lightroom Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Keeping With The Times

Chocolate Ranunculus and Tea

April 16, 2015 by Barb 19 Comments

You would not believe how many hours, and how many photos were shot, for me to get this Chocolate Ranunculus and Tea series just the way I wanted it! Whew! It was quite the production and I’ll tell you why … but first … the story behind my finds.

This week, I was on my own for a couple of days while hubby was away on business.

But just before he left, we stopped at Trader Joe’s because … well … really, do you honestly need a reason to stop at Trader Joe’s?

I’m just looking, I said …

… but he was on to me … and, as a matter of fact, hubby was the one who spied the ranunculus and was more than happy to lead me to them. I tell you, I nearly fell over (really). I turned a bit quickly and stumbled ever so slightly.

I’ve been dying to get my hands on some after since seeing so many gorgeous images on Instagram … every time I saw one I was filled with longing (drama queen here).

I ended up buying four bunches, three brightly coloured, and one white because at $4.99/bunch I did not feel one bit bad about it. In fact if I get the chance I’m going back for more.

But today I’m sharing only my white ranunculus. When I started arranging them on this sweet teacup (which I also found this week) I was swept up and way (more drama).

When I applied Kim’s kk_chocolate preset I was stunned. That preset tends to blow out whites in photos but oh.my.good.heavens … when my heart starts pounding, that’s when I know I’m on to something.

I spent almost a whole day taking shots and as I was posting them on Instagram, I noticed an old problem of mine. I had used different white backgrounds and shot my images in different lighting. Well, that’s OK for IG I thought, but I’m going to fix this because I wanted a good cohesive series. So the next day, I redid the whole shoot using the exact same setup for each one and I also shot them all within an hour, beside an east-facing window …

… because I wanted this …

… a collage with matching tones.

I learned so much by doing this shoot, even more than I’m going to share, so as not to bore you to tears … oh, hello? … are you still with me? If so, thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful Friday!

Free Download for Subscribers

April 10, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

I can’t believe it’s time for Friday Finds already, and today I have a free download for subscribers!

Goodness the days fly by …

I found a couple new-to-me stores here in Arizona. First, Home Goods which is much like our Home Sense in Canada, and then a Marshall’s right beside it.

Oh my … the hubs is a saint taking me to all these places … I found so much loveliness … I never buy anything too expensive, just a lot of little things which add up … we talked about that at The Open Studio last night. It seems to be a problem with all of us lovers of “still life”, but I think we beat ourselves up a bit too much. I don’t spend money on much else … I certainly have no vices (insert smile) … anyway, I found some sweet little garden-themed props to go with my hyacinth print. I’m including a link to the full resolution file of this print with my next newsletter (going out today).

I also found three hyacinth bulbs which I scooped up, brought home, and proceeded to plant into their own separate little containers. I think I’m trying to satisfy my gardening bug whilst in Arizona … in a condo.

I love what the “chocolate” preset did to the following image … and do not those scissors look like they are sitting right there?

Tip: if you need a prop, perhaps a photo of a prop will do :)

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend (perhaps I’ll see you on Sunday for Sunday Sundries.)

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Home Decor Styling Tips

April 1, 2015 by Barb 23 Comments

April made a typical entrance again this year: Friday, March 31st … one of the most beautiful days ever … warm, sunny, calm, and then … boom. Overnight the winds picked up and by morning they were absolutely howling. At 6:30 am the power went out and by 9:00 am snow was being driven sideways across the yard. Yep … spring in Alberta … aaarrrgh.

Lucky for me I had risen early and made my coffee, so I was sitting on the sofa, bundled up in fleece blankets, sipping a hot cuppa, and feeling grateful.

As the first slivers of morning lit up the sky, I watched the outside world come into my view. The barnwood tables and benches that I had set up on the deck in preparation for the new season sat sturdy and solid … waiting.

Earlier in the week I’d picked a ton of pussywillow. Some I’d set in a stoneware pot and was happy to see it hadn’t blown away. The new wreath I’d made was safely stowed against the house, under the overhang, and was no worse for the wear. Whew!

So even though our first day of April was atrocious (weather-wise) I spent it happily creating my spring willow wreath vignette, and came up with some home decor styling tips while I was at it!

I love an uncluttered look, but even so, there’s a lot going on here.

The wreath is hung in the centre of the wall with a small vintage chest and chair underneath. I placed the yellow birdhouse on several books to give it height and then used a yellow/green runner to draw the eye across and to the yellow pillow. Can you spot the repeating shape here?

So here’s my little still life mimicking life … or is life mimicking still life?

Do you not just love the little botanical print above the chair? Adore!

