WIP Wednesday ✨✨✨ This is my creativity palette cleanser. Obsessed with this Deadly Sea Aquarium pattern. Can’t wait for the finished product 🤩🤩 #wipwednesday #crossstitch #crossstitchartist #embroideryart

Fractured existence 🌿 There’s only so much you can take, We only have so much to give.

Alternate realities 🌱✨🌱 We love a little photo walkie adventure to start off a gorgeous day. Shot on my iPhone with minor Lightroom color edits. #photoadventure #pictureaday #everydayphotography

Glimpses of the greenery 🌱 So many happy plants around these parts with all this rain 🌧️

“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.” – Ernest Hemingway 🐱 I’m a cat person through and through. Always have been and always will be for one simple reason: I always know where I stand with a cat. If a cat doesn’t like me, I know. Cats don’t sugarcoat, and as a person with autism, I really value that quality in a creature. Enjoy this trippy photo of my sweet boy Lionel sunbathing ✨✨ #catsofinstagram #suncatcher #photooftheday #artonthespectrum #spectrumcreations

My very first potted creation 🧶 the saga of Goldilocks and the three pots ended today. Finally found the perfect pot to complete this creation 😍🍃 scroll for a game of one of these things is not like the other 🌿🌱🌿 can’t wait to share my next creation 🌕 #crochetcreations #crochetplant #fiberart

Gotta love a successful day of fabric dyeing for upcoming projects and too revamp some tired clothes ✨ and it’s always better with company. Good conversation and crafting is all I need ✨

I don’t know if I’ll ever make anything cuter than cactus frog but also I came up with some pretty cool ideas for new parts in this series (succulent bearded dragon maybe? 🫣) we shall see if ADHD will allow me to revisit this concept in the future. But at least this cute guy exists 😍 🧶 ✨

Piggy watching @mmfarmswedding for the market day 💕

Crochet and cat. Does it get any better than this? ✨🐱✨

“Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.” - George Orwell, 1984

Kaleidoscoping American dream. Anyone else been feeling like you’re waking up and living a funhouse mirror version of the life we were promised? Can’t be just me.

New photo tools = endless possibilities #photography #photoshoot #india #likes #bhfyp #followback #canon #followers #likesforlikes #fotografia #comment #portraitphotography #myself #photographylovers #photographylover #photographyislife #photographyeveryday #photographysouls #photographyislifee #photographylife #photographyart

Study of a tattered web and dewdrops 🕷️ I had plans to take much different photographs today but the universe decided differently. There was far too much going on for my camera to be in my hand most of the day. I am so grateful for the few minutes that I did manage to take in the foggy lake view and spotted this gorgeous abandoned web covered in dew. Naturally I had to get some photos ✨ #naturephotography #nature #photography #naturelovers #photooftheday #landscape #travel #travelphotography #instagood #love #photo #picoftheday #ig #instagram #wildlife #landscapephotography #beautiful #photographer #sunset #naturelover #spider #wildlifephotography #perfection #spiderweb #50mm #art #sky #bhfyp #mountains #like

🥀Death of a Wallflower🥀 Throughout my life, I have often assumed the role of the wallflower, the silent observer. Absorbing and learning about the world through careful observation. As I grew I developed a unique perspective of the chaos around me, with it I also developed a fear of sharing who I was authentically. Fear of what was different from me grew like a deadly infection. I stifled my own voice, and when you stifle something it either dies out or rebels. Ironically, it was through an autism diagnosis that I began ripping down the walls I had built as protection. Instead of letting my own self-imposed silence lead me to surrender, I began the arduous journey of discovering who I am and expressing myself authentically. With that, I bid adieu to the wallflower, she served me well but now it’s time to wreak some havoc. #artistsoninstagram #photographers #digitalphotoart

Man, I love when a shoot goes wrong but still gives me some excellent photos. Enjoy this super creepy sneak peek of my next piece 👽

