photo art friday 29.6.12 - a painterly picture

Today, over at Pixel Dust Photo Art, 

Bonnie's is hosting a "Painterly" edition of Photo Art Friday.

For this I used a photo of a waterlily in my pond taken earlier this week.

After a slight adjustment to the brightness/contrast

I used two of Bonnie's  textures!

I first applied Bonnie's "Vintage Craquelure" texture using 

the screen blending mode at 100%.

With a soft brush at, 70% opacity, I removed the texture from the lily,

and at 20% opacity, from the lily pad leaves.

I then applied Bonnie's "Painterly"texture using the

overlay blending mode, again at 100%.

This time I lightly brushed only the centre of the lily at 20% opacity.

Et Voila!

I love the way the textures have enhanced the water rippling around the leaves and petals!

Happy Photo Art Friday!

Happy Weekend!!

Happy Canada Day!!!

Safe weekend to all!

Why not head over and check out the wonderful creations
at Pixel Dust Photo Art 

also posting to Flowers for Leontien

skywatch friday 29.6.12

Beautiful sunny day with lovely wispy clouds

Perfect for SkyWatch Friday

Have an awesome weekend!

It is a holiday weekend here 

Happy Canada Day!!

You can see some awesome sky photos

at

http://skyley.blogspot.ca/

{release} - 52 Photos yr2 wk10

Deb asks: 

What do you do to lighten up?

How do you let go of the stressors of your day?

So begins her guest post prompt at 52 Photos Project this week...

My first thought was:

"I don't really have any stressors in my day"

I wouldn't say I get stressed about much

All my life people have said how calm I am in stressful situations

...how I never get upset or worked up about anything

I know we all get stressed, and the more I thought about this prompt 

the more I began to wonder if I de-stress as I go through my day

and therefore rarely feel stressed...

Does that make sense?

I start my day with either Yoga or Tai Chi

depending on my mood and the weather...

and then enjoy the sunrise with a cup of coffee

followed by my morning pages a la "The Artist's Way"

I think all of these allow me to start the day in stress free mode...

Throughout the day I am always with Music -
and yes I dance and sing whenever the mood strikes!

and I laugh...a lot!
I think they all provide release from stress too!

In the summer, I find my gardens to be wonderful at keeping my self at peace...

my front porch, pictured below

and the garden shown in my header above are two of my favourite places

for taking a break from routine 

(too much routine is probably my biggest stressor and I avoid it at all costs! *lol*) 

My kitchen & cooking used to be one of my favourite de-stressors after a long day at work!

Now that I am 'retired' I still love to cook and I am thrilled to be able to do it at any time of day!

 I cook up a storm on a regular basis...

usually far more food than the mister and I can possibly consume 

but that's okay ...

I love to deliver a surprise lunch or dinner to one of my elderly neighbours 

just to see the smile on their faces!!

Believe it or not, I also find that doing dishes by hand to be very relaxing
I chose not to own a dishwasher!

and finally,
of course,
taking a walk with my camera is an activity
that has always brought serene moments into my day
and I do try to do it daily...


Yes!

I have discovered something new about myself...

I do believe that because the things I do to release stress

are scattered throughout my day

that I don't seem to ever feel stressed...

Thanks for that prompt Deb!

I love learning new things about me...

Check out 52 Photos Project to see Deb's fun & unique release mechanism
as well as how the other contributors release their daily stress!

this or that thursday 28.6.12

I've been working on clearing out the 'pond' a bit this week...

When my pump needs to be cleaned more often than usual 

I know it is time to go in and dredge...

Even though it is one of those little backyard types it can get pretty slimy!

The nice thing about a little pond is that I can stand in the middle and use my hands.

When I got out there I realized that the lilies are beginning to bloom!

So

of course

I had to get a picture!

I have also been working on another project.

My mother has a rocking chair that belonged to her Great Grandmother. 

It has been sitting unused because the cloth seat and supportive webbing has disintegrated.

Mom doesn't want it refinished but would like to be able to sit in it

so I brought it home to see if I could renew the webbing and find a nice cushion for it.