I was searching for books at Amazon and came across this little gem “Instant Wall Art – Botanical Prints: 45 Ready to Frame Vintage Illustrations for Your Home Decor.” So cute and fun! Botanical prints are hot by the way … .

Side note: I saw pussywillow branches for sale at Terrain for $48.00/bunch! Gah … choke … eek …

Try to incorporate meaningful items in your vignettes. A few of my favourite books include “In Detail”, “A Life Less Ordinary”, and “Vivian Maier Street Photographer”. I have so many amazing books, I could have stacked a dozen more, but it would have ruined the effect—less is more.

Mix old and new, organic and inorganic elements, but keep colour tones similar.

Making a pussywillow wreath is super simple! Buy a ready-made willow wreath at any craft store and proceed to stuff it with pussywillow branches! If you need a little more detail, check out my instructions here.

And last but not least, I’ll be sending the link to a full resolution copy of my little botanical print “Hyacinth, Willow and Tulip Play” in my next newsletter!! If you haven’t signed up, check the sidebar for details!

Thank you ever so much for stopping by!

All images edited in Lightroom
Presets by Kim Klassen
kk_breeze
kk_within

Hyacinth, Willow and Tulip Play

March 31, 2015 by Barb 16 Comments

I was happy to return home last Friday (home sweet home) but there isn’t much colour around so I remedied that with a quick trip to the grocery store for a spring bouquet filled with hyacinth and tulips.

But since I felt overwhelmed by the fullness of it … I plucked out one purple hyacinth, one yellow tulip, added a sprig of pussywillow, and suddenly I could see clearly … ahhh … simplicity …

A little preset play was in order … so on the following image I used kk_within … one of my favourites …

km_within

Next … kk_chocolate with a little brightening of the yellow in the tulip:

Hyacinth Willow and Tulip, Texture Tuesday, Keeping With the Tiimes

kk_chocolate

I’m linking up at Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen dot com.

Wildflowers Still Life

March 24, 2015 by Barb 28 Comments

I love wildflowers, and when I saw this beautiful Globemallow growing in huge clumps in ditches and vacant lots, I couldn’t help but pick a few to play with.

Let me say that I only pick wildflowers that are abundant. I would never pick a rare or threatened species.

The bright orange flowers of Globemallow sway gently on tall stalks, and as we drove by, I swear they were waving at me … pick me … pick me … I’m sure I heard it …

Wildflowers also bring to mind something Kim wrote in The Studio Online about her experience with ranunculus.

kk_within

kk_chocolate

I can’t reprint her story, but let me just say that wildflowers are not intimidating.

They’re understated, and many times you have to look close to see their gorgeousness. I also love that they’re seasonal (usually). Where I come from, I’m not going to be finding any purple vetch in the middle of winter — and that would make this Light and Airy Wildflower Bouquet a rare and beautiful thing, wouldn’t you say? I included some some tips on how to care for wildflowers in that post if you want to take a peek. They are more delicate than you might think.

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Sunflowers I, II, III, and IV

March 20, 2015 by Barb 31 Comments

How much fun can you have with a $5.00 bouquet of sunflowers?

Would three days of photo shoots be enough? I think so … yes I do, and now I’m going to set it on a table and simply look at it. I’m done …

For my first image, I put one sunflower in the new blue vase I found at Target, set that on an old baking sheet, and added a little yellow dipping bowl. Then I threw in the vintage fork for no other reason than I don’t have a hand carved wooden spoon (smile).

Sunflowers, Friday Finds, Keeping With the Times

kk_dreamlike

The backdrop for the following image is the board that slides into my desk to hold my keyboard (you gotta get creative!) Then there’s the old burned stone/clay pizza pan I found at a garage sale (hubby was perplexed), and finally, some sharp thorns I found in a ditch.

kk_within

The collage I made for By Arrangement, with the page from an Anthropologie catalog:

… and finally a side view with a piece of artwork by Emily Winfield Martin which I found in a Flow magazine. The little caption on it (which you can’t read) says “spoil yourself” … ummm … OK …

… don’t mind if I do …

I promised to share my Anthro purchase but I didn’t get it together in time to get some good photos so it will have to wait … perhaps I’ll have it ready for Sunday Sundries … (it’s a cookbook). However, I did find an interesting site whilst I was visiting Anthropologie online. It’s called Terrain, and oh my … it’s filled with wonderful eye-candy. Have you seen it? You should have a look!

Linking up with Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Food Styling Tips for March

March 12, 2015 by Barb 12 Comments

Good morning! My food styling tips for March are on the blog today at Kim Klassen dot com. I hope you’ll pop over to read my thoughts on setting the dinner table!