Spent an amazing post-holiday weekend with the greatest traveling partner a gal could ask for ✨ my heart is so full and it was just the reset I needed to start pumping out some sick artwork… prepare yourselves, it’s gonna get weird 👽

Snuggling with snails ✨🐌 we may not get the fall colors but we get some amazing fall blooms with the Florida snow flowers #artistsoninstagram #artistsinnature

Had an amazing day kayaking with Cory yesterday!! Scroll to see the friend we made 🐬✨

Some of my ✨masterpieces✨ from the past couple of days. Now I have upgraded supplies so there will be no stopping me. If you need me, I’ll be painting 🎨 #artistsoninstagram #watercolor

Did some experimenting with masking fluid and watercolors today, I forget how much I love painting. Might have to pick it up again for a bit. #artistsoninstagram

The greatest art assistant a person could ask for ✨

02 || 52 Morning Light Easing into this project this time around. I definitely have some spooky and wildly fantastical photo ideas coming. But I think my problem in the past has been biting more off than I can chew. Not gonna repeat that mistake. So simple portrait again for this week’s photo. The light in the morning is absolutely stunning in the studio and I can’t wait to take more portraits with it. ☀️ #selfportrait #portrait #photography #selfie #portraits #myself #art #love #portraiture #portraitphotography #photooftheday #me #selfshot #closeup #instalovers #instagood #photographer #instafamous #selfportraitphotography #picoftheday #artist #instame #photoshoot #igersoftheday #canon #portraitmood #self #vision #life #existinphotos

We’ll meet again, where the shadow ends 🌈✨

Selenicereus undatus 🌵🌼 I was so happy to see that this cactus finally bloomed last night. Maybe this time around we’ll get some dragon fruits going 💚💚💚

I need a camping photo adventure asap, now accepting applications. I can offer amazing nature portraits and excellent campfire stories 🌿🔥

Portrait of a cicada 🦗🦟🪳🪲🪰🕷️ RIP Cicada 💚 #photostudy #insectphotography #photoaday #restinpeacecicada #cicada #deadbug #foundobjects

01/52 || Reciprocity #portraitphotography #featurepalette #portraits #rsa_portraits #portraitmood #portraits_ig #portraitphotographer #makeportraits #portraitoftheday #portraitpage #rsa_portraits #bestportraits #portraitstyles_gf #pursuitofportaits #portraits_mf #top_portraits #ig_portrait #top_portraits #postmoreportraits #life_portraits #pursuitofportraits #profile_vision #featurepalette #discoverportrait #portraits_universe #ftmedd #2instagoodportraitlove #makeportrait #tangledinfilm #portraitgames #portraitpage #rainphotography #portraitsinrain

Forever that person who gets excited when the sky is pretty ✨✨ #sunrisesunset #photography #naturephotography #pinksky

🌿macro-growth🌿 #plantcore #bokehphotography #plantphotography #macromood #macronature

Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning ⛈️ #naturephotography #floridasunrise

✨designed by nature✨ #naturephotography #shotoniphone #photodiary

As above so below 🍃 #blackandwhitephotography #hawaii #photooftheday #naturephotography

✨monstera adansonii✨ #plantphotography #blackandwhitephotography #dewdrops

Calm before the storm ⛈️ FMB 2020

🌿🌱botanical bliss🌿🌱

Endless summer #photography #summervibes

Gorgeous full super moon tonight out at Fort Myers Beach ✨

I made a thing today ✨ if you can’t tell I’m team orca, all the way. *note* if this offends you, please kindly see your way to the unfollow button and have the day you deserve

Latest finished embroidery piece! I’m on fire with creating things lately, I definitely have to get better at documenting my finished pieces. Also, I am always open for commissions and all pieces are available for purchase. Just dm me if you’re interested in something ✨ #artistonthespectrum #embroideryart

“A storm was coming But that’s not what she felt. It was adventure on the wind and it shivered down her spine.” - Unknown Rainy season is my absolute favorite. Expect plenty of moody pictures of plants 🤣

