December 27, 2012

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.)



December 24, 2012

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!


December 21, 2012

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.


December 17, 2012

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.


December 14, 2012

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 ;-)



December 7, 2012

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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December 4, 2012

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.

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