But first, here are a couple more images from the shoot that didn’t make it over to Kim’s.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

March 10, 2015 by Barb 17 Comments

In the Studio, Gigi Thibodeau posted a photo of her Lemon Shortbread Cookies for the “stacked” challenge. When I saw it, I sat straight up and shot her a note saying I must have that recipe.

kk_lightandairy

There were a couple of reasons I wanted to make those cookies …

First of all, I had been searching for the perfect delicacy to set atop my new tray. Along with this tray, I had a new grey and yellow tea towel, so the delicacy had to have a hint of yellow, right? Not only that, I love shortbread, and I love lemon, and it just all seemed to come together.

The vintage whisk complemented the scene perfectly and an extra dusting of icing sugar never hurts anything (in my opinion.)

kk_lightandairy, kk_within

I’m linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Gigi blogs at The Magpie’s Fancy … if you would like the recipe (thank you Gigi!)

Tulips for Texture Tuesday

March 3, 2015 by Barb 23 Comments

Tulips in their last moments are absolutely stunning. Delicate, transparent petals curl this way and that, clinging to pale twisted stems that can no longer hold them upright.

As I was making dinner on Sunday, I looked up at the bouquet I’d had for over a week. A few petals were dropping silently onto the counter in front of me. A bit of yellow pollen filtered down and sparkled in the sunlight that was streaming in from the west windows. It’s funny, until that moment I hadn’t had any urge to take photos of them. I’d simply enjoyed their frilly orange selves standing straight and tall in a glass container.

But suddenly, I was more than ready to trade a vegetable peeler in exchange for florist scissors. I walked into the pantry, pulled out a rustic piece of black painted metal and set it on the floor. I gently snipped the blooms and ever so carefully laid them down.

I was amazed at the light coming into the pantry and how it was making the petals glow. Here are two more edits in LR.

Tulips Last Hurrah, Keeping With the Times, Texture Tuesday, Dark and Moody

kk_within

kk_touchadrama

Linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

I hope you’ll join us tomorrow for “app” happy wednesday! Come and link up an image edited with apps of any kind – there really are no rules!

Jade Plant Propagation

February 26, 2015 by Barb 7 Comments

Jade plant propagation is a great thing to do when it’s still February and warm weather is at least two months away. Anyway, what’s a girl to do when she thought spring was in the air and then reality hit?

Well, she goes inside to play with her plants and to continue dreaming … because you see, on Tuesday, I was outside at my potting bench listening to water pour off the roof, digging into some dirt.

Today, I’m in my pantry at my Hoosier (which is just as inspiring as my bench). Yesterday I emptied the whole thing and changed the direction it was facing, hoping to catch the north light a bit better. I think it helped, but I think it still leaves something to be desired. However you never know until you try something do you?

edit with kk_dreamlike:

edit with kk_within:

This is the direction I used to have the Hoosier. The side light does look fabulous, but the photo was taken in June when it was much brighter outside. I’ll post a photo of the way I have it now as soon as the light is a bit better.

Thank you so much for dropping by. I hope to see you tomorrow at Friday Finds!

Vintage Kitchen Blues

February 24, 2015 by Barb 12 Comments

My vintage kitchen blues: my Mom’s cookbooks, a couple of tea towels, a ladle and a blue Medalta bowl. Processed in LR using kk_within.

I’m loving Kim’s new guidelines for Texture Tuesday! Texture is now texture, whether it’s an overlay, a preset, or texture in an image … woot yay! I’ve become so enthralled with presets it’s almost all I use anymore. BUT today I added one (very light) layer of kk_touch-a just because …

Update: I got my postcards mailed – I’m so stinkin’ proud! and excited to receive six pieces of amazing art in the mail from people all over the world!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Vintage Window (Pains)

February 19, 2015 by Barb 26 Comments

I adore vintage windows but when it comes to photographing them in vignettes, I end up having window (pains) … pains in the form of reflections.

But yesterday, as I was teetering on a step stool and cursing the light from the windows behind me, I had an “aha” moment … or was it a “duh ha” moment? No matter, I suddenly thought, why don’t I just throw some cheesecloth over it? I adore cheesecloth, and I especially adore the rag-tag torn look it gets after I’ve fussed with it for an hour or so, pulling it this way and that, getting it caught in the pokey succulents and stretching it across the sharp edge of the frame. But in the end, it was mission accomplished: no more reflections!

Oh, and that window … oh my … this is my Friday Find … swooning here. There were two identical windows at my local junque shop, and I almost walked out with both. Luckily I got hold of my senses and decided one was enough. However, If I’d had anywhere to hang them on a wall together, this story would have ended differently. As it was, only one of them found its way home with me and is now occupying a prime spot on my mantle.

