Making things happen. One of those things is, drum roll please, getting my store up and running. It was supposed to happen about 2 years ago and for reasons beyond my control, (and some within) it got scrapped. This is me putting thought into motion, holding myself accountable. 2016 the year of my store! Stay tuned for details.

I am working on a few art projects as well. Hope to get one done soon and share it. Along with that, I am taking photo jobs here and there. If you would like to book a session, contact me and we can get something on the books. I am also, currently on the hunt for a few models for future projects. (See the line above if interested as well.) Looking for a bit of help too. If you could take a look at my work and let me know if you have a favorite print that I have done. One that you think would make a good print in my store, I would be profoundly grateful and give you 10% off your next print order. After weeks of looking at my work and trying to pick what is best, I have come to the decision that I am not capable of choosing, lol. My work is like a child to me and I could never exclude one for the other. Although, I will admit that some of my older stuff is not that great. I have learned a lot in the past years that I have put to good use and made some good strides in my art.

In other news, some of you have asked when my book will be coming out. It is currently in stage 3 of editing and I should have some news on it soon. I have been through 2 editors, so it has taken a bit longer. Thank you for staying patient with me on this project. I have actually learned a lot during this process and I look forward to having a finished book to share.

I guess that about wraps it up for now. Leave a comment and let me know how you are all doing. How has this new year been treating you? What projects do you have in the works? Looking forward to hearing from you :)

Artfully Odd
Anna

2016-Bring it On!

I am writing this today with a whole lot of love, joy and excitement in my heart. 2016 is almost here and I just can't wait for all it has in store! Just like a kid on Christmas Even excited! I am usually a pretty positive person, no matter what...but something about this new year has me pretty excited! I think I may know why. Given everything that we have gone through in the past few years, I finally feel like this coming year is my year! The possibilities are endless. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a bridge, waiting to bungee jump off it and for the first time ever...I wont scream, jump back or startle at the sight of the edge in view. I am just going to open my arms wide and free fall and laugh when I bounce back up!

So, what has brought about this change you may ask? Well, I am not sure if most of you will remember the kind of year that we had last year or not. Let me tell you, it was scary and hard and I cried a whole lot. There were so many decisions to be made that totally stressed us all out. Things to worry about that I didn't think I would ever have to to worry about. (Like making sure my will is all in order and my daughter was safe.) And from that, something wonderful happened. I know what's important now and most of all, who is important. I learned not to sweat the small stuff and to just try and go with the flow more. I learned that living life is more important than making plans to live it. Seize the day...seems so corny to say, but it is so very true. So this year, I am doing me, and our family and our life. I am going to try new things, see new sights and meet new people. I am going to do all of those things that I want to do and not worry about whether or not its a good idea. There will be no list making. There will just be jumping off the edge to see what happens. I learned a very valuable lesson. Life is a precious gift and I am done being scared and unhappy to any extent. So, let's get it started.

I will be taking steps to open my store again. It got derailed the first time, but this is the year. I will be booking more shoots this year. I am going to start taking my prints to craft fairs and building a real business. I will be spending my time with my loved ones the way I want. (Lori, we are going to take a page out of your book!) Adventure awaits!!! It awaits us all!

So, what more can I share my friends? If I had any piece of advice, it is to live in the moment. Be present. Put your phone down and open your eyes. Have a conversation with someone. Do something that terrifies you and will exhilarate you all at the same time. Love your family and be there for the friends that are there for you. Forget all of that bullshit that is the past! It will serve you no good now. Be kind to those you meet, for you never know what their path has been like. And finally, find joy! Be joyful! I wish you a very happy and healthy 2016 my friends!

Happy-Happy
Joy-Joy
Anna
Artfully Odd

Oh My Gosh, It's December!

My title says it all really! Where on earth did fall go? Looking back at my posts, I realize that its been some time since I jotted anything down here. I am sorry for that. Fall was a really busy season for us, including our vacation to Niagara Falls. We had such a good time and if you follow me on Facebook, you have seen what a lovely place it is via our photos. However you spent your fall season, I hope it was a good one! Now December is here!!! Can you believe it? We are currently busy getting ready for the holidays. We are looking forward to having a quiet and calm season with our daughter visiting shortly after. I am looking so forward to a calm end to 2015, (It has really been quite a year! The good and the bad.) and all that 2016 has in store for us!

On to artistic endeavors...I have been working on some new photography projects as well as taking on new photo shoots. Its been a lot of fun and I must say, the creativity that I am enjoying has been amazing. I have a new series in the works that I am really excited about! Can't wait to share it all with you. I was lucky enough to have just finish a fantastic shoot with the lovely Kim. She wanted to do something special to honor her family and I think the creative concept we came up with was pretty cool. I am sharing a few shots from the session here and I hope that you like the creativity that went into it. (On and ending note, Kim got permission from the church and the cemetery to be there and shoot photos there. We did this all with respect to her family as well as the other families there.)

Well, that's all for now. I hope that you are enjoying a wonderful week and wish you a lovely weekend!

