Here we have the second of three mosaics... in this case, the Keller women (as shot by the Keller man).
As always, feel free to click through to the flickr version, and then click all sizes from where you can zoom in.
The last piece of this gift is getting in printed on canvas via the folks at canvaspress.com who delivered almost too fast. My intentionally late order, intended to arrive in California after Christmas managed to arrive before the Kellers left for Milwaukee.
So I'm going to toot my own horn a bit here, but really I'm doing it for you, so that you can copy me if you like. I saw this really cool image of Obama a few months ago and thought it might be cool to create something like it.
In asking around, I learned that there are a few pieces of software that enable such things... one being MacOsAix. It's a free piece of software, and it takes as an input flickr streams. So, after asking my helpful brother in law to uniquely tag a few of his photos and upload a few of my sister's, I was off the races.
The image above actually includes some 1200 other images from our family trip to Italy. The primary image is one taken by Jenni herself of the place they stayed in Venice. We all spent some time looking at Nana and Papa's image (of the villa in which we stayed) during the Christmas holiday. It's a fantastic way to relive a trip.
A word to the wise: if the feeds you're using include "inappropriate" pictures, I promise the software will find them. Perhaps my brother-in-law will post a link to his favorite image from the Italy trip in the comments...
I'll post the images given to Karen's family and Nana and Papa over the next few days.
I'll also follow with some details of the gifts given to us as they were equally impressive.
One of the great, long standing traditions in our family is a group singing of the carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. In the past, the performance included the guests at a big Christmas party and each of us. Now, we've raised another generation so they can take care of it for us.
Presented below, this year's version (directed by Papa himself off camera).
My favorites videos right now are the ones I'm taking with my point and shoot camera... Because I don't care about it much, I'm willing to take it right into the action. In this case, I shot a few more sledding videos.
We spent the last week in chilly Milwaukee hanging with Papa, Nana, and all the cousins. We played inside, unwrapped presents (many games included), celebrated being together, ice skated, and sledded. It was an excellent visit. (I grow more nostalgic with every visit to Milwaukee, I love it so much.)
First up among the posts is a brief snippet of Lindy skating at Red Arrow Park. Red Arrow gets low marks for the single worst pair of skates I have ever put on. Literally, the were more prone to slide sideways than forward (and I am a competent skater... I play hockey for goodness' sake.)
Lindy, however, did quite a nice job making it around the ice for a three year old.
Nothing special about this video, other than the fact that it records the morning arrival on Christmas. You know, posterity requires that I post videos like this so I can watch them later...
Oh yes, this is fine work from my girls. If you're seeking something meaningful or deep, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you're looking for something silly, you're in the right place. The first piece is about 1 minute long and includes the "introductions". My favorite parts of section one are Jesus' leg (brief appearance) and Lindy's whole introduction.
In section two, the highlight is Mary's mishap en route to Bethlehem. Don't worry, Mary and the baby are doing fine. (I also love how Handel's Messiah comes on just after the baby is born. I'm sure everyone present danced like this.) Oh, and as Aspen says, "Don't laugh" at her talent.
My sister Karen did a bit of work at JibJab with the oh so popular elves. While I've never done it myself, I can admit that this is, well, a bit funny. The copy that includes the California cousins is available at martin-keller.com, but I thought my audience might want to be a little more focused. Also note, this video will self-destruct Jan 15, 2009.
Since my wife is unlikely to blog, I figured I would share this with you. She claims that it really happened, but I'll let you be the judge.
Last night, I went to bed before Jenn. Mind you, I didn't go early or anything... it was after midnight (due to the wrapping). Knowing my wife, it was probably 2am by the time she arrived. I was, apparently, asleep already.
Jenn: kneels down to pray as she does before getting in bed Tim: Are you looking for the bovine creatures? Jenn: ignores me... thinking I'm just mumbling in my sleep Tim: Are you looking for the nekkid cows? Jenn: What? No, I'm praying. [laughs] Tim: [annoyed] Stop laughing. I used the right word. Bovine means cows.
Mind you, I'm not the only one who says silly stuff when sleepy. Back in, oh, 1996, Jenn and I had this exchange as she napped one day:
Jenn: [deep in her nap] You missed your pick! Tim: What? Jenn: You missed your pick! Tim: What are we picking? Jenn: We're pickin' pigs.
Well, obviously.
And lastly, can I ask you this? Should I be pleased about Jenn's current judgment or concerned about her initial judgment when I hear last night that she has to return something she's purchased for me because it's for a woman?
So, as part of a Christmas project this year, I've been doing some printing at Kinko's. Today, I had a single sheet printed. I used their reasonably nice online ordering stuff, uploaded my single, two-sided PDF, and told them I'd like to pick it up. When I did so, they gave it to me in a brown paper sack (not pictured) along with all of the paper pictured here. Excluding the sack, that's 11 8.5" x 11" equivalents... eleven! For a single sheet of printing. I commented to the guy there and he said, "We are a paper store."
Seriously?
Full Disclosure: The lei is mine. This artistic piece needed a bit of flair!
Jenn's mom came with this gift for the girls (acquired at a Christmas party in Kingsport). I "promised" her that I would share it with her via the blog so she could partake of the joy herself...