I processed the following two photos in LR with kk_gentle:

The light coming in the south window in the morning is nothing short of scrumptious! I seem to be finding light everywhere these days; we now have 10 hours and 8 minutes of daylight! Woot! more time to play!

I found the tulips at Costco (very affordable) and I plan to have tulips from now until at least the middle of March.

kk_melancholy:

kk_breeze:

February Food Styling Post

February 7, 2015 by Barb 9 Comments

Good morning! Just popping in to share a couple images from my “Food Photography Meets Still Life Photography” post at Kim Klassen dot com.

If you want to know how I set the scene and processed the images, pop over to Kim’s site and have a peek.

If you want the recipe check it out here (total yumminess)!

The Studio: Veggies

January 30, 2015 by Barb 13 Comments

Our assignment at the moment in the Studio|Online is to shoot fruit or veggies.

It just so happens I’m surrounded by both (gotta love that)!

On Thursday, we went downtown to the little farmers market and I found some freshly picked treasures. Those little white ones in the upper left corner are turnips! Yes, they are … I tasted them. I love how they’re the same size as the “Easter Egg” radishes, and the tiny beetroots.
The Studio|Online, Veggies, Keeping With the Times

I edited the photos in LR and then ran the kk_dreamlike preset, adjusting to bring back details in the whites … altho some still look a bit blown out. However, I still like the effect.

The Studio|Online, Veggies, Keeping With the Times

So … get a load of the great cutting board with the old knife! … my newest prop finds, costing me less than $4.00 total. I’m going to have to take them home with me when we leave Sunny Arizona …

The Studio|Online, Veggies, Keeping With the Times

… oh yeah … what happened to Sunny Arizona? … full on rain for 24 hours now … I do love rain and can appreciate all the good it brings, but … I need some heat!! … please?

Linking up to The Studio|Online.

(I’m not even going to mention there’s a snowfall warning in effect where I come from … oops I just did.)

Quail Eggs and Secret Prop

January 23, 2015 by Barb 17 Comments

Quail eggs still … yes … I’ve had these eggs since before Christmas! One of the best series I’ve ever shot (in my opinion) was with these lovelies and you can check it out here.

I couldn’t bear to part with them, but yesterday I simply had no choice. They weren’t rotten (truly) but I knew I wasn’t going to get a chance to play with them again for quite some time so out they had to go. I found a few moments in a busy morning to play, and then I said goodbye.

I shot this image with Camera+, added a vignette in Instagram, (posted it), and then saved it to my computer. Then I took it into LR, did some additional tweaking and added kk_within. I haven’t used that lovely preset in a while …

This is with my Nikon, LR tweaking, and kk_within again.

So what do you think of the “table”? You may be able to guess the secret prop here … it’s scrapbook paper … and why not?

Have a wonderful Friday!

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Chocolate Hydrangea

January 17, 2015 by Barb 22 Comments

Good morning! as I sit in a hotel room (in the dark) and listen to the hubs (snoring) I’m playing around with one of the new presets that Kim included with The Studio|On Line class. There’s lots of activity and excitement going on in there …

Anyway, I had taken this shot of some hydrangeas early one morning as the sun shone through a frosted glass window in our bathroom. I love the light in there, which is probably why that quote popped into my head. Or maybe … it’s because I’m sitting in the dark? hmmm…

The backdrop is an old barn window (door) which I painted with a creamy chalk paint. It’s a heavy brute so I haven’t used it much. The vignette is natural, captured in camera – gotta love that!

Processed in LR with kk_chocolate

I’ll be posting this on Instagram, and if you’d like to see what others are doing check out #thestudioonline

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Texture Tuesday: On Ice

December 16, 2014 by Barb 21 Comments

About two weeks ago hubby cleared the snow from a large area on the lake to use as a skating rink (check this IG image for the action shot). We’d had a ton of snow and the temperatures were brutal. However, the forecast was for unseasonably warm temperatures to arrive … the perfect recipe for perfect ice!

kk_oldendays

As the sun shone on the ice, it melted slightly and formed an even and perfect surface for skating.

texture tuesday: on ice

Just in time for the holidays …

keeping with the times

Hot chocolate, marshmallows, and truffles …

texture tuesday: on ice

keeping with the times

kk_gentle

Thanks for dropping by today, and have a wonderful week!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Sunday Sundries: Love and Light

December 7, 2014 by Barb 8 Comments

Sunday Sundries: Love and Light

For the last couple of months I’ve been getting messages from my heart, which thankfully, my head has been listening to. It’s been asking me “what is it that you love to do, what have you outgrown, and what should you be letting go of?”

