Boston

What a neat city! This was not a photography based trip so there were no mornings that I was up at dawn ready to shoot. I stayed up late, slept in and just enjoyed spending quality time with my hubby while taking in all the city has to offer.  I'm really loving exploring Photoshop right now.  Taking a photo like this, which was taken late afternoon (~4pm) in not so decent light and turn it into something special. 

Finally!

I've wanted a jasmine plant in my yard since our trip to Italy in 2006.  They were everywhere, but I especially remember them in Venice.  They smell terrific.  I've never had a suitable space in my yard to plant one. Until now apparently.  The other day I discovered the previous owner had planted one on the side of the house and it is flourishing!  You can smell it from the backyard and I was just tickled when I saw it.

Attempting the impossible

I bought a couple skirts at the Ballard Seafood Festival this past weekend. I paid way too much for them of course. Since I don't know how to sew, that's the only way I was going to go home with the cuties.  But, I do own a sewing machine and they appear to be so easy that I don't need a pattern. So I'm going to attempt to make a skirt or two.  Wish me luck!

The fabrics I chose. I was only going to get the two on the left but spotted the cherry one at the checkout and just couldn't resist. 

More textures

I'm loving Photoshop and textures right now.  Playing with them, seeing which textures work or don't work with a photo is really interesting to me. I get a high when I take a good photo and when I add a texture that takes it up a notch, I can hardly contain myself.  I'm a dork, I know. 

There's nothing particularly fabulous about this photo.  It's not a unique shot but something we've all seen on a million greeting cards.  The lighting wasn't good, it's dark on one side and the rose on the far right is blown out.   However.... the roses were a housewarming gift from a neighbor yesterday. I thought the peach color would look good against the dark grey above our fireplace and snapped away.  I'm having some cards printed at Costco ($7.99 for 10) and will send her a thank you card for the roses with them. In that regard, I think it's pretty cool.

What amazes me is that you can take a not so perfect picture and really make it special.   This texture adds to the feeling of the photo in my opinion. And really, isn't my opinion the only one that matters at this point?

Yep! I figured out how to apply a texture to a photo!! Woo hoo! Feeling pretty puffed about that!