Keeping With The Times

living, learning, and keeping with the times

Getting Ready for Blissdom, and Eating Spinach

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In October, my daughter (www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com) and I are going to a blog conference in Mississauga together! How amazing is that?

Tickets and flights are purchased, and a room at the hotel is booked.

So now I’ve been following Blissdom Canada 2013 on Facebook and Twitter, and am getting a teeny bit nervous.

I know the majority of attendees will be my daughter’s age. That could be a bit intimidating. So what to do?

Be prepared, I think.

First up, I wanted to get my “business” card ready, and that meant I had to narrow down what my blog is about. I put a ton of thought into it and this is what I came up with…
Business Card

So simple, so plain, so white. My blog in a nutshell. I think it makes the right statement for me. What do you think?

I didn’t run the design by anyone else, but because they cost less than $30.00, I ordered them through Costco this morning. May as well strike one thing off my list of to-do’s.

Now, how to look 20 years younger in 60 days…

No, actually, I’m going to go forth as a proud grandma. I think I’ll keep this jingle in my head while I’m there though…

Oh, I’m Popeye the Sailor Man

I’m Popeye the Sailor Man

I yam what’s I yam and that’s all what’s I am

I’m Popeye the Sailor Man

OK, I’m off to stock up on spinach!

Nurture Photography – Gold

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Nurture Photography - Gold

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Nurture Photography - Gold

Nurture Photography - Gold

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DSC_3205

We managed to get a couple of hours out on the lake yesterday; the sun was shining and it was quite warm, but there were dark, menacing clouds lurking around the edges. So when we went up to the house around 5:00, and the thunder and lightning started, I despaired of finding my golden hour photos for the Nurture Photography Challenge.

Around 8:00 I felt so chilly I had to go have a hot bath, and thought I’d settle in for the night. But suddenly, through the trees, I noticed some beautiful light hitting the lake. Now was my chance! I grabbed my camera, and decided to go with whatever lens was on it (40mm f2.8). I wasn’t sure if it would work out, but I had no time to fool around.

For 15 minutes I stood on the dock (in my pj’s) and snapped away. I was quite surprised to see a bit of a rainbow… how fortuitous!

for·tu·i·tous

Adjective: Happening by accident or chance rather than design. Happening by a lucky chance; fortunate.

Synonyms accidental – random – incidental – casual – chance

Why fortuitous? Well, when our family gets together, we quite often use words that are a bit out of the ordinary… it may sound like we are being snobs, but we all understand that it’s for fun, and simply emphasizes how much we appreciate life. I also like to use the quote function in WordPress.

I’m doing pretty well with all my tutorials, classes, projects, and challenges so far. But I have to tell you, I work hard on them every day… and sometimes, all day…

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Nurture Photogaphy: Gold

 

One Thing Leads to Another

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My Friday Find for this week is a roll of rustic cotton “ribbon”.

I was browsing around my favourite country store (shouldn’t have been there…) and spied it almost right away. It stirred something in me. Visions of days gone by flooded my mind. The crafty urge that lurks just below the surface of my being became overwhelming and I convinced myself that I would definitely be able to use it on something, someday. Isn’t it beautiful? Dreamy.DSC_3076

The first thing I did when I got home was rummage around in my (mountains) of scrapbooking supplies that are taking up way too much space in my basement. I looked for papers with similar colours and for some reason, envelopes and tags came to mind. I think because they are easy to make, and at least it would get me going.

friday finds kim klassen

This then led me to my next project… a flower press. I used to have one, but alas, it made it’s way to Goodwill during one of my purging episodes. (More on that next week).

DSC_3077

So what about the ribbon? Have I used it? Most definitely.

 

 

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot Com

LR Preset kk_lettherebelight

My Big Outdoor Studio

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Day-1-Peonies
After watching Kim’s process from start to finish (class), I felt inspired to set up a “shoot”.
You remember the blue table I brought home the other day? Well, the location (on the lawn) works perfectly if the sun isn’t shining brightly. Today it’s very overcast and I saw my opportunity. The white chippy enamel top is a perfect backdrop… no cloths needed, and I’ve just realized that I have the whole great big outdoors as my studio.