Just after I brought it home a friend posted a photo on Pinterest

(you know, that addictive site, right?)

and I loved the concept so much that I presented the idea to Mom and she loved it!

She took it a step further and asked me to use my late father's belts 

as a sort of memory project of my Dad and her Great Grandma.

Yesterday I began to put it together and it is coming together quite nicely, I think.

It required more belts than Dad had so I added a few that I...ahem...have outgrown

and though it isn't quite finished, just to be sure she still liked the idea,

 I sent her this photo to see what she thinks...

What do you think???

Posting to This or That Thursday

Why not pop over and see all the wonderful photos
and especially Deb's shots of horseback riding into Bryce Canyon!

texture tuesday - the posie edition 26.6.12

I am still getting philadelphus (mock orange) blossoms!

I think I may have photographed every single blossom over the past week

and, continuing with my texture experimentation, have tried a gazillion textures!

I love the many ways that adding texture can enhance a photo!

For Texture Tuesday, the Posie eDition, I chose a few of those photos..

For the first one, I duplicated the photo using the screen blending mode at 29%

added a mask and removed the second layer over the flowers and vase using a soft brush.

I then added Kim's 'Epiphany' texture using the multiply blending mode at 74% opacity

added a mask and removed the texture over the flowers only

For this second one, I again duplicated the photo using screen blending mode, this time at 59% opacity and added 2 layers of Kim's 'Let Go' texture both using multiply at 26% and 14% respectively

I brushed over the flowers and random parts of the mirror frame

I then added one of my favourite Kim Klassen textures ~ 

 'Music Lovin' using multiply blending mode at 67% for the final product (above)

For this final photo, I once again used Kim's 'Let Go' texture

this time using the multiply blending mode at 60% opacity

I also made both levels and brightness/contrast adjustments to this photo

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Kim for all the wonderful videos and textures 

that she so generously provides as well as the awesome courses she delivers!

The techniques I have used here were learned in her skinny mini photoshop e-course!

photo art friday & {summertime colours} 52 Photos yr2 wk9

I have three philadelphus (mock orange) bushes in my yard...

One on either side of the house at the back corners

and one right outside my living room window.

For some reason the one in the front blossoms slightly later than the other two

so the scent is still prevalent in the yard, the house and the neighbourhood!

As the blossoms are starting to fade, 

with more than a little help from high winds and a wicked thunderstorm last night,

I collected what was left intact on the bush and brought them inside...

trying to capture the scent for just a wee bit longer, I guess

...and a few photos as well (of course!)

I layered this photo three times in PSE

using different blending modes at differing opacities

Posting to Photo Art Friday
I love that I can smell them as I type this!

Experimenting with textures on the other shots and hope to share the results early next week...

Though that shot could also fit Bella's "summertime colours" prompt over at 52 Photos Project,

I chose shots of the most recent bloomers in the garden

because they are so much more colourful!
...and for some reason I am more inclined to post SOOC for 52 Photos

Wishing everyone an awesome first weekend of summer!  

Janet

macro monday 18.6.12

Despite my useless hands, I was determined to get the last of our planters done this weekend

before all the plants I had carefully selected and purchased had died!

Ever my hero, the mister stepped up and bravely volunteered for the task

(he doesn't like me not to follow doctor's orders)

...so, what began under my close supervision and watchful eye

was finished beautifully...

However I got distracted by my camera

and the final four planters were finished by the time I 

was done snapping!!

I suspect he rushed a bit a LOT for exactly that reason...

This is what created the initial distraction...

This guy is so laden with pollen I think he was too tired to fly...

he let me get right up in his face and take multiple shots

(you can see how really handsome he is if you enlarge the photo by clicking on it)

Posting to  Macro Monday.
Why not head over to see the other contributions or, better yet, join in yourself?

{shadows} over Sedona - 52 Photos yr2 wk8

Hands and fingers have been a little, shall we say, uncooperative this week

Thanks to the wonders of modern medicine aka cortisone injections

I am able to type a bit this morning, though I am supposed to be resting them...

