{ My MiNuTia }

Wrote a story, then had pink champagne

For some reason I decided to change things up a bit over on the Bellarama E-Zine. The last of the 12 projects is featured today and I wanted to snazz things up a bit. SO, I decided to incorporate the whole thing into a story. I don't know why I did that--it seemed like a good idea at the time. SO, now it's on the site and I'm freaking out a little bit!

Will they think I've lost it? Gaaaa!! It's too late to change it now! But if you know me at all, you know I love to ShAkE ThInGs up a bit now and then, and go against the grain. Ooooh, what a rebel, right?

The rebellious streak continues...I have been obsessing over a paint color in the studio. Oh it's nowhere to be found. So this morning I created my own concoction of pink champagne paint....love it. Did I mention this is the 3rd color redo I've undergone in there in a month? Oh my. But this is it. It's me and it looks good. All that soul searching for a color that was me...finally feeling it. I just keep walking by and looking at it. Double checking it's right.

This E-Zine has been so fulfilling for me. I'm sure I've said it before, but it really changing my mind set and spills over into other areas of my life. Such creative beings we women are. I could never "not" let that out. I have so many ideas for the next E-Zine, just need to narrow it down now and give it a title. I'd hoped to have that done today, but....that pink champagne took over instead.

I did put up the Sweet Bella E-Zine, which was featured last year at this time. People ask for the old issues, so I'm bringing them out slowly! Check it out if you need some inspiration: here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

She can do the hula, she can do the splits

Remember that jump rope tune? Well I USED to be able to do the splits, oh so many moons ago. But I'm totally working this these days...

 

Oh yeah, I finally found something fun on the Wii Fit! I'm a hula mashine....yep.

I broke 300 today! WOOT!!! I just found Super Hula, but not played it much yet. My goal should be to lose a few and relieve stress. Which is does totally. That's the important thing. But my #1 goal is to be good at a video game and beat my son. I wonder if I will ever get there. Trying this one and when I get really really good, I'll challenge him. And victory will be MINE!! A hula girl can only hope.

Wii Fit folks out there, what are your favorite games to play? I'd totally love to know.

and we danced.

Just for a song or so. Swing style. The music was jumping and intoxicating (Diana Krall). We laughed and twirled, and tried hard to remember some of the steps from dancing lessons a while back.

 

Then we laughed some more. That guy knows how to make a girl smile when she just doesn't feel like it. For those few minutes my spirits lifted and I felt like a queen. Taken care of. Nice.

 

Thanks for the dance, hon. Still smiling.

Photos are from my studio. There's room enough for dancing in there now!

Uhm, hurry!

So if you have a deeply inbedded affection for beautiful calligraphy, then I recommend you check this out:

I know, right? So pretty. Shanna and Betsy are presenting a really special offer just in time for Valentine's Day. I love their work so much! Go order your personalized Valentine at: Hello Handmade Paperie. They even offer a couple of calligraphy styles. How will you ever choose?

PS, I Love You (Photo burning)

Last week I introduced a PhotoShop Elements Tutorial, with the promise of another tutorial this week. There are so many things to show you, where to begin?!

I've made a list of fun PhotoShop techniques to try, and thought I'd introduce the easier ones first, and move to more difficult techniques as the weeks progress. Sound good?

So, I've got something fun to try today! Yes I do. Have you ever burned the edges of your digital photos? Would you like to try? If you haven't any idea what I'm talking about, well then I urge you to read on, open up your PhotoShop program and give this one a try. It's wicked easy, and you'll like it.

So, get yourself into the Full Edit Screen in PhotoShop, and pull up a photo. Go on.

We will wait here for you.

Go on! Git over there and do this!

 

Now, go to the left sidebar. Toward the bottom of the sidebar you will see a hand that is grasping something.  Click on it. This is the burning tool. It darkens things. Edges of photos are especially nice to darken, but it darkens anything.

On the top sidebar, hold your cursor over the first three symbols. One is a sponge, one is a burn tool and one is a dodge tool. We want the hand/burn tool. PhotoShop Elements, version 5.02 is what I am using. Perhaps you have an older or newer version, but the symbols are the same.

Glance to the right on that top sidebar, and next to the 3 symbols discussed above, are your brush presets. Scroll down that list for someting simple and round (or whatever you like really).

The NEXT item on that top sidebar is says SIZE. Type in 200 for starters. This give you a circle about the size of a Crayola crayon (remember those)? If that circle is bigger than Crayola crayon, then make it smaller. This # depends on how large the photo is on your screen.

The NEXT item on that top sidebar is RANGE. Set it to midtones.

The NEXT item on that top sidebar is EXPOSURE. Set it to 75%.

Now that things are set up to begin, let's burn, baby.

Just click on the edge of your photo and drag the curser a bit along the edges.

 

Can you see where the edges of this photo are darker?

 

That's a subtle burning process. Let's do a more dramatic one now. Here's a freshly cropped and auto contrasted photo:

 

The edges were burned and then a couple of the tips of the flower. It's easy to get carried away, so try not to....but I wanted you to see this fun process so I burned quite a bit for emphasis of this technique!