Working on wearable art work for the foreseeable future ✨

My mind is racing this evening so why not place all this extra energy somewhere and share the entirety of “In the Dark of the Night” as well as original images I used to build this photo. Rarely do images come together so easily for me, but this one was a breeze from start to finish. Effortless art is the name of my game these days ✨ The idea for "In the Dark of the Night" came to me while I was in a season of life where I was doubting my intuition. It was instrumental in helping me reconcile the disconnect in my brain between reality and illusion. Autism has blessed me with a wildly vivid and creative imagination but keeping a rein on it has proved challenging in the past. While I find it beautiful and love tapping into its creative energy, it tends to blur the lines of reality, especially in the dark of the night. Understanding the reasons behind how and why my brain processes and creates imagery has allowed me to unlock seemingly limitless creativity.

As the World Falls Down || 2023 With "As the World Falls Down", I was exploring the concept of mirroring/masking in my lived experience with autism. I find myself struggling to reconcile that I do not know who I am most days and the people in my life have a very clear idea of who I am and what I'm about. But most of the time, that idea isn't the reality. It reflects what they value about me, which is often not what I value about myself. Finding the things, I value and bringing those traits to the light has allowed me to develop the ability to harness my creative power and put it to good use.

The lost files Lots of creative growth has been happening the last few months so a photo dump seemed necessary.. new art pieces, fun times and the dog days of summer are here. I’ll be posting details of the art I’ve been creating on @snapshotswithsarah and any updates on art shows I’ll be in will also be posted there 😉

Feeny is the most precious being alive and I will lay down my life for him 🥰

So excited to announce that I will be a part of @sbdac next exhibit, Her Story. Opening on Friday, March 3rd in Downtown Fort Myers. Come out and support all the amazing local artists! Please be sure to follow my photography account, @snapshotswithsarah to stay up to date on all the latest photography news! And keep an eye out for some portrait specials I’ll be running in the near future 🤫

2023 || Time to break the cycle. Time to heal. Time to grow. Thanks for being the best sister @mogwaiiiiiiii and shaving my head for me.

This is by far my proudest completed piece. It’s not perfect by any means but I have been working on this piece on and off since September 2021. It has seen me through a lot of struggles. But no matter how hard things got, it had this there to calm my mind. This jacket will forever be my work in progress. For now I’m going to enjoy wearing it until I find something else to add to it. I’m so happy I got it finished in time for this Saturday! Pattern by NikkiPatterns on Etsy

How am I supposed to get any stitching done with this cute guy around? 😻

Garry Gergich Crooks 2011- December 24th, 2022 My sweet bear, It’s been a few days since we said good bye for now. I’m so glad I was able to get better before it was your time to move on. I don’t think I would have managed to make it through the last couple of days if I hadn’t put at least some of the pieces back together. I was really broken for a long time and you and your brother were always the one thing that guaranteed I would leave the bed that day. You have helped in my healing more than I can express with words. I’ve always been so protective of Lionel because you my sweet boy never needed help getting anyone to love you. You were too kind for this world and every stranger you met was your best friend — especially if they had snacks. Not only were you cherished by me and your brother, you touched so many others. These last few days have been filled with so much sadness and through all that I have also seen so much kindness. Thank you so much to all of my family and friends who have been by my side during this loss — I truly thought I’d have a little more time. The universe just had other plans. Rest easy sweet boy. Until we meet again.

Crafting gifts for your loved ones has to be one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. I’m so proud of what I’m making but I need to make it a surprise?! The struggles of being a craft connoisseur 😅

Just a few of my favorites from my yearly session with this amazing family! Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to capture beautiful memories for you year after year 💚💚💚 #familyphotography #familyportraits

So a little bit of back story, cross stitch stockings are a tradition in my family and we take them very seriously. And since forever, my grandma has made them. Thankfully, she is still around to make more but she’s just tired of making them and passed the torch to the next generation. So this is my first official finished stocking for my nephew (I finished just in time for his first Christmas). I had to make it a little more unconventional (like myself) so I lined it with the cute frog fabric. The cross stitch piece took me 4 months to finish and it is also the biggest piece I have ever actually finished. This was a proud moment to put it all together today and the best part is my sister loves it! It’s perfectly imperfect like everything I make but damn I am a happy camper right now.

