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Enhance your memories with Photoshop

 
Want another reason to learn Photoshop?  One click later and this photo went from normal to fun.

It's also of a photo taken nearly 14 years ago. Back in the days when we all used film cameras.

 

 
The camera I used back then wasn't of great quality. So naturally, the shots I captured weren't the best either. But the photos will always be priceless to me. Now I can laugh at our youngest's messy day. {actually, it was pretty funny back then too}

~In his brand new outfit.

~The outfit with the little navy plaid shorts with a matching navy plaid, zip up the front jacket. {not to mention reversable!}

~His brother had an identical outfit.

~The same brother that helped fling mud.

~The outfits that were purchased for Grandpa's big retirement shin-dig that was yet to be when this shot was snapped.

With a large creek bordering our property, not to mention all the new construction happening in our subdivision with access to all kinds of building materials, piles of builder's dirt, half-full paint cans, and dumpsters filled with treasures, every day was full of surprises back in those days!

But I digress...

Back to the main point! Reasons why you might want to learn to use Photoshop...

 What I am also finding as I scan in old photos is the ability to improve the images in PSE. Sometimes just converting them to black and white or sepia tones also seems to give them a little boost in the quality department. Adding a subtle texture can also step them up a notch. As well as playing with the levels,  etc.

I just noticed that Kim Klassen has another section of her online class Photoshop-The Essentials beginning June 21st. Kim is such a great teacher! Come on...you know you've been wanting to learn Photoshop.  

 

 

Oh, and by the way, just in case you wondered, after a few days of soaking the shirt in Biz, I did manage to win against the flung mud disaster! The little outfit was worn at Grandpa's retirement party!

 

 

credits: texture on 3rd photo from DJ Pettite

I wish... {and some free images}

 
{applied textures from Kim Klassen}

I wish {and maybe you do too!} that I weren't so WISHY-WASHY! Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. But after realizing that moving my blog was going to cause a host of yicky problems, I changed my mind, AGAIN.

So with my little tail between my legs, and peeling egg off of my face, it's official. I'm going to stick with Typepad. But if anyone wants to know how to export their blog, ask me, I know how to do it!

All was not lost though as making the temporary move resulted in me learning a little more about the inner workings of a blog that will come in handy in the future. Did you know that by exporting your blog to a file on your computer that you have effectively made a copy of your blog complete with photos and links? Nothing was physically moved per se...my blog remained intact. I just ended up with a copy of it in a downloaded file on my computer.

ALSO!!!! I learned how to comment on blogs using my Typepad Open ID credentials...thanks to Wordpress. Long boring story. But for any other Typepad users who want to know how, holler. I'll share my limited wisdom.

 

Here's a beautiful print I snagged from the Graphics Fairy. The frame is one I made by taping some punched papers together. Feel free to use the image if you would like...

And heres a few more I made from the same template using Elements. You will need to use a photo-editing program that allows you to work in layers in order to slide a photo behind the frame. Enjoy! I only ask that you not sell the images themselves in a collage sheet or CD or anything of that nature.

 

 
 
And last, but certainly not least, as I am so looking forward to it...

 ...Christy Tomlinson's newest online class begins on Monday, May 23rd. You can still sign up through Sunday, the 22nd. Click on this picture over in my sidebar if you want more details!

I adore her style and this one looks packed with lots more yummy journaling goodness.

 

 

Xo, Sue

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen Cafe

 
Oh YIPPEEE SKIPPEEEE!

Been so busy catching up on real life [meaning less computer time] that I almost missed the news about Kim's newest inspiring adventure, TEXTURE TUESDAY!

I'm also known to spend way too much time out of doors once Spring hits my hometown. Like it's done! The above photo is one of my favorite of favorite trees...The Red Bud tree.

After applying a couple of Florabella actions, I added five layers of Kim's textures:

~scratches, 2 brushed linens, just golden, and an all time favorite, grey day!  

 
Thought I'd show the original pic before I applied the textures. It wasn't that long ago that I knew "zero" about Photoshop, and even less about adding textures to a photo. But both of those changed when I happened across Kim's blog! I took a couple of her online classes and a whole new world of fun was discovered.

If you've ever wanted to learn Photoshop {any of the versions}, I have, and will continue to highly recommend Kim's classes. There's even a free one to get you started. Just click on this link and you'll find the listing of classes on her sidebar.

 
Dragged home from the greenhouse a few pots of these adorable flowers to add to my flower beds last week. They are called Scabiosa, or more commonly known as the Pincushion flower.

Kim Klassen textures that I used: just blush, mona, sepia scratched, and 3 layers of softly. {also used a texture from flickr from boccacino}.

Head over to this post and check out all the other players in Texture Tueday and be inspired!

Purposeful

 

...a foto i shot the other day of a little section of this beautiful antique piece that currently sits among my "winter" garden...{some kim klassen textures added during editing}

while most of the flowers have begun going to sleep for the winter, there is a large patch of my pink verbena [and a few other flowering specimens] that have refused to succumb to winter's mandate that it's time to rest...{they must be part human!}

...as i processed this shot, i was thinking about what specific prayers, if they were to be answered, would have the greatest impact?

peace in our hearts?

peace in our world?

if i stopped to think long and hard enough, and if you believed in the power of prayer, like me, on any given day i could come up with a long list of prayers for me, for my family, for my friends, for the world, for....