I’ve gone back to shooting in RAW (I missed you RAW) but only for specific shoots. I don’t think that family fun on the lake needs to be shot that way since it’s just too hard to process the photos, so they never get shared.

I did some basic edits, crops, and then used the LR Preset kk_berrily. Then on into PS where I added one layer of kk_mary on soft light and brushed a bit off the flower.

Just for interest’s sake, here’s one of the shots I took. What a difference! You would never know that the image above was shot here. Amazing stuff.

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Heritage Hollyhock Dinner Plates

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texture tuesday kim klassen

When my Mom passed away, I inherited these lovely “Hollyhock” dinner plates made by Sovereign Pottery. I can’t remember which side of the family they first came from, my Mom’s or my Dad’s. It’s just one of many things I wish I had asked… well, I think I did ask, but I didn’t cement it into my head… same result…

I would guess that these plates would be at least 75 years old, perhaps older, and not one of them has a chip or a crack. Of course they are completely crazed, but I think it simply adds to the charm.

I processed this image in LR and used kk_berrily by Kim Klassen. I think it added just the right amount of light and warmth.

Linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Nurture Photography – Blue

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Remember when I listed my Summer Classes and Challenges for 2013? The reason I wrote that post was to keep myself accountable. And voila! here’s my photo for the Nurture Photography Challenge.

I love that sky! Clear as clear can be… nary a cloud to be seen. I tweaked the photo a bit in Photoshop, making a Levels Adjustment on the blues. I thought it added a nice 70’s vintage tone. And that would make sense, because fields and I go back that far… actually farther…

Nurture-Photography-Blue

In my part of the world, some of the canola fields are starting to bloom, and the ditches are full of all kinds of grasses. I’ve been out busily picking and drying some of them to make into arrangements.

One of my favourites is this Simple Country Topiary, it’s easy to make and lasts for years… although it slowly fades from green to gold, which really isn’t such a bad thing.

You might want to check out the Nurture Photography Pinterest Board – lots of eye candy there!

OK, now I’m off to my next assignment! Have a wonderful weekend!

Summer Breeze

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Peony-Blue-Table-2

Which of these would be my find? Is it the gorgeous peonies? the white vase? the blue table?

Peony-Blue-Table

all of the above?

Peony-Blue-Table-1

makes me feel fine

sweet days of summer

the (peony’s) in bloom.

July is dressed up and playing her tune.

sorry, I just couldn’t help it… it popped into my head, and now it’s going to be there all day…

Yesterday, I dragged home a table … I didn’t go looking for it (specifically) but there it was, sitting in a corner, all chippy and blue. I just knew I needed it.

Images of tea parties on the lawn, a table laden with flowers, and books, and candles, and food, and great light, filled me with excitement. A Somerset Life. A dream of mine.

But as soon as it was tucked safely in the back of my vehicle, the doubt began. It wasn’t about the money so much as the “uh, oh… do I really need to add another piece of junque to my yard? Well, probably not … but there she is.

As soon as I set the bouquet of peonies on it, I felt reassured.

It’s a harmless pastime, this hunting for treasures, dreaming of photo shoots and trying to capture, express, and share something that’s in my mind’s eye. And honestly, I’m blessed and thankful to have “found” it at this time in my life.

I’m sharing this today over at “Friday Finds” at Kim Klassen dot com

Summer Classes and Challenges

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I’m taking part in several classes and photography challenges this summer. I can’t believe that July is only a few days away… where did May and June go?

I wanted to get everything straight in my head, so I thought I would share my schedule with you (in order of appearance)…

The Phone Photography Project at Big Picture Classes starts on July 1st and runs until August 1st. It looks like a ton of fun! Lots of yummy new apps to try!

summertimeatthelake

Nurture Photography, Summer 2013 is a Photography Challenge from Kristi of Live and Love Out Loud, and Rebecca from Bumbles and Light. It starts July 5th and runs until August 2nd. I find this one a bit challenging, so I’m hoping I can keep up.