I’ve been rambling here on the blog, voicing concerns on whether or not I’ve been devoting my time to things that are important to me. Learning social media was a big part of the reason I began Keeping With the Times, and I have no regrets about it, but I was getting messages that it was time to let some of it go. When I wrote the post Question For You, I was surprised to hear that many people feel the same way I do about it, (including blogging).

But it wasn’t just about social media. There were a few other things that had been draining me of energy, and I would mutter “it’s sucking the life out of me.” When you hear yourself saying that I would caution you to listen. Then, quietly and mysteriously, little opportunities to “let go” began to present themselves and I reached out and grabbed each and every one of them. I’m still getting messages … one I wasn’t thrilled about at first, but it was a true lightbulb moment … “it’s time to go” it said … and in retrospect, it’s not a big deal … in fact it’s quite liberating.

I suddenly feel lighter, more centred, and focused.

Now, as is so often the case, the space I’ve created has made room for some wondrous opportunities; flowing in and filling me with amazement and wonder … really? truly? me? oh.my.goodness.

I so love this quote by TS Eliot. I first saw it in Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

… you are the music
While the music lasts. These are only hints and guesses,
Hints followed by guesses; and the rest
Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.

Listen to the hints that the universe is sending you, and then act on them.

I took this heart image with my DSLR, underexposing the shot, tweaking in LR to darken the shadows, lighten the highlights, and then I warmed it up a bit.

I also took this same shot with my iPhone using Camera+ and PicsPlay Pro to edit it. That phone is capable of some pretty amazing stuff! I posted it on Instagram if you want to compare.

OK – super long post! If you’re still here … thank you!! I have one question for you today. Would anyone be interested in a Sunday Sundries linky party? A place to share anything you want; big or small! Let me know!

Oh, and have you entered my give-away? The winner will be picked on Tuesday.

Happy Sunday!

Friday Finds: From the Cutting Room Floor

December 5, 2014 by Barb 13 Comments

In my parts, the “window” to capture photos while it’s still light outside is dwindling (pun intended). Then, if I have to leave the house to run errands, and later, other stuff gets in the way, I’m not left with a lot of time to play. Therefore, for Friday Finds today, I’m pulling a couple photos from the cutting room floor.

I took these images when I was baking my zucchini loaves back in September and today I used the kk_film-ish preset I found in the Start to Finish downloads. I love the soft tones it created, especially in the egg yolks which can be a bit too colourful for my liking.

Friday Finds

I also found the watermark feature in Lightroom to be kind of interesting. I used it on my photos today … what do you think? OK? Annoying? Distracting? If I’m going to continue to use one, I’ll tweak it a bit, but LR sure makes it easy to apply one. I copyright my photos by adding a notice to the Metadata, but a watermark is obviously more noticeable. Does it take away from the “art” of the image?

Friday Finds

So, short and sweet today. I’ve got lots to do (as I’m sure everyone does) and I had better get going. Have a wonderful day!

I have a little give-away going on … if you want to check it out go here.

Friday Finds at kimklassen.com

Winter Vegetables

December 2, 2014 by Barb 16 Comments

Winter vegetables … what would I do without you? You last forever, you don’t cost much, and you’re delicious!

I had an image in my head when I was photographing these, but it just didn’t happen … However, I decided to post anyway because the real story here is that I was able to get this posted from my new computer. When I jump into something, I do it with both feet. I spent almost the whole day yesterday setting up a new catalog in Lightroom. I’ve figured out a new file structure and import system using what I’ve learned in Kim’s classes, from Round Trip, LR Begin, 31 Days, and Start to Finish. A veritable gold mine of information!

I’ve set up top level, and sub-keywords, which keeps my list so neat and tidy … my other attempts in keywording have ended in a disastrous mess, but truthfully, that’s not hard to do because it is tricky, and it’s confusing if you’re not paying attention.
winter vegetables

Anyway, I guess I just described a geek’s happy and productive day (I say that with complete respect for geeks.)

I must say these veggies were delish but I ended up with a stomach ache … not sure why but I think I ate too many … it was all I had for dinner and I’m still not hungry 12 hours later.

One last thing, I’ve been working without a mouse since I’m still setting up my computer and haven’t got all the accessories. I’m courting disaster because I’m a fumble fingers with track pads and could drag things out of sight and out of mind in a second … Kim suggested I get a tablet … hmmm… going to have to look into that.

Anyway, that’s it for today. I have a special guest poster tomorrow for “app” happy wednesday and I’m so excited! She does incredibly beautiful work with apps and I’ve never seen an image of hers that I haven’t loved. I bet you can guess who it is …

See you then!

