Out and About (in California) July Submission from Jesse S.

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Originally uploaded by bulgakov1990

"This was taken on one of my trips out to California to visit my sister Virginia and her husband Munsinator. I love Virginia's little Day of the Dead art pieces that she collects in Mexico. This little prostitute with blue hair and a pink dress is really cute. That's the top of my head with the camera in reflected in the mirror." -- Jesse

Out and About 2 July Submission from Virginia

OMG! I took this photo in a Victoria's Secret store in Louisville, Kentucky, back in May when I was taking a respite from dealing with my Mom's hospitalization. I was looking for some pj's and wandered into the dressing room. I loved the "Strip" neon letters -- bold eye candy -- giving a bit of levity to an often painful situation for many women ) I mean really, who likes looking at yourself -- unless you are a runway model or you've had great plastic surgery, or you are anybody but yourself?) So when I walked into "the dreaded changing room," I immediately started giggling and cutting up and pulling, my trust Mirror Mirror camera out, memorialized the moment. So I see a quick witted, humerous gal spontaneously enjoying the dressing room moment with her clothes ON!

Mirror Mirror Challenge July Submission from Judie F.

"The Cheetah picture is one I took at Safari West. It is in a frame on the wall in the bathroom. I took the pictures in the bathroom mirror. The camera was held low and tilted up so that it was not in the picture. The one I sent you was one out of eight or nine tries to get what I wanted. This is what I see about me in this photo:

Looking at some of my animal pictures, I'm a cat. I love some time alone to bask in the sun, stretch and preen. I love being taken care of as long as I can have my independence as well. I rarely snarl or snap but can pounce when necessary. If treated right, I will purr. " -- Judy

Mirror Mirror July Submission from Jesse S.

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Originally uploaded by bulgakov1990

"I'm always promoting my sister. And here I am, enjoying her Mirror, Mirror Challenge post. If she posts this one, maybe I can take another picture next month with this picture in the background and a new mirrored self-portrait in the foreground. How deep will this go?" -- Jesse S.

Out and About July Submission from Billy H.

"I took this photo at the Co. fair last night. This is the refection in the bumper of a semi truck. Growing up in a transportation family, I learned that the name Peterbilt was a sign of quality. I also love the farm scenes in the background." -- Billy Hayes

July Challenge Submission from Sheryl

"This month I tried to find my mirror mirror image in other reflective materials...found many, but the one which surprised me and made me smile was when I caught myselfwatching me washing the dishes." -- Sheryl

July Challenge Submission from Billy

Here is my entry for July. I really like the colors and angles. I spent all day today with my father who will be 81 on Wed. It was a good day. He was responsive and tried to talk. My granddaughter Aubrey and my daughter Andrea paid us a surprise visit. It was wonderful. Aubrey fed him ice cream, and shaved him with an electric razor, as she had seen her great-grandmother do many times. The good days to come will be few. He will be going to a nursing home soon. -- Billy

July Challenge Submission from Chrissy

As u can see I attempted another mirror photo.. I was trying to get the other reflection of my full length mirror behind me, and just couldn't get the right position... anyway this is my bathroom, from what little u can see of it... Actually its just two mirrors w/the medicine cabinet one angled to reflect onto the sink mirror....Sometimes I feel like those 3 images rolled into one.... I am a mom, gf, caretaker of Kalei.... also a person who reminds my kids that their bills are sitting here waiting to be paid....The older we get, we all have many hats to fill...
-- Chrissy

Wild Card July Submission

OK, so I'm on a roll....here is my Wild Card submission for July! I look like a troll, but that's OK this is a funhouse mirror on the carousel at the fair. I took a few wild shots hoping that one would turn out. Yep. Troll-like and dumpy there I stand, but what a way to showcase it!

Mirror Mirror July Out and About Submission

Ok, I was a busy little bee Sunday -- after the fair, en route to yet another dance rehearsal (which I love doing by the way -- this time swing and ballroom style numbers) -- I stopped at my favorite coffee hang out -- Peet's -- and caught a pic outside of the store in the glass window front. Love it (dirty hair or not!). A beautiful Sunday in Marin County doing things I love to do. One interesting note: two men were chatting at a table off to my side. They asked me what I was doing and I told them about the blog. One of them told me that the Science Exploratorium in San Francisco was having a special exhibit called "Reflections" ; an exhibit that "...lets you look at your own image as you have never seen it before. Meet yourself in a giant mirror, watch as a video snowstorm creates your image, and witness your visage as it is multiplied into hundreds of kaleidoscopic views." Sounds like a field trip to me! I love the synchronicity of life, don't you?

Mirror MIrror July Challenge

Ok, here's my July photo. Ouch! Two things, I was at the Marin County Fair and happened across this mirror in the Fine Arts expo. One of the submissions was a beautiful inlaid frame for a full-length mirror. I snapped a couple of pictures of myself. I was afraid to shoot a close up because I'm having a mid-life breakdown showing up as dermatitis all over my face. Pretty gruesome. My hair is also dirty, uncombed and drying after being soaked in my early morning Bollywood dance style class I'm taking -- Ewwww!!!! But I like how the hilights show up in my hair -- they contrast nicely with the stripes of the frame. The other thing is as I was walking away from the frame one of the curators came up and said to me, "Please don't take pictures of other artists' work." I sheepishly said, "I'm just taking a picture of myself for my blog!" She replied, "Well, OK then!"

