Animal fun at Jungle Gardens

Did you know all swans mates for life?

I didn't see a mate.

 You can also feed the flamingos.

You have to get there when they're hungry.

They are obviously well fed.

Owen couldn't convince them that they needed a snack.

 This dude is just hanging around.

Look at the smirk.

bwahaha...

 A fun playground and slides to conquer.

 Seriously did you know that flamingoes can sit like that.

Their knees go the wrong way.

And this guy was too pretty.

And white.

And a perfect subject for a bokeh effect.

Bokeh effect in case you didn't know is an unrecognizable background

with brilliant points of light.

I always called it blurry.

Sha-zam!

I planned that.

On the one day when we are all Irish....

My favorite blessing for all of you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Got a double dawg dare goin' on at SNC...

 Jump on in anytime.

So I was thinking when one of my pals asked about paper.

And as I pondered my stacks of paper that

has been hanging around in some cases way too long.

It also took me back to when I first started scrapbooking

and knew absolutely nothing about anything I

inadvertently became the cardstock queen.

Pattern paper was not even a blip on my radar until I

started watching Sandy Genovese on the DIY channel and

my world opened up.

Back then scrapbooking embellishments were beginning to evolve

so unless you had a die cut machine or purchaased stickers (which I didn't) I

produced some really really plain pages.

So today I decided that my DOUBLE DAWG DARE would be to use

nothing but cardstock with a couple of non c/s embellishments.

I broke out paints to use with die cuts and foam stamps.

I whipped out my stamps in order to bring some embellishments to life.

I used watercolors and die cuts.

I'm really happy with the page.
However....
I will always love pattern paper. In fact I have my new

Studio Calico kit and I don't want to cut the papers.

Here is my face :|

Piggy tales...

Photo taken by KevinDuffyphotography

On Manic Monday at SNC.
We try to never miss.
 Are every girl's dream and mostly especially their mom's

who want to make their girl - really girly.

Like having hair, piggy tails and huge bows and flowers.

So why do boys have the fastest growing hair 

and the longest eyelashes. 

That is so wrong on so many levels.

So Piggy tails page is a lift of Shimelle's . Click and scroll down - 

 you'll know it when you see it. 

It's on one of her videos.

Her videos totally rock and you need to check them out.

Photo taken by Jill Maynard - Fit for Life Photography

 Okay - based on Quintin's face and the fact that we all know Mz. Amelia 

is the princess, I just couldn't help the title and subtitle.

I love the cosmo cricket alphas (or they could be Makin' Memories) 

I use both unabashedly. 

Photo taken by Jill Maynard - Fit for Life Photography

And Connor many moons ago just rockin' the drool in this pix.

Poor baby had to be totally teething something awful.

But he's too adorable and is the spitting image of his dad.

It's deja vu all over again.

Walking around New Orleans is always fun

 because its quite diverse. You can always find someone

trying to get attention.

Whether they want it or not.

I almost missed the above shot (which I know the settings aren't right) - but

how many times you get to see a big wheel like 

this roll down the street. 

He shot by me and I was really not paying attention.

So I just point and shot.

Sometimes you just gotta go with it.

 As I happened to be meandering the square I happened

upon this aspiring artist sleeping on the job.

Artists and seers jam the square touting their wares

 and it was just too perfect I caught this.

Artistic shot of the day. 

Snort.

Carriage rides are everywhere. We took one many

years ago and it was very interesting and fun.

This one was sort of shot from the hip.

Because I'm creative like that.

On the way home we took a slight detour...

We happened to be going by the Battleship Memorial Park.

Right off Rte 10E

In Alabama.

And for $2 you get lots of old military things.

 There were memorials for the Korean and Viet Nam wars.

 And the USS Alabama that you can tour. 

We respectfully declined because it would've taken hours.

My knees weren't up to it. 

And I/we really wanted to get home.

 This B52 has quite the wingspan and had to breakout my

new wide angle attachable lens.

It works awesome.

 One last shot of the battleship as we crossed the bridge.

We made it home safe and sound.

And its great to be here.

The Cabildo museum and French Market

Touring the museum was on my list

and they had tons of art, artifacts and information

from the Indians in Louisianna and all the

history in between.

It was very fascinating.

The museum is located next to the St. Louis cathedral.

 So I couldn't resist a do-over of the cathedral which is

beautiful without all the stages and cables that were being erected for

Mardi Gras and Superbowl when I was here last.

And this is the view from Artillery Park without a bunch

of peeps and junk in the way.

Timing is everything.

 I decided I needed to cruise on over to the French Market 

and this golden statue of Joan of Arc greets you as you stroll 

down the thoroughfare. The 

statue was presented to the city by Charles de Gaulle in 1959.

The French Market is actually a flea market and I couldn't

resist this wine glass. 

bwahahahaha!!!

 Returning to our abode I was shocked when I found that the

street was basically people free

and the blue and white building just begging to 

be photographed.

I adore the rustic-ness.

And the architecture.

and the balconies - make you swoon.