 
 ...i wish i spent more time in prayer...but like anything, it is a discipline...a purposeful choice...

...one prayer i would like to mention is for Suz and her family. i don't know her well at all, but have followed her blog {katsuijewelry} for some time. when i read that her husband was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it has been on my heart ever since...

...her posts on this subject are so beautifully written...i know that sounds odd given the seriousness of the subject...but it's how i felt each time i would read her latest post...as tears fell from my eyes...

like any of us would in a similar situation, i'm sure she covets as many prayers as we can offer up...

 
...once again i find myself trying to catch up in blogland...to respond to emails...edit the million pics i've taken with some new camera equipment...haven't even started anything that remotely resembles "Christmas"...hopefully by this weekend i'll knock some of those want-to-do's off my list...

...been in a very reflective mood lately...it wasn't but a week or two ago that i snapped this picture of the pond behind our home...and seemingly overnight, the scene has changed dramatically--the colored leaves are no more...

...i'm so glad i took the time to enjoy that lovely view despite all the other cares of the world that seem to press in and want a piece of my time...

...come to think of it, that's eerily similar to what happens to my good intentions of wanting to spend more time in prayer...

 
...here's to more purposeful living....and to answered prayer...and may we have peace in our hearts even when the answer is "no"..."maybe"...or "wait some more"...

xo, sue

Pink Roses

 

Given to excessive quantities of "distractability" seems to be intrinsic in my nature...

or wait...

...maybe it's merely high levels of interest in a multitude of pursuits?

...or a volatile mixture of both!!!...

 No matter...either way, "focus" is a word I often have to remind {{{beg}}} myself to do!

Another challenge for me in life is passing up beautiful bouquets of flowers at the grocery store that are reasonably priced. Like these beauties...3 pkgs for $12. Not only do they add enjoyment and beauty to my surroundings, but they are also fun subjects to photograph.

    
But adding to the pleasure of getting lost in my own world with a dozen pink roses, baby's breath, and a camera, was the reflection of light on the water! Ignoring my disdain for cold weather and sacrificing being able to feel my fingers, I headed outside in order to capture my newest "groceries" in the glory of the early morning light.

 
Before long I remembered that old window in the garage...the one that hopefully will one day soon house my favorite photos of our children. Plans are to convert some favorites to sepia tones and place them behind each square pane. So many ideas...

 

And as long as my old green chippy chair was still outside from another camera outing...

 

 
(without a texture applied)
 

 
 

  

 
I took a pathetic number of pictures...roses floating on water, tucked in other flowering beds...you name it, I tried it. And I have the picture file to prove it!

Playing around with textures in PSE only adds to the fun of it all...I would love to take Kim Klassen's newest e-course on textures that begins soon, but that old naughty calendar tells me this would not be a good time. Poo!

So many details of life to attend to in the coming weeks...

...yes, I do believe that LIFE is in the details..

 
And a huge thank you for all the great suggestions on my paint challenge...! That's one of the details in life that needs my "focus" right now. I'm now mixing paints to find that perfect color...how pathetic is that?!

May all your details be fun ones!

Xo, Sue

credits: All applied textures are from Kim Klassen.

Textures: Free Images!

 
Me bad...really, really, really bad. Sitting in my computer are too many half-composed posts, ephemera I want to post and share, unanswered emails, you name it. And if it's missing, it's probably in my computer. Sitting.

Only so many hours in a day. Sigh.

What is it about chippy paint that so many of us love? For years I've been wanting to stop along a busy road up in the mountains of western North Carolina to photograph this little Post Office. I think it's just adorable. So unlike the huge complex that is my local post office here in suburbia Atlanta.

 
Well, during our last trip up to the mountains we finally pulled over and I snapped some shots...peeked in the windows...admired the chipy blue paint on the doors. That's where the first photo came from...from a section of one of these doors.

Then I got to thinking...and playing in PSE....

 
...and in addition to some awesome Kim Klassen textures, I also slapped on a layer of my blue chippy paint photo. Isn't that a fun new look? Please feel free to grab the blue paint texture for your own files if you'd like.

And I know I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating, I adore Kim Klassen. She is responsible for opening up the world of PSE to me and I love her for that! She just finished round one of her FREE Skinny class and is opening up another section of this FREE beginners course to PSE. Click here for the details. The new class begins November 8th I believe, but she will also accept late registrations. Check it out!

As long as we're catching up, I realized that I forgot a couple of things in my last post. I meant to share a couple of shots of the matchbox I made to give to Patty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As well as sharing this link to Patty's posting on our swap. I knew that Patty loved swans and I had the perfect picture of a swan. It's a lithograph from an old turn of the century children's book from my collection of old books.

