A tutorial - due to popular demand :-)

Popular demand is a bit, ok, a huge exageration, but some of my fellow members of them Studio Calico forum asked how I made the image below.

It's a variation of a previous tutorial, but with enough different steps to warranty another tutorial. I've used PSE 5.

Step 1. Open your background and save it as different file. This one is one of Shimelle's Autumn Apples polka dots papers.

Step 2. Open a new layer and copy your photography in it.

Step 3. In the layers pallete, click on the half-black/half-white circle icon (create adjustment layer) and select Threshold.

Step 4. Move the slider until you're happy with what you see. The background will become b&w too, but don't worry about it.

Step 5. Right click on the current layer (the adjustment layer), and select merge down.

Step 6. Modify the blending mode (pull down menu in the top left of the layers palette) to Darken. Then you will get what you see below.

Step 7. The final touches. In the photo layer, use the eraser to remove the bits you don't want in the background. Then make the bottom layer (the pattern) active, select the brush tool and paint over the face. Faces usually don't look good with a pattern on it :-)

That's it, folks!

I've scrapped but not paperplayed

I had a senior moment this week and completely forgot to make my entry for PaperPlay. But the other members didn't so check it out, fab entries.

I haven't been doing much scrapping this month and was having withdraw symptoms, so I took some time to get something done this week.

It is for a Studio Calico Challenge, had to use paint & SC stamps. I went a bit mad with paint, sewing and stamping and embossing.

*Stamp: Story Time by Studio Calico
*Chipboard: Sassafras
*Font: BooPee
*Also paper scraps, thread, ink, acrylic paint, glitter, gesso, packaging (Prima) and bubble wrap


The one below was done for the Sketch Challenge in SI, the photo is one of my favourite of all times. Shimelle Laine asked me to take part, the original layout/sketch was by Helen Miles, now Helen and I are part of Shimelle's Digi CT, so we meet again.

A layout about photography and some good byes...

* Digital Papers: Autumn Apples Polka Dot Papers
* Flowers: Prima
* Date stamp: Viking Direct
* Font: Times New Roman

This is for Shimelle's CT, I added the title and a modified photo of me in one of her Polka Dots papers and them printed the whole bundle in white Bazzil cardstock. A few embellies and then it was done!

"I don’t much understand the technical aspects of photography.
I don’t know who are the best and greatest.
I certainly am not an expert.
But because one day Roger told me that I should choose our next camera,
because one day I had this beautiful baby daughter,
because one day I discovered scrapbooking,
because all of that,
I started to see photography as an art form.
Not that my photos are art.
But every now and then I take a photo that makes me happy.
And when I see art in other people’s photos,
it makes me happy too.
And being able to see beauty
is a true blessing."

The good byes are not from me, it is only that yesterday I got a layout back from Scrapbook Inspirations. My last assignment which was published only last month and now it is gone. I will be forever grateful to SI, that published my layouts and even commissioned a few sketch takes over the years.

Also good bye to Ali Edwards in Studio A, she's leaving CK, sniff, sniff.

Two sneak peeks

Two.



One my second project as Shimelle Laine's CT team member, I am loving her polka dots papers. This one is so pretty and feminine, irresistible. I even got my sewing machine off the box, I enjoyed playing the paper, primas and thread.

Another peek is for a little project of mine, I borrowed another of Shimelle's polka dots paper but is a completely different project altogether. If you have a little time, please let me know what you think of what you see, I'd love some feedback. Thanks.

My brother is over just for the weekend, so not much time to play but I just want to tell I am alive and well! Have a good weekend!

Inspiration

I went with a friend and my daughter to the "Art Fair 09" in the RDS. We didn't get to see everything - the drawbacks of going with a 7 year old, but some really beautiful paintings, ceramics and photos.

My favourites were: Alan Boyle Ceramics, some of his works can be seen here. Patricia Murphy, painter. Sharon McDaid, painter. I didn't buy anything, our house is a mess at the moment, but one we get it sorted, I'd love to get some paintings by Sharon McDaid, her landscapes are full of life and atmosphere.

Shimelle Digitals

Yipeee!!! Look at me here:

I'm part of Shimelle Laine's Baker's Dozen!

Baker's Dozen is a group of girls which will design with Shimelle's fabulous digital artwork . We are Shimelle's Digi Design Team.

We are:

allison http://hugharts.blogspot.com/

anso http://glitteradventure.blogspot.com/

avital http://www.creativityprompt.com/

dolly http://dollysdreamings.typepad.com/

elisa http://hybrid-alien.blogspot.com/

helen http://lovingthetraditional.blogspot.com/

karen c. http://redartscrapping.blogspot.com/

karen m. http://talesfromthescrapheap.blogspot.com/

kate http://libertycottage.blogspot.com/

nadine http://hello-love.org/

rani http://www.scrapyoga.typepad.com/

sheri http://www.auntierere.blogspot.com/

yvonne http://yvonnes-inkyfingers.blogspot.com/

All items from the Long and Winding Road DigiKit. It is a super easy kit to use. Being a slow scrapper, I was surprised that I managed to finish this layout so quickly. At first I thought the paper suited a feminine layout (and it does) but when I looked again, I saw that the shape resembled fireworks. Then it was only a matter of changing the colour (originals in blue and pale green) and I was almost done. Oh, the joys of digi scrapping! But yes, I'll print the layout in paper, I didn't buy a A3 printer for nothing!

Please go and check Shimelle's digi shop at Two Peas, and also the blogs of the other DT members for more Winding Road layouts.

Watch this space

I am very excited by a new opportunity that was given to me. Everything will be clear tomorrow, watch this space.

And finally a LO, it is a bad photo, I'll repost it if a managed to get a better one today.

It is a Halloween photo with Halloween paper and embellies but a bit unconventional as the photo doesn't show my daughter's costume and the journalling has nothing to do with the occasion.



"Every girl’s mother thinks
that she has got the most
beautiful daughter in the
whole wide world.
But somebody’s gotta be
right.
And I have the sneaky
suspicion that it could be
be ME.

Halloween 2009"

Based on a sketch by Séverine
verine. She's one of my favourite scrappers, and I just loved the sketch. I made it big to adjust to my somewhat myoptic style but I think it looks better in the original version.

Paper by Creative Imaginations, bought in Craft Supplies. I kinda spoiled it to suit my design needs - the best parts are not seen!

The cute bat is a freebie from Paper Crave.

Did you have a happy Halloween?

The kids had a party each to attend and the weather was mild enough to go trick or treating so they had a great time.

Here's one of my favourite photos, just a portrait of my little witch.

Another great news is that, the new PaperPlay DT was announced, go and check this amazing girls. Sandie, Kate, Julie and myself are still there too.

I haven't finished a layout in weeks and am really missing my fix, scrapping and crafting in general are my fix, my way to relax and feel good. This freebie by Shimelle Laine has the words to describe what scrapbooking means to me.

I'll be back soon!

Without my trusted laptop, I haven't been scrapbooking nor cardmaking much - I'm sorta hybrid, I feel like trying to run with my legs tied together.

But I haven't been iddle, I have been working on a little project of mine. And I have received great news today which I'll share as soon as I can. (They are both craft-related by the way).