January Out and About Submission from Virginia

Out with my Kentucky girlfriends (I've known since we were 14!) and my husband -- spa, wine-tasting and just having a good ol' time. While they were sipping the vintage, I snuck out into the rainy California day and grabbed a few pics in one of the side mirrors of an antique truck owned by the vineyard. This picture seems to reflect a few sides of my personality -- the vibrant greens of the nature lover, the teary the hopeful perspective of the blue skies.

January Others, Mirror, Self Submission from Billy

"Me and Aubrey at the Children's Museum. She has not quite figured out the hoola hoop!" -- Billy

January Out and About Submission from Billy

"There was a mirror inside of a model of an Adobe house at the Children's Museum. I got to be a child with my camera and granddaughter Aubrey! Oh to be young again! There is no substitute for youth!" -- Billy

January Mirror, Mirror Submision from Billy

"Hey Virginia, here is my entry for January. I was sitting in the rain waiting to pick up a horse. I happened to see the rear view mirror and thought about you -- Wallah!!! I like the glasses. They cover up bags and crow's feet. It was 36 degrees, should have been snow!!!" Billy

January Out and About Submission from Marsanne

"My post for today for the Creative Everyday Challenge. See me peeking through this cool mirror that we found at the Dollar Store? Only $10 bucks! I should have gotten it, but really, what would I use it for? It's not like I can really see myself in it...I try not to do too many pics with myself in them; I am much happier behind the camera. Plus, my mom looks at me all crazy when I take pictures of things in stores. :)" -- Marsanne

January Out and About Submission from Virginia

I am feeling like I'm pulled in a hundred directions right now -- fractured. Life keeps getting in the way of art. Multiple errands to run, groceries to buy, jewelry to make, cats to take to the vet, house to pick up, business e-course that I've fallen way behind in, mortgage applications, tax prep -- there just doesn't seem to be enough time to do anything creative. And that's not really true, because I know I could take 5 minutes and do a drawing, or a collage, anything. But right now I feel fractured in a million pieces, and all I can do is stare at my art studio door, and then run off and do another errand. So I was looking through my Mirror, Mirror photo possibilities and found a couple that I took at the Reflections exhibit this summer. Perfect for the moment.

Mirror, Mirror January Submission from Marsanne

"Beauty means nothing if you're not loved. I was feeling really sad for myself this day. I wanted the reflection to be all broken up, but I couldn't achieve the exact effect I was going for. My mom says she hates this one because I look miserable, but isn't that what sad is?" -- Marsanne

January Others, Mirror, Self Submission from Chrissy

"I took this earlier this month... I have this glass table outside and I love it when it rains because of how the rain gathers on the tabletop... what I like about this is that the water has reflected the sky... the droplets look like puzzle pieces... I've gotten a lot of great photos from this table, each picture different..." -- Chrissy

January Others, Mirror, Self Submission from Lisa

"Whilst taking photos of a new jewelry item the camera wanted to focus on the reflection of the outdoors more than the item itself. The camera captured the old oak trees in the mirrored reflection on this clear Swavorski flat crystal heart. I have another where it captured the bird feeder. I like my new camera. It has a mind of its own." -- Lisa

January Wild Card Submission from Virginia

This photo amuses me...I have my own halo! Halos have been used traditionally in art to indicated sainthood or saintly behavior. A golden disc of light or a Saturn-type ring of light was placed behind or over the saint's head. What if we were all capable of "saintly" behavior? Tall order if you compare yourself to a saint. What if saintly meant reaching our potential as human beings -- and more?, I like to think that I have a halo hovering over my head -- shining light on my path to becoming "all of me"!

Jauary Wild Card Submision from Chrissy

"Ok, I am making up for lost time.. I think I've 'killed two birds w/one stone' as they say... I was out today at Pier One and I saw their Xmas ornaments for 1/2 off.. I saw this Asian girl ornament so I picked up 3 each signifying my girls and me... I noticed my reflection so I figured I'd snag these and take a photo of me at home...LOL... and as for the 'wild card' I think this fulfills it.." -- Chrissy

January Mirror Mirror Submission from Chrissy

"I saw Virginia's mention of being a slacker for this challenge and I am one too....I took this looking into my compact!.. Yes it is early morning, I am in my robe, no lipstick, hair not combed.
January is the start of a new year for all of us... Eric will be here on the 17th and stay for a couple of weeks.. I hope the weather holds up....
If u all like a challenge come join this one, we're a creative bunch!" Chrissy

January Mirror, Mirror Submission from Lisa

“NYE 2009 photo – me with a red crystal nose, a la Jimmy Durante, reminds me of my goofy side. Something I think I should embrace a bit more. A New Year’s resolution for sure.” -- Lisa

January Mirror, Mirror Submission from Virginia

OK, last month I was a slacker. I didn't take or submit any photos of myself. And the last few days I've been dragging my heels: broken camera, unmotivated, winter pale, low energy, wrinkles, a cold even. Sniffle sniffle. Poor pitiful me. But a new Mirror, Mirror participant sent in her photo (spontaneously!) and it motivated me to climb up over all of my objections, step into my Mexican bathroom and snap some shots with my brother's borrowed camera. I like the first one -- it's me hiding behind the camera. But I still see some of that mane of red hair that I like so much right now. And I like the cartoonish quality of the huge lens (and I can be a cartoon character that's for sure!) What is unsaid in this photo is the quality I have of persevering, my strong suit of stepping over my own "bad" self and going into motion. Although it's a wacky angle, in the bottom photo I'm looking at myself head on, and I kind of like what I see.

Mirror, Mirror Challenge January 2010

Hello Everyone! Took a break in December, but now I'm back to self-exploring through the Mirror, Mirror Challenge. I've already received one submission and I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to send me this month.

Here's a quote to get you thinking, from Richard Bach (Mr. Jonathan Living Seagull himself):
"Look in a mirror and one thing's sure; what we see is not who we are."

Who are we really? Surely we are not just the skin and bones and hair that we see reflected back to us. I look at myself now in the mirror and there seems such a discrepancy between who I see there and what I feel like inside. I look at a 50+ year old and I feel 25, 35, 45 years younger -- sometimes even 25 years older! It is a big puzzle. A big frustrating puzzle. So, what am I to believe? Do I look at my mirror's image and believe I am over the hill and start to act that way? Or do I look at that image and think yes, there are lines, but maybe they are not real, maybe they are not the whole picture. I like living in the question that perhaps not everything I see is real, and is influenced by limitations of my own perceptions.

I invite you to ponder this as you take your picture this month. What does that photo tell you about yourself? What about yourself does the photo reveal? What does it not? Don't think about it too much, but see what comes out of it for you. And comment on other people's photos when you have chance. Let them know what you see.

Remember you can submit more than one photo over the month. There are several categories, all described in the side column, and I am always open to suggestions for new ones:
1. Who Am I This Month?
2. Wild Card
3. Out and About
4. Others, Mirror, Self (You don't have to be in this photo, just need to have taken it.)