Artfully Odd
Anna

Just a Thought

We as people, should be lifting each other up, not stepping on each other to get to where we are going. That goes for artists as well. How much better would our world be if what was put out was goodness, compassion, and the like? Just a thought....

Have a wonderful week!
A

Words and Things

Working with words can be cathartic and fun :) What words would you choose today?

#WordsandThings 

New Poem-The Soul's Hammer

So, I couldn't sleep the other night. Something kept running through my brain and would not let me be. So, I got up, grabbed my journal and this is what came out. Sometimes a poem just sort of pours out of you and you get surprised by the results. This did surprise me a bit but I love how it all came together. Hope you do too. #WordsandThings 

The Soul’s Hammer:

This girl; Oh so lonely

Tears cascade down the hills and valleys of her soul

Days stretch into years as light vanishes out over the twilight of the horizons edge

There is just her being and the endless darkness of silence in the velvet

No words spoken; only deep, deep thoughts remain

Deep thoughts that steal her breath and blot out the light of her arch

Dark

Dark

Dark

Night falls out of the body

Time holds no resonating beat

Rivers churn in her spirit

Trees bend with her will

This girl; Oh so lonely

Light

Light

Light

Where is the sunshine of the soul

To make it to the other side

She must grasp handfuls of summer grass

See the fields dotted with the bone white lilies of the valley

The end is illuminated on the horizon of salvation from death

Calm

Calm

Calm

The soul is quiet now

Time has a resonating beat

Time has a resonating beat

Tick tock

Tick tock

Tick tock

This girl; Oh so lonely

Lonely never more

The sunshine of the soul explodes

Time has a resonating beat

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Tick

(C) Anna Patten 2015

Art Prints

New art prints are up and ready to view on the site.

Well hello there. How is everyone doing this weekend? Enjoying the month of October so far? Crisp fall has finally arrived here in upstate. We did not get much color in the Capital District, but that snap that the air gets this time of year, arrived today in full force. The smell of wood smoke has been in the air at night too...I totally love that. I think that if I could live in a world where it was this weather all the time, I could be very happy. Sweaters, hot tea, boots...Yea, its pretty great. I hope that whatever you are up to this fall, you are having a great time :)

I have a lot going on right now. I guess when fall comes around, the busy time picks up. Gone are the quieter days of summer. I am trying to take full advantage of it all. I have been working on a line of art prints that are turning out nicely I think. I have 2 novels in consideration as well as a short story, and my poetry has been coming along too. On top of all of that, I have a new job with an ad agency that I am quite excited about. Fall has been pretty good and for once, I am allowing myself to feel pretty good about all that's to come. I am, however, looking forward to December. Things will quiet down again for us then, and I plan to take full advantage of it. This has been a tough year for both Buzz and I. It taught us a lot of things about life...what's important and what isn't...so I am extremely thankful for everything. I hope that where ever you are on your journey friends, that you are happy and healthy and thankful.

Happy Sunday my friends.

Anna

artfullyodd.com 

Spooky Time and Senior Portraits

Hello again dear readers. I hope this finds you doing well today. As I write this, we are on the verge of another weekend. This week just flew by if you ask me and I can't believe that October is just around the corner! Technically a good thing for me, as I love all things October! I actually dug my sweaters out of storage the other day in preparation!!! Buzz and I have a couple of fun trips planned, like the Pumpkin Blaze and the haunted Albany tour. I can not wait! Hot cocoa time and all things spooky...yes, that's for me! And who knows what I will photograph :) Something spooky and beautiful I hope.

What's not spooky though, is what else comes around this time of year. Senior portrait time is here again and I was lucky enough to have a shoot just for that last weekend. She wanted to do something a little different than the norm. So I chose Washington park as our background and boy, did we get lucky with the weather. We could not have asked for anything better than last Saturday. While my style tends to lean toward the more odd, I reigned it in a bit and I think we were able to get some beautiful and interesting photos that will be totally unique to her. My tip for a session like this is to listen to your subject, discover what they really want and work together with them to create that vision. Allow them some wardrobe changes and props. Let their personality shine through :) I am posting a few below and giving a shout out to Michaella for a wonderful shoot! Congratulations to you and the class of 2015!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! Happy Haunting :)
Anna

For Mark

Well hello there. How have you all been since my last entry? Good I hope. Fall arrived here in Upstate quite quickly. To be honest, the changing of the seasons came, literally from one day to the next. I am not complaining though, because I love this time of year! Crisp air and the smell of wood smoke in the air...ah perfection.Our leaves are changing here, but slowly. I hope that in another week or so we have some really good color. Yea, photographers dream! I hope you are enjoying this time of year as much as I am.