Poppy-Rain

From Start to Finish at Kim Klassen dot com. It starts on July 9th, and runs for 8 weeks. I don’t have to say anything to you about Kim… we all know how talented, creative, and generous she is.

scattered

The Art of Blending at Digital Scrapper, taught by Linda Sattgast starts July 10th and runs for 10 weeks.

Linda Sattgast has the most straightforward, precise, and friendly teaching style I’ve ever come across, and you always get good value for your money at Digital Scrapper:

All class materials (videos, manuals, textures, etc.) are downloadable. View the videos on any computer, tablet, or cell phone that has internet. You have “Forever Access” to the classroom materials, so no need to worry about a computer crash or accidentally losing something. You’ll have personal access to Linda Sattgast, Adobe’s Scrapbooking Expert, in the class Gallery and Forum for the 10 weeks of class, so go ahead—ask her any questions you want about blending! The class Forum and Gallery will be available for posting during the 10 weeks of class, and available for viewing (but not posting) after the class ends.

lakeviews

Whew! So there you have it!

I wonder if I’m going to be able to keep up… the lake beckons…

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

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A phone call at 1:08 am is never good, right?

word art, free

I literally had a wake-up call. Not that I need one, because I am always grateful for everything that is good in my life, and grateful for each new day.

But last night I woke up, thinking I had heard the telephone. I’ve done that before, but it has always been a dream (a vivid dream, nonetheless). But just in case, I glanced over at the phone, and it was lit up… omg… it did ring…

It’s 1:08… omg…

Heart pounding furiously, I reached over and turned on the light. Then I leaped over the bed and grabbed the phone and looked at the display. It was my youngest daughter’s cell phone number. Sheer terror gripped my heart. I feel it even now, as I type this.

I grabbed my glasses from the night stand and in the process tipped over a small vase of flowers. I fell to my knees on the floor and hit #1, and then the “talk” button. An eternity passed before I heard her voice. It was small, and weak. Oh, god…

“Mom”, she said, I’m so sorry!, I just got out of bed and stepped on my phone and it dialed your number. I wasn’t sure if it went through, and I didn’t know what to do.

Absolute relief washed over me, and all I could think was “thankyou, thankyou, thankyou“.

After a brief chat, and laugh, we both went back to our beds.

I was a bit shaken up, but I just laid there and thought “thank you” over and over again, like a chant, or a meditation, and it wasn’t long until I drifted back to sleep. And when I woke up this morning, I said it again.

 

 

free word art

 

 

I created some word art to share with you. If you want to see more, check out the Word Art tab at the top of my blog.

All word art is a brush in .abr format, which can be used in both Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop.

Simply click on the graphic above to download. If you have any questions/problems please ask them in the comment section so others can read them and perhaps find help too.

 

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

kk_sybil, and a few LR adjustments

You Shouldn’t Eat Tacos for Lunch

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boccocini-salad-1

Tomato, Bocconcini, and Basil Salad

That’s what my inner voice tells me every time I do it. It says “don’t be so lazy, go and stock up on some fresh fruits and vegetables, and be thankful that you can.”

So, I listened, and this is what I had for lunch yesterday. I used fresh basil from my herb pot, isn’t it cute? I’ve never seen such tiny basil leaves, but let me tell you they are packed with flavour!

I feel quite inspired and vow to eat healthier this summer. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just thought out.

(Vintage) Friday Finds

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My “find” for this week would be a teaspoon.

I’m always on the hunt for vintage silverware, it’s so full of character and makes me think of farmhouses and family meals.  It makes me think of summer, and bridal showers, and other special occasions.

Teaspoon

But I also found the pretty white teacup at Value Village several years ago. I just loved the green and mauve design, and the slightly worn gold edges.Lilacs-Tea2

After I took all my photos, I sat and drank the lovely green tea and admired my garden. It’s doing ultra well this year. We’ve had a lot of rain and there’s more in the forecast.

lilac, tea, garden

Have I mentioned that I love lilacs?

lilacs, tea, garden

And I love my garden.

Garden-Shed

It’s pretty maintenance free, mostly perennials, with a few annuals sprinkled here and there. Right now the anemones are blooming their hearts out.

Anemone

It’s such a rush! Every day a different plant starts to flower. I can hardly keep up. It’s heavenly.

