LSNED!

Well, in line with my topic for September, I've signed up for Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day class (I'd totally forgotten about this class when I decided on my topic yesterday, so it would be rude not to take part really, wouldn't it lol).

It starts on Thursday - and I've only got one pupil that day, so I'll have LOADS of time to play!

If you fancy joining us, check out the details at Shimelle.com!

Doodling - a new found media!

OK - so I'm probably light years behind everyone else, but I though I'd give Doodling a go as a new addition to my crafty armoury!

I found a great blog called Homegrown Hospitality by Stephanie Ackerman, and decided to sign up for her Doodle 101 workshop. Below is my first proper Doodled page - the front page for my journal. I want to try and make at least one page each week in this journal, and will be featuring doodles in there a fair bit. It's so relaxing and theraputic, although I may need to buy some other pens as the Promarkers bled though to the back .... and the next page - ooops!

I'm seriously thinking about now joining the Doodle, Too class!

Day 8 - Camera Artistry

Day 8 was Camera Artistry - the assignment .... to produce a Seasonal Macro Triptych - photographing one subject in three macro abstract 'sections'.

I love triptych pictures - we've all seen them for sale as canvas prints in the shops. You know, the ones with three canvases that make up the one picture.

Here's my attempt. Unfortunatley PSE is on the other computer, so they are individual photos at the moment, but I will put them together as one later and re-post them.

Day 10 - Clear Visual Definition

Caught up on another couple of assigments this morning, and managed to get todays done.

Day 8 was Clear Visual Definition which focused on ..... differential focusing. We had to produce 2 shots using single point focusing and a shallow depth of field. The first shot was focused on the background subject, and the second on the foreground subject.

I had a lot of fun playing with this one, with different subjects, but it was the Santa ones which I really liked. The lighting isn't fantastic, but at least I got the technique! I can see my Christmas photos being SOOO much more artistic this year!

Day 9 - Blinded By The Light

Christmas would not be complete without candles! And today's challenge was to photograph some .... EASY you say???? NOT!

It's really difficult to get the focusing right, and not lose the flame in the flicker. I also found the lighting levels a bit difficult to come to terms with, but I'm fairly pleased with what I've got so far. I've left everything set up so I can have another play tonight when it's dark (and Ian's retrieved the tripod from the loft lol).





I think the first one is my favourite. All PartyLite products, of course ;-)

Day 6 - Custom and Practice

Had to skip day 5 but I'll come back to that one later :)

Day 6 was to get some practice in ready for those all important 'traditional' shots like unwrapping the pressies ...... but taking a different slant on things with composition.

James had ANOTHER day off school because the water pipes had burst, so he became my test subject ... and very well he did too.

I took lots of photos, but here are my favourite three!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 4

Due to the snow and school closures, I didn't get around to doing days 2 and 3 yet, but here is today's assignment.

We were challenged to take a festive walk and take photographs while we were out. I went into the garden to take mine, and I'm so glad I did otherwise I would have missed the gorgeous icicles outside our bathroom window!

Here are just three of the photos I took.

12 Days of Christmas!

Well, it's started :) Cheryl Johnson is running a 12 day workshop called The 12 Days Of Christmas ...... and I got a place!

Had a small hic-up before I even started :( Ian took my camera to work with him a couple of weeks ago ..... and forgot to bring home the download cable! So, I've got to wait until tonight before I can get any of my photos off the camera. But, it'll give me a bit longer to play around with the first topic - White Balance :) It's about time I learnt how to use my camera properly :D

Watch this space lol

I've Been Playing With PSE!

I've used Photoshop Elements forever (or so it seems) as my photo editing programme, but only ever really used it to crop photos. So I thought it was about time to learn how to use the other tools properly.

Step 1 - went out and bought a copy of Digital Photo Magazine with a DVD of PSE Tutorials (actually, it was the 40 border templates that caught my eye)

Step 2 - had a play with some of the tutorials on the free DVD following the instructions in the magazine.

Had great fun - not sure I totally understand why/how it worked, but as long as I can achieve the effects I guess that's the important part.

Here's a couple of piccies of my results :)

Lith Printing Technique

Before After

Mono Handprinted Look

Before After

I'll post some more later :)

Weekly Verb Album - Weeks 12 and 13

OK - so they are now a bit out of order as I still need to get the parcels for weeks 7-11, but here are weeks 12 (Learn) and 13 (Comfort).

I did consider using FOOD as the subject of my comfort page, but as I'm trying to lose weight and NOT use food for comfort, I decided to go with HOME instead.




I printed out the front cover today onto white Bazzill Cardstock, and the texture on the card gave the page a totally different look which I loved - so I've decided to print the whole album on white Bazzill (note to self - buy more cardstock LOL).

Art Journal Caravan - Itinerary #2

I had a spare half hour while I drank my coffee (actually, I could have unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, but what the hey!!!), so I thought I'd have a play with Parcel #2 from the Art Journal Caravan over at scrapbookgraphics.com! I LOVE this one - the colours are gorgeous, and I just fell head over heals for the bird.

So, I've had a play with ACCEPT - something I do struggle with. Thanks for the inspiration, Tangie - I'm going to print this one out and stick it to my wall as a permanent reminder that I don't have to be perfect ... I just have to accept it and get on with life!



Now ....... back to the dishwasher LOL

The Art Journal Caravan has left the station!

Well, I did say I wanted to learn something new in 2010! I've joined the Art Journal Caravan over at ScrapbookGraphics.com. I've always been fascinated by Art Journals I've seen online, but never really had the time to make one. When I found this year long course, I couldn't wait to sign up - I just had to work on DH :) He caved in ..... and I signed up yesterday.

Here are my front cover, and the first prompt - my word for 2010. I'm pretty chuffed with them :)

Learn Something New

I've been sitting here looking through some online shops, and started thinking (yes, I know that's dangerous LOL!) I've been cardmaking since my early teens, and scrapbooking for about 7 years, and I fancy trying something different.

So, what better place to set out the new things I'd like to learn than on here! That way, I can't lose it (you'd be amazed at the number of lists I have floating round on scraps of paper!) and it will be a constant reminder - so if we get to June and I haven't done any of them, please feel free to kick me up the bum!

So, for starters:-

1. I'd like to learn how to use my DSLR camera properly - at the moment, pretty much everything is taken on the AUTO mode.
2. I'd like to learn more about Altered Art. I see lots of lovely projects on the forums, but whenever I've tried something it looks like a 5 year old has been let loose with the paper and glue!
3. I'd like to learn Leather Work - especially leather carving. I saw some on American Chopper the other night and it looked FANTASTIC.

I'm sure I'll be adding to the list as time goes on. I think it's about time I spent some quality time with myself :D

Watch this space!