June Challenge Submission from Sheryl

"I was really inspired by your Mirror, mirror challenge and got a little creative with it, using two mirrors to see what kind of effect I would get. It is interesting to me how I look almost like i could be two different people depending on the angle in which you see a person. Thank you." -- Sheryl

June Extra Wild Card Photo Submission: Chrissy

"Here's an 'extra wild card' mirror challenge... I think I have mastered taking a photo from my inside mirror!.. took about 12 tries, lol.... anyway 4 years ago I got this 4Runner at the begging of Eric.. Months before I met him I was in an accident where the road was slightly slick and I had made a right turn ( from a dead stop) and somehow managed to roll my Pathfinder... What a mess that was.. Pathfinders back then were top heavy now they are more stable.. I know my 4Runner has a stabilizer bar across the roof and it is a big improvement all around..." -- Chrissy

Extra Wid Card Photo for June

I was looking at my bookshelves and thinking that I must straighten and redecorate them, and good-humoredly noticed the collection of various horse images and knicknacks. Not surprising because I owned horses and trained and rode them for over 40 years. And of course played with them as a little girl.

One of my friends jokingly said one evening over dinner, "Virginia, do you realize you have over 130 horse images in your home?" And he was right, he even missed some! So who is that horseless (for over 4 years) horse girl? I grabbed a few of my horse chotchkes and my camera and went over to the living room mirror. I got down on the floor and arranged them and took this picture. I can see the little girl in me, that's for sure. The one that when she rode or daydreamed about riding also felt a sense of freedom and power. And of course Angie, who was buddies with my last great horse, Magic, had to be in the picture, too.

June Wild Card Submission: Chrissy

"Yesterday, I was fooling around and I love the mirror in the bathroom downstairs... The lighting is a bit harsh due to the type of light fixture... Also the walls are not that puddy grey, its actually olive green!... See what the camera does? I've even put it in the auto-edit program and it didn't do a bit of good. But I liked how the edge of the mirror which has a slight bevel caused a double effect... " -- Chrissy

Mirir, Mirror June Challenge: Chrissy

"Well, I was able to take this after 4 rejected tries!. And yes this is my yard, my never ending hobby.... I am working on making it a sanctuary not only for me but for the finches and robins that now look forward to seeing me put out their feed.... Well Virginia, what do u think? a few years older than the photo on my page, huh?
I am glad u started this challenge and hopefully, I will be less critical of myself in photos..LOL.." -- Chrissy

Mirror Mirror Wild Card Submission: June

I was on the way to the dance studio in Sausalito and sitting at a light getting ready to take a left turn. These beautiful, pink grasses were in the median, waving in the breeze. I had to take a picture of them, they were so soft and luscious looking! When I got home and uploaded them, I realized that I had unintentionally put myself in the photo! I am so serious looking -- so focused on getting the picture that my tongue is pressing into the inside of my cheek. I didn't know I did that -- Horrors! My grandfather used to do that when he was focusing on something...like planing a piece of wood, or rototilling the garden plot, or cutting the grass. Maybe I got that from him! I also like that the photo is sideways. So here's my Mirror Mirror Wild Card for the month of June!

Feel Free to Comment on Others Photos

Just wanted to encourage you guys to comment on other people's photos if you like something you see! Found a great quote for those of you (including me!):

"Mirrors lie. You are much better looking than that in 3-D." -- Merrill Markoe, sitcom writer

A good thing to remember! And I want to be able to look in the mirror and not have a reaction; to see a little deeper than skin surface; and to play a bit with it.

Hence, the Mirror, Mirror Challenge!

Who are you seeing when you look in a mirror? Is that really you? Or, are you just wearing a costume? Who is that looking out of your eyes?

June Out and About Submission: Jesse S.

While I really would like to focus on my weight gain this month, the opportunity to include Mom in one of the Mirror, Mirror Challenges is just too irresistible. I can always be distressed by an abrupt gain in weight, but Mom may not always be here (and with God’s grace, she is here, today). So, here is June’s inclusion from Kentucky: Mom, in the nursing home, sitting gracefully at her table for dinner, while Son orbits around her, looking for a good perspective in the bathroom mirror. -- Jesse S.

June Out and About Submission

Ok, here's my Out and About for June. I was walking around downtown Novato while waiting for a tire to be fixed and stopped by my favorite florist's shop. What a great store, beautiful flowers, vintage aprons hanging from the ceiling an a wonderful woman's vanity in the window.
Although it was a gloomy day and I felt a little out of sorts, looking at myself in the vanity mirror made me feel I was part of the colorful, cozy shop.
So come on people, send in your submissions!