Lilacs can be Overwhelming

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lilacs, photography

We have a beautiful lilac bush in front of our house. It’s not big, but every year it produces a ton of flowers.

I adore lilacs. I love the colour and the sweet smell. What I don’t like, is that they only last about one and a half days as a cut flower.

So I guess that’s where a few (hundred) photographs come in handy. I have taken a ton of shots and this one… this one here, is the very last one I took. It also happens to be the only one I truly like. How does that even happen?

I’ve come to the conclusion that I am overwhelmed by their huge blossoms which turn into huge bouquets when I try to arrange them. Too much of a good thing, perhaps?

I vow to keep trying though, and I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

An Inspired Barnwood Potting Bench

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wildflower bouquet

Yesterday I headed outside, fully intending to cut the grass.

Strangely, though, I found myself over by my new potting bench… it has become a magnet for me.

I think I’ve been dreaming about having a potting bench my whole life, and I’ll tell you how it came about. Last summer I wrote down in my journal that I would have one. Then I pinned a couple ideas, and voila…

potting bench

I’m a firm believer that if you write something down, there’s a better chance of it coming true. There are tons of books written about that theory but for the life of me I can’t remember where I read it first. I think it was Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, or The Artists Way, by Julia Cameron.

Right now I’m reading The Secret, which of course teaches about the law of attraction. But I digress.

potting bench

So, early this spring I was at my favourite little country store which I frequent on a monthly basis. It’s there that I’ve been scooping up rustic, custom-made barnwood benches by the handful… I can’t resist them. Each one is so unique, with different colours of lichen clinging to them.

potting bench

Anyway, I simply asked the owner if the fellow who makes these benches would consider making a potting bench. She replied; not for the shop, but here’s his number. Hmmmm, I was expecting her to take an order or something. But I took it and ran.

After that it was just a series of fortunate events.

I called and asked this fellow if he would consider making one for me. He replied; well, I’ve never even thought of making a potting bench, but here’s what I think: it should be about 5 feet in height, 44-45 inches wide, with a 21 inch deep counter. Add a small shelf in the top part, and a large shelf on the bottom.

Ummm, well, OK (said I) as I crumpled up the little scrap of paper with all my measurements written on it … I could see there was no need to tell him what to do! But what would it cost me?

Well, this is just a hobby for me (said he) but I’d have to charge you $115.00…

… gasp… seriously people, I know of some places that would not charge any less than $250.00… I mean, this thing weighs a ton… and look at the colours of these fabulous lichens!

potting bench

… and it holds a lot of heavy pots, and gardening essentials…

potting bench

potting bench

It was here that I created my little cottage garden/wildflower bouquet. Could there be anything more charming?

So if you are dreaming of a potting bench, or anything else for that matter, I would advise you to get out your journal, or even just a scrap of paper and write it down.

I feel so inspired.

Oh, and yes, I did cut the grass.

Take a Look at This Real Estate, Honey!

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As I was working in my flower beds, I heard a bird singing far back in the trees. I thought it must be an oriole, or a rosy breasted grosbeak because it had such a BIG voice.

But suddenly, this tiny little wren appeared on a branch nearby and proceeded to belt it out in a BIG way!Wren

At first I thought it was scolding me (how self-centred are we humans…). But then I noticed another wren flitting around in the background.

Ahhh, Mr. Big Voice was showing his potential mate the house that he had found for her . . .

Wren

He went in and out, and in and out, all the while singing and chirping.

wren

Miss Potential Mate finally did come and take a look. At that point, I left the scene so as not to ruin the chances that the two of them would feel safe enough to make this their home.

I really hope they do, they are a joy to have around. So cheerful and bright.

Today I’ll be working around close by, in my flower beds, and at my potting bench, and I’d feel really blessed to have their company.

Have a happy weekend, everyone!