 

Can you see where the edges are darker on this one?

 

So I encourage your to play with the size of the circle (or brush), play with the exposure, too. A smaller size (under 100ish) is great for burning small areas. Changing the exposure to 50% would be more subtle burning, and upping the exposure all the way to 100% is really intense, obviously.

It's so much fun to play! Love the many variations you can get by burning your photos!

PS, I love you (sigh).

Just keep blinging, just keep blinging...

Totally enjoying the projects I've been adding to the BeLLaRaMa E-Zine.  The whole creative process fills my days and I love that. Amazing how a few supplies scattered about can change your whole perspective on the gloomy days we've had here. I hardly seem to notice them.

 

This is just a shot of the table earlier. Call it a mess if you want, or call it potential. :) I've been so very drawn to velvets lately. Still loving lace, too. Can't seem to get enough of either one. And dirty silver and rhinestones. And shiny anythings.

What are your favorite supplies to create with these days?

What's Going On? Okay I'll tell you.

So hey, I'm really excited to tell you California girls that, I did not break my promise, I will be coming and teaching there. In March even! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! Oh, it's gets better...I'll be teaching here!  Kim always puts a theme on her special events, and this one is called La Petite Maison Blanc. If you have ever seen some of the pix of her previous Events, you know she keeps it to an intimate group of students and then she spoils them to the nines. It will be beautiful.

I'm looking forward to getting together and teaching with two of my favorite artists: Amy Hanna and Pam Garrison.  What a delight! I am one of those who doesn't travel very much (it's just a thing I have---big, super big chicken) so it helps to know that there will be lots of pals waiting for me once I get there.

The class I am teaching is Milagro Blanc. Some fun techniques in this one!

We will even have a bit of special shopping, or so I have been told! All the details can be found on the Artistic Affaire site. Hurry up March, I can't wait!

But we have to have February first. Have you been putting Valentine's goodies here and there like me? I don't do a lot, but wanted to show you a wreath I got recently. In case you like Victorian graphics. This wreath stole my heart.

 

Everytime I look at it I notice something new. I think it's an online only thing, available here. While you are there, you may just fall in love with these, like I did.

   

Aren't those cherry lollipops great? They are meant to be shared. Valentines Day treats are always better when they are shared! Just break them in half (like a wishbone).

 

Allie and I think they are yummy.

I picked up this tin recently, and since I'm all Valentinesy today, thought I'd share it, too.

 

It's in my studio. I've been noodling there a lot these days. Rearranging and lots of this and that. The colors make me insanely happy. I'll show a few pix soon.

Something new!

So at the request of a couple neat gals, I'm am going to introduce a lil feature about improving your digital photography. I will be showing a few tips and tricks using the simple and user friendly PhotoShop Elements.

Elements is a very easy to maneuver program, and often times overlooked as the baby sister to CS3, who is the bigger stronger, much more complex sister.

If you don't have this program, you can find it at places like Amazon, and Best Buy. You can also purchase it at Adobe. You can even purchase upgrades from the Adobe site, and install it all onto your computer right now.  Photoshop Elements is readily available, and worth every penny if you like to manipulate your digital photography, or create anything with graphics!

I know lots of people (friends of mine) who keep professing to jump into this program and learn a few things, and improve their skillz but just never do it. So, I'm going to spoon feed them! Little by little. I'll spoon feed you, too. Why? Because I love PS (a/k/a PhotoShop) and I want you to love it, too. We'll do a new tip/trick/technique every week or so to let you play with each one and learn them before moving on.

So, let's pretend you have just downloaded some photos into your PS Elements program, and want to impress yourself, and others, with just one click of a button. Think it can't be done? Well, there are MANY MANY buttons to click for a truly fine editing job. But this one is sure to wow you...and it's so easy you will love it, and you will remember it.

Here's a photo taken with no flash and unedited. The before shot:

 

This photo was cropped to 3x3, but that's it. Now, for the cool part. Ready? In Full Edit Mode, on the top tool bar, you will see Enhance, go there and scroll down to Auto Contrast. Click it and watch.

 

Sorta like dusting off the photo with a bottle of Gray be Gone, isn't it!? Here are the photos side by side:

 

P.S. I Love You.

Disclaimer:I am not a professional! There are several books and blogs and websites dedicated to the magical wonderland of Adobe PhotoShop. This is not one of them. Camera used: Canon 40D.

Her Day

It was magical, wonderful, exciting and she hasn't stopped smiling since! Our daughter signed her Scholarship Letter of Intent for next year!

Her soon to be college coach came to her high school for the signing followed by celebrating. Lots of her coaches, trainers, and friends joined us, too. So cool!

 

She's stil beaming...

Hello, circles

Did you know that the circle shape makes people happy? It has no end, no beginning. It's simple. Much more unassuming than an oval, and certainly more go-with-the-flow than a square, or triangle.

 

New knobs for a dresser recently painted.

 

At our house, cookies always go faster than bars.

A peek at a Bellarama project this week. So many rounds!

Today, I wish you all things round, happy, and simple.