Custom embroidery art I made for a friend 🖤 it’s been a while since I’ve been able to share a finished cross stitch project on here #embroideryart #crossstitch

Waxing and Waning 11-15-22 Throughout my journey mentally and spiritually, I’ve found myself being neglectful of my physical needs. Being so focused on what I’m doing in the moment, that the rest of the world ceases to exist. While it’s great to keep my hands and my mind busy, it is important to take a breath and listen. #selfportrait #existinphotos

Reclamation 11-06-22 This season for me has been one of growth and acceptance. I have no longer been turning a blind eye to the relationships and stressors that exist in my life but do not bring me joy. If it no longer serves me, it no longer deserves to live rent free in my head. I will not waste anymore more of my energy on anything that is more draining than it is uplifting. Since adopting this view, my mental health has been better than it has ever been. For the first time, I feel like I have a grasp on my sobriety and that feeling alone is better than anything I’ve ever experienced. I will not give it up for anything or anyone. And those who would put it at risk can be easily removed from my life. The best part is I don’t feel bad for choosing me first. #choosinghappiness

Outtake from a shoot that was too great not to share 🙂 I’ll be opening up shop on my photography business, Sarah Crooks Photography, again in the near future. So if anyone would want to book a shoot soon, send me a message! You’ll be seeing this dress again with an edit I’m very excited about 🙃

"We can be our own dragons as well as our own heroes—and sometimes we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves." Tom Robbins My biggest bully shouldn’t be the one inside my head, but it is. I need to stop only listening to it and do the things I want to do because the end results make me happier than ever. *text messages are actually what I sent in reference to this photo after I put it together* #existinphotos #selfportrait #identity

“I can’t believe you’re getting so worked up about some guy.” - Hades Hades seemed like 100% the best vibe to go with for Halloween this year. Also, please enjoy my kitty cats, Garry and Lionel, co-staring (and quite honestly stealing the show) as Panic and Pain. 🖤🐈‍⬛🧡🎃 #halloween2022 #hadespainandpanic

Jethro’s first Fall Festival @fmcc.life ft. The lovely sign made by Heather and I 🐈‍⬛🧡🦇🖤🎃

Coming along nicely🪡 #embroideryart #jeanjacketupgrade #cannotwaittowearit

“Anybody with artistic ambitions is always trying to reconnect with the way they saw things as a child.” - Tim Burton It felt good to get back to creating tonight after a nice break. Sometimes you need to disconnect in order to reconnect. I am also proud to say this is the first official piece I have created with my iPad. It definitely took some getting used to but I cannot wait to see what else I am able to create with it. Thank you to my lovely mom and sister for giving me the ability to create are from the comfort of my own bed.

04||52 “A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” - Mary Davis Back on track with this project 🙂 I’m also really enjoying getting reacquainted with my equipment. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually thought about the technical aspect of photography.

03||52 “Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise again.” - Victor Hugo I’ve been on a bit of an art exploration/journey lately and it has been exhilarating. I cannot wait to see what else comes out of this creative fury I have going on. Also, little PSA, it pays off to take your meds 😅

Gotta admit, I’ve missed creating, not too shabby for my first trip back to brushes and ink in a while. It’ll only get better with more practice 🤗

02||52 “where flowers bloom, so does hope.” - Lady Bird Johnson Little late with this one but better late than never :)

Metamorphosis 01||52 I had fun flexing my photoshop muscles again, even if the creation of this photo landed me in a giant ant hill at one point. It’s all about the journey to the final product and the memories made in the process.

It’s always nice to start your morning with a sunrise photo shoot 🙂 better than a cup of coffee

If you need me on this happiest of Halloweens I will be posted up in my thinking chair with my pal, Blue. ✌🏼 #happyhalloween #bluesclues

Hiking in #assateagueisland with @georgegilbertshow today. Got to see some cute horses, and yes! I got pictures. Even of the cheeky one that wanted to eat my tripod for lunch.