 

In My Own Back Yard

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I took at least 50 photos yesterday, and deleted about 40. I don’t usually have such a poor outcome… but nature, light breezes, and sprinkles of rain can play havoc on a scene.

daisy, insect, photography

I did manage to get three insects, which made me happy! Two were taken with my 40mm fixed lens.

insects

This Hemaris Thysbe paid me a visit when I was trying to photograph some lilacs. Well, I failed miserably on the lilacs, but Mr. HT saved the day.

hemaris thysbe, hummingbird moth

And, one of my favourite flowers, the anemone is in bloom. It’s sort of taking over the garden, and that’s fine with me.

anemone

Thank you for stopping by, and here’s to a productive day for all!

Texture Tuesday, and Positive Thoughts

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Yesterday morning as I was sitting at the computer, I started to feel so uncomfortable. I had the windows open and I could hear the birds singing; the sun was shining and there wasn’t a breath of wind.

It became quite clear that I couldn’t stay inside.
wild strawberry, photoshop, texture, kim klassen texture tuesday

I quickly changed into my work clothes, set my camera by the back door (to grab at a moment’s notice), and sprayed myself with OFF from head to toe… the mosquitoes here are brutal. In fact, there had been one buzzing around my head before I even got out of bed. Gah! I hate that! I managed to fend it off for quite a while, but it eventually got me. I know that because I woke up later with an itchy hand.

Anyway, I spent the morning weeding and fluffing up my flower beds. It always amazes me at how fast the plants grow once they get going, and there are tiny little miracles sprouting and blooming everywhere I look.

I potted up my spicy little herb garden that now sits happily on the deck, and dug up a wild strawberry because it was so cute.

A Hemaris Thysbe, and a Canadian Swallowtail Butterfly were buzzing around. They are here because the lilacs are blooming, and I knew it was only a matter of time before these two creatures would grace our yard.

It was a beautiful morning and I am very thankful for all the good things in my life. As most of you know, Kim Klassen is going through a hard time after learning that her husband has leukemia. He is now in a hospital receiving treatment. The doctors have said they caught it early and he should make a full recovery. In the meantime, I’m sure Kim could use our positive thoughts.

For my image, I used kk_teatime from the “minimay” set.

Friday Finds, and a Little “Find” for You!

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simplicity, simple life, friday finds, kim klassen, barb blookbank

There’s a new meme in town! Friday Finds, hosted by Kim Klassen.

She has invited us to share something that we find each week. It can be anything; from antiques, to flowers, to… whatever!

Magically (it seems), our trees and perennials are starting to bloom, so of course, flowers were an obvious choice. Walking around the yard, I caught a soft, sweet, light scent on the breeze and followed it to our Mayday tree. One quick snip with my shears, and I headed back to the house to look for the perfect vase.

A simple glass jar that had once served as a soap dispenser was hiding under the sink. A perfect “find” don’t you think? I love the cone shape, the small size, and the smooth ridges of glass. Sweet and simple. Love!

After editing the image, and adding texture, etc. it just seemed natural to add a little quote, which I then made into a sweet little graphic. Goodness, when we love doing something we “find” the time, don’t we…

So now, I have a “Friday Find” for you! I’ve made the quote available for you to download! I hope you like it!

 

life-is-really-simple-brush

The word art is a brush in .abr format, which can be used in Photoshop Elements, or Photoshop.

Simply click on the graphic above to download. If you have any questions/problems please ask them in the comment section so others can read them and perhaps find help too.

See you tomorrow at Friday Finds, with Kim Klassen dot com

kk_sybil

Quote by Confucius

Texture Tuesday, and a Bit of Rambling

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texture tuesday, textures

Today is the day I am going to sit here at the computer and get some work done! I am woefully behind on a project that is supposed to be submitted on June 1st, and I don’t even know what I’m going to create… aaackk…

But first, I had to play TT. I took this shot while driving home from Saskatchewan. We had crossed the border and were already in Alberta, but this iconic building could be anywhere on the prairies.

I took it with my phone (can’t remember what app I used) but then I added three layers of kk_1402 on colour burn. I added a linear burn to the sky and added a Gaussian blur.

OK, gotta run!! I am going to join Kim Klassen in an Adobe Connect Meeting. Woot! how fun! I just checked in and Kim’s just setting up! Perhaps I will see you over there?

 

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Black and White with a Touch of Colour

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kim klassen, texture tuesday, black and white photography, adobe photoshop, cs6, liightroom

My favourite day! Texture Tuesday!! Today everyone voted on a subject and Black and White with a Touch of Colour was the winner.