(have I mentioned that I am not good at following rules?)

As a result, I will be using photos from my archives this week 

for Bella's prompt at 52 Photos Project

I chose these particular photos because it was the shadows 

that called out to be captured,

over all the awe and beauty of the scenery,

at moments when my eyes wanted to be looking everywhere at once.

The journey began while the town of Sedona, Arizona
still slept in the shadows of night as the sun prepared to rise over the valley

while we waited in near darkness to climb aboard our balloon
and follow our companions into the sunrise

we watched the sun rise as our balloon rose with it...
...we came over this crest to witness a beautiful scene below us
where the shadows crept across the valley while the sun continued its ascent

even when the sun was fully awake
and the people of Sedona headed out on the highway to work
Oak Creek Canyon was full of shadows...
...and we were casting a tiny shadow of our own!
(that would be 'me' in the centre, above the highway)

we went down into a gulch in the canyon and again
it was the shadows cast by the rocky wall that caught my attention

and the trees shadows mingling with our own as we went lower

and then we rose again to continue our flight over the world
which was now bathed in sunlight
with only tiny shadows cast by trees and bushes being visible

until our own shadow was cast over the Suburban that would shuttle us to
a celebratory champagne picnic breakfast and our balloon 'pilot' certificates!

I have to admit that I was very impressed with the incredibly accurate precision
with which these gentlemen could estimate and execute our landing!


"Shadow owes its birth to light." ~ John Gay

Thanks to Bella for a great prompt this week!

Have a wonderful weekend!

skywatch friday 15.6.12

We had some stormy days this week and I grabbed as many shots as I could 

I haven't had much of a chance to look at them yet...

This is what it looked like from my patio earlier this week:

Posting to:

http://skyley.blogspot.ca/

negative space - photo art friday

I have just been the victim of multiple cortisone injections 

so need to stay off the computer for a few days...

I already had this ready for Photo Art Friday so putting it up here 

(with a little help from the mister)

I posted this photo a while back for Skywatch Friday

but have added one of Bonnie's lovely textures this time

This was the original photo SOOC

I added Bonnie's 'pdpa painterly texture'

using the linear burn blending mode at 100%

I removed the texture over the rocky outcrop 

with a soft brush in normal blending mode at 29%

and I liked the way it allowed me to imagine what the Canyon would look like at night

so I deemed it to be finished (for now)

For:

THIS (is what I have been up to) & THAT (is why I've not been around much)

I am missing blogging and hopping!!

but I have to get our wedding invitations made and sent out!

The clock is ticking...

and of course we had to make our own because...

we couldn't find anything that grabbed us

we wanted to keep it simple and affordable

we wanted something we designed that would be unique to us...

because "you only get married once"

or, in our case, twice.

They apparently call it an 'encore wedding'

I sorta like that...

So I was going to cheat a bit...

or

maybe I could say multitask?

...and just post photos of the invitations we've been making

But then I managed to get a few shots yesterday after the rain to post for this or that Thursday

here they are...

followed by the photos of the invites

A private sneak preview for my blogosphere buds

invitation on ivory recycled card stock
'gate' made with copper vellum
'belly band' of handmade ivory straw paper
raffia bow with a lavender spike from our garden...

Heading out to mail them now!
Cross your fingers that they are not over standard card weight! *lol*

macro monday 11.6.12

Wedding plans are starting to eat into my blogging time

but I am still getting out for snap some shots fairly regularly...

This weekend I was thrilled that one of my favourite bushes have bloomed! 

Philadelphus coronarius is the fancy name

I always knew it as Mock Orange growing up with one outside my bedroom window.

I remember my mother making a corsage for my Grade 8 graduation with the flowers!

I was so excited when I realized I had not one, but three on the property 

when I bought this house four years ago...

For days now, despite some rather nasty thunderstorms, 

their most delightful scent has filled the air inside and out!

Posting this shot to Macro Monday
then heading back to make more wedding invitations!

Have a day!

Pop over and see some of the other amazing entries...

especially Lisa's awesome captures of a swallowtail butterfly!