Father & Daughter Dance

"Fathers, be good to your daughters. 
Daughters will love like you do..."

Spring Print Sale

I had an overwhelming response from people wanting to purchase my most recent Spring photos.  They are now available for purchase via my online shop.  Thank you to those of you that have already placed orders.  

Description:  Original 8x10 fine art photographs by Sonia Hernandez Doneghue for Through These Eyes Visual Art. Photographs are printed by a professional lab on premium quality, archival paper with a matte finish ensuring vivid color reproduction, lifelike texture and sharpness, and most importantly --photograph will stay beautiful over time.

Photograph will not have any watermarks but I will sign and date the back of the photo.

To order your prints, just click on the images below.  Thanks for supporting local artists!  

  

Nerdiness

Clearly I have played too many rounds of Draw Something.

Bluebonnet Splendor

These little blue-purple flowers are a big deal in Texas.  They are bluebonnets and they are the State Flower of Texas.  We only see them once a year for a short period of time during the Spring.  They are truly a sight to see, especially when you come across a field covered in them.  People love to take pictures in them --why not, they're gorgeous!  In fact, I have a photo shoot this week on a hillside covered in these beauties.

These images were all captured by me on Friday evening in Waxahachie, Texas.  I hope you like them as much as I enjoyed photographing them.  :)

Everyone is going bonkers over this one on my photography page.  So happy they love it!

A boquet of wildflowers awaits you!

Weeds can be pretty too!  I love the blurred splotches of bluebonnets in the background.  My lens is pretty awesome.  :)

Butterflies everywhere --but boy are they difficult to photograph!

New Playthings

I can't just walk into The Crafty Scrapper and not buy anything!  So I picked up a few new little playthings.  My first purchase is this set of Ver-Day Paint and Patina.  A new friend, Trisha, is the go-to-lady for working with this paint. I did very little with it but what I did was enough to make me go all out with this purchase. So what do you do with this? Trisha made the beautiful flower pictured above using metal and the patina (yanno, the one with my name in the center --thanks Trisha!).  It gives your projects an aged blue-green look.  It reminds me of old headstones.  So I will have a learning curve but I'm glad that Trisha is just an e-mail away.  Here are some of the things that she altered using the paints and patina.

 

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When it comes to rubber stamps --it's usually love at first sight!  They make me so weak.  So yes, I did fall in love with these stamps the moment I saw them.  These stamps are not mounted on wood, they are mounted on foam! They are by LaBlanche out of Neunkirchen, Germany. They require minial pressure and are extremely heat resistant --as in you can apply heat directly onto the rubber.  You wouldn't dare use heat on rubber stamps, would you?  Well YOU CAN use heat on these!  Can't wait to try that.  ::big smile::

I know, I'm a nerd about these things.  I'm sitting here typing away feeling all giddy inside and smiling like a fool.  LOL --at least I can laugh at myself.  :p

March Make-n-Take Madness

I survived the March Make-n-Take Madness of 2012 and I've got the shirt to prove it.  Well, maybe I don't have a shirt to prove it.  But anyway, to describe the event in one word --it was AWESOME!  We had a packed house and even had a line waiting outside before the doors opened.  Now that's hardcore scrap love! 

I had such a wonderful time meeting a bunch of new crafy friends and teaching them new and fun techniques.  I even learned a few things from them...which is always a plus.  I was humbled that so many followed my work online already and were looking forward to sitting at my table.  It made me feel really proud of doing what I do.  What can I say...the teachers and designers present were amazing, the staff at the store worked their tails off but most importantly everyone had a wonderful time.  Here are some pictures from the event.  :)

This is me the morning of the event --not bad for 3.5 hours of sleep.  Too much anticipation to sleep!  Check out my necklace --it says "I shoot people for a living."  LOL!  It was a gift from Shelley who is on the Maya Road Design Team.  Thanks, Shelley!! 

Store Owner, Carolyn...she's off her rocker funny!  Almost as funny as I am.  :p

Wanna play?

These lovely ladies were in my first group...I love that every single canvas looked so different!

We had a very special guest --Lisa Pace!  She had a trunk show going on while the rest of us did our Make-n-Take's.  She's a sweetheart!

This is the project that I taught.  I had a lot of awesome feedback and people just loved making this.  My favorite part was watching some of the ladies stare at their project and say things like "Wow, I made this."  Just awesome!

This is my table --look at everyone creating their little canvases.  So much fun!

If you would like to see more pictures, visit my artist facebook page here.

Coming Soon!

These necklaces are coming soon to my Etsy shop.  Pretty fabulous, huh?  I think so.  I've got all of the material to make them, I just don't have time.  Hmmmm, story of my life.  I've already sold three and haven't even made them yet, well, other than this one --I made this one for myself!  If you would like to preorder a necklace, just drop me a line!

In addition to "Embrace Imperfection", I also have all of the following:

• Live the life you've imagined.
• Capture life's moments.
• Live in the moment.
• Dream as if you'll live forever.
• Reality has limits, imagination is boundless.
• The journey awakens the soul.
• Enjoy the journey.
• Life is about creating yourself.
• Know in your heart you are loved.
• Encourage your hopes, not your fears.
• Possibility begins with imagination.

Inspiration

I know that I'm not everybody's cup of tea.  And I'm okay with that.  I am who I am --I'm real.  Take it or leave it.

