You Can Do Anything...

There's nothing we can't accomplish with the right support!

Kim's challenge in Beyond Layers today is to use her sample photo of tulips on a black background and process it any way we want.  We'll then link up and compare what we've all done.

Kim's original image

I did some cropping to bring the tulips closer, did a minor levels adjustment and added a very subtle texture (Kim's 1301) with a soft light blend mode at 30% opacity.  I positioned the text (the quote is my own) to follow the shape created by the flowers by putting each line of text on it's own layer and then used a soft green from the leaves as the text colour.  By giving the text a bevel, it lets the 'light' shine on the text to echo the light hitting the flowers.  Finally, I added a gaussian blur to the image, and used a layer mask to remove the blur from the single tulip to keep it in sharp focus while having the 'family and friends' blurred in the background.

Update (30 minutes later)... I've just played with the image a little more, added another layer of of the 1301 texture, this time at a normal blend mode, 100% opacity, and then using a soft round brush on the layer mask, I removed most of the texture to just leave a soft frame around the image.  I think I like this one better than the first.

I'm Choosing JOY!

Inspired by many influences, I've decided to choose an inspirational guiding word for 2013 to help frame my thoughts as I move into the new year.  As I said to a friend in an email this morning, it's so easy to slip into the bad habit of focussing on what is wrong but then we forget to enjoy and celebrate all that is right in our lives!  I have so much to be grateful for and so much JOY in my life.

I'm working on the title page spread for 2013 in my Art Journal Calendar, using these same words (I'll post that when it's done) but Kim's challenge in Beyond Layers today lent itself so well to this same topic that I wanted to use them on her sample photo as well.

For those of you interested, I used two of Kim's textures, kk_chalkmagic and kk_clarity, and the fonts I used are 1942 Report, Stamp Act Jumbled and aka Frivolity, respectively.

Just Had to Play Along...

original image

Kim's challenge in Beyond Layers today was to use an image she provided, as well as the latest texture she gave us (both seen to the right) and create our own version, on which we had added a quote.  Well, seeing as the texture was named after me, I just had to play along!

If you're interested, here's my 'recipe':

kk_linda texture

• duplicate the background image
• crop
• add kk_linda (blend mode: soft light 100%)
• duplicated background image again and moved it to the top layer (blend mode: soft light 100%)
• add 2nd layer of kk_linda (blend mode: vivid light 19%)
• add 3rd layer of kk_linda (blend mode: multiply 75%)
• added an adjustment layer:  cooling filter (82) at 8% density
• did a levels adjustment
• added a subtle frame by using the rectangular marque tool to do an inverse selection...used a colour fill adjustment, selecting a colour from the image and then used a multiply blend mode at 29% for that layer
• add text - font is called 'sweetly broken'

Look Up...Way Up...

Kim's challenge this week for Texture Tuesday was to have us looking up.  This is the perfect time of year for this as the colours in the autumn trees are spectacular!  I added three of Kim's textures to this image: Just Stitched, Trust, and Warm Sun.  I love that bit of zigzag 'stitching' at the sides. I brushed away some of the texture from the centre of the image so that the colours of the leaves were a little more intense in the centre.  

This next image, of my dog Casey snoozing on the dock, was taken a couple of weeks ago, the day before we closed up the cottage.  Bonnie's challenge for Photo Art Friday was to use her Leafy Landscape texture to create our 'photoartography' (that's my new word for today...Have you read the book Frindle?...just saying...).  I started by adding a gradient map to take the original image to black and white.  After adding the texture, I added a 'sponge' filter and bumped up the hue/saturation levels. 

Notice my signature?  That's another neat trick Kim taught us in Beyond Layers!  And, I just found out that Kim is starting the third session in January!  I highly recommend it if you want to learn more about how to use Photoshop Elements or CS!

These photos are being linked to Our World Tuesday, Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Photo Show Off,  This or That Thursdays, Photo Art Friday, Shoot, Edit, Submit, Fabulous Friday, and Photo Friday Link Party.

Colour Sampling

Today it's raining, so I decided to catch up on some of my Beyond Layers lessons.  This lesson from a couple of weeks ago had Kim teaching us how to create a colour storyboard using a photo and sampling colours from the image.  I love all of the great tip Kim gives us.  I had done this sort of thing before, but Kim taught me a few more tricks to make the process faster and easier.







This sunset photo was taken about a week ago.  I love the silhouette of the paddlers in their canoe as they make their way toward the island in front of our cottage.

Beautiful Milkweed Buds

I've discovered that looking at the world through a photographer's eyes has me noticing things I have never really seen before.  For example, I had never noticed how beautiful milkweed blossoms are.  Before they actually open, they have the most wonderful cluster of buds and then when they do open, each individual blossom on the cluster is quite amazing.  

I had also never noticed the incredible colour, including the burgundy vein that runs through the leaves.

