Baking 101

I'm reading about and experimenting with different techniques in PSE 11.  I'm afraid of getting in a rut - you know - just adding a texture, changing the blend mode and calling it done.  Not today though.  Today I played with text; added gradients and skewed the text too.  I'm exhausted!

Original photo taken in the Smallwood Store, Everglades City, FL.  This is the closest I've come to baking for the holidays!

(I realized after capturing the layers panel, that most of what I had done was lost since I merged so many layers together.  I had hoped to show you the numerous steps taken to achieve the skewed text and shadow.)

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Merry Christmas to All...

Here it is Christmas once again.  The time has flown by.  It seems like I just took last year's tree down!

My sister-in-law, Carol, is a talented paper crafter and stamper.  She makes wonderful holiday cards - not only for Christmas, but all year round.  I always look forward to receiving mail from Carol.  Her sweet little snowman card sits on top of a pile of Christmas cards we received this year.  Isn't he the cutest?!

My wish for you, my friends, is that the Peace, Hope and Love you have in your hearts today stays with you all through the year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Show Off Your Shot

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This or That

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Rain Day...

This shot was taken in Nova Scotia while on a car ferry.  I was surprised at how well it turned out since it was difficult to focus on anything in particular.

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Snow in the Everglades

I don't know if it has ever snowed in the everglades - that is until today.  My husband and I took a Sunday drive to Everglades City.  I stopped here and there to take photos.  (I wanted to experiment with my new DSLR camera.)

An overlay of snowflakes added to original photo to create this "winter" scene.

 Using the original photo, I created a painting using Photoshop Elements and made a card to be left  where a stranger may find it, pick it up and hopefully know it was made with love and kindness.

We need to spread more kindness in our world especially now after all the pain and suffering caused by the horrific shootings in Sandy Hook CT.  My heart goes out to those families.

One card hidden behind a tissue box on a shelf in my local Publix grocery store.  I had a mammogram yesterday - I hid the second card under a stack of gowns in the dressing room at the lab.  I wrote a personal message on the back of the cards as well as my email address.  I wonder if I will ever know who found the cards.

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Wordless Wednesday

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How I Celebrate Christmas...

How do you celebrate Christmas - that's the question.

Firstly, my dress form - let's call her Christmas Carol - dons her Christmas bustier.  The bustier is made of grocery shopping bags, painted, cut and stitched.  Handmade ribbon rosettes and beaded trim added for fun.  She has many outfits which change seasonally.

 Our tradition is to put the Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving and take it down on New Years Day.  This sweet little tree sits on an end table and looks so romantic when lit up.  Many of the ornaments are handmade by moi.

My children are all grown up with families of their own.   Celebrating the holidays without them is hard.  We live in Florida and they are in Illinois.  Luckily, I still have one kid at home.  Not really, but my husband does love Christmas and he still acts like a kid when he sees Frosty ;-)

How do you celebrate?

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Hunt's Christmas stocking...

One never knows when a creative opportunity will arise.  I was asked by a woman (Marilyn) who came to my garage sale if I knew anyone who sews (seriously!).   "I sew" I replied.  "What do you need?"  She had a Christmas stocking that had been stitched by an unknown person and finished by an acquaintance.  She was in desperate need of getting the piece of needlework turned into a Christmas stocking - pronto! How could I possibly say "no"?

Here is the needlework (which needed blocking).   Pinned to foam core, spritzed with water and left to dry.  The stitches now pop and piece lies flat.  We're good to go.

 On the reverse side of stitchwork, a seam allowance was drawn with pencil.  Rights side together with supplied faux red velvet for back of stocking - but wait - she provided no fabric for a lining (lining, huh?)  Yes, of course, this puppy must be lined or all those yarns will show - no way, Jose!  Luckily, I have tons of fabric suitable for a lining.  Stitch the two stockings (original and lining) right sides at the top seam.  Looks weird - don't worry magic is about to happen.  Turn right sides out and blind stitch the "turning" seam on lining - voila!

Hunt's Christmas stocking looks vintage and is so precious.  I know Marilyn will be as happy with it as I am.

Now it's time for me to get back to work on my own Christmas gifts.

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Katherine's Corner

This or That

Inspire Me Fridays
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Snow Birds...

It's that time of year again.  Our lovely winter friends have flown down from the north to celebrate the holidays!

Original photo of egret taken at the Naples Pier.

