Little Scraps of Magic

Mmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnn....Delicious!

This spot looks promising...

 

Searching, searching, ...

 

Acquiring target...

 

Got ya! Delicious!!!

 

Joining in on the fun over at Focus 52, where it's Week 21, and the theme is "Delicous!"

 

I Need to Remember This

So, I started with this:

Cropped her down a bit...

Stirred up some photoshop elements magic, threw in a texture or two, and got this...

 

I'm going to print her out and focus on this quote; too much monkey brain going here. (Although, I have to credit the monkey brain; it's what woke me up at 3 am, leading to this.)

Macro Shot Monday

Taken for Macro Shot Monday...Who Dey on our couch.

 

In living color, before messing around in Photoshop Elements!

It Started Out as a Disaster...

Remember this? I decided to go for it and use the shot as a journal page. But, as the print emerged from my HP, it became very clear that I had pushed my printer as far as I could push it. HP decided to fight back, and the upshot was a very faded grayish blue picture, and not at all what I had in mind for my journal page.

Something made me hesitate as I headed toward the recyling container. The color appealed to me for some reason, and honestly, that ink is expensive. Upshot? I decided to play, because, after all, it couldn't get much worse.

Out came the micron for a bit of outlining and journaling. A few areas of stark white jumped out, so I blended in some "weathered wood" from an old Ranger stampad.

And, I like it!

Week 20: Nurture

Week 20! So far, I've manged to post, some pics obviously better than others, but I've done it. I'm looking forward to doing a book of these at the end of this year, and if I'm smart, I'll start putting it together now!

Kara and Alex in the black and white version - taken during our usual Friday night mayhem.

You can lots more pics here, over at Focus 52.

 

Tiny Details

Can you spot me? Up late last night and then again in the wee hours of the morning, honing in on the details of learning to use a macro and learning to get off the manual mode of my camera. Note to self: sign up for a course already!

Look across the silver beads and you'll find me several times, relfected here and there.

Loving this one and seeing so many journaling possiblities. I've got an idea that's been percolating for some time now, and I think it's beginning to bubble. Just need to work out a few logistics...

We've got plans for today and are going to have so much fun. Happy Saturday, everyone!

Before & After

Learning to use the macro and not caring much for this "before" shot. Just blah.

But, I'm kinda liking the "after."

Macro play.

Texture play.

Life really is good!

Scattered Thoughts

A journal page from about a month ago...maybe a bit more.

I had cropped and printed a photo I shot during one of our junking/antiquing walk abouts. I outlined with a finely tipped micron pen, and I fell in love with the effect.

I love bottles lined up along a windowsill, particularly those with a bit of a tint to them - pale blues and aquas, soft greens that call to mind the sea.

Light pouring through them fills a need inside me.

I journaled ideas as I sat and listened to a friend; my writing wanders up, down, and sideways, as I quickly sought space to jot down what she said, always being mindful that I still wanted to see those bottles!

I came home very cranky today; nothing major, just a ever growing heap of thinks to do, coupled with heat and humidity. I sat for a bit, catching up on a few blogs, but finding it hard to concentrate. But one message kept showing up - to find time to nurture myself.

So, the candle's burning, filling up the air with honeysuckle. A bubble bath ensued. I'm not touching the schoolwork; it will be forever there, no matter how much I tackle. I'm taking a bit of time to replenish the well, to just be, to relax, and to focus on what is good, and to figure out where I want to go with things and the steps to get there, to spend more time doing what I really really love. 

I'm claiming tonight for me.

Promise, and a Nod to the Undo Buttons in Life

Continuing to play with the macro lens, shooting a peony bud just beginning to unfurl. One of my assignments for the "Beyond Layers" class is to illustrate one word. So many possibilites...

In some senses, the bud is me, tightly furled. Technology frustrates me. Well, its learning curve certainly does. I really don't care much for spreadsheets and power points, since I don't find them much fun. So, like the bud, I wrap the protective layers around me; given a choice, I'd stay furled. I just want to make the magic happen without the accompanying headaches.

But, like the bud, I'm blossoming. I am beginning to open up, especially if the tech promises creative adventures. I'm even tackling the not so fun stuff, like blog redesign, and the educational powers that be declare that I will learn to use all the buttons on the active board. Talk about headaches - ugh! Again, thank you, God, for undo buttons and back arrow keys, and for knowing that the typepad help folks are standing by. Thank you for Heather at school, who has the patience of a saint. I'm not in it alone, although it sometimes feels that way as I stare at the screen.

For sure, I need that cable release and to set up the tripod, because the lens is heavy, and I always get a bit of shake. I know what this lens is capable of, and I'm aiming to get it!

So, maybe Wednesday for the cable? I've got "Bam Bam," aka Alex tomorrow evening.

I spent the better part of an hour playing with textures in photoshop. (I did something to the "brushes" and need to figure out how to fix it.) I get so lost in this, in a good way. Going back and forth among the textures and the blending modes, I'm content and happy. Not that there aren't some "ughs" and some "bleahs." There are plenty of those to be sure! But part of the beauty of digital is the undo button. I really do love that button!

Here's the before, beautiful in its own right:

My aim was to add just a bit of texture to the background, and I'm pretty pleased overall with what resulted. I think this will be a photo I go back to over and over.

 

 

Happy Mother's Day!

Playing with my new toy - a macro lens! So much fun, and oh, boy, an awful lot to learn. This lens is heavy! So, it's time to get serious about the tripod, and time to get a release cable. One new toy equals many new learning curves...but I love it!

Happy Mother's Day to anyone who mothers anyone else in any way!