Here's two copies of the swan I'm sharing with you for your own personal use. {{I don't mind at all if someone uses my free images in work they plan to sell. But please don't sell the image itself in a collage sheet or CD or any of that kind of stuff! Fair enough?}}

 
 

It's a cold, drizzly, rainy day here in my little patch on earth. But since I bought enough candy bars for 150 trick or treaters (we've had over a hundred some years) and only about 70 came to the door this year, I've had plenty of fuel to keep me warm! Waiting for college boy and college girl to swing home and grab the rest of these...oh please hurry home! 

Meanwhile...back to catching up...

Xo, Sue

 

Sharing some free images...

 
There's been a lot of chatter going on in blogland about hoarding. No doubt it has become a topic of conversation due to the new TV show featured on the history channel. But seriously...it is causing me to take a hard look at my own "collections"....yipes. This sentiment was only fueled by my middle child's recent teasing comment of "Mom, I think you have potential to become a hoarder one day!"

Whew. "ONE DAY." He didn't say that TODAY I am a hoarder. Rather, I have potential...but still. And he's right! As much as I hate to admit it, I have too much stuff. I have been a collector for several decades, but I need to scale back...big time. To share more....

So with that sentiment in mind, one goal of mine is to share more of my vintage stuff here in blogland with those who like this same stuff. So please feel free to save any of my images today for your own personal use. I'm perfectly fine with you using these images in things you will create for resale...just please don't sell the actual images in a collage sheet, CD, etc.

 
 
 
 
 

...and the same label in a couple of other colors...

 

 

 If anyone has some great advice, words of wisdom, ideas they've used for de-stashing I'd love to hear them! Meanwhile, I did manage to do a once through the old closet and have two knee high piles of stuff that's going to Goodwill...

...one box at a time....wish me luck....or better yet, perseverance, discipline, focus, determination.......!

I dare you...

 
{{Laura at 52Flea interviewed a European artist here and when I read the words quoted above, they called to me...I loved those words...it's so easy in life to stay in our safe little comfort zones, but we all know that real growth comes when we step outside those carefully guarded perimeters of "safe"...}}

The little single pink rose was a summer gift that appeared on one of my rose bushes this summer. But learning how to glam up this photo was a direct result of learning a few of the basic manuevers in Photoshop Elements. Of course, I have to mention that there are also several layers of Kim's new magic pack textures applied to this photo as well...

 
...her newest textures that I am totally in love with....

 
"Technical" things like computers, sophisticated remote controls (!), blackberry's, elaborate software programs, etc. all give me major fits. I am not gifted at all in the world of technical. Photoshop Elements fell into this same category..........it was like reading Greek. And I don't read Greek. So if my latest posts are making me sound like a Kim Klassen groupie.....I only have this to say.....I admit it. I have become an avid fan........she taught me the gift of using photoshop.

If I can learn PSE, anyone can...so when I read that Kim is offering a FREE Beginner's class to Photoshop, I had to share this information. And if you didn't already know it, Adobe also offers a FREE 30 day trial download to PSE. Check it out here.

One thing that I am pretty decent at though, is math. And free + free = FREE! So what do you have to lose?

I dare you......

xo, Sue

 
 
playing, playing, playing....

 
...dragging vintage dresses, a vintage hat, a rusty chair, and what not into the backyard to snap some photos...and then playing some more using my newest textures from Kim Klassen...

...whoever invented digital cameras....i love you....i seriously love you...but i only wish this technology was available when my kiddies were wee ones...or i had been able to afford a better camera...

...but should i ever be so blessed to some day have little grand-babies, watch out!

... hopefully there will be a little granddaughter in the mix so i can dress her up in my stash of vintage dresses...or i guess a grandson with a good sense of humor {!} would work too....but come to think of it, way back when the little boys wore dresses all the time... 

 
...meanwhile, i'm absolutely enjoying {obsessed} with learning to use Photoshop Elements...

 
 
...but every now and then i wonder what the neighbors think as they see old dresses and rusty chairs set up in our backyard... oh well....

And as long as we're on the subject of photography, if you love beautiful photographs that inspire, you've got to visit ZuZu's {A Cottage in the Woods blog} newest Tumblr blog. I've been meaning to share this as it is that special... She did a post here, explaining the concept. Be prepared for some serious oohing, aahing, sighing, and inspiration...

 
There's something about heading outdoors after a hard rain...I love that smell...

 
 
 
...and the way droplets of water puddle and glisten...

 
...and with each passing day, more and more signs of summer being over begin to creep into the landscape...

 

But heading outdoors to enjoy all the sights and sounds after a rain does have its down side as well...

 
 ...especially when my constant companion is with me...the little girl who doesn't care that we just paid to have her groomed last week...

 

 ...and who doesn't understand the words, "please!!!! stay out of the mud..."

All she cares about is someone tossing her the next tennis ball to chase...

...in fact, at one point, she actually laid in this puddle..........

 

 

 

She cleaned up rather nicely, don't you think? Thanks to the magic of photoshop you'd never guess this little girl was caked in mud now, would you?

Wouldn't it be fabulous if all of life's messies could just be photoshopped away? I thought you'd agree....

Credits: texture from Kim Klassen, vintage ticket from Cathe Holden.