I’m “grandparenting” this week, so I’m at my daughter’s home. As I lay in bed this morning (briefly, I might add, since little ones were soon joining me), I kept looking at this North-facing window with the white curtains. Creative thoughts started to flow.

After breakfast, when the two oldest were off to school, and the 3 year old had had breakfast, my mind turned to TT.

I thought about the lovely sedum that I got for Mother’s Day and went around the house looking for props. A lovely pot, a white table, and an off-white ball seemed to be the perfect combination. It’s a simple scene but that’s what works for me.

Even though there are technically four items, I see three, since the plant and the pot become one. And odd numbers are always a safe bet when designing anything.

I used a technique that Kim taught us using gradients to reveal some colour in the plant. Then I brushed away some of the gradient on the ball to reveal a slight, slight, bit of green to support the theme.

Lastly, one layer of kk_3003 on soft light was the final touch.

I’m totally crushing on this… it’s amazing what a fresh perspective can do.

Well, I gotta go! It’s time to play Hungry Hippo!

 

 

 Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com.

Beyond Inspiration – Day 14

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kim klassen, beyond, b2b, texture

The lesson in B2B for Day 14 (or should I say one of the lessons) was on how to stretch your canvas and add words to the side of your image.

I have to say that I really like this format. I had a bit of trouble coming up with a good quote but mostly I didn’t sweat it.

When I saw this little spray of flowers at Safeway, my heart jumped. Such a tiny thing. Surrounded by dozens of colourful roses for Mother’s Day, and I pick these.

I adore them. And I adore the potting bench they are sitting on. I’m afraid you are going to be seeing a lot of that bench this summer. I’ll tell you all about it later… I must get to work on my dinner party. EEK, what am I doing sitting here??!!

Have a wonderful, amazing Mother’s Day weekend, everyone!

 

kk_3003 (my newest absolutely favourite texture) by Kim Klassen

 

Willow Catkins and the Art of Avoidance

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willow-catkins-2

Today I woke up early, enjoyed my coffee, checked e-mails, poked around some blogs, primped my own blog, ate French toast for breakfast, and had a nap.

willow-catkins

I walked down to the lake’s edge and sat and listened to the birds. Geese, ducks, seagulls, and loons. It’s a regular cacaphony of hoots, cackles, and wails (got that from the dictionary).

willow-catkins-1

I admired the willow catkins that seem to glow in the sunlight. Then of course I had to pick a few which I spent an hour arranging and photographing.

Which brings me to the question “when am I going to start preparing for that dinner party for 8 that we’re hosting on Saturday?” Egad. I truly wish I could walk into the sunset and leave that one behind. But I cannot. Tomorrow I start.

Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen

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kim klassen, texture tuesday, hydrangeas,

Hello everyone, hope you are well.

I have been so absent as of late. But I’m not going to bore you with all my excuses. I will say that I thought I had better get a post up before I forget how to do it.

Texture Tuesday seems to be my lifeline. It’s one of the things I love to participate in and I usually try to come up with something. It takes me to a place that I wish I could be all the time; simply creating because I love it.

I picked up this glorious hydrangea the other day. It’s just one bloom in a tiny pot. One perfect little bloom. I love it.

Our world is warming up and things are turning the tiniest bit green. As I drove home from town yesterday, I could see that all the willow catkins were bursting out and seemed to be glowing in the late afternoon sunlight. I’m going to pick a bunch this afternoon and take my time arranging them. I am so looking forward to that.

The ice on our lake has finally vanished and that is cause for major excitement around here. We have a little group that places bets on when it will go ($100.00, and you’re in). Hubby didn’t win this time, but that’s OK. We just want to get our dock assembled, and our boat in the water. And we’re hoping for another wonderful summer spent with family and friends.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

For my image today, I used one layer of kk_3003 on soft light. Kim wanted our image to POP, so I bumped up the saturation on the hydrangea and softened the background. Check it out at Texture Tuesday!

Pansies, Greenhouses, and the Smell of Spring

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pansy, garden quote, kim klassen, barb brookbank, texture, texture tuesday

Yesterday it snowed. Lots. It was actually a mini-blizzard.

