Sunday, February 27, 2011

Blogging my life.

Not sure if any of you are familiar with LiveJournal.com. It is an online blog that I've had for many years, (8 to be exact.) It pretty much has documented my life living in NY when I moved here. I remember the day I started the journal.

Unfortunately, the past few years I haven't updated much in it. It's actually been over a year since my last entry.


But I like to go back and read the journal every now and then. There's so much in it that usually I just skip around the years and months.
I used to update in it pretty much every single day, sometimes more than once a day. And I tell you, reading it now is so strange to me because I really don't know that girl that used to write in it. She has grown up and changed so much.
My LIFE has changed so much over the years, so much and so dramatically. It's crazy how fast time goes, and just when you start to think that you have it all figured out, you're in your 30's! Man! Where did my youth go?!

My favorite parts in it are the ones where I used to talk about "Hot Steve". Hot Steve, now being my husband! There are entries in it from 2003 where I mention him. How crazy is that?! Sometimes I still think I'm dreaming when I look at him. We could be in mid-conversation about a car blowing a gasket, and while he's rambling on and on, I'm just like..... "OMG!! HE'S MY HUSBAND. AM I DREAMING!?!? IS THIS REAL!?!?!" And then I think about how grateful I am to be with such an amazing person. How happy he makes me, and how happy we are with our life, together.

But of course there are a lot of sad memories to be read in that journal too. Friends that I've lost over the years, for whatever reasons. Grudges, heartaches. Things that I wish I could have done differently if only we'd know how to handle the grown-up situations while we were younger.
A lot of confusion and uncertainty. A lot of wishing, hoping, praying that someday it would get better... or even tolerable.


Man, this journal is also depressing. I found myself crying towards the end of reading about my last few weeks in Michigan before I moved back here for the second time.
And then how happy I felt when reading the first blog entry after I came back. Reading it made me view it as I was seeing it for the first time, all over again. Such a relief to be back here, where I belong and where I've always known I belong.


Crazy. I thought about posting a few entries, but no one would really understand them, except for me. No matter how comical or sarcastic they are. I don't think anyone would really "get it", and quite frankly, it's sort of embarrassing to read how lost and alone I was for so long. The different situations I put myself into. The drama to try and fit somewhere. I was a sad little girl....

But I had some amazing moments in there too, and in the end, I'm glad I blogged my life over the past several years.

Quote of the month

It is not he who gains the exact point in dispute who scores most in controversy - but he who has shown the better temper.

-Samuel Butler


It's going to get real busy, real quick. Wait for it... wait for iiiitt....




Thursday, February 24, 2011

New Page

Go HERE and click like.... if you're a facebooker!

Just getting the page started, so be patient while I get it all updated. :)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Looking for participants in the Orange County, NY area (or surrounding)

Want to be Zombified?!


If you've seen the few zombie pics I've posted so far, would you like to be one of them? If you haven't seen them yet, then go HERE!!!
Now that I'm getting the hang of the zombie-making-process and it isn't taking me as long, I want to create a whole album dedicated to zombie portraits. I'm calling it "Project Horror".
C'mon, don't be shy! You know you want to, you can't tell me you're not the least bit curious to see yourself zombie'd! Now is the opportunity! I want to have this completed by the end of April, depending on how many people want to participate. (I don't have loads of free time, so it'll take weeks to get this project where I want to see it.)


Sorry- I can not accept photos asking me to make you a zombie. I need a high resolution photo and most importantly one that I've taken so that I have all rights to it.




How does this work, you ask?
1) Contact me, only if you are seriously interested and can make a commitment to meeting up.
2) I'll contact you back and we'll discuss a time and place to meet.


Now it can go two ways from here. Either;


A) I can just take a few quick headshots and be on my way.
Or,
B) We can actually collaborate and make the shoot a bit more interesting. Say you want to incorporate your favorite hobby in with the photo. I have a lot of motorcycle friends, why not make you a zombie in your gear next to your bike? You like hockey? Put your jersey on and grab your stick! Have a pet snake? (The amphibian, you sicko!) Lot's of tattoo's you want to show off? You get the point...


I'm open to ideas, and up for anything! (Almost....)
We can make this fun and involved, or we can make it quick and simple! You choose.


Soooo...! Let's do this! Feel free to pass this along to someone you know who may be interested!


By all means- share this post with your friends! (I would actually appreciate it if you do!)
misty.valenta@gmail.com


Best,
Misty






Thursday, February 17, 2011

02.17.11

Another new project is coming up soon. It will take well into the summer before it is finished. More to come on that...

Zombie'd myself.



Wednesday, February 16, 2011

02.16.11

Not every image is worthy of the world to see.
There's a difference between slopping something together, and putting passion behind what you do. Color palettes and interesting subjects (or making a subject interesting) are two most very important factors in creating an image or shooting an image.
When people hear your name, you want them to think of your amazingly creative work that you put out there that has meaning behind it.
Not some pointless crap pile with unfocused subjects, and clashing color schemes.


To each their own, and I normally would never criticize someone else's work. But some of this stuff is not artistic in any fashion. Sure, you want to have your own signature, but if your signature is going to consist of half-assed slop, then save your self image and don't publish it.