And so, the first digitally altered photo for today is the milkweed blossom.  I followed a tutorial that Kim gave us in Beyond Layers to add the text band with gradient colour. I used a variation on a well known quote to remind you to, "take time to smell the roses" or as I said above, notice things you might be overlooking.  I played with a variety of filters and textures to create a painterly effect on this one.

These photos are being linked to Photo Show Off, Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Our World Tuesday, This or That Thursdays, Photo Art Friday, Shoot, Edit, Submit, Fabulous Friday,Flower Art Friday and Photo Friday Link Party.

Focus

This week's final inspirational word from Kim, in Beyond Layers, is 'FOCUS'.  I took this photo on the weekend.  It's a beautiful flowering bush, but unfortunately I have no idea what it is called.  If any of you know, please do tell.  I chose not to do any editing on this shot because I loved it just the way it was.  I simply applied it to a background so I could put the quote underneath it.  Thanks for visiting!

Update:  Thanks to Sue Andrus, this beautiful bush has been identified as the Lacecap Hydrangea Bush.

Intentions

For today's Beyond Layers word, 'Intentions', I've come back to an image of a doll I made a few years ago.  I think, because Fiona is stitched and certainly with some flaws (I know-I made her. LOL), she is the perfect image to illustrate this Augusten Burroughs quote.

Change

Yes, today's word in Beyond Layers is 'change'.  I had two great quotes and I couldn't decide between them so I used them both.  For a change, I've given you both images to compare at the same time instead of using the 'mouse over'.  

Peace

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

Kim's word for today, in Beyond Layers, is peace.  You can see from the 'before' shot that I cleaned up the branches that were in the top right corner and then altered the tree line at the bottom.  I used a painterly texture from Jerry Jones at Shadowhouse Creations.  

Beekeepers

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

This week in Beyond Layers, Kim's challenge to us is to come up with a quote the speaks to the assigned word of the day.  Monday's word is Life and yesterday I shot this photo of a bee.  Considering the whole 'birds and the bees' thing, it seemed like a good image to work with.  When I found this great quote by Sue Monk Kidd, I knew I was on the right track.   

I have added Kim's 'Sunday' texture as well as Bonnie's 'Antique Farewell' texture.  I've also added this minimally processed version, to the right, because I really love the original shot, too.  I just did a bit of cropping and added the subtle frame.

These photos are being linked to Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Our World Tuesday, This or That Thursdays, Photo Art Friday, Shoot, Edit, Submit and Photo Friday Link Party.

Life at the Cottage

In today's lesson in Beyond Layers, Kim showed us how to play with text to create words that had a photo image showing through in them.  I decided to take it one step further and I layered the original photo over top (as you would a texture) at a 'soft light' blend mode and then bumped the opacity down a bit.  By using a layer mask and taking the 'image texture' off of the lettering, the feature word popped.  What fun!

Couldn't stop at just one...  this is a photo of my son, taken about 10 years ago.

Lilac

I'm having fun exploring patterns in Photoshop Elements after Kim's post in Beyond Layers today.

I just planted a lilac bush like this in my garden last week.  Mine's not in bloom, but this photo was taken of a similar, more mature bush.  I love the white edges on the blossoms.  I can't wait until mine starts blooming as it matures!

This photo is being shared on This or That Thursdays, Photo Art Friday, Shoot, Edit, Submit and Photo Friday Link Party. 

A Bird in the Hand...

This beautiful young gold finch knocked itself into a stupor when it crashed into our cottage window last summer.  Fearing that it may die of shock (or become an interest to our dog), I picked it up and held it in my hands to keep it warm.  After a little while it was strong enough that it wanted to sit up in my hand but it continued to rest with it's eyes closed as you see here.  Finally, after about 30 minutes it started to look around and when I put it closer to a tree limb it flew up into the tree.  

This post has been linked to Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Photo Art Friday (book connection: A Bird in the Hand, by Ann Cleeves), and Photo Friday Link Party.  You might be interested in taking a look at some of the other photography that is being shared on these sites.

The Life of a Dandelion

I've been working in the garden today, adding mulch to all the beds to clean things up and hopefully deter some of the weeds that seem to flourish in our garden.  Before my husband had a chance to pull them all, I took some photos of the dandelions in their various stages of development so that I could play with the tutorial Kim gave us in Beyond Layers this week.  Now all I need to do is to figure out how to slow it down so it's not quite so dizzying to look at.

Update: still trying to learn how to slow down the gif, but I did figure out a trick that seems to help.

Update #2:  I learned another Photoshop trick from Kim so I've added this multi-image shot of the same photos used in the animation.

Bravery Personified

In Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers this week, the focus is on bravery.  Although this can mean so many different things to so many people, the first image that comes to mind for me when I think of bravery is a firefighter.  As the quote I used in this piece suggests, just the fact that someone chooses to become a firefighter is a phenomenal act of bravery.