Chamomile Citron Potpourri Tea

November 27, 2014 by Barb 10 Comments

What a wonderful feeling to come home to a cup of chamomile citron potpourri tea after a day of running errands!

On Tuesday I did a Costco run, and then made a quick stop at a grocery store for the rest of my shopping. I like to get home before dark at this time of year since the roads can be a bit icy, and visibility can always be a problem as well. So, as I let my tea steep and unpacked my groceries in the fading light, I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. The pantry was stocked, I had all my Christmas baking supplies, and there was a winter storm watch in effect. How cozy did I feel?!

When I brought out my favourite tea cup and saucer, an overwhelming urge to take a photo came over me … strange right? I’m kidding of course … I wanted to document how grateful I felt and then I posted it on Instagram.

Fast forward to today, and the Be Still class. After watching the video, I was struck by how I’d already done the lesson when I took my tea photo! So I decided to redo it with my big girl camera. I didn’t do a lot of editing since I wanted to leave the colours as true as possible.

chamomile citron potpourri

I adore this tea cup and saucer. It’s part of a set of Denby dishes I bought over 20 years ago. Yikes! can that be true? It has certainly stood the test of time in terms of aesthetics. The grey-green tones with brown speckles, the warm creamy colour of the inside of the cups, the simple lines, and the minimalist design is timeless. I’ve always loved it.

I’m also a minimalist when it comes to blogging, so I’ll save the rest of the series for another day …

No Wait!! here’s one more … I couldn’t resist a little LR preset play (kk_gentle) sigh …

chamomile citron potpourri2

kk_darklight:

chamomile citron potpourri3

Kim talked about reflections and to notice them … I’m one that really loves them for some reason.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!!

This Wabi Sabi Wooden Table

November 4, 2014 by Barb 21 Comments

This wabi sabi wooden table … oh my … there is a story behind it … but first I’m going to concentrate on the assignment at hand.

For day 12 of the Start to Finish class, we were to experiment with “shooting wide”, something that I’m not in the habit of doing. I’m always so critical of my space when I see it in photos.

This image was taken in our Arizona home and it does look bare. Truth be told, my homes are bare and that’s the way I like them. So why be ashamed?

Here the windows are not pretty. They’re standard aluminum frames with no drapes or curtains to hide them. We do have a simple roll-down blind for privacy at night.

So even though it seems there is not a lot going on here, it’s real. This is what you would see if you walked into our bedroom, but then you would be pulled over to look out the huge window and would be astonished to see a clear, unobstructed view of the Four Peaks Mountains … so. very. dreamy. this wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

This is about as wabi sabi as it gets …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

I have to be careful how I move this table since the boards are ready to fall apart …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

… and are as dry as tinder …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

So here’s the story. We were out and about last Saturday, driving around and checking out garage sales. I’d already purchased a few items such as rusty blackened cookie sheets, blackened pizza pans, and old ripped cloths. I was having a blast but I did feel a bit sheepish. I mean, not everyone gets it right?

When I came across this table, my heart started to pound. I’d promised hubby I wouldn’t bring home any (more) furniture. OMG … what to do? So then it started … “Barb, it’s just more stuff” “there’s no place to put it” “what are you going to do with it” “it probably has bugs”…

The guy who was having the sale walked over and said “you can take it for fifty cents”. OMG. Oh no … I was in for it … but my sweet hubby picked it up and started to carry it over to the car and as he walked away I could hear him mumbling “well, I guess we could always use it for firewood.”

With a huge smile on my face I handed over fifty cents. The rest is history.

Friday Finds at kimklassen.com

Friday Finds: Inspiration

October 24, 2014 by Barb 22 Comments

Friday Finds … what did I find this week?

Well, I found two plaid flannel shirts at Superstore. What shouts “autumn” more than that?

kk_gentle

Bright, cozy, classic.The colour of leaves. But I found lots of other things too.

Autumn Plaids, friday finds

Such as how much I love the photo processing and inspiration that I’m finding in both Start to Finish, and Be Still 52. In fact, last week when I saw Kim’s photo of a pear and some leaves, I absolutely knew I had to re-create the whole darn thing! Incredibly it has ended up as my new blog header! I’ve been trying to come up with a new idea for ages but was at a loss as to what to do.

My WordPress theme is set up with a rather (giant) space for a header and I have no idea on how to change it. It’s simply too complicated and risky for me to go into the html code and mess around. I’d be flirting with disaster.

Suddenly, I saw potential with my pear and leaves photo. I took it into Lightroom; toning, straightening, and cropping. Then I used the preset kk_darkmood and finally, sent it over to Photoshop.