And what makes it worse is that some of these people go around bashing other people's work when they really have no room to talk.

Monday, February 14, 2011

02.14.11

Something a little different that I've been working on. More to follow...





Saturday, February 12, 2011

02.12.11

I think this cold is at its peak. I woke up this morning feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest. My mouth was all dried out from not being able to breathe out of my nose the entire night. Steve avoids me like the plague. I don't blame him, when he was sick awhile ago, I did the same.



A few variations.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

02.09.10

Canvas print came back... not sure what I think of it yet. I am the most critical of my own work though. I'll get more opinions tomorrow. The company is decently priced, but I had to assemble my own frame. Not sure how I like that part of it yet. We'll see...

Um, is it Friday night yet? I need rest- I came down with a touch of a cold last night. Today was the longest day in history as far as work goes.

Did this photo not too long ago. Turned myself into a porcelain doll of sorts. I posted the one I did of my sister... here's to me!
Made a few digital adjustments to the eyes and lips. I'm really digging the digitally applied make up!

Off to bed,  I have no energy to try and stay up late...

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

02.08.11

Sunday, February 6, 2011

On a lighter note...


Mechanical Bluff.
Partial area of the bluff in St. Joe Michigan is somewhat made up of discarded vehicles.

Pat Brown needs to stick her nose elsewhere.

Profiler Pat Brown better stick her nose in business she's better familiar with.

You did a poor job at taking facts and scrambling them around, placing them where you see fit to try and accuse a devastated, innocent husband of being an accomplice to such a heinous crime. Did you not read/hear/see where Beebe has admitted to committing this crime? People like you make me sick! You should know better than anyone that the police and news really only release certain information, and withhold a hell of a lot more from the public. Pat, you sicken me. How many other families have you sabotaged and crushed with your half assed, twisted and crude accusations? You have no idea what you're talking about so it would be wise to keep your trap shut so you don't further insult any more families.

This is a devastating time for a lot of people involved. Can you possibly respect that? Maybe you should visit Beebe in jail, I think you two would be quite the pair for one another. Both of you like to talk a whole lot of worthless shit. Maybe the both of you can come up with a better elaborated story as to how these two beautiful, innocent women had to endure such a horrific death. Because that's what you do, right? You take all these facts and put them where you want. You aren't a profiler, you are an information scrambler.  

What a way to show your support to a criminal, because apparently you believe Beebe is innocent and needs to be set free so James can take his place in jail. Is that what you're getting at, Pat?
You're stepping on the wrong toes if you continue to further your trash talk.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

02.03.11

Got some amazing canvas prints coming! Can't wait to show off what I've been up to. We'll see how they work out on our walls here, and the rest will go on SALE SALE SALE!!

I've been coming up with some really strange ideas lately- but it all works! I love how quickly I grow and create new things. I'm at a peak and I hope I don't come down from it any time soon. I've been chatting with an arts lawyer, and it seems to be a good idea not to be leaking too much out. Not until a lot of things have been solidified. Sooo- looks like only the less desireable things will be updated.... not sure how that'll work out considering I use bits and pieces of just about everything I shoot.

Revisited with some Geese:



Looking forward to some shooting time down at Wawayanda. It's planned out for this weekend, so far, and hopefully the weather will stay decent (so far so good!) I have to give some major credit to the family I'll be shooting- It's gonna be a cold one down by the lake. Just gotta make it a quick session so the kiddies don't freeze.  

I do apologize for not posting too many portraits up. I usually do a shoot and upload the photos to a password protected album so only the party involved can see the pics. If they want to give out the password, then so be it. But I keep the pics under lock and key until after the party has ordered prints and distributed them. And by then, I've really kinda forgotten about posting any of them!
I just don't want to ruin anything for anyone. That's why I just usually stick to uploading other images.
Lastly-
Anyone interested in any of those canvas prints I've mentioned above, then contact me! I have a small collection together so far- though it's growing widely. Anything in particular you'd like to see, just let me know.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

02.01.11

First and foremost, it's been a discouraging week. A couple women that I knew of back home had gone missing last Monday, and days after the police ended up finding their bodies buried. The person of interest is a man I'd gone to school with, and he's confessed to killing one of them and not the other. He has the audacity to come up with some elaborated story to try and play the victim. I'm so disgusted with the entire story, I don't want to get into detail because I'll just end up pissing myself off even more than I already am.
I just wish that Michigan still had capital punishment. I want justice for these two innocent women.

If anyone would like more of the story, just google their names: Tonya Howarth, Amy Henslee and Junior Lee Beebe Jr.


Rest peacefully, Amy and Tonya. Please pray for Amy and Tonya's families during this time as well.

Weather here has been interesting. A huge storm is sweeping half the United States, we woke up to some icy conditions this morning. I opted not to do the work thing. I'm hearing something about a state of emergency for tomorrow because it's supposed to pick back up after midnight and spit some more wintry mix all about, and we were just informed that work is going to be closed for tomorrow, so something nasty is still heading our way.
I could have been more productive here at home, but I just don't have the freakin energy! Came out with some pretty awesome edits the past couple days though. I'm really getting into digital art. I've been roaming around the internet looking into different framing options for some of it.
I think I'm going to have a pretty good year :)