Clipart from Digital Scrapper

"Karla" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Shot Tuesday

Heads Up!

The Friday My Town Shootout Challenge this week is "Things That Look Like Faces".

Am I nuts or what?  I walk by this little "face" in the sidewalk almost daily.  Can you see it?

How about now?

"Signed and Sealed" texture courtesy of Pixel Dust Photo Art.

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Inspire Me Fridays

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Brushed Up...

Playing with Topaz filters and Photoshop Elements - it's amazing what happens!

My original photo taken at a fish cleaning station on the Naples pier.  Buzsim filter in Topaz Simplify 4 added over my adjusted photo.

Mouse Over to see Original

"Holly" and "Cherish Scripted" textures courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Shot Tuesday
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Your Sunday Best

Emily and the Butterflies

Collage of Emily (my granddaughter), butterflies and the Naples Beach.

"Kristin" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Shot Tuesday

Big Dreams

This week the Texture Tuesday theme is DREAMS.  This little guy's life is just starting.  I'm sure he and his parents have big dreams for him!

This photo was taken on the Naples Beach.

"Beached" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.
My own "big dream" brush made using "Riddle" font.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Shot Tuesday
Weekly Top Shot

gravity

I heard from Cheryl at Dockside Thoughts about a photo challenge - Friday My Town Shoot Out.  I thought I'd give it a try.  This week's theme is GRAVITY AT PLAY.  The easiest example (for me) is running water.

"Vellum" texture courtesy of Pixel Dust Photo Art.

Linking to: 

Inspire Me Fridays

Photo Art Fridays
Friday My Town Shoot Out

Rural Mail Box

This photo was taken in Nova Scotia.  We drove around the three islands comprising Digby Neck exploring most of the small roads we came upon.  This rural mail box was too good to pass up! 

"Extreme Grunge" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Sweet Shot Tuesday

Katherine's Corner
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SAQA in Florida

I am happy to be one of the exhibiting artists in the SAQA in Florida exhibit!

What a Deal!

If you are in the market for a good used truck, look at the deal I found for you!

"Wicked" texture courtesy of Pixel Dust Photo Art.

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Inspire Me Fridays

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Your Sunday Best

Blackout

Since it's the last "official" day of the 30 Day Photo Challenge III, I thought it fitting to dress up.

The 30 Day Photo Challenge has been a blast.  I've learned so much and made some new friends.  I almost sorry to see it end...

Photo taken at the tailor shop in Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia

"Scripted Edges" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Sweet Shot Tuesday
30 Days of Photography III

The City

If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Cinque Terre in Italy, do it!  Five villages located on the rugged Ligurian Sea coastline.  (Monterosso al Mare, Vernaazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.)  Hiking paths, trains and boats connect the villages.  Cars cannot reach them from the outside.  Starting at Monterosso al Mare, we hiked through the five villages to Riomaggiore.  The hike took us about 4-1/2 hours.  We decided to take the train back to Monterosso al Mare.   It was a great experience.

"Blue Depth" texture courtesy of Pixel Dust Photo Art.

Linking to:

30 Days of Photography III

Autumn

Here in SW Florida, we don't get much seasonal change in foliage - at least not like in the colder parts of the country.

This photo was taken while vacationing in Croatia.  We enjoyed beautiful autumn weather there!

Linking to:

30 Days of Photography III

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Your Sunday Best

M&M's Cafe

I immediately thought "candy" when I heard M&Ms.  No longer true since I discovered this cafe located in Tin City in Naples, FL.  Now I think "great burgers" when I hear M&Ms!

Linking to: 

Wordless Wednesday

30 Days of Photography III

Riding the Fence...

Sometimes making art is hard - especially when my muse has left the building.  Fear can keep me from making a decision - what if it's wrong?!   Then again it may be the perfect choice.   Taking the time to make samples helps.  Letting whimsy take over is not a bad thing either.  Note to self:  am I'm over-thinking, over-reacting, or...?

Time for me to stop riding on NEUTRAL.  Make a decision - right or wrong - and get off the fence!

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

Broken Home...

No longer inhabitable, this BROKEN home has been abandoned and forgotten...somewhere in Nova Scotia.

"Tableaux Van Dyke" texture courtesy of French Kiss

Linking to:

Weekly Top Shot
Your Sunday Best
30 Days of Photography III

Hard as Nails...