What you see in my final header is a combination of four copies of this photo, merged and cloned to extend the white bead board. Here’s what I started with (after LR edits) …

KWTT Header

I’m pretty happy with it. I needed something that fit with the photography element of my blog but still had lots of white space.

I also want to thank Beverly (our sweet blogging friend) from Lavender Bleu … she felt the same way about Kim’s photo and we conspired together that we were going to re-create it! What an inspirational community!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Finds at kimklassen.com

Friday Finds: Red Pepper Berries

October 17, 2014 by Barb 22 Comments

Friday Finds already? I can’t believe how time flies!

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we received not one, but two beautiful bouquets … love … and in one of them, I spied what I thought looked like red pepper berries.

After picking one, and first crushing, then tasting it, my suspicions were confirmed—spicy, peppery, aromatic!

Happily, I’m still alive today, so I guess it wasn’t a poisonous variety. Friday Finds: Red Pepperberries

I thought they looked pretty nice paired up with my red pears …

Red Pepper Berries and Pears_4

… berry bokeh …

Friday Finds: Red Pepperberries

So this will wrap up my week-long obsession with red pears, that is unless they end up in a beautiful pear tart that I have to show you!

All images were processed in LR with the kk_warmandslight preset.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Pear Still Life for Start to Finish

October 15, 2014 by Barb 12 Comments

Pear Still Life

Red Pears Still Life, Start to Finish

Red Pears Still Life, Start to Finish, pear still life

Red Pears Still Life, Start to Finish

I kind of fell off the radar for a few days due to our Thanksgiving holiday, and a couple other commitments that needed to be taken care of. Now I’ve developed a nasty cold. Boo.

I think I’m going to poach a couple of my subjects from my shoot today and call it dinner, and then bed time …

kk_oldendays on all but the first image, where I used kk_lettherebelight and adjusted the red hues to my liking. Kim has the best presets … they work magic.

Thanks so much for dropping by today!

Pumpkin Plant Pot Display

October 3, 2014 by Barb 17 Comments

I’m so thrilled with my little pumpkin plant pot display! This week I found some cute little ceramic pumpkins at Home Sense and I thought they would make great plant pots for this time of year. They look great in a simple display, but also fit nicely with a Thanksgiving tablescape I’m working on.

Pumpkin Plant Pot Succulent in Pumpkin Pot_3 Succulent in Pumpkin Pot_2 So what else did I find this week? I found that sometimes I feel like I’m on fire, and other times I feel like I have a wet blanket draped over me. This past week was the wet blanket week. I have a project hanging over me and I’m dragging my feet, and consequently I don’t even feel like working on the fun things. When I read Kims post this morning … well, oh man … how does she manage to hit the nail on the head every time?! I really needed to hear her gentle encouragement today … I’m going launch Microsoft Word right now, and start writing.

Dolgo Crabapple “Find”

September 26, 2014 by Barb 25 Comments

Finding these beautiful Dolgo crabapples has been a highlight of my autumn preserving ritual. When making jelly, you won’t find a more beautiful, red, jewel-like result.

Earlier in the summer, I kind of “stumbled” upon the trees in a Superstore parking lot! At the time I didn’t know what they were, but every time I filled up with fuel, my eyes were drawn to the “berries” that were forming on them.

I assumed the trees must be some kind of ornamental variety … why would there be crabapple trees in a parking lot?

dolgo crabapple, keeping with the times

Yesterday, I was simply driving by and I couldn’t believe how loaded the trees were. I actually made a u-turn, headed back, and stopped to pick one of the fruits. I could smell the most wonderful “apple” scent and I knew right away. These were the real deal. Whoa … how could I walk away … well, obviously I couldn’t.

dolgo crabapple, keeping with the times,

I went back to my car, grabbed bag, walked up to the trees, and started picking. I didn’t look at anyone, in fact I kind of tried to hide behind the branches. It was one of those moments where, as a child you think “if I can’t see you, you can’t see me.”

dolgo crabapple, keeping with the times

At first I thought I’d just pick a few … enough to take some photos … but who was I kidding? I could not stop until I knew I had enough for one batch of jelly, at least.

dolgo_crabapple02

I rushed home and started cooking them right away. Oh the house smelled divine, absolutely divine. And the jelly is red, shimmery, tart and tasty. Oh yumm …

So guess what I did? I went back and picked some more. Now that is chutzpah! but wait until you see the jelly …

Go here if you want to check out a good article on the Dolgo crabapple.

These images are also for the Be Still 52 class where the prompt is “Organic”. I love this prompt … so full of possibilities (especially at this time of year) and I do have another “Organic” theme on the way …

Have you signed up for my newsletter? I’d love to be able to send you a happy note about once a week! Many, many thanks to those of you who already have!