This photo was taken last summer when I was out cycling and I came upon the tragic fire in the town of Magnetawan.  Sadly, the general store and 'June's Restaurant' as it was known to locals, was lost to the fire.
Note:  It was a really hot summer day. Add to that the heat from the fire and it must have been sweltering in that uniform!

This post has been linked to Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Photo Art Friday, and Photo Friday Link Party.  You might be interested in taking a look at some of the other photography that is being shared on these sites.

Creating Subtle Frames

After watching Kim Klassen's latest video tutorial in Beyond Layers, I've been experimenting with creating subtle frames around photos.  In the past I've achieved this look with a few of Kim's textures, which have the frame already 'built in' for lack of a better term, but using the new skills I've learned, I can now add frames to any photo, regardless of the textures I apply (if I apply one at all).  [BTW, Kim's starting a second round of Beyond Layers on April 16th if you're interested in signing up.]

This first photo is of a frog I met while cycling last summer (he's also featured in my blog banner).  It's a good thing he was on a very quiet country road, because I got down on my knees and had my iPhone right on the road to take this shot. :o)  After I photographed him I moved him to the side of the road (beside the river that I hoped he was trying to get to).

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

This second image was taken in an antique market.  What a great place to wander about and take pictures!

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Whisper in the Rain

This image was taken on a cold, dark rainy day a couple of months ago.  In Beyond Layers, Kim Klassen's prompt this week was Whisper.

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

I added a couple of Kim's textures, 'scripted edges' at screen 85% and 'the veil' at multiply 26%.  I love the bit of text in the upper left corner and the lines from Murry Mclauchlin's song.

10 Truths About Me

In Beyond Layers, Kim has challenged us to share '10 Truths' about ourselves.  What a perfect fit for the Letter Loved journal.  Here are 10 truths about me:

 1.  I am married to the most amazing man! So true.  He is loving, thoughtful, considerate, supportive, understanding...the list goes on.  I am truly blessed!

2. I am committed to doing art every day.  Whether it is a long time in the studio or a few minutes in a journal, this is my personal therapy...my happy place.

3. I am incredibly proud of my son and the man he has become.  Sure, there are still moments when he makes me crazy, but he is truly wonderful. 'sigh'

4. I am passionate about my art.  (see #3) Whether it is fibre art, journalling, beading, photography...my art brings me joy and allows me to focus on all the positive things in my life.

5. I am a bit of a loner... I like quiet... I find it challenging to interact with others.  (see #2, #4, #6, #9, #10) I am comfortable in my own company and sometimes crave 'alone' time to help me heal.

6. I am an avid reader... hooked on my iPhone Kindle app. Who ever thought you could carry an entire  library in your pocket?  Heard about a new book that you want to read?  There's also a huge bookstore in my pocket that delivers in seconds no matter where I am.  And I can read the first chapter for free to make sure I really want to buy the book!  Awesome!!!

7. I love my coffee and my amazing husband's thoughtfulness in bringing it to me every morning. (see # 1) What more can I say?

8. I have just learned how to bake my own gluten free bread. Fresh, hot from the oven breads that don't leave me in excruciating pain.  And the variety is endless:  breads with nuts and seeds; classic French bread; sourdough... (If you're on a gluten free diet, check out Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes) [Thanks Sue and Kay for telling me about this great resource!]

9. I love to cycle (30 km/day ideally).  (See #5 and #10) Cycling helps me heal body and mind.  When I can't cycle outside I use my trainer indoors.  Talk about going nowhere fast! LOL)

10. I struggle with depression and work hard to see the JOY in life. (See #2, #5, and #9) And I struggle with the stigma of admitting this fact but know that we all have to see it for what it is - a physical illness (because the brain is part of my physical being!).

Bonus:  To quote Joanne Sharpe, "I am a letter dork".  And I'm proud of it!!!

The Light of My Life

As I was creating compositions to photograph this weekend, I decided to use this wonderful antique floor lamp in a photo that I plan use to make a card for my wonderful husband.  We don't actually celebrate Valentine's day, but with Bill I truly feel like most days are Valentine's Days anyway! And yes, I am very lucky to be with such a super guy! ***sigh***

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

Back to the photo...  After applying a couple of textures to the photo to warm it up and give it a bit of a vintage feel, I added a gradient layer that Kim generously gave us in Beyond Layers.  I wanted to add personalized text, done in hand lettering (to use my new found lettering skills from my Letter Love 101 course) but I didn't want to write on the printed photo.  I thought about how Kim makes textures and I figured out that I could write the text on paper, scan it in as a jpeg and then add it as a layer in Photoshop.  This also allowed me to write a little bigger and then scale it down on the photo.  I like how the text hugs the shape of the lamp and how the light seems to glow from lamp as well as on the teddy bears.