Hunting again

This week we're looking for five more prompts! Go me for getting back on this train. I took a break from photo challenges after Top 11 of '11& Memories, Dreams& Reflections! I am now sitting here watching a Lakers game& editing the photos for this post. Don't forget to check out the other entries! Now, let's move on to the prompts.

1. Stacked Up- Okay. I had to use chocolates because I couldn't think of anything else worth stacking. Cue that giant bag of gold coins Mom got at Costco just last week. Turns out they are good for something more than just making us pleasantly plump! I love this photo in black& white way more than color ..mainly because the color of the shelf clashed with the coins.

2. Winter Wonderland- I am doing a self-portrait a week for the entire year. My game plan is to have 52 really fun& creative portraits of myself so I'm really pushing to get creative. Yesterday, I built a snowman& dressed like it was summer outside. Then I set up the tripod, kicked off my shoes& took some photos. This is, hands down, one of my favorite photos I've ever taken. Not even just of myself but of anyone. Best part? I never would have convinced anyone else to do this.

Also linked to Show Off Your Shot :)

3. Sweet- I love, love, love candy canes. When I saw this prompt I just knew that I had to use them. The key question was how to make it look creative& fun? Yeah. I'm really striving towards being a more creative person this year. I like to think it's even working out for me two weeks in. Final result? Makes me smile ..I can't decide if it is because I like candy canes or I like the actual photo ;)

4. Hole- I'm going to be honest. I had no idea what to do for this one. I tried a few creative photos with the pup but he didn't want to play along& I'm really tired. Instead I'm going to use another photo from my Project 366. Don't worry though, I just took it today when we out for supper so I'm still totally playing by the rules! Does this count ..these lights have holes in them?

5. Frozen- Where I live, everything is frozen. Welcome to winter on an ice-olated island (I'm so clever). It really sucks when you're someone who hates the cold weather. I'm trying to really embrace it by dressing very warmly& still being active. The boyfriend even managed to get me to go for a walk the other day. During that walk, I took some photos because I actually remembered this prompt. Wow! Apparently I'm even breaking my awful habits of procrastination. Some frozen apples ..I also used these as a photo of the day. Just call me a pansy when it comes to reusing photos. I won't mind.

Anyone else participating in the Scavenger Hunt? Is anyone else doing a Project 366& just recycling photos from the last week of that for this particular challenge?! In my defense, I did take two new photos just for this. And the apple photo was taken with this challenge in mind ..okay, I can't justify my laziness. I promise to be better next week! I hope you guys all had a delightful weekend. Mine was completely lovely. Now, I'm curling up with the last half of the Lakers game!

25 days

That's right, folks! Only a mere 23 sleeps until Santa Clause is sneaking into our houses with goodies for us. I hope everyone was either good or starts being good now! 25 days is only like 3weeks& 4 days. I guess I should start shopping. I am definitely a last minute shopper ..every year I say I'll do better& then fail miserably. How about you? I am always jealous of the people who have their shopping done before the leaves have even fallen off the trees!

Since it's officially time to try to get in the Christmas spirit, I set up my downstairs artificial tree. It didn't make an appearance last year, so I wanted to be sure it managed to get put up this time! It was a lot of work& still needs to be decorated but I am sort of excited to have it at least put up. Tomorrow I'll get the lights& bells for it. I am mostly excited to get some snapshots of it. Kelly Moore is having a photo contest to win one of her bags. You have to take a photo of your Christmas tree ..I have a feeling I won't win but I'm willing to try anyway!

Since I spent the better part of this afternoon asleep (why did I do that to myself?!), I figured I'd get some cute shots in the light box. As per usual, I grabbed my dog& threw him in but I also took some non-Squirt light box shots. I know, I shocked myself as well. My mom bought a giant bell. I have no idea why but it made for a pretty photo (see above, obviously) and then I took two butterscotch candy canes (yum)& turned them into a heart. I know, I'm the most creative person in the entire world ;)  Although I do like the end photo. Even more, maybe, than the giant bell photo!

Linked with Best Shot& {snapped}!

Are you guys fully in the Christmas spirit yet? I have seen so many posts including fully decorated houses& trees ..I think reading blogs is increasing my Christmasy side! Although, I do still hate the overload of Christmas music from every store I go to. I also still really hate shopping for people. I am the worst gift giver of all time. It's almost amazing how bad I am at thinking of any gift. I have 0 chance of giving someone an awesome gift& most days even getting them a mediocre gift seems out of my skill range. Oh well, I still have 25 shopping days now that our malls are open on Sundays. I should probably get started on that task ..

Candy canes

Christmas isn't my favorite holiday (Easter& my birthday are firmly tied for that honor!) but I will admit to loving a few things about it. Mostly, I love Quality Street chocolates& candy canes. Neither of which will make an appearance in my blog today. Wah wah wah. Instead, I have a delightful photo of some raspberries because they were my breakfast. Raspberries in the winter? So special because it makes it feel a little bit more like summer. Considering it is cold& there's snow on my car ..I can honestly say a reminder of summer is nice. And it is only November. So that is fun. So yes, I am definitely grateful for being able to have berries shipped to me from Guatemala or wherever these in particular came from.  Plus, how pretty are red berries in a white dish? Very pretty!

Linking with Sweet Shot, Communal Global,

52 Weeks, Simplicity& Touch Up!

My big plans for today include eating some of those butterscotch candy canes (best. kind. ever.) while washing all my bedding& wishing my shoulder would stop hurting. Looks like I'll also be spending some of today driving into Sydney to go visit the chiropractor. He always helps but it takes a few visits, acupuncture and electricity along with readjusting of my bones. It feels worse before it feels better which has all kinds of downsides to it. Namely, feeling worse before I feel better. I have to take the pup for a walk as well because he's going to drive me nuts from his whining. If I tucker him out for a good while then that means he'll be sleeping instead of crying. Remember that time I tried to sell him? Yes, well. That offer still stands if anyone wants to take me up on it ;) I do love that photo of him at the end of that post! I think I'll get it printed off, actually. It can be his Christmas present to me! I am such a thinker. Granted, this is my first year ever making my dog get me a present but I almost always get him a little holiday treat. Do most people do this or am I all alone here in my crazy love for including my dog in everything?