Feeling like the sea witch I am here in #oceancitymaryland Ready for another day of adventuring 🙃

I’ve been having so much fun adventuring around Ocean City but it wouldn’t be a “Sarah” vacation without impromptu self portrait shoots. Especially when the lighting is just too good to resist. I got so many from this shoot, it’s nice to finally have some self confidence back. Ps. No cameras were in danger during the creation of this shot. #vacation #selfportrait #oceancitymaryland

Don’t let the clouds fool you, it’s a gorgeous day in Ocean City #birthdaytrip #vacation

4/52 Sweet Dreams “In dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own.” - Albus Dumbledore I have already fallen a week behind, but that’s okay. Life does not go as planned most days and inspiration is a fickle mistress. I hope to keep on track with the rest of this project.

3/52 Identity Crisis Keeping in theme with last week, here’s another simple one. I will get more editing intensive but it’s best to pace one’s self. Now you may be wondering why name an image with flowers “Identity Crisis”, part of me is wondering as well. But it just feels right. After getting diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and carving myself back into a functioning human being, I have struggled with understanding who that human is anymore. A lot is the same but so very much is different. And sometimes, this concerns me but I am enjoying the journey of becoming reacquainted with this new blossom of a person. Anywho, enjoy the image and see ya next week it’s gonna be a fun one.

2/52 Simplicity I’m feeling a little drained this week so I opted for a simple portrait for this weekly project. And I keep having to remind myself that is okay. The purpose of this project is to exist in photos. They don’t always have to be extravagant and skillfully edited. Sometimes they can be simple. Stay tuned to see what’s in store for next week.

1/52 Free Your Mind “I declare there is no enjoyment like reading.” - Jane Austen I’ve missed doing a self portrait project. So I decided to start it up again. To kick it off I’m posting this image which collectively took me 30 minutes to create. I have so many ideas blossoming this time around. I cannot wait to create image after image. Stay tuned for more peeks into my mind.

When your photo adventure doesn’t turn out as planned at least you can get an updated photo of your hair 🤷🏻‍♀️

Late night photo sesh 🙃

“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.” - Ralph Aldo Emerson

Nothing like a little hike and beach relaxation to reset an overworked mind 💕

Soaking up some 🌞

Renovating the house leads to rooms with stellar lighting that I can’t resist #itsbeenawhile #selfportrait #lightingiseverything

Happy #coloringbookday @prismacolor

Doodle fun in between late night calls for work #workfromhomelife #doodlesofinstagram

Just keep swimming everyone. Just keep swimming 💙💙💙 #disneywatercolor #disney #watercolorart #justkeepswimming

Social distancing activity #327 - Draw cat comics. Just trying to keep myself entertained 😂 #stayhome #catsofinstagram #catstagram #outofideas

Thank goodness for art during this stay home time 💚 I am going to need a new sketchbook by the time this is done lol #beautyandthebeast #watercolor #rose #stayhome #art

I ran out of painting ideas so I wrote a bunch of words down and whenever I feel like painting I’ll draw one randomly. If it’s not obvious, this one was candy 🍭 #watercolorart #stayhome #watercolor #happysunday

Some root veg to brighten everyone’s Monday 💚💚💚 #watercolor #watercolorpainting

Spent the day creating with my watercolors 💚 tis the absolute best way to spend the day!! #watercolor #artfortheday

So happy and relieved that this precious girl made it through surgery okay 💚💚💚 my heart can rest easy now

I had such a great time with Karina, Mitchell and their fur babies!! I now officially want sessions with all the dogs 💚💚💚 thank you again Karina and Mitchell for sharing your lovely doggos with me for a session!! 😍😍😍😍

It’s crazy to think that I’ve been photographing this family for almost ten years. We’ve missed years here and there but every single shoot is a blast, rain or shine 😂 I love this year’s images and can’t wait to see what next year brings!!