On to other things...I was talking with a friend this morning about writing. He heard that writers should write every day no matter what. No matter if its good or not, just get the words flowing. This is true and something I tend to do every day no matter what. My house is littered with little scraps of paper with scribbled words on them, notebooks filled with stories that I write when I have writers block. Sometimes an idea will come to me while I am in the shower and I will have to jot it down as soon as I am out. Like this thought I had today, 'What would a con look like in the 1600's? And if Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were really Vampires, would they be a part of it?' You know, something ala Oceans 11 maybe. I jotted it down and it went right on the pile of scribbles. Whoever cleans out my place after I am gone will be in for a treat, lol! Lots of paper, words and library books. Did I mention that I buy old library books? Our library here sells old books, $2.00 for a bag full. I always get my bag full :)

Anyway, on to the writing. Yes, its true...writers write. Sometimes every day. I generally wake up with a mission to create something every day if possible. Photos, Painting, Writing...I try to do something every single day. That's what it's all about, isn't it. There is so much beauty out there in life, in this great big world...I like to contribute to that beauty when I can. No matter if its good or bad. No matter if anyone likes it or not, because that's what its all about. You can choose to be positive and fill your space with words that feed your mind or art even when the world outside is hard. It can be a comfort food for your soul and a soft blanket for your mind. Create my friends and see what beautiful things start to bloom! Feed your soul...

 So Mark, this is what I wrote today. It's rough, bad even, but I find it very funny and funny is good right now!

They Never Call:

Castle

Stone walls

She waits

Endless fields of green

Spread out over the vastness of time

She waits

Line of sight on the blue horizon

No horses today

She waits

Tear stained cheeks

Feelings of love lost

She waits

Years fly past

Time stands still

She waits

The Reaper’s at the door

He knocks with bony knuckles

She’s dead

Death took her in his arms

Her love never called

She waits…………..

No more

Have a wonderful week my friends.

Light & Love~Anna

18 Chapters Done!!!!

Ok, so I surprised myself yesterday by writing 3 full chapters. That makes a total of 18 so far and that is also sort of a big deal for me! The manuscript I have been working on has been in the works for a few years now and it feels really good to be almost done with it. Now, fingers crossed that the rest of it writes itself as smoothly. Sometimes it's hard to get the vision in your head down on paper and sometimes your characters fight with you for a new outcome. I am excited to see where they let me take it.

Anyway, thought a would share a snippet that I wrote yesterday. This is the beginning of my chapter 17, hope you enjoy:

My Dearest Love-

I am most sorry that I was not able to travel back to the city with you. Leaving you in the care of others was a very difficult thing for me to do, however, Mary is a most capable woman with admirable qualities. She has informed me that you actually know one another and she looks forward to continuing friendship with you. I can rest assured that you, my love, are in capable hands.

I do not know when I may see you again, as this war seems to consume me. The army made some progress at Manmouth. A victory of sorts and I thought that you would want to know that I believe the tide has started to turn. Just as you said it would. I do not dare to hazard a guess at how you know the things you know, but your constant support of our cause and my men is enough to keep me moving forward.

I continue to pray for your recovery and long for the day when I might hold you in my arms again. You have become my constant in such a short amount of time, so much so, that I find it hard to fathom. We know each other it would seem, so well and yet, I long to know more. To know that your thoughts are consumed of me too is one of my greatest wishes. I meant what I said to you dear heart. I may not be able to promise you all you deserve, but I will continue to provide you with all that I have.

Please do not be cross with me when you wake. I did not know that the doctor had plans to bleed you and upon my return, I almost whipped him for it. The amount of the loss was little and I dare say that you did start to rally afterwards. Mary has continued to send me word of your health and I am encouraged by what she says. You will be well soon and we shall all be glad for it.

Until the day that I may return to you, I ask you to please remember that I love you most ardently, and If I am not to return, please know that my last thoughts were most certainly of you dear heart. I have been blessed by your grace. You are my life, you are my love, and you are my everything.

Loving regards-

(C) Anna Patten 2014

I am leaving out who it's from on purpose, lol. You will have to wait and see when it's all done. Again, I want to take a moment to thank you for all the support. It has meant more to me and has encouraged me at times when I wanted to throw in the towel. 

I hope this week is a good one for you as we go into the last days of summer. Remember to keep dreaming my friends and always try to stay on the sunny side :) Happy Monday!

Anna

View from the Bridge

View from the bridge over the Hudson-

Peebles Island State Park

Sometimes a diary of a photographer is just that, the diary of my day. I was out for a walk early last evening because the weather was just so beautiful. I have been stuck in doors too much as of late and last night, I just wanted to break free. So, I headed out to my usual walking spot and this is what I saw. Pretty view if I do say so myself. I love being out this time of the day because the light is just amazing. The sky is just so blue and the sun sets on the water...It's a pretty great sight! I am so blessed and I never feel it more, than when I am out in this light and nature. It's just a wonderful thing!

On another note, the store is starting to take shape now. Getting a lot of my inventory ordered and painting will start next week. I will keep you all up to date on the happenings. Also, I had my first official hanging this week! That was pretty exciting. A big shout out to Robin and Sue and Robins Shining Shears for having me!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend and a happy holiday week.
Anna
Artfully Odd Photos