As I sat at the computer trying to work, my mind kept wandering. Something was calling to me… something bright, warm, and filled with flowers.

I knew what I had to do. I had to finish up a draft of my next tutorial and send it off to be approved. Then I would have to wait, wouldn’t I? The person who approves it is halfway across the world in Australia and was probably still asleep. This would give me a few hours where I could do whatever I wanted… so off I went…

the big, greenhouse

 ah, yes… welcome, indeed

I spent about an hour walking up and down the aisles, dreaming and scheming. When I looked around at other people, they all had a hint of a smile on their face. The saleswoman was wearing a tank top! Oh, now doesn’t she have the best job in the world!? And the smell… the smell of soil after a rain… gah, it gave me shivers…

It’s too early to buy anything for the garden, but I could indulge in one little pot of sweet smelling pansies. It’s now sitting on a rough little wooden bench in my kitchen where the sun pours in all afternoon.

After I left the greenhouse, I headed to my favourite junque shop and stocked up on… (oops, that’s for another post).

I’m joining in on the fun at Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen. Today we were to use any of Kim’s textures and add some wise words. Well, I’m not so wise, but I loved the quote.

Credits:

Kim Klassen: Textures kk_3003_2, kk_3003_1
Anna Aspnes: background paper, masks, brushwork, envelope, loop-da-loops
Beads: Amanda Taylor
Vintage Typewriter

 

Pier One Inspired Tablescape

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On one of our last days in Arizona, hubby decided he wanted to go check out a golf superstore and look what we came home with…

Pier One Inspired Tablescape

Should I feel guilty?

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It just so happened that there was a Pier One across the parking lot and I thought it would be the perfect place to spend an hour or so.

When I entered the store, the salesclerk asked me what brought me in. I started to say “well, my husband is over shopping at the…” when she put up her hand and said “say no more!” and we both had a little chuckle.

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I started out simply admiring the beautiful displays and began to wonder what it was that made them so amazing (apart from the delicious dishes). I spent 15 minutes just staring at all the different table settings, thinking, thinking.

Then I realized that it was the layering! Tablecloths, placemats, chargers, large plates, medium plates, small plates. And the serviettes! I had never thought of putting two serviettes in one holder. An “aha” moment…

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The wheels were turning. I already had a set of white dishes so I could have a little fun here! All I needed to find were a couple of small plates with some white in them. These blue, white, gold, and green ones were just the ticket! I love green so I rummaged around and found two wicker placemats that I really liked–perfect! Of course everything in the store is coordinated so it wasn’t difficult to find two different types of serviettes, and some pretty holders.pier one tablescape

Do you like my wildflowers and my target vase? So simple, but so perfect.

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I love these colours…

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If you didn’t see the tour of our “little get-away” in Arizona, check it out here.

Hubby didn’t get his golf clubs. But no worries… he’s going to get them here at home. He said he was just getting ideas. :)

 

The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

 

Simplicity

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picsplay, desert marigold, kim klassen, texture

As I have said before “I need flowers”. However, our holidays are quickly coming to an end and I didn’t want to spend any money on a bouquet that I was going to have to either give away, or (heaven forbid!) throw away. So off I went in search of wildflowers. These charming Desert Marigolds are growing on the roadsides all over Fountain Hills and I didn’t think it would be a problem if I snipped a few and brought them in to grace our humble abode.

This morning I set them on the little antique chest that has become our coffee table. I love it’s rough texture and peeling paint and the fact that at a certain time the sun streams in and hits it on the corner, creating a perfect sunbeam. No fake Photoshop sunbeam here (although I am not above that).

I snapped the photo with my iPhone and took it into #PicsPlay where I added a filter and the text. Then I added one layer of kk_subtlyyours by Kim Klassen.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Thursday!! Yes, yes, I’m late to the party! :)

My apologies for re-posting this… there were some error messages with the first one and I’m trying to figure out what it was. Thanks so much for your patience. I saved all the comments from the previous post (I treasure and appreciate all of them).