Autumn is a New Beginning

September 23, 2014 by Barb 13 Comments

Good morning, and happy first day of autumn! Where I live, the autumnal equinox started at 8:29 pm last night. It’s astronomical! Literally …

“autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower” albert camus

I love September, I love autumn, and I love the feeling of a fresh new start. To me, it feels more like a new beginning than January 1st.

I’ve been feeling extremely energized and creative. One minute I’m outside cleaning flower beds, then suddenly I spy a mushroom and I’m off to grab my camera … 30 minutes later I remember what I was doing in the first place, and head back to the garden.

Next, I spy some gorgeous, mottled cotoneaster leaves and am off to grab my camera again. This time, the quote by Albert Camus came to mind and I ended up creating an autumn flower.

Right after breakfast I’m heading out on a photo search … it’s another perfect day with a little bit of cloud cover. I want to soak up every single delicious autumn moment before it’s gone.

I’m excited to begin the new Start to Finish class later today, and I have some more baking to do, so I’d better get a move on!

Have you signed up for my newsletter? I’ve already sent out two this month, and there’s been a great response so far. You can sign up using the form on the sidebar – I’d love to have you!

One last thing … there’s going to be a slight change to “app” happy wednesday, starting tomorrow. I love seeing your art, and I hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Organic Photography

September 18, 2014 by Barb 15 Comments

This week in Be Still 52, Kim showed us how to create organic photography that is both earthy and moody, and she so very kindly provided us with the perfect LR preset to help us in our quest.

I’d been planning on baking up some zucchini or carrot bread, and I had some brown eggs … hmmmm … I never buy brown eggs, but last week, for some unknown reason, my hands picked them out of the grocers refrigerator, propelled by some strange force … the compulsive photographers force, perhaps?

Organic Photo Shoot

I’m certainly a novice at this type of photography, but I find that I really love the style. So, for inspiration, I’ve created a Dark, Moody Food Photography board on Pinterest. I’ll be adding lots more to it in the days ahead.

But the really incredible news for me is that I created this completely in LR! OMG – I never thought I’d see the day. But with Kim’s wonderful and timely help, I did it. I can’t thank her enough.

Now I’m off to bake that zucchini/carrot bread! Oh, but first! Check out my newest venture – my newsletter! I sent my first one out on Tuesday and I received some pretty positive feedback – it’s like me, writing a note to friends … sign-up form on sidebar …

Joining in tomorrow at Friday Finds.

Texture Tuesday: Silverware and Serviettes

September 9, 2014 by Barb 19 Comments

Wrap vintage silverware with twine and a spring of rosemary for a great addition to any autumn tablescape!

Good morning! I’ll try not to whine too much about our overnight dump of snow … but I did have to mention it, so as to get it out of my system … ugh …

Many of my flowers are mush now … but not my herbs, they’re fine, so I decided to bring a few in and play around with them.

I edited these images in LR, first adjusting exposure, cropping, and then I applied the preset kk_lightly.

For the first two, I added the texture kk_leslie, at soft light (65%) which warmed them up …

Silverware-and-Herbs

Silverware-and-Herbs1

The following set has just the preset with no added texture, which left them cooler …

I can’t decide which I like best! Usually I prefer the cooler tones but this time … it may be a tie! What do you think?

Silverware-and-Herbs

Silverware-and-Herbs2

kk_lightly only:

Serviette-and-Silverware2014

Many thanks to all who have signed up for my newsletter! I’m thrilled and honoured that you did! I’m looking forward to communicating in a more personal way.

So … exciting changes for me! The automatic RSS driven e-mail subscription will not be available after today …

Feeling Wishy-Washy

September 2, 2014 by Barb 11 Comments

I’m feeling kind of wishy-washy tonight as I prepare my post for TT. A busy week last week and a busy weekend combined with computer woes, e-mail problems, updates, passwords … all spinning around in my head … ugh … double ugh … I’m really hoping I finally have everything sorted out. I look forward to a quiet and uneventful September … fingers crossed.

I did so much to this photo that I can’t even begin to explain … I’ve been practicing in LR with presets and I’m pretty sure all that really ended up on this is Kim’s kk_lightly. I’m loving the 31 Days of LR with all the fantastic info and wonderful free presets! Yes, I’m behind but what can I say. I’m behind in just about everything right now.

gazania and tea

So for now I’ll bid you a “good-night” even though it will be morning when you see this!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

PS: I’m giving away a copy of Photoshop Elements 12 (draw on Friday, September 5). Check out this post for details.

« Previous Page