Thursday, January 10, 2013

Enjoy a Moment...

 I've treated myself to an early birthday present and upgraded to Photoshop Elements 11 (I had been using PSE9), so this evening I've been playing around with some photography.

Kim's challenge today in Beyond Layers was for us to take a photo that included a coffee cup, books and some other object.  Does anyone out there recognize what the blue disks are that are strung on an old shoe lace?

The books are old Ontario Public School books from the early 1900s.  The brown one makes me chuckle because it's all about hygiene!

The photo has a couple of Kim's textures layered over it.  They're called chaos and calamity, which is ironic since the photo gives me a very peaceful sense of calm...

I've included the 'before' pic so you can see what I started with.

BTW, the blue disks are Canada Rations disks for meat from the WWII era.

64 comments:

  1. What an interesting bit of history, Linda...and a lovely photo.

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    1. Thank you Bonnie. I love the charm of old books!

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  2. You create such interesting projects. I love this picture.

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  3. Oh, this is such a wonderful vignette! I love old books. These just make me want to pick them up and leaf through them. I have never seen ration disks. I love the way you wove them through the image.

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    1. Thank you Barbara. I love old books too, and enjoy seeing some of the funny, outdated things you find in some of them.

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  4. I love these texture exercises you all do for Kim Klassen. Great composition, interesting tidbit about the blue discs. xox

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    1. Thanks Corrine. Yes, Kim challenges us to do some fun things and in the process we learn so much about using Photoshop, etc.

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  5. I love this still life Linda, you did a great job with the textures here.

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  6. This is a treasure, Linda!! I really enJOY the story BEhind it. Visiting your website always make me break out in smiles!!!

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    1. Thanks Currie. So glad I can bring you a smile. I don't know if I've said this before, but I'm pretty such if we ever met in person we'd hit it off!

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  7. Beautiful editing, Linda, interesting story too !
    Wishing you already a Happy Birthday :-)
    Nice weekend,
    Sylvia

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    1. Thank you Sylvia. My husband and I always laugh because birthdays around here start a week before and continue for a week after the day too. Have a great weekend!

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  8. It's beautiful. I hate that I'm old enogh to remember the discs.

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    1. Thanks. You've got me smiling. I'm actually a bit too young, but my husband remembers them.

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  9. I really like the style of this photo and the processing is wonderful!

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  10. Love the finished surface

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  11. looks like you're entitled to a lot of meat. Love that cup!

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    1. Thanks Roxi. I've wondered why my husband has all those meat disks. Perhaps his family was vegetarian for a time. LOL

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  12. Congrats on the new software, looks like you are getting a hang of it. Love that you showed the before, such a wonderful processing

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    1. Thanks Barbara. Fortunately the jump from PSE 9 to PSE 11 isn't too different so I'm figuring most things out as I go.

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  13. Yes, Linda ... a stack of books and a cuppa ... is the best way to treat oneself in my estimation. Lovely composition!

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    1. Thanks Lissa. And I couldn't agree more. 'Me' time must include those basic ingredients! Perhaps a bit of chocolate too :o)

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  14. Photography and digital editing are such perfect ways to make use of and 'memorialize' (is there such a word?) treasured artifacts. Beautiful work Linda.

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  15. The textures softened your original photo so nicely. I love how just an addition of another element gives photos a different quality! Nice job!

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    1. Thanks Jan. It did a lot to get rid of the messy, busy background. Have a great weekend.

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  16. I really love the softness of your image, Linda. Very inviting. It was great to visit here again.

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    1. Thanks Andrea. I'm so glad you came for a visit.

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  17. Very nice work. The piece has a lovely vintage feel to it. Plus I learned something since I did not know what the blue disks were for.

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  18. Nice job on the photo. I took some of Kim's classes a while ago. I am also a photoshop nut and longing to get back to it, before I forget what I have learned. Lovely lovely blog! I don't have a blog, just read them.

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    1. Thanks Carol. I really enjoy Kim's classes and I take notes on things I want to remember that I won't use too often. That way I can always look them up.

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    2. Linda, I just fussed with a cup and added it to Texture Tuesday. I am so rusty with the editing. Got to do some reviewing!!

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    3. What a clever take on the challenge Carol. BTW, are you behind bars somewhere? Need rescuing?

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  19. Happy belated Birthday! The Photoshop sounds like a wonderful present! A very inviting scene, love the image and what you have done! Great job! Have a happy week.

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    1. Thanks Eileen. Actually, my birthday is tomorrow (the 16th) so you aren't late at all. I'm loving the upgrade to PSE11. So glad I treated myself.

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  20. Beautiful use of textures, nicely done.

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  21. Wonderful photo. Love your use of textures.

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    1. Thanks Janine. I certainly like that I got rid of the busy, messy background.

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  22. Nice shot!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  23. I love your talent! Your work is beautiful and charming, my kind of art, my kind of objects.

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  24. I love your talent! Your work is what I call beautiful and charming!

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  25. Well done. I really like the still life you achieved. You've obviously got a good eye for putting objects together.

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    1. Thanks so much. It also helps to have neat old 'stuff' around ;o)

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  26. Happy Birthday, Linda. I've been using PSE11 for a while now. It takes some getting used to, but I do like it.

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    1. Thanks Pat. I know what you mean. Most things I'm figuring out, but occasionally I get stumped for a minute and wish I had my old familiar... My actual birthday is tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to a nice day. I've already got a great friend and my husband and son lining up to spoil me :o) So nice!!!

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  27. What a beautiful image and a fun bit of history! :)

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  28. Great feeling of age to go with the "old" in your tableau. I thought at first the blue might be Chinese currency! Enjoy Photoshop!

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    1. Thanks Barb. Chinese currency was an interesting guess. They certainly have holes so they could have been strung like that.

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  29. Lovely composition! That's a beautiful cup, and I love old schoolbooks!

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    1. Thanks so much Jill. I just got that cup for Christmas.

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  30. Very creative photo. The composition is excellent.

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Linda

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