Among other things, I am a doll maker.  I like to use what's on hand, things I find, the odd bits and pieces.  The hair for this doll is made from concrete NAILS.  The body is made up of dryer lint mixed with glue to form a clay-like substance; apron made up from discarded denim pants.  (Waste not - want not - that's my motto!)

"The Laundress" ©2006 Pat Kumicich

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

Steel...

The dashboard on a vintage1929 American La France fire engine located in Charlottetown, PEI.  The tender loving care of this vehicle is evident.  The STEEL parts glow.  It's a beautiful piece of history!

"Soft Swirls" texture courtesy of Pixel Dust Photo Art

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Qwerty

I must admit having to look up QWERTY in Wikipedia.  Imagine my surprise to find that it is a typewriter keyboard.  As luck would have it, I own a vintage Remington portable typewriter!

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This or That
Katherine's Corner

30 Days of Photography III

The Tale of 4 Coins

I had 4 quarters burning a hole in my pocket.  What can I do with these COINS?  I hunted around town for a pay phone, without much luck.  Found a gas station with an air machine - $1 to pump air into your tires and you would need to do it in 4 minutes! - that seemed high to me - and my tires looked okay.

I turned around and espied a laundromat.  It has been years since I have set foot in such a place.  It was an eye opener.  It cost 3 quarters for one pouch of laundry detergent!  Lesson here - bring your own detergent.

The ladies on the right were showing the young girls on the left how to sort laundry.  There was a lot of laughing going on.  As you can see from the sign, it costs many more quarters than I had to wash and dry one load!

They made sure to pack in as many articles of clothing into the washer as possible.  (I wonder if any of it really gets clean jammed in this way.)

I decided not to do laundry, make a phone call or fill the tires with air.  I still have my 4 quarters.  Since I cannot do much with them anyway, I'm going to put them in the bank and save them for a rainy day.

Linking to: 

Wordless Wednesday

30 Days of Photography III

Are you kidding me?!

I'm so excited.  Look what I found in my mailbox.  Who wants to join me on this trip?

What do you think - is this BS or not?

Read the fine print.  

Of course, it's BS!!

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

My favorite Food...

My husband does not cook much, but when he does, it's good.  My FAVORITE FOOD is the salmon he grills - our Friday night dinner most weeks.  I could eat it every day.  He won't tell me his grilling secret, which is fine with me.  I'd much rather he be the one slaving over the hot coals!

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

I've Got a Secret...

The easiest way to keep a secret is without help!

"Gossip Girls"

©2011 copyright Pat Kumicich

This art quilt measures 50"x50".  I hope you enjoy looking, but please do not Pinterest!

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

Calm Waters

In the early morning hours, the rowboat bobs gently on a small lake near Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.  There is something about watching CALM water that I find soothing to my soul.

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III
Weekly Top Shot

For Medicinal Purposes Only...

No beer in these FIVE medicinal bottles on the pharmacy wall - although I've found that a shot of whiskey can be a good cure-all!

I considered adding texture to this photo, but decided against it.  I love the way the glass sparkles, don't you?

Photo take in Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia

Linking to: 

Inspire Me Fridays

Photo Art Fridays
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Heavy stuff...

I admit it - I have a thing about weight.  When I think HEAVY, I think weight.  It's reflected in my artwork - big time!

"Zoftig" clay sculpture

"Weight, Weight - Don't Tell Me!" ©2010 Pat Kumicich

This art quilt will be on display as part of the SAQA FL 2012 exhibit

Peabody Auditorium

600 Auditorium Boulevard

Daytona Beach, FL

October 30, 2012 - November 10, 2012

This art quilt measures 42"Wx54"H.  I hope you enjoy looking, but please do not Pinterest!

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

Katherine's Corner

This or That

Good Old Golden Rules Days...

RULES on the school house blackboard in Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia.

"Be Still" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to: 

Texture Tuesday 

Sweet Shot Tuesday
30 Days of Photography III

Hair today - gone tomorrow

Do you suffer from problems with your HAIR or the lack thereof - here's a solution for you:

Photo taken in Nova Scotia on the road to Sheet Harbour.

Linking to: 

30 Days of Photography III

Craftmanship

Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia highlights CRAFTSMANship from days gone by.  It's hard to imagine setting the loom up.  Evidently it takes many hours to do so before the weaver can begin her magic.

Linking to: 

Your Sunday Best
30 Days of Photography III