The Grand Canyon–The Final Episode

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Our second morning dawned clear, bright, and cold. We were pretty relieved and couldn’t wait to get out and explore.

After a quick breakfast we headed out and spent the next several hours walking along the rim. Alert: photo overload!
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As you can tell, I was pretty impressed with this surreal, natural wonder.

If you ever get the chance… no wait! don’t leave it to chance–make it happen–visit the Grand Canyon!!

The Grand Canyon Continues

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Just a few more snowy vistas before we move along.Grand Canyon-web04DSC_0159

The sun stayed out for about an hour and we were able to enjoy the gorgeousness of the forest…

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I didn’t want to stand there with hubby so I offered to take his photo…

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Finally, the Grand Canyon. Photos cannot capture it. Words cannot describe it.

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But us photographers try.

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National Geographic writes “the road to the Grand Canyon from the south crosses a gently rising plateau that gives no hint at what is about to unfold. You wonder if you have made a wrong turn. All at once an immense gorge a mile deep and up to 18 miles wide opens up. The scale is so vast that even from the best vantage point only a fraction of the canyon’s 277 miles can be seen”.

It wasn’t long until the clouds and snow took over once again so we headed to the Yavapai Lodge where we spent the night.

We were travelling with another couple so we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the El Tovar Dining Room. It was warm and cozy, the food was good, and we had a view of the rim of the canyon.

We watched people scurrying around outside with hoods and scarves pulled over their heads. We marveled at the snow blowing around and off the roof and made predictions about what we were going to wake up to. Would it be cold, but clear? Or was there going to be a foot of snow blanketing everything?

 

The Grand Canyon

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Shortly after we left the shelter of the gift shop/cafeteria (to escape the blizzard) and began to drive to our hotel, the sun started to peek out and we caught our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon.

We pulled into a viewing area and I just couldn’t get past the trees. They were so absolutely gorgeous with their twisted trunks, rough bark, and snowy branches.

I knew that the lighting was perfect and that the snow was soon going to melt so I slowed down and took dozens of shots, all the while exclaiming how beautiful it was. But the excitement was building as we inched our way closer and closer to the rim…  more photos to come later!

I was using my new Nikon D7100 with the 55-105mm lens for the first time! I’m pretty excited about it! I did a lot of thinking about which camera I wanted. I looked at full sensors but decided the cost was just too prohibitive and not necessary for my needs. The D7100 is a 24.1-MP DX-format CMOS sensor and shoots up to 6 fps. I also bought the 55-105mm lens which will enable me to take a wider range of photos without having to change out the lenses constantly.

I sharpened the photos, adjusted the exposure, then bumped up the blues and greens a wee bit–that’s it…

So far, I’m quite pleased. I cropped the last image to within an inch of it’s life and I think the detail is still pretty amazing.

I Dream of Flowers

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tulips, spring

Last week, as I prepared for the Easter weekend, I indulged myself once again and bought some flowers.

These tulips were tightly closed but I could see a hint of green mixed in with the pink petals.

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They were irresistible.

I could tell that the flowers were going to be frilly, and before I knew it I had put two bunches in my cart.

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I did a bit of research on double tulips and read that they are sometimes referred to as peony tulips. I can certainly see why. These remind me of the pink peonies that grace my garden around the beginning of July… am I dreaming? Umm, yes. But what a wonderful dream.

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A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone.

It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose.

It doesn’t have to.

It is different.

And there’s room in the garden for every flower”

Marianne Williamson.

 

Texture Tuesday

 

Texture:

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…hello spring?

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digi scrap tutorial

Just playing around in Photoshop and revealing a bit of my inner digital scrapper persona…

This is my latest Digi Scrap Tutorial for Digital Scrapper.

Layer Mask Reveal! 03.19.2013

Stitches: All Stitched Up by Susie Roberts
Flower: Jubilee by One Little Bird
Beads: All About Me by Amanda Taylor
Paint stroke: Vicki Stegall
Background paper: Anna Aspnes
Font: Vintage Typewriter

I used the technique from the tutorial to create the winter scene as an overlay. The brush was #45 Watercolor Textured Surface. I duplicated the overlay and set the top layer on Color Burn.

Thanks for looking!