Show and Tell

In today's rendition of Show and Tell we are going to get a close look at this fat vulture perched on a tree.  We don't see them this close very often, probably because they have a face that only a mother could love.  LOL.  No, really...we usually see them flying high overhead.  So I felt compelled to photograph him and share with all of you.  You can thank me later for grossing you out.

04/01

Happy Friday!

Are we there yet???

I CANNOT wait to see my boys --yes, I am declaring that they are MY BOYS!  June 2nd can't get here sooner! 

That woman shes got eyes that shine like a pair of stolen

polished dimes.

le sigh

Isn't love grand?

Spring

My favorite part about Spring and Summer is all of the cute dresses I get to wear!  I love retro dresses like this one.  Ooh la la!

Just one more...

I don't know what the history is behind this grain elevator but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.  This one is in El Reno, Oklahoma.

Windsor Wedding II

Made it home before noon today and all I had to do was unpack, shower, and relax.  I could get use to this.  :p  Unfortunately it's back to work tomorrow.  Didn't accomplish as much as I wanted too today with pictures --my arm is really bothering me.  It seems like my book injury is improving but holding the beast of a camera for over six hours yesterday did me in.  Dang limb!  :p

So here are some of my favorite edits from today...I'm totally diggin' this set!

What a couple of dolls --ready for flower girl duty!

This was a sweet moment...

I was trembling with emotion --and I was just the one taking pictures!

Windsor Wedding

As you can tell from the picture above, these crazy kids took the big plunge into wedded bliss!  What an emotional and exciting day.  I’m not gonna lie, I cried several times.  ::looks around the room whistling::  What can I say, I’m a sucker for weddings!  Some of you are wondering how I ended up in El Reno, Oklahoma to shoot a wedding.  I know you are.  Well, the bride and groom are both from Oklahoma but reside in Houston and I met the bride, Laura, online about 8 years ago.  But we just met in the flesh for the very first time just a couple of days ago.  How exciting is that!?  We have shared so much of our lives with one another online that seeing her in person was like seeing an old friend.  I know some of the struggles that she has faced and to see her so happy with her now husband really inspired me.  Congratulations, Laura & LB!  Here are just a few more pictures from today.  More to come!

Tatum in her mommy's wedding dress.

The beautiful bride.

Mom offers some marital advice...

I love this picture...it's so Laura.  Just taking the edge off of a semi-stressful day!

Daddy's little girls.

I am headed back to Dallas in the morning.  I’ll be happy to get back home and relax the rest of Monday.  I might go get a massage.  I think I earned it after standing on my feet for six hours while holding a massive camera.  I just need a few days to breathe before my next adventure…March Make-n-Take Madness at The Crafty Scrapper!  

Thanks for reading.  Xoxo –Ms. Ruin

Native America

I'm spending a couple of days in Oklahoma --mainly to shoot my friend's wedding which is in a few hours.  I'm a little bit more nervous than usual because this is her big day and I don't want to screw it up.  I think there is an expectation as I am the photographer coming to small town Oklahoma from the big city of Dallas, Texas.  Yeah.  ::exhale::  I just hope I can deliver the vision that they have of their big day! 

The town they are getting married in is El Reno.  I had the opportunity to visit yesterday and meet Laura at the church.  I found a bunch of cool stuff I'd like to shoot.  If time allows --as in-- if I can get out the door in a timely manner, lol, then I will stop and shoot some of those cool urban decay type things.

In the meantime I will leave you with these photos I snapped yesterday while in El Reno.  Have a blessed Sunday!

I love this pumpjack in the middle of a field covered in wildflowers!

Under the Big Top

I love American/Vintage/Circus type stuff so I was excited to find these little gems at my local Michael's. I had to limit myself on my purhcases but this is a snapshot of some of the cool stuff I bought.  I write a lot of thank you cards for the most random things.  So I can never haven too many notecards!  And the stamps...well, I'm a stamp freak!  But circus themed stamps --yes, please!  I also bought some cool notebooks (I also go through those pretty quickly), some lunch sacks and some props for a photo booth I'm hosting at our annual Community Care Network Auction.

Intention.  Such a funny little word.  A woman like me who is always busy has a lot of intentions but I just don't have the time to accomplish them.  So I am working on a stock pile of photos that I want to re-edit or revisit.  Here are two of those pictures from my trip to Boston in 2010 and my trip to Maine in 2011.

Waiting for the "T" --that's what they call their rapid transit.

Boston, MA

Cape Elizabeth Lights – West Tower.

Cape Elizabeth, ME.

Dear Jesus,

I don't normally share these types of things on my craft blog, but this little boy is weighing heavily on my brain.  This is Anthony, my five year old nephew.  He is the most hyper little boy ever!  He has so much life in him and so much love to give.  And although so many of us love and adore him, there is a crucial someone in his life that has been absent for more than half of his life --his father.  His father has made poor decisions and I think the shame he carries has kept him from even attempting to be a father to little Anthony.  But if only he knew what we all know about this little boy...that he loves his dad unconditionally.  I write this with so much heartache and anger too.  I am heartbroken that this little boy walked into the Cathedral, ran to the altar and fell to his knees in prayer....that he was asking Jesus to bring his father back.  And I am angered, that his father has chosen to be a deadbeat --letting his pride get in the way of knowing the truest love he will EVER know.  What a shame.  What a shame.  :*****(

I prayed too on this day...prayed for so many things, but mostly for this little boy that has captivated my heart and soul.  I